Penetration Testing Services
How Much Does Penetration Testing Cost in the UK?
Penetration testing prices vary enormously — from a few hundred pounds for a light scan to tens of thousands for a full red team engagement. Here's what actually drives the price, realistic UK market ranges by test type, and three worked examples so you can budget with confidence.
⚠️ The figures on this page are general UK industry indicators for budgeting purposes only — they are not Sophlee's price list and do not represent what Sophlee charges. Contact us for an actual fixed quote based on your scope.
"How much does a penetration test cost?" is almost always the second question we're asked, right after "what actually happens during one?" The honest answer is: it depends on scope, not on a single day rate. Below we break down exactly what drives the price up or down, give indicative UK market ranges for the most common engagement types, and walk through three real-world examples so you can see how those factors play out in practice.
What Drives The Price
Six factors that move the quote up or down
Scope & size
Number of IP addresses, applications, pages or user roles to test. A 5-page marketing site and a 200-endpoint API are very different jobs.
Testing approach
Black box (no prior knowledge), grey box (some access/credentials) or white box (full source/config access) — more access generally means faster, deeper testing.
Tester seniority
CREST-certified, senior consultants typically cost more per day than junior testers — but find more, and find it faster.
Reporting depth
A compliance-grade report with remediation guidance and an executive summary takes longer to produce than a basic findings list.
Retesting
Whether a free or discounted retest of fixed issues is included, or charged separately, affects the total cost of the engagement.
Compliance driver
A test done purely for Cyber Essentials Plus differs in depth (and cost) from a full CREST test required for PCI DSS or a client contract.
Indicative Pricing
Relative cost by engagement type (indicative only)
These relative bands reflect how UK penetration testing pricing typically scales by engagement type — general industry patterns, not Sophlee-specific prices. Your actual quote depends on the scope factors above. Get a tailored quote once you know roughly what needs testing.
| Engagement type | Typical scope | Relative cost |
|---|---|---|
| Automated vulnerability scan | Single external IP range or small web app, no manual testing | £ |
| Cyber Essentials Plus technical audit | Sample of devices, servers and cloud accounts against the 5 controls | ££ |
| Single web application test | One application, grey box, manual + automated testing | ££ |
| External network / infrastructure test | Small-to-medium external IP estate | £££ |
| Internal network test | Office or site network, post-breach / lateral movement scenarios | £££ |
| Multi-site / multi-application engagement | Several applications or locations, e.g. a Multi-Academy Trust | ££££ |
| Red team / social engineering engagement | Simulated real-world attack across people, process and technology | ££££ |
£ = smallest-scope engagements, ££££ = largest and most complex. This is general UK industry guidance only, not a Sophlee price list — actual pricing depends entirely on your specific scope, timeline and compliance requirements. Contact us for a real, fixed quote.
Worked Examples
Three organisations, three very different quotes
A 15-person consultancy with one customer-facing web app
££ · smaller-scope engagement
Single application, grey box testing with a test account provided, standard report with an executive summary.
- 1 web application
- Grey box approach
- 1 free retest of critical/high findings
A Multi-Academy Trust with 6 sites and a shared network
£££ · multi-site engagement
External and internal network testing across multiple sites, plus a lightweight Microsoft 365 configuration review.
- 6 sites, shared core network
- External + internal testing
- Consolidated trust-wide report
A mid-market firm preparing for a major client's due diligence
££££ · enterprise-scale engagement
Full infrastructure and application testing plus a targeted social engineering exercise, with a board-ready report.
- Infrastructure + 3 applications
- Phishing simulation included
- Executive + technical reporting
Scan vs. Test
Why a cheaper vulnerability scan isn't always the answer
| Automated Scan | Penetration Test | |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | Automated tooling only | Manual testing by a human tester, supported by tooling |
| Finds known vulnerabilities | ✓ | ✓ |
| Finds business logic flaws | ✕ | ✓ |
| Chains issues into real attack paths | ✕ | ✓ |
| False positive rate | Higher | Low — manually verified |
| Typical cost | £ | ££ – £££ |
| Best used for | Frequent, low-cost baseline checks between full tests | Compliance evidence, real assurance, high-risk changes |
Most organisations get the best value from doing both: regular automated scanning to catch new issues quickly, and periodic full penetration testing for genuine assurance and compliance evidence.
Getting A Quote
How to get an accurate price, fast
Tell us the goal
Compliance, a client requirement, or general assurance?
Share rough scope
Number of apps, IPs or sites — exact detail isn't needed yet.
Confirm timeline
Any tender, audit or renewal deadline we need to work to.
Scoping call
A short call to confirm exact scope and testing approach.
Fixed quote
A clear, fixed-price proposal — no surprise costs later.
FAQ
Common pentest pricing questions
Why do penetration testing quotes vary so much between providers?
Differences usually come down to tester seniority, how much manual (vs automated) testing is included, reporting depth, and whether a retest is bundled in. A much cheaper quote is often a lighter scope, not the same test at a discount.
Does the price include a retest of fixed issues?
This varies by provider. Sophlee includes a retest of critical and high findings as standard on most engagements — always confirm what's included before comparing quotes.
Is an automated scan enough for Cyber Essentials Plus?
No — Cyber Essentials Plus requires a specific hands-on technical audit against the five Cyber Essentials controls, which is different in scope and method from a general penetration test or vulnerability scan.
How far in advance should we book a penetration test?
For a straightforward single-application test, 1–2 weeks' notice is often workable. For larger, multi-site or red team engagements, book 4–6 weeks ahead, especially around common compliance deadlines.
Will the cost be lower if we've never been tested before?
Not usually — first-time tests can take longer, as testers have no prior baseline to work from and often find a higher number of issues to document.
Can we spread the cost across a smaller, phased scope?
Yes — many organisations start with their highest-risk system (e.g. a customer-facing application) and expand testing coverage over subsequent years as budget allows.
Get a fixed, no-surprises quote
Tell us what you need tested and why, and we'll come back with a clear scope and a fixed price — usually within one working day.
Reviewed and updated by the Sophlee Offensive Security Team — September 2026. Prices are indicative UK market guidance and will vary by scope; always confirm with a formal quote.