Compliance pricing FAQ: SOC 2 cost and vendor pricing
Short answer
Twenty-five short answers on SOC 2 and compliance automation cost, grouped by theme. Every answer comes from the vendor pages and standards in our census, read on 2026-09-29, and links to the page that goes deeper.
SOC 2 cost basics
How much does SOC 2 cost?
There is no single figure, because SOC 2 has at least two costs: a compliance platform and a CPA firm's audit. Among seven platforms in our census, one publishes a price (Secureframe Fundamentals, starting at $7,500/year) and none publishes an audit fee. Read more
Is the audit included in a compliance platform's price?
Not by default. Vendors describe partner auditors, auditor access, bring your own auditor or an in-house audit team, but none of the seven publishes an audit fee. Ask whether the audit is in the quote. Read more
Does a SOC 2 Type II cost more than a Type I?
It usually means a longer commitment, because the platform runs through an observation period before the auditor can report. None of the pricing pages we read prices the two report types differently. Read more
What drives the price of compliance automation?
Frameworks, headcount, the audit, a pen test, expert services and questionnaire volume. Comp AI, outside our lineup, lists frameworks, company size, timeline, and audit and security needs as its pricing factors. Read more
Do I need a penetration test for SOC 2?
The vendor pages we read do not say it is mandatory. Ask your auditor what testing evidence they expect and check what your customers' questionnaires ask. Read more
What does the ISO 27001 standard itself cost?
ISO sells ISO/IEC 27001:2022 for CHF 155. That buys the document only, not software, consulting or a certification audit. Read more
Buying and pricing
Why do most compliance vendors not publish prices?
Their pricing pages do not say. Six of the seven vendors in our census require a demo or a call; the quote is where the price appears. Read more
How do I compare vendors that do not publish prices?
Send every vendor the same one-page scope and ask for itemized lines: platform, extra frameworks, audit, pen test, services and questionnaires. Read more
What does a second framework cost?
No vendor in our census publishes it. Entry plans at Vanta, Drata, Secureframe and Scytale are each stated as one framework, so ask for the add-on or tier price before you sign. Read more
Which vendors publish a questionnaire allowance?
Vanta (25 per year on Plus, 144 on Professional) and Sprinto (20 per year on Foundation). Read more
Which vendors publish a headcount cap?
Drata is the one: Compliance Automation Foundation covers up to 50 FTEs. Read more
Which plans include consulting?
Scytale's Build DFY (LaunchReady Consulting) and Build Stronger (StayReady Consulting). Vanta and Drata route services through partners; the other plans we read list support or auditor access, not consulting. Read more
What should I check about a bundled auditor?
That the auditor is a licensed CPA firm enrolled in AICPA peer review, and how the audit firm is kept separate from the software vendor. Read more
Vendor pricing
How much does Vanta cost?
Vanta does not publish prices; buyers request a demo to get personalized pricing. It publishes four tiers: Essentials, Plus, Professional and Enterprise. Read more
How much does Drata cost?
Drata does not publish prices. Its plans page lists Compliance Automation Foundation (up to 50 FTEs, one pre-mapped framework), GRC Advanced and GRC Enterprise. Read more
How much does Secureframe cost?
Secureframe publishes Fundamentals as "Starting at $7,500/year" for one compliance framework. Complete and Defense are quote-based. Read more
How much does Sprinto cost?
Sprinto does not publish prices. Its Foundation plan lists 25+ frameworks out of the box, audit management and 20 AI security questionnaires per year. Read more
How much does Scytale cost?
Scytale does not publish prices. It lists three startup bundles (Build Starter, Build DFY, Build Stronger) and two security-team plans (Scale, Enterprise). Read more
How much does Scrut cost?
Scrut does not publish prices or plans; its pricing URL returned Page Not Found on 2026-09-29. Its site offers a Compliance Cost Calculator. Read more
How much does Thoropass cost?
Thoropass does not publish prices; its /pricing URL shows none. It offers automation and audit from one company. Read more
How this site scores
What is the price clarity score?
An editorial 0 to 10 score on six criteria about what a vendor publishes on price and what its plans bundle. It is not a rating of product quality. Read more
Who ranks first on what the price buys?
On the what the price buys weights (expert services 30, audit and pen test path 30, entry plan contents 20, price transparency 20), Scytale ranks first, followed by Secureframe and Sprinto. Read more
Who ranks first on price transparency?
On the six-criterion price transparency weights, Secureframe ranks first, followed by Sprinto and Scytale. The ranking is computed from the scores on the method page. Read more
Did you test the products?
No. This is desk research from public vendor material, read on 2026-09-29. We did not use the products, request quotes or interview vendors. Read more
Can I use my own weights?
Yes. The calculator has a slider per criterion and re-ranks the vendors as you change them. Read more