Cobalt.io vs Expel
Side-by-side comparison of AI visibility scores, market position, and capabilities
Pentest as a service platform connecting enterprises with vetted researchers for on-demand, time-boxed security tests delivering results in days. Eliminates multi-month fixed-scope engagements;
About
Cobalt.io is a pentest as a service platform that replaces the traditional engagement model for penetration testing — multi-month sales cycles, fixed-scope contracts, and point-in-time PDF reports — with an on-demand platform that connects companies with a curated network of vetted security researchers to run targeted, time-boxed pentests that deliver results in days rather than weeks. The platform's core innovation is the application of talent marketplace mechanics to security testing: companies define their test scope and objectives through the Cobalt platform, and vetted pentesters with relevant expertise are matched to the engagement, perform testing, and submit findings through a structured findings interface that delivers actionable vulnerability data in real time rather than in a post-engagement report delivered weeks after testing completes.
Expel is a Forrester Wave Leader in MDR with 5/5 scores across 15 criteria, providing 24/7 AI-powered threat detection and response across cloud, endpoint, identity, and network.
About
Expel is a Herndon, Virginia-based managed detection and response (MDR) company founded in 2016 that provides 24/7 security monitoring, threat detection, and incident response as a managed service. Rather than replacing a customer's existing security tools, Expel integrates with the tools organizations already have — SIEMs, EDRs, cloud platforms, and identity providers — and applies AI-powered automation and expert human analysis to triage alerts and respond to threats around the clock.
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