The Real Cost of ISO 27001 Certification
Between €25,000 and €80,000 in the first year, depending on your security maturity and approach. Here's the full breakdown.
Complete Cost Breakdown
1. Consultant (€10,000-30,000)
Helps build your ISMS, write policies, and prepare for audit.
2. Certification Audit (€5,000-15,000)
Stage 1 + Stage 2 audit by an accredited body. Annual surveillance: €3-8k.
3. Tooling (€3,000-12,000/year)
Compliance platforms automate evidence collection and control tracking.
4. Internal Time (200-500 hours)
At €80/h average = €16,000-40,000 in opportunity cost.
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Try for Free5. Penetration Testing (€3,000-8,000)
External pentest strongly recommended and often client-required.
Summary Table
| Item | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Consultant | €10,000 | €30,000 |
| Audit | €5,000 | €15,000 |
| Tooling | €3,000 | €12,000 |
| Internal Time | €16,000 | €40,000 |
| Pentest | €3,000 | €8,000 |
| TOTAL Year 1 | €37,000 | €105,000 |
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Automation is the main lever: AI generates policies, collects evidence, and maintains documentation. Compli.st reduces internal time by 60% from just €27/month.