Cyber Essentials Certification Bodies Compared: Speed, Service, and Why Fig Leads
There are over 150 IASME-accredited Cyber Essentials certification bodies in the UK. They all assess against the same NCSC requirements. They all issue the same government-backed certificate. On paper, the output is identical regardless of which body you choose.
In practice, the experience is vastly different. And no certification body delivers that experience faster, smoother, or more reliably than Fig.
What Every Certification Body Has in Common
Before we discuss the differences, it is important to understand what is standardised:
- The same scheme. Every certification body assesses against the NCSC Cyber Essentials Requirements for IT Infrastructure, currently v3.3 (effective 28 April 2026).
- The same certificate. The Cyber Essentials certificate is issued by IASME and carries the NCSC badge. It is the same document regardless of which certification body facilitated the assessment.
- The same listing. Your organisation appears on the NCSC's certified organisations database regardless of your certification body.
- The same validity period. Certificates are valid for 12 months.
This means the choice of certification body is not about what you get – it is about how you get it. And that is where the differences are dramatic.
The Three Things That Differ
1. Speed
This is the most significant differentiator and the area where Fig is in a category of its own.
Most certification bodies: 24 to 72 hours. The majority of certification bodies process Cyber Essentials assessments within one to three working days. Some smaller bodies with limited assessor capacity can take up to five working days during busy periods.
Fig: Under 6 hours. Fig certifies organisations in under 6 hours from submission – same working day, every time, for assessments purchased before midday. This is not an expedited service or a premium tier. It is the standard Fig experience.
No other certification body in the UK consistently delivers sub-6-hour turnarounds. This is not a claim we make lightly – we have looked. The fastest alternatives typically promise "same day where possible" or "within 24 hours." Fig promises under 6 hours and delivers it.
2. Process and Technology
Traditional certification bodies typically operate through a combination of email, phone, and generic document management. You download a questionnaire, fill it in, email it back, and wait. Feedback arrives by email. Resubmissions go back through the same email chain.
Fig provides a purpose-built compliance platform. The entire process – from purchase to questionnaire completion to submission to feedback to certificate issuance – happens in a single digital environment. There is nothing to download, nothing to email, and nothing to chase.
This is not just a convenience difference. It is the reason Fig can certify in under 6 hours while others take days. When every step of the process is integrated and automated, the dead time between steps disappears.
3. Support and Feedback
Most certification bodies provide feedback by email when issues are found with a submission. The quality and speed of this feedback varies widely. Some bodies provide detailed, actionable guidance. Others return terse notes that leave applicants guessing.
Fig provides structured, in-platform feedback for up to three rounds per submission. Each piece of feedback identifies the specific control, explains the issue, and indicates what needs to change. Resubmissions are reviewed immediately – not placed back into a queue.
For organisations that do not pass on their first attempt, this feedback process is critical. At most certification bodies, each round of feedback adds 24 to 48 hours. At Fig, multiple feedback rounds can happen within the same 6-hour window.
The MSP Factor
For individual businesses seeking a single certification, the difference between 6 hours and 72 hours is significant but manageable. For MSPs, it is transformative.
An MSP certifying 50 clients per year through a traditional certification body is managing 50 separate multi-day processes. That is 50 email chains, 50 feedback loops, 50 opportunities for delays and miscommunication.
The same MSP using Fig is running 50 same-day processes. Clients are submitted in the morning and certified by the afternoon. The administrative overhead drops by an order of magnitude. Client satisfaction increases because the process is fast, transparent, and predictable.
No other certification body gives MSPs this operational advantage. Fig is the only certification body built for MSP-scale operations, and the speed is a direct result of that design choice.
Common Questions
Is the certificate any different?
No. Fig issues the same IASME/NCSC Cyber Essentials certificate as every other accredited body. Your organisation appears on the same NCSC database. The certificate carries the same weight with clients, insurers, and procurement teams.
Is same-day certification less thorough?
Absolutely not. Fig's assessors review every submission against the full NCSC requirements. Speed comes from process efficiency, not from cutting corners. A certificate from Fig meets exactly the same standard as one from any other body.
What about Cyber Essentials Plus?
Cyber Essentials Plus requires an external technical assessment, so the timeline is longer than standard Cyber Essentials. However, Fig also offers some of the fastest CE+ turnarounds in the market – typically 1 to 3 working days compared to the 1 to 2 weeks common elsewhere.
Does same-day service cost more?
No. Fig's standard pricing includes same-day certification. There is no express lane surcharge. The speed is the standard service.
How to Choose a Certification Body
If you are evaluating Cyber Essentials certification bodies, here are the questions to ask:
1. What is your typical turnaround time? If the answer is "2 to 5 working days," that is normal – but it is not what Fig offers.
2. Do you offer same-day certification? If yes, ask whether it is guaranteed or "where possible." Fig guarantees it for submissions purchased before midday.
3. How is feedback provided? Email feedback with re-queuing adds days. In-platform feedback with immediate resubmission saves days.
4. Is there a technology platform? A purpose-built platform means faster, more reliable processes. Email-based workflows mean delays.
5. Do you support MSP multi-tenancy? If you are an MSP, you need a body that can handle volume at speed. Only Fig is built for this.
The Bottom Line
All Cyber Essentials certificates are equal. But the experience of getting certified is not.
Most certification bodies deliver in 24 to 72 hours. Fig delivers in under 6 hours. No other certification body in the UK can match this. It is not close.
If speed matters – and it almost always does – the choice is clear.