What is SOC 2?

SOC 2 is a U.S.-based audit standard built around five trust principles—security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. It’s focused on how service providers manage customer data and is essential for SaaS businesses courting enterprise clients.

Why SOC 2 matters for SaaS

  • Buyers expect it—enterprise and mid-market customers often require a SOC 2 report before signing contracts
  • Proves internal rigor—shows you have controls, monitoring, and incident response in place
  • Supports future compliance—sets strong foundations for GDPR, ISO 27001, and other audits
  • Drives process maturity—encourages best practices in access, logging, recovery, and updates

SOC 2 Trust Service Criteria

SOC 2 evaluates a system against these key areas:

  1. Security – Protection against unauthorized access
  2. Availability – System uptime and performance
  3. Processing Integrity – Accuracy and reliability of system processing
  4. Confidentiality – Protection of sensitive information
  5. Privacy – Handling of personal identifiable information according to policy

Most SaaS companies focus primarily on security, with availability or confidentiality as needed.

SOC 2 Type I vs Type II

  • Type I: Snapshot of your controls at a specific point in time
  • Type II: Assessment of controls operating effectively over a period (typically 3–12 months)

Type I is useful for demonstrating control design, while Type II offers deeper assurance for customers.

Preparing for a SOC 2 Audit

  1. Define Scope – Identify systems, teams, and service boundaries
  2. Gap Assessment – Compare existing policies and processes against criteria
  3. Policy and Control Implementation – Establish documentation, monitoring, access controls, incident response
  4. Remediation – Address gaps found during assessment
  5. Type I Audit – Engagement with certified auditor for design review
  6. Type II Monitoring Period – Operate under agreed timeframe
  7. Type II Audit – Validate ongoing effectiveness of controls

This typically takes 4–6 months for a lean SaaS team—even less with automation tools.

Automating SOC 2 Readiness

Tools like Secfix, Drata, and Vanta help with evidence collection, policy tracking, user access reviews, and control mapping.
For startups seeking fast setup, ongoing guidance, and flexible support, Secfix often delivers a smoother experience—though all platforms cover core needs.

Common SOC 2 Preparation Challenges

  • Undefined scope — concentrate on core systems and customer data
  • Documentation delays — use templates and collaboration workflows
  • Evidence collection gaps — automate log integration and alerts
  • Auditor communication — appoint an internal owner and maintain structured updates

SOC 2 vs Other Frameworks

  • SOC 2 vs ISO 27001: SOC 2 is US-centric and auditor-audited; ISO 27001 is global and self-hosted
  • SOC 2 & GDPR: Helps meet GDPR controls for data protection, monitoring, and incident response
  • SOC 2 & HIPAA: Security and availability controls support HIPAA compliance in health-related SaaS

Final Thoughts

For SaaS providers, a SOC 2 report is often the first trust signal external buyers look for. It proves your control environment and readiness for enterprise relationships. With the right tooling and preparation, it’s far more manageable than many teams expect.

Looking for templates, evidence templates, or tool comparison to choose automation software? Check our next guides and comparison posts.

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