The buyer needs CE specialist speed
Fig Group is cleaner where Cyber Essentials is the central requirement and the organisation wants a fast, direct path to certificate issue rather than a broader consulting catalogue.
Provider comparison
Fig Group vs IT Governance
Specialist UK CE body with six-working-hour turnaround, not a multi-standard consultancy.
About this comparison
The IT Governance certification offer now redirects to GRC Solutions, which publishes Cyber Essentials certification and support. Confirm the current delivery entity and package. Fig Group is the Cyber Essentials specialist alternative - IASME-licensed, six-working-hour turnaround guarantee, published pricing from £299.99 + VAT, three free re-submissions, and an integrated MSP-ready platform.
Decision table
Capability-by-capability comparison between Fig Group and IT Governance
| Capability | Fig Group | IT Governance |
|---|---|---|
| UK-resident data and support | UK-based | |
| Cyber Essentials assessment and certificate delivery | Available through Fig Compliance Ltd; select the certification offer | Cyber Essentials certification offered through the current GRC Solutions destination |
| 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 sources; confirm the current service terms |
| Multi-tenant MSP architecture | No checked public claim | |
| Governance-first control plane (policy drives evidence, not reverse) | Consultancy-led | |
| Integrated vulnerability management and EPSS/KEV prioritisation | Service-dependent | |
| Customer-controlled evidence exports for insurer review | No checked public claim | |
| Frameworks and regulatory mappings supported | 65+ incl. Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001, NIS2, SOC 2, DORA, CS&R, DCC | Broad multi-standard consulting |
| Published Cyber Essentials pricing | From £299.99 + VAT | Published certification offer; choose the correct staff band and support scope |
Buyer-fit analysis
Where Fig Group is the cleaner fit, and where IT Governance 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
An MSP needs a resale workflow
Fig Group is more naturally aligned to MSPs selling CE repeatedly, with multi-tenant workflow and client-facing evidence built into the platform model.
The buyer wants to avoid consultancy sprawl
If the need is CE now and governance later, Fig Group keeps the first transaction focused while leaving room to expand into platform workflows.
Where IT Governance may be the cleaner fit
The organisation is already buying ISO or training from IT Governance
IT Governance may be better when CE is a small part of a larger ISO 27001, GDPR, training, or policy programme already sourced from them.
The buyer wants one broad consultancy supplier
For organisations that deliberately want a multi-standard consultancy relationship, IT Governance may fit procurement better.
Claims to verify before buying
- 01Ask whether the final quote includes only certification or also pre-check, consultancy, or toolkit items.
- 02Confirm what support is included if the first submission needs correction.
- 03Compare CE Plus pathway and renewal support before choosing.
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. IT Governance 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
- Organisations where CE is the primary need, not broad consultancy.
- Tender-deadline CE.
- Buyers who want software-first delivery rather than consultancy hours.
Best fit · IT Governance
Choose IT Governance when the requirement maps here
- Buyers already engaged with IT Governance on ISO 27001 or training.
- Multi-standard enterprise engagements.
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.