# Cobalt alternatives: what AI models name instead, October 2026

IT AI Recommendation Index, October 2026 Edition. 157 of the 252 answers in the 1 category where Cobalt holds a standing named it neither first nor as an alternative; these are the first choices those answers made. Page: https://it-ai-index.com/vendors/cobalt/alternatives/

## Named instead, most often (every category and segment added)

- NetSPI: 16
- BreachLock: 10
- Bright Defense: 5
- Astra Security: 4
- Bug Circuit: 4
- Synack: 4

## Penetration testing as a service

**Small business**: 53 of 84 answers did not name Cobalt (Cobalt is #1 of 8 at 17%).

- Bright Defense: first choice in 4 of those 53
- Acunetix: first choice in 3 of those 53
- BreachLock: first choice in 3 of those 53
- Bug Circuit: first choice in 3 of those 53
- Astra Security: first choice in 2 of those 53
- HIFENCE: first choice in 2 of those 53
- Affordable Pentesting: first choice in 1 of those 53
- Bugcrowd: first choice in 1 of those 53

**Mid-market**: 51 of 84 answers did not name Cobalt (Cobalt is #1 of 10 at 45%).

- BreachLock: first choice in 4 of those 51
- Astra Security: first choice in 2 of those 51
- Synack: first choice in 2 of those 51
- Bright Defense: first choice in 1 of those 51
- Bug Circuit: first choice in 1 of those 51
- Bugcrowd: first choice in 1 of those 51
- CISA's free Cyber Hygiene service: first choice in 1 of those 51
- HackerOne: first choice in 1 of those 51

**Enterprise**: 53 of 84 answers did not name Cobalt (Cobalt is #3 of 11 at 12%).

- NetSPI: first choice in 16 of those 53
- BreachLock: first choice in 3 of those 53
- Synack: first choice in 2 of those 53
- Bugcrowd's PTaaS Subscription: first choice in 1 of those 53

Published under CC BY 4.0. The output is the models' output; nothing here is a recommendation by the index.