Best SOC 2 Compliance Automation Software in 2026

Why SOC 2 Compliance Software Matters in 2026

If you sell software to businesses, a SOC 2 report eventually stops being optional: a prospect's security team asks for it, and the deal waits until you have one.

Compliance automation software exists to make that work manageable. These platforms connect to your cloud accounts, identity provider, HR system, code repositories and laptops, check your setup against a framework such as SOC 2, collect the evidence an auditor will ask for, and give you policy templates and task lists for the gaps. Most also add a Trust Center (a page where customers can request your report) and questionnaire tools.

What the software does not do is give you a SOC 2 report. Only a licensed CPA firm can issue one. That point shapes your budget more than any feature list, so it gets its own section below.

This guide compares six platforms that startups often shortlist for a first SOC 2: Vanta, Drata, Secureframe, Sprinto, Thoropass and Scrut. Everything here comes from the vendors' own websites as of October 2026: their pricing pages, product pages and FAQs. We did not run these tools ourselves, and we don't repeat third-party price estimates. Where a vendor does not publish a price, we say so.

A note on Laika: older lists often include Laika. Laika renamed itself Thoropass, and the company's own blog post "Laika is now Thoropass" says it is the same product and service under a new name. Thoropass is covered below, and Scrut takes the sixth slot.

Before You Compare: The Audit Is a Separate Purchase

A SOC 2 project has two parts that people often mix up:

1. Readiness and monitoring. You fix gaps, write policies, collect evidence and keep controls running. This is what compliance automation software does.
2. The audit. An independent, licensed CPA firm tests your controls and issues the SOC 2 Type I or Type II report. That report is what your customers ask for.

For five of the six tools here, the auditor is a different company, and its fee is a separate cost from the software subscription. Here is what each vendor says on its own site:

• Vanta offers access to its auditor network or lets you bring your own auditor on every plan. Its SOC 2 page says Vanta "introduces you to vetted, independent auditors" and that "audit pricing depends on scope, company size, and whether you're doing Type I or II." Vanta "connects you with vetted firms for competitive quotes."
• Drata links to a "Find an Auditor" directory from its SOC 2 page. Drata's site does not say anything about audit fees being included.
• Secureframe lists "Access to the Secureframe Audit Partner Network" on its plans. Its SOC 2 page also promises "dedicated audit support" from its team.
• Sprinto says it provides a vetted list of audit partners if you don't have an auditor, and that this is a directory: you stay in control of choosing and engaging the firm.
• Scrut's pricing FAQ says that "additional services like audit charges may influence the final quote." That suggests the audit can be added to a Scrut quote, so ask what it covers.
• Thoropass is different. It describes itself as "a licensed auditor that delivers audits" and "a licensed certified public accounting firm registered with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)." Its pricing FAQ says that because the platform combines software and audit delivery, "pricing typically reflects both components."

What this means for your budget: when you compare quotes, compare the total of software plus audit, not just the software line. A cheaper platform can end up costing more once a separately priced audit is added, and the reverse can happen too. Ask each auditor for a written quote for your exact scope (Type I or Type II, which trust services criteria, how long the observation period is).

A second point: SOC 2 Type II covers a period of time, not a single date. Secureframe's SOC 2 page lists a 3 to 12 month observation period for Type II. No software can shorten that window. When vendors say "ready in weeks," they mean audit readiness, not a finished Type II report.

Vanta review

For a first SOC 2 audit, Vanta is the strongest all-round choice here. It calls itself an "agentic trust platform", which in practice means compliance automation plus an AI agent, a Trust Center, questionnaire automation, vendor risk and access reviews.

What you get

• Integrations: Vanta says it can "automatically pull data from 400+ tools", the biggest number published by any vendor in this comparison. For SOC 2, the integrations with your cloud provider, identity provider, HR system and code host matter most, and Vanta covers the common ones.
• Continuous tests: Vanta's SOC 2 page says it runs "1,200+ tests hourly" against your connected systems, so failing controls show up before the auditor finds them.
• Auditor network: Every plan includes access to Vanta's auditor network or the option to bring your own auditor. Vanta says it works with 100+ auditors, and auditors get a portal to review evidence inside Vanta.
• Trust Center: Included from the entry plan, so you can share your SOC 2 report and security documents with prospects without a stream of email requests.
• Vanta AI Agent: Policy generation from templates, evidence checks, search across your policies and controls, and SLA tracking for remediation.
• Frameworks: SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, HITRUST, USDP, the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, ISO 42001 and custom frameworks.

Pricing

Vanta does not publish prices. Its pricing page lists four plans and asks you to "get personalized pricing" through a demo:

• Essentials: one compliance framework, the Vanta AI Agent, automated evidence collection, basic reporting and audit workflows, continuous control monitoring, an auditor API, and a Trust Center.
• Plus: adds automated policy onboarding, AI questionnaire automation (25 questionnaires a year) and access management.
• Professional: adds more questionnaires (144 a year), risk management with reporting, an advanced Trust Center, custom monitoring tests and advanced reporting.
• Enterprise: a custom package for advanced GRC needs.

The auditor's fee is separate. Vanta's SOC 2 page says audit pricing "depends on scope, company size, and whether you're doing Type I or II."

Who it's for

Seed to Series B SaaS companies getting their first SOC 2 because customers ask for it, especially if they run on a mainstream stack (AWS, GCP or Azure; Google Workspace or Microsoft 365; Okta; GitHub or GitLab). Vanta's Essentials plan is clearly designed for one framework and a small team.

Who should look elsewhere

Teams that need a price before talking to sales, and teams that want one company to handle both the software and the audit. If your second framework is something Vanta doesn't list on its frameworks menu, check coverage before you sign.

Pros

• Largest published integration count in this group (400+)
• Entry plan includes a Trust Center and auditor network access
• Clear plan ladder from one framework to enterprise GRC
• Large auditor network, plus the option to bring your own

Cons

• No published prices; you need a sales call
• Questionnaire automation and access management start on the Plus plan
• Risk management and custom tests start on Professional
• The audit fee is a separate cost on top of the subscription

Drata review

Drata is Vanta's closest competitor, and many startups end up choosing between the two. The core idea is the same: connect your systems, monitor controls continuously and collect evidence automatically. Drata leans more into customization and a broader set of frameworks.

What you get

• Integrations: Drata says it integrates with "hundreds of tools across your tech stack" (it does not publish an exact count). It connects to cloud infrastructure, identity providers, HR systems, code repositories and ticketing tools.
• Frameworks: SOC 2, ISO 27001, ISO 42001, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, DORA, FedRAMP, CMMC and custom frameworks. If you sell to European financial firms (DORA) or US government (FedRAMP, CMMC), that list matters.
• Trust Center: Feeds documents from your compliance program straight into a customer-facing Trust Center.
• AI questionnaire assistance and third-party risk management: For answering security questionnaires and assessing your own vendors.
• Auditor directory: Drata's SOC 2 page links to a "Find an Auditor" directory.

Claims worth knowing

Drata's site says SOC 2 customers can "be ready in weeks" and cites a "75% reduction in SOC 2 audit duration." Treat those as Drata's own figures.

Pricing

Drata does not publish prices or plan prices. Its pricing page directs you to contact sales. The auditor's fee is not mentioned and should be treated as a separate cost.

Who it's for

Engineering-heavy startups that want to shape controls and tests to their own setup, and companies that already know they will need frameworks beyond SOC 2, such as PCI DSS, DORA or CMMC.

Who should look elsewhere

Teams that want a public price to budget against, and very small companies that only want the simplest path to one SOC 2 report.

Pros

• Wide framework list, including DORA, FedRAMP and CMMC
• Custom frameworks and controls
• Trust Center and questionnaire tools in the same platform
• Auditor directory linked from the SOC 2 page

Cons

• No published prices or plan details
• No exact integration count published
• Audit fee is separate
• More configuration options can mean more setup decisions for a small team

Secureframe review

Secureframe stands out in this group for one simple reason: it publishes a starting price. If you need a number for your budget before you book demos, Secureframe is where you get one.

What you get

• Integrations: Secureframe's pricing page lists "300+ native integrations" on every plan, and the Complete plan adds custom integrations.
• Expert support: Secureframe's SOC 2 page talks about "in-house security experts and former auditors" and "dedicated audit support" to help you get a clean report.
• Audit Partner Network: Access to Secureframe's network of audit firms is included in the plans.
• Comply AI: AI for policies and for remediation guidance when a control fails.
• Trust Center, risk management and policy management: Included from the entry plan.
• Defense plan: A separate plan for CMMC with system security plans, POA&M tracking and a managed CUI enclave, which is useful if you also sell to the US defense sector.

Pricing

• Fundamentals: starting at $7,500/year. One compliance framework, 300+ native integrations, automated evidence collection, continuous control monitoring, one custom automated test, personnel management, policy management, risk management and a Trust Center.
• Complete: price by quote. Adds advanced third-party risk management, advanced risk management, advanced user access reviews, advanced questionnaire automation, SSO and SCIM, custom integrations and unlimited custom tests.
• Defense: price by quote. Adds the CMMC features listed above.

The $7,500 starting price is for the software only. The audit is done by a firm you choose (for example from Secureframe's Audit Partner Network) and is billed separately.

Who it's for

Startups that want a known minimum price, hands-on guidance from people who have done audits, and one framework to start. Also a natural fit if CMMC is likely later.

Who should look elsewhere

Teams that need many custom tests on a starter budget (Fundamentals includes one custom automated test) and teams that need SSO and SCIM for the platform itself, which are listed on Complete.

Pros

• Only vendor here with a published starting price ($7,500/year)
• 300+ native integrations on every plan
• In-house experts and former auditors support the audit
• Separate Defense plan for CMMC

Cons

• Fundamentals covers one framework and one custom test
• Complete and Defense prices are by quote
• SSO/SCIM and custom integrations require Complete
• Audit fee is separate

Sprinto review

Sprinto is a compliance automation platform that is often shortlisted next to Vanta and Drata. It covers continuous monitoring, automated evidence collection, policies, risk and vendor management, and it helps you find an auditor.

What you get

• Integrations: Sprinto connects to the systems SOC 2 evidence comes from, including AWS, GCP, Azure, Okta, Google Workspace and GitHub.
• Frameworks: Sprinto's materials list SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, NIST, CMMC 2.0, ISO 27017, CSA STAR, CCPA and custom frameworks, among others.
• Audit partners: If you don't already have an auditor, Sprinto gives you a vetted list of audit partners. Sprinto is clear that this is a directory: you choose and engage the firm yourself.
• Auditor dashboard: A separate view where auditors can see criteria, controls and asset status.

Pricing

Sprinto's own content says its pricing is customized based on the frameworks you need, your integrations and your overall compliance scope. We could not confirm a published price list on Sprinto's website, so treat it as quote only. The audit fee is separate from the platform unless your quote says otherwise.

Who it's for

Small and mid-size teams that want a full SOC 2 platform and are willing to compare quotes. Because Sprinto prices to scope, it is worth getting its quote alongside Vanta's and Secureframe's.

Who should look elsewhere

Teams that want to see prices before a sales conversation, and teams that want the auditor bundled in with one vendor (look at Thoropass instead).

Pros

• Covers the core SOC 2 workflow: monitoring, evidence, policies, risk and vendors
• Vetted audit partner directory with you in control of the choice
• Broad framework list for later expansion
• Pricing built around your actual scope

Cons

• No published prices
• Audit fee is separate
• Few public details about plan tiers and what each includes
• Harder to compare before a sales call than Vanta or Secureframe

Thoropass review

Thoropass (formerly Laika) takes a different approach from everyone else here. It is both a compliance platform and a licensed CPA firm. Thoropass says it is "a licensed certified public accounting firm registered with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)" and describes itself as "a licensed auditor that delivers audits, supported by purpose built software."

What you get

• Software and audit from one company: Readiness, evidence collection and the audit itself happen in one platform with one vendor. Thoropass calls this "Auditor-Led. AI-Powered."
• Frameworks: SOC 1, SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, PCI DSS, HIPAA, HITRUST (e1, i1 and r2), CMMC Level 1, NIST CSF 2.0 and Cyber Essentials. Thoropass "maps overlapping controls across frameworks to reduce duplicate work."
• Penetration testing: Thoropass offers pentests from "CREST-accredited pentest experts" with audit-ready reporting. Customers often ask for a pentest alongside SOC 2, so one vendor for both can save a procurement round.
• AI features: Thoropass says its AI suggests relevant controls, identifies gaps and organizes evidence.
• Works with other platforms: Thoropass says it can complement third-party GRC platforms. So you can use another tool for monitoring and still use Thoropass for the audit.

Timeline claims

Thoropass says organizations can usually get started "often within days" and that "many customers complete readiness and audit cycles in a matter of weeks to a few months."

Pricing

Thoropass does not publish prices. Its pricing FAQ says pricing "varies based on factors such as the frameworks pursued, audit scope, company size, and required services," and because it combines software and audit delivery, pricing "typically reflects both components." It argues this "can often be more cost-effective than managing separate vendors." That makes its quote the hardest to compare directly with the others, because it includes the audit. Compare it with another vendor's quote plus an audit firm's quote.

Who it's for

Startups that want one contract, one point of contact and one platform from kickoff to final report, and teams that also need a pentest.

Who should look elsewhere

Buyers or customers who prefer the auditor to be independent of the company that sold them the readiness tooling. Ask Thoropass how it separates its audit team from its software and advisory work, and check whether your largest customers have any preference about audit firms.

Pros

• Software and audit from one licensed CPA firm
• Pentesting available from the same vendor
• Broad framework list including SOC 1, HITRUST and Cyber Essentials
• Can also act as the auditor for teams using another GRC platform

Cons

• No published prices
• Quotes include the audit, which makes direct price comparison harder
• Less choice of audit firm if you use the bundle
• No published integration count

Scrut review

Scrut (sometimes listed as Scrut Automation) is a GRC platform that covers compliance automation, risk, vendor risk, access reviews and a Trust Center. Its main pitch for buyers is packaging: Scrut says all plans include every core module and framework.

What you get

• Frameworks: Scrut's homepage says it supports 70+ frameworks out of the box, including SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, PCI DSS, HIPAA, NIST AI RMF, ISO 42001, the EU AI Act, NIST CSF, NIST SP 800-53, DORA, FedRAMP and custom frameworks. A unified control library maps shared controls between frameworks such as SOC 2 and ISO 27001.
• Integrations: Scrut's homepage says it connects to 150+ tools, including AWS, GitHub and Okta.
• Policies: Scrut says it offers 100+ editable policy templates mapped to frameworks.
• Audit Center: Auditors get scoped access to the controls, evidence and policies they need, without access to the rest of the platform.
• Trust Vault / Trust Center: A branded place to share compliance documents with prospects behind an NDA.
• AI "Teammates": Scrut's AI agents collect evidence, run readiness checks and flag drift. Scrut also says you can query readiness and coverage from Claude or Cursor via MCP.

Pricing

Scrut does not publish prices. Its FAQ says all pricing plans "include access to all core features, modules, and frameworks within the Scrut platform, with no limits or hidden charges based on users or usage," and that "additional services like audit charges may influence the final quote." Ask whether your quote includes an audit and which firm would perform it.

Who it's for

Teams that know they will need several frameworks (for example SOC 2 now and ISO 27001 or ISO 42001 next year) and want them on one bill without paying per framework or per user.

Who should look elsewhere

Startups that only ever need SOC 2 and want the largest integration catalog and auditor network, where Vanta has the edge on published numbers.

Pros

• All core modules and frameworks included in every plan, according to Scrut
• 70+ frameworks out of the box, including AI frameworks
• Scoped auditor access through the Audit Center
• 100+ editable policy templates

Cons

• No published prices
• Smaller published integration count than Vanta or Secureframe
• Audit may or may not be part of the quote; you need to ask
• Broad GRC scope can be more than a first-time SOC 2 team needs

Head-to-Head Comparison

Pricing transparency

Secureframe is the only vendor here that publishes a starting price ($7,500/year for Fundamentals with one framework). Vanta publishes plan names and what each includes, but no prices. Drata, Sprinto, Thoropass and Scrut are quote only. Thoropass quotes include the audit; Scrut's may, depending on the services you ask for. For everyone else, add the auditor's fee on top.

Integrations

Published counts: Vanta 400+, Secureframe 300+, Scrut 150+. Drata says "hundreds" without a number. Sprinto and Thoropass list major tools but not a single total. For a first SOC 2, a raw integration count matters less than whether your specific cloud, identity, HR and code tools are covered. Check each vendor's integration page against your stack before you take a demo.

Getting the audit done

• Choose any firm, with help: Vanta (auditor network or bring your own), Secureframe (Audit Partner Network plus in-house audit support), Drata (auditor directory), Sprinto (vetted partner directory).
• One vendor does both: Thoropass, a licensed CPA firm.
• Ask: Scrut, whose FAQ says audit charges can be part of the quote.

Frameworks beyond SOC 2

All six cover SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR and HIPAA. Scrut lists the most frameworks (70+). Drata and Secureframe stand out for US government work (FedRAMP and CMMC for Drata; a dedicated CMMC Defense plan for Secureframe). Thoropass is the only one here that also performs SOC 1 and HITRUST assessments as an auditor. Vanta, Drata and Scrut list ISO 42001 for AI management systems.

Trust Center and sales support

Vanta, Drata, Secureframe and Scrut all include a Trust Center or Trust Vault for sharing your report with prospects. Vanta and Secureframe include it on their entry plans. Questionnaire automation is included or available on all of the larger platforms, with limits that vary by plan (Vanta Plus includes 25 questionnaires a year; Professional includes 144).

Ease of getting started

Every vendor claims you can be ready quickly: Vanta says "audit-ready in weeks, not months," Drata says "ready in weeks," Secureframe says "SOC 2 compliance within weeks," and Thoropass says you can start "often within days." These are vendor claims; your real timeline depends on your gaps, how fast you fix them, and whether you start with Type I or Type II.

How to Choose: Decision Framework

1. Decide Type I or Type II first. A Type I report checks your controls at a single point in time and is faster. A Type II report covers a period (Secureframe cites 3 to 12 months) and is what most enterprise buyers eventually want. Vanta's own SOC 2 FAQ suggests starting with Type I for speed or going straight to Type II if customers expect ongoing assurance. Your choice changes the audit fee and the timeline, not the software you need.

2. List your stack. Write down your cloud provider, identity provider, HR system, code host, ticketing tool and device management. Check each vendor's integration page. Missing integrations mean manual evidence uploads every audit cycle.

3. Ask for total cost, in writing. For each vendor, get the software quote and an audit quote for the same scope. For Thoropass, the audit is part of the quote. For Scrut, ask whether the audit is included. Compare the totals for year one and year two, since Type II audits repeat every year.

4. Think about the next framework. If ISO 27001, HIPAA, PCI DSS, ISO 42001 or CMMC is likely within two years, check whether adding it is a price increase (most plans here start with one framework) or included (Scrut says all frameworks are included).

5. Decide how much help you want. If nobody on your team has been through an audit, weigh expert support heavily: Secureframe's in-house former auditors, Thoropass's in-house audit team, and Vanta's auditor network are all ways to get it.

6. Check your customers' expectations. Some large customers have opinions about audit firms. If you're selling to a few big accounts, ask their security teams whether they prefer particular auditors before you pick a bundled option.

The Verdict: Final Recommendations

1) Vanta: Best overall for startups getting SOC 2

The largest published integration list (400+), a Trust Center on the entry plan, and a big auditor network with the option to bring your own firm. Essentials fits the usual startup case: one framework, a small team, a customer waiting for a report. The trade-offs: no public pricing and a separate audit fee.

2) Drata: Best for engineering-led teams that want control

Drata matches Vanta on the core workflow and goes further on framework breadth (DORA, FedRAMP, CMMC) and customization. Get quotes from both and let your stack and the price decide.

3) Secureframe: Best for budgeting and expert support

A published $7,500/year starting price, 300+ native integrations, and in-house experts and former auditors make Secureframe the easiest option to plan around. Watch the limits on Fundamentals (one framework, one custom test).

4) Thoropass: Best for one vendor from start to report

If you want one company to provide the platform, the audit and even a pentest, Thoropass is the only option here that is itself a licensed CPA firm. Compare its quote against another vendor's software plus a separate audit.

5) Scrut: Best for multi-framework programs

Scrut's all-inclusive packaging (every module and 70+ frameworks, with no user limits, according to Scrut) makes the most sense when SOC 2 is the first of several frameworks.

6) Sprinto: Worth a quote

Sprinto covers the core SOC 2 workflow and has a vetted auditor directory. Because it prices to scope and doesn't publish prices we could confirm, add it to your shortlist mainly to compare quotes.

Conclusion

For a first SOC 2 in 2026, start with Vanta, and get a competing quote from Drata or Secureframe. Pick Thoropass if you want the platform and the audit from one licensed CPA firm, and Scrut if more frameworks are coming soon.

Whichever you choose, the platform gets you ready and keeps you ready, but a CPA firm issues the report. Budget for both, get written quotes for the same scope, and compare the totals.