NIS2 software for SMEs compared: Which solution is right for your business?
- When choosing NIS2 software, the decisive factors—beyond the range of functions—are the company size it was designed for and how much consulting is included.
- Good NIS2 software covers essential NIS tasks, from risk management and reporting obligations to audit readiness.
- Five criteria matter when making a selection: NIS2 compatibility, implementation effort, audit readiness, future-proofing, and total cost of ownership.
- There are various NIS2 solutions available, ranging from guided platforms with consulting and self-service platforms for experienced teams to specialized solutions for BSI IT-Grundschutz organizations.
- Inexpensive software that requires significant consulting can end up being more expensive than a higher-priced solution that includes expert guidance.
What NIS2 requires and which workflows NIS2 software must cover
Since December 2025, the NIS2 Directive has been in effect for German companies. Those affected must implement numerous requirementsto strengthen cybersecurity and reduce the risk of sanctions. NIS2 software can help with this. Tools available on the market offer numerous compliance features.
When choosing, SMEs should focus on solutions that support them in complying with the following NIS2 requirements:
- Risk management and security concept: Threats to IT systems and business processes can be systematically recorded and mapped in a documented catalog of measures with supporting evidence.
- Incident response and NIS2 reporting obligations: The software helps you navigate the reporting process correctly, ensuring that initial reports are submitted within 24 hours and full reports within 72 hours, as required.
- Business Continuity Management (BCM): Emergency plans for maintaining operations during an outage or attack can be centrally created, maintained, and quickly accessed in an emergency.
- Supply chain security: Suppliers and service providers are systematically evaluated, ensuring that proof of appropriate security standards can be provided at any time.
- Access control, identity management, and cryptography: Who has access to which systems becomes transparent and traceable, complemented by appropriate encryption methods to protect sensitive data.
- Employee training: Regular training for all employees including NIS2 training for management can be planned, conducted, and neatly documented.
- Compliance documentation and audit readiness: All measures and evidence are consolidated centrally, ensuring that companies are always prepared to provide information during an audit.
Evaluating NIS2 software providers: 5 key criteria to consider
Not every NIS2 software covers all requirements completely. And not every solution actually helps you provide the necessary evidence. That is why it is important to carefully vet potential providers.
The following points are essential:
- Fundamental NIS2 compatibility: Does the software cover all the requirements you need to meet, or only some? Is there a catalog of measures that directly addresses your legal obligations?
- Internal effort: How much work does your team need to put in to implement the software and maintain NIS2 compliance? How much does the provider handle?
- Audit readiness: Can you document evidence within the software and export it quickly and completely when an audit is pending?
- Future-proofing: NIS2 is not the only directive companies currently have to deal with, and it is not the last law the EU has passed. What happens when ISO 27001, the AI Act, or TISAX® become relevant to your organization or additional requirements are added? Will you have to switch software?
- Total cost of ownership: The list price is only part of the equation. When considering costs, license fees and internal implementation efforts are just as important as ongoing consulting fees. A key takeaway: inexpensive software that requires a lot of internal expertise can end up being more expensive than a pricier solution that includes consulting.
An overview of six providers and their NIS2 solutions
NIS2 software varies from provider to provider. Some solutions are based on tools designed for building and maintaining an Information Security Management System (ISMS) were developed because many ISO 27001 measures and NIS2 requirements overlap. Other solutions combine consulting and software, while others are GRC platforms focused on holistic compliance.
The following overview shows which providers have which focus and what the various NIS2 software solutions offer beyond that.
Selection guide: Which NIS2 software is suitable for which situation?
In addition to the range of functions offered by potential providers, your starting point is crucial. Which scenario best describes your situation?
We are affected by NIS2, but are starting without an ISMS or a dedicated security team.
In this situation, platforms like Proliance 360 ISMS or Nexis GRC are a good choice. Nexis GRC is particularly suitable for larger companies with extensive obligations.
With Proliance, SMEs can start without deep prior knowledge and be guided through the process by the software or one of over 70 experts. Assistance functions in the software, templates, and a personal contact person take the workload off your hands and ensure that you are heading toward an audit-ready result.
The Proliance platform covers topics such as NIS2, GDPR, and—when you are ready—ISO 27001 as well. This allows you to improve your compliance and meet both existing and new requirements, without having to purchase new tools.
Proliance 360 ISMS is the right choice if:
- your company has 150 to 500 employees and no dedicated IT security team
- you want to implement NIS2 without creating a new internal position
- in addition to NIS2, GDPR, ISO 27001, TISAX®, or the AI Act are or could become relevant
- you want a personal contact person to answer compliance questions rather than just looking for a software license
Are your NIS2 challenges complex, or are you unsure whether NIS2 software is right for you? Our NIS2 consultants will work with you to find the right path to compliance.
We already have data protection software, and now NIS2 is being added to our GDPR and cybersecurity requirements.
If you are already using a GDPR tool, it is worth checking whether NIS2 can be integrated as an extension before you introduce a second platform.
Clients of Proliance, Secjur, or DataGuard who started with GDPR implementation can continue with NIS2 using the same provider. Often, this only requires a software upgrade.
Extending an existing tool is highly efficient. You can manage GDPR and NIS2 in one system and avoid the burden of duplicate documentation.
Our compliance team is already experienced. A clean documentation tool is more important to us than consulting.
For this scenario, Secjur or Orbiq are suitable candidates: teams with prior knowledge can get started immediately and work through their NIS2 checklist independently. If you know what you are doing, you don't pay for consulting that you already cover internally.
Secjur and Orbiq are a good choice if:
- your compliance team has prior experience and only wants to digitize NIS2 documentation
- self-service works for you and you do not need personal consulting
- NIS2 is your only compliance topic
In addition to NIS2, we also need to map DORA and the Cyber Resilience Act, and we need to do so continuously.
Orbiq is designed for companies that need to monitor multiple EU regulations simultaneously and have a technically experienced team. Instead of an integrated consulting model, these users receive automated compliance monitoring.
We are a large organization with our own CISO team and operate according to BSI IT-Grundschutz.
For large German companies and government agencies that want or need to be certified according to BSI IT-Grundschutz, Verinice is a suitable NIS2 software. It is aimed at experienced CISO teams who require maximum configurability and are prepared to invest internal resources.
For critical infrastructure operators and companies in regulated industries such as banking, automotive, or energy, Nexis GRC is an alternative: The broad-based GRC platform covers NIS2 along with ISO 27001, IT-Grundschutz, DORA, and TISAX®, and includes consulting services. Unlike a purely niche tool, Nexis is therefore also suitable for organizations that need to map other standards beyond NIS2 and critical infrastructure requirements.
Choosing NIS2 software: Your next steps
Before you think about selecting and implementing NIS2 software, you can proceed as follows:
- First, check whether you are affected.
- Next, define your requirements for NIS2 software and determine which related compliance processes you would also like to make more efficient and secure.
- Use our comparison table for an initial overview of key providers and take advantage of free demos and consultations to get to know the solutions.
And while you're here, you can easily book a convenient time for a no-obligation consultation and have your questions about NIS2 software answered by experts.
Still have questions? We have the answers.
NIS2 requires demonstrable measures, comprehensive documentation, and the ability to report a security incident within 24 hours. While Excel can be used to document measures, chaos is inevitable as soon as the wrong version starts circulating or legal requirements change. Whether the right alternative is dedicated NIS2 software, external consulting, or a comprehensive ISMS platform depends on how many compliance requirements you need to manage overall.
The list price is only one part of the calculation. In the end, inexpensive software that requires extensive internal expertise and consulting time can be more expensive than a higher-priced platform that includes expert support.
Yes, but not every platform can do this. Proliance 360 covers NIS2, GDPR, ISO 27001, TISAX, and the AI Act in one platform. This allows you to document your measures and processes properly once and reuse the documentation multiple times. Companies that purchase separate systems for each standard generally pay more and have to maintain data twice.
This depends on your starting point. A company without an existing ISMS will need more time than one that has already begun documenting its data protection processes. With an SME-focused platform and personal consulting, a structured implementation can be achieved significantly faster than with a software-only solution, where the entire implementation effort falls on the internal team.
Companies using static checklist software have to manually adapt to every legislative change or hire a consultant to do so. Proliance 360, on the other hand, automatically updates the platform when new legal requirements arise. European regulations such as the AI Act and the GDPR are already covered today.
Do you have further questions on this topic? Our experts will be happy to advise you free of charge.
