Hourly fee
150–300 EUR / hour
One-off audits, targeted advice
- Flexible
- No lock-in
- Costs unpredictable
- No continuous support
- Reactive instead of preventive
Calculate your own price
Calculator. No mandatory demo.
Choose size and industry. You instantly see the typical price range in the Kopexa network. Industry surcharges (TISAX, healthcare, banking) are factored in. You get a concrete quote after your request.
Company size
Industry / framework requirement
Reference figures from the Kopexa network. Concrete quote after request. No hourly billing, all flat rates cancellable monthly.
Estimated monthly cost
DPO flat rate
from the partner network
700–1,500 EUR
Kopexa Pro plan
unlimited frameworks + OSCAL
599 EUR
Total / month
1,299–2,099 EUR
≈ 15,588–25,188 EUR per year
- Appointment & supervisory authority notification included
- Records of processing, TOMs, DPIA, DPA templates ready to use
- Staff training 4× per year
- Sick-leave cover via the network
Three common pricing models
Hourly billing, flat rate, or hybrid with software.
Hourly models are unpredictable, classic flat rates add tool costs on top in a hidden way. The Kopexa model shows both items separately, no surprises.
Classic flat rate
400–5,000+ EUR / month
Ongoing DPO function for small to mid-sized structures
- Predictable costs
- Continuous advice
- Tool costs often added on top in a hidden way
- Software license separate (100–500 EUR)
- Commitment usually 12 months
DPO + Kopexa platform
DPO from 400 EUR + 599 EUR (Pro)
Mid-market with a tool stack, both items transparent
- DPO flat rate + platform shown separately
- Pro plan: unlimited frameworks + OSCAL
- Vendor & asset management included
- Two contracts, deliberately, for transparency
TCO comparison · 80-employee mid-market
Built internally vs. placed externally: the honest cut.
An internal DPO sounds cheap until you add personnel costs, training, software license and substitution risk. Up to 250 employees, external is almost always cheaper and productive faster at the same time.
Internal DPO
≈ 45,000 EUR / year
- Personnel costs (50% senior FTE)≈ 38,000 EUR
- Training & certification≈ 3,000 EUR
- DPO software license≈ 4,000 EUR
- Cover during sick leavehard to calculate
- Recruiting (one-off)8–15k EUR
External via Kopexa network
≈ 21,588 EUR / year
- DPO flat rate (1,200 × 12)14,400 EUR
- Kopexa Pro (599 × 12)7,188 EUR
- Training (4×/year)in DPO flat rate
- Covervia network
- Recruitingnot required
Difference: ~23,400 EUR per year, at equal or better compliance.
What is included in the Pro plan
599 EUR/month = complete GRC suite.
No DPO tool, no 3-framework limit. Pro covers all Kopexa catalogs, plus OSCAL for your own frameworks. For classic DPO software you pay 100–500 EUR/month extra on the market, with us it is one item, not two.
ISO 27001
TISAX
NIS2
GDPR
DORA
VdS 10000
ISO 9001
OSCAL catalogs
Unlimited frameworks + OSCAL
All Kopexa catalogs plus import of any OSCAL frameworks. No 3-framework limit, no surcharge per catalog.
Records of processing, TOMs, DPIA, DPA ready to use
Templates, versioning, audit trail. The end of spreadsheet graveyards and untraceable previous versions.
Vendor and asset management
Assess third parties in a structured way, document assets along with their processing activity. One data base instead of three tools.
Audit & cross-framework mapping
Automatically check coverage against every catalog. One control answers ISO 27001, TISAX and NIS2 at the same time.
Frequently asked questions about cost
What does an external Data Protection Officer cost per month?
Flat rates start at 400 EUR (micro companies), the classic mid-market pays 1,500–5,000 EUR. Groups with complex processing (banking, pharma, multi-entity) are well above that. In the Kopexa model, the DPO flat rate is shown separately from the platform license (Pro plan 599 EUR/month), both items transparent instead of hidden tool surcharges.
What does an external DPO cost per hour?
Hourly fees typically range between 120 and 300 EUR net. For an ongoing DPO function, hourly billing rarely makes sense: the costs are unpredictable and reactive instead of preventive advice becomes more expensive in the long run.
Is an external DPO worth it for a small company with 10 employees?
If no obligation applies, a voluntary appointment is rarely mandatory. A one-off GDPR audit for 1,500–3,000 EUR can be enough. As soon as you process tracking, AI or special categories of data, the calculation quickly tips in favor of a DPO package.
How does the price differ by industry?
General surcharges: TISAX/automotive +20%, healthcare/medtech +30%, finance/BAFIN +30%, pharma +40%. These surcharges are the consideration for industry depth, and in the end save more audit effort than they cost.
Are the costs for an external DPO tax-deductible?
Yes, fully as a business expense. For VAT, the standard rate (19%) applies, which companies entitled to input tax deduction can deduct.
What does the software the DPO uses cost?
With classic DPOs, tool costs are often added on top in a hidden way, between 100 and 500 EUR per month. In the Kopexa model, the platform license (Pro plan 599 EUR/month) is shown separately. A clear item next to the DPO flat rate, no hidden surcharges.
What happens at the end of the contract?
Reputable DPO contracts have a 12-month minimum term, followed by a 3-month notice period. In the Kopexa model, both items are cancellable monthly after the minimum term. You keep access to all data stored in the platform, even after switching the partner DPO.
Request an external Data Protection Officer (DPO)
We match you with a certified DPO from the Kopexa partner network, matched to your industry, location and language. Response within one business day.
A partner network, not a lone consultant
Access to certified DPOs with a range of industry specializations.
Complete GRC suite in the Pro plan
Kopexa Pro (599 EUR/month): unlimited frameworks, OSCAL support, vendor and asset management, cross-framework mapping, audit & assessments. Not just DPO tooling.
Transparent flat-rate pricing
DPO flat rate and platform license shown separately. No hidden tool costs.
More in the hub
External Data Protection Officer (DPO)
Overview: what an external DPO does, when one is mandatory and how the Kopexa partner network places them.
Check your obligation
Does your company need a DPO? Interactive checker based on Section 38 BDSG and Art. 37 GDPR.
Locations
External DPOs by region: Berlin, Munich, Stuttgart, Cologne, Bremen and more.