How much does SOC 2 cost for a startup?

Short answer

A first SOC 2 Type 1 for a small startup costs $15K-$25K all-in: $5K-$10K for a boutique auditor + $8K-$15K/year for a compliance platform. Big-4 auditors cost $25K-$75K and are overkill for first-time startup audits.

Budget breakdown for a typical solo-founder SOC 2 Type 1:

  • Compliance platform (Vanta, Drata, Secureframe): $8K-$15K/year
  • Boutique auditor (Johanson, AssuranceLab, Prescient): $5K-$10K per audit
  • Founder time: 40-60 hours over 6 weeks
  • Total first year: $15K-$25K

SOC 2 Type 2 (the continuous audit) costs an additional $8K-$15K per year after Type 1. Big-4 auditors (Deloitte, KPMG, PwC, EY) charge $25K-$75K and are only necessary if your largest enterprise buyers specifically demand it.

Most startups pay far more than necessary because they pick their auditor before comparing quotes. Get 3 quotes before signing anything.

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