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Need a penetration test for compliance but don't have time for the usual runaround? Preparing for a pentest is simple: figure out what to test, gather the technical details, and tell your team it's happening. At Affordable Penetration Testing, we get you from prep to report in days, not months.
Your Quick Guide to Pentest Preparation
You need a pentest, probably for a SOC 2 audit, and you need it fast without a ridiculous price tag. Traditional firms love to drag out preparation because they bill by the hour. We don't. We get straight to the point so our OSCP, CEH, and CREST certified pentesters can find the vulnerabilities that actually matter for your compliance.
The goal of prep is to make the real test efficient. It's not about scrambling to fix everything beforehand. It's about giving our ethical hackers a clear, accurate map to follow.
When they know exactly what to target for your SOC 2 penetration testing, they spend less time on discovery and more time on analysis. That direct approach is how we keep our penetration testing pricing low and deliver reports fast. A little prep saves a lot of headaches and ensures you pass your audit.
A successful and affordable penetration testing process starts with clear direction, not endless meetings.
Define Your Pentest Scope Without Overspending
The biggest mistake that drives up pentest costs is a vague scope. Traditional firms love a fuzzy scope because it lets them add charges later. We hate it because it wastes your money and our time. Getting this right is the most critical step for an affordable penetration testing engagement.
Your goal isn't to test every single device your company owns. It's to focus on the critical assets that, if compromised, would cause real damage. For compliance, your auditors already have specific targets in mind, so let's stick to those.
For SOC 2 penetration testing, auditors care about systems that store customer data. For HIPAA, it's all about servers and apps that touch Protected Health Information (PHI). You don't need to pay for a massive enterprise-wide test to check a compliance box.
Before you ask for a quote, make a quick list. This simple step puts you in control of the penetration testing pricing conversation. For a typical application security test, your list should include application URLs, user roles to test, key features like logins or payment forms, and any APIs the app uses. This focus ensures our OSCP and CEH certified pentesters spend their time where it counts, delivering a fast and effective report.
Gather The Right Technical And Team Details
Time is money during a pentest. The biggest bottleneck is the endless back and forth just to get basic technical info. This wastes your budget and slows down the entire security audit. To get an urgent penetration test started, our team needs a few details right away.
Having this info ready means our pentesters get to work immediately, not spend billable hours chasing down credentials. Before the test begins, pull together test environment credentials for different user roles, API documentation like a Swagger file, and a basic network diagram. This small step can shave days off the testing timeline.
Beyond technical details, communication is everything. The most efficient pentests happen when we have a single, dedicated point of contact on your team. This person doesn't need to be a security expert, just someone who can get answers quickly. They become the bridge between your developers and our testers, eliminating confusion and delays. This is how we make fast penetration testing possible.
Align Your Pentest With Compliance Needs
Let’s be direct. You're probably looking for a pentest because an auditor sent you. Compliance is the number one reason companies need affordable penetration testing, whether it’s for SOC 2, HIPAA, or ISO 27001. This isn't a treasure hunt for every bug; it’s about methodically checking the boxes your auditor needs to see.
Our job is to deliver a clean, comprehensive report that makes your auditor happy on the first pass. A failed audit leads to expensive re-testing and painful delays. You tell us the framework, and we run a test built specifically to meet those requirements. A SOC 2 penetration testing project is different from a HIPAA test, and the approach should reflect that.
Auditors look for a clear methodology (like OWASP or NIST), a defined scope of what was tested, and actionable findings with proof and recommendations. They also need proof of remediation. Our penetration testing services include free re-testing to validate your fixes and add that critical "pass" confirmation to the final report. This focus on efficiency is a huge part of our affordable pentest pricing.
What Happens During And After The Test
Knowing how to prepare is half the battle. You also need to know what comes next. With many firms, the test phase is a black box. They disappear for weeks and then drop a confusing PDF on you. We think that’s an outdated and inefficient way to handle security testing.
Our process is built on transparency and speed. You won't get weeks of radio silence. The moment our OSCP, CEH, and CREST certified pentesters find a critical vulnerability, you’ll know about it. We believe in real-time communication so your team can start working on a fix long before the final report is even done.
Our final report is a tool, not a paperweight. Each finding clearly explains the vulnerability, its business risk, and the step-by-step guidance to fix it. Our goal is simple: give you a report your developers understand and your auditor accepts. We cut the fluff so you can focus on what matters. That’s a core part of our affordable penetration testing philosophy.
Common Questions About Penetration Testing
You have questions about preparing for a pentest, and you deserve straight answers. Here’s a no-fluff breakdown of what IT managers and founders usually ask before kicking off an affordable penetration testing project.
How Much Does Penetration Testing Cost?
Pentest pricing varies, but it shouldn't be a mystery. We've seen focused application security tests for compliance, like for SOC 2 penetration testing, cost as little as $4,999. The biggest factors driving the price are the scope (how many apps or IP addresses?) and the complexity of your environment.
Traditional firms often start with high quotes and use vague scopes to their advantage. We do the opposite. A clear scope means you get a fixed, upfront price with no surprises. That is how we deliver truly affordable pentesting.
How Long Does A Penetration Test Take?
Speed matters, especially when you need an urgent penetration test for a deadline. A standard engagement with us, from kickoff to the final report, typically takes five to ten business days. That includes active testing, documenting findings, and delivering a report you can actually use. Compare that to the six-to-eight-week timelines from bigger, slower firms. We’re built for efficiency because your compliance can't wait.
What Is The Difference Between A Pentest And A Scan?
This distinction is critical. A vulnerability scan is an automated tool looking for known, low-hanging fruit. It’s fast but noisy and lacks the critical thinking of a human expert. A penetration test is a manual attack simulation run by a certified ethical hacker. They don't just find vulnerabilities; they exploit them to show you the real-world business risk. Auditors for frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001 almost always require a full manual penetration test, not just a scan report.
Ready to see how fast and affordable a real penetration test can be? Get a no-nonsense quote from us in minutes. We deliver detailed reports for compliance audits without the high costs and long waits of traditional penetration testing services.