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SOC 2 auditors, compared.
Auditors set their own prices, and most don't publish them. We rank 180 verified firms so you can see who fits your scope before you take a sales call.
AICPA-licensed, peer-reviewed, manually re-checked each quarter.
Specialist Type 1 at the floor; Big Four enterprise Type 2 at the ceiling.
Tell us your scope. Three matched firms reply within two business days.
Top 10 SOC 2 auditors
SOC 2 auditors are AICPA-licensed CPA firms that examine security controls and issue Type 1 or Type 2 attestation reports. The ten below span specialist, regional, national, and Big Four tiers — Type 2 prices from $15K to $400K, timelines from 3 to 18 weeks. All ten hold active AICPA peer-review status. Picks are independent and updated May 19, 2026.
| # | Firm | Tier | Best for | Type 2 price | Timeline | Peer-rev. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thoropass New York, NY | Specialist | B2B SaaS, FinTech, HealthTech | $12K–$30K | 2–6 wk | ● |
One line per firm
First-time SOC 2 / ISO 27001 / HIPAA / PCI / HITRUST seekers (under 200 employees) who want one vendor handling both the GRC platform and the audit, eliminating the handoff between Vanta/Drata-style automation and a separate CPA firm. Companies pursuing multiple frameworks who want shared evidence across SOC 2 + ISO 27001 + HITRUST + PCI in a single audit cycle. Mid-market SaaS, fintech, and healthtech seeking 25-50% savings vs. traditional audit firms with fixed pricing.
What SOC 2 audit firms actually charge.
Pricing falls into three bands: $12K–$20K for a startup Type 1 from a specialist, $20K–$40K for a growth-stage Type 2, and $45K–$400K+ for enterprise audits from national or Big Four firms. Add $5K–$15K/year for compliance automation software.
The wrong auditor costs more than the wrong price. We see companies overpay by $20,000+ for a generic engagement, then get stuck with a report that enterprise customers won't accept.
Brand matters. An unknown local CPA might save $5K up front and cost millions in stalled deals when a Fortune 500 prospect rejects the report.
What should you pay?
| Startup · Type 1 | $12K – $20K |
|---|---|
| Growth · Type 2 | $20K – $40K |
| Mid-market · Type 2 | $45K – $100K |
| Enterprise · Big Four | $100K – $400K+ |
What to look for
| Timeline | 2 – 8 weeks |
|---|---|
| Pricing | Flat rate |
| Reputation | AICPA peer-reviewed |
| Software | Vanta / Drata native |
If a quote misses any row, ask why.
How we vet SOC 2 audit firms.
Every firm in this directory passes a three-step review: AICPA peer-review verification, direct price confirmation with the firm, and post-audit interviews with named clients. We never accept payment to alter rankings. Methodology updates are logged publicly.
Manual verification of every license
We inspect every CPA license, AICPA peer-review status, and verified client testimonial line by line. No automation. No scraping.
Direct price research with the firms
We contact firms directly, then interview their clients to confirm real-world price ranges and timelines. Where the firm declines to share, we mark estimates as ours.
Community feedback after the audit closes
We interview CTOs and VPs of Engineering after their audit closes — for the unvarnished version. The pattern in the answers is what shapes the ranking.
SOC 2 auditor tiers. Which type fits your stage.
SOC 2 auditors fall into three working tiers: specialists ($12K–$35K, 2–8 weeks), mid-tier regional firms ($25K–$60K, 2–6 months), and Big Four / national firms ($45K–$400K+, 3–9 months). Pick the lowest tier your enterprise buyers will accept.
SOC 2 specialists
Firms built around SOC 2 and cloud security. Fastest timelines, best startup experience. They integrate with Vanta, Drata, and Secureframe to pull evidence automatically — cutting weeks of evidence collection to days.
Best for · startups, SaaS, first-time SOC 2 buyers, and any team where time-to-report matters more than logo recognition on the title page.
Auditors for startups →Mid-tier regional
Established CPA firms with dedicated SOC 2 practices. Solid reputation without enterprise pricing. Best for growth-stage SaaS and mid-market companies that need a recognised regional name on the report.
See top-rated mid-tier firms →Big Four & National
Deloitte, EY, PwC, KPMG, BDO, Grant Thornton. Maximum brand recognition for enterprise procurement. Best for enterprise, public companies, regulated industries, and any deal where the buyer's procurement asks specifically for one of these names.
Compare firm types →The other half of the decision.
The right auditor is half the call. The other half is the compliance automation platform — Vanta, Drata, Sprinto, Secureframe, Thoropass, and seven more — that prepares your evidence and integrates with the auditor. We've reviewed all twelve, independently.
Auditors by industry & region.
SOC 2 requirements shift by industry and jurisdiction: HIPAA layers in for healthcare, PCI for fintech, FedRAMP for govcon, GDPR for EU operations. We track which auditors specialise where so you can match the firm to your buyers' contracts.
New to the framework landscape? Start with our compliance frameworks explainer or the SOC 2 buyer guides.
How a SOC 2 audit actually works.
A SOC 2 audit runs in three stages: scoping and readiness assessment (4–8 weeks), evidence collection and control testing (6–12 weeks for Type 2), and report delivery with remediation (2–4 weeks). Total elapsed time: 4 weeks for Type 1, 3–6 months for Type 2.
01Scoping & readiness assessment
Your auditor defines which Trust Service Criteria are in scope. Security is mandatory; Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy are optional. Most startups start with Security only. The auditor reviews current controls and identifies gaps before the formal audit begins.
02Evidence collection & control testing
The auditor gathers evidence that controls exist (Type 1) or operated effectively over the observation period (Type 2). Specialist firms integrate directly with Vanta, Drata, or Secureframe to pull evidence automatically — cutting this phase from weeks to days.
03Report delivery & remediation
The final SOC 2 report includes the auditor's opinion, a system description, and detailed test results. Exceptions trigger remediation and possible re-testing. The report is then shared with customers and prospects under NDA — usually to unblock procurement.
3 quotes in 48 hours. One auditor call, not five.
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SOC 2 auditors: frequently asked questions.
Fifteen questions buyers ask before hiring a SOC 2 auditor — answered with the specifics that change the decision: prices, timelines, AICPA peer review, Type 1 vs. Type 2, specialists vs. Big Four, and what an auditor actually checks.
What is a SOC 2 auditor?
A SOC 2 auditor is an AICPA-licensed CPA firm authorized to issue SOC 2 attestation reports — Type 1 (point-in-time) or Type 2 (3–12 month observation period). Consulting firms and compliance platforms cannot issue SOC 2 reports; only CPA firms can. Every firm in this directory holds an active CPA license.
Who are the best SOC 2 auditors in 2026?
The top SOC 2 auditors in this directory are Prescient Security, Schellman, A-LIGN, Thoropass, Johanson Group, Linford & Company, Sensiba LLP, Armanino, CBIZ, and Deloitte — chosen across specialist, regional, national, and Big Four tiers. Best fit depends on company stage, industry, and price tolerance. The comparison table above shows the trade-offs.
How much does a SOC 2 auditor cost?
SOC 2 auditor fees range from $10K (specialist Type 1 for early-stage startups) to $430K (Big Four enterprise Type 2). The median Type 2 audit for a growth-stage SaaS company runs $25K–$45K. A compliance platform (Vanta, Drata, Secureframe) adds $7.5K–$60K/year on top of the audit fee. See /soc-2-audit-cost/sources/ for how each range is calculated.
How do I choose a SOC 2 auditor?
Match the auditor's tier to your buyer's expectations. Enterprise prospects often require a Big Four or national firm; startups usually choose specialists for speed and flat-rate pricing. Verify AICPA peer-review status, ask for references in your industry, and confirm pricing structure before signing.
Do SOC 2 auditors have to be CPAs?
Yes. SOC 2 audits can only be performed by AICPA-licensed CPA firms. Consultants can prepare you for the audit (readiness work) but cannot sign the report. Always verify the firm's CPA license and current peer-review status before engaging.
What's the difference between SOC 2 Type 1 and Type 2?
The auditor is the same firm; Type 1 versus Type 2 refers to scope. Type 1 confirms controls are designed correctly at a point in time. Type 2 confirms they operated effectively across a 3–12 month observation window. Most enterprise customers will eventually require Type 2.
How long does a SOC 2 audit take?
A Type 1 audit takes 4–8 weeks for a company that's already prepared. A Type 2 takes 3–6 months end-to-end, including the observation window. Specialist firms using Vanta or Drata integrations compress evidence collection from weeks to days. Add 4–8 weeks of readiness work if controls aren't yet in place.
What is AICPA peer review and why does it matter?
Every CPA firm performing SOC 2 audits must complete an AICPA peer review every three years. The peer review evaluates the firm's audit methodology and quality control. A firm without current peer-review status cannot legitimately issue a SOC 2 report — verify it before signing.
Can a small CPA firm perform a SOC 2 audit?
Yes — any AICPA-licensed CPA firm with current peer-review status can issue a SOC 2 report. But small generalist firms often lack SaaS and cloud security experience, which slows the audit and produces reports enterprise buyers question. Tech companies typically get faster, more credible reports from SOC 2 specialists.
What's the best SOC 2 auditor for a SaaS startup?
Specialist firms (Prescient Security, A-LIGN, Thoropass, Johanson Group) are usually the best fit for SaaS startups. They integrate with Vanta, Drata, and Secureframe, deliver Type 1 in 4–8 weeks, and price flat-rate in the $15K–$35K range typical for early-stage Type 2. Big Four firms are normally overkill at this stage and cost 3–5x more.
Are SOC 2 auditors regulated?
SOC 2 auditors are regulated through the AICPA via licensure, mandatory peer review every three years, and the SSAE 18 attestation standard. There is no SOC-specific regulator. State Boards of Accountancy license individual CPAs and discipline firms for misconduct.
Are SOC 1 and SOC 2 audited by the same firms?
Most firms that offer SOC 2 also offer SOC 1, but the two audits address different risks. SOC 1 covers financial reporting controls (Sarbanes-Oxley adjacent). SOC 2 covers security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. Many SaaS companies only need SOC 2.
Can I switch SOC 2 auditors mid-engagement?
You can switch auditors between annual audits, and most firms do change every 2–3 years. Switching mid-engagement is rare and typically restarts the readiness process. Common reasons to switch: rising prices, slow turnaround, or graduating from a generalist to a specialist firm as your company grows.
What does a SOC 2 auditor actually check?
A SOC 2 auditor tests your security controls against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria — the Common Criteria (CC1–CC9) plus four optional categories: Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy. They review evidence (policies, system configurations, access logs) and interview staff to confirm controls operate as designed.
How is SOC 2 audit pricing structured?
Most specialist and mid-tier firms charge a flat fee for a defined scope. National and Big Four firms more often bill hourly or use tiered SOWs that add costs when scope changes. Flat-rate pricing is the buyer-friendly model — confirm the structure and exclusions in writing before signing.