If you're a SaaS company, government contractor, or any business handling sensitive customer data, SOC 2 certification has likely become a requirement rather than an option. But as you start researching the process, one question quickly rises to the top: how much does SOC 2 certification cost?
The short answer? For startups and small-to-medium businesses in the US, SOC 2 certification typically costs between $20,000 and $85,000 for initial certification, with ongoing maintenance costs of $10,000 to $40,000 annually.
However, the complete picture is more nuanced, with various factors significantly impacting the total investment.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll discuss the real costs of SOC 2 certification, both direct expenses and hidden costs , to help you budget accurately and avoid unexpected financial surprises on your compliance journey.
When budgeting for SOC 2 certification, it's important to understand that the costs fall into several distinct categories, including audit fees, preparation and remediation, documentation, and ongoing maintenance.
Here are the four categories to consider when determining how much SOC 2 certification will cost your organization.
The most visible cost of SOC 2 certification is the audit itself, conducted by a CPA firm. These fees vary based on:
Before an auditor arrives, you'll need to prepare your environment and address security gaps:
The remediation costs vary dramatically based on your current security maturity. Organizations with robust security programs may spend minimally here, while those starting from scratch face significant investments.
SOC 2 requires extensive documentation of security policies and procedures, including the following:
While you could develop these internally, many companies opt for professional assistance to ensure thoroughness and compliance, and this can cost up to $10,000.
SOC 2 certification requires continuous maintenance, with the following associated costs:
Beyond the direct expenses outlined above, several hidden costs can significantly impact your total investment, including how you allocate your internal resources, opportunity costs and technological investments.
Your team will need to dedicate substantial time to the certification process, and this can add up substantially:
According to industry estimates, the internal labor cost typically reaches $20,000 to $50,000 in staff time, particularly if you don't have dedicated compliance personnel.
While your team focuses on compliance, they're not driving other business initiatives, and this can lead to lost revenue due to the following:
For growing companies, these opportunity costs can be substantial, sometimes exceeding the direct financial investment.
Many organizations need to implement new security tools to meet SOC 2 requirements, including those listed below:
These tools represent ongoing operational costs beyond the certification itself.
While SOC 2 certification requires significant investment, several strategies can help contain costs without compromising compliance, including implementing in phases, using compliance automation, and choosing the right audit partner.
While SOC 2 certification requires a meaningful investment, there are several practical ways to control expenses without sacrificing compliance. These include phasing your implementation, using automation tools, carefully selecting your auditor, and preparing thoroughly before the audit begins.
Instead of tackling all Trust Services Criteria at once, begin with the Security category, which is mandatory for all SOC 2 reports.
This allows you to spread costs out over time while gaining experience before expanding into additional areas like Availability, Confidentiality, or Privacy.
Taking this incremental approach not only reduces upfront costs but also minimizes disruption during the early stages of your compliance efforts.
Compliance automation platforms can significantly reduce the time and resources required to meet SOC 2 requirements. Tools that automatically collect evidence can cut manual effort by as much as 60 to 80%.
Many platforms also provide pre-built policy templates, eliminating the need to develop documentation from scratch, and continuous monitoring features that simplify long-term compliance.
Although these tools typically cost between $10,000 and $30,000 annually, they can offset $30,000 to $50,000 in manual labor and consulting fees.
The audit firm you choose has a direct impact on your certification costs. Regional CPA firms often offer more competitive pricing than larger national firms.
Auditors with experience in your specific industry or with your technology stack are more likely to work efficiently and avoid unnecessary delays.
It’s important to balance cost with quality as going with the lowest bidder can backfire if the auditor lacks expertise and demands more of your internal team's time.
The more prepared your organization is before the audit, the less time (and money) you’ll spend during the review process. Conducting an internal readiness assessment allows you to identify and resolve gaps before the formal audit begins.
Organizing evidence in a clear, structured way and ensuring that your team is trained on relevant security policies will streamline the auditor’s work. Well-prepared companies typically reduce audit costs by 20% to 30% compared to those that require heavy auditor guidance.
When evaluating SOC 2 certification costs, it's essential to consider the return on investment, as SOC 2 certification brings your business many economic benefits, including expanded business opportunities, better cybersecurity, and increased operational efficiency:
For many organizations, SOC 2 certification is required to:
The revenue opportunities unlocked by certification often dwarf the certification costs. Many businesses report 20% to 40% sales cycle acceleration after achieving SOC 2 certification, with particular impact on enterprise deals worth $100K+ annually.
The average data breach costs US companies $4.9 million, according to IBM's 2024 Cost of a Data Breach Report. By implementing SOC 2 controls, organizations significantly reduce breach risk and associated costs:
When viewed through the lens of risk reduction, SOC 2 certification becomes an insurance policy rather than merely a compliance expense.
While compliance efforts initially consume resources, they often yield operational benefits, such as the following:
These efficiency gains generate ongoing returns that offset compliance maintenance costs.
Cost expectations vary significantly depending on the size of your organization.
For startups, a SOC 2 Type 1 certification typically costs between $20,000 and $40,000. A Type 2 certification ranges from $35,000 to $60,000 in total. Ongoing annual maintenance generally falls between $10,000 and $20,000.
Companies in the growth stage can expect to pay $30,000 to $60,000 for a Type 1 certification. A Type 2 certification usually costs between $45,000 and $75,000. Annual maintenance expenses typically range from $15,000 to $30,000.
Mid-sized organizations should budget approximately $45,000 to $70,000 for a Type 1 SOC 2 certification. Type 2 certification costs are usually between $60,000 and $85,000. Ongoing annual maintenance is generally between $20,000 and $40,000.
For many organizations, particularly those without dedicated security teams, managed compliance services offer a more efficient path to SOC 2 certification.
BEMO's managed compliance solution combines technology automation with expert guidance to streamline the certification process. This approach offers several advantages:
When comparing managed compliance costs to the combined expenses of DIY certification (direct costs plus internal resource allocation), many organizations find that managed services provide better value while reducing compliance risk.
Strategic timing can optimize your SOC 2 certification investment. Here’s how to perfectly time the SOC 2 certification process for the best results:
The worst approach is waiting until a major customer demands certification with an urgent deadline, forcing rushed implementation at premium costs.
While budget considerations are important, the cost of delaying SOC 2 certification often exceeds the certification expense itself, due to the following reasons:
For most growing technology companies handling sensitive data, SOC 2 certification isn't a question of "if" but "when", and sooner typically proves more economical than later.
SOC 2 certification represents a significant investment, but one that yields substantial returns when approached strategically. To maximize value:
By viewing SOC 2 certification as a strategic investment rather than a necessary evil, organizations can transform compliance expenses into business enablement that drives growth and builds customer trust.
Ready to efficiently navigate your SOC 2 certification journey? Book a demo with BEMO's compliance experts to learn how our managed compliance solutions can reduce your costs and accelerate your path to certification.
Starting with a Type 1 audit focused on the Security criteria and using automation can lower your upfront costs.
Most organizations complete initial certification in 4 to 6 months, though timelines vary based on readiness.
SOC 2 is not pass/fail, but the report will note deficiencies. Gaps may result in delayed deals or follow-up audits.
Yes, ongoing monitoring, tool subscriptions, and preparation for annual audits usually cost $10,000 to $40,000 per year.
Many companies still pursue SOC 2 for North American clients, even with ISO 27001, as they address different markets and formats.