HIPAA risk assessment cost (2026)
What a HIPAA security risk assessment costs a small practice — free HHS tool, templates, software and consultants — and what drives the price.
HIPAA risk assessment cost at a glance
A HIPAA risk assessment can cost nothing if you do it yourself with the free HHS Security Risk Assessment Tool. Template suites cost about $495 one-time, risk assessment software for a small practice starts at $499 a year, and broader compliance software that includes the risk assessment runs from about $161 a month. A consultant-assisted assessment is estimated at about $1,500–$6,000 for a small practice, though firms quote per engagement. What drives the price is your number of locations, systems and staff, and how much of the work you hand off.
| Do it yourself | $0 — HHS SRA Tool v3.7 |
|---|---|
| Template suite | About $495 one-time |
| Risk assessment software | From $499/year (small practice) |
| Compliance software including SRA | From about $161/month |
| Consultant | About $1,500–$6,000 for a small practice (published estimate, not a quote) |
| Prices checked | 2026-10-06, vendors' own pages |
Typical ranges
| Option | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Do it yourself — HHS Security Risk Assessment Tool | Free | Free Windows app or Excel workbook from HHS; your time is the cost. |
| Risk analysis template suite — HIPAATraining.net | $495 one-time | Word and PDF templates; you complete the analysis. |
| Risk assessment software — Medcurity Small Practice SRA | $499 / year | Entry tier, self-service; larger organizations and guided tiers are quoted. |
| Compliance software including risk analysis — Abyde | $161 / month | HIPAA for Covered Entities, one location and 1–10 employees, 12-month term; rises with size. |
| Consultant-assisted risk assessment and gap analysis — published estimate | $1,500–$6,000 one-time | Small-practice estimate published by a compliance software vendor; firms quote per engagement. |
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What drives the cost
- Number of locations, systems and staff in scope.
- Whether you do the work or hand it to software with guidance or to a consultant.
- Whether remediation tracking, policies and training are bundled.
- Annual subscription vs one-time purchase.
- Business associates with cloud infrastructure need a broader technical scope than a small office.
The risk analysis is required, but HIPAA doesn’t require you to buy anything to do it. The real choice is between spending your own time with free or cheap materials and paying for software or someone else’s time. For how to do it, see HIPAA risk assessment; for tools, see risk assessment software.
What each price includes — and what stays with you
| Option | What you get | What you still do |
|---|---|---|
| HHS SRA Tool | Questions, threat lists and a report | List your systems and devices, rate each risk, write the plan, keep it current |
| Template suite | Documents and worksheets to fill in | All of the analysis, and the tracking of fixes |
| Risk assessment software | A guided questionnaire, a report and usually tracking of fixes; guided tiers add expert help | Answer accurately, decide on each risk, carry out the fixes |
| Compliance software | The risk analysis alongside policies, training and vendor BAAs | The same decisions and fixes, across the whole program |
| Consultant | Interviews, inventory, risk ratings and a written report | Decide on the measures, carry them out, keep the analysis current |
The amounts are not for the same scope: a one-time template and a yearly subscription cover different work, and a consultant’s estimate depends on locations and systems.
Paid options usually save time in three places: knowing what to include, rating risks consistently, and tracking fixes through the year. If you choose the free route, budget time for the risk management plan — that is the part most often missing when OCR reviews a risk analysis.
Frequently asked questions
Why do the prices differ so much?
They buy different amounts of work. The free tool and templates give you the questions and the format; software adds guidance and tracking; a consultant does much of the gathering and writing. In every case your own decisions and fixes stay with you.
Is the free HHS tool good enough?
For a small practice, it can be — if you answer accurately, cover every location and system, and follow up with a risk management plan. HHS notes that using the tool doesn't guarantee compliance.
How often will I pay for it?
HIPAA requires keeping the analysis current but sets no interval; we recommend a yearly review. Software and subscriptions are usually annual.