Cobalt
Cobalt is a Pentest as a Service platform that combines SaaS efficiency with a global community of security experts to identify and remediate vulnerabilities in your applications.
Flare
Flare is a digital risk protection software that monitors the dark web and clear web to identify and remediate external threats like leaked credentials and data exposure.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Cobalt | Flare |
|---|---|---|
| Website | cobalt.io | flare.io |
| Pricing Model | Custom | Custom |
| Starting Price | Custom Pricing | Custom Pricing |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✓ 0 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✘ No free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2013 | 2017 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, USA | Montreal, Canada |
Overview
Cobalt
Cobalt transforms traditional penetration testing into a dynamic, tech-enabled experience through its Pentest as a Service (PtaaS) platform. You can move away from slow, static PDF reports and instead launch comprehensive security assessments in days rather than weeks. The platform connects you directly with a vetted community of on-demand security researchers who test your web applications, APIs, and cloud infrastructure in real-time.
You can manage the entire testing lifecycle from a single dashboard, allowing your developers to communicate directly with testers for faster vulnerability remediation. It integrates with your existing development workflows to ensure security keeps pace with your release cycles. Whether you need to meet compliance requirements like SOC2 or harden your external attack surface, you get actionable data and on-demand retesting to stay secure.
Flare
Flare provides you with a continuous window into the dark web and clear web to find your organization's leaked data before criminals use it. Instead of manual searching, you get an automated platform that scans millions of sources—including Telegram, Pastebin, and illicit forums—to identify stolen credentials, leaked source code, and exposed technical secrets.
You can manage your entire external attack surface from a single dashboard that prioritizes the most critical risks. The platform helps you reduce the time between data exposure and remediation, allowing your security team to stay ahead of cybercriminals. It is designed for mid-market and enterprise security teams who need to protect their brand and digital assets without hiring a dedicated team of dark web researchers.
Overview
Cobalt Features
- On-Demand Pentesting Launch a manual pentest in as little as 24 hours to meet tight production deadlines or compliance windows.
- Real-Time Reporting View vulnerabilities as testers find them so your team can start fixing critical bugs before the test even finishes.
- Direct Researcher Access Chat directly with your assigned security experts to clarify findings and get specific guidance on complex remediation steps.
- SDLC Integrations Push findings automatically to Jira, GitHub, or Slack so your developers can manage security fixes in their existing tools.
- Complimentary Retesting Request a free retest once you've applied a fix to ensure the vulnerability is fully resolved and verified.
- Compliance Reporting Generate audit-ready reports for SOC2, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS with a single click to satisfy your stakeholders and auditors.
Flare Features
- Dark Web Monitoring. Monitor illicit forums and marketplaces automatically to find stolen company data and credentials before they are sold.
- Telegram Monitoring. Track thousands of cybercrime channels on Telegram in real-time to identify mentions of your brand or leaked assets.
- Credential Leak Detection. Get instant alerts when your employees' or customers' login details appear in new data breaches or stealer logs.
- GitHub Secret Scanning. Scan public repositories for accidentally committed API keys, passwords, and sensitive source code belonging to your organization.
- Bucket & S3 Monitoring. Identify misconfigured cloud storage buckets and open databases that are exposing your private files to the public web.
- Automated Takedowns. Initiate takedown requests for phishing sites and fraudulent domains directly from your dashboard to protect your customers.
Pricing Comparison
Cobalt Pricing
Flare Pricing
Pros & Cons
Cobalt
Pros
- Significantly faster setup time than traditional consulting firms
- Direct communication with testers speeds up remediation
- Clean dashboard replaces messy PDF report management
- High-quality, vetted researchers provide deep manual insights
Cons
- Credit-based pricing can be complex to forecast
- Platform focus is primarily on manual testing over automation
- Premium pricing reflects the high-touch expert service
Flare
Pros
- Excellent visibility into Telegram-based cybercrime channels
- Intuitive dashboard makes complex threat data easy to read
- Fast setup process with immediate results during trials
- Reduces manual noise by prioritizing high-risk alerts
Cons
- Pricing is not transparent for smaller budgets
- Initial alert volume requires some fine-tuning
- Mobile experience is limited compared to desktop