How Much Does a SOC 2 Audit Cost?

A SOC 2 audit typically costs between $10,000 and $80,000 depending on your organization's size, audit type, and how prepared you are going in.

That range is because the variables that drive cost, from scope to auditor choice to remediation work, can push your total spend significantly higher or lower than the midpoint.

In this guide, we'll breakdown what drives SOC 2 audit costs, what you can expect to pay for Type 1 and Type 2 audits, and where most organizations end up spending more than they planned.

How Much Does a SOC 2 Audit Cost in 2026?

A SOC 2 audit has no flat rate. What you pay depends on your audit type, company size, and how much preparation work goes in before auditors get involved.

For most startups and mid-market companies, the audit fee alone ranges from $10,000 to $50,000. When you factor in readiness assessments, remediation, tooling, and internal staff time, the total investment typically lands between $30,000 and $150,000.

SOC 2 Type 1 Audit

Cost range: $5,000 to $25,000

A Type 1 audit reviews whether your security controls are properly designed at a specific point in time. Smaller companies covering only the Security Trust Service Criteria typically pay between $5,000 and $12,000. Organizations with more complex environments or additional criteria can push closer to $25,000.

SOC 2 Type 2 Audit

Cost range: $10,000 to $50,000

A Type 2 audit evaluates how your controls have performed over a defined observation period, typically three to twelve months. Small to mid-sized companies typically spend between $10,000 and $30,000. Larger organizations with broader scope can exceed $50,000 for the audit alone.

Additional Costs to Budget For

• Readiness assessment: $10,000 to $15,000
• Remediation work: $5,000 to $25,000
• Compliance automation tools: $2,500 to $10,000 annually
• Penetration testing: $5,000 to $15,000
• Staff security awareness training: $25 per user annually, up to $15,000 for trainer-led sessions
• Legal review of agreements and policies: $5,000 to $30,000

Sources:

• www.linfordco.com/blog/soc-audit-cost
• www.pungroup.cpa/blog/soc-2-cost
• www.secureleap.tech/blog/soc-2-certification-cost
• www.workstreet.com/blog/soc-2-audit-cost
• www.brightdefense.com/resources/soc-2-audit-costs

Understanding the Scope

One of the most critical steps is setting the scope. Why? Because scope directly impacts the audit’s timeline, complexity, and cost.

Scope is shaped by:

• Which Trust Service Criteria you include? (Security is mandatory; others are optional but often requested).
• The size and complexity of your systems, applications, and processes.
• The sensitivity and volume of customer data you handle.

For example, a lean SaaS startup handling minimal data may only focus on security. A large enterprise processing financial or healthcare records may need to include multiple criteria.

A well-defined scope keeps your audit focused, efficient, and aligned with business goals—without unnecessary spend.

Factors Influencing the Cost of an SOC 2 Audit

SOC 2 audit costs vary widely because several variables directly affect how much time and effort an audit requires. Understanding these upfront helps you budget accurately and avoid unexpected costs mid-engagement.

Here are the main factors that influence SOC 2 audit costs:

1. Size of the Organization
2. Scope of Audit
3. Preparation Efforts
4. Duration of the Audit
5. Audit Firm Expertise
6. Technology and Automation Tools

Let’s go into each of these factors in detail.

1. Size of the Organization

The larger your organization, the more systems, processes, and controls auditors need to review. A startup with a lean infrastructure and a single application is a fundamentally different engagement than an enterprise running multiple products across several regions. Headcount, number of systems in scope, and data volume all influence how long the audit takes and what it costs.

2. Scope of Audit

Security is the only mandatory Trust Service Criteria. Every additional criterion you include, availability, confidentiality, processing integrity, or privacy, adds documentation, evidence, and testing requirements. Organizations operating under GDPR or CCPA often need to include privacy, which requires detailed data mapping and policy assessments on top of standard security controls.

3. Audit Type

Type 1 covers control design at a point in time. Type 2 covers operating effectiveness over three to twelve months. The extended observation period, additional evidence gathering, and ongoing validation that Type 2 requires make it significantly more expensive than Type 1.

4. Readiness Going In

Organizations that complete a readiness assessment, address control gaps, and arrive at the audit with clean documentation consistently spend less. Those that skip preparation face longer reviews, more evidence requests, and higher auditor hours. The cost of poor readiness typically exceeds the cost of doing the prep work upfront.

5. Auditor Choice

Big Four firms carry the highest fees and the most recognized credentials. Mid-tier and boutique CPA firms offer competitive pricing with strong sector-specific experience, which is often the better fit for SaaS companies and mid-market organizations. Choosing the cheapest auditor available is a false economy since the credibility of your SOC 2 report depends significantly on who issued it.

6. Automation and Tooling

Compliance automation platforms reduce the manual evidence collection and documentation work that drives up auditor hours. They carry their own subscription costs, but organizations that use them consistently spend less on the audit itself and maintain a cleaner audit trail year-round.

The Real Value of SOC 2

At first glance, a SOC 2 audit can feel like a steep expense. Tens of thousands of dollars, recurring every year, with added costs for tools, remediation, and readiness work. But that price tag isn't telling the whole story.

The real return on investment is coming from the trust you're building. SOC 2 is signaling to customers, partners, and regulators that your organization is taking security and privacy seriously. In a world where one breach is eroding years of credibility overnight, that assurance isn't optional, it's a competitive advantage.

It's shortening sales cycles, unlocking enterprise deals, and positioning your company as a reliable steward of sensitive data.

Beyond the external benefits, the audit process is strengthening your own operations.

Teams are becoming more disciplined, processes are tightening, and risks are surfacing before they escalate.

Instead of viewing SOC 2 as a compliance checkbox, it's worth treating it as critical infrastructure. SOC 2 isn't just about passing an audit. It's about proving you can be trusted, year after year.

If you're looking to strengthen your security posture before or alongside your SOC 2 journey, Uproot Security's SOC 2 Compliance Framework gives you evidence that your controls hold up under real-world conditions, which auditors and enterprise customers both want to see.