Cyber Essentials Standard vs Done For You: Which Should You Choose?
Published 5 October 2026
What does standard Cyber Essentials include?
With Cyber Essentials Standard, your team completes the online self-assessment questionnaire. You are not on your own: a named assessor runs a readiness review, answers questions as you go and checks your answers before submission. Standard includes the certificate, £25,000 cyber insurance for eligible UK organisations, the Cyber Essentials badge and unlimited retests.
Who should complete Cyber Essentials themselves?
- You have an IT lead or a reliable IT provider who knows your devices, accounts and cloud services
- Your devices and software are supported and patched within 14 days
- MFA is already on for your cloud services, such as Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace
- You have a few hours to gather the answers
What is Cyber Essentials Done For You?
Done For You means we complete the assessment with you. We run a structured session to collect the information, review your environment, carry out a gap analysis, give you remediation guidance and draft any policies you need. You check and approve the answers before we submit. It is the same service we provide as part of our Fully Managed certification.
What information does Nix need from you?
- Organisation name, address and the scope you want certified
- A list of devices (laptops, desktops, phones, tablets) and their operating systems
- Cloud services in use, and whether MFA is on for every account
- Firewall or router details and who manages them
- How updates and antivirus are handled, and whether staff use personal devices for work
Your IT provider can usually supply most of this in one call.
Standard vs Done For You comparison
| Standard | Done For You | |
|---|---|---|
| Who completes the questionnaire | You, with assessor guidance | Us, with you approving |
| Readiness review | Yes | Yes, plus technical environment review |
| Gap analysis and fix guidance | Answers to your questions | Full gap analysis and remediation plan |
| Policy drafting | No | Yes, if needed |
| Your time | A few hours | Around an hour |
| Weekend Fast Track | Available | Available |
| Certificate and insurance | Same | Same |
How much does each option cost?
| Staff | Standard | Done For You |
|---|---|---|
| 1–9 | £320 + VAT | £750 + VAT |
| 10–49 | £440 + VAT | £850 + VAT |
| 50–249 | £500 + VAT | £950 + VAT |
| 250+ | £600 + VAT | £1,150 + VAT |
The 250+ figures are indicative and confirmed by quote. See the full Cyber Essentials cost guide for what is included.
What happens if something isn't compliant?
With both options we find problems before submission, not after. Common issues are unsupported software, missing MFA and late patching. We tell you what to change and you resubmit at no extra assessment fee – retests are unlimited. With Done For You, we give you a prioritised fix list so your IT provider can work through it quickly. See what happens if you fail Cyber Essentials.
How quickly can certification be completed?
Because we are an IASME-licensed Certification Body, we review and issue the certificate ourselves. Once the assessment is ready, certification can be issued within 24 hours. The Weekend Fast Track add-on is available for both Standard and Done For You. Read more on fast Cyber Essentials certification.
Can we progress to Cyber Essentials Plus afterwards?
Yes. Cyber Essentials Plus adds an independent technical audit and must be completed within three months of your Cyber Essentials certificate. On its own it is £1,400 + VAT for 1–9 staff. If you already know you need it, the Cyber Essentials & Plus bundle (£2,100 + VAT for 1–9 staff) includes Done For You and the Plus audit at a lower combined price.
Which option should I choose?
Quick decision
- Choose Standard if you have IT knowledge in-house and mainly want an expert to check your answers.
- Choose Done For You if you are short on time, have no IT lead, or have a tender deadline you cannot miss.
- Choose the bundle if a customer or tender needs Cyber Essentials Plus.
Which Cyber Essentials option is right for you?
Answer three quick questions and we'll show the route and price that fits.
Unsure of the difference? Read Standard vs Done For You.