What your SOC 2 and ISO 27001 budget buys (2026)
Short answer
Weighted on what a published plan buys, Scytale ranks first at 6.90, followed by Secureframe (6.20) and Sprinto (6.10). Expert services and the audit and pen test path carry 60 of 100 points; entry plan contents and price transparency carry 40. Scores are unchanged from our method page.
By The Cost Desk, Compliance Pricing · Published 2026-09-29 · Prices and plans as published on vendor pages, read 2026-09-29.
How do the seven rank on what the price buys?
| Rank | Vendor | Expert services in a plan (30) | Audit and pen test path (30) | Entry plan contents (20) | Pricing transparency (20) | Published price | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scytale | 9 | 8 | 5 | 4 | Not published | 6.90 |
| 2 | Secureframe | 4 | 6 | 7 | 9 | Starting at $7,500/year | 6.20 |
| 3 | Sprinto | 4 | 7 | 9 | 5 | Not published | 6.10 |
| 4 | Vanta | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | Not published | 5.20 |
| 5 | Thoropass | 6 | 9 | 1 | 1 | Not published | 4.90 |
| 6 | Drata | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5 | Not published | 4.60 |
| 7 | Scrut | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | Not published | 2.40 |
Where each vendor wins and loses
1. Scytale
Scores highest on: expert services in a plan.
Loses on: audit and pen test path (to Thoropass); entry plan contents (to Vanta, Drata, Secureframe and Sprinto); pricing transparency (to Vanta, Drata, Secureframe and Sprinto).
2. Secureframe
Scores highest on: pricing transparency.
Loses on: expert services in a plan (to Scytale, Vanta and Thoropass); audit and pen test path (to Scytale, Sprinto and Thoropass); entry plan contents (to Sprinto).
3. Sprinto
Scores highest on: entry plan contents.
Loses on: expert services in a plan (to Scytale, Vanta and Thoropass); audit and pen test path (to Scytale and Thoropass); pricing transparency (to Secureframe).
4. Vanta
Scores highest on: none of the four criteria.
Loses on: expert services in a plan (to Scytale and Thoropass); audit and pen test path (to Scytale, Secureframe, Sprinto and Thoropass); entry plan contents (to Secureframe and Sprinto); pricing transparency (to Secureframe).
5. Thoropass
Scores highest on: audit and pen test path.
Loses on: expert services in a plan (to Scytale); entry plan contents (to Scytale, Vanta, Drata, Secureframe and Sprinto); pricing transparency (to Scytale, Vanta, Drata, Secureframe, Sprinto and Scrut).
6. Drata
Scores highest on: none of the four criteria.
Loses on: expert services in a plan (to Scytale, Vanta and Thoropass); audit and pen test path (to Scytale, Vanta, Secureframe, Sprinto and Thoropass); entry plan contents (to Secureframe and Sprinto); pricing transparency (to Secureframe).
7. Scrut
Scores highest on: none of the four criteria.
Loses on: expert services in a plan (to Scytale, Vanta, Drata, Secureframe, Sprinto and Thoropass); audit and pen test path (to Scytale, Vanta, Drata, Secureframe, Sprinto and Thoropass); entry plan contents (to Scytale, Vanta, Drata, Secureframe and Sprinto); pricing transparency (to Scytale, Vanta, Drata, Secureframe and Sprinto).
How this ranking is weighted
- EXPERT SERVICES IN A PLAN: 30
- AUDIT AND PEN TEST PATH: 30
- ENTRY PLAN CONTENTS: 20
- PRICING TRANSPARENCY: 20
A buyer comparing budgets needs to know both what is published and what work the vendor or its partners do for that money. So expert services and the audit and pen test path together carry 60, and published price and plan contents carry 40. Stated plan limits and questionnaire allowance are left out of this view; they remain in the price transparency ranking. Criterion scores and reasons are the same ones on the method page. Totals are sum of score x weight / 100, rounded half up to two decimals.
Questions about this ranking
What counts as an expert service?
Human compliance help that a published plan includes: consulting, a named or dedicated compliance expert, or audit management. Access to a partner marketplace scores lower than help that sits inside the plan itself. Read more
Why can a vendor with no public price still rank well here?
Price transparency carries 20 of 100 points in this ranking. Expert services and the audit and pen test path carry 60, so a vendor that bundles consulting, a pen test and an audit path into named plans can rank high while still asking for a demo before quoting.
How do I compare quotes that bundle a pen test?
Ask every vendor to quote the same scope and to itemize the pen test: black-box or gray-box, web app or network, and how many retests. Then compare the platform line and the pen test line separately. Read more
What is not included in any plan?
The audit fee is usually separate. A SOC 2 report is issued by a CPA firm, and unless the vendor bundles the audit through its own team or partner auditors, you pay the auditor on top of the platform.
Where can I see the transparency-only ranking?
The price transparency ranking uses all six criteria at the original weights and ranks vendors on how much they publish before a sales call. Read more