What Small Businesses Pay for a vCISO in 2026 (Pricing Guide)
What Small Businesses Pay for a vCISO in 2026 (Pricing Guide)
Evolving Technology SolutionsThe short answer
Most small businesses pay $2,000 to $7,000 per month for a virtual CISO in 2026. Lightweight advisory retainers start around $1,500 to $4,500 per month, regulated businesses that need a full compliance program pay $5,000 to $20,000, and one-time projects such as a risk assessment usually land in the low five figures. A full-time CISO costs $250,000 to $500,000 or more per year in total compensation, so a vCISO typically costs 10% to 30% as much.
vCISO pricing at a glance
| Engagement | Typical 2026 price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Advisory starter | $1,500 to $4,500 per month | Policies, quarterly risk review, a named advisor for questions |
| Program management | $4,000 to $9,000 per month | Security roadmap, vendor risk, incident response planning, insurance and audit support |
| Full program leadership (regulated) | $8,000 to $20,000+ per month | Multiple frameworks, board reporting, audit leadership, on-call incident response |
| One-time project | $10,000 to $75,000 | Risk assessment, policy set, compliance readiness or incident response plan |
| Hourly advisory | $200 to $400 per hour | Ad hoc questions and overage beyond a retainer |
| Full-time CISO | $250,000 to $500,000+ per year | One dedicated executive, plus recruiting and benefits costs |
Ranges are drawn from published 2026 pricing guides from vCISO providers, including SideChannel and Compass IT Compliance, and from Evolv's own published rates.
What drives vCISO cost
- Company size. More users, locations and systems mean more risk to manage.
- Regulation. Healthcare (HIPAA), insurance (NAIC and the Michigan Insurance Data Security Law), defense suppliers (CMMC), CPA firms (IRS Pub 4557 and the FTC Safeguards Rule) and payments (PCI DSS) all add work.
- Number of frameworks. Running two frameworks at once costs more than one.
- Starting maturity. A business with no written policies needs more work in the first 90 days.
- Advisory only or hands-on. A vCISO who also implements controls costs more than one who only advises. Some businesses pay a separate IT provider to do the work.
- Incident response. On-call coverage for active incidents raises the retainer.
- Board and audit reporting. Formal reporting to a board, auditors or customers adds time each quarter.
What a small business vCISO should deliver
- A written security program and policy set
- A risk assessment, updated at least once a year
- A 12-month security roadmap with budget
- Answers for cyber insurance applications and customer security questionnaires
- An incident response plan, tested with a tabletop exercise
- Vendor risk reviews for critical suppliers
- A quarterly report a non-technical owner can read
vCISO vs. full-time CISO vs. MSSP
A full-time CISO makes sense once a company has a large security team to lead, usually several hundred employees or more. An MSSP (managed security service provider) runs tools such as monitoring and endpoint detection, but it rarely writes your policies or leads your compliance program. A vCISO sets the strategy and owns the program. Most businesses with 20 to 200 employees get the best value from a vCISO paired with a managed IT and security provider. Our vCISO vs. CISO vs. MSSP guide goes deeper.
What Evolv charges
Evolv publishes its vCISO pricing. A standalone vCISO retainer starts at $3,500 per month, flat, and ranges up to $12,000 per month depending on size and frameworks. For clients in healthcare, financial services, insurance, legal and tax practice, Evolv includes vCISO services in its managed cybersecurity subscription at $95 per user per month, so there is no separate retainer. Fixed-price compliance programs start at $4,500 (CMMC Level 1), $5,500 (IRS Pub 4557), $6,500 (HIPAA) and $7,500 (NAIC WISP). See vCISO services and published pricing.
How to choose a vCISO
- Ask which frameworks they have taken a client through, and ask for an anonymized deliverable.
- Ask who does the hands-on work: the vCISO, your IT provider or your staff.
- Get the hours or deliverables included in the retainer in writing.
- Check that they can answer your cyber insurance application and customer questionnaires.
- Ask what happens during an incident, and whether that costs extra.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a vCISO cost for a small business? Most small businesses pay $2,000 to $7,000 per month in 2026. Advisory-only retainers start around $1,500, and regulated businesses running full compliance programs pay $8,000 or more.
Is a vCISO worth it for a 20 to 100 person company? Usually yes, when the business handles regulated data, answers customer security questionnaires or needs cyber insurance. A vCISO costs a fraction of a full-time CISO and gives the owner a written program and roadmap.
What is the difference between a vCISO and a vCIO? A vCISO owns security and compliance: risk, policies, incident response and audits. A vCIO owns technology strategy and budget. Some providers combine both.
Can my IT provider act as my vCISO? Yes, if the provider has security leadership experience and the vCISO role is defined in writing. Evolv includes vCISO services in its managed cybersecurity subscription for regulated clients.
How much does a vCISO cost per hour? Typically $200 to $400 per hour for advisory work outside a retainer.
Talk to Evolv
If you want to know what a vCISO would cost for your business, book a 20-minute call or call (616) 243-2234.