Bishop Fox built their name and rightfully earned their reputation in offensive security since their inception in 2005. From their Arizona headquarters, the team runs penetration tests across applications, networks, cloud, and products. They’ve also earned widespread recognition for their sophisticated red teaming that mimics real attackers.
If you’re looking for an alternative to Bishop Fox, you probably already know all of this, though.
You’re likely looking for who else there is in the same space and what they have to offer. And that’s what we’ve written this guide for. Read this article, and you’ll find ten firms that handle serious offensive security, from penetration testing to red teaming to continuous attack surface work.
We’ll also provide you with a for weighing the alternative and selecting the best fit for your organisation. So with that said, let’s get started.
Haven’t got the time to read the whole article? Here’s our pick of the best Bishop Fox alternatives:
- CYBRI
- IBM X-Force Red
- IOActive
- Optiv
- Trail of Bits
- Bitdefender Offensive Security Services
- Red Siege
- Include Security
- Doyensec
- MDSec
Choosing the right partner: how to evaluate the alternatives
When you evaluate offensive security firms, a handful of questions will help separate the best fit patterns from the rest.
We take you through eight factors to weigh each vendor again, so that you can create a finalized shortlist.
Delivery model: engagement, platform, or hybrid
Most firms will deliver their first through either a consulting engagement or via their own platform via which you can request a test, track findings and push fixes to your team. Many teams blend both delivery models as well. Which model you go with should be determined by both your own workflow and goals. If you want results woven into your development cycle for example then real-time testing platforms tend to speed up remediation and keep everyone looking at the same data.
Manual depth versus automated coverage
Automated scanning moves fast and catches known issues at scale. Skilled human testers find the logic flaws, chained exploits, and business-context risks that scanners skip. The strongest programs use both. As you compare, ask each vendor how they balance the two, since automated scanning can skip the vulnerabilities where a skilled hacker would go to work.
Red team and adversary simulation depth
A penetration test checks specific systems for weaknesses. A red team goes further and emulates a real adversary across people, process, and technology. If detection and response readiness matter to you, weigh how deep each firm’s red team engagements run and how realistically they model the threats you’ll likely face.
Continuous testing and attack surface coverage
Your attack surface shifts every time you ship code or spin up cloud infrastructure. A once-a-year test can miss what changed last week. That’s why continuous penetration testing and ongoing attack surface monitoring have become table stakes for fast-moving teams. Check whether a provider offers steady coverage or only point-in-time snapshots.
Scope across your stack
Your environment likely spans web, mobile, API, cloud, and network layers, and maybe AI systems too. The best fit firms cover the assets you actually run. If you build on models, confirm the firm handles testing LLM-powered systems. If your footprint stretches across cloud providers, ask how they approach multi-cloud environments, since each cloud carries its own misconfiguration risks.
Reporting and remediation support
A test proves useful only when the report backs it up. Look for clear severity ratings, reproduction steps, and fix guidance your engineers can act on. Ask to see a sample so you know what the firm will deliver to you as well. In their report, strong partners also help you brief the executive suite, and communicate findings to leadership in terms they’ll understand.
Compliance alignment
Many buyers schedule offensive testing to satisfy an auditor. If that describes you, confirm the provider knows your framework, whether that means SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, HIPAA, or GDPR. Providers experienced in supporting compliance and audits can map findings to controls and hand you evidence your auditor will accept.
Pricing and engagement model
You’ll come across quotes that vary quite widely, as pricing depends on scope, depth and cadence. Get clarity on what’s included in your test and how retests work before you sign. Our guide on what a pen test costs can help set your expectations.
Now that we’ve provided you with a shortlisting framework, let’s take you through 10 Bishop Fox alternatives you may choose from.
Our pick: the 10 best Bishop Fox alternatives in 2026
The firms below all deliver credible offensive security. We describe each in neutral terms so you can judge fit for yourself.
1. CYBRI
CYBRI is a New York based offensive security firm that pairs manual, expert-led testing with a platform experience. Through its Blue Box platform, you can run web, mobile, API, cloud, network, and LLM penetration tests, plus red teaming and adversary simulation.
The firm also adds continuous external attack surface monitoring, automated dynamic application security testing, AWS and Azure cloud configuration analysis, and CI/CD pipeline alerting, all surfaced in real time.
CYBRI supports SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and GDPR. It fits mid-market and scaling SaaS teams that want expert testing with platform visibility.
2. IBM X-Force Red
IBM X-Force Red is the offensive security team inside IBM, operating globally with a large roster of testers. It runs penetration testing, adversary simulation, and red teaming across web, mobile, API, cloud, IoT, operational technology, and AI systems. Its main draw combines scale with threat intelligence, so testing draws on IBM’s view of current attacker behavior. The team can also manage an entire offensive program under one vendor.
3. IOActive
IOActive is a Seattle based security consulting firm founded in 1998, known for a research-driven approach. They deliver penetration testing along with red and purple team engagements, and they go deep on applications, hardware, and critical infrastructure.
4. Optiv
Optiv is a large US based security solutions provider that offers offensive testing within a broad advisory portfolio. Its services include attack simulation, red and purple teaming, and penetration testing, delivered alongside strategy, architecture, and managed security work.
5. Trail of Bits
Trail of Bits is a New York based security firm that blends offensive security with software assurance and published research. It focuses on application security assessments, source-assisted testing, and specialized work in areas like cryptography and blockchain. Engineering-led reviews and open-source tooling distinguish its approach, which resonates with technical teams.
6. Bitdefender Offensive Security Services
Bitdefender Offensive Security Services is the offensive testing line within Bitdefender, a global security vendor. It provides penetration testing along with red and purple team simulations across networks, web and mobile applications, and APIs. Backing from a large threat-research organization gives the team broad visibility into current attack methods.
7. Red Siege
Red Siege is a US based offensive security consulting boutique. Its services span penetration testing, red teaming, adversary emulation, assumed-breach and ransomware-readiness assessments, and training. Senior-led engagements and a focus on real-world business risk define its style.
8. Include Security
Include Security is a New York based boutique focused on high-end security assessments. They specialize in in-depth manual and source-code-assisted testing of applications and complex systems, with clients across finance and technology. Its emphasis on deep, senior-led review suits teams that need more than a surface scan.
9. Doyensec
Founded in 2017, Doyensec is a boutique offensive security firm with roots in the United States and Europe. It concentrates on source-assisted application security audits across web, API, mobile, cloud, smart-contract, and LLM systems.
10. MDSec
MDSec is a UK based offensive security boutique. It focuses on penetration testing and red teaming, and it works with clients in sectors such as finance and technology. Specialist red team expertise and research-driven tooling shape its reputation, and the firm brings a strong presence in the UK and wider European market.
Final thoughts and next steps
If you’re looking for an alternative to Bishop Fox then it’s important to know that not every company may be the best fit. It comes down to how well each firm will be for your size, engineering culture and compliance calendar.
For example:
- If you run a scaling SaaS or mid-market company, you probably want expert testing without losing momentum.
- If you operate a large enterprise, breadth and consistency usually top the list. You’ll benefit from a firm that can cover many asset types, coordinate across business units, and lean on strong threat intelligence.
- If you lead a product or engineering team working on complex software, prioritize deep, code-level review. Boutiques that specialize in source-assisted assessments will dig into architecture and logic that a broad provider might skim.
Despite all this, you may even find that Bishop Fox is still the best fit.
If you’re a tech-oriented organisation then our team at CYBRI is a great choice for manual-first penetration testing across app, clouds, networks and APIs. Speak to our team to see how we can map our testing to your goals.
