Framework

SOC 2 Compliance Software

An audit report governed by the AICPA that evaluates a service organization's security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy controls.

Compliance automation platforms ranked by rubric score
Rank Platform Score Band Assessed Scorecard
1st
Sprinto
Best overall for a first multi-framework program
82
Strong Sep 23, 2026 Scorecard →
2nd
Vanta
Best for breadth of integrations and frameworks
75
Strong Sep 23, 2026 Scorecard →
3rd=
Secureframe
Best for federal and defense frameworks
73
Strong Sep 23, 2026 Scorecard →
3rd=
Drata
Best for teams that will build custom tests
73
Strong Sep 23, 2026 Scorecard →
5th
Scrut
Best for regional frameworks outside the US
63
Adequate Sep 23, 2026 Scorecard →
6th
Thoropass
Best for buying the audit and the platform as one engagement
47
Limited Sep 23, 2026 Scorecard →

SOC 2 (System and Organization Controls 2) is an audit report defined and governed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). It evaluates a service organization’s controls against five Trust Services Criteria: Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy. A SOC 2 audit can only be performed by a licensed CPA firm.

Two types of report exist. A Type I report assesses whether controls are suitably designed at a single point in time. A Type II report tests both the design and the operating effectiveness of those controls over an observation period, typically three to twelve months. A-LIGN, a licensed audit firm, describes Type II as giving customers a greater level of trust, because it shows controls working over time.

SOC 2 is not a certification in the way ISO 27001 is. It is a report produced by an independent auditor after reviewing the vendor’s evidence. The report is typically shared under a non-disclosure agreement with customers and prospects, though many companies also publish a summary through a trust center to reduce the volume of questionnaires they receive.

Compliance automation platforms help service organizations prepare for a SOC 2 audit. They connect to cloud providers, identity systems, HR platforms, and endpoint tools to collect evidence automatically, map controls to the Trust Services Criteria, and flag gaps before an auditor arrives. Without a platform, teams gather evidence by hand over months of screenshots and spreadsheet updates.

Which platforms cover SOC 2

All six platforms rated on The Audit Trail cover SOC 2: Sprinto (rank 1, score 82), Vanta (rank 2, score 75), Drata (rank 3, score 73), Secureframe (rank 3, score 73), Scrut (rank 5, score 63), and Thoropass (rank 6, score 47). See the ranked table for full criteria breakdowns.

Check the auditor

The AICPA carries a live notice on its SOC information pages. The notice reads: “The AICPA is looking into allegations published anonymously about the business practices of a compliance vendor that offers Systems and Organization Control (SOC) services… If auditors involved in these matters are found to have not performed audits in accordance with professional standards, not been enrolled in peer review, and/or are unlicensed, the AICPA will take action.” The notice does not name any vendor.

Before choosing a platform that bundles the audit into its service, confirm that the firm performing the audit is a licensed CPA firm. A compliance platform that prepares you for audit is separate from the CPA firm that issues the report. The two are not interchangeable.