How Much Does Cybersecurity Cost for a Small Business?

Cybersecurity for a small UK business typically costs between £15 and £30 per user per month for a managed bundle covering endpoint protection, email security and monitoring, with a one-off cost on top for certifications such as CyberEssentials if pursued separately. Businesses with no dedicated IT support in place often start from a lower base and see the biggest jump in cost when moving from ad hoc protection to a properly managed setup.

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• ‍Endpoint protection - managed antivirus and threat detection across devices.
• ‍Email security - filtering for phishing, malware and suspicious attachments beyond standard inbox protection.‍
• Monitoring and alerting - a provider watching for unusual activity and responding when something is flagged.‍
• Staff awareness training - helping the team recognise and report suspicious emails and links.‍
• Backup and recovery - ensuring data can actually be restored if the worst happens, rather than just being copied somewhere and never tested.

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Alongside the monthly managed security cost, many businesses also budget for Cyber Essentials certification, typically a few hundred pounds as a one-off annual cost, and for occasional extras such as penetration testing if required by a client or industry regulation. These one-off costs sit on top of, rather than instead of, the ongoing monthly spend on day-to-day protection.

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Headcount is the biggest driver, since most pricing is per user per month, followed by the sensitivity of the data handled and any compliance requirements the business is working towards. A business handling client financial or health data will typically need a stronger, and more expensive, security setup than one that does not, and businesses bidding for public sector or supply chain work often need to budget for certification costs as a condition of winning the contract.

Bytes Digital offers a free review of your current security setup for businesses across Bristol and the South West, so you can see exactly where you stand and what a properly managed package would realistically cost for your team.

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