Bug Bounty Program Budget

Our free Bug Bounty Program Budget helps you estimate costs based on 7 key business variables. The calculator provides 2 detailed outputs using vendor benchmarks and company-size adjustments.

Enter your business details to get market-adjusted estimates as of 2026.

What you'll learn:

• Accurate bug bounty program budget estimates based on your specific inputs
• Low, average, and high cost ranges for budgeting
• How local factors impact pricing
• Tips for optimizing vendor selection and reducing total cost of ownership

Understanding the cost breakdown helps you budget effectively for your bug bounty program budget project. Here are the typical cost components:

Our bug bounty program budget uses a multi-variable formula that accounts for the following inputs:

1. Company Size — Choose from: Small (1-100), Medium (101-500), Large (501-2000), Enterprise (2000+)
2. Industry — Choose from: Technology/SaaS, Financial Services, Healthcare, Retail/E-commerce, Other
3. Annual Revenue ($M) — Range: 1 to 1,000
4. Risk Tolerance — Choose from: Low (minimum compliance), Medium (industry standard), High (best practices)
5. Organization Threat Level — Choose from: Low (minimal exposure), Medium (standard industry), High (critical data/systems)
6. Application Exposure — Choose from: Limited public surface, Multiple public products, Internet-scale surface
7. Scenario Complexity — Choose from: Basic / Standard, Typical, Advanced / Complex

Based on your inputs, the calculator provides:

• Recommended Annual Budget — Shows low, average, and high estimates
• As % of Revenue — Percentage value

All calculations incorporate location-specific cost adjustments when a ZIP code is provided, using data from industry databases updated for 2026.

Several factors influence your bug bounty program budget estimate:

Company Size

Ranges from "Small (1-100)" to "Enterprise (2000+)." Choosing Enterprise (2000+) can cost 8.0x more than Small (1-100).

Industry

Ranges from "Retail/E-commerce" to "Financial Services." Choosing Financial Services can cost 2.3x more than Retail/E-commerce.

Annual Revenue ($M)

A key variable in determining your bug bounty program budget estimate.

Risk Tolerance

Ranges from "Low (minimum compliance)" to "High (best practices)." Choosing High (best practices) can cost 2.1x more than Low (minimum compliance).

Organization Threat Level

Ranges from "Low (minimal exposure)" to "High (critical data/systems)." Choosing High (critical data/systems) can cost 2.0x more than Low (minimal exposure).

Application Exposure

Ranges from "Limited public surface" to "Internet-scale surface." Choosing Internet-scale surface can cost 1.5x more than Limited public surface.

Scenario Complexity

Ranges from "Basic / Standard" to "Advanced / Complex." Choosing Advanced / Complex can cost 1.5x more than Basic / Standard.

Company Size & Scope

Enterprise pricing often differs significantly from SMB pricing. Vendor volume discounts, implementation complexity, and support tiers all scale with company size.

Market Timing

Vendor pricing changes quarterly or annually. End-of-quarter negotiations and competitive bids can reduce costs by 10-25%.

After you run the calculator, your results include interactive sections that help you make informed decisions:

Detailed Breakdown

Your results are broken down into individual components so you can see how each factor contributes to the total. Use this to identify the biggest cost drivers and focus your research or negotiation where it matters most.

Visual Chart

The chart provides a visual summary of your results, making it straightforward to compare components at a glance. This is helpful when sharing estimates with a spouse, business partner, or advisor — the visual format communicates the key story faster than numbers alone.

Save and Share Your Results

Download your complete results as a CSV spreadsheet or PDF report. The PDF includes all your inputs and key results — ready to share with contractors, service providers, or anyone else who needs to review the numbers. No account or signup required.