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    Penetration Test Cost

    How Much Does a Penetration Test Cost?

    Use our free penetration test cost calculator to get an instant price estimate for your pentest

    Transparent pricing for web application, network, API, and mobile penetration testing. No sales calls required

    Curious about the cost of our pentesting services?

    Use our Price Calculator to get a quick idea of pricing.

    This is a price indication, not a formal quote. For an accurate and binding quote, sign up or log in to our platform.

    Estimate:

    $ 985

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    Understanding Penetration Test Costs in 2026

    The cost of a penetration test depends on the type of assessment, the number of assets in scope, and the complexity of your environment. Traditional penetration testing firms charge between $10,000 and $50,000 or more per engagement, largely because of overhead from sales teams, account managers, and consulting hours. Budget Security eliminates that overhead with a self serve model, offering professional penetration testing starting from $985.

    Penetration Test Cost by Type

    Different types of penetration tests have different cost structures. Here's what drives pricing for each:

    • Web application pentest cost, based on the number of pages and forms. Starts at $985 / €849.
    • External network pentest cost, priced per domain and IP address in scope.
    • Internal network pentest cost, depends on the number of hosts and VLANs.
    • API pentest cost, based on the number of endpoints and authentication complexity.
    • Mobile app pentest cost, varies by platform (iOS, Android, or both) and number of screens.

    Why Self Serve Pentesting Costs Less

    Traditional providers bundle sales calls, scoping meetings, and project management into the penetration test cost. Budget Security removes those layers. You scope your own assets, see the price instantly, and book online. This self serve approach reduces penetration testing costs by up to 60% compared to legacy providers, without compromising on quality. Every test is performed by OSCP certified professionals.

    Get an Accurate Penetration Test Quote

    The calculator above gives a non-binding cost indication. For an accurate, binding quote, create a free account on our platform. Our AI-powered auto-scoping tool analyses your assets and generates a precise penetration test cost within minutes — no meetings required.

    Cheap Pentest vs. Affordable Penetration Testing

    If you are searching for a cheap pentest, you are probably trying to meet a budget, a compliance deadline, or both. That is reasonable — but the lowest quote is rarely the best deal. Many cut-rate offers skip manual validation, reuse generic findings, or deliver reports auditors and developers cannot act on.

    Affordable means fair pricing for real manual testing — not a race to the bottom.

    A meaningful penetration test requires skilled testers to explore your application or network, chain weaknesses, and document exploitable issues with clear reproduction steps. Automated tools help, but they cannot replace human judgment on business logic, access control, and realistic attack paths.

    Budget Security is built for teams that want transparent pricing without sacrificing depth: you scope online, see the price before you book, and every engagement is led by OSCP-certified testers with compliance-ready reporting.

    Before you choose a provider based on price alone, ask what is actually in scope, how findings are validated, and whether retesting and reporting match what your SOC 2, ISO 27001, or NIS 2 program expects. The answers matter more than the headline number.

    Use the calculator on this page to compare our model to traditional quotes — same seriousness, less overhead.

    Frequently Asked Questions About Penetration Test Costs

    How much does a penetration test cost?
    Penetration test costs vary based on scope, asset type, and testing approach. At Budget Security, web application pentests start from $985 (€849), while network and API tests scale based on the number of targets. Use our free penetration test cost calculator above for an instant estimate.
    What factors affect penetration testing pricing?
    The main factors are the type of test (web app, network, API, mobile), number of assets in scope, testing approach (black box, grey box, or white box), and complexity of the application. Budget Security offers transparent pricing with no hidden consulting fees.
    Can I book a pentest without talking to sales?
    Yes. Budget Security is a fully self serve pentest booking platform. You scope your assets, see the price upfront, and book online. No sales calls, no meetings, no email chains.
    What is included in the penetration testing cost?
    Every pentest includes manual testing by OSCP certified professionals, a detailed findings report with remediation guidance, compliance ready documentation for SOC 2, ISO 27001, and NIS 2, and one click retesting after you fix vulnerabilities.
    How is Budget Security more affordable than traditional pentesting?
    We cut overhead, not quality. No sales teams, no account managers, no inflated consulting hours. Our self serve model means you only pay for the actual penetration test, making our pricing significantly lower than traditional providers.
    How long does a penetration test take?
    Most tests deliver results within hours to days, not weeks. You get live updates as findings come in, and compliance ready reports are available from your dashboard as soon as testing completes.
    What is the average cost of a penetration test in 2026?
    The average penetration test cost in 2026 ranges from $5,000 to $30,000 at traditional firms. Budget Security offers the same quality starting from $985 by eliminating sales overhead and using a self serve booking model.
    How do I reduce the cost of penetration testing?
    Use a self-serve platform like Budget Security to eliminate consulting fees and sales overhead. Start with the most critical assets, scope accurately using our AI auto-scope tool, and schedule regular retests to catch new vulnerabilities early at a lower cost.
    Is Budget Security a cheap pentest provider?
    It depends on what you mean by "cheap." If you mean low quality, automated-only scans, or inexperienced testers — no. Every Budget Security pentest is performed by OSCP-certified professionals using manual testing methodologies, with detailed reports and remediation guidance included. If you mean affordable compared to traditional providers — yes. Our pentests start from $985 because we have eliminated the overhead that drives up pricing at legacy firms: no sales teams, no account managers, no scoping meetings. The name "Budget Security" reflects our approach — professional penetration testing that fits your budget. You select the exact assets you need tested and pay only for what you need, so you are never overpaying for an over-scoped engagement.
    What is the difference between a cheap pentest and an affordable pentest?
    A cheap pentest typically means corners have been cut — automated vulnerability scans passed off as manual testing, junior or uncertified testers, template reports with no actionable remediation guidance, and limited or no retesting. These assessments can give your organization a false sense of security while real vulnerabilities go undetected. An affordable pentest delivers the same quality as a premium engagement at a lower price point by reducing operational overhead rather than testing quality. Budget Security achieves this through self-serve booking, AI-powered auto-scoping, and zero sales overhead. Every test includes manual testing by OSCP-certified professionals, a detailed findings report, compliance-ready documentation for SOC 2, ISO 27001, and NIS 2, and one-click retesting after remediation.