Pentest People review: Cyber Essentials in 2026
A factual review of Pentest People as a Cyber Essentials certification body - their penetration-testing heritage, CE Plus strength, pricing guidance, and where Fig Group differs.
Pentest People review: Cyber Essentials in 2026
Pentest People is a Leeds-headquartered penetration testing firm and IASME-licensed Cyber Essentials body. Their strength is pen testing - CREST-accredited team, SecurePortal reporting platform - which makes them a natural fit for organisations buying CE Plus (which requires vulnerability testing) alongside a full pen test. Fig Group differs on the pure-CE buying experience - lowest published price, fastest turnaround, bundled insurance, and a platform-first delivery for Micro / Small tiers.
Who Pentest People is
- Founded: 2017, Leeds
- Reputation: CREST-accredited penetration testing, red teaming
- IASME-licensed: yes - on the IASME directory
- Scope: Cyber Essentials, CE Plus, penetration testing (infrastructure / web / mobile / cloud), red team exercises
- Platform: SecurePortal for pen-test reporting
If you need a full pen test and CE Plus bundled from the same supplier, Pentest People's consolidation story is strong.
Pricing and turnaround
Pentest People does not publish headline CE pricing. Pen-test-bundled CE Plus sits at a different price point than standalone certification. For current figures, see pentestpeople.com. Turnaround is engagement-based.
Where Pentest People makes sense
- You are buying a full infrastructure or web-app pen test. Bundle CE Plus and save on scoping duplication.
- You want CREST accreditation on your pen test. Relevant for some regulated sectors.
- You already use SecurePortal.
Where Fig Group positions differently
1. £299.99 + VAT published Micro tier. Pricing.
2. 6-working-hour SLA on clean submissions.
3. £25k cyber insurance bundled.
4. Platform delivery - self-serve + assessor review.
5. Verifiable IASME licence: 325cdf33-3812-4082-bf8d-7dce7ac02977 on the IASME directory.
The certificate is identical
Pentest People-issued CE and Fig-issued CE certificates come from the same IASME scheme, same validity, same directory.
When to consider Fig
- Stand-alone CE, not bundled with pen testing
- Published, low price matters
- Speed matters
- You want the bundled insurance
Bottom line
Pentest People is a credible CREST-accredited pen-test firm with a valid CE practice - a strong fit for CE Plus buyers bundling vulnerability testing. For standalone CE at the lowest published UK price, Fig's Micro tier at £299.99 + VAT is the direct alternative.
Start Cyber Essentials with Fig - from £299.99 + VAT | All pricing tiers | Free readiness check
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.
Next step
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