How Much Does a Penetration Test Cost?
Penetration tests typically range from about $1,000 for a small website to $30,000+ for complex apps. Here’s what drives the price and how to scope it.
In 2026, a penetration test typically costs anywhere from about $995 for a focused website assessment to $30,000+ for a large or AI-enabled application. Most web application and API tests for startups and mid-market teams land in the $3,500–$10,000 range. The spread is wide because price tracks scope, not a fixed menu.
Typical penetration test pricing in 2026
| Assessment type | Typical range | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Website security assessment | $995 – $2,500 | Marketing sites, SMB websites |
| Web app security assurance | $3,500 – $10,000 | SaaS apps, portals, dashboards |
| API security assurance | $3,500 – $10,000 | API-first products, mobile backends |
| AI application security | $5,000 – $30,000+ | LLM/RAG apps, agents, copilots |
| Continuous assurance | $1,000+/month | Ongoing coverage between audits |
What drives the price?
- Scope size — number of applications, APIs, and unique endpoints
- User roles & auth — each role and authentication flow adds test surface
- Authenticated vs unauthenticated — authenticated testing is deeper and costs more
- AI/LLM features — prompt injection and RAG testing add specialized effort
- Retest — confirming fixes is often a separate line item
- Turnaround & reporting — rush timelines and compliance-grade reports add cost
Why the cheapest option usually costs more
A $200 automated scan looks attractive until an enterprise customer rejects it, an auditor asks for human validation, or a missed access-control bug becomes an incident. For launch readiness, SOC 2, or customer reviews, human-validated testing is what produces defensible evidence.
How to scope so you don’t overpay
- List your in-scope apps, APIs, and the user roles that matter
- Decide whether testing is authenticated (almost always yes for SaaS)
- Flag AI/LLM features for specialized testing
- Include a retest so you can prove remediation, not just findings
- Ask for a fixed-scope quote and a clear deliverables list
AssuranceOps offers fixed-scope packages so pricing is predictable. See Security Assurance packages.
Ready to test your own systems? Request a security assessment or explore Security Assurance packages.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a penetration test cost in 2026?
- A focused website assessment can start around $995–$2,500. A web application or API penetration test typically runs $3,500–$10,000 depending on roles, endpoints, and scope. Complex or AI-enabled applications and larger scopes run $10,000–$30,000+. Continuous testing subscriptions commonly start near $1,000/month.
- What factors affect penetration test pricing?
- The biggest drivers are scope size (number of applications, APIs, and endpoints), number of user roles and authentication flows, whether testing is authenticated, environment complexity, AI/LLM features, retest inclusion, and required turnaround. Compliance-grade reporting and remediation support also affect price.
- Is a cheap automated scan enough?
- For launch readiness, SOC 2, or enterprise security reviews, automated scans alone are rarely enough — they miss access-control and business-logic flaws and generate false positives. Human-validated testing is what produces defensible, audit-ready evidence.
Prove your systems are ready.
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Request an assessmentRelated reading
- Penetration Test vs Vulnerability Scan: What’s the Difference?
Scans are automated and cheap; pen tests are human-validated and prove real risk. When to use each — and what auditors and customers actually expect.
- Securing LLM and RAG Applications
LLM and RAG apps introduce risks traditional pen tests miss. The top AI-specific threats and a concrete checklist to test and mitigate them.
- SOC 2 Evidence Collection Checklist
What evidence SOC 2 auditors actually ask for, organized by control area, with concrete examples of artifacts that pass review.