DPO Services / Pricing
DPO pricing, without the games
Outsourced DPO cost is driven by six factors you can see and partly control. This page explains them honestly — and ends in a fixed, written quote after one scoping call, not a teaser range that doubles once you are on the phone.
What actually drives the cost
Processing complexity
Special-category data, monitoring at scale, novel technology or multiple jurisdictions all increase the DPO's real workload — and the price honestly reflects workload, nothing else.
Organisation size & footprint
Headcount, number of processing activities, group structures and the EU/UK split determine how much there is to oversee and report on.
Programme maturity
A current RoPA, tested DSAR workflow and clean vendor register make the DPO's job lighter. Gaps mean build-out work first — visible in the quote, not hidden in it.
Cadence & availability
Monthly oversight differs from weekly involvement, on-site days, or being in the room for product decisions. The cadence you choose is the biggest lever you control.
Regulatory exposure
Sector rules (health, finance), active regulator contact or live complaints raise the stakes and the required seniority of attention.
What is already covered
If we also act as your Article 27 representative or run your GDPR programme, the overlap is priced once — not twice.
Retainer or ad-hoc?
| Retainer (tiered) | Ad-hoc support | |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Fixed monthly fee for a defined cadence and named DPO | Day-rate or task-based help, no standing role |
| Fits | The statutory DPO role — it requires continuity and availability | Projects, overflow, second opinions, DPIA reviews |
| Predictability | Fully predictable; scope reviewed quarterly | Varies with usage |
| Statutory role? | Yes — this is how a DPO appointment works | No — a DPO cannot be genuinely 'on demand' |
What every retainer includes
- Named, qualified DPO registered with your supervisory authority
- Agreed cadence of reviews, register upkeep and advice on record
- DPIA screening and recorded DPO opinions
- DSAR oversight and escalation route
- Regulator contact point and correspondence handling
- Written reporting to your highest management level
- Annual programme review and training touchpoint
The full service model — independence, cadence, board reporting — is described on the outsourced DPO page.
Questions, answered
How much does an outsourced DPO cost?
Honestly: it depends on the factors above, and any firm quoting a single number before a scoping call is guessing — usually in their favour. What we commit to: a fixed, scoped monthly fee after one call, no metering surprises, and a quote typically far below the fully loaded cost of a qualified internal hire.
Why don't you publish tier prices?
Because the same tier costs different amounts to deliver for a 40-person SaaS firm and a 400-person clinic group, and pretending otherwise produces prices that are unfair to one of them. When our published-pricing work lands, real figures will appear here — not marketing ranges.
Is cheaper ad-hoc support enough instead of a DPO?
If an Article 37 trigger applies, no — the statutory role requires a standing appointment. If no trigger applies, ad-hoc support is often exactly right, and we will say so. Start with the two-minute trigger check.
What happens on the scoping call?
Thirty minutes on your processing, footprint, maturity and preferred cadence. You get a written, fixed quote within one business day — and if the honest answer is that you don't need a DPO at all, that is what the note will say.
Not sure the role is required at all? Run the two-minute Article 37 check.
Get a scoped, fixed quote
Thirty minutes of scoping, one business day, a written fixed monthly fee — and an honest ‘you don’t need this’ if that is the truth.
Prefer email? info@privacycoreservices.com