SOC 2 penetration testing services and firms compared.

SOC 2 penetration testing shortlist

A quick comparison of 10 verified independent firms from the SOC 2-support directory. Compare the fields shown here, then confirm scope, tester experience, retest terms, and report format in each proposal.

Published attributes for the shortlist

Every field below comes from the firm's published record. "Not published" means we could not verify a public value; we do not guess prices or show turnaround times that are not comparable across the set.

Does SOC 2 require a penetration test?

SOC 2 criteria do not specifically require penetration testing. An auditor may still ask for a recent independent test as supporting evidence for vulnerability management or security monitoring, depending on the system and control environment. The absence of a pentest does not automatically determine the audit opinion, but it can lead to follow-up questions.

Some enterprise security questionnaires also ask for a recent third-party test alongside the SOC 2 report. If the test supports a customer review, an audit, or both, agree on the scope and report format before the engagement starts.

Vulnerability scan vs. penetration test

A vulnerability scan uses automated tools to identify known weaknesses. A penetration test adds human analysis and controlled exploitation to show whether weaknesses can be chained, what an attacker could reach, and what the business impact may be. NIST treats scanning and penetration testing as different techniques that can serve different assessment goals.

A scan may support vulnerability-management evidence, but it may not answer questions about exploitability or attack paths. Use recurring scans for broad monitoring and a human-led pentest when you need evidence about how an attacker could move through the system.

Some PTaaS products combine automated scanning with manual validation. Ask how much active tester time is included, which systems and roles are in scope, and whether the report separates tool findings from human-validated findings.

How much does penetration testing for SOC 2 cost?

Use $8,000 to $25,000 as a planning band for a standard SOC 2-scoped SaaS test, not as a firm-confirmed market rate. Scope, complexity, tester seniority, reporting, and retest requirements determine the quote; a narrow entry package and a multi-application assessment are different purchases.

Factors that increase cost include large or poorly defined system boundaries, multiple authentication tiers, extensive API surface, cloud infrastructure testing alongside the application layer, and same-cycle retesting written into the contract. Factors that decrease cost include a tight, well-documented SOC 2 boundary, prior test results the firm can reference for delta testing, and fixed-scope packages sold by specialist firms.

Budget options exist below $8,000 for startups with a narrow scope. Some specialist firms publish entry prices from $2,800 for a focused assessment, but the scope and deliverable may differ materially from a full manual test. Confirm what is included, then use the SOC 2 pentest cost guide to compare pricing drivers and line items.

When should the SOC 2 pentest happen?

Run the test once the production system boundary is stable, leave time to remediate material findings, and collect retest evidence before the auditor reviews the package. For a Type 2 audit, that often means testing before or early in the observation period.

For a Type 1 audit, ask the auditor whether the test should be complete by the report date. The right timing depends on the scope, the controls being evaluated, and what evidence the auditor has agreed to review.

What are SOC 2 penetration testing services?

SOC 2 penetration testing services test the systems inside your SOC 2 boundary and produce a technical report that may support the audit. The testing firm does not issue the SOC 2 attestation. Ask the firm and your auditor what scope, remediation evidence, retest terms, and framework mapping the final package should include.

Look for a provider that understands your system boundary and can explain its manual testing approach. The options below include curated auditor-linked or partner providers, followed by independent firms that explicitly publish SOC 2 framework support. The shortlist earlier on this page uses verified independent records from that second population.

Curated auditor-linked and partner options

Sponsored or partner links are marked nofollow where applicable. Pricing notes are directional and depend on application size, cloud scope, authenticated testing, API coverage, and retesting needs.

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