Security Pricing Report 2026
Pricing benchmarks across 54 security tools covering endpoint detection, identity management, compliance automation, and cloud security posture. All figures sourced directly from vendor pricing pages.
Key findings, August 10, 2026
- This report benchmarks 54 security tools across seven segments, from consumer password managers to enterprise cloud security.
- EDR runs a $6.75 per device/yr median across 9 tools, billed annually, with no free tier in the segment.
- Password Managers has the widest free access at 60%, and IAM follows at 50% on a land-and-expand model.
- Compliance automation starts near a $150 per yr median, with self-serve SOC 2 readiness around $6,000 to $7,500 a year.
- Enterprise cloud security and compliance list entry tiers only. The platform contract is quote-only and priced to cloud spend.
Pricing by Segment
| Segment | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Password Managers | $1.99 - $8/mo |
| VPN | $2.49 - $12.95/mo |
| IAM (per user) | $2 - $25/user/mo |
| EDR (per device) | $5 - $160/device/yr |
| Cloud Security (CSPM) | $99.99 - $5,290/yr |
| Compliance Automation | $599/mo - $7,499/yr |
Identity and Access Management (IAM)
12 tools trackedMedian entry price: $10/user/mo (range: $2 to $3000/user/mo). 50% of tools in this category include a free tier.
| Tool | Starting Price | Rating | Free Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clerk | $100/user/mo | 4.8/5 | Yes |
| Descope | $249/user/mo | 4.8/5 | Yes |
| Twingate | $5/user/mo | 4.7/5 | Yes |
| Tailscale | $8/user/mo | 4.6/5 | Yes |
| 1Password Business | $3.99/user/mo | 4.6/5 | No |
| Okta | $6/user/mo | 4.5/5 | No |
| Microsoft Entra ID | $6/user/mo | 4.5/5 | Yes |
| JumpCloud | $11/user/mo | 4.5/5 | Yes |
| SailPoint | Custom | 4.5/5 | No |
| CyberArk | $2/user/mo | 4.4/5 | No |
| Ping Identity | $3/user/mo | 4.4/5 | No |
| Beyond Identity | Custom | 4.4/5 | No |
Compliance Automation
10 tools trackedMedian entry price: $150/yr. 10% of tools in this category include a free tier.
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
9 tools trackedMedian entry price: $6.75/device/yr (range: $0.42 to $110/device/yr). No free tiers are available in this segment.
| Tool | Starting Price | Rating | Free Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| SentinelOne | Custom | 4.9/5 | No |
| Huntress | $2.08/device/yr | 4.9/5 | No |
| Cynet | Custom | 4.7/5 | No |
| Sophos | $0.42/device/yr | 4.7/5 | No |
| CrowdStrike Falcon | $7.99/device/yr | 4.6/5 | No |
| ExtraHop | Custom | 4.6/5 | No |
| Fortinet | $0.54/device/yr | 4.6/5 | No |
| Cisco Secure Endpoint | $6.75/device/yr | 4.5/5 | No |
| Trellix | Custom | 4.3/5 | No |
Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM)
8 tools trackedMedian entry price: $72/yr (range: $7.99 to $30000/yr). 13% of tools in this category include a free tier.
| Tool | Starting Price | Rating | Free Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sysdig | $36/yr | 4.8/5 | No |
| Wiz | Custom | 4.7/5 | No |
| Orca Security | $7000/yr | 4.6/5 | No |
| CrowdStrike Falcon Cloud | $7.99/yr | 4.6/5 | No |
| Tenable | Custom | 4.5/5 | Yes |
| Lacework | Custom | 4.4/5 | No |
| Aqua Security | Custom | 4.2/5 | No |
| Prisma Cloud | Custom | 4.1/5 | No |
Password Managers
5 tools trackedMedian entry price: $4.99/mo (range: $1.65 to $24.95/mo). 60% of tools in this category include a free tier.
VPN
5 tools trackedMedian entry price: $15.45/mo (range: $4.5 to $22.99/mo). 20% of tools in this category include a free tier.
| Tool | Starting Price | Rating | Free Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| ExpressVPN | $14.99/mo | 4.7/5 | No |
| Surfshark | $15.45/mo | 4.5/5 | No |
| ProtonVPN | $9.99/mo | 4.3/5 | Yes |
| CyberGhost | $4.50/mo | 4.3/5 | No |
| NordVPN | $14.99/mo | N/A | No |
AI Security
5 tools trackedMedian entry price: $0.666667/mo (range: $0.0002 to $60/mo). 20% of tools in this category include a free tier.
| Tool | Starting Price | Rating | Free Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credo AI | Custom | 4.9/5 | No |
| Arthur AI | $60/mo | 4.5/5 | Yes |
| Microsoft Purview | $0/mo | 4.4/5 | No |
| Lasso Security | Custom | N/A | No |
| HiddenLayer | Custom | N/A | No |
Key Takeaways
Enterprise security pricing is nearly always custom
Cloud security (Wiz, Orca, Lacework) and compliance platforms (Drata, OneTrust) do not publish per-seat rates. Deals are structured around seat count, cloud workload size, and contract length. Published figures represent entry-level tiers only.
IAM has the widest free-tier adoption in security
42% of IAM tools offer a free plan. Okta, Tailscale, Twingate, JumpCloud, Clerk, and Descope all provide free access for small teams. This reflects a land-and-expand GTM common in identity tooling.
Compliance automation averages $6,000 to $7,500 per year
Vanta and Secureframe start around $6,000-$7,500/yr for SOC 2 Type II readiness. Platforms that bundle ISO 27001 alongside SOC 2 typically add 30-50% to the base contract.
EDR per-device pricing favors annual commitments
SentinelOne starts at $69.99/device/yr, CrowdStrike Falcon at $59.99/device/yr. Monthly billing is generally not available in this segment. Volume discounts apply above 100 endpoints in most vendor contracts.
Questions buyers ask
How much does endpoint detection and response (EDR) cost per device?
The median EDR entry price is $6.75 per device/yr across 9 tools, with published rates from $0.42 to $110. Billing is annual, not monthly, and volume discounts usually start above 100 endpoints. No EDR tool in the set offers a permanent free tier.
Which security category has the widest free plan availability?
Password Managers leads at 60% free-tier adoption. Identity tooling follows a land-and-expand model, so 50% of IAM tools give small teams free access before charging per user as the org grows.
What does compliance automation cost in 2026?
Median entry is $150 per yr, and self-serve SOC 2 readiness on Vanta or Secureframe lands around $6,000 to $7,500 a year. Only 10% of compliance tools offer a free tier, so budget for a paid contract from day one.
Why is enterprise security pricing so often custom?
Because the bill scales with cloud workloads, seat count and breach exposure, not a rate card. Cloud security and compliance vendors quote per deployment so they can price to willingness to pay. Published figures cover entry tiers only; the platform contract is a separate negotiation.
Compare security tools side by side
Full feature breakdowns, pricing plans, and head-to-head comparisons.
Pricing data sourced from vendor websites and documentation. Enterprise pricing is indicative. Actual contracts may vary. Full methodology.