9 Best Penetration Testing Companies and Providers [Comparison with Reviews]
Updated on: September 25, 2023
Keshav Malik
16 mins read
![9 Best Penetration Testing Companies and Providers [Comparison with Reviews]](https://www.getastra.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Copy-of-Featured-Images-1.png)
Regular penetration testing is the most effective way of detecting and managing vulnerabilities. Partnering with top-notch penetration testing companies can help you ensure a strong security posture and maintain compliance.
Astra is one of the best pentest companies that combines automated and manual pentest to provide a complete pentest suite, talk to a security expert now.
There are 40+ companies that provide penetration testing solutions worldwide. We do not want to overwhelm you with such a huge list of companies.
Our security experts have handpicked the top 10 companies that can cater to any of your pentesting needs be it website pentest, network pentest, blockchain, mobile, or cloud penetration testing.
Top 9 Penetration Testing Companies
Why Astra is the best in pentesting?
- We’re the only company that combines automated & manual pentest to create a one-of-a-kind pentest platform
- Vetted scans ensure zero false positives
- Our intelligent vulnerability scanner emulates hacker behavior & evolves with every pentest
- Astra’s scanner helps you shift left by integrating with your CI/CD
- Our platform helps you uncover, manage & fix vulnerabilities in one place
- Trusted by the brands you trust like Agora, Spicejet, Muthoot, Dream11, etc.
Why Pen Testing Companies?
Penetration testing providers fulfill a very specific need for these organizations. Pentesting makes it possible to spot security loopholes before they are exploited by malicious actors. A pentest provider like Astra Security ensures that you get the right combination of automated and manual security assessments.
This blog will help you understand what penetration testing is, top penetration testing companies, and choose the best penetration testing service provider for your business.
Top Pentesting Companies Worldwide In 2023
Here is a quick comparison of all the top penetration testing providers.
Service offering to look for in a Penetration Testing company
There are a number of features that can make life easier for a CIO as well as the developers working on vulnerability management and remediation.
1. Scanning capabilities
The scanner should be able to identify a wide range of vulnerabilities without generating a large number of false positives across web applications, network devices, and other operating systems.
The scanner should provide complete coverage by continuously scanning behind the login areas, crawling applications to uncover vulnerabilities, and having continuous scans for every code update.
2. An all-purpose dashboard
It is very important to have a single place from where you can control every aspect of your pentest journey. The dashboard does it for you.
The number of false positives detected should also be displayed in the dashboard. The dashboard also provides actionable reports on vulnerabilities, including information on how to fix them.
3. Scalable Pentesting
Manual pentesting is necessary for detecting certain critical vulnerabilities like business logic errors and payment manipulation hacks whereas automated pentesting speeds up the detection of common vulnerabilities. The tool should be able to handle large-scale pentests, and be able to integrate with other security tools.
4. Compliance-specific scans
Being able to Run vulnerability scans to root out specific vulnerabilities that obstruct your compliance (SOC2, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and ISO 27001) with certain security standards is a great power.
5. Publicly verifiable certification
One of the primary goals of regular VAPT is building trust among customers. Possessing a verifiable pentest certification from a reputable pen test provider helps this cause.
6. Security Protocols
The scanner should support various security protocols like SSH, SSL, and others. The scanner should be able to authenticate with various systems and applications, to ensure that it has access to all vulnerabilities.
Top 10 penetration testing companies and providers
This is not an exhaustive list but it is a great starting point for your search for top security testing companies.
1. Astra Security
Features:
- Scanner Capabilities: Web and Mobile Applications, Cloud Infrastructure, API, and Networks
- Accuracy: Zero False Positives Assured (Vetted Scans)
- Scan Behind Logins: Yes
- Compliance: PCI-DSS, HIPAA, SOC2, and ISO 27001
- Expert Remediation: Yes
- Cost: $999- $4,999
Astra Security is the best penetration testing company and is trusted by businesses all over the globe. We are specialized in Penetration Testing, Vulnerability Assessment, Security Audits, IT Risk Assessments, and Security Consulting.
We have a team of security auditors and security researchers working round the clock to deliver high-quality penetration testing services. Our Pen-testers are extremely talented and experienced in conducting various kinds of penetration tests, including:
- Web application pen-testing
- Network pen-testing
- Cloud pen-testing
- Blockchain pen-testing
- Mobile pen-testing
Benefits of Astra’s Pentest Solution:
Automated and Manual tests to make sure no vulnerability is left behind
Astra’s pentest platform features an automated vulnerability scanner that works in tandem with manual pentesters to form a complete picture of an organization’s security posture.
Continuous testing with CI/CD integration
Astra’s pentest platform integrates easily with your CI/CD pipeline. You can set the scanner up to run vulnerability scans automatically whenever new code is pushed. It ensures that you never launch vulnerable software.
3000+ tests to keep your application safe
The test cases applied by Astra cover a wide range of vulnerabilities including the CVEs listed on OWASP top 10 and SANS 25. The scanner rules are updated every week to maintain parity with the ever-changing vulnerability landscape.
Easy, accessible reports that you can interpret at a glance with the dashboard
The pentest reports are designed to be actionable. Complete with video PoCs, these reports ensure the quickest resolution of security issues. The report is equally suitable for developers and executives to understand, interpret, and act upon.
Collaborate with developers from within the dashboard
A little assistance from security experts can speed up the process of remediation significantly. With Astra, you can access this assistance right from the dashboard.
Astra’s Security Certificate
Why keep your security status private? Showcase Astra’s Publicly verifiable certificate
A publicly verifiable certificate from a reputable pentest provider like Astra Security can help you build trust among customers.
Scan behind logged-in pages without manual authentication
Thanks to Astra’s login recorder extension you have to authenticate the automated scanner just once after which it scans behind logged-in pages seamlessly without requiring re-authentication when a session runs out of time.
For each vulnerability, Astra gives an intelligently calculated risk score
Analyzing the impact of a vulnerability is very important in terms of prioritizing remediation. Astra’s intelligent risk-analyzer takes a vulnerability’s CVSS score along with contextual information to provide you with accurate figures of the potential damage.
Pros
- Continuous proactive security testing
- CI/CD integration
- Collaborative remediation with in-call assistance from security experts
- Scan behind logged-in pages
- Zero false positives
- Optimized pentest for single-page apps
Cons
- No free trial
- Minimal numbers of integration
2. Intruder
Features:
- Scanner Capacity: Websites, servers, and cloud.
- Accuracy: False Positive Present
- Scan Behind Logins: Yes
- Compliance: SOC2, and ISO 27001
- Expert Remediation: No
- Cost: $1958/ year
Intruder is an active vulnerability scanner that helps you find and fix critical vulnerabilities in the most exposed areas before a hacker does. With Intruder, you’ll better understand your security risks and can prioritize and manage a strategic, enterprise-wide approach to security.
Intruder is a scalable solution that’s flexible enough to meet your organization’s needs, no matter the size or industry.
Pros:
- Easy to deploy
- Easy to manage alerts
Cons:
- False positives
- Difficult to navigate the report
- Doesn’t offer manual pentest
3. Invicti
Features:
- Scanner Capacity: Web applications and APIs
- Accuracy: Zero False Positives Possible
- Scan Behind Logins: No
- Compliance: PCI-DSS, HIPAA, OWASP, ISO 27001
- Expert Remediation: Yes
- Cost: Not Mentioned
Invicti focuses on fast, accurate application security audit with the goal of removing the barrier of security from the path of innovation. Invicti is a strong penetration testing company with widely applauded performance records.
With graphical representations of vulnerability analyses, compliance assistance, and a very transparent way of presenting data, Invicti is surely one of the top security testing companies.
Pros:
- Lot of options to select security policies from
- IAST enabled scans
- Zero false positives
Cons:
- No support for 2FA and MFA apps
- Slows down while scanning large applications
4. Rapid7
Features:
- Scanner Capacity: Cloud and Web Applications
- Accuracy: False Positives Possible
- Scan Behind Logins: No
- Compliance: CIS, ISO 27001.
- Expert Remediation: No
- Cost: $175/month
Rapid7 is one of the top penetration testing firms with their resources focused on empowering protectors to build solid and sustainable security.
Their pentest services are based on a deep understanding of methods applied by hackers to attack your systems. They collaborate with the global security community to bring about better, more prolific security solutions, faster. Their services include detection and response, security scanning, and vulnerability management.
Pros:
- Great for finding hidden vulnerabilities
- They maintain top-notch threat intelligence
Cons:
- Users have reported issues with functionality and customer support
- The devices that are scanned have to be removed manually
5. Acunetix
Features:
- Scanner Capacity: Web applications
- Accuracy: False positives possible
- Scan Behind Logins: Yes
- Compliance: OWASP, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS, NIST
- Expert Remediation: Yes
- Cost: $4,495/website
This fully automated web vulnerability scanning tool is capable of detecting over 4500 vulnerabilities which include variants of SQL and XSS injections. The tool also supports HTML5, CMS systems, single-page applications as well as Javascript.
The tool is great in that the features offered by it help drastically reduce the time taken by pentesters to conduct out tests due to its automation.
Pros:
- Fully automated vulnerability scanner
- Optimizable for different platforms
- Easy to schedule scans.
Cons:
- Difficult to add users
- The interface isn’t fresh
- Vulnerability PoCs are too complex
6. Cobalt.io
Features:
- Scanner Capacity: Web and mobile applications, APIs, Networks, and Cloud.
- Accuracy: False positives possible
- Scan Behind Logins: No
- Compliance: SOC2, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, CREST
- Expert Remediation: Yes
- Cost: $ 1650/Credit (8 pentesting hours)
Cobalt.io is a platform that helps you connect with pen-testers according to your security testing needs. They have programs that allow you to get a pentest done in a short time and they also offer
Cobalt does not come with a continuous vulnerability scanning offering which is a downside, also it is one of the more expensive options to go with.
Pros:
- A great team behind the product
- Pentesters are extremely responsive during the tests
- Simple UI
Cons:
- The retest often takes too much time
- Complex pricing structure
- Reported false positives
7. Sciencesoft
Features:
- Scanner Capacity: Web and mobile applications
- Accuracy: False positives possible
- Scan Behind Logins: No
- Compliance: GDPR, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, NIST
- Expert Remediation: Yes
- Cost: Not Mentioned
Sciencesoft is a cybersecurity service provider that provides its customers with network, web applications, social engineering, and physical security testing. It is an ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 compliance-certified company.
This guarantees data safety for clients of a wide diaspora ranging from banking to healthcare and retail. Their major advantages include their expert team having years of experience, partnerships with IBM, Microsoft, and more as well as providing data analytics.
Pros:
- Wide range of services
- Enviable clientele
Cons:
- Weak remediation support
Also Read: 7 Best API Penetration Testing Tools And Everything Related
8. SecureWorks
Features:
- Scanner Capacity: web and mobile applications, networks, APIs
- Accuracy: False positives possible
- Scan Behind Logins: Yes
- Compliance: PCI-DSS, HIPAA
- Expert Remediation: Yes
- Cost: Not mentioned
This company offers security solutions and services for information assets, networks, and systems. They offer services like pentesting, application security testing, malware detection, risk assessments, and many more.
The company’s tools and services are capable of performing nearly 250 billion cyber programs that help in threat detection and mitigation making them one of the leading cybersecurity solutions.
Pros:
- Easy to align security environment with industry standards like NIST and ISO
- Active communications
Cons:
- Too expensive for SMEs
- There’s a delay between suspicious activity and alert raised
9. Cyberhunter
Features:
- Scanner Capacity: Websites and networks
- Accuracy: False positives possible
- Scan Behind Logins: No
- Compliance: ISO 27001
- Expert Remediation: No
- Cost: $325/ month
This company provides network threat audits and assessments, penetration testing, and network log monitoring.
They carry out extensive network reconnaissance, vulnerability mapping, exploits, and analysis making them the best options for one’s network pentesting needs.
Pros:
- Good for network traffic analysis
- Aligns security control analysis with industry standards
Cons:
- Doesn’t offer cloud pentesting
- Doesn’t offer CI/CD integration
Understanding Penetration Testing
Penetration Testing, sometimes called pen testing, is a process to find security bugs within a software program or a computer network. It is a method used to evaluate the security of software systems and computer networks.
Penetration Testing is an important part of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). The main aim of Penetration Testing is to check if the security measures are working as designed. Penetration tests are performed to identify security risks and weaknesses in a system.
The penetration testing process is relatively simple, but it can be broken down into five distinct steps:
- Information Gathering
- Vulnerability Analysis
- Exploitation, Reporting
- Reporting
- Remediation and Retesting
The order of these steps is followed linearly, and it may take more than one round of penetration testing before a company is satisfied with the final report.
Penetration Testing is performed in different approaches:
Hiring a good penetration testing provider is not an easy task. There are many providers and choosing
3 Things to note before opting for Penetration Testing Providers
Hiring a good penetration testing provider is not an easy task. There are more than 30+ providers and choosing the right one can be quite a challenge. We see a lot of customers asking questions such as “which is the best penetration testing company?“. So here is a list of 3 things you should keep in mind before deciding upon your penetration testing provider.
1. Good Market Reputation and Customer Reviews
You may ask yourself why is this important? Well, how are you able to know whether the first third party testing provider that you choose is the right fit for your organization or not? You don’t want to waste your time and money on a penetration testing provider that is not well-respected in the industry.
Something that you may want to consider is checking out their market reputation. It is important to do some research on the company to ensure that you make the best decision for your business.
Reviews are also a great way to get first-hand accounts about a product or service that a person has used. They can be a great way to get more information about something that you have a question about or learn more about something you are interested in. Good reviews are something that all the best penetration testing companies have in common.
2. Comprehensive Pentest Report
The penetration testing report you get from a provider can greatly impact your business. It can offer you the opportunity to fix problems before they affect your business. Or, it can give you a false sense of security, leaving your business open to attack.
The problem is that penetration testing reports can be confusing, even for experienced IT security professionals. You can spend hours trying to find the information you need. That’s why it’s important to choose a penetration testing provider that makes it easier for you to understand.
3. Active Customer Support
In today’s business scenario, one of the most important factors that should be considered before opting for any penetration testing provider is its active customer support. It is an ever-changing scenario, and businesses are always evolving. A business should never compromise on its support services. Active customer support should be given utmost importance while selecting a penetration testing provider.
Signing a Penetration Testing Contract? Here’s what you should know.
Astra’s Pentest Solution: Benefits, Pricing, and Reviews
Companies of all sizes are rushing to embrace digital transformation. As a result, digital technologies are now embedded in almost every aspect of our lives, including work and home. Unfortunately, businesses often fail to understand that the digital world is also susceptible to the same risks as any physical asset.
This can be a result of failure to take the appropriate steps to protect their devices, data, and networks from cyber-attacks. In addition to this, companies are faced with a shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals and an abundance of threats, making their digital ecosystem increasingly vulnerable to attacks.
Astra’s Pentest is the most popular pentest solution used by many organizations and companies, including a number of top MNC’s. It is a meticulous and comprehensive penetration testing solution that ensures that the companies can get maximum value from the services by providing a detailed, in-depth analysis of vulnerable systems. Still not sure? See what others think about Astra.
Astra’s Pentest solution covers a broad spectrum of cyber attack vectors, including Web Application Vulnerabilities, Mobile App Vulnerabilities, Cloud Storage Vulnerabilities, Database Vulnerabilities, etc. Our Pentest Solution is very pocket friendly.
Conclusion
Penetration testing is tricky for many business owners because it requires time to understand and conduct properly. What’s worse, it often costs a lot of money. Many businesses don’t have the time or the resources to allocate to penetration testing, which is why many of them ignore the problem and hope for the best. The solution is to outsource it to the best penetration testing provider. Astra offers top-notch penetration testing at a pocket-friendly cost with a comprehensive report and a consultant call. Get in touch with Astra, and let us handle the rest.
FAQ’s
1. Who are Penetration Testing Providers?
Penetration testing providers are external third-party penetration testing providers. The main purpose of external penetration testing is to identify security problems that are not visible to the internal penetration testing team.
2. Why do I need a Penetration Testing Provider despite having an Internal Security Team?
Choosing an external pentest provider can significantly benefit your organization, even if you already have an internal team. External pentest providers can provide you with a much more in-depth analysis of your security. Here’s what you should know before planning a pentest.
3. Can I trust Astra for Penetration Testing?
Well, the answer is YES. As a leading provider of information security and penetration testing services, we have been helping businesses worldwide to enhance and maintain their security posture. We have a team of experienced penetration testers that have worked in various industries and have a diverse range of experience.
This post is part of a series on penetration testing, you can also check out other articles below.
Chapter 1. What is Penetration Testing
Chapter 2. Different Types of Penetration Testing?
Chapter 3. Top 5 Penetration Testing Methodology to Follow in 2023
Chapter 4. Ten Best Penetration Testing Companies and Providers
Chapter 5. Best Penetration Testing Tools Pros Use – Top List
Chapter 6. A Super Easy Guide on Penetration Testing Compliance
Chapter 7. Average Penetration Testing Cost in 2023
Chapter 8. Penetration Testing Services – Top Rated
Chapter 9. Penetration Testing Report
Was this post helpful?
Keshav Malik
Nice informative article. I was curious on how to get the most out of a penetration testing services?
To get the most out of penetration testing services you must stick with a reputable provider you can trust, establish a clear testing scope that prioritizes important assets, provide detailed information regarding your network and systems, and have a realistic expectation of the outcomes.