
Quick Answer
For a UK small business, the cost of cyber security depends on the size of the business and the level of protection required. Systems Secure currently starts from £35 per month for a sole trader, with packages from £204 per month for businesses with 1–9 people and £710 per month for businesses with 10 or more people.
For businesses that also need senior cyber security leadership, governance and strategic oversight, QuantumCare CISO starts from £1,200 per month.
The difference in price reflects what is included — from essential protection and visibility, through to managed monitoring, staff training, wider security support and, at the CISO level, leadership and governance.
Prices are correct at the time of writing and may change. Check the Systems Secure website for the latest packages and pricing.
The honest caveat: that range is wide because "cyber security" covers everything from basic protection on a handful of laptops to round-the-clock monitoring with staff training and certification. What follows is what you get at each end, so you can work out where you actually sit.
Cyber security prices vary because different businesses need different levels of protection. A sole trader with one laptop and Microsoft 365 is a very different job from a 30-person company handling sensitive client data, multiple systems and remote staff.
The price usually depends on things like how many people and devices need protecting, what systems you use, how much monitoring is required, whether staff training is included, and whether you need help with things such as Cyber Essentials or security questionnaires.
Some providers therefore prefer to quote after speaking to you first. That can be completely reasonable, but you should still be able to get a clear idea of the starting price and what is included before committing to a sales call.
A useful question to ask is:
“What is your cheapest package, what does it cost, and exactly what is included?”
A good provider should be able to answer that clearly.What am I paying for at the low end?
Systems Secure’s entry-level Sole Trader package starts at £35 per computer, per month. It is designed for someone running a business on their own who wants proper protection without paying for services intended for a larger organisation.
For £35 per computer, the package currently includes:
24/7 endpoint protection and threat detection
Security monitoring
Patch management to help keep software and security updates under control
Web and DNS filtering to help block malicious and unsafe websites
Annual security awareness training
Direct access to ask the security team questions
Setup and onboarding with no separate setup fee
This is more than basic consumer antivirus. The aim is to protect the computer, keep it patched, monitor for suspicious activity and block common threats before they become a bigger problem.
There are also clear limits. The Sole Trader package does not include things such as cloud backup, identity protection, continuous vulnerability assessment, proactive Microsoft 365 hardening or a monthly security report. Those are included in the higher-level packages where a business has employees and a wider security requirement.
For a one-person business, though, it gives you a sensible starting point without paying for a full managed security service you may not need.
Systems Secure’s Micro Business package is designed for businesses with 1–9 people using Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. Pricing starts from £204 per month on a 12-month agreement, or £206 per month on a rolling monthly basis for one account.
The price is made up of a fixed £170 monthly security essentials programme, plus £34 per Microsoft 365 or Google account on a 12-month agreement, or £36 per account on a rolling monthly basis. All prices exclude VAT, there is no setup fee, and both options are paid monthly.
The Micro Business package currently includes:
24/7 endpoint protection and threat detection
Patch management
Identity threat detection and response
Identity security posture management
Security monitoring
Cloud backup and recovery
Web and DNS filtering
Continuous security awareness training
Continuous vulnerability scanning
External vulnerability and attack-surface assessments
Proactive hardening of computers and Microsoft 365
Cyber Essentials and insurance readiness
A monthly security report in plain English
Direct access by phone, WhatsApp and email
The important difference from the Sole Trader package is that Micro Business protects not just the computers, but also the user accounts, identities and cloud services that small businesses increasingly depend on.
It does not include the higher-level governance services found in Business Pro, such as vCISO access, quarterly business reviews, policy packs, firewall and network-device protection or DMARC email-domain protection.
For a small team using Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, this is the point where cyber security becomes a broader managed service rather than simply protecting individual computers.
Systems Secure’s Business Pro package is designed for businesses with 10 or more Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace accounts. Pricing starts from £710 per month on a 12-month agreement for 10 accounts. Rolling monthly is also available at a slightly higher per-account rate. All prices exclude VAT.
The price is made up of a fixed £370 monthly security programme, plus a per-account charge for each licensed user. On a 12-month agreement, the per-account rate is £34; on rolling monthly, it is £36. The first email domain is included, with additional domains charged separately.
Business Pro includes everything in the Micro Business package, plus:
A named security lead
Information security policy pack
Quarterly business reviews
Direct security line
Cyber Essentials and insurance readiness
Email domain protection using DMARC, SPF and DKIM
External vulnerability assessment
Network and attack-surface scanning
Firewall and network-device protection
Proactive hardening of computers, networks and cloud services
24/7 endpoint protection and threat detection
Identity threat detection and response
Security monitoring
Cloud backup and recovery
Continuous staff security awareness training
Continuous vulnerability scanning
The main difference at this level is that you are no longer just buying security tools. You are also getting security leadership, governance and someone actively responsible for helping manage the organisation’s cyber security programme.
For a business with 10 or more people, especially one handling sensitive data, dealing with client security questionnaires, working towards Cyber Essentials or needing stronger oversight, Business Pro is the more complete managed security option.
Yes — we should add a fourth price section for QuantumCare CISO, but make it very clear that it is leadership, not a bigger software package. Your comparison page says exactly that, and notes that many CISO clients use one of the managed packages alongside it.
Paste this in:
Systems Secure’s QuantumCare CISO service starts from £1,200 per month and is designed for businesses with 10 to 250 employees that need someone to take ownership of cyber security at a senior level. It is priced by headcount and runs on a rolling monthly basis.
This is different from the other QuantumCare packages. There is no antivirus, monitoring, backup or protection software included. Instead, you are paying for a named, qualified Chief Information Security Officer to provide security leadership, governance and planning.
QuantumCare CISO currently includes:
A named CISO
Committed days each month
A live risk register
A costed 12-month security roadmap
Information security policies
Quarterly security reviews
Customer security questionnaire support
Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus readiness
ISO 27001 groundwork
Cyber insurance renewal support
Supplier and third-party security reviews
Board-level reporting and security advice
Direct access to your CISO during business hours
Pricing is based on the size of the business:
10–20 employees: £1,200 per month
21–50 employees: £2,000 per month
51–100 employees: £3,200 per month
101–150 employees: £4,000 per month
151–250 employees: £4,800 per month
All prices exclude VAT. There is no setup fee, nothing to pay upfront, and the service runs monthly with 30 days’ notice.
The important distinction is that Business Pro protects and monitors the business, while QuantumCare CISO provides the leadership and governance above it. A business may therefore use Business Pro and QuantumCare CISO together rather than choosing one or the other. Existing Business Pro clients only pay for the additional CISO work rather than paying twice for overlapping services.
For businesses larger than around 250 people, Systems Secure’s guidance is that it may make more sense to employ a full-time CISO rather than continue with a fractional service.
The right level depends on your risk, the data you hold and how badly an incident would affect the business — not just the number of people you employ.
As a rough guide:
Sole Trader is a sensible starting point if you work alone and mainly need your computer protected, patched and monitored.
Micro Business is better suited to small teams that rely on Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace and need protection around user accounts, cloud services, staff training and vulnerability management.
Business Pro makes more sense when security is becoming a bigger business issue — for example, you hold sensitive client data, need Cyber Essentials, complete customer security questionnaires or cannot afford significant downtime.
QuantumCare CISO is for businesses that need senior security leadership, governance, policies, risk management and board-level guidance. It can sit alongside Business Pro rather than replacing it.
You should consider moving to a higher level of support if any of these apply:
You hold sensitive client, financial, legal, medical or HR information.
Customers or insurers regularly ask you to prove how you manage cyber security.
A day offline would cause serious financial or operational problems.
You have already had a cyber incident or a serious near miss.
You need Cyber Essentials or other security assurance for contracts and tenders.
Senior management needs someone to take ownership of cyber security rather than leaving it between IT, management and external suppliers.
The aim is not to buy the biggest package available. It is to choose the level of protection and support that matches the risk your business actually faces.
There are a few costs that may sit outside the monthly cyber security service itself, so it is worth checking these before you compare providers.
Cyber Essentials certification.
Cyber Essentials certification has its own fee, paid to the certification body. Some cyber security providers include the preparation and support within their monthly service, while others charge separately.
Cyber insurance.
Cyber insurance is priced separately and will depend on things like your business size, sector and level of cover. Policies often come with security requirements, such as multi-factor authentication, tested backups, patching and staff training. If those conditions are not met, an insurer may question, reduce or refuse a claim.
One-off project work.
Some work may fall outside the normal monthly service, such as a larger security review, remediation after inheriting poorly configured systems, a Microsoft 365 migration or other project work. This should be quoted separately and clearly before the work starts.
The important thing is to ask what is included in the monthly price and what is not. A lower monthly fee can look attractive until you discover that important work, certification support or project costs are charged separately.
Before you sign anything, there are four things worth checking carefully.
How long am I committed for?
Check the minimum term and notice period rather than looking only at the monthly price. Some providers offer a lower price in return for a longer commitment. Systems Secure offers both rolling monthly and 12-month options on some packages, so you can choose the arrangement that suits your business.
What happens if the service isn't right for me?
Look at the cancellation terms and whether there is any guarantee or trial period. Systems Secure offers a three-month money-back guarantee, giving you time to decide whether the service is right for you.
Who will actually look after my business?
Find out whether you will have a named person who understands your business or whether you will simply deal with whoever picks up the next ticket. Systems Secure deliberately limits the number of managed security clients it works with so that clients receive a more personal service.
How is the price calculated?
Check whether the quote is fixed, charged per user, per device, or made up of a base fee plus additional users. Per-user pricing will naturally increase as your team grows, so make sure you understand how adding staff will affect the monthly cost.
The cheapest quote is not always the best value. Compare what is included, who is responsible for it, how quickly someone will act when something goes wrong, and what additional charges you might face later.
Small business cyber security can start from £35 per month for a sole trader, with managed packages increasing as the size of the business and level of protection grows.
Micro Business starts from £204 per month, while Business Pro starts from £710 per month.
Businesses that need senior security leadership can add QuantumCare CISO from £1,200 per month.
Choose the level of service based on your risk, the data you hold and the impact an incident would have on the business, not simply headcount.
Check what is included in the monthly fee and whether things such as Cyber Essentials certification, cyber insurance or one-off project work are charged separately.
Before signing, check the contract term, cancellation terms and how the price changes as your business grows.
Systems Secure publishes its pricing openly and offers rolling monthly or 12-month options on applicable packages, along with a three-month money-back guarantee.
Prices can change, so always check the Systems Secure website for the latest packages and pricing.
Your IT team keeps the business running. We check it is protected — finding the risks, telling your IT team what to fix, and showing you the proof every month in plain English.
Per computer, sole trader. Excludes VAT.
Three packages, sized by how many people you have — £35, £204 and £710 a month. Every price is on this page.
Systems Secure Ltd is an independent cyber security company based in Copthorne, West Sussex, run by James Batt and working with businesses across the UK. Its managed service, QuantumCare, works alongside your existing IT support rather than replacing it — finding the risks, telling your IT team what to fix, and checking that important protections are still working.
This is cyber security, not IT support. Prices are published on this site, starting at £35 a month. Cyber security should give you clear answers — not long reports, confusing alerts or guesswork.
There's a reason a company's accounts are prepared by one firm and audited by another. It isn't that accountants can't be trusted — it's that nobody, however good, is well placed to check their own work.
Keeps your systems, users and everyday technology running. In-house or outsourced, they stay involved throughout — and receive clear, specific actions from us whenever their help is needed.
Finds the cyber risks, strengthens protection, and checks that important security controls are still working. You get an independent view of what's protected, what has changed, and what should happen next.
Good IT teams tend to welcome this. An independent report is often the evidence they've been trying to get budget on for months.
One person, one computer
From £35
per computer, per month
Priced per Microsoft 365 or Google account
From £204
per month
Priced per Microsoft 365 or Google account
From £710
per month
No setup fees. No minimum contract. No penalty for changing your mind. All prices exclude VAT. Compare all packages side by side
QuantumCare CISO is the mirror image of the packages above — all people, no software. A qualified security officer for a business of 10 to 250 people, from £1,200 a month. Five published prices, and no quote to ask for.
See CISO pricesOne-off work with James at a fixed price agreed before anything starts. £450 to review one system — your Microsoft 365, your firewall, your backups. £795 for the whole business. Got a question first? There's no charge for finding out whether you need us.
See consulting pricesNo form to fill in first, and no sales call needed to find out the number.
Three QuantumCare packages, sized by how many people you have, from £35 a month. Every price is published on this site.
A conversation, not a pitch. We confirm which package fits — and if the honest answer is that you don't need us, we'll say so.
We install it, configure it and check it is working — usually inside a week from agreement, and mostly without you noticing.
Monitoring, updates applied in the background, and problems dealt with rather than just flagged up. Micro Business and Business Pro add a plain-English summary each month.
Month to month on 30 days' notice, no setup fee and no penalty for changing your mind. A 12-month option is there if you'd rather freeze your price — a choice, not a requirement.
If your business is compromised while you're following the agreed security plan, you get three months' fees back. No security company can promise you'll never be attacked, and we don't.
The managed security list is capped at 20, so the person checking your security is actually paying attention — and you deal with the same person every time.
We will not take on a direct competitor of an existing client, and every price on this site is the price you pay.
In IT, networks and cyber security since 1995
Systems Secure trading, full time on cyber security since 2016
Defences strengthened, risk reduced, peace of mind delivered
Trained to spot threats, stop breaches and protect businesses
The gold standard in cyber security, recognised worldwide.
Certified to run a security programme — governance, risk and reporting to a board.
Qualified to think like a hacker and find your weaknesses first.
Certified in structured cyber risk management using the NIST framework.
Globally recognised qualification in cyber security best practice.
Most cyber security experts talk in acronyms. I talk like a business owner — because I am one.
I went into the oil and gas industry in 1995, doing IT, networks and security for global corporations, and led multi-million-dollar projects across America and Europe. Twenty-one years of it — and security was part of the job from the first day. I'm not an IT man who retrained into it later.
In 2010 I started Systems Secure as a sideline and ran it alongside the day job for six years. By 2016 it had outgrown the evenings and weekends, so I sat the Certified Ethical Hacker exam, left a good salary and better benefits behind, and turned the company from IT to cyber security — because security was, and still is, the weakness most smaller businesses have.
Sixteen years on, I've helped 200+ UK organisations strengthen their defences, pass compliance audits, and sleep easier knowing their data — and their reputation — are protected. You deal with me, not a rotating support desk.
Written for the person who owns the business, not the person who runs the servers. No acronyms, no scare stories, and nothing you need a technical background to act on.
We'll email you the PDF. The button opens a short form — one name, one email address.
Send me the guide In a hurry? The ten-point checklist is on the site already, with nothing to fill in.The main ones that come up on almost every call, answered here so you don't have to book one to find out.
Systems Secure managed cyber security starts at £35 per computer per month for a sole trader, £204 per month for a business of one to nine people, and £710 per month for a business of ten or more. All prices exclude VAT and there are no setup fees.
What you pay depends on how many people you have. The Sole Trader package is priced per computer. Micro Business and Business Pro are priced per Microsoft 365 or Google account, so the cost scales with your team rather than a fixed licence block. Every price is published on the website — you don't need to sit through a sales call to find out the number.
QuantumCare is Systems Secure's cyber security service: three managed packages priced by how many people you have — Sole Trader from £35 a month, Micro Business from £204 and Business Pro from £710 — plus QuantumCare CISO, a separate service from £1,200 a month for businesses of 10 to 250 that need a qualified security officer rather than more software.
It is cyber security, not IT support — it works alongside whoever runs your systems rather than replacing them, finding the risks, telling your IT team what to fix, and checking that important protections are still working.
No. Every Systems Secure package runs on a rolling monthly basis with 30 days' notice and no cancellation penalty. There is no minimum term.
A 12-month option is available if you'd rather freeze your price, which saves £2 per account per month. It's a choice, not a requirement.
No. There are no setup fees and nothing to pay upfront on any Systems Secure package. You pay monthly, starting from the month the service begins.
No. All Systems Secure prices are quoted excluding VAT. VAT is added to your invoice at the prevailing UK rate.
Yes. Fixed-price consulting is available with no ongoing commitment: £150 for a single question answered in writing within two working days, £250 for a second opinion, £450 for a review of one system, and £795 for a full review of your business. All prices exclude VAT.
These prices are built for businesses of up to 25 staff. Above that, the price rises with headcount.
No. Systems Secure is designed to work alongside your existing IT support, not replace it. Whether your IT is outsourced or in-house, they carry on running your systems, users and everyday technology, and receive clear, specific actions from us whenever their help is needed.
The two roles are different jobs. Your IT team keeps the business running; Systems Secure checks that it's actually protected. You get an independent view of what's protected, what has changed and what should happen next — without disrupting a relationship that's already working.
Usually yes — and it tends to help them rather than undermine them. An in-house IT manager is responsible for keeping everything running, which means security competes with a hundred other urgent things every week. It also means they would be reporting on the quality of their own work, which isn't a fair position to put anyone in.
Systems Secure gives your IT manager a specialist to escalate to and a second pair of eyes on the things that matter, and gives you a view that doesn't depend on one person's workload or judgement.
IT support keeps your technology working: fixing problems, setting up new starters, keeping systems online. Cyber security is a separate job — finding weaknesses before an attacker does, strengthening protection, and checking that important controls are still working months after they were switched on.
Good IT teams, in-house or outsourced, do handle parts of security — including updates, backups and access control. What they rarely provide is independent oversight: someone whose only job is to look for the gaps, and who has no reason to report that everything is fine.
Possibly not — and Systems Secure will tell you honestly if that's the case. But two things are worth knowing: nobody is well placed to audit their own work, and IT providers are themselves a target for attackers looking for a route into their customers' networks.
In a joint advisory, the UK's National Cyber Security Centre — alongside CISA, the NSA, the FBI and their Australian, Canadian and New Zealand counterparts — warned that managed service providers are granted privileged access to a customer's network, which can create opportunities for attackers.
That isn't hypothetical. In July 2021 attackers exploited a flaw in Kaseya VSA, remote management software used by IT providers, and reached an estimated 800 to 1,500 businesses through around 60 providers. None of those businesses did anything wrong. They were reached through a supplier they trusted.
So the question worth asking isn't "do you handle security?" It's "when did you last check that it's working, and can I see the evidence?"
No. In the last 12 months, 46% of UK small businesses and 42% of micro businesses identified a cyber security breach or attack, according to the Government's Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025/26.
Most attacks aren't personally chosen — they're automated. Software scans the internet looking for weaknesses and takes whatever it finds. A business with three staff and a website nobody visits still gets probed daily. Phishing remains by far the most common method, experienced by 38% of businesses.
No. Antivirus catches known threats, but most modern attacks don't rely on a recognisable file. Phishing, stolen passwords and misconfigured settings all bypass antivirus entirely.
Proper protection needs several layers: monitoring that spots unusual behaviour, multi-factor authentication, patching, backups you've actually tested, and staff who can recognise a convincing fake email.
No. Most cyber insurance policies require you to prove you took reasonable precautions — multi-factor authentication, staff training, patch management. If you can't demonstrate those, a claim can be reduced or refused entirely.
Insurers increasingly expect standards such as Cyber Essentials before they'll offer cover or renew it. Insurance is worth having, but it pays out after the damage. It doesn't prevent it.
No security company can promise you'll never be attacked, and Systems Secure doesn't make that promise. What it does offer is a three-month refund guarantee: if your business is compromised while you're following the agreed security plan, you get three months' fees back.
The realistic goal is fewer incidents, caught earlier and contained faster.
Every package includes round-the-clock monitoring, automatic updates, protection against viruses and ransomware, blocking of dangerous websites, and staff training. Larger packages add cloud backup, alerts when a login is stolen, regular checks for weak spots, firewall and network reviews, written security policies and a quarterly review.
Micro Business and Business Pro also include a short monthly summary showing what's protected, what changed and what needs attention — written in plain English rather than as a long technical report.
From sole traders up to businesses of around 250 staff. There are three packages: Sole Trader for one person, Micro Business for one to nine people, and Business Pro for ten to 250. Business Pro has a minimum of ten accounts.
No. Systems Secure is based in Copthorne, West Sussex, and works with businesses across the UK. Almost all of the work is done remotely, so your location doesn't affect the service or the price.
On-site visits are available and charged separately: £240 for a visit of up to two hours, £400 for a half day and £760 for a full day.
Yes. Cyber Essentials readiness support is included in the Business Pro package. That means reviewing your current setup against the requirements, telling you what needs to change, and getting you to the point where you can pass.
Worth knowing: Cyber Essentials reflects the day of assessment, not a permanent state. Ongoing patching, access reviews and vulnerability checks are what keep the certificate meaningful between renewals.
James Batt. Systems Secure deliberately caps its managed security client list at 20, so you deal with the same person every time rather than a rotating support desk.
Systems Secure will also never take on a direct competitor of an existing client.
James Batt holds CISSP, C|CISO (Certified Chief Information Security Officer), CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker), NCSP Practitioner and CompTIA Security+.
Behind those: 21 years designing multi-million-dollar IT systems for the oil and gas industry, and 16 years running Systems Secure. The company was named Cybersecurity Company of the Year at the West Sussex Business Awards 2025, and Security Solution Specialists of the Year at the E2 Media Awards 2025.
Because security oversight is only worth paying for if someone is genuinely paying attention. Capping the list at 20 clients means each one gets real scrutiny rather than an automated dashboard nobody reads.
It also means Systems Secure can be honest about capacity rather than selling a service it can't properly deliver.
A conversation, not a pitch. We'll confirm which package fits — and if the honest answer is that you don't need us, we'll say so.

Systems Secure® Limited·Registered in England and Wales, company no. 07295869 6 The Meadow, Copthorne, West Sussex RH10 3RG·07702 896 910·[email protected]
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