Pricing benchmark
What a SOC 2 audit costs in 2026
The SOC 2 audit fee spans from roughly $15K for a boutique Type 2 to around $400K for a Big Four enterprise engagement — but the audit is only part of the picture. Here’s how the fee breaks down by firm tier, and what the full first-year program costs.
Ranges reflect typical market norms by firm tier, benchmarked against public market data across many firms. No firm publishes a fixed price — use the calculator for an indicative estimate, then get real quotes.
SOC 2 cost calculator
Estimated audit fee
$12K–$35K
The CPA audit fee only — typically 40–60% of total first-year spend. Add readiness, a compliance platform, and a pen test for the full program (see below). An indicative range, not a quote.
| Firm tier | Typical range | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Boutique | $7.5K–$45K | Specialist firms focused on SOC 2. Fast, founder-friendly pricing, strong for startups and scale-ups. |
| Automation-led | $12K–$45K | Audit paired with a compliance-automation platform. Fastest to first report; best when you also need tooling. |
| National firm | $12K–$150K | Established CPA firms with deep SOC benches. Balanced cost, credibility with most enterprise buyers. |
| Big Four | $75K–$400K | Global brand-name assurance. Highest cost, longest timelines, used when enterprise buyers demand the logo. |
Audit fee vs. total cost of compliance
The tier ranges above are the CPA audit fee — typically only 40–60% of what a first SOC 2 actually costs. Budget for the full program: most startups land around $25K–$50K all-in, while complex enterprise programs run well into six figures. Year two is usually cheaper once controls are established.
| Cost component | Typical range | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| CPA audit fee (Type 2) | $15K–$100K+ | The examination itself. Boutique to national for most companies; Big Four enterprise engagements run higher. |
| Readiness assessment | $5K–$25K | Optional pre-audit gap check, billed separately before fieldwork. |
| Compliance platform | $7.5K–$60K/yr | Vanta, Drata, Secureframe, Sprinto and similar — automates evidence collection. |
| Penetration test | $8K–$30K | Widely expected by auditors and customers; scope drives the price. |
| Internal team time | 80–500+ hrs | Engineering and security hours for remediation and evidence — a real, often-overlooked cost. |
What drives the price
- Report type
- Type 2 costs more than Type 1 because it tests controls over a period, not a point in time — fieldwork runs roughly 2–4× longer.
- Observation window
- A 12-month Type 2 window means more evidence sampling than a 3- or 6-month one, which raises the fee.
- Number of frameworks & criteria
- Each added Trust Services Criterion adds roughly 15–30%; stacking ISO 27001, HIPAA, or PCI raises scope further.
- Company size & complexity
- More systems, people, locations, and subservice providers mean more controls to test.
- Firm tier
- Brand-name and Big Four firms charge a premium over boutiques for comparable scope — often 3–5×.
- Evidence readiness
- Walking in audit-ready shortens fieldwork; a messy environment adds auditor hours and remediation cost.
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