Costs of Penetration Testing
Clearhats delivers thorough penetration testing at a fraction of industry prices. Our Basic package starts at $1,800 and our Advanced package at $4,900 for a single Class C network. If you find a better rate, send us the proposal and we will beat the quoted price by 50%.
Our -50% Price Guarantee means that if you receive a written proposal from a competing security vendor for comparable penetration testing or vulnerability assessment services, Clearhats will beat that quoted price by 50%. The guarantee applies to the Basic and Advanced Security Packages for a single Class C network. We agree on a fixed price before testing begins with no hidden or additional charges.
| Vendor | Price | Service |
|---|---|---|
| Canaudit | $30,000+ | "Network Vulnerability Assessment" (up to 3 UNIX and 10 NT servers) |
| IBM | $15,000–$40,000 | "Ethical Hacking" |
| Avcom | $15,000–$25,000 | "Remote Access Security Review" |
| MyCIO | $16,761 | "Automated CyberCop ASaP" (254 IPs at $65.99/unit) |
| AutomatedScanning | $25,400 | "Automated Scanning" (254 IPs at $100/unit) |
| Clearhats (Basic) | $1,800 | Vulnerability Assessment, one Class C network |
| Clearhats (Advanced) | $4,900 | Penetration Test, one Class C network |
Obviously you should not base your decision on price alone. Factor in the quality and depth of the security assessment.
Our Philosophy
Clearhats Network Security is an independent, small-scale, and low-overhead business that relies on contracts to fund our security research projects. This means that we write our own software, and our timescales and prices are based on client needs (not our own). In our research, we have found that our penetration testing fees are among the lowest in the industry. We have also found that the quality of our work far surpasses that of our peers.
We feel that most security solutions are overpriced and inflated. Affordable security services should not be out of reach for small business owners who depend even more upon their systems than large corporations with many back-up systems and expensive full-time security staff.
Clearhats Network Security is committed to helping everyone secure their systems and networks. It is very important to us that you get a real-world picture of your security posture while learning how to improve it.
Ask yourself: what are the costs of not having professional penetration testing performed by Clearhats Network Security?
Penetration Testing Prices in the Media
The costs of Penetration Testing have traditionally been a closely guarded trade secret among security companies. The following are quotes from the mainstream media that reference what people expect to pay. It is not true that you always get what you pay for.
“I recently heard of yet another penetration test in which the vendor charged $150,000 for two days of testing. It seemed pretty expensive to me, but I assumed that the testers must have brought in some major security gurus who ran uber-elite secret exploits against the systems. In fact, they ran ISS Scanner.”
Carole Fennelly, How hackers do it: Penetration testing
“On many occasions I have had clients lay out requirements that I conservatively estimated would cost $75,000, only to be told that they had only $15,000 available.”
Ira Winkler, Audits, Assessments & Tests (Oh My)
“Getting good advice on network security, and then ignoring it, doesn't come cheap. Both IBM Consulting and Price Waterhouse, for example, charge $50,000 to $75,000 to develop a 'footprint' of access points into a network.”
Erin Callaway, Ethical Hackers for Hire
“A previous consulting service company that I used to work for quotes 6 or 8 machines for $25,000, and then scaled upward, depending on the number of machines to be scanned...”
Mark Teicher, Cost of Penetration Testing
Need a custom quote? Request a project proposal or contact us directly.
The $1,800 and $4,900 prices and the "-50% Price Guarantee" are limited to the Basic and Advanced Security Packages for a single Class C network.
