How Much Do Cyber Security Services Cost?
There is no reliable single average, because services are priced in different units for different scopes. Compare by pricing model, then total each quote for the first year. A few vendors do publish list prices, shown below as examples rather than benchmarks.
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Pricing compared by service
| Service | Usual unit | Published example | What the example excludes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recurring monitoring | Per user, device, or endpoint, per month | Huntress Managed EDR: list price $8.99 per endpoint per month (MSRP, USD), with volume discounts | One vendor's product, not a broad managed service with custom scope |
| Hourly consulting | Per hour or day | We found no comparable published rate that met our standard | Rates depend on seniority, scope, and location |
| Fixed-fee assessment | Per project, by scope | Invadel: published starting prices by test type and size, up to $29,000+ for its largest red team package (USD); final price fixed after scoping | One firm's starting prices, not market rates |
| Incident-response retainer | Annual fee or prepaid hours | We found no comparable published retainer price that met our standard | Terms vary too widely: prepaid hours, response times, and hourly rates |
| Staff awareness training | Per seat, per month | KnowBe4: list $1.63 to $3.75 per seat per month, on a 3-year term, 25 to 1,000 seats (USD, as of May 2026) | Software subscription; not live instructor delivery |
These are examples from vendors' own pages, not recommendations. Prices can change, so confirm them with the vendor.
Why an average cost would mislead
Many pages quote an average cost of cyber security services without saying who was surveyed, when, or for what scope. We didn't find a source that met our standard: a stated amount, currency, date, unit, and scope that apply across these services. So we don't publish one.
A monthly per-endpoint fee and a one-time penetration test can't be averaged in any useful way. Two quotes with the same label can also cover very different work, such as monitoring only, compared with monitoring plus authorized response.
What changes a quote
| Factor | Why it matters | Ask |
|---|---|---|
| Organization size | Sets the seat or device count | What's the minimum, and how are additions billed? |
| Covered systems | Cloud, servers, and email may be priced separately | What's excluded? |
| Coverage hours | Round-the-clock staffing costs more | Staffed or on call? |
| Minimum commitment | Long terms can lower the rate, but reduce flexibility | What does early exit cost? |
| Onboarding | Setup may be billed once | Is setup a separate fee? |
| Response work | Monitoring may exclude hands-on response | How many hours are included, and at what rate after that? |
Start by confirming what you need. Our guide to managed cyber security services shows what to specify, and our reporting on how incidents cost more than expected covers the downside of underbudgeting.
Quote-comparison worksheet
Fill in one column per provider
| Field | Provider A | Provider B | Provider C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recurring fee and unit | |||
| Quantity (users, devices) | |||
| Setup fee | |||
| Included hours | |||
| Rate beyond included hours | |||
| Exclusions | |||
| Term and exit cost | |||
| Estimated first-year total |
First-year total = (recurring fee × quantity × 12 months) + setup fee + expected extra hours × hourly rate. If a quote is annual, skip the 12. Add a line for any retest or travel charges.
Example with invented numbers: $10 × 40 devices × 12 months = $4,800; plus a $1,000 setup fee and 10 extra hours at $200 ($2,000) equals $7,800.
Check free help first
Before paying, look at CISA's list of no-cost services and tools and SBA resource partners for small-business counseling. They won't replace every paid service, but they can narrow what you buy.
Have quotes in hand? Use the same questions on each provider so the comparison is fair.
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