The best SOC 2 compliance automation tool is the one that matches how you want to run the audit. Vanta, Drata and Secureframe are software platforms that collect evidence and you hire a separate auditor. Thoropass delivers the audit itself. None of them publishes a price, so you need quotes.
Safeguard publishes this guide and sells a competing product, so we describe other tools only from their own documentation. Everything below is as of 19 October 2026.
Key takeaways
- Software does not issue a SOC 2 report. Only an external auditor from a licensed CPA firm can, per the Cloud Security Alliance.
- Vanta, Drata, Secureframe and Thoropass all list SOC 2 and ISO 27001, so framework coverage rarely decides it.
- The real differences are the audit model, the add-ons (trust center, questionnaires, vendor risk) and how the quote is built.
- We found no public price on any of these four sites. Ask for a written quote that names frameworks, add-ons and renewal terms.
What do people ask before buying a SOC 2 automation tool?
Buyers keep asking the same handful of things. These are the ones we worked from.
- Which tool is best for a startup's first SOC 2?
- Does the tool include the auditor?
- How much does it cost, and is there a free tier?
- Which integrations does it have?
- Will it still be useful after the first report?
- Can I do SOC 2 without a tool at all?
What does SOC 2 compliance automation actually do?
It collects evidence, watches controls, and organizes the paperwork. Vanta's own page says software handles collecting and tracking evidence, assessing risk and continuous monitoring. The same page says humans still handle writing and enforcing policies, scoping the report, penetration tests, incident response plans and business continuity.
So the tool shortens the evidence work. It does not replace decisions about scope or the audit.
What are the best SOC 2 compliance automation tools compared?
Here is what each vendor says on its own pages. Blank means we could not confirm it from a page we fetched.
| Criteria | Vanta | Drata | Secureframe | Thoropass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frameworks named | SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, HITRUST, NIST AI RMF, ISO 42001, custom | SOC 2, ISO 27001, ISO 42001, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, plus DORA, FedRAMP, CMMC | SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, PCI DSS, GDPR, NIST, CMMC 2.0 | SOC 1, SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, HIPAA, HITRUST, CMMC Level 1, NIST CSF 2.0, Cyber Essentials, GDPR |
| Evidence and monitoring | Evidence collection and continuous monitoring | Automated evidence collection, continuous control monitoring | Integration library, 300+ native integrations listed on pricing page | Connects to cloud, identity, HR and ticketing tools |
| Who does the audit | Separate auditor | Separate auditor | Separate auditor; page cites 30+ in-house experts and former auditors | Says it is a licensed auditor that delivers audits |
| Trust center | Yes, standalone or add-on | Yes | Included in all three packages | Link to its own trust center, no detail |
| Questionnaires | Add-on product | AI questionnaire agents | Automation listed | Not mentioned |
| Published price | None; Essentials, Plus, Professional, Enterprise by quote | None found | None; Fundamentals, Complete, Defense | None; tailored quote |
Two notes on that table. Vanta's pricing page says Essentials covers one compliance framework, and several features are marked as add-ons. Secureframe's pricing page lists one framework for its Complete and Defense packages, with more available.
Does the tool include the auditor?
Usually no, and that is the first fork in the decision. Most platforms connect you to auditors, and you contract with the CPA firm separately. Thoropass describes itself as a licensed auditor that delivers audits, supported by its software, and its pricing page says pricing typically reflects software and audit delivery together.
A bundle can be convenient. The Cloud Security Alliance notes that using one firm for both can simplify requests, since the software can ask for the materials the audit needs. Weigh that against having an auditor chosen independently of your tool vendor.
What does a SOC 2 automation tool cost?
We cannot give you a number from the vendors. Vanta's pricing page says every plan, Enterprise included, needs a quote. Drata's pricing page lists no plans or prices. Secureframe's lists three package names and no prices. Thoropass says organizations receive a tailored quote based on frameworks, audit scope, company size and services.
For context on the wider spend, see our SOC 2 cost and timeline guide.
How to choose
Run this checklist before you book demos.
- Do you want the auditor bundled, or chosen separately?
- Which framework comes second? Ask what a second framework adds to the quote.
- Which of your systems are on the integration list: cloud, identity, source control, HR, ticketing?
- Do you need a trust center or questionnaire tool now, or later? Check whether it is included or an add-on.
- How is renewal priced, and does the quote cap questionnaires or document requests? Vanta and Secureframe both show per-year caps on some tiers.
- Who writes and approves the policies, and who scopes the system?
For a view of what a readiness gap list looks like, there is an interactive demo.
Frequently asked questions
Can compliance software give me a SOC 2 report?
No. Only an external auditor from a licensed CPA firm can issue an official SOC 2 report. Software prepares evidence for that audit.
Which tool is best for a startup's first SOC 2?
We cannot rank them from sources. Startups usually compare the quote, whether the auditor is included, and which integrations cover their stack.
Is there a free SOC 2 automation tool?
We found no free tier on the Vanta, Drata, Secureframe or Thoropass pages we fetched. You can also run SOC 2 with spreadsheets and your own tracking, which is slower.
Did you test these tools?
No. This guide reads each vendor's own pages and does not review how the products perform.
Why is Sprinto not in the table?
Its pages did not load in a readable form when we fetched them, so we left it out rather than guess.
Sources
- https://www.vanta.com/pricing
- https://www.vanta.com/resources/what-is-soc-2-compliance-automation
- https://drata.com/pricing
- https://drata.com/
- https://www.secureframe.com/pricing
- https://www.secureframe.com/
- https://www.thoropass.com/
- https://www.thoropass.com/pricing
- https://cloudsecurityalliance.org/articles/who-performs-a-soc-2-audit-the-role-of-soc-2-auditors-vs-compliance-software
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
