Top 10 Best External Penetration Testing Companies in 2025

In an increasingly digitized world, an organization’s external-facing assets are the primary gateways for cyber attackers.

These assets, which include websites, web applications, public-facing servers, and network infrastructure, represent the front door to an organization’s digital kingdom.

A single, unpatched vulnerability or misconfigured service can be the entry point for a devastating data breach or ransomware attack.

To proactively identify and fix these weaknesses before a malicious actor can exploit them, organizations must regularly engage in external penetration testing.

External penetration testing is a simulated cyberattack on an organization’s external-facing infrastructure.

Performed by skilled ethical hackers, it goes beyond automated scanning to manually probe for vulnerabilities, chain together exploits, and demonstrate a real-world path to a breach.

For 2025, the best external penetration testing companies combine deep human expertise with advanced technology, offering a range of services from one-time tests to continuous, on-demand security validation.

This article provides a detailed review of the Top 10 Best External Penetration Testing Companies in 2025, highlighting their unique approaches, key features, and why they stand out in a highly competitive market.

Why External Penetration Testing Is Crucial In 2025

The landscape of cyber threats is more dynamic than ever. A vulnerability that didn’t exist yesterday could be the next zero-day exploit today.

For this reason, traditional, once-a-year penetration tests are often insufficient. Modern external penetration testing needs to be:

Continuous: The external attack surface is constantly changing with new cloud services, updated applications, and evolving network configurations. Continuous testing ensures that new vulnerabilities are found as they appear.

Expert-Driven: While automated scanners are valuable, they lack the creativity and human-like intuition of a skilled penetration tester who can find complex, chained vulnerabilities.

Actionable: A good penetration test report doesn’t just list vulnerabilities; it prioritizes them based on business risk and provides clear, actionable remediation steps.

Integrated: The most effective solutions integrate with a company’s development and security operations, allowing for faster remediation cycles.

The companies on this list are leading the charge in meeting these demands, providing services that are not just a point-in-time check but a continuous security partnership.

Comparison Table: Top 10 Best External Penetration Testing Companies 2025

Company	Human-Led Testing	Continuous Testing	PTaaS Platform	Cloud Penetration Testing	Red Teaming
Offensive Security	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Invicti	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No
Cobalt	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Pentera	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Secureworks	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Rapid7	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Synack	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Rhino Security Labs	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Cipher	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Software Secured	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	✅ Yes	❌ No

1. Offensive Security

Why We Picked It

Offensive Security stands out for its deep, hands-on expertise and a unique approach to penetration testing that goes beyond standard vulnerability scanning.

Their team members are not just testers; they are security researchers, tool developers, and trainers who are constantly at the forefront of the offensive security landscape.

They take on a limited number of clients, dedicating their full attention to each engagement.

This level of personalized, expert-driven service is ideal for mature organizations that need a truly in-depth and customized assessment.

Specifications

OffSec’s services are highly tailored to the client’s needs, with a two-week minimum engagement length.

They offer a range of assessments, including traditional penetration tests and advanced attack simulations for hardened environments.

Their methodology is manual and focuses on finding and exploiting complex vulnerabilities that automated tools would miss, providing a detailed report with actionable remediation steps.

Reason to Buy

If your organization has a mature security posture and is frustrated with superficial “check-the-box” penetration tests, OffSec is the perfect choice.

Their team will challenge your defenses in ways that mimic real-world, highly skilled attackers, providing a comprehensive and valuable assessment that reveals true, exploitable weaknesses.

Features

• Expert-Led Assessments: Performed by the creators of Kali Linux and leading security trainers.
• Customized Approach: Tailored to the specific needs and threat landscape of each client.
• Advanced Attack Simulation: Goes beyond standard tests to simulate sophisticated, multi-stage attacks.
• Detailed, Actionable Reporting: Provides a comprehensive report with clear, prioritized remediation steps.
• Direct Access to Experts: Clients work directly with the testing team, not a salesperson.

Pros

• Unparalleled level of human expertise.
• Customized and in-depth assessments.
• Ideal for mature security environments.
• Direct access to the testing team.

Cons

• Accepts a very limited number of clients per year.
• Not a good fit for organizations seeking a quick or automated test.

✅ Best For: Highly mature organizations that require a deep, expert-led, and customized external penetration test to validate their advanced security controls.

🔗 Try Offensive Security (OffSec) here → Offensive Security Official Website

2. Invicti

Why We Picked It

Invicti stands out for its unique “proof-based scanning” technology, which automatically validates detected vulnerabilities with a high degree of accuracy.

This technology significantly reduces the number of false positives, which is a common pain point with automated scanners.

We chose Invicti because it provides a scalable way for organizations to perform continuous, in-house external testing on their web applications, complementing and reducing the need for traditional manual tests.

Specifications

Invicti’s platform offers dynamic application security testing (DAST), static application security testing (SAST), and software composition analysis (SCA).

The platform automatically discovers all web-facing assets, scans them for vulnerabilities, and provides “proof-of-exploit” to confirm the issue. It integrates seamlessly into CI/CD pipelines, allowing for continuous security testing.

Reason to Buy

If your organization has a large number of web applications or a fast-paced development cycle, Invicti provides a powerful and scalable way to automate a significant portion of your external security testing.

It frees up your in-house security team or external pentesters to focus on more complex, advanced vulnerabilities that only a human can find.

Features

• Proof-Based Scanning: Automatically validates vulnerabilities with a proof-of-exploit, eliminating false positives.
• Continuous Asset Discovery: Finds all web-facing assets, including hidden or forgotten ones.
• Integration with SDLC: Seamlessly integrates into CI/CD pipelines for continuous security testing.
• Comprehensive Coverage: Scans for a wide range of vulnerabilities, including OWASP Top 10 and more.
• Actionable Reports: Provides detailed reports with remediation steps and a clear business risk score.

Pros

• High accuracy with minimal false positives.
• Scalable and ideal for large numbers of applications.
• Enables continuous security testing.
• Reduces the need for manual, repetitive testing.

Cons

• Primarily focused on web applications and APIs.
• Requires manual testing for more complex, logic-based vulnerabilities.

✅ Best For: Organizations with a large web application attack surface and a fast-paced development cycle that need a scalable, automated, and continuous external security testing solution.

🔗 Try Invicti here → Invicti Official Website

3. Cobalt

Why We Picked It

Cobalt has revolutionized the penetration testing industry by making it more accessible, transparent, and scalable.

We chose it for its innovative PTaaS platform, which solves the traditional challenges of finding, scheduling, and managing pentests.

The platform provides a single pane of glass for launching tests, collaborating with testers, and tracking remediation efforts in real-time, making the entire process more efficient and agile.

Specifications

Cobalt’s PTaaS platform provides on-demand access to a community of over 400 vetted pentesters.

The platform streamlines the entire pentest lifecycle, from scoping and scheduling to real-time collaboration and reporting.

They offer various services, including web application, API, mobile, and external network penetration testing, all managed through their centralized platform.

Reason to Buy

If your organization needs a flexible, on-demand, and continuous external penetration testing solution, Cobalt is a top choice.

Their PTaaS model allows you to launch a test in as little as 24 hours and get real-time results, which is a significant improvement over traditional, lengthy engagements. It is an excellent solution for DevOps teams and agile organizations.

Features

• PTaaS Platform: A single, intuitive platform for managing all pentesting engagements.
• On-Demand Access: Launch a test in hours and get instant access to a community of vetted pentesters.
• Real-Time Collaboration: Collaborate with pentesters and track findings in real-time.
• Integrated Workflows: Integrates with remediation tools like Jira to streamline the fix-and-retest cycle.
• Continuous Testing: Allows for ongoing, continuous security validation.

Pros

• Flexible and scalable PTaaS model.
• Fast time to launch and report.
• Real-time collaboration with testers.
• Ideal for agile and DevOps-centric teams.

Cons

• Relies on a community of testers, which can vary in skill.
• The platform-based approach may not be ideal for highly specialized, bespoke engagements.

✅ Best For: Agile and DevOps-focused organizations that need a flexible, on-demand, and continuous penetration testing solution to keep up with their fast-paced development cycles.

🔗 Try Cobalt (Cobalt.io) here → Cobalt Official Website

4. Pentera

Why We Picked It

Pentera stands out because it fully automates the ethical hacking process, simulating real-world attack techniques to validate security controls and find exploitable gaps.

This is a game-changer for organizations with limited resources, as it allows them to perform continuous, automated security validation on a scale that would be impossible with manual testing.

We chose it for its ability to provide an “attacker’s-eye view” of an organization’s defenses in real-time.

Specifications

Pentera’s platform automates attack simulations, including external attack surface discovery, privilege escalation, and lateral movement.

It leverages a vast library of attack techniques to safely and continuously test for exploitable vulnerabilities.

The platform provides a detailed report that prioritizes vulnerabilities based on their exploitability and business impact.

Reason to Buy

If your organization is struggling to perform frequent penetration tests and needs a solution to continuously validate its security posture, Pentera is an ideal choice.

Its automated approach provides a repeatable and scalable way to find exploitable weaknesses, allowing your security team to focus on remediation efforts rather than on manual testing.

Features

• Automated Ethical Hacking: Safely simulates real-world attacks to find exploitable vulnerabilities.
• Continuous Validation: Provides a continuous “attacker’s-eye view” of your security posture.
• Risk-Based Prioritization: Prioritizes findings based on exploitability and business impact.
• Automated Attack Path Mapping: Visualizes the entire attack kill chain, showing how an attacker could breach your network.
• Agentless Deployment: The platform can be deployed easily without the need for agents on endpoints.

Pros

• Provides a highly scalable and repeatable form of security validation.
• Automates complex attack simulations.
• Reduces the need for continuous manual testing.
• Excellent for continuous threat exposure management.

Cons

• Lacks the human creativity and intuition of a skilled pentester.
• May not find every single, obscure vulnerability.

✅ Best For: Organizations that need to continuously validate their security posture and prioritize remediation efforts with an automated ethical hacking platform.

🔗 Try Pentera here → Pentera Official Website

5. Secureworks

Why We Picked It

Secureworks’ penetration testing services are unique because they are directly informed by the real-world threat intelligence from their Counter Threat Unit.

This means their simulated attacks are based on the latest tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) of real-world adversaries, including nation-state actors and cybercriminal groups.

We chose Secureworks for their ability to provide a highly realistic and intelligence-driven external penetration test that goes beyond generic testing.

Specifications

Secureworks offers a full spectrum of penetration testing services, including external network, web application, and social engineering tests.

They also provide more advanced red team assessments that simulate a full-scale, multi-stage attack.

Their methodology is customized for each client and is designed to test an organization’s detection and response capabilities.

Reason to Buy

If your organization needs a security assessment that accurately reflects the threats you are most likely to face, Secureworks is a strong choice.

Their intelligence-driven approach ensures that their simulated attacks are relevant and realistic, providing a valuable validation of your security controls and your ability to respond to a real-world breach.

Features

• Intelligence-Driven Assessments: Attacks are based on real-world TTPs from their CTU research team.
• Full-Spectrum Services: Offers a wide range of tests, from external network to full-scale red team assessments.
• Customized Methodology: The testing approach is tailored to the client’s unique threat landscape.
• Integrated Reporting: Reports not only detail vulnerabilities but also provide insights from their incident response expertise.
• Industry Recognition: A global, well-known, and trusted provider with certifications like CREST.

Pros

• Highly realistic and relevant simulated attacks.
• Backed by world-class threat intelligence.
• Provides a full-spectrum of testing services.
• Excellent for testing a client’s detection and response capabilities.

Cons

• Can be a more expensive option.
• Not an on-demand, platform-based service.

✅ Best For: Organizations that need a highly realistic, intelligence-driven external penetration test to validate their security controls against sophisticated, real-world adversaries.

🔗 Try Secureworks here → Secureworks Official Website

6. Rapid7

Why We Picked It

Rapid7’s penetration testing services are unique because they are deeply integrated with their own security tools and research.

Their team, which includes experts behind products like Metasploit and the widely used vulnerability scanning tool Nexpose, brings a powerful combination of manual expertise and cutting-edge technology to every engagement.

We chose them for their ability to provide an in-depth, expert-led assessment that is backed by their extensive research and product portfolio.

Specifications

Rapid7 offers a variety of penetration testing services, including external network, web application, and mobile testing.

Their methodology is based on industry standards like PTES and OWASP and is designed to identify and exploit weaknesses in a client’s external-facing infrastructure.

They also offer continuous red teaming services to provide ongoing validation.

Reason to Buy

If your organization is already a Rapid7 customer or is looking for a security partner with a strong reputation and a deep understanding of the vulnerability landscape, their penetration testing services are an excellent choice.

Their combination of human expertise and advanced tools provides a comprehensive and effective assessment.

Features

• Expert-Led Testing: Performed by the creators of leading offensive security tools.
• Comprehensive Methodology: Follows industry standards like PTES and OWASP.
• Continuous Red Teaming: Provides ongoing, adversarial validation.
• Integrated Reporting: Reports are detailed and provide actionable remediation steps, often linked to their own vulnerability management tools.
• Global Presence: A well-known and trusted global provider.

Pros

• Leverages their own powerful security tools and research.
• Strong reputation and a deep bench of experts.
• Offers a range of testing services.
• Provides clear, prioritized remediation advice.

Cons

• Can be a more expensive option.
• The process is not as on-demand as a PTaaS model.

✅ Best For: Organizations looking for an expert-led, comprehensive external penetration test from a reputable vendor with a strong reputation in offensive security research.

🔗 Try Rapid7 here → Rapid7 Official Website

7. Synack

Why We Picked It

Synack’s model of crowdsourcing security is a powerful and unique approach to external penetration testing.

By leveraging a community of thousands of vetted researchers, they can provide a level of expertise and diversity of skill that is unmatched by a traditional, in-house team.

The platform’s ability to provide continuous, on-demand testing makes it a perfect fit for organizations with dynamic attack surfaces.

Specifications

Synack’s platform offers continuous and point-in-time penetration testing as a service.

It provides access to the Synack Red Team, a community of over 1,500 vetted security researchers who can test a variety of assets, including web applications, APIs, hosts, and cloud infrastructure.

The platform provides real-time visibility into findings, analytics, and reports.

Reason to Buy

If your organization needs a flexible, scalable, and continuous external penetration testing solution, Synack’s crowdsourced model is an excellent choice.

It is particularly beneficial for organizations that want a fresh perspective on their security every time they test, as it gives them access to a diverse pool of talent.

Features

• Crowdsourced Security: Access to a global community of vetted ethical hackers.
• Continuous Testing: Provides on-demand and continuous security validation.
• Platform-Based Management: A single platform for launching tests, tracking findings, and generating reports.
• Real-Time Reporting: Get real-time updates on vulnerabilities as they are discovered.
• Diverse Skill Set: The community model ensures a wide range of expertise on every test.

Pros

• Highly scalable and flexible.
• Access to a diverse pool of talent.
• Provides continuous, on-demand testing.
• The platform provides real-time visibility.

Cons

• The results can vary depending on the testers assigned.
• Requires trust in the crowdsourcing model.

✅ Best For: Organizations that need a continuous, on-demand, and scalable external penetration testing solution by leveraging a diverse, crowdsourced pool of vetted security researchers.

🔗 Try Synack here → Synack Official Website

8. Rhino Security Labs

Why We Picked It

Rhino Security Labs stands out for its deep, hands-on expertise and a boutique, personalized approach to penetration testing.

Their team is constantly involved in security research, presenting at major conferences, and developing new attack techniques.

We chose them for their ability to go beyond standard testing and find unique, complex vulnerabilities that others might miss, particularly in cloud environments.

Their strong reputation and clear, professional reporting make them a trusted partner.

Specifications

Rhino Security Labs offers a range of services, including external network, web application, and cloud penetration testing (AWS, Azure, GCP).

Their methodology is a deep-dive, manual process that focuses on uncovering sophisticated vulnerabilities. They also provide red team assessments and social engineering tests.

Reason to Buy

If your organization needs a highly skilled, expert-led penetration test from a firm with a proven track record in cutting-edge research, Rhino Security Labs is an excellent choice.

Their focus on finding unique vulnerabilities and their detailed, professional reports provide a high level of value.

Features

• Deep-Dive Expertise: A team of experts involved in cutting-edge security research.
• Cloud Penetration Testing: Specializes in finding vulnerabilities in cloud environments.
• Creative Approaches: Goes beyond standard scanning to find unique, complex vulnerabilities.
• Professional Reporting: Provides clear, detailed, and actionable reports.
• Personalized Service: A boutique firm that provides a high level of attention to each client.

Pros

• Exceptional human expertise.
• Specialized in cloud penetration testing.
• Known for finding unique and complex vulnerabilities.
• High-quality, professional reports.

Cons

• Not an on-demand or continuous service.
• Can be a significant investment.

✅ Best For: Organizations that need a deep-dive, expert-led, and highly customized external penetration test, particularly in complex cloud environments.

🔗 Try Rhino Security Labs here → Rhino Security Labs Official Website

9. Cipher

Why We Picked It

Cipher Security provides a compelling combination of human expertise, technology, and global reach.

We chose them for their ability to deliver a comprehensive external penetration test that is supported by their managed security services.

Their approach goes beyond a simple test and provides a continuous cycle of threat hunting and vulnerability assessment, all managed through their xMDR platform.

Specifications

Cipher offers external penetration testing services that are part of a broader security portfolio. They use a combination of AI-driven threat intelligence and manual testing to identify vulnerabilities.

Their xMDR platform provides continuous threat hunting and vulnerability assessment, with a 24/7 SOC for real-time monitoring and response.

Reason to Buy

If your organization needs more than just a one-time penetration test and is looking for a continuous, managed security service that includes regular assessments, Cipher Security is a strong contender.

Their integrated approach provides a holistic view of your security posture and a team to help you continuously improve it.

Features

• Integrated Security: Part of a broader security portfolio including managed detection and response (MDR).
• AI-Driven Intelligence: Uses AI and automation to enhance threat detection.
• 24/7 SOC: A global security operations center provides continuous monitoring and support.
• Continuous Assessments: Provides ongoing threat hunting and vulnerability assessment.
• Comprehensive Services: Offers a wide range of security services beyond just penetration testing.

Pros

• Integrated with broader managed security services.
• Backed by a global 24/7 SOC.
• Provides a continuous approach to security.
• Offers a blend of automated and manual testing.

Cons

• Less focused on penetration testing as a standalone service.
• The full suite of services may be more than what some organizations need.

✅ Best For: Organizations that need an integrated, continuous, and managed security service that includes regular external penetration testing.

🔗 Try Cipher Security LLC here → Cipher Security LLC Official Website

10. Software Secured

Why We Picked It

Software Secured stands out for its specialization in web and mobile application security.

We chose them for their focused approach and their commitment to providing a blend of automated and manual testing to ensure that all vulnerabilities are found.

Their methodology is transparent and follows a clear checklist, providing clients with a high level of confidence in the quality of the assessment.

Specifications

Software Secured offers external network and web application penetration testing services.

Their methodology includes a clear checklist for identifying assets, scanning for weaknesses, and manually verifying critical issues.

They provide a detailed report that aligns with industry standards and offers clear remediation steps.

They also offer a continuous testing service to help clients keep up with a changing attack surface.

Reason to Buy

If your organization’s primary external attack surface is its web applications, Software Secured is an excellent choice.

Their specialized focus and their transparent methodology ensure that you get a high-quality, in-depth assessment that is specifically tailored to the unique challenges of web application security.

Features

• Specialized Focus: Expertise in web and mobile application security.
• Blended Methodology: Combines automated scanning with expert-led manual testing.
• Transparent Process: Uses a clear checklist for the entire testing process.
• Continuous Testing: Offers ongoing services to keep up with new applications and changes.
• Detailed Reporting: Provides comprehensive reports with clear, actionable remediation steps.

Pros

• Deep expertise in web and mobile application security.
• Transparent and well-defined methodology.
• Offers a good blend of automated and manual testing.
• Provides continuous testing options.

Cons

• Less focused on network infrastructure or other types of external testing.
• Not a global, well-known brand like some competitors.

✅ Best For: Organizations that need a specialized, in-depth external penetration test for their web and mobile applications.

🔗 Try Software Secured here → Software Secured Official Website

Conclusion:

The digital world is constantly expanding, and with it, the external attack surface.

For organizations in 2025, a proactive and strategic approach to external penetration testing is no longer a luxury it’s a necessity.

The companies on this list represent the best in the industry, each with a unique value proposition.

Whether you need a deep, expert-led assessment from a boutique firm like Offensive Security or Rhino Security Labs, a scalable PTaaS platform from Cobalt or Synack, or a continuous, automated validation solution from Pentera, the right partner for you is on this list.

For those who prioritize a holistic, integrated security approach, Secureworks and Rapid7 offer comprehensive services backed by extensive research.

By carefully considering your organization’s specific needs, security maturity, and budget, you can select the best external penetration testing partner to proactively protect your digital assets and strengthen your security posture.