BetterQA vs DeviQA: which QA partner fits NIS2 supply chain requirements in 2026

Introduction

BetterQA and DeviQA are both independent QA outsourcing companies with ISO 27001 certification. That puts them closer to each other on the NIS2 supply chain compliance checklist than most competitors. For CISOs and compliance officers evaluating both, the decision comes down to finer distinctions: penetration testing methodology, AI-specific security coverage, defense clearance, data residency, and the depth of security tool integration.

This comparison examines both companies through the lens of cybersecurity testing capabilities and NIS2 Article 21 supply chain requirements.

Transparency note: NIS2 Manager is built by BetterQA, which is one of the companies compared here. We include this disclosure so you can weigh our assessment accordingly.

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Quick comparison: cybersecurity and NIS2 dimensions

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Where both companies satisfy NIS2 supply chain requirements

For organizations implementing NIS2 Article 21 supply chain assessments, both BetterQA and DeviQA clear the baseline security certification threshold:

• Both hold ISO 27001 certification, the primary certification auditors check for
• Both operate with documented information security management processes
• Both can provide security questionnaire responses covering data handling, access controls, and incident procedures

DeviQA additionally holds SOC 2 certification, which is relevant for US-based clients or organizations that also operate under SOC 2 requirements. BetterQA does not hold SOC 2.

For most NIS2 compliance use cases in EU-regulated sectors, ISO 27001 is the relevant standard. Both companies meet it.

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Where the security capabilities diverge

Penetration testing depth

BetterQA's AI Security Toolkit runs 30+ security scanners across SAST, DAST, SCA, secrets detection, and mobile security via MobSF. The toolkit goes beyond running individual scanners. It reconstructs attack chains and maps how multiple low-severity findings combine into a high-severity exploit path.

For example: a world-readable S3 bucket combined with a predictable temporary token naming pattern combined with an unvalidated redirect creates an account takeover chain. Each finding individually rates as medium or low. Together they are critical. The attack chain analysis surfaces these combinations automatically.

DeviQA's security offering is framed around DevSecOps integration - embedding security checks into CI/CD pipelines using Jenkins, GitLab, and Terraform. This is a shift-left approach that catches common vulnerabilities early. It uses standard third-party tools rather than a proprietary orchestration layer. Manual penetration testing is available, but DeviQA's published services do not position deep pentesting or attack chain analysis as a core capability.

For organizations in sectors where NIS2 requires documented vulnerability assessments - energy, transport, banking, healthcare infrastructure - the depth of security testing methodology matters for audit documentation. BetterQA's 30+ scanner orchestration with attack chain output provides more detailed evidence than CI/CD security checks.

AI-specific security testing

NIS2 does not specifically address AI systems yet, but the EU AI Act and evolving regulatory guidance increasingly require that AI-powered products be tested for adversarial inputs. Organizations in regulated sectors that have deployed AI features - chatbots, document processing, automated decision systems - face a testing requirement that standard functional QA does not cover.

BetterQA's AI Security Toolkit covers OWASP LLM Top 10 vulnerabilities:

• Prompt injection (users tricking AI into leaking system prompts or user data)
• Insecure output handling (AI-generated content rendered unsanitized, leading to XSS or injection)
• Training data poisoning (malicious inputs influencing model behavior)
• Sensitive information disclosure from model outputs
• Excessive agency in autonomous AI agents

DeviQA does not list AI-specific security testing in their service descriptions. Their security offering covers the standard OWASP Top 10 web application vulnerabilities, which is necessary but not sufficient for AI-powered systems.

NATO NCIA approval and defense-adjacent work

BetterQA holds NATO NCIA approval. This certification requires background checks, secure facility requirements, and documented information handling procedures that go beyond ISO 27001 alone. It opens the door to defense-adjacent projects and classified environments.

DeviQA does not list NATO or equivalent defense clearances. For organizations with defense sector clients, government contracts, or critical national infrastructure obligations - all explicitly covered by NIS2 - vendor security clearances can be a contractual prerequisite.

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Data residency and GDPR considerations

BetterQA is headquartered in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, an EU member state. The primary workforce operates within EU jurisdiction. Data processed during QA engagements stays within the EU by default.

DeviQA is headquartered in Kyiv, Ukraine. They have offices in Mexico City and Sao Paulo. Ukraine is not an EU member state, and while Ukrainian privacy law has been aligned with GDPR principles, cross-border data transfers to Ukraine require specific GDPR safeguards under Article 46 - Standard Contractual Clauses or an adequacy decision.

For NIS2-regulated organizations with strict data residency requirements or clients who mandate EU-only processing, DeviQA's Ukraine HQ structure requires explicit GDPR transfer mechanism documentation. BetterQA's Romania HQ eliminates that complexity.

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Functional testing: where DeviQA has advantages

Being precise about where DeviQA is genuinely stronger helps compliance officers make accurate risk-benefit assessments.

Track record and client volume. DeviQA was founded in 2010 and has served 300+ companies over 15 years. Their case studies include a 12-year engagement with Tipalti, a payments infrastructure platform. For procurement teams that weight vendor longevity heavily, DeviQA's tenure is a real differentiator. BetterQA was founded in 2018.

Latin America presence. DeviQA's Mexico City and Sao Paulo offices provide genuine timezone coverage for US and Latin American engineering teams. For organizations with development teams in those regions, synchronous collaboration is simpler.

SOC 2 certification. For organizations that also operate under SOC 2 requirements - typically US SaaS companies or those with US enterprise clients - DeviQA's SOC 2 certification reduces dual-vendor documentation burden.

Standard framework flexibility. DeviQA builds automation using Playwright, Selenium, Appium, and other standard frameworks without abstraction layers. Some engineering teams prefer direct framework access to BetterQA's Flows layer.

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Functional testing: where BetterQA is stronger

Security testing in the same engagement. For NIS2-regulated organizations, having one vendor cover both functional testing and security testing simplifies supply chain management. One ISO 27001-certified vendor, one contract, one Article 21 supplier assessment.

Self-healing test automation. Flows' 4-stage AI healing means automated test suites remain stable through UI changes without manual maintenance. DeviQA uses standard frameworks, which require manual selector updates when the UI changes.

AI-augmented testing workflows. BetterQA publishes 4 MCP servers on npm - @betterqa/bugboard-mcp, @betterqa/flows-mcp, @betterqa/security-mcp, and @betterqa/scanner-mcp. Engineering teams using Claude Code, Cursor, or other AI coding tools can trigger security scans, generate test cases, and file bugs without switching tools. DeviQA has no equivalent MCP integration.

Proof of concept model. BetterQA offers a two-week proof of concept at no charge. You receive an invoice only after value is demonstrated. This reduces procurement risk for organizations that need to evaluate the engagement before committing.

Transparent time tracking. BetterFlow provides per-task, per-engineer time visibility with AI verification that flags anomalies. For compliance programs that need to account for QA hours by feature or risk area, this granularity simplifies reporting.

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NIS2 supply chain assessment: practical checklist

When assessing either vendor for NIS2 Article 21 compliance, request documentation on:

• ISO 27001 certificate with current validity period and certifying body
• Data processing agreement aligned with GDPR Article 28
• List of subprocessors and tools used during engagements
• Incident notification procedure with timeline commitments
• Access control and authentication requirements for personnel accessing client systems
• Data retention and deletion procedures at engagement end
• Business continuity and disaster recovery documentation

Both BetterQA and DeviQA can provide this documentation. The difference is in the security testing depth they bring to the engagement itself - particularly for organizations that need vulnerability assessments and penetration testing as part of their NIS2 implementation work.

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Frequently asked questions

Both companies have ISO 27001 - how do I choose between them?

ISO 27001 is the baseline, not the differentiator. The decision comes down to: Do you need defense-grade clearance (BetterQA has NATO NCIA, DeviQA does not)? Do you need AI-specific security testing (BetterQA covers OWASP LLM Top 10, DeviQA does not)? Do you need EU-only data residency (BetterQA Romania HQ simplifies this, DeviQA Ukraine HQ requires GDPR transfer documentation)? Do you need SOC 2 (DeviQA has it, BetterQA does not)?

Is DeviQA compliant with NIS2 supply chain requirements?

DeviQA's ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certifications satisfy the primary certification requirements for NIS2 supply chain assessment. The GDPR cross-border transfer requirements for Ukraine-based processing need to be addressed explicitly in your data processing agreement with DeviQA.

Does the QA vendor's location matter for NIS2 compliance?

It matters for GDPR data transfer purposes. If the QA vendor processes data about EU data subjects outside the EU, you need Standard Contractual Clauses or an adequacy decision. Romania is EU territory and does not require SCCs. Ukraine is not EU territory and does require explicit GDPR transfer mechanisms.

What is attack chain analysis and why does it matter for NIS2?

Attack chain analysis identifies how multiple low-severity vulnerabilities can be combined into a high-severity exploit. NIS2 requires organizations to implement measures proportionate to the risk, which means understanding not just individual vulnerabilities but how they interact. Attack chain analysis surfaces these combined risks that standard single-scanner assessments miss.

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Related reading

• NIS2 vendor assessment framework - How to evaluate supplier cybersecurity posture under Article 21
• ISO 27001 for NIS2 compliance - What certification covers and where it stops
• BetterQA security testing services - Penetration testing, SAST/DAST, AI security
• Top software testing companies for NIS2 - 20 vendors ranked by security certification and capability

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