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How Cyber Ambush compares
Here is where each option is strong, where it is thin, and what it usually costs. We do not name vendors, and every figure below is a range, not a quote.
| Compared on | Cyber AmbushLive, cloud-based tabletop exercises your own staff run on a clock. | Consultant-run tabletopA firm facilitates a session on site or over a call, usually once a year. | Enterprise readiness suiteCrisis simulation bundled inside a large training platform. | CISA Tabletop Exercise PackagesFree situation manuals you facilitate yourself from documents. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $1,500 for a single exercise; $4,900–$12,000 per year for a plan | $5,000 to $50,000 per exercise | Contract values commonly $30,000 to $80,000+ per year | Free |
| Who runs it | Your operator runs it; the platform keeps the clock and the record | An outside facilitator, in the loop for every session | Your team, inside the vendor's platform | Your team, manually, from a document |
| Live shared clock and timed injects | Shared clock, injects released on time or automatically | Facilitator-paced, no shared clock for participants | Varies by product; often module-paced, not exercise-paced | No timing — discussion questions only |
| AI kept away from participants | AI helps planners and evaluators only; participants never see it | No AI in the room | Depends on the product; often surfaced to learners | No AI |
| NIST CSF 2.0 / SP 800-61r3 / SP 800-84 / SP 800-53 mapping | Every objective, inject, and finding is mapped | Depends entirely on the firm and the statement of work | Often mapped to the vendor's own competency model | Aligned to CISA guidance; you do the control mapping |
| Instant after action review and evidence pack | AAR, evidence pack, and attestation ready at ENDEX | A written report, typically two to four weeks later | Completion reporting, rarely audit-ready evidence | You write the report yourself |
| Improvement-plan re-testing | Open items carry forward into the next exercise as injects | No re-test of prior findings unless you buy another engagement | Tracked as training records, not re-tested in scenario | Not tracked |
| Evaluator role | Read-only evaluator seats with an HSEEP-style evaluation guide | The facilitator evaluates; independent seats cost extra | Admin or observer views, not exercise evaluation | Evaluation is manual, on paper |
| Transparent pricing | Published on our pricing page | Quoted per engagement | Pricing not public | Free and public |
Typical market ranges, September 2026. Ranges describe what organizations commonly pay, not a quote from any named provider.
CUSTOM OPTIONS FOR THE BEST FIT
If you have never exercised before and want an experienced facilitator in the room, we can coach your executives through their first session. The Cyber Ambush team can even assist if your budget is zero. You can start with a free CISA Tabletop Exercise Package and later import it into Cyber Ambush. The options are limitless with our custom professional services.
Where we are stronger
Repeat exercising, evidence, and follow-through. The exercise record is captured as it happens, the after action review is ready at ENDEX, and open items from the last exercise come back as injects in the next one.