PTaaS platform
Invadel vs Cobalt
Cobalt popularized penetration testing as a service: you buy credits, the platform matches testers from its community, and findings land in a shared workspace. Invadel sells the engagement itself at a published fixed price, tested by the same senior in-house team every time.
The models
How each one works
Cobalt
Cobalt sells testing through a credit-based subscription. Credits are drawn down against scoped tests and the work is delivered by testers from the Cobalt Core, its vetted freelance community, coordinated through the platform.
Invadel
You buy a defined engagement at a published price: web application from $5,200, API from $4,000, external network from $4,200. Our own testers run it, the findings platform is included, and the retest is free.
Side by side
Invadel compared with Cobalt
| Dimension | Cobalt | Invadel |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Credit packages and subscription tiers, quoted through sales | Fixed price per engagement, published on the pricing page before you talk to anyone |
| Who tests | Testers assigned from a vetted freelance community | Senior in-house team (OSCP, OSCE3), the same people on every engagement |
| Continuity | Tester assignment can change between engagements | The same team returns, so year two starts where year one ended |
| Retest | Included within a defined window on most plans | Free retest of remediated findings on every penetration test |
| Unused budget | Credits are tied to the subscription term | Nothing expires: you buy a test, you get a test |
| Platform | The platform is central to the product | Live findings platform included with every engagement at no extra cost |
An honest read
Which one should you pick
We would rather you choose correctly than choose us. Here is where each option genuinely wins.
Choose Cobalt when
- You run many small tests across a large application portfolio and want one workflow to manage all of them.
- Your security program is already built around a PTaaS subscription and procurement prefers renewing it.
- You need integrations into an established enterprise toolchain that the platform already ships.
Choose Invadel when
- You want the price before the sales call, not after it.
- You would rather have one senior team that knows your environment than a new tester each cycle.
- You need audit-ready evidence for SOC 2 or PCI DSS more than you need a subscription.
Where to start
The engagements buyers compare here
Web Application Penetration Testing
Manual testing of your web app across the OWASP Top 10, business logic, and every user role, from $5,200.
From $5,200
API Penetration Testing Services
REST, GraphQL, and SOAP testing for broken authorization, token flaws, and data exposure, from $4,000.
From $4,000
Penetration Testing as a Service
Recurring senior-led testing and validated scanning, delivered as one ongoing program.
What drives each price: Web App cost guide, API cost guide.
01Is Invadel a PTaaS platform?
We deliver what platforms promise, including live findings and one-click retests, without the subscription model. Our platform is included with every engagement rather than being the thing you buy. If you want recurring coverage, our testing program is priced as a fixed annual plan with no credits or seats.
02Can we switch mid-term?
Yes. Tell us what your current vendor covers and when the term ends, and we will scope an equivalent engagement at a fixed price so you can compare like for like before you renew.
03Do your reports satisfy the same auditors?
Yes. Findings are mapped to SOC 2, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and ISO 27001 controls, and the reports upload cleanly into Vanta, Drata, and Secureframe.
Compare us on your actual scope
Tell us what you need tested and we will price it against whatever quote you are holding. Fixed scope, fixed price, free retest.
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