SOC 2 compliance shows customers that you protect their data to a recognised standard. It’s an independent attestation, carried out by a licensed CPA firm, that your controls meet the AICPA’s Trust Services Criteria. For SaaS and B2B technology companies, SOC 2 compliance has become the default proof of security that prospects, procurement teams, and enterprise buyers expect before they sign.
What is SOC 2?
SOC 2 (System and Organization Controls 2) is a framework developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). It’s designed for service organizations — especially SaaS and technology companies — to demonstrate that they protect customer data according to a defined set of criteria.
It’s a report, not a certificate
This trips people up: SOC 2 isn’t a certification you pass or fail. It’s an attestation report written by a licensed CPA firm, containing an independent opinion on how well your controls meet the criteria. You share the report with customers under NDA — there’s no wall certificate.
The five Trust Services Criteria
SOC 2 is built on five Trust Services Criteria (TSC). Security is always included; the other four are optional depending on your scope:
- Security (the mandatory “common criteria”)
- Availability
- Processing Integrity
- Confidentiality
- Privacy
We explain each one in our guide to the five Trust Services Criteria.
Type I vs. Type II
There are two kinds of SOC 2 report: Type I assesses whether your controls are well-designed at a point in time, while Type II tests whether they operate effectively over a period (often 3–12 months). Type II carries far more weight with customers — we compare them in our Type I vs Type II comparison.
Skip the blank page.
The SOC 2 Toolkit gives you the policies and controls auditors expect — information security, access control, incident response, change management, and vendor management — as fully editable, auditor-written files mapped to the Trust Services Criteria.
Why SOC 2 compliance matters
- It unblocks sales. Enterprise buyers frequently require a SOC 2 report before signing.
- It shortens security reviews. A report answers dozens of questionnaire items in one document.
- It builds trust. Independent assurance beats “trust us.”
How to prepare
Preparing for SOC 2 means implementing the right controls and, crucially, documenting the policies that back them up. See our SOC 2 compliance checklist.
SOC 2 vs. ISO 27001
Outside the US, many buyers ask for ISO 27001 instead. The two overlap heavily but work differently — we compare them in our SOC 2 vs ISO 27001 comparison.
Cost and timeline
Budget and timing depend on scope, report type, and readiness — we break down realistic numbers in our guide to SOC 2 cost and timeline.
Who needs SOC 2 compliance
SOC 2 compliance isn’t a legal requirement, but the market treats it like one. Any company that stores or processes customer data in the cloud — SaaS platforms, data processors, managed service providers, and their sub-processors — is a likely candidate, usually the moment an enterprise prospect sends a security questionnaire. The framework is defined by the AICPA, and because a SOC 2 report is produced by an independent auditor, it carries weight a self-attestation cannot. If closing enterprise deals depends on proving your security, SOC 2 compliance is usually the fastest credible way to do it.
How to get started
The fastest path is to start from a complete set of security policies and controls documentation mapped to the Trust Services Criteria, then tailor it to your systems — so your audit is about evidence, not authoring.
Skip the blank page.
The SOC 2 Toolkit gives you the policies and controls auditors expect — information security, access control, incident response, change management, and vendor management — as fully editable, auditor-written files mapped to the Trust Services Criteria.