Partly. CyberSmart certifies you and monitors your devices on a subscription. BrightCert is a one-off readiness assessment that shows your gaps before you certify anywhere. You still need a Certification Body to get the certificate.
CyberSmart vs BrightCert
CyberSmart certifies you, on a subscription. BrightCert shows you where you stand first, one-off.
CyberSmart is a large Certification Body with a strong platform, including device monitoring. BrightCert does one job: a plain-English readiness assessment, so you know your gaps before you choose how and where to certify.
Why some businesses check first
Know before you commit
A scored picture of your gaps across the five control areas before you sign up to any certification plan.
One-off, not a subscription
CyberSmart says all of its plans are subscription only, with fees starting from £675 + VAT. BrightCert's full report is £199, once.
Keep your choice open
BrightCert isn't a Certification Body, so you can take your report to any IASME-licensed Certification Body, CyberSmart included.
Side by side
| Feature | BrightCert | CyberSmart |
|---|---|---|
| Cyber Essentials certificationCyberSmart is a Certification Body; BrightCert never certifies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ongoing device monitoringCyberSmart's Active Protect monitors and patches devices | ✗ | ✓ |
| Unlimited resubmissions and included insuranceCyberSmart includes both for eligible organisations | ✗ | ✓ |
| One-off price, no subscriptionCyberSmart: "all of our plans are subscription only" | £199 | ✗ |
| Published, fixed priceCyberSmart quotes, with fees starting from £675 + VAT | ✓ | ◐ |
| Readiness assessment before choosing where to certifyCyberSmart's preparation tools sit inside its own certification plan | ✓ | ◐ |
CyberSmart details from cybersmart.co.uk, checked 22 October 2026.
Not either-or
If you want certification and ongoing monitoring from one supplier, CyberSmart is a strong option. If you want to understand your gaps first, or keep your choice of Certification Body open, start with BrightCert and take the report wherever you certify.
How it works
- 01
Answer plain-English questions
About your devices, users, software and cloud services. Around two hours.
- 02
Get your scored gap report
A readiness score, gaps by control area, and fixes in priority order.
- 03
Fix, then certify
Yourself, with your IT provider or a consultant, then apply through any IASME Certification Body.
Frequently asked questions
CyberSmart quotes its Cyber Essentials plans, and its pricing page says fees depend on organisation size and start from £675 + VAT, on a subscription. The official IASME certification fee starts at £320 + VAT.
Yes. BrightCert isn't tied to any Certification Body. Use the report to fix your gaps, then certify with whichever IASME-licensed body you prefer.
CyberSmart says certification within 24 hours is achievable where the required controls are already in place. Being ready is the slow part, which is what BrightCert helps with.
IASME's free Readiness Tool, an NCSC Cyber Advisor, a consultant, other Certification Bodies and doing it yourself are all options.
See where your business stands before you pay anyone to fix it.
Start your assessmentBrightCert provides readiness assessment only. Official certification comes from an IASME-licensed Certification Body.