The deadline is a UK tender gate
When the buyer needs a Cyber Essentials certificate before a bid can progress, Fig Group is the cleaner path because certification, assessor review, re-submissions, and support are part of the same service.
Provider comparison
Fig Group vs Drata
UK-resident compliance platform with six-working-hour Cyber Essentials certification.
About this comparison
Drata provides compliance automation with Cyber Essentials control mapping and evidence workflows alongside other frameworks. Fig Group is the UK alternative with IASME-licensed Cyber Essentials available from £299.99 + VAT and a published six-working-hour certification guarantee.
Decision table
Capability-by-capability comparison between Fig Group and Drata
| Capability | Fig Group | Drata |
|---|---|---|
| UK-resident data and support | Confirm hosting region and support arrangements | |
| Cyber Essentials assessment and certificate delivery | Available through Fig Compliance Ltd; select the certification offer | Framework support; confirm licensed assessment partner and included fees |
| Cyber Essentials Basic turnaround guarantee | Within six working hours for complete, compliant submissions before midday on a UK business day; terms apply | Not established by the reviewed public evidence |
| Multi-tenant MSP architecture | Multi-instance management available; confirm partner terms | |
| Governance-first control plane (policy drives evidence, not reverse) | Compare the actual policy and evidence workflow | |
| Integrated vulnerability management and EPSS/KEV prioritisation | Confirm included capabilities and integrations | |
| Customer-controlled evidence exports for insurer review | Not established by the reviewed public evidence | |
| Frameworks and regulatory mappings supported | 65+ incl. Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001, NIS2, SOC 2, DORA, CS&R, DCC | Includes Cyber Essentials controls and evidence workflows |
| Published Cyber Essentials pricing | From £299.99 + VAT | Confirm platform and certification charges separately |
Buyer-fit analysis
Where Fig Group is the cleaner fit, and where Drata may be.
This page was last reviewed on 27 September 2026. We separate certificate delivery, platform fit, MSP workflow, and procurement risk so the comparison is useful rather than just a vendor scorecard. The Basic guarantee applies to complete, compliant submissions received before midday on a UK Business Day, subject to our certification terms. Platform subscriptions and certification are separate purchasing options.
Where Fig Group is the cleaner fit
CE must connect to ISO 27001 later
Fig Group is useful where CE is the first gate and ISO 27001 follows. The CE evidence is retained as part of the broader governance record rather than treated as a separate questionnaire event.
The MSP needs a repeatable client process
For MSPs, the issue is not one assessment. It is client intake, scoping, evidence gaps, re-submissions, and renewal tracking across a portfolio.
Where Drata may be the cleaner fit
The company is already committed to Drata for audit readiness
If Drata is embedded in auditor workflow, control monitoring, and executive reporting, keeping that platform may be preferable and adding a separate CE certification body can be enough.
The buyer is not UK-facing
If there is no UK public-sector, Cyber Essentials, or UK supply-chain requirement, Drata may align better to the compliance language the customer already expects.
Claims to verify before buying
- 01Ask whether Cyber Essentials certificate issue is included or whether a separate certification body is still required.
- 02Confirm the total cost of certification support, not just automation licensing.
- 03Check how failed Cyber Essentials answers are remediated and re-submitted.
Evidence links
Drata Cyber Essentials framework supportSupports: specific published capability; package terms require confirmationDrata multi-instance managementSupports: specific published capability; package terms require confirmationDrata official siteSupports: product model, framework positioningNCSC Cyber Essentials overviewSupports: Cyber Essentials scheme contextIASME certification body directorySupports: official CE delivery route
How to read this
The useful question is not which vendor is universally better.
It is which route fits the buyer's certification, data residency, MSP, and assurance requirements. Fig Group is strongest where Cyber Essentials certification, IASME-licensed assessment, UK support, published pricing, and MSP delivery are part of the requirement. Drata may still be the better choice where its existing product focus, contract position, or implementation model is already aligned to the buyer.
Step 01
Confirm what is being purchased
A formal certificate, a compliance automation platform, a consultancy engagement, or a mixture. Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus must be delivered through an IASME-licensed certification body; generic compliance automation alone does not issue the official certificate.
Step 02
Match supplier to job
If the job is to pass Cyber Essentials quickly, the decisive evidence is IASME licence status, assessor responsiveness, price, re-submission policy, and certificate turnaround. If the job is broader governance automation, the decisive evidence is control ownership, policy workflow, evidence retention, and renewal support.
Buyer checklist
Six questions to ask both suppliers
- 01Are you IASME-licensed? If yes, ask for the licence ID. If no, the supplier cannot issue the official Cyber Essentials certificate.
- 02Is pricing published? Gated, per-certification, subscription, or consultancy-led - confirm before procurement.
- 03Are re-submissions, readiness support, and urgent turnaround included, or charged separately?
- 04For MSPs: confirm tenant isolation, white-labelling, client reporting, and the margin model.
- 05For audit: how is evidence retained, exported, and mapped to framework controls?
- 06For renewal: does the provider support next year's certificate, or only the first submission?
Official sources
Independently verify what either supplier claims
Best fit · Fig Group
Choose Fig Group when the requirement maps here
- UK organisations that need Cyber Essentials and ISO 27001 on one platform.
- MSPs scaling compliance-as-a-service across SMB clients.
- Buyers who need tender-deadline certification (PPN 014).
Best fit · Drata
Choose Drata when the requirement maps here
- Teams already using Drata for multi-framework control and evidence workflows.
- MSPs using Drata multi-instance management and an agreed certification partner.
Next step
Compare on the axis that matters to you.
Cyber Essentials certification, IASME licence, six-working-hour turnaround, MSP multi-tenant - Fig Group publishes the capability set. See pricing or talk to an assessor.