3 security review formats and their costs
Automated scan: €0-€500/month
Tools like Nessus, OWASP ZAP. Detect generic vulnerabilities. Limitation: they miss business-logic flaws.
External review: €1,900-€4,200
Human review by an expert. No privileged access required. Short delivery cycle. Often the right first step for lean SaaS teams.
Full pentest: €5,000-€35,000
Active intrusion testing. 2-6 weeks. Requires technical coordination.
ROI: cost of an undetected flaw
Average breach cost for a smaller company: €120,000-€1.24M (IBM 2025). A review at €4,200 that prevents one serious exposure still has a strong ROI.
Related articles
Three adjacent analyses to keep exploring the same attack surface.
External review vs pentest: 5 useful differences for lean SaaS teams
Deciding between an external security review and a traditional pentest? Here are the 5 practical differences.
Application security ROI: calculating the financial impact of an undetected flaw
How much does an undetected security flaw cost? ROI calculation to convince your board.
How to choose a cybersecurity audit provider in France
Selection criteria, certifications, methodology, costs, red flags. Why external review is a good first step.
Sources
Editorial analysis based on official vendor, project, and regulator documentation.
Related services
If this topic maps to a real risk in your stack, these are the most relevant CleanIssue audits.