Cyber Essentials Cost 2026: Complete UK Pricing Guide

Cyber Essentials Cost 2026: Complete UK Pricing Guide

Cyber Essentials costs between £300 and £550 + VAT per certificate in 2026, depending on organisation size. The cheapest published UK price is £299.99 + VAT for the Micro tier (1-9 employees). Cyber Essentials Plus, which includes hands-on vulnerability testing, costs from £1,499 + VAT.

One of the most common questions organisations ask when considering Cyber Essentials certification is: how much does it cost? The answer depends on your organisation size, the certification level you need, and which certification body you choose.

This guide provides a full, transparent breakdown of Cyber Essentials pricing in 2026.

Cyber Essentials Pricing

Cyber Essentials is the self-assessed certification level. You complete a questionnaire covering five core security controls, submit it for review, and receive your certificate if you pass. Pricing is based on organisation size:

These prices are fully inclusive. With Fig, there are no hidden assessment fees, no mandatory consultancy add-ons, and no surprise charges after purchase.

Cyber Essentials Plus Pricing

Cyber Essentials Plus adds a third-party technical audit to verify your controls independently. An external assessor reviews your systems, conducts vulnerability scanning, and verifies that your controls are implemented correctly. Pricing reflects the additional assessment work:

CE Plus is increasingly preferred for government contracts and enterprise supply chain requirements, where third-party verification carries more weight than self-assessment alone.

How Fig Compares to Other Certification Bodies

Certification pricing varies significantly across IASME-licensed certification bodies. Some providers advertise low headline prices but add fees for assessment, consultancy, or platform access. Others bundle everything into a single price.

Fig's pricing includes:

• The full assessment - no additional fees for review or resubmission
• Structured feedback - up to three rounds of feedback on your self-assessment to help you pass
• Cyber Essentials certified in under 6 hours from self-assessment submission - for orders placed before midday
• Readiness checker - free self-assessment tool to identify gaps before you begin
• Dedicated support - guidance throughout the certification process

When comparing prices, always ask: what is included? A £300 headline price that requires a £200 consultancy add-on is not cheaper than a £299.99 all-inclusive price.

What Affects the Cost?

Organisation size - Larger organisations have more complex IT environments, more devices in scope, and more users requiring MFA. The assessment workload increases accordingly.

Cyber Essentials vs Plus - Plus certification requires a third-party auditor to verify your controls on-site or remotely. This adds significant assessment time and cost.

Preparation time - The certification fee covers the assessment itself. If your organisation is not ready, you may need to invest time (and potentially external consultancy) to remediate gaps before submitting. Using a readiness checker can reduce this cost significantly.

Annual renewal - Cyber Essentials certification is valid for 12 months. You will need to recertify annually at the same price band.

Hidden Costs to Watch For

Not all certification bodies are transparent about pricing. Common hidden costs include:

• Assessment fees charged separately from the certification fee
• Mandatory consultancy packages required before assessment
• Platform access fees for completing the questionnaire
• Resubmission charges if your first submission has gaps
• Expedite fees for faster turnaround

Fig charges none of these. The price you see is the price you pay.

Is Cyber Essentials Worth the Investment?

For most organisations, the return on investment is clear:

Government contracts - Cyber Essentials is mandatory for UK central government contracts involving sensitive data. Without it, you cannot bid. The cost of certification is negligible compared to the value of a government contract.

Client requirements - Many private-sector organisations now require suppliers to hold Cyber Essentials. Losing a client relationship over a £299.99 certification is not a sensible trade-off.

Insurance premiums - Some cyber insurance providers offer reduced premiums for organisations with Cyber Essentials certification. The saving can offset the certification cost within the first year.

Breach prevention - Cyber Essentials controls protect against the most common attack vectors. The average cost of a UK cyber breach is £4,200 for small businesses (DCMS Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025). Certification at £299.99 is a fraction of that risk.

Getting Started

If you are ready to get certified, Fig offers competitive pricing with Cyber Essentials certification in under 6 hours. Visit our Cyber Essentials pricing page to choose your organisation size and purchase directly.

For organisations that want to check their readiness first, our free readiness checker takes 10-15 minutes and identifies any gaps before you commit.