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The Short Answer
For a small SaaS startup getting SOC 2 for the first time, total first-year cost typically falls into one of three ranges depending on your approach:
The wide range reflects real differences in company size, complexity, and how much help you need. This article breaks down every line item so you can estimate your actual number.
What You Are Actually Paying For
SOC 2 cost is not one thing. It is several expenses that add up. Here is every component.
1. Compliance Platform
The software you use to manage controls, collect evidence, generate policies, and prepare for the audit.
Most platforms also charge per-employee fees of $3 to $8/month above certain headcount thresholds.
Pricing note: Most SOC 2 platforms do not publish pricing publicly. The figures above are estimates from third-party sources and may be inaccurate or outdated. Contact each vendor directly for a current quote.
2. Audit Fees (CPA Firm)
The audit is performed by a licensed CPA firm. This is a separate cost from your platform.
Audit fees vary by company size, number of systems in scope, and which firm you choose. A list of 44 audit firms with startup pricing is maintained by SOC2Auditors.org.
3. Penetration Testing
Most auditors expect a penetration test as part of your SOC 2 evidence.
You can use your own provider or one recommended by your platform or auditor.
4. Consulting and Implementation Help
Optional but common, especially for teams without compliance experience.
If your compliance platform provides strong guidance (AI-driven walkthroughs, policy generation, evidence mapping) like Klaay does, you may not need a consultant at all.
5. Internal Team Time
Someone on your team has to drive this. Even with a platform, expect:
For a 10-person startup, internal time typically totals 100 to 200 hours. At a loaded cost of $100 to $150/hour, that is $10,000 to $30,000 in opportunity cost.
6. Supporting Tools You Might Need
SOC 2 may require tools you do not already have:
Many startups already have some of these. Budget $5,000 to $15,000/year for the gaps.
Total Cost: Three Scenarios
Here is what first-year SOC 2 actually costs for a typical 10-person SaaS startup under three approaches.
Scenario A: Platform only, no consultant
You use a compliance platform with strong AI guidance and handle implementation yourself.
Total: $20,000 to $50,000 (cash outlay: $8,000 to $20,000 excluding internal time)
Scenario B: Platform + consultant
You use a platform and hire a freelance consultant to guide the process.
Total: $35,000 to $80,000
Scenario C: Full-service consulting firm
A firm handles everything: policies, implementation, vendor coordination, audit management.
Total: $45,000 to $110,000
Year 2 and Beyond
After your first audit, ongoing costs drop significantly:
Most companies report that Year 2 costs roughly 50 to 70% less than Year 1, with far less internal time required.
What Drives Cost Up
What Drives Cost Down
How Klaay Fits In
We built Klaay specifically for Scenario A: startups that want to handle SOC 2 without hiring a consultant or spending $10,000+ on a platform.
Klaay costs $149/month. The AI generates your policies, collects evidence from 100+ integrations, maps controls, and walks you through every step. The goal is to replace the consultant, not just the spreadsheet.
Total first-year cost with Klaay for a typical 10-person startup:
Cash outlay: roughly $9,000 to $14,000 before internal time, compared to $20,000 to $50,000+ with other platforms.
That is the gap we are trying to close. See our pricing or start a free trial.
For a full comparison of SOC 2 platforms and what each costs, see our Best SOC 2 Tools for Startups in 2026 breakdown.
Final Thoughts
SOC 2 is not cheap, but it does not have to be $50,000 either. The biggest cost driver is not the audit or the platform. It is how much help your team needs to get from zero to audit-ready.
If you have some security basics in place and a platform that genuinely guides you through the process, you can get SOC 2 done for under $15,000 in cash outlay. If you need significant hand-holding or have a complex environment, budget accordingly.
The worst approach is doing nothing because it seems too expensive. Every month without SOC 2 is a month of lost enterprise deals, stalled procurement conversations, and security questionnaires eating your team's time.
