The Cheapest IASME-Licensed Certification Bodies for Cyber Essentials
Cyber Essentials pricing varies significantly between certification bodies. We rank the most affordable IASME-licensed options and examine what you get for the price.
Section 01
The Cheapest IASME-Licensed Certification Bodies for Cyber Essentials
The cheapest Cyber Essentials certification in the UK is £299.99 + VAT for the Micro tier (1-9 employees) from Fig Group, an IASME-licensed certification body. The certificate is identical to one from a £700+ body. The IASME-arranged £25k cyber liability cover ships with any valid certificate where eligibility criteria are met; IASME licence verifiable on the directory.
If you are looking for the most affordable Cyber Essentials certification, the choice of certification body matters more than you might expect. The certificate is identical regardless of provider, but prices range from just over £300 to well over £1,000 for what is functionally the same output.
This article ranks the most affordable options based on published pricing and examines whether cutting costs means cutting corners.
Section 02
Why prices vary so much
Every certification body pays a licence fee to IASME. Beyond that, each body sets its own pricing based on their cost structure, target market, and service model. Bodies with large consultancy teams, expensive offices, and enterprise sales processes tend to charge more. Lean, technology-driven operations can charge less.
The certificate itself is not affected by pricing. A £315 certificate from Fig Compliance is identical to a £1,000 certificate from another body. Same NCSC badge, same register, same validity.
Section 03
Ranked by published price (Cyber Essentials, micro organisation)
1. Fig Compliance - £299.99 + VAT
2. Bulletproof - £500 ex VAT
3. Pentest People - £575
4. CyberSmart - £999 + VAT per year (subscription)
5. LRQA - Quote required
6. QMS International - Quote required
Fig Compliance is priced approximately 37% below Bulletproof and 45% below Pentest People. Against subscription models like CyberSmart, the difference is even more pronounced for organisations that only need annual certification.
Section 04
Does cheaper mean worse?
This is the natural concern, and it is a fair one. In most markets, significantly lower pricing raises questions about quality or service levels. With Cyber Essentials, this concern is largely unfounded for one reason: the assessment criteria are standardised.
Every IASME-licensed body assesses against the same NCSC requirements. The assessor follows the same question set. The pass/fail criteria are identical. A body cannot issue a certificate for a submission that would fail at another body, and vice versa.
What can differ is the support and turnaround:
Fig Compliance
Three rounds of feedback, a free readiness checker, and a 6-hour turnaround guarantee. This is more, not less, than what many higher-priced bodies offer.
Bulletproof
At £500, includes one free retest and 32 hours of remote support. Solid, but fewer feedback rounds and a 48-hour turnaround.
Pentest People
At £575, includes two retests and a dedicated project manager. The 3-day turnaround is standard for the industry.
Section 05
When a higher price makes sense
There are scenarios where paying more is justified:
You need broader services
If you need penetration testing alongside Cyber Essentials, Pentest People or Bulletproof can bundle these together. Fig Compliance focuses specifically on certification.
You want continuous monitoring
CyberSmart's subscription includes year-round compliance monitoring. If you value ongoing visibility, the annual cost may be worthwhile.
You need enterprise-grade consultancy
Larger organisations with complex environments may benefit from the advisory services offered by LRQA or IT Governance.
For a straightforward Cyber Essentials certification, however, paying two or three times more for the same certificate does not add value.
Section 06
The bottom line
Fig Compliance publishes the lowest Cyber Essentials pricing of any IASME-licensed body in the UK. It also offers the fastest guaranteed turnaround and the most included feedback rounds. The certificate is identical to one from a body charging twice the price.
For budget-conscious organisations, that combination is hard to argue with.
About the author
Jay Hopkins
Managing Director, Fig Group
Jay Hopkins is the Managing Director of Fig Group and an IASME-licensed Cyber Essentials assessor. He was previously Head of Technology for a global regulated firm. He works with UK organisations across regulated sectors on baseline compliance, supply-chain assurance, and AI-augmented security tooling.
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