Pricing & Engagement Models
A 15-person SaaS startup and a multi-entity platform are not the same engagement, so we publish honest ranges instead of pretending one number fits both. Every project gets a fixed quote at scoping — before work begins, with no surprise hours.
Fixed-fee assessments
AI governance assessment · gap assessments · pentests
$8,500 – $35,000
Scoped up front, priced before work starts. Pentests include a client-shareable attestation letter and a remediation re-test. Most engagements land here.
Readiness programs
SOC 2 · ISO 27001 · ISO 42001 · CMMC preparation
$15,000 – $75,000+
Phased fixed fees; driven by company complexity and starting maturity, not headcount alone.
Advisory retainers
vCISO (fractional CISO) · AI governance advisory · post-certification operation
$4,000 – $15,000 / month
Senior counsel on a monthly cadence. No junior staff — you work with the principal.
What moves the number
- Scope boundary — applications, entities, cloud footprint, CUI/data boundary size
- Starting maturity — existing controls and evidence vs. greenfield
- Third-party fees — auditor, certification body, or C3PAO costs are separate and we help you not overpay
- AI surface — LLM applications and agent infrastructure add testing scope, priced transparently
Why our cost structure is different
Security Ideals is a founder-led practice augmented by AI agents. Automation handles inventory, evidence collection, and report drafting; senior judgment handles everything that matters. You get big-firm coverage without paying for a bench of juniors — and that's reflected in the ranges above.