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Compliance Roadmap · SOC 2 Done Faster & Done Right

SOC 2 Compliance

Integrating Agency with Vanta or Drata gets your SOC 2 done 30%+ faster, with stronger controls, at a lower total cost.

Agency is the only company that is a top-tier partner at both Vanta and Drata, the two leading GRC platforms. Understand Type 1 vs Type 2 requirements, get a complete compliance requirements checklist, and learn exactly what certification costs and takes.

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In this guide 01What Is SOC 2 Compliance? 02Type 1 vs Type 2 03The Five Trust Service Criteria 04SOC 2 Requirements Checklist 05The SOC 2 Certification Process 06What Does SOC 2 Compliance Cost? 07SOC 2 for Your Company Stage 08How Agency Delivers SOC 2 Compliance 09Frequently Asked Questions
Compliance Roadmap · SOC 2Nine sections · ~15 min
Type 1 vs Type 2 · checklist · process · costUpdated for 2026

SOC 2 done faster, and done right.

Compliance Roadmap · SOC 2
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What Is SOC 2 Compliance?

SOC 2 (System and Organization Controls 2) is a compliance framework developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). It evaluates whether an organization has implemented adequate controls to protect customer data across five Trust Service Criteria: Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy.

A current SOC 2 report has become table stakes for any company that stores, processes, or transmits customer data. Without one, enterprise sales cycles stall, security questionnaires multiply, and competitive deals are lost to vendors who can prove their security posture.

Agency helps more startups achieve SOC 2 compliance than anyone else. Because we are fully agnostic to both GRC platform and auditor, we help companies build a compliance program that actually fits their stack and scales with their business—not one that locks them into a single vendor. The result is a security posture that is useful long after the first report is issued.

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Type 1 vs Type 2

Understanding the difference is critical to planning your timeline

SOC 2 comes in two report types. Understanding the difference is critical to planning your compliance timeline and choosing the right path for your business.

AspectSOC 2 Type 1SOC 2 Type 2
What it evaluatesControl design at a point in timeDesign AND operating effectiveness over a period
Observation periodSingle date (snapshot)3–12 months (typically 6–12)
Timeline to complete1–3 months6–12 months
Auditor testingDesign review onlyDesign review + sample testing of operations
Market perceptionStarter credentialGold standard for enterprise buyers
Best forFirst-time SOC 2, quick winsOngoing enterprise sales, renewals
Agency initial prep timeline2–6 weeks1–3 months
Time till audit report in hand4–6 weeks4–6 months
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The Five Trust Service Criteria

Security is required for every audit; the other four are selected based on your services and customer commitments
01Security (Common Criteria)Required for all SOC 2 audits. Evaluates protection of systems against unauthorized access—including firewalls, intrusion detection, multi-factor authentication, access controls, and vulnerability management.
02AvailabilityEvaluates whether systems meet uptime and performance commitments. Covers monitoring, disaster recovery, incident response, capacity planning, and service level agreements.
03Processing IntegrityEnsures system processing is complete, valid, accurate, timely, and authorized. Covers data validation, quality assurance, error handling, and processing monitoring.
04ConfidentialityProtects information designated as confidential—distinct from privacy. Covers encryption at rest and in transit, access restrictions, data classification, and NDA enforcement.
05PrivacyGoverns the collection, use, retention, disclosure, and disposal of personal information. Covers consent management, data subject rights, privacy notices, and data minimization practices.
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SOC 2 Requirements Checklist

Six control areas auditors test
Access ControlsMulti-factor authentication enforced across all systemsRole-based access control with least privilegeQuarterly access reviews and recertificationAutomated onboarding and offboarding proceduresPrivileged access management and monitoring
Change ManagementFormal change approval workflowsVersion control for all production codeDocumented deployment and rollback proceduresSeparation of development and production environments
Risk AssessmentFormal risk assessment process and methodologyMaintained risk register with ownershipAnnual risk reviews with executive sign-offThird-party vendor risk management program
Incident ResponseDocumented incident response planDefined communication and escalation proceduresPost-incident reviews and remediation trackingEvidence preservation and chain-of-custody protocols
Monitoring & LoggingCentralized logging with tamper-proof storageReal-time alerting with defined thresholdsLog retention policies meeting audit requirementsAudit trail integrity and completeness
Policies & ProceduresInformation security policy with annual reviewAcceptable use policy acknowledged by all employeesData classification and handling proceduresSecurity awareness training with completion tracking
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By the numbers

What Agency clients see
1,000+Companies trust Agency for compliance
4–6 wkAverage time to SOC 2 Type 1 readiness
80%Reduction in compliance team workload
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The SOC 2 Certification Process

Six stages from scoping to report
01Week 1–2
Scoping & Readiness AssessmentDefine which Trust Service Criteria apply to your organization. Identify control gaps, map existing controls, and build a prioritized remediation plan.
02Week 2–4
Control ImplementationImplement technical and administrative controls. Deploy monitoring, configure access management, write and approve policies, and establish evidence collection processes.
03Ongoing
Evidence CollectionBegin continuous, automated evidence collection across all control points. Evidence must be audit-grade—timestamped, attributable, and tamper-proof.
04Type 2: 3–12 months
Observation PeriodControls operate under normal conditions while evidence accumulates. For Type 1, this step is skipped—the auditor evaluates design at a single point in time.
052–4 weeks before audit
Audit PreparationCompile evidence packages, finalize system descriptions, prepare management assertions, and conduct internal readiness review.
064–6 weeks
Auditor EngagementThe CPA firm reviews evidence, conducts walkthroughs, tests control samples, and issues your SOC 2 report. With Agency, you participate in the scoping call and auditor interview—we handle everything else.
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What Does SOC 2 Compliance Cost?

Factors that determine cost

SOC 2 compliance cost depends on several factors unique to your organization. Rather than publishing one-size-fits-all pricing, Agency scopes every engagement individually so you pay only for what you need.

Audit scope — The number of Trust Service Criteria in scope and the complexity of your systems directly affect auditor effort and fees.

Report type — Type 1 (point-in-time) requires less effort than Type 2 (observation period), which affects both preparation and audit costs.

GRC platform — Platforms like Vanta and Drata automate evidence collection, control monitoring, and compliance workflows. Agency integrates natively with both, so your existing GRC investment works harder from day one.

Internal time — Engineering and operations hours for control implementation, evidence collection, and audit preparation—the hidden cost that derails roadmaps and burns out security teams.

Ongoing maintenance — Annual re-audit, continuous evidence collection, and control monitoring to maintain your report.

Agency replaces the internal time cost entirely. Our U.S.-based forward-deployed engineers, supercharged by proprietary AI, operate your compliance program so your team never context-switches into compliance work. Talk to our team for a custom quote based on your specific scope and requirements.

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How Agency Delivers SOC 2 Compliance

Seven things Agency operates for you

Agency operates your entire SOC 2 program end-to-end—from readiness through certification and continuous maintenance—without adding headcount. We integrate natively with leading GRC platforms like Vanta and Drata to maximize your existing compliance infrastructure.

01Continuous Control ValidationAgency AI orchestrates real-time validation across your GRC platform, cloud infrastructure, identity providers, and endpoint security. Drift is detected and remediated automatically.
02Automated Evidence CollectionAgency eliminates the manual screenshot-and-spreadsheet evidence cycle. Evidence is collected, organized, and maintained automatically—always current, always audit-grade.
03AI-Powered RemediationRumi, the AI DevSecOps engineer inside Agency AI, writes infrastructure-as-code fixes for cloud misconfigurations. Auditsuisse AI validates every evidence artifact before auditor submission.
04Cross-Framework MappingAgency AI maps SOC 2 controls to ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR, and other frameworks automatically. Work done for SOC 2 carries forward to every additional certification.
05GRC Platform IntegrationAgency connects directly to your existing Vanta or Drata instance. We automate evidence collection, sync control status, and keep your GRC dashboard current—so your platform investment delivers maximum value with zero manual upkeep.
06Automated DocumentationSystem descriptions, management assertions, and network diagrams are generated and maintained for you. Every artifact is documented and traceable.
07Managed Detection & ResponseAgency MDR covers all endpoints with compliance-grade incident documentation, investigation, and response—satisfying SOC 2 incident management requirements.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Eight questions
What is SOC 2 compliance?SOC 2 compliance is a framework developed by the AICPA that evaluates an organization's controls across five Trust Service Criteria: Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy. It results in an attestation report issued by an independent CPA firm, widely required by enterprise buyers before signing contracts with SaaS and cloud service providers.
What is the difference between SOC 2 Type 1 and Type 2?SOC 2 Type 1 evaluates whether controls are properly designed at a single point in time. SOC 2 Type 2 evaluates both the design and operating effectiveness of controls over a period of 3 to 12 months. Type 2 is considered the gold standard for enterprise buyers, while Type 1 is often used as a first step to demonstrate compliance quickly.
How long does it take to get SOC 2 certified?SOC 2 Type 1 can be completed in 1 to 3 months. SOC 2 Type 2 requires a 3 to 12 month observation period plus audit time, typically taking 6 to 12 months total. With Agency, Type 1 readiness can be achieved in as little as 4 to 6 weeks because our forward-deployed engineers, supercharged by AI, handle control implementation, evidence collection, and audit preparation.
How much does SOC 2 compliance cost?SOC 2 compliance cost depends on audit scope, report type, company size, and complexity. Key cost factors include auditor fees, GRC platform licensing, internal engineering time, remediation, and ongoing maintenance. Agency replaces the internal time cost entirely by operating your compliance program for you.
Is SOC 2 compliance mandatory?SOC 2 is not legally mandated like HIPAA or GDPR. However, it is effectively mandatory for any SaaS or cloud service provider selling into enterprise. Most enterprise procurement teams, security reviewers, and compliance officers require a current SOC 2 Type 2 report before approving vendor contracts. Without one, deals stall and competitive bids are lost.
What are the five Trust Service Criteria?The five Trust Service Criteria are: Security (protection against unauthorized access), Availability (system uptime and performance), Processing Integrity (complete, valid, accurate processing), Confidentiality (protection of confidential information), and Privacy (proper handling of personal information). Security is required for all SOC 2 audits; the other four are selected based on your services and customer commitments.
Who needs SOC 2 compliance?Any company that stores, processes, or transmits customer data in cloud environments should pursue SOC 2. This includes SaaS providers, fintech companies, healthtech platforms, data processors, managed service providers, and any business selling to enterprise customers who require proof of security controls.
How often do you need to renew SOC 2?SOC 2 Type 2 reports are typically valid for 12 months and must be renewed annually through a new audit cycle. Enterprise buyers expect to see a current report, so organizations must maintain continuous compliance and undergo an annual re-audit. Agency maintains continuous audit readiness so your renewal is a formality, not a scramble.
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Related frameworks — and the challenges SOC 2 programs run into
Frameworks ISO 27001 HIPAAPCI DSS GDPR CMMC 2.0 Pen Testing
Related challenges Audited ComplianceCross-Framework ComplexityFragmented GovernancePolicy & AccessTrust & TransparencyQuestionnaire Fatigue

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Free SOC 2 & ISO 27001 startup resources
SOC 2 Startup GuidePlain-English guide from the team that runs compliance end-to-end for 1,000+ companies.
ISO 27001 Startup GuidePlain-English guide from the team that runs compliance end-to-end for 1,000+ companies.
SOC 2 Readiness ChecklistPlain-English guide from the team that runs compliance end-to-end for 1,000+ companies.

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Common GRC Questions

GRC Platform & Virtual CISO FAQ

Answers to common SOC 2 questions — Type 1 vs Type 2, timeline, cost, and what a virtual CISO actually does for your program.

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