Obtaining a HITRUST CSF certificate increases assurance that an organization meets security and compliance commitments in heavily regulated industries. The framework stands out because of its unification of over 50 authoritative regulations and standards, which enables demonstrable security and higher stakeholder trust and transparency—all a prerequisite to unlock new growth opportunities.
There are many HITRUST benefits, though keep in mind that obtaining the certification is a significant investment that has to be justified to the board for timely budget approvals and planning.
HITRUST certification cost varies greatly depending on factors like organization size and compliance readiness. To help you make an informed decision, we’ll explore:
- Different cost components of HITRUST certification
- Effective HITRUST certification cost
- The framework’s value
HITRUST certification cost at a glance
The HITRUST certification process can involve costs at various points during the mandatory validated assessment (that confirms your adherence to the framework’s prescribed controls).
Here’s what the process can look like:
- You pay to use HITRUST’s MyCSF audit platform for self-assessment. You self-assess your controls using HITRUST’s Control Maturity Scoring Rubric.
- An authorized external assessor validates the scores—you will have to pay an assessor fee.
- A QA analyst performs the final review—you also pay a QA fee.
While the above is a basic roadmap of cost centers, the exact outlay would depend on the breadth of your chosen assessment level:
- e1: Entry-level assessment best suited for small organizations
- i1: A more robust option aimed at mid-sized organizations with complex IT infrastructure
- r2: A comprehensive, risk-based assessment that meets the needs of large organizations with a diverse risk profile
Besides the assessment tier, the number of employees in your organization would also impact your final expenditure.
It’s worth mentioning that the HITRUST framework itself is available for free—it’s only the assurance workflows that cost you. You can download the framework from HITRUST’s website to familiarize yourself with the overall structure and certification requirements. Doing so can help you proactively address any security gaps and minimize the need for additional security reviews and assessments that may add to your certification costs.
{{cta_withimage19="/cta-modules"}} | HITRUST Compliance Checklist
How much does HITRUST certification cost across tiers?
The complete HITRUST certification process can cost around $17,000–$100,000+ depending on two factors:
- Chosen certification level
- Assessed entity’s size
The following table outlines the specific costs that reflect these factors:
Note: These prices don’t include access to MyCSF, HITRUST’s official platform necessary for certification.
How much does MyCSF cost?
These are costs of the different subscription tiers if MyCSF:
The plans host the platform’s core features, such as:
- Centralized HITRUST assessment data
- Advanced analytics and dashboards
- Assessment customization (for r2 assessments)
If you decide to enter a HITRUST audit, the entire process will unfold on MyCSF. It supports all stages of the assessment process and records the status of the relevant requirements, which can be particularly helpful if you’re aiming for progressive HITRUST level certifications in the near future.
Report credits
You will also need Report Credits to finish your certification process, here’s a breakdown of costs:
{{cta_webinar3="/cta-modules"}} | Choosing the right HITRUST certification level and streamlining implementation
What does the HITRUST fee cover?
The HITRUST certification fee (the one collected by the HITRUST Alliance) is designed and set to reflect the framework’s various benefits and features. The four main functionalities you pay for include:
- Comprehensive software
- Control inheritance
- Additional workforce
- Continuous improvements
1. Comprehensive software
The HITRUST MyCSF platform reduces guesswork or inefficiencies in the certification process. It gives you a unified view of your security posture and controls so you’re always on top of your security standing.
The platform can be shared with various stakeholders in the certification process, which paves the way for effective delegation and progress tracking. It also keeps the workflow consistent across customers, industries, and years.
2. Control inheritance
One of HITRUST’s unique features is the shared responsibility model, which lets you inherit the controls of your cloud service provider (CSP). This way, you can simplify HITRUST compliance and perform security reviews more quickly to achieve certification without duplicative work.
3. Additional workforce
Many security teams are under continuous pressure to manage diverse tasks, such as monitoring attack surfaces and implementing risk mitigation plans, which leaves them with little time to cover regulatory and compliance tasks.
HITRUST supports your team by providing an additional workforce that double-checks the controls you implement, your assessor’s work, and your final submission. This high level of assurance and confidence is what makes the HITRUST approval seal so valuable.
4. Continuous improvements
HITRUST spends millions of dollars annually to create a more secure business environment, and your investment (the HITRUST fee) directly contributes to such endeavors. Some of HITRUST’s key activities include:
- Control harmonization and continuous updates to the CSF and the assessments
- Collaboration with standards bodies to lobby for sanity and practicality in regulations
- Research and development for upgrades like Compliance Insights Reports and AI stack-on assurances
Effective HITRUST certification cost
If you consider all adjacent costs related to HITRUST compliance, the effective cost can include:
- Cost of sufficient technical and business security controls
- The labor costs related to collecting evidence of the controls’ existence and effectiveness
- An additional fee paid to internal assessors for testing and validating your controls, as well as helping you address any gaps or corrections
- HITRUST SaaS platform (MyCSF) cost
- The cost of HITRUST quality assurance review to certify your results and provide a final report
The first two items are among the main security cost centers for any organization, regardless of whether they pursue a HITRUST certification. The three HITRUST-related costs that follow only serve as assurance that you’ve put forth controls that are industry-accepted and proven to make a difference in risk mitigation.
The effective cost of HITRUST certification is essentially an investment toward upholding the highest security standards in an industry-accepted manner—and it’s all demonstrable as you have a reliable external party review and validate it. HITRUST controls are essential, immediate, and rigorous, and their specificity makes them more effective than a compliance and security program built around vague best practices.
{{cta_withimage19="/cta-modules"}} | HITRUST Compliance Checklist
Is HITRUST certification worth it?
HITRUST certification can be a growth-oriented long-term investment, considering the positive influence it has on your organization's security, compliance, and risk management programs. Here are six strategic vantage points of pursuing HITRUST:
- Unrestricted business opportunities: Your prospects might expect (or even demand) a HITRUST certificate as proof of your security posture. Being certified is an excellent way to gain a considerable market differentiator and demonstrate your controls quickly and efficiently.
- Security and compliance program development: The HITRUST CSF can be used as a blueprint for developing a security program catering to different assurance strengths.
- Effective risk management: HITRUST’s customization options let you develop a precise, effective third-party risk management (TPRM) program that aligns with your inherent risk profile. You also have the option to outsource various TPRM-related activities (control scoring, reporting, corrective action plans, etc.) to experienced HITRUST assessors.
- Faster deal cycles: By becoming HITRUST-certified, you can prove your security posture without endless back-and-forth or extensive security questionnaires, which can expedite deal cycles.
- Cost-effective compliance: The HITRUST CSF is mapped to over 50 regulations and standards, so becoming certified gets you closer to compliance with them. You can also eliminate overlapping workflows to save time and resources.
- Protection from evolving threats: With its adaptive cyber threat framework, HITRUST CSF helps minimize the risk of costly and damaging security incidents.
According to this Trust Report, many users consider HITRUST highly beneficial. It’s perceived as an efficient and cost-effective way of improving security and managing risk while meeting various compliance requirements.
Get the most out of your HITRUST investment with Vanta
If you’re looking to pursue HITRUST for your organization, leverage Vanta for a streamlined and resource-efficient certification process. Vanta is HITRUST’s official automation partner—it gives you a vetted and pre-built framework for getting certified faster at any level.
As a trust management platform, Vanta uses automation and AI functionalities to fast-track up to 80% of HITRUST requirements. Its HITRUST CSF solution comes with robust features that reduce the need for extensive manual oversight, including:
- Automated gap assessments that prepare you for the validated assessment
- Streamlined evidence collection supported by over 350 integrations
- Centralized tracking of HITRUST requirements
- Actionable guidance with 200+ resources:
- New controls
- Pre-built document templates
- Automated tests
- Policy addendums
- Cross-referencing with other frameworks to highlight overlapping controls
- Direct import of evidence into MyCSF
Vanta also helps you access highly regarded audit partners and vetted HITRUST assessors to support your certification workflows.
Schedule a free demo to get personalized insights into the HITRUST solution.
{{cta_simple16="/cta-modules"}} | HITRUST product page
Preparing for HITRUST certification
HITRUST certification cost: A detailed breakdown
Preparing for HITRUST certification
Looking to automate up to 50% of the work for HITRUST CSF certification?
Obtaining a HITRUST CSF certificate increases assurance that an organization meets security and compliance commitments in heavily regulated industries. The framework stands out because of its unification of over 50 authoritative regulations and standards, which enables demonstrable security and higher stakeholder trust and transparency—all a prerequisite to unlock new growth opportunities.
There are many HITRUST benefits, though keep in mind that obtaining the certification is a significant investment that has to be justified to the board for timely budget approvals and planning.
HITRUST certification cost varies greatly depending on factors like organization size and compliance readiness. To help you make an informed decision, we’ll explore:
- Different cost components of HITRUST certification
- Effective HITRUST certification cost
- The framework’s value
HITRUST certification cost at a glance
The HITRUST certification process can involve costs at various points during the mandatory validated assessment (that confirms your adherence to the framework’s prescribed controls).
Here’s what the process can look like:
- You pay to use HITRUST’s MyCSF audit platform for self-assessment. You self-assess your controls using HITRUST’s Control Maturity Scoring Rubric.
- An authorized external assessor validates the scores—you will have to pay an assessor fee.
- A QA analyst performs the final review—you also pay a QA fee.
While the above is a basic roadmap of cost centers, the exact outlay would depend on the breadth of your chosen assessment level:
- e1: Entry-level assessment best suited for small organizations
- i1: A more robust option aimed at mid-sized organizations with complex IT infrastructure
- r2: A comprehensive, risk-based assessment that meets the needs of large organizations with a diverse risk profile
Besides the assessment tier, the number of employees in your organization would also impact your final expenditure.
It’s worth mentioning that the HITRUST framework itself is available for free—it’s only the assurance workflows that cost you. You can download the framework from HITRUST’s website to familiarize yourself with the overall structure and certification requirements. Doing so can help you proactively address any security gaps and minimize the need for additional security reviews and assessments that may add to your certification costs.
{{cta_withimage19="/cta-modules"}} | HITRUST Compliance Checklist
How much does HITRUST certification cost across tiers?
The complete HITRUST certification process can cost around $17,000–$100,000+ depending on two factors:
- Chosen certification level
- Assessed entity’s size
The following table outlines the specific costs that reflect these factors:
Note: These prices don’t include access to MyCSF, HITRUST’s official platform necessary for certification.
How much does MyCSF cost?
These are costs of the different subscription tiers if MyCSF:
The plans host the platform’s core features, such as:
- Centralized HITRUST assessment data
- Advanced analytics and dashboards
- Assessment customization (for r2 assessments)
If you decide to enter a HITRUST audit, the entire process will unfold on MyCSF. It supports all stages of the assessment process and records the status of the relevant requirements, which can be particularly helpful if you’re aiming for progressive HITRUST level certifications in the near future.
Report credits
You will also need Report Credits to finish your certification process, here’s a breakdown of costs:
{{cta_webinar3="/cta-modules"}} | Choosing the right HITRUST certification level and streamlining implementation
What does the HITRUST fee cover?
The HITRUST certification fee (the one collected by the HITRUST Alliance) is designed and set to reflect the framework’s various benefits and features. The four main functionalities you pay for include:
- Comprehensive software
- Control inheritance
- Additional workforce
- Continuous improvements
1. Comprehensive software
The HITRUST MyCSF platform reduces guesswork or inefficiencies in the certification process. It gives you a unified view of your security posture and controls so you’re always on top of your security standing.
The platform can be shared with various stakeholders in the certification process, which paves the way for effective delegation and progress tracking. It also keeps the workflow consistent across customers, industries, and years.
2. Control inheritance
One of HITRUST’s unique features is the shared responsibility model, which lets you inherit the controls of your cloud service provider (CSP). This way, you can simplify HITRUST compliance and perform security reviews more quickly to achieve certification without duplicative work.
3. Additional workforce
Many security teams are under continuous pressure to manage diverse tasks, such as monitoring attack surfaces and implementing risk mitigation plans, which leaves them with little time to cover regulatory and compliance tasks.
HITRUST supports your team by providing an additional workforce that double-checks the controls you implement, your assessor’s work, and your final submission. This high level of assurance and confidence is what makes the HITRUST approval seal so valuable.
4. Continuous improvements
HITRUST spends millions of dollars annually to create a more secure business environment, and your investment (the HITRUST fee) directly contributes to such endeavors. Some of HITRUST’s key activities include:
- Control harmonization and continuous updates to the CSF and the assessments
- Collaboration with standards bodies to lobby for sanity and practicality in regulations
- Research and development for upgrades like Compliance Insights Reports and AI stack-on assurances
Effective HITRUST certification cost
If you consider all adjacent costs related to HITRUST compliance, the effective cost can include:
- Cost of sufficient technical and business security controls
- The labor costs related to collecting evidence of the controls’ existence and effectiveness
- An additional fee paid to internal assessors for testing and validating your controls, as well as helping you address any gaps or corrections
- HITRUST SaaS platform (MyCSF) cost
- The cost of HITRUST quality assurance review to certify your results and provide a final report
The first two items are among the main security cost centers for any organization, regardless of whether they pursue a HITRUST certification. The three HITRUST-related costs that follow only serve as assurance that you’ve put forth controls that are industry-accepted and proven to make a difference in risk mitigation.
The effective cost of HITRUST certification is essentially an investment toward upholding the highest security standards in an industry-accepted manner—and it’s all demonstrable as you have a reliable external party review and validate it. HITRUST controls are essential, immediate, and rigorous, and their specificity makes them more effective than a compliance and security program built around vague best practices.
{{cta_withimage19="/cta-modules"}} | HITRUST Compliance Checklist
Is HITRUST certification worth it?
HITRUST certification can be a growth-oriented long-term investment, considering the positive influence it has on your organization's security, compliance, and risk management programs. Here are six strategic vantage points of pursuing HITRUST:
- Unrestricted business opportunities: Your prospects might expect (or even demand) a HITRUST certificate as proof of your security posture. Being certified is an excellent way to gain a considerable market differentiator and demonstrate your controls quickly and efficiently.
- Security and compliance program development: The HITRUST CSF can be used as a blueprint for developing a security program catering to different assurance strengths.
- Effective risk management: HITRUST’s customization options let you develop a precise, effective third-party risk management (TPRM) program that aligns with your inherent risk profile. You also have the option to outsource various TPRM-related activities (control scoring, reporting, corrective action plans, etc.) to experienced HITRUST assessors.
- Faster deal cycles: By becoming HITRUST-certified, you can prove your security posture without endless back-and-forth or extensive security questionnaires, which can expedite deal cycles.
- Cost-effective compliance: The HITRUST CSF is mapped to over 50 regulations and standards, so becoming certified gets you closer to compliance with them. You can also eliminate overlapping workflows to save time and resources.
- Protection from evolving threats: With its adaptive cyber threat framework, HITRUST CSF helps minimize the risk of costly and damaging security incidents.
According to this Trust Report, many users consider HITRUST highly beneficial. It’s perceived as an efficient and cost-effective way of improving security and managing risk while meeting various compliance requirements.
Get the most out of your HITRUST investment with Vanta
If you’re looking to pursue HITRUST for your organization, leverage Vanta for a streamlined and resource-efficient certification process. Vanta is HITRUST’s official automation partner—it gives you a vetted and pre-built framework for getting certified faster at any level.
As a trust management platform, Vanta uses automation and AI functionalities to fast-track up to 80% of HITRUST requirements. Its HITRUST CSF solution comes with robust features that reduce the need for extensive manual oversight, including:
- Automated gap assessments that prepare you for the validated assessment
- Streamlined evidence collection supported by over 350 integrations
- Centralized tracking of HITRUST requirements
- Actionable guidance with 200+ resources:
- New controls
- Pre-built document templates
- Automated tests
- Policy addendums
- Cross-referencing with other frameworks to highlight overlapping controls
- Direct import of evidence into MyCSF
Vanta also helps you access highly regarded audit partners and vetted HITRUST assessors to support your certification workflows.
Schedule a free demo to get personalized insights into the HITRUST solution.
{{cta_simple16="/cta-modules"}} | HITRUST product page
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