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How much does a SOC 2 audit cost? A practical 2026 budget (time + money)

If you’re preparing for a SOC 2 audit because a buyer asked for it (or you know they will), the natural next question is: how much does a SOC 2 audit cost?

The honest answer is that SOC 2 costs are a mix of:

Direct spend (the CPA firm’s audit fee, plus any consultants/tools you add)
Internal time (engineering, IT, security, HR, and leadership time to implement controls and produce evidence)

This guide gives you a realistic budgeting range for both.

This guide covers:

Typical audit fees for SOC 2 Type 1 vs Type 2
The most common prep costs (readiness assessments, consultants, and security tools)
The biggest cost drivers (scope, systems, and criteria)
How automation can reduce time spent on evidence collection and audit back-and-forth

Trying to understand where the budget went

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Related guides:

Key takeaways

Budget for both money and time. The audit fee is only one line item; internal evidence work and readiness activities often dominate the experience.
Audit fees typically fall in the (10)k–(50)k range, with higher ranges for complex environments, broader scope, and Type 2 observation periods.
Type 2 usually costs more than Type 1 because it tests operating effectiveness over time and often involves more evidence volume and review effort.
Readiness assessments and consultant support can add (10)k–(25)k+ depending on what you outsource and how mature your controls already are.
Automation reduces cost when it removes manual evidence collection and makes it easy to answer auditor questions quickly (instead of chasing screenshots across owners).

SOC 2 audit cost at a glance

Use this as a starting point for planning.

Cost area	Typical range	What it includes
Audit fee (CPA firm)	(10)k–(50)k (often higher for complex orgs)	Fieldwork, testing, reporting (Type 1 or Type 2)
Readiness assessment (optional)	(10)k+	Gap analysis, scope confirmation, control design feedback
Security + compliance tools (varies)	(0)–(10)k+	Endpoint, vulnerability mgmt, background checks, logging, etc.
Consultant help (optional)	(0)–(10)k+	Policies, control design, training, and audit project management
Internal time (often underestimated)	Varies	Engineering, IT, security, HR, and leadership time for evidence + fixes

These ranges are directional. Your audit firm, scope, trust criteria, and environment complexity can move numbers significantly.

Time investment to earn a SOC 2 without automation

There are two main phases of a SOC 2: preparing for an audit, and the audit itself.

Companies prepare for an audit by assessing their security gaps, putting security controls and practices in place, and documenting those practices. This process typically takes anywhere from one to five months, depending on the scale of the company and whether they choose to hire a security consultant to help draft policies and define controls.

During this time, engineers are often tasked with reviewing security practices, changing configurations, and gathering records for the audit (for example, screenshotting dashboards or pulling log files). Some companies distribute this burden to other departments, but because SOC 2 focuses on technical security, engineering’s involvement is usually unavoidable.

During the audit, an auditor will either visit your office or join your team’s leadership on a video call. These sessions can take full days—and longer for larger companies—and typically require dedicated time to go through your security and engineering practices in detail. Your team may also be asked to provide additional evidence as needed.

If you want a calendar view (Type 1 vs Type 2 timelines), see: how long a SOC 2 audit really takes.

Financial costs of a SOC 2 audit (audit fees)

Audit fees vary by:

Organization size
Audit firm brand and pricing model
Systems and scope complexity
Trust Services Criteria in scope (Security is required; others add work)
Type 1 vs Type 2 (Type 2 generally involves more evidence over time)

In many cases, SOC 2 audit fees range between (10)k and (50)k.

Some teams budget using a simple rule of thumb:

SOC 2 Type 1: commonly (10)k–(25)k
SOC 2 Type 2: commonly (25)k–(60)k+

Your firm and your scope are the real determinants—treat these numbers as planning ranges, not quotes.

Additional SOC 2 audit prep costs (readiness, tools, consultants)

Beyond the CPA firm’s audit fee, there are a few common “hidden” cost categories that change your total budget.

Readiness assessment (optional)

A readiness assessment helps you determine whether your security practices and evidence are ready for an audit.

While it’s possible to conduct a readiness assessment in-house, many teams outsource this work to a consultant—especially for a first SOC 2. The cost of an external readiness assessment often starts around (10)k and scales with company size and scope.

Security tools (varies)

Depending on where you start, you may need additional tools to support your control narrative. Common examples include:

Background checks for workforce screening (where appropriate)
Laptop configuration checks (disk encryption, OS baselines, antivirus/EDR)
Vulnerability scanning and remediation workflows
Centralized logging and alerting improvements

These tools may add another (0)–(10)k+, depending on what you already have.

Additional audit prep (optional consultant support)

Some teams outsource pieces of readiness work, including:

Writing and tailoring security policies
Defining control ownership and cadence
Training program setup and tracking
Audit project management (PBC lists, evidence requests, deadlines)

These costs can add another (0)–(10)k+ depending on how much you delegate.

Your “all-in” budget range

Between prep work and the audit itself, many teams land in a wide all-in range—from (10)k to (80)k+—depending on how much is already in place and how much you outsource.

Also note: SOC 2 is typically annual, so you should plan for recurring audit fees and ongoing program maintenance.

What drives SOC 2 audit cost up or down?

If you want to forecast cost more accurately, pressure-test these drivers early:

Audit type: Type 1 vs Type 2 (and the length of the Type 2 observation window)
Scope: products, entities, environments, regions, and teams in-scope
Systems complexity: number of cloud accounts, IdPs, CI/CD paths, production environments, and data flows
Trust Services Criteria: adding Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and/or Privacy increases evidence needs
Evidence quality: clear timestamps, ownership, and repeatable exports reduce auditor back-and-forth
Owner responsiveness: delays often come from internal follow-ups, not audit testing itself

How to reduce SOC 2 audit cost without cutting corners

Here are practical cost reducers that also improve audit outcomes:

Lock scope early. Scope churn causes rework in policies, system descriptions, and evidence mapping.
Assign control owners with deadlines. “Everyone owns it” is expensive during fieldwork.
Standardize evidence conventions. Naming, time ranges, and recurring exports prevent re-requests.
Do a lightweight readiness assessment. Even a short gap review can prevent expensive mid-audit surprises.
Centralize evidence and keep it current. When evidence is scattered, you pay in internal time.

Get started with SOC 2 automation (SecureSlate)

Automation can save time and money during SOC 2 prep when it reduces manual evidence collection and makes audit collaboration easier.

SecureSlate helps teams:

Prepare for an audit with a structured control library and ownership workflows
Collect and organize evidence by connecting systems of record where possible
Stay ready between audits with recurring tasks (like access reviews and policy acknowledgements)
Reduce audit back-and-forth by making artifacts easier to find, explain, and share

If you want to simplify SOC 2 audit prep and shorten the path to an auditor-ready package:

Get started for free

Frequently asked questions

How much does a SOC 2 audit cost for a startup?

Many startups budget (10)k–(50)k for the audit fee (depending on Type 1 vs Type 2) plus readiness/tooling spend that varies based on maturity. The biggest variable is often internal time for evidence and remediation.

Is SOC 2 Type 2 more expensive than Type 1?

Typically, yes. Type 2 tests operating effectiveness over an observation window and often requires more evidence volume and review effort than Type 1, so it usually costs more.

What are the biggest hidden costs of a SOC 2 audit?

Common hidden costs include readiness assessments, consultant support, purchasing missing security tools, and the internal time spent collecting evidence and answering auditor follow-ups.

How often do you have to pay for a SOC 2 audit?

Most teams pursue a SOC 2 report annually, which means planning for recurring audit fees and ongoing compliance program maintenance each year.

Disclaimer (legal note)

This article is for general informational purposes and is not legal or audit advice. SOC 2 reports are issued by a licensed CPA firm; software does not replace professional judgment, scoping decisions, or your auditor’s requirements.