Penetration Testing Pricing Guide and Examples

A solid penetration testing price sheet is your best tool for closing deals quickly. It helps you move from slow, custom quotes to a simple system that builds trust. For MSPs and vCISOs, this is key for serving clients who need to meet compliance rules like SOC 2, HIPAA, or PCI DSS.

Why Your MSP Needs a Standard Price Sheet

Building a unique quote for every pentesting request is a huge time waster. It stops your security services from growing. Every hour spent debating scope and price is an hour you could have been winning new business.

A clear, ready-to-go price sheet changes everything. It removes the guesswork and makes you look like a prepared, professional partner.

Instead of starting from scratch every time, a price sheet lets you respond right away. It shows you understand the market and have a structured way to deliver complex security services. This is a huge plus when your clients are trying to meet deadlines for ISO 27001. They want a solution now, not a long sales process.

Having set tiers also lets you confidently partner with a channel-only provider for white label pentesting. You can build your pricing around a partner who delivers:

• Affordable, manual pentesting that finds vulnerabilities automated scanners miss.
• Fast turnaround times so your clients get the reports they need without delays.
• Certified professionals (OSCP, CEH, CREST) who bring expertise that auditors respect.

This model lets you be the go-to security expert for your clients. You protect your profits, grow your services, and provide crucial security validation without getting lost in paperwork. Your price sheet is the foundation of a profitable reseller program. To learn more, check out our cybersecurity strategy for MSPs in our comprehensive guide.

Ultimately, it changes the conversation. You stop talking about cost and start talking about which package is the right fit. That’s a much better position for any growing MSP.

How to Choose the Right Pentesting Price Model

Before you build a great penetration testing price sheet, you need to decide how you'll charge. Think of it as a menu of options, not a strict list. Your goal is to give clients clear, predictable choices that fit their needs.

If you're an MSP or vCISO, this is where it all comes together. Your clients, especially those dealing with SOC 2 or HIPAA compliance, need to know what they're paying for. A smart pricing model is your best tool for closing deals because budget certainty is key.

The best part is a price sheet lets you jump on opportunities instantly. While your competitors are stuck making a custom quote, you're already closing the deal.

A fixed-price model is the cleanest and simplest way to sell a pentest. You charge a single flat fee for a very specific scope. For example, an "External Network Pentest for up to 20 IPs" for a set price. It's simple and direct.

Clients love this because it's predictable. There are no surprise bills, which is a huge relief for anyone managing a tight budget for a risk assessment or an ISO 27001 audit. This approach is perfect for standard tests where you can easily estimate the work involved.

But what about complicated projects? Sometimes the scope isn't so clear. For a large, custom-built web application, a time-and-materials (T&M) model might be better. The client pays for the actual hours your team spends testing. It offers flexibility but less budget certainty upfront.

For clients who understand security is ongoing, a retainer model is a perfect fit. The client pays a recurring fee for a set block of testing hours or scheduled tests. This model is ideal for companies in regulated industries like finance and healthcare. It turns penetration testing from a one-time project into a continuous program.

This approach is also great for building long-term relationships. As an MSP or GRC firm, offering a retainer for white label pentesting creates reliable income and makes you a core part of the client's security strategy. If you want some ideas, see how others structure their different pricing models.

By using these models, you can build a penetration testing price sheet that works for everyone. Whether it's a small business needing an affordable network test for PCI DSS or a larger company needing ongoing validation, the right pricing structure makes all the difference. Check out our guide on the factors that determine penetration test costs for more details.

What Key Factors Influence Pentesting Costs?

Not all penetration tests are created equal, and your penetration testing price sheet needs to show that. Think of it like hiring a contractor to build a deck. A simple square deck costs less than a fancy multi-level one. The same logic applies to pentesting.

Understanding what drives the cost helps you create transparent pricing that your GRC and CPA partners can support. It lets you explain why a simple scan is cheap, while a deep-dive manual pentesting engagement for SOC 2 is a bigger investment.

Scope is the biggest factor that determines cost. It answers the question, "what are we actually testing?" The bigger and more complex the target, the more time and effort it takes for a certified ethical hacker to assess it.

Common variables that affect price include the number of IP addresses, web application complexity, API endpoints, and different user roles. Getting a clear scope upfront is essential for an accurate and fair price.

The type of test also matters. This is about how much information you give the pentesters. A black box test is when the hacker knows almost nothing, just like a real-world attacker. A white box test is when our OSCP and CEH certified testers get full access, like network diagrams and source code.

Gray box testing is often the most popular choice for MSPs and vCISOs. Testers get some information, like user logins, to simulate an attack from an insider. It's an efficient way to find serious flaws without the time needed for a pure black box test.

Finally, the expertise of the testing team plays a huge role. Automated scanners are fast and cheap but only find common vulnerabilities. They can't find business logic flaws or chain multiple small issues together to create a major breach.

That's where manual pentesting by a CREST certified professional comes in. A human expert thinks creatively. They can spot unique flaws in custom code that a scanner would miss, which is essential for meeting tough compliance standards like PCI DSS and HIPAA. This is the expertise your clients are really paying for. Learn more about our channel-only approach to help your clients today.

How to Build Your White Label Price Tiers

Let’s get practical and start building your penetration testing price sheet. You need to create clear, easy-to-understand packages that clients can look at and see the value right away. For an MSP or vCISO, tiered pricing is a great sales tool because it helps guide clients to the perfect solution.

Think of it like buying a car: there's a base model, an upgraded one, and a premium version. Your white label pentesting offerings should follow the same logic.

Your Basic tier should be a simple, affordable starting point. This is for the small business that needs something but doesn't have a big budget. A great starting point is a straightforward external network penetration test. This tier is about making security accessible.

The Standard tier is your main offering. This is where most of your clients will likely land. It's for businesses that are more established and are starting to face compliance requirements like SOC 2 or ISO 27001. A solid Standard package often combines an external and internal test or focuses on a web application.

Finally, there's the Premium tier. This is for clients with serious security needs and complex environments, such as companies in highly regulated industries. This tier should bundle multiple services into a single, comprehensive engagement for frameworks like PCI DSS or HIPAA.

Structuring your offers this way makes the sales process much simpler. You can quickly guide clients to a pre-built solution that fits their needs. That speed is exactly what your reseller business needs to grow. Check out our insights on white label penetration testing for more ideas.

Sample White-Label Pentesting Price Tiers

TierIdeal ClientIncluded ServicesCommon Compliance Use CaseBasicSmall businesses, startups, clients with simple vendor questionnairesExternal Network Penetration Test (up to 15 IPs)Vendor Security Assessments, Basic Cyber InsuranceStandardMid-sized businesses, SaaS companies, growing enterprisesExternal + Internal Network Pentest OR Comprehensive Web App PentestSOC 2, ISO 27001, CMMC Level 2PremiumLarge enterprises, healthcare, finance, regulated industriesExternal + Internal Network + Web App + Social EngineeringPCI DSS, HIPAA, FedRAMP

This structure makes it easy for clients to choose the right package, saving you time and streamlining your sales cycle. You're not just selling a service; you're selling a clear solution.

How to Bundle Services and Maximize Your Margins

Selling a standalone pentest is good, but the real money and client loyalty come from bundling. If you're an MSP or a vCISO, including penetration testing in your core offerings makes you an essential security partner. It embeds you in their long-term compliance and security strategy.

This is about boosting the lifetime value of every client. When you package a pentest with a risk assessment or your other managed services, the relationship becomes much stronger. You're no longer someone they call once a year; you are their trusted security advisor.

A client who needs a pentest for SOC 2 or HIPAA has a bigger problem than just needing a test. They need a real security program. By bundling, you’re not just giving them one piece of the puzzle—you’re delivering the entire solution.

As a channel-only partner, we succeed when you do. We provide fast, affordable, manual pentesting from OSCP and CREST certified professionals. This lets you focus on building high-value bundles without worrying about us competing with you for your clients. Exploring white label services can be a game-changer for growing MSPs.

Here are a few ways you can bundle white label pentesting to create offers your clients will love:

• The Compliance Readiness Bundle: Pair an annual penetration testing engagement with your compliance consulting. This is perfect for clients dealing with frameworks like ISO 27001 or PCI DSS.
• The Proactive Security Package: Offer quarterly automated vulnerability scans with an annual, deep-dive manual pentesting engagement. This gives clients continuous monitoring and an expert's perspective.
• The vCISO Starter Kit: For clients who can't afford a full-time CISO, package a risk assessment, policy development, and a baseline external pentest.

This strategy helps you build a more predictable and profitable business. You create recurring revenue and become a true security partner, not just a reseller.

The demand for these services is growing fast. The global penetration testing market is expected to grow significantly, fueled by cyber threats and regulations. MSPs offering white label pentesting have a huge opportunity to capture a piece of this market. Discover more insights about this growing market.

By building a smart penetration testing price sheet that showcases these bundles, you put your MSP or GRC firm in a great position to meet this demand. Contact us today to learn how our channel-only partnership can help you build and sell these bundles.

How to Handle Tough Questions About Pentest Prices

When you give a client your penetration testing price sheet, be ready for questions. Getting these conversations right can make or break a deal. Your answers should show you understand their needs, whether it's a simple risk assessment or a full compliance project for SOC 2 or HIPAA.

When a client mentions "compliance," the pricing talk changes. Frameworks like SOC 2 need more than a standard test; they require detailed reports for auditors. Explain that this service isn't just about finding security holes but about providing the proof needed to pass an audit.

It's also crucial to explain the difference between a scan and a pentest. A vulnerability scan is an automated, cheap check for known issues. A penetration test is a hands-on attack simulation by our certified experts (OSCP, CEH, CREST). The human expertise is what they are paying for, and the price reflects the higher skill and quality of the results.

You should absolutely offer fixed pricing on your price sheet. For any reseller, fixed pricing is a great tool. Offering a package like an "External Network Pentest for up to 15 IPs" at a set price makes it easy for clients to say yes. It removes budget uncertainty, which helps you close deals faster.

Manual pentesting costs more because you're paying for a skilled human, not just software. Automated tools find easy-to-spot vulnerabilities but miss complex flaws that require creativity. A certified pentester can find risks that could seriously harm a business, which is why it's essential for frameworks like PCI DSS.

At MSP Pentesting, we give our channel partners the fast, affordable, and certified manual pentesting services they need to build a profitable security offering.

Contact us today to learn how we can help you serve your clients better.