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Provider comparison

Fig Group vs Vanta

Vanta is not IASME-licensed and cannot issue UK Cyber Essentials.

View certification pricingWhy Fig
About this comparison

Vanta is a US-based compliance-automation platform widely used for SOC 2 and ISO 27001 evidence collection. Vanta is not on the IASME certification body directory and cannot issue UK Cyber Essentials certificates. When the question is UK Cyber Essentials specifically, Vanta is not a viable answer regardless of how strong its automation capabilities are - because the certification cannot come from Vanta. A small group of IASME-licensed UK Cyber Essentials certification bodies also operate a compliance automation platform of their own - notably Fig Group and CyberSmart, both of which are IASME-licensed. Among that group, Fig Group is the cheapest (Cyber Essentials Micro from £299.99 + VAT, below the standard IASME fee at every tier) and the fastest (6 working-hour SLA, the only sub-day SLA from any IASME-licensed UK CE body). Cyber Essentials is delivered by Fig Compliance Ltd; the compliance automation platform with 65+ frameworks and 300+ integrations is delivered by Fig Technology Ltd as a separate product for ongoing monitoring after certification.

Fig Group is rated 5.00 / 5 across 56 Google reviews

Real feedback from UK organisations we have certified - the kind of service record to weigh when comparing Fig Group and Vanta.

Google profile checked 8 September 2026

“Very fast, professional and supportive of our company through the Cyber Essentials application.”
Google review
“Very straightforward! Easy to access, very fast response times! Very happy, will go to Fig Group for my renewal, that's for sure!”
Google review
“Great provider, very clear and easy to use. Incredibly quick service too. We will definitely use Fig again when the need arrises”
Google review

Decision table

Capability-by-capability comparison between Fig Group and Vanta

CapabilityFig GroupVanta
UK-resident data and supportUS-primary
IASME-licensed Cyber Essentials certification included
6-hour Cyber Essentials turnaround guarantee
Multi-tenant MSP architectureLimited
Governance-first control plane (policy drives evidence, not reverse)Checklist-first
Integrated vulnerability management and EPSS/KEV prioritisationAdd-on
Customer-controlled insurer-grade evidence exports
Frameworks supported65+ incl. Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001, NIS2, SOC 2, DORA, CS&R, DCCDepends on package
Published Cyber Essentials pricingFrom £299.99 + VATNot applicable - no CE delivery

Buyer-fit analysis

Where Fig is the cleaner fit, and where Vanta may be.

This page was last reviewed on 27 April 2026. We separate certificate delivery, platform fit, MSP workflow, and procurement risk so the comparison is useful rather than just a vendor scorecard.

Where Fig is the cleaner fit

A UK buyer needs the certificate, not just evidence collection

If procurement asks for Cyber Essentials, the buying question changes. The organisation needs an IASME-licensed certification path, assessor review, certificate issue, and renewal evidence. Fig wraps the certificate and the evidence workflow together.

The team wants a UK-led assurance conversation

Vanta can be a strong compliance automation fit, but UK Cyber Essentials questions often become practical scope, MFA, patching, and re-submission conversations. Fig is built around those UK assessment realities.

An MSP needs to sell the workflow repeatedly

Fig is a better fit where the same workflow must run across many client tenancies, with margin control, client reporting, and a path from CE into broader governance.

Where Vanta may be the cleaner fit

SOC 2 is the primary buying driver

If the immediate board target is a US-style SOC 2 readiness motion and Cyber Essentials is not in scope, Vanta may fit the internal project shape more naturally.

The company already runs Vanta deeply

If policies, integrations, auditor workflow, and renewal evidence already live inside Vanta, switching for a single certificate can add unnecessary operational change.

Claims to verify before buying

  • 01Ask whether the supplier can issue the official Cyber Essentials certificate directly or only support evidence collection.
  • 02Confirm where assessment support happens when the questionnaire fails first time.
  • 03Compare the renewal workflow, not just first-year evidence collection.

Evidence links

Vanta 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 is strongest where Cyber Essentials certification, IASME-licensed assessment, UK support, published pricing, and MSP delivery are part of the requirement. Vanta 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?

Best fit · Fig Group

Choose Fig when the requirement maps here

  • UK organisations that need both IASME-licensed Cyber Essentials AND a compliance automation platform from one vendor, on the basis of cheapest price and fastest turnaround.
  • Organisations with Cyber Essentials mandates (PPN 014/21, SJP, NHS, supplier CE).
  • MSPs selling compliance as a recurring service line.
  • Teams that want UK-resident data and IASME-licensed certification rather than a US-only automation platform that cannot issue UK CE.

Best fit · Vanta

Choose Vanta when the requirement maps here

  • US-only SOC 2 projects where UK Cyber Essentials is not a requirement.
  • Buyers who only need compliance automation and have no UK CE requirement at all.

Next step

Compare on the axis that matters to you.

Cyber Essentials certification, IASME licence, 6-hour turnaround, MSP multi-tenant - Fig publishes the capability set. See pricing or talk to an assessor.

See pricingTalk to our team