Sticker shock. That’s the first thing most companies feel when they get a penetration testing quote for their compliance audit. You’ve been told a professional, high-quality pentest runs anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000, with most businesses landing somewhere between $10,000 and $30,000. If you're facing a tight deadline and a tighter budget, that number can feel like a brick wall.

Stop Overpaying For Slow Penetration Tests

Let me guess. You have an urgent SOC 2 or ISO 27001 audit coming up. You know you need security testing, but every quote you get is frustratingly high and slow. Traditional security firms are quoting tens of thousands of dollars and telling you it’ll be a six week wait just to get started.

That kind of delay puts your business, your budget, and your compliance at risk. We don't think you should have to choose between solid security and moving fast. This guide cuts through the noise and gives you a straight answer on what an affordable penetration testing engagement should really cost.

The Old Way vs The Right Way

The traditional model for penetration testing is broken for modern companies. It’s built on endless sales calls, long scoping meetings, and massive overhead costs that get passed right down to you. This is why a straightforward SOC 2 penetration testing project can drag on for months and cost a fortune.

We do things differently. We’ve cut out the corporate fluff to focus on what actually matters: delivering a high quality, audit ready report from a certified professional. Fast.

Here’s a quick look at the difference:

• Traditional Firms: Expect long waits, complex contracts, and prices bloated by sales commissions. Their process is designed for huge enterprises, not for agile companies that need to ship code and close deals.
• Our Model: We provide a clear, upfront penetration testing pricing structure. Our system is built for speed, which means we deliver an urgent penetration testing report in days, not weeks. You’re paying for the expertise of our OSCP and CEH certified pentesters, not their fancy office.

This is a game changer for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and virtual CISOs who juggle multiple clients with tight deadlines. We offer the same transparent, low pricing to everyone, letting partners like the ones at msppentesting.com deliver amazing value without fighting vendors.

Our approach isn’t just running a scanner and calling it a day, which is a common pitfall you can learn about in our guide on automated penetration testing. We deliver the human-led expertise needed to find business logic flaws and complex vulnerabilities that automated tools always miss. That's how you get a report that’s actually valuable.

What Actually Determines Penetration Testing Prices

Ever get a penetration testing quote for $5,000 and then another for $50,000 for what looks like the same job? You’re not alone. The massive price gap almost always boils down to one simple word: scope.

Think of it like inspecting a house. Checking a one bedroom apartment is a much faster and cheaper job than inspecting a 50 room mansion. It’s common sense.

Penetration testing pricing works the exact same way. The cost is directly tied to the size and complexity of what you need tested. A simple marketing website with a contact form is the apartment; a complex banking application with user accounts and payment processing is the mansion. More features and more code mean more work for the pentester, which drives up the price.

This infographic breaks down how traditional and affordable penetration testing models stack up, showing the key differences in speed and cost.

Our model is built around a streamlined process. We connect you directly with certified experts to cut down on both timelines and costs, making fast penetration testing a reality.

Key Factors That Drive The Final Cost

A few key elements determine the scope and, in turn, the final price of your pentest. Understanding these helps you have smarter conversations and stops you from paying for things you don’t need. It's also critical to distinguish between different types of security checks—you can learn more by reading our guide on vulnerability assessments versus penetration testing.

So, what are the main cost drivers?

• Number of IP Addresses: For network penetration testing, the more IPs (servers, devices) you include in scope, the higher the cost. Plain and simple.
• Application Complexity: A web app with 10 user roles and 100 features will take much longer to test than one with a single login and two functions. This is often the biggest factor.
• Testing Methodology: The approach matters. A black-box test, where the tester starts with zero knowledge, is different from a white-box test, where they get full access to your source code.

The global market for these services is huge. Internal penetration testing costs can fall between $7,000 and $35,000, while external tests often range from $5,000 to $20,000. We built our entire business around providing clear, affordable penetration testing options that come in well below those industry ranges.

Meeting Compliance Needs Without The High Cost

Compliance is a huge reason companies need a pentest. Frameworks like SOC 2, HIPAA, and ISO 27001 don't just suggest security testing—they require it. But this can feel like a trap. You need a pentest to pass your audit, but the sticker shock from traditional firms can destroy your budget.

This is especially true for SOC 2 pentesting. Auditors aren’t looking for a simple checkmark. They need to see a detailed, professional report that proves you’ve done a thorough security audit. They want to see a clear methodology and practical recommendations. That level of detail is exactly why many big firms charge a fortune for their penetration testing services.

What Your Auditors Really Want To See

Your auditor wants proof that you're taking security seriously, and a simple vulnerability scan won't cut it. They expect a report that details a real-world attack simulation. Think of it as showing your work on a math problem; the final answer isn't enough.

A good pentest report for an auditor includes:

• A defined scope that clearly outlines what was tested.
• Manual testing evidence showing a human expert went beyond automated tools.
• Clear risk ratings for every finding, so you can prioritize what to fix.
• Detailed steps to reproduce vulnerabilities, so your team can validate the findings.
• Specific remediation guidance that tells your team how to fix the problems.

Our OSCP, CEH, and CREST certified pentesters deliver exactly that. We create audit ready reports designed to satisfy strict compliance standards, making affordable penetration testing a reality. For a deeper dive, check out our guide on penetration testing best practices.

We focus on the detailed, human-led security testing that auditors demand, but without the ridiculous price tag. This means you can meet your compliance testing needs fast and get back to running your business.

How We Make Penetration Testing Fast and Affordable

Let's be honest. Traditional penetration testing is slow and overpriced because of bloat. Big security firms pass the cost of their downtown offices, massive sales teams, and weeks of administrative back and forth directly onto your bill.

We just don't work that way. We built our entire model from the ground up to be lean, fast, and focused on delivering expert security testing without the nonsense.

Our agile approach cuts out the corporate red tape. You're not talking to account managers or junior salespeople; you're talking directly with security professionals. This lets us scope your project quickly and accurately, often getting you a clear, fixed quote within a few hours. You pay for the time and skill of our certified pentesters, not for layers of bureaucracy.

Our Efficient and Value Driven Pentesting Model

We believe affordable penetration testing shouldn't mean you compromise on quality. Our process is designed for speed and real value, getting you the report you need for your audit in days, not weeks. It’s how we make an urgent penetration testing engagement not just possible, but standard.

Here’s what makes our approach different:

• No Sales Overheads: We don't have a big sales team driving up costs. The price reflects the actual work required to test your systems—nothing more.
• Direct Access to Experts: You work directly with our OSCP, CEH, and CREST certified pentesters. This means clear communication and faster results.
• Streamlined Scoping: We use a simple, straightforward process to figure out what you need. This lets us start your security testing almost immediately.
• Focus on Delivery: Our main objective is to get a comprehensive, audit ready report in your hands for your SOC 2 or ISO 27001 needs as fast as possible.

With us, you pay for expert security testing, not fancy offices. It's the ideal solution for any founder, CISO, or IT manager who needs a reliable pentest done right away. We get you audit ready without the wait.

Get Your Pentest Report This Week Not Next Month

You’ve seen how old-school penetration testing firms operate. The process is slow, bloated with overhead, and built for massive enterprise budgets. You're stuck in a six week queue when you need a report for your SOC 2 audit now.

It's time to stop waiting.

Our promise is simple: we deliver fast, affordable penetration testing from OSCP and CEH certified experts. You get a comprehensive, audit ready report without the ridiculous timeline or the enterprise price tag. Our entire model is built for companies that need to move quickly and meet compliance deadlines.

Your Next Steps Are Simple And Fast

Getting started takes less than five minutes. We've cut out the pointless sales calls and weeks of back and forth that plague the industry.

1. Fill out our simple contact form: Just give us the basics on what you need to test.
2. Get a no-nonsense quote: We’ll send you a clear, upfront pentest pricing within a few hours. No surprises.
3. Start your test: We can kick off your urgent penetration testing almost immediately, often within the same week.

Don’t let a slow, overpriced security firm put your compliance goals at risk. We deliver the exact report you need to satisfy your auditors and secure your systems, often in just a few days. Let’s get you compliant.

Got Questions About Pentest Costs And Speed?

You're not alone. Here are the straight answers to the most common questions we hear, designed to help you make a smart decision without any fluff.

How Quickly Can We Get Started?

Way faster than you think. Once we confirm the scope, we can often kick off an ASAP pentest within just a few business days. Our process is built for speed to get the report you need for that looming compliance audit in your hands as quickly as possible.

Is an Affordable Pentest Good Enough for SOC 2?

Absolutely. "Affordable" should never mean "lower quality." Our penetration testing services are all performed by certified pros like OSCP, CEH, and CREST. Our reports are specifically formatted to meet the strict SOC 2 penetration testing requirements. Auditors for SOC 2, ISO 27001, and HIPAA love our reports because the clarity and detail make their jobs easier.

What’s the Real Difference Between a Scan and a Test?

This is a critical question. A lot of companies get tricked into overpaying for what is just a simple automated scan.

Here's the breakdown:

• Vulnerability Scan: This is purely automated. It’s software checking for known, low-hanging fruit security issues. Think of it like a spell checker; it’s fast and catches obvious mistakes but misses the context.
• Penetration Test: This is a manual, human driven attack simulation. Our experts actively try to exploit vulnerabilities and uncover business logic flaws. It’s the difference between checking if the front door is unlocked and actually trying to pick the lock and jimmy a window.

A real pentest is non negotiable for any serious security audit. It proves you’ve gone beyond the basic checklist and have a true picture of your real-world security risks.

Ready to get a clear, fast, and affordable pentest quote? We deliver the expert report you need for compliance without the wait. Fill out our simple form now and get your security testing started this week.

Get Your No-Nonsense Quote Today