Compliance automation collects evidence continuously and a consultant makes the judgment calls, such as scope and policies. Neither one issues the SOC 2 report. Only an external auditor from a licensed CPA firm can. Many teams use software for the repeatable work and a consultant for the decisions.
Safeguard publishes this guide and sells a competing product, so we describe other sources only from their own pages. As of 19 October 2026.
Key takeaways
- Software does evidence, monitoring and templates. It does not scope the report or complete the audit.
- A consultant's work is point in time, and a Type 2 report needs evidence over months.
- The one source with consultant pricing says $10,000 to $50,000 or more per engagement. Secureframe says $25,000 to $85,000.
- Both are vendor sources with their own product to sell.
What does a SOC 2 consultant do?
A consultant handles scoping, gap assessment, policy writing, remediation advice and audit liaison. Strac's comparison lists scoping of trust services criteria and the system boundary, a gap assessment against the Common Criteria, writing security, access, change management and incident response policies, and liaison with the auditor.
What does compliance automation do?
It provides policy templates, maps controls, collects evidence across your stack and exports it for the auditor. Vanta's page says software handles collecting evidence, assessing risk and continuous monitoring. The same page says humans still handle policies, scoping, penetration tests, incident response and business continuity.
Compliance automation vs consultant: how do they compare?
| Criteria | Automation | Consultant |
|---|---|---|
| Evidence | Continuous | Manual, kept by you |
| Policies | Templates | Written for you |
| Judgment on scope | Limited | Strong |
| Ongoing coverage | While you subscribe | Ends with the engagement |
| Cost, as stated by vendors | Quote based, see below | $10,000 to $50,000 or more (Strac); $25,000 to $85,000 (Secureframe) |
Software pricing is mostly quote based. Strac publishes $4,995, $8,995 and $12,995 per year for its own packages, which is one vendor's figure and not a market rate.
Do I still need an auditor either way?
Yes. The Cloud Security Alliance says software can help prepare a company for a SOC 2 audit but not complete it, and that companies must go beyond software data through observations and walkthroughs.
How to choose
- Does anyone on your team make security risk decisions? If not, a consultant helps.
- Is your scope simple, one product, typical SaaS? Software covers more of it.
- Did a prior audit stall? A consultant can diagnose it.
- Do you need evidence for six or twelve months? Software handles the ongoing part.
- Can you afford both? A hybrid is common.
See also SOC 2 compliance automation: what it is.
Frequently asked questions
Can software alone get me SOC 2?
No. You still need an external CPA firm to audit you and issue the report.
Is a consultant cheaper than software?
Strac says software is typically far less than a full consulting engagement, but Strac sells software. Compare written quotes.
Can a consultant cover Type 2?
A one time engagement ends before the evidence period does. Someone has to keep collecting evidence for months.
What if I use neither?
You can, with spreadsheets and your own tracking. Expect more internal hours.
Sources
- https://www.strac.io/blog/soc-2-consultant-vs-software
- https://www.vanta.com/resources/what-is-soc-2-compliance-automation
- https://secureframe.com/hub/soc-2/cost-and-time-savings.md
- https://cloudsecurityalliance.org/articles/who-performs-a-soc-2-audit-the-role-of-soc-2-auditors-vs-compliance-software
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
