What is compliance automation software?

Compliance automation software connects to a company's cloud infrastructure, code repositories, HR systems, and security tools to continuously monitor whether security controls are in place and operating effectively. It maps those controls to compliance frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and GDPR, and generates evidence for auditors automatically rather than requiring manual evidence collection. The result is faster audit cycles and ongoing compliance monitoring rather than a point-in-time audit scramble.

What is the difference between Drata and Vanta?

Drata and Vanta cover the same compliance frameworks and take a similar automation approach. Drata is generally considered stronger for enterprise teams with more complex environments, more controls to manage, and more frameworks to certify simultaneously. Vanta is often the first choice for startups moving quickly toward SOC 2 Type I, with a fast onboarding flow and strong auditor network. Pricing and integration depth are the most common deciding factors.

How much does SOC 2 compliance automation cost?

Pricing varies by vendor and the number of employees, integrations, and frameworks covered. Vanta and Drata both price on annual contracts; neither publishes prices on their site. Secureframe and Sprinto have published lower-tier pricing for earlier-stage companies. Contact each vendor directly for current rates.

Resources

Drata vs Vanta (2026): Compliance Automation

Drata vs Vanta compared on SOC 2, ISO 27001, and HIPAA compliance automation. Also covers Secureframe, Sprinto, Thoropass, and Scrut.

Jared Reagan ·July 1, 2026 ·5 min read

Compliance automation software exists because getting a SOC 2 report the traditional way is slow, manual, and expensive. An auditor asks for hundreds of pieces of evidence. A security team spends weeks pulling screenshots, export files, and configuration records. Compliance automation replaces that process by connecting directly to the systems and collecting evidence continuously.

This comparison covers six platforms in the compliance automation market as of mid-2026.

Drata

Drata is the compliance automation platform most commonly positioned for enterprise SaaS companies managing multiple frameworks simultaneously. It supports SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, PCI DSS, GDPR, and more than 16 frameworks out of the box.

Drata’s control library is extensive. It integrates with over 200 cloud and SaaS tools to pull evidence automatically: AWS, GCP, Azure, GitHub, Okta, Jira, Slack, and others. The platform monitors controls in real time and flags failures before they become audit findings.

The trust center feature lets companies share their security posture publicly with prospects and customers. This helps compliance become a sales asset, not just an internal requirement.

Contact Drata for pricing. Annual contracts are standard.

Choose Drata when: you’re an enterprise or growth-stage SaaS company managing multiple compliance frameworks, your environment is complex with many integrations, or real-time control monitoring and a public trust center matter to your security program.

Vanta

Vanta was one of the first compliance automation platforms to make SOC 2 accessible for early-stage startups. Its focus on speed and straightforward onboarding made it the default choice for companies moving toward SOC 2 Type I on a tight timeline.

Vanta integrates with the major cloud providers and SaaS tools, runs automated checks against SOC 2 and other frameworks, and maintains an auditor network that simplifies the process of finding and working with a qualified CPA firm. The auditor relationships are a practical advantage: Vanta customers often get faster auditor access through Vanta’s partner network than going direct.

Like Drata, Vanta prices on annual contracts. Pricing is not published; contact Vanta for current rates.

Choose Vanta when: you’re a startup or growth-stage company pursuing your first SOC 2 report on a compressed timeline, you want a clean onboarding experience, or Vanta’s auditor network offers access to a qualified CPA firm you’d otherwise spend time finding.

Secureframe

Secureframe targets the mid-market and startup segments with compliance automation for SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, PCI DSS, GDPR, and CCPA. It offers a platform similar in structure to Drata and Vanta: integrations, automated evidence collection, and framework-specific control dashboards.

Secureframe is often positioned as a cost-effective alternative, particularly for companies that find Drata and Vanta expensive for their stage. It also offers personnel security training built into the platform, which covers one of the most common compliance requirements without a separate tool.

Choose Secureframe when: you want a capable compliance platform at a lower price point than Drata or Vanta, or bundled security training matters to your compliance program.

Sprinto

Sprinto targets startups and scaleups, particularly in markets outside the US. It has strong coverage in India, Southeast Asia, and Europe alongside North America. Its compliance automation covers SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR, and other frameworks, with a focus on fast time-to-certification.

Sprinto’s pricing is generally positioned below Drata and Vanta for comparable feature sets, making it a competitive choice for cost-sensitive teams. It also emphasizes its implementation support, with dedicated customer success involvement in the audit preparation process.

Choose Sprinto when: your company is based outside North America, you want lower-cost compliance automation with strong implementation support, or fast time-to-certification is the primary constraint.

Thoropass

Thoropass (formerly Laika) combines compliance automation software with in-house auditing services. Most compliance automation platforms help you prepare for an audit by an independent CPA firm. Thoropass can conduct the audit itself through its own AICPA-accredited audit team.

The combined platform and audit offering reduces friction in the audit process. Companies don’t have to find, vet, and coordinate with a separate auditor. Thoropass handles the evidence collection and the audit in one relationship.

Choose Thoropass when: you want to simplify the vendor count in your audit process, you want the compliance platform and auditor under one relationship, or you’re starting a compliance program and want guided support through the full process.

Scrut

Scrut Automation focuses on GRC (governance, risk, and compliance) alongside compliance automation. It covers SOC 2, ISO 27001, and other frameworks with evidence collection and control monitoring similar to other platforms in the category.

Scrut’s GRC capabilities extend beyond certification-focused compliance. Its risk management module lets teams track risks, assign ownership, and monitor remediation alongside audit preparation. This makes it a stronger fit for companies building a mature security program rather than those focused purely on getting a single certification.

Choose Scrut when: you want compliance automation combined with a structured risk management program, or GRC breadth matters alongside certification support.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Platform	Best For	Frameworks	Auditor Network	Key Differentiator
Drata	Enterprise and growth-stage SaaS	16+	Partner network	Control depth, trust center
Vanta	Startups, fast SOC 2	12+	Strong auditor network	Speed, onboarding simplicity
Secureframe	Mid-market, cost-sensitive teams	10+	Partner network	Cost, bundled security training
Sprinto	International markets, startups	10+	Partner network	Non-US market strength, cost
Thoropass	Teams wanting platform + auditor	SOC 2, ISO + others	In-house auditing	Combined platform and audit
Scrut	Mature security programs	10+	Partner network	GRC and risk management breadth

Methodology

Platform capabilities are sourced from published vendor documentation as of July 2026. Pricing is not published by most vendors in this category; contact each vendor directly for current rates. We don’t accept payment to rank platforms in this comparison.

Is your platform missing from this comparison, or has something changed? Suggest an edit or get your product listed, or email our team at [email protected].

References

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