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Your SOC 2 audit is next week and you just found out you need an external penetration test. Traditional firms will quote you $10,000 and take six weeks to deliver a report. At Affordable Penetration Testing, we start your test in 24 hours and deliver your audit-ready report in five days, starting at just $2000 with a free retest included.
An external penetration test is a simulated cyberattack on your internet-facing systems like websites, servers, and cloud infrastructure. We act like real hackers to find security holes before they do. For any company facing a SOC 2 audit, this type of security testing isn't just a good idea. It's a mandatory requirement you can't ignore.
Relying on automated scanners alone is a huge mistake, especially with a SOC 2 audit on the line. Scanners are great for catching low-hanging fruit, but they can't think like a human attacker. They completely miss complex business logic flaws and chained exploits which are the real threats to your business. This is where a manual external penetration test is essential.
A real pentest is a human-led effort. Our security experts don't just click "run" and forward a generic report. We manually probe your web apps, APIs, and cloud infrastructure to find the high-risk issues automated tools are completely blind to. Auditors for compliance frameworks like SOC 2 know that scanners don't tell the whole story, which is why they require proof of a manual assessment.
Automated tools follow a script, but human attackers improvise. Our team finds vulnerabilities that require creativity and a deep understanding of your business. Our manual penetration testing services consistently uncover business logic flaws, chained exploits, and authentication bypasses that can lead to major breaches. The data shows manual pentesting finds nearly 2000 times more unique vulnerabilities than scans alone, which is why it's a must for SOC 2 penetration testing.
Ready to find the vulnerabilities your scanner is missing? We can start our affordable penetration testing within 24 hours.
Let's talk numbers. Traditional cybersecurity firms charge between $25,000 and $50,000 for a standard external pentest, plus rush fees if you're on a tight deadline for your SOC 2 audit. That old model is broken. We provide a transparent, fixed fee right from the start so you know exactly what you're paying for our affordable penetration testing.
The price of an external penetration test is tied to the size and complexity of your attack surface. A bigger target takes more time to assess thoroughly. The main factors are the number of public IPs, the complexity of your web applications, the number of API endpoints, and specific compliance requirements like SOC 2. Even with these variables, we keep our prices fair and transparent.
We deliver the same high-quality, audit-ready report as the big firms for a fraction of the cost because we cut out the fluff. No bloated sales teams or expensive offices. We focus on what secures your company: expert human testers and an efficient process. Our fixed-fee quotes for penetration testing services start at $2000, which includes the test, a detailed report, and free re-testing to ensure your fixes worked. For more info, check our guide on how much affordable penetration testing costs.
Ready for clear, upfront pricing on your next pentest?
Contact us for a no-obligation quote and see how much you can save:
Got a SOC 2 audit next week? You don’t have time for a six-week engagement. Our entire external penetration testing process is built for speed. We start testing within 24-48 hours and deliver your final report within five business days. No exceptions. It's just how we do business.
We start with a quick 30-minute call to define the targets for your pentest, usually your public IPs, web apps, and APIs. We sign a simple agreement, and that's it. Within one business day, our team is ready to go. No lengthy questionnaires or endless email chains.
This is where our expert testers get to work. We combine powerful tools with deep, hands-on manual analysis to find both common vulnerabilities and tricky business logic flaws that automated tools always miss. This hybrid approach mimics a real-world attacker and gives you the assurance needed to satisfy tough compliance requirements like SOC 2 penetration testing.
Within five business days, we deliver a clear, actionable report designed for both your technical team and your auditors. Each finding includes a plain-English description, steps to reproduce it, a clear risk rating, and actionable guidance your developers can actually follow. Our goal is to empower your team to fix things fast.
Once your team fixes the vulnerabilities, let us know. We perform re-testing on all initial findings at no extra charge. This is a critical step for compliance, as it proves to your auditor that you've closed the gaps. After we confirm the fixes, we issue a final, clean report you can hand right over for your audit.
Need an urgent penetration test for your SOC 2 audit? We can get started tomorrow.
Let's be blunt: an external penetration test isn't just a best practice. For compliance audits like SOC 2, ISO 27001, and HIPAA, it's a non-negotiable requirement. Your auditor needs to see proof of a thorough, human-led assessment, not just a simple vulnerability scan. Our penetration testing services are designed to provide the exact evidence auditors need.
Compliance standards are dense, but they all want to see that you've identified, assessed, and fixed security weaknesses. An external penetration test is the most direct way to prove that. For SOC 2 (CC4.1), ISO 27001 (A.12.6.1), and HIPAA (§164.308), our report provides the detailed findings, risk analysis, and remediation evidence auditors require. A detailed external pentest report is the single most effective piece of evidence you can provide to an auditor. While this guide focuses on your external perimeter, learn more about our internal pentesting services too.
Picking a vendor for your external penetration test shouldn't be a gamble. The right partner gets you through your SOC 2 audit fast and actually makes you more secure. A good vendor is upfront about their methodology, pricing, and timelines. A great vendor understands that for a growing company, speed and affordability are essential.
Before you sign a contract, get straight answers. If a firm is cagey, it's a huge red flag. Ask them about their methodology (do they use manual testing?), ask for a sample report, ask about their testers' qualifications (like OSCP), and confirm if re-testing is included in the price. Free re-testing is standard for any reputable firm offering penetration testing services.
Knowing what to avoid is just as important. Watch out for vague pricing, an over-reliance on automation, long timelines, and a lack of experience with compliance frameworks like SOC 2. If a vendor's pitch revolves around their "proprietary scanner," you aren't getting a real pentest. You can learn more about this in our guide on automated versus manual pentesting.
We get a lot of questions about external penetration testing. Here are straight, simple answers to the most common ones. A vulnerability scan is an automated checklist, while a pentest is a manual, creative assault led by a human expert who thinks like an attacker. Our entire process is built for speed: we start in 24-48 hours and deliver a report in five business days. Our fixed-fee pricing for affordable penetration testing starts around $2000, and yes, re-testing is absolutely included for free.
Ready to secure your systems and pass your audit without the painful costs and long waits? Affordable Pentesting delivers fast, expert-led external penetration testing that fits your budget and respects your deadline.
Contact us now for a free, no-obligation quote.
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