Top 10 Best PTaaS (Penetration Testing as a Service) Companies in 2025

In the dynamic world of cybersecurity, traditional, one-time penetration testing is no longer sufficient to keep pace with the speed of modern software development and evolving threats.

Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS) has emerged as the solution, offering a continuous, platform-based approach to security testing.

The best PTaaS companies in 2025 combine the expertise of human hackers with the scalability and transparency of a SaaS platform, providing real-time vulnerability discovery, streamlined remediation, and ongoing security assurance.

Why We Choose PTaaS

The traditional pentest model, which delivers a static PDF report months after an engagement, is ill-suited for agile development cycles and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines. PTaaS addresses these shortcomings by:

Continuous Testing: It allows for ongoing vulnerability discovery, not just a single point in time, aligning with the fluid nature of modern applications.

Real-time Collaboration: Its platform-based model enables direct, real-time communication between developers and security testers, accelerating the time to fix vulnerabilities.

Scalability & Flexibility: Organizations can scale testing up or down as needed, without the overhead of sourcing new vendors for each project.

Actionable Insights: PTaaS platforms provide dynamic dashboards with prioritized findings and remediation guidance, making it easier for teams to manage and resolve risks efficiently.

How We Choose Best PTaaS (Penetration Testing as a Service) Companies

To compile this list, we evaluated each provider based on the following criteria:

Platform & Technology: The quality and features of their PTaaS platform, including real-time reporting, integrations, and automation.

Human Expertise: The skill and vetting of their community of ethical hackers.

Service Offerings: The breadth of their services, from web apps and networks to cloud and API testing.

Customer Experience: The overall ease of use, transparency, and collaboration provided by the service.

Comparison Of Key Features (2025)

Company	PTaaS Model	Real-time Reporting	Continuous Testing	Community of Testers
Cobalt.io	Platform-first	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Vetted & Managed
Synack	Crowdsourced	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Vetted & Top-Secret
HackerOne	Bug Bounty/PTaaS	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Open & Vetted
Bugcrowd	Bug Bounty/PTaaS	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Open & Vetted
Rapid7	Managed Service	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ In-house Team
NetSPI	Platform-first	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ In-house Team
Secureworks	Managed Service	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ In-house Team
Pentera	Automated	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ Automated
Qualysec	Hybrid	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Vetted & Managed
Rhino Sec Labs	Hybrid	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ In-house Team

1. Cobalt.io

Cobalt.io is widely recognized as a pioneer in the PTaaS space. Its modern, platform-first approach connects organizations with a vetted community of ethical hackers to deliver flexible, on-demand penetration testing.

The platform is designed for collaboration, allowing security and development teams to work directly with testers, track progress in real-time, and streamline the remediation process.

Why You Want to Buy It:

Cobalt’s platform and flexible credit-based model make it easy to launch new tests in as little as 24 hours.

The real-time reporting and direct tester communication significantly cut down on the time it takes to find and fix vulnerabilities, aligning perfectly with agile workflows.

Feature	Yes/No	Specification
PTaaS Model	✅ Yes	A pioneer in the PTaaS model.
Real-time Reporting	✅ Yes	All findings and communication on a central dashboard.
Continuous Testing	✅ Yes	Flexible program for ongoing testing.
Community of Testers	✅ Yes	Vetted community of ethical hackers.

✅ Best For: Fast-moving organizations and DevOps teams that need on-demand, transparent, and scalable penetration testing.

Try Cobalt.io here → Cobalt.io Official Website

2. Synack

Synack offers a unique PTaaS model powered by the Synack Red Team (SRT), a highly vetted community of global security researchers.

The platform combines human expertise with machine learning to automate reconnaissance and scale testing, while the human element focuses on finding complex, logical vulnerabilities.

Synack is particularly popular with government and highly regulated industries due to its rigorous vetting process for researchers.

Why You Want to Buy It:

Synack’s platform provides a unique level of security assurance and trust.

The combination of automation and a highly-vetted community ensures comprehensive coverage and the ability to find critical vulnerabilities that other methods miss.

Feature	Yes/No	Specification
PTaaS Model	✅ Yes	Combines platform with a vetted crowdsourced team.
Real-time Reporting	✅ Yes	Provides a live dashboard for vulnerability tracking.
Continuous Testing	✅ Yes	Offers continuous, on-demand security testing.
Community of Testers	✅ Yes	A highly vetted community of 1,500+ researchers.

✅ Best For: Government agencies and enterprises with highly sensitive assets that require a top-secret, vetted group of ethical hackers for continuous security testing.

Try Synack here → Synack Official Website

3. HackerOne

HackerOne is a leader in crowdsourced security, offering a PTaaS solution that leverages its community of over 2 million ethical hackers.

The platform allows for both on-demand penetration tests and ongoing bug bounty programs, providing a flexible and scalable solution for vulnerability discovery.

HackerOne’s PTaaS service is designed to be a formal, compliance-ready assessment, while its bug bounty program offers continuous, long-term testing.

Why You Want to Buy It:

HackerOne’s platform provides unmatched scale and diversity in testing.

The ability to switch between a structured PTaaS engagement and a bug bounty program gives organizations unparalleled flexibility in how they manage their security testing.

Feature	Yes/No	Specification
PTaaS Model	✅ Yes	Offers a formal PTaaS service alongside a bug bounty model.
Real-time Reporting	✅ Yes	A central platform for real-time vulnerability disclosure.
Continuous Testing	✅ Yes	Achieved through a bug bounty program.
Community of Testers	✅ Yes	A global community of over 2 million hackers.

✅ Best For: Companies looking to leverage the power of a vast, global community of ethical hackers for both compliance-driven assessments and continuous vulnerability discovery.

Try HackerOne here → HackerOne Official Website

4. Bugcrowd

Bugcrowd is a major player in the crowdsourced security space and a direct competitor to HackerOne.

Its PTaaS offering, known as Next-Gen Pen Test, combines a scalable, on-demand testing model with its global community of ethical hackers.

The platform is built to deliver compliance-ready reports and integrate seamlessly into DevOps workflows, providing a modern, efficient way to manage security testing.

Why You Want to Buy It:

Bugcrowd’s platform simplifies the entire pentesting lifecycle, from scoping to remediation.

Their methodology, which blends crowdsourced discovery with a structured, platform-driven approach, ensures both breadth and depth in their security assessments.

Feature	Yes/No	Specification
PTaaS Model	✅ Yes	Provides Next-Gen Pen Test with a crowdsourced model.
Real-time Reporting	✅ Yes	Findings are reported in real-time on the platform.
Continuous Testing	✅ Yes	Supports continuous testing and remediation.
Community of Testers	✅ Yes	A vast community of over 100,000 vetted researchers.

✅ Best For: Organizations that want a flexible, scalable, and compliance-focused PTaaS solution backed by a highly-skilled crowdsourced community.

Try Bugcrowd here → Bugcrowd Official Website

5. Rapid7

Rapid7 is a leading cybersecurity vendor with a strong presence in the PTaaS market.

While not strictly a crowdsourced platform, its Managed Application Security Testing service operates on a continuous model.

It leverages the power of its InsightAppSec DAST technology, combined with the expertise of its in-house security analysts, to provide ongoing, effective security assessments for web applications and APIs.

Why You Want to Buy It:

Rapid7’s deep expertise in application security, proven by their ownership of Metasploit, ensures a highly effective testing methodology.

Their managed service frees up internal teams and provides a high level of security assurance.

Feature	Yes/No	Specification
PTaaS Model	✅ Yes	Managed AppSec service operates on a continuous model.
Real-time Reporting	✅ Yes	Dashboards provide real-time updates on vulnerabilities.
Continuous Testing	✅ Yes	Offers continuous red team services.
Community of Testers	❌ No	Services are delivered by an in-house expert team.

✅ Best For: Organizations already using Rapid7’s products or those that want a trusted, vendor-managed service with a focus on web application and API security.

Try Rapid7 here → Rapid7 Official Website

6. NetSPI

NetSPI is a top-tier offensive security firm with a strong PTaaS platform.

Their platform, powered by a large team of in-house pentesters, provides real-time visibility into findings and streamlines the entire pentest lifecycle.

NetSPI’s services cover a wide range of assets, including applications, networks, cloud environments, and APIs, with a focus on delivering high-fidelity, actionable results.

Why You Want to Buy It:

NetSPI’s commitment to quality and transparency is unmatched.

Their platform provides a central hub for managing tests, viewing results, and collaborating with their expert team, making it easy to integrate security into your development lifecycle.

Feature	Yes/No	Specification
PTaaS Model	✅ Yes	Offers a robust PTaaS platform.
Real-time Reporting	✅ Yes	Provides real-time findings via their platform.
Continuous Testing	✅ Yes	Continuous testing for web apps and APIs.
Community of Testers	❌ No	Utilizes an in-house team of 300+ pentesters.

✅ Best For: Enterprises seeking a highly structured and scalable PTaaS program with a focus on comprehensive, expert-led testing.

Try NetSPI here → NetSPI Official Website

7. Secureworks

Secureworks provides a PTaaS-like experience through its Taegis platform and managed services.

While not a classic PTaaS provider in the same vein as Cobalt or Synack, Secureworks’ services leverage their powerful platform and expert team to deliver continuous threat detection and response, which often includes a penetration testing component.

Their focus is on a comprehensive, end-to-end security program that is continuously validated.

Why You Want to Buy It:

Secureworks’ services are backed by its renowned Counter Threat Unit (CTU), which provides proprietary threat intelligence.

This ensures that their testing and validation efforts are always informed by the latest attack methods.

Feature	Yes/No	Specification
PTaaS Model	✅ Yes	A component of their managed security services.
Real-time Reporting	✅ Yes	Integrates with their Taegis platform.
Continuous Testing	✅ Yes	A core part of their managed services.
Community of Testers	❌ No	Services are delivered by an in-house expert team.

✅ Best For: Organizations that want a fully managed security service where continuous validation and threat detection are a core part of the offering.

Try Secureworks here → Secureworks Official Website

8. Pentera

Pentera offers an innovative approach to PTaaS through its Automated Security Validation platform.

Unlike traditional PTaaS companies that use human testers, Pentera’s solution autonomously emulates attacker behavior to continuously validate an organization’s security posture.

It runs in the background, safely and automatically, to identify exploitable vulnerabilities and prioritize remediation efforts based on real risk.

Why You Want to Buy It:

Pentera’s automation allows for constant, non-intrusive security validation.

This provides a level of coverage and frequency that is impossible with manual testing alone, ensuring that new vulnerabilities are detected as soon as they emerge.

Feature	Yes/No	Specification
PTaaS Model	✅ Yes	Automated Security Validation as a Service.
Real-time Reporting	✅ Yes	Provides a live dashboard with prioritized findings.
Continuous Testing	✅ Yes	Runs continuously to find new vulnerabilities.
Community of Testers	❌ No	Uses automated attack emulation.

✅ Best For: Enterprises that need continuous, automated security validation at scale and want to safely test their security controls without relying on human testers.

Try Pentera here → Pentera Official Website

9. Qualysec

Qualysec provides a hybrid PTaaS model that combines its platform with a team of managed ethical hackers.

The platform helps streamline the entire process, from scope definition to final report delivery, while the manual testing ensures comprehensive coverage.

Qualysec’s focus on compliance, rapid delivery, and transparent reporting makes it a solid choice for businesses of all sizes.

Why You Want to Buy It:

Qualysec’s hybrid model offers a balance of automation and human expertise.

The platform’s ease of use and focus on clear, actionable reports make it an excellent choice for teams that want to get started with PTaaS quickly.

Feature	Yes/No	Specification
PTaaS Model	✅ Yes	A hybrid platform-and-service model.
Real-time Reporting	✅ Yes	Provides a centralized dashboard.
Continuous Testing	✅ Yes	Offers continuous penetration testing.
Community of Testers	✅ Yes	A managed team of vetted ethical hackers.

✅ Best For: Small to mid-sized businesses that need a user-friendly, cost-effective PTaaS solution for compliance and ongoing security.

Try Qualysec here → Qualysec Official Website

10. Rhino Security Labs

Rhino Security Labs is a boutique firm specializing in highly technical penetration testing and red teaming, which they now offer via a PTaaS-like model.

Their services are delivered by a team of highly-skilled, in-house experts who are renowned for their security research and public presentations at major conferences.

While not a crowdsourced platform, their model offers a high-touch, expert-driven experience for clients with complex security needs.

Why You Want to Buy It:

Rhino’s strength lies in its team’s deep technical expertise.

Their focus on custom, tailored engagements and high-quality reporting ensures that you get the most comprehensive and effective penetration test possible for your specific needs.

Feature	Yes/No	Specification
PTaaS Model	✅ Yes	Provides a platform-like experience for managing engagements.
Real-time Reporting	✅ Yes	The platform provides real-time access to findings.
Continuous Testing	❌ No	Primarily a point-in-time assessment service.
Community of Testers	❌ No	Utilizes an in-house team of security experts.

✅ Best For: Highly technical organizations with complex or unique environments that require a boutique, expert-led approach to security testing.

Try Rhino Security Labs here → Rhino Security Labs Official Website

Conclusion

In 2025, the PTaaS market offers a wide array of options, each with a unique value proposition.

For organizations prioritizing flexibility and scale, Cobalt.io, Synack, and the bug bounty platforms like HackerOne and Bugcrowd are industry leaders.

They provide on-demand access to a vast talent pool and transparent, real-time reporting that aligns with modern development cycles.

For enterprises that prefer a vendor-managed, expert-led approach, NetSPI and Rapid7 offer a high-quality, comprehensive service without the need to manage a crowdsourced community.

Finally, for teams that require continuous, automated security validation, Pentera represents a new and highly effective approach.

The best PTaaS company for your business will depend on your specific needs, but the shift to this model is clear PTaaS is now the standard for effective and efficient security testing.