Publish a vulnerability disclosure policy first, and add a bug bounty only when you can triage and fix what comes in. OWASP's guidance says to run a bounty after you have a mature disclosure process and the staff to handle it, and to expect cost and a high volume of junk or duplicate reports.
What each one is
A disclosure policy tells people how to report a flaw and what you will do with the report. It is a promise about process, with no payment attached.
A bug bounty adds rewards. OWASP says a bounty should define in-scope systems, eligible vulnerability types, safe harbor terms, reward amounts and timelines for each stage.
How they differ
- Payment: disclosure policy Discretionary, if any; bug bounty Defined rewards
- Report volume: disclosure policy Modest; bug bounty Often high
- Staffing: disclosure policy One owner can start; bug bounty Needs triage capacity
- Setup: disclosure policy Policy, mailbox, security.txt; bug bounty Scope, reward table, terms, often a platform
Decision guide
Ask these in order.
- Do you have a way for anyone to report a flaw today? If not, publish a policy and a security.txt first. See the policy checklist.
- Can you triage a report within days? If not, a bounty will bury you.
- Can you fix findings at the pace they arrive? Paying for reports you leave open creates risk and bad feeling.
- Is your scope clear? Know which systems and issue types you will pay for, and which you will not.
- Do you have budget for rewards and for the people who handle reports? The second cost is easy to forget.
If the answers are yes, a private bounty with a few invited researchers is a gentler start than a public one.
Rewards outside a bounty
OWASP notes that outside a bounty, rewards are discretionary. Options include discounts, credits, branded merchandise or public acknowledgment. Researchers should not demand payment before disclosing details, and organizations should steer such requests toward a mediated platform.
Related tests
Neither replaces a pentest, which is a scoped engagement you commission. See how to scope a pentest.
Running a first bounty without drowning
If you decide to go ahead, limit the blast radius at the start.
- Begin with one or two in-scope applications, not the whole company.
- Invite a small group of researchers rather than opening to everyone.
- Write down what you consider a duplicate, out of scope or informational, so rejections are consistent.
- Set an internal target for time to first response, and measure it.
- Reserve engineering time each week for fixes before the program starts.
Review the numbers after a quarter: reports received, valid ones, time to fix, and money spent. If valid reports dry up, widen scope. If the team falls behind, narrow it. Programs fail when payments outrun the ability to fix.
Quick check
Can we skip the policy and go straight to a bounty?
You could, but you would still need the policy terms inside the bounty. Writing the policy first is cheaper and clarifies scope.
Will a bounty replace internal testing?
No. It adds outside eyes, and it does not guarantee coverage of any system.
Sources
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
