7 Best Smart Contract Crypto Audit Firms to Consider in 2023

Marcel Deer
By Marcel Deer
Head and shoulders photo of Michelle Meyer
Edited by Michelle Meyer

Published November 2, 2022.

Two professionals working together at a table, with one working on their laptop and the other performing calculations.

As blockchain technology continues to evolve and becomes more widely adopted, it's important for businesses and individuals to ensure their smart contracts are functioning properly, especially since smart contracts are legally binding. This is where crypto audit firms come in.

Choosing a reputable and trustworthy smart contract audit firm is paramount, as working with them will require you to divulge important information about your project and its code.

Here are some of the top smart contract audit firms to consider in 2023.

» Need to brush up on smart contracts? Discover how smart contracts work and the types of smart contracts

1. Hacken

A leading cybersecurity consulting firm based in Estonia, Hacken was founded in 2017 by cybersecurity experts, specialists, and white hat hackers. The company focuses on blockchain security and development, making them a great choice for smart contract audits.

Hacken specializes in finding and eliminating security weaknesses in various technological products. Smart contracts take a prime spot in this list, with Hacken boasting a team of experienced professionals who thoroughly analyze and test smart contract code.

Hacken employs the technical skills of thousands of pro hackers globally, providing the best security audits as well as penetration testing, KYC background checks, and vulnerability bounty programs.

2. SlowMist

SlowMist is a China-based blockchain security firm that offers smart contract auditing services as well as other blockchain cybersecurity solutions. The SlowMist team boasts over a decade of experience in first-line cybersecurity offensives, as well as defensive combat.

Focused on blockchain ecological security, SlowMist's engineers have achieved world-class safety engineering, making their firm a top choice for smart contract audits. Among their most in-demand cybersecurity services are security audits, defense deployments, threat information, and bug bounties. They also offer consulting services, helping clients to properly manage security risks and prevent future attacks.

3. OpenZeppelin

Because of their particular focus on auditing blockchain security and open-source tools, OpenZeppelin has become one of the most popular smart contract auditing companies. It offers a comprehensive set of tools that aim to help developers bolster their projects, as well as a secure infrastructure for decentralized application (dApp) development on Ethereum and other blockchain platforms.

Owing to their deep understanding of building dApps, OpenZeppelin's founders are regularly able to release new and helpful tools for developers, such as Etherenaut, a gamified testing tool for Ethereum smart contracts.

The company recently launched a new app that focuses on preventing hacks in the DeFi sector, further solidifying its expertise in smart contract security.

» Going back to the basics: Learn how to create a blockchain smart contract

4. CertiK

CertiK is a smart contract auditing firm with many well-known clients, such as PancakeSwap, the largest automated market maker (AMM) in the Binance Smart Chain network. CertiK is also the trusted auditor of many Binance Smart Chain Labs projects.

On top of auditing smart contracts, CertiK also gives each project they review a safety rating, allowing investors to make more informed decisions. This rating is based on the project's code vulnerabilities and potential attack vectors, making it a valuable tool for not just smart contract audits, but also for overall project analysis.

CertiK prides itself in its team of highly experienced experts, and a highly-efficient auditing process that involves having two different audit teams working independently on each project to ensure result accuracy and integrity.

5. ConsenSys Diligence

ConsenSys Diligence is one of the most well-known security auditing firms in the blockchain industry, but their focus areas and company objectives differ from other dApp auditors.

Its primary focus is on developing and growing Ethereum smart contracts, applications, and projects. The company dedicates all its resources and technologies to enhancing security, trust, and scalability for Ethereum-based projects.

ConsenSys Diligence offers comprehensive smart contract audits as well as security consulting for dApps and blockchain projects. The company has also released several open-source and closed-source products, such as MythX, an automated security scanner for Ethereum smart contract audits.

6. QuillAudits

QuillAudits, designed by QuillHash Technologies, is a secure smart-contracts audit platform that uses both automated and manual tools to check for security vulnerabilities.

QuillAudits also conducts penetration tests in addition to smart contract audits, ensuring your project's code and infrastructure are secure. Other services include blockchain protocol audits and dApp security audits, where mathematically rigorous methods are used to verify the correctness of smart contract code.

7. Chainsulting

A German blockchain security and development firm, Chainsulting is one of the most reputable smart contract auditors globally. Its team of security researchers has extensive experience and performed blockchain and smart contract audits for market giants such as Algorand, Solana, Ethereum, and Binance Smart Chain, among others.

Chainsulting specializes in smart contract code verification, ensuring that code follows best practices and industry standards, as well as penetration testing to simulate real-world attacks on smart contracts. Chainsulting also offers a range of blockchain-related services, including blockchain technology development, smart contracts operations, dApp architecture, and more.

How to Choose the Right Smart Contract Auditor for You

Choosing the right smart contract auditor for your project depends on a few factors, including the blockchain platform your project is built on, the specific services you need, and your budget.

It's important to do thorough research on the various auditing firms and their specialties to ensure that your project receives the best and most comprehensive security audit.

Ultimately, the best auditor for your project is one that has a strong track record, experience with the specific blockchain platform you're using, and the ability to provide comprehensive security services.

» Are your smart contracts vulnerable? Consider these examples of smart contract vulnerabilities