TRACK: PRICE BASICS · GUIDE 03 OF 10
SOC 2 Type I vs Type II: what changes in the budget
Short answer
A SOC 2 Type I report covers the design of controls at a point in time; a Type II covers how those controls operated over a period. For budgeting, a Type II means your platform subscription and evidence collection run through an observation period before the audit can finish, so plan for the platform term to cover that period.
By The Cost Desk, Compliance Pricing · Published 2025-08-19 · Updated 2026-09-29 · 3 min read
SOC 2 comes in two report types, and the choice changes the shape of your spending more than the list of tools you buy.
The two report types
A Type I report is the auditor's opinion on whether your controls are suitably designed at a specific date. A Type II report is the auditor's opinion on whether those controls operated effectively over a period of time, called the observation period. Many companies start with a Type I and move to a Type II, and many customers ask for a Type II.
What changes in the budget
With a Type I, the work is concentrated: get controls in place, collect evidence of their design, and have the auditor examine them. With a Type II, evidence has to be collected across the whole observation period. That has three budget effects.
- The platform runs longer before you have a report. Continuous monitoring and evidence collection are what you pay the platform for during the observation period.
- The audit covers more evidence, because the auditor tests operation over time rather than design at a date.
- The work repeats. A Type II is usually renewed on a cycle, so the platform and the audit become recurring costs rather than a one-off project.
What the vendor pages say
None of the seven pricing pages in our census prices Type I and Type II differently, and none publishes an audit fee. Plans are priced by tier, framework and headcount, not by report type. Where a vendor describes an audit path, it covers the audit generally: partner auditors (Scytale, Secureframe, Sprinto), a partner network (Drata), an Audit product (Vanta) or an in-house audit team (Thoropass).
Some vendors make speed claims about getting audit-ready. Treat any such figure as a vendor claim, and remember that a Type II report cannot be issued before its observation period ends, whatever the tool.
How long is the observation period?
The period is agreed with your auditor. Ask the auditor, not the software vendor, what period they will accept for your first Type II, because it sets how long you pay for the platform before the report exists.
Questions for your quote
- Does the subscription term cover the full observation period plus the audit fieldwork?
- Is the Type II audit priced separately from a Type I, and by whom?
- If we start with a Type I, what changes in the plan when we move to Type II?
The takeaway
Budget a Type II as a year-shaped commitment: a platform term that spans the observation period and an audit at the end. The calculator shows which published tier fits your frameworks and headcount; the report type is a conversation with your auditor.
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