Type I
Point-in-time design evaluation. Usually lower examination effort and fee than Type II because there is no observation period for operating effectiveness.
2026 guide & free calculator
How Much Does SOC 2 Cost? (2026 Guide & Calculator)
How much will SOC 2 actually cost your company?
Estimate your first-year SOC 2 budget — from independent CPA audit fees to preparation, security testing, compliance software, and internal team effort.
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- No email required
- Transparent assumptions
- Personalized cost breakdown
SOC 2 is an independent attestation examination resulting in a report — not a certification. AuditBird does not perform audits or issue SOC 2 reports.
Free interactive calculator
Estimate your SOC 2 budget
Results update as you change inputs. Figures are planning ranges with transparent assumptions — not CPA quotations. No account or email required. Individual budget inputs are not sent to analytics.
Type I evaluates control design at a point in time. Type II also evaluates operating effectiveness over a period.
Complexity is separate from headcount — one product can still be operationally hard.
Indicative planning categories, not guaranteed pricing tiers. SOC 2 reports are issued through an independent CPA examination. AuditBird is not the auditor.
Optional. Zero incremental software cost is allowed. AuditBird pricing is not auto-included.
A penetration test is not universally mandated as a standalone SOC 2 purchase.
Internal effort assumptions
Editable defaults. Loaded hourly costs are planning assumptions, not payroll data we store.
Your estimated SOC 2 budget
First-year Type II program
Cash budget (low → high)
$23,500 – $99,000
Planning estimate: $48,000
- Cash budget
- $23,500 – $99,000
- Internal team effort
- $26,000 – $36,500
- Economic total
- $49,500 – $135,500
Subsequent-year cash planning: $16,000 – $43,000. Optional 3-year cash planning total: $55,500 – $185,000.
Cash cost breakdown
Independent CPA examination$8,000 – $11,000
External readiness support$2,500 – $6,000
Compliance software (annual)$3,000 – $12,000
Security testing$5,000 – $20,000
Control remediation$5,000 – $50,000
| Cost category | Low | Planning | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent CPA examination | $8,000 | $9,500 | $11,000 |
| External readiness support | $2,500 | $4,000 | $6,000 |
| Compliance software (annual) | $3,000 | $7,500 | $12,000 |
| Security testing | $5,000 | $12,000 | $20,000 |
| Control remediation | $5,000 | $15,000 | $50,000 |
| Internal effort | $26,000 | $30,500 | $36,500 |
Budget insights
- The CPA fee is only one budget line. Independent examination fees sit alongside preparation, optional software, testing, remediation, and internal effort. Plan the cash budget and the economic total separately.
- Readiness is a major cost driver. With limited preparation, external guidance and remediation often rival or exceed the examination fee — improving ownership and evidence before fieldwork can shrink those lines.
- Software is optional and separate from the CPA fee. Compliance platforms can organize work, but purchasing software does not itself produce a SOC 2 report. An independent CPA firm still performs the examination.
- Internal effort is a material planning item. Founder, engineering, and security hours are often the largest economic cost even when invoices look smaller. They are not external cash unless you hire contractors.
Ways to reduce SOC 2 costs responsibly
- • Define written audit scope before requesting CPA quotes.
- • Name control owners and organize evidence before fieldwork.
- • Reuse existing policies and technical controls where they match operations.
- • Compare auditor engagement scope and fees on the same written brief.
- • Avoid overlapping compliance software subscriptions that do not change examination outcomes.
- • Close material control gaps before the examination period starts.
- • Coordinate testing and remediation timelines so findings do not cascade into rushed spend.
Explore AuditBird's planned pricing
Independent market estimates above do not use AuditBird prices. AuditBird is early access; these are planned launch prices and do not include the CPA examination.
Starter
$99/mo
Growth
$249/mo
Scale
$499/mo
Make SOC 2 preparation more manageable.
AuditBird is being built to help lean teams organize compliance responsibilities, track controls, and manage the work behind ongoing compliance.
Assumptions for each line
Independent CPA examination
Independent CPA examination fee estimate for a budget-focused specialist engagement, adjusted for Trust Services Criteria count and technical complexity.
- • Base specialist Type II band for 11–25 employees before scope adjustments.
- • Criteria factor ×1 (Security only).
- • Complexity factor ×1.12.
- • Excludes readiness, software, testing, remediation, and internal labor.
Sources: SOC 2 Auditors · SOC 2 Auditors
External readiness support
External gap assessment / readiness support cash estimate based on published readiness-program starting prices, adjusted for current readiness and company size.
- • Support level: Limited external guidance.
- • Readiness adjustment ×1.
- • Packages that may bundle the CPA examination are not double-counted as audit fees.
Sources: SOC 2 Auditors · SOC 2 Type 2
Compliance software (annual)
Optional annual compliance software planning range. Software does not produce a SOC 2 report by itself.
- • Software option: Budget software.
- • Anchored to published tooling ranges ($5k–$30k/yr common synthesis; directory platform bands for larger orgs).
Sources: SOC 2 Type 2 · SOC 2 Auditors
Security testing
Security testing cash estimate. Not every SOC 2 engagement requires a purchased penetration test — confirm with your auditor and risk profile.
- • Testing option: Standard application penetration test.
- • Limited-scope $3k–$11k and SOC 2-scoped $5k–$20k anchors from published cost-guide inputs.
Sources: SOC 2 Auditors · SOC 2 Auditors
Control remediation
Buyer-reported remediation planning band adjusted for readiness and complexity. Actual spend depends on gaps found.
- • Published buyer-reported remediation planning range about $5,000–$50,000.
- • Readiness factor ×1.
Sources: SOC 2 Auditors · SOC 2 Auditors
Model last reviewed 2026-10-09. All figures are planning estimates, not CPA quotations or guaranteed prices. SOC 2 is an attestation examination resulting in a report — not a certification. AuditBird does not perform SOC 2 examinations and AuditBird subscription fees are not included unless you enter them as custom software. Directory and published ranges can differ from scoped proposals for your systems and evidence.
How much does SOC 2 cost in 2026?
Published and directory-sourced planning ranges put specialist CPA Type II examination fees roughly from the high four figures into the mid five figures for many small-to-mid scopes, while full-service and large-firm listed bands run higher. All-in first-year cash — examination plus optional readiness, software, testing, and remediation — commonly plans from about $10,000 for a prepared small team into six figures for larger, low-readiness organizations.
Distinguish the independent CPA examination fee from the full program budget. Internal staff time is a separate economic cost and should not be mistaken for an external invoice. See SOC 2 for startups for the founder-led path.
SOC 2 Type I vs Type II costs
Type II
Design plus operating effectiveness over a defined period. More evidence sampling and calendar time — typically higher fees and more internal effort.
Not automatic sequencing
Type I is not always required before Type II. Ask what customers actually need before locking the calendar.
SOC 2 cost breakdown
A practical budget usually includes several categories. The calculator prices each line separately so totals reconcile.
Independent CPA examination
The attestation engagement fee paid to a qualified CPA firm that issues the SOC 2 report.
Readiness consulting
Optional gap assessments or readiness programs. Not required if your team can prepare internally.
Compliance software
Optional platforms for controls, evidence, and ownership. Software does not produce the report.
Security testing & remediation
Penetration tests and control fixes when your risk profile or auditor expectations call for them.
Internal team effort
Engineering, security, and leadership hours — often the largest economic cost, shown separately from cash.
SOC 2 cost for startups
Startups often optimize for a specialist CPA firm, Security-only scope, and heavy internal ownership. Consulting and software are optional levers — not mandatory line items. Use the free readiness assessment and SOC 2 checklist before you spend on overlapping services.
What affects SOC 2 pricing?
Company size & complexity
More people and systems usually mean larger samples and more interviews — but size and technical complexity are not identical.
Trust Services Criteria
Security is the baseline. Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy are optional expansions.
Readiness & auditor choice
Documented controls and organized evidence reduce scramble spend. Specialist, mid-market, and large firms price differently.
First-year versus annual SOC 2 costs
First year often includes readiness and remediation that may not fully repeat. Subsequent years still need an examination and usually keep tooling and testing. Do not assume a fixed renewal discount — scope and vendors change. Compare with SOC 2 automation for continuous-program thinking.
How to reduce SOC 2 costs responsibly
Define scope before quoting, name owners, reuse real policies, compare auditors on the same brief, avoid duplicate software, and close material gaps before fieldwork. Never trust a promised fixed percentage of savings.
Is SOC 2 worth the cost?
For many B2B SaaS companies, SOC 2 is a procurement gate rather than a vanity project. It can unlock enterprise conversations and structure security work — but it does not guarantee revenue. Budget for the report your buyers ask for, not a generic maximum package.
SOC 2 cost versus compliance software cost
Buying a platform organizes preparation. Only an independent CPA firm issues a SOC 2 report after examination. Explore commercial software criteria on the
SOC 2 compliance software page, and keep platform fees out of your CPA quote comparison.
Methodology & sources
The calculator starts from specialist Security-only base bands, then applies documented criteria and complexity factors. Mid-market and enterprise auditor options use directory listed-estimate bands with soft size scaling. Preparation, software, testing, and remediation lines use published package and market ranges. Internal labor uses your editable hours and rates and never enters cash totals unless you opt into the economic total. Model last reviewed 2026-10-09.
- System and Organization Controls (SOC) suite of services
AICPA & CIMA · checked 2026-10-09
Defines SOC reporting concepts and that examinations are performed by independent CPAs. Does not publish market prices.
- SOC 2 audit cost in 2026: fees and budget
SOC 2 Auditors · published 2026-10-05 · checked 2026-10-09
Range note: Specialist Type 2 directory band $15,500–$50,000; startup specialist Type 2 budgets $7,000–$10,000 (1–50 staff, Security-only, ready)
Directory bands are medians of listed min/max estimates, not paid transaction prices. Buyer ballparks are early estimates before full scoping.
- Pricing data sources: SOC 2 audit cost ranges
SOC 2 Auditors · published 2026-10-05 · checked 2026-10-09
Range note: Type 2/Type 1 median listed-minimum ratio 1.53; criteria factors 1.0–1.6; readiness programs $4,000–$20,000 published
Documents calculation methods, published readiness fees, and calculator size/scope adjustments. Independent verification recommended.
- SOC 2 Audit Cost in 2026: Real Price Ranges + Estimator
SOC 2 Type 2 · published 2026-09 · checked 2026-10-09
Range note: Type 2 audit fee synthesis $7,000–$100,000; small SaaS often $12,000–$30,000; tooling $5,000–$30,000/yr
Synthesis of vendor and open-source published ranges. Not a transaction dataset. Used as a cross-check, not sole authority.
- AuditBird planned launch pricing
AuditBird · checked 2026-10-09
Range note: $99 / $249 / $499 per month (Starter / Growth / Scale)
Planned launch pricing for AuditBird only. Not used inside the independent market estimate. Does not include CPA examination fees.
Questions
Independent CPA examination fees commonly plan in the mid four figures to low six figures depending on firm type, scope, and readiness. Specialist Type II directory planning bands often cite about $15,500–$50,000, while budget-focused startup Type II engagements can plan nearer $7,000–$15,000 for small, Security-only scopes. Always get scoped quotes.
Budget first. Then organize the work.
Use the calculator to plan cash and effort. Join early access if you want a practical way to run the program afterward.
SOC 2 · ISO 27001 · EU AI Act · More coming