How Much Does SOC 2 Certification Cost? 2026 Price Breakdown

Short answer: A traditional SOC 2 certification cost lands around $25,000 to $100,000 or more in year one once you add readiness consulting, a compliance platform, the independent CPA audit, a penetration test, and security staff time. Strac Comply does the same work from $4,995 per year (Platform) to $12,995 per year (Security-First, which bundles the audit, a penetration test, and Strac DLP). This post breaks down every line item so you can compare apples to apples.

One clarification, because this post lives on Strac.io. The prices here are for Strac Comply, Strac’s compliance product: $4,995 Platform, $8,995 Certified (adds the SOC 2 audit and a human vCISO), and $12,995 Security-First (adds a penetration test plus Strac DLP for Slack, Google Workspace, and AI tools). The full Strac data-security platform, endpoint DLP, cloud DSPM, and MCP DLP, is licensed separately. So $4,995 is the price of Strac Comply, not of Strac’s DLP or DSPM.

✨ What actually goes into SOC 2 cost

"SOC 2 cost", "SOC 2 audit cost", and "SOC 2 certification cost" are really the same five line items, quoted separately. Here is the full stack with typical market ranges and what each costs inside Strac Comply.

📉 SOC 2 audit cost vs certification cost, and what moves the number

People search "SOC 2 audit cost" and "SOC 2 certification cost" for the same thing: the all-in price to earn a report. A Type I report checks control design at a point in time and is cheaper; a Type II report checks that controls operated over a 3 to 12 month window, so it costs more, and most customers only accept Type II. Company size, audit scope, your auditor, and timeline all move the number. Automating evidence shortens the clock and the bill. See our deep dives on SOC 2 Type II, the SOC 2 audit, and the SOC 2 checklist.

✨ Everything you get inside Strac Comply

From $4,995 a year, Strac Comply covers the full SOC 2 lifecycle, not just a checklist.

• 100+ automated tests mapped to the Trust Services Criteria, each with a named fix when it fails.
• Evidence agent that collects proof continuously, so you are always audit-ready.
• MCP server to run compliance from Claude Code, Cursor, or Codex, which sales-led tools cannot do.
• Trust portal and auditor portal so buyers and your auditor get what they need in one click.
• Vendor risk and data discovery mapped to specific controls such as CC6.7, because Strac is a data-security platform.

How to lower your SOC 2 cost

• Buy the audit and the automation together instead of stacking two vendors.
• Automate evidence collection so you are not paying people to screenshot controls.
• Scope tightly: only the systems in your trust boundary need testing.
• Pick a platform with flat, published pricing so the number does not move. Compare on our Vanta alternatives guide.

💳 Transparent Strac Comply pricing

Strac Comply publishes its full price ladder, no sales call required to see a number:

• Platform, $4,995 per year (or $499 per month): all five frameworks, 100+ automated tests, 100+ integrations, policies, risk register, vendor risk, trust portal, AI vCISO, and an MCP server. Self-serve, bring your own auditor.
• Certified, $8,995 per year (most popular): everything in Platform plus one SOC 2 Type I or Type II audit a year by an independent licensed CPA firm, and a human vCISO to get you audit-ready.
• Security-First, $12,995 per year: everything in Certified plus a human-led penetration test with retest, shadow IT and AI discovery, and Strac DLP for Slack, Google Workspace, and AI tools.

Every plan covers up to 10 employees (11 to 200 adds $1,995 a year), includes a 14-day free trial with no credit card, and has no per-framework fees. Platform is self-serve; Certified and Security-First are set up on a short call. Backed by Y Combinator.

One clarification, because this post lives on Strac.io. The prices here are for Strac Comply, Strac’s compliance product: $4,995 Platform, $8,995 Certified (adds the SOC 2 audit and a human vCISO), and $12,995 Security-First (adds a penetration test plus Strac DLP for Slack, Google Workspace, and AI tools). The full Strac data-security platform, endpoint DLP, cloud DSPM, and MCP DLP, is licensed separately. So $4,995 is the price of Strac Comply, not of Strac’s DLP or DSPM.

🎥 Watch: compliance without the sales call

Strac Comply: transparent pricing, no sales call.

Related reading

• SOC 2 compliance software
• SOC 2 audit
• Vanta alternatives
• ISO 27001 certification cost

Ready to see the real number for your team? Start a free Strac Comply trial, no credit card and no sales call on Platform.

🌶️ Spicy FAQs: SOC 2 cost

How much does SOC 2 certification cost in 2026?

A traditional SOC 2 runs $25,000 to $100,000 or more in year one across readiness consulting, a compliance platform, the independent CPA audit, a penetration test, and security staff time. Strac Comply ranges from $4,995 per year for the Platform to $12,995 for Security-First, which bundles the SOC 2 audit, a penetration test, and Strac DLP.

What is the difference between SOC 2 audit cost and certification cost?

They are the same thing in practice: the all-in price to earn a SOC 2 report. 'Certification cost' people usually mean the full program (readiness plus audit), while 'audit cost' means just the CPA's fee of roughly $12,000 to $50,000. Strac Comply's $8,995 Certified plan includes that audit on one invoice.

Is SOC 2 Type II more expensive than Type I?

Yes. Type I audits control design at a point in time and is cheaper. Type II audits how controls operated over a 3 to 12 month window, so it costs more. Most customers only accept Type II, so budgeting for Type I alone usually means paying twice.

Can a startup get SOC 2 for under $10,000?

Yes. Strac Comply Certified is $8,995 per year all-in with the audit for companies up to 10 employees, backed by Y Combinator, well under the $25,000-plus most startups quote when they buy the tool and the audit separately.

Does the SOC 2 price include a penetration test?

On Strac Comply, a human-led penetration test with retest is included on the $12,995 Security-First plan, or available as a $3,995 add-on to any plan. On the traditional path a pen test is a separate $4,000 to $15,000 line item.