How much does a SOC 2 Type 2 audit cost in 2026?
Across the 165 audit firms we track, a SOC 2 Type 2 examination typically runs $18,000–$90,000, but the audit fee is only part of the total. Here is the full line-item breakdown, real ranges by firm tier, and how to get your own number down.
Last updated July 20, 2026
The short answer
For most companies, the SOC 2 Type 2 audit fee — the fee the CPA firm charges to run the examination and issue the report — lands between $18,000 and $90,000, with a midpoint around $54,000. That is the median low-to-high range across the 165 firms in our directory. The full span runs from about $7,500 for a small boutique engagement on a tight scope to $400,000 for a Big Four examination of a large, complex organization. Tier of firm is the single biggest driver of that number.
Audit fee by firm tier
The same scope is quoted very differently depending on the tier of firm you approach. These are representative ranges compiled across the firms we track (directory estimates, not list prices — no firm publishes fixed SOC 2 pricing):
| Firm tier | Typical Type 2 fee | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Boutique / automation-led | $10,000–$40,000 | Startups, first-time audits, tight scope |
| National / mid-market | $18,000–$90,000 | Scale-ups, multi-framework, most B2B SaaS |
| Big Four | $75,000–$400,000 | Enterprises, regulated industries, brand-name demand |
The total cost is more than the audit fee
The examination fee is what most people mean by "the cost of SOC 2," but the true first-year budget includes several other line items. Plan for these:
- Audit fee (the examination itself): $10K–$90K for most companies, per the tiers above.
- Readiness assessment (optional but common for first-timers): roughly $10,000–$17,000, or bundled by some firms.
- Compliance automation platform (Vanta, Drata, Secureframe, Sprinto, etc.): about $7,500–$50,000 per year depending on company size and modules.
- Penetration test (expected by most auditors and buyers, though not strictly mandated): $4,000–$15,000.
- Internal labor: the largest hidden cost — engineering and security time to build controls, gather evidence, and answer auditor requests. Not a cash line, but real.
Type 1 vs Type 2: how the cost splits
A SOC 2 Type 1 report attests that controls are designed correctly at a single point in time; Type 2 tests that they operated effectively across an observation window (usually 3–12 months). Type 1 is faster and cheaper and is often used to unblock a deal while the Type 2 window runs — but doing both means paying for two examinations. See Type 1 vs Type 2 for how to choose, and how to reduce SOC 2 audit cost for the full playbook.
| Report | Typical fee | Timeline | What it proves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | $5,000–$60,000 | 3–6 weeks after readiness | Controls are designed correctly today |
| Type 2 | $18,000–$90,000 | Plus a 3–12 month observation window | Controls operated effectively over time |
The hidden costs nobody quotes upfront
The sticker price of the first audit understates the real commitment. Watch for:
- Annual renewal: SOC 2 is not one-and-done. Each year's Type 2 covers a new observation period, so budget the audit fee again every 12 months.
- Platform renewal hikes: compliance-automation vendors are widely reported to raise renewal quotes 20–40% year over year, and some cap questionnaire volume or charge add-ons for vendor risk modules.
- Scope creep: adding a Trust Services Criterion (Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, Privacy) or a second framework (ISO 27001, HIPAA) raises the fee.
- Remediation: if readiness surfaces gaps, closing them costs engineering time and sometimes new tooling before the audit can even start.
How to reduce the number without cutting corners
The goal is a clean report your buyers trust, at the lowest defensible cost. Levers that work:
- Right-size your scope: only include the Trust Services Criteria your customers actually ask for. Most start with Security (the required Common Criteria) alone.
- Match the firm tier to the demand: a boutique or national firm issues the same AICPA-recognized report as the Big Four for a fraction of the fee, unless a specific enterprise buyer demands a brand name.
- Compare three quotes on identical scope: because there are no list prices, the same engagement is quoted very differently firm to firm. Our free quote-matching flow returns three firms scoped the same way, and the audit cost calculator estimates your range before you talk to anyone.
- Use automation to cut labor, not to replace judgment: a platform reduces evidence-gathering time, but the audit fee itself is set by the firm.
- Skip an unnecessary Type 1: if no deal needs the interim report, go straight to Type 2 and save an examination fee.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a SOC 2 Type 2 audit cost in 2026?
The audit fee alone typically runs $18,000–$90,000 for most companies, with a midpoint around $54,000 across the 165 firms we track. Boutique firms start near $10,000; Big Four engagements can reach $400,000. Total first-year cost, including a readiness assessment, automation platform, and penetration test, is usually higher.
Why is SOC 2 so expensive?
Most of the fee pays for licensed CPA labor to plan the examination, test each control against evidence, and issue an opinion your customers can rely on. Company size, number of Trust Services Criteria, added frameworks, and the tier of firm you hire all push the number up.
What is the difference in cost between Type 1 and Type 2?
A Type 1 report ($5,000–$60,000) attests that controls are designed correctly at a point in time. A Type 2 report ($18,000–$90,000) additionally tests that they operated effectively across a 3–12 month window. Doing both means paying for two examinations.
What is the total first-year cost of SOC 2 beyond the audit fee?
Add an optional readiness assessment ($10,000–$17,000), a compliance-automation platform ($7,500–$50,000/year), and a penetration test ($4,000–$15,000). Internal engineering and security time is the largest non-cash cost.
Can compliance automation reduce the cost?
Automation platforms cut the internal labor of collecting and organizing evidence, which is often the biggest time cost, and can shorten the timeline. They do not reduce the auditor's examination fee itself, and the platform subscription is a new recurring cost to weigh.
How much does SOC 2 cost to renew each year?
SOC 2 Type 2 is recurring: each year's report covers a fresh observation window, so budget a similar audit fee every 12 months. Second-year fees are sometimes modestly lower once controls and evidence workflows are established.
Do cheaper auditors produce a worse report?
Not inherently. Every firm that issues a SOC 2 report must be an AICPA-licensed CPA firm, and a boutique firm's report carries the same recognition as a Big Four firm's. Price differences reflect brand, capacity, and industry specialization more than report validity — though you should verify AICPA peer-review status and avoid 'audit mills' promising a report in days.
Is there a fixed price list for SOC 2 audits?
No. Firms scope and quote each engagement individually, so the same company can receive quotes that differ by tens of thousands of dollars. The only reliable way to know your number is to get several quotes on identical scope.