Do I need a GRC platform for SOC 2?
No, a GRC platform is not required for SOC 2. The audit is a CPA attestation under AICPA rules, not a software purchase. Platforms like Vanta or Drata speed evidence collection but are optional, especially for small scopes.
The full answer
A SOC 2 report is a CPA attestation, not a software product. Under the AICPA's SSAE No. 18 standards, only a licensed CPA firm can issue the report, and nothing in those standards names a specific tool. You can pass a SOC 2 audit with spreadsheets, screenshots, and documented processes if your environment is small and you are disciplined about evidence.
Governance, risk, and compliance platforms such as Vanta, Drata, Secureframe, and Sprinto exist to make that evidence work easier. They connect to your cloud accounts and identity provider, automate evidence collection, monitor controls continuously, and shorten prep. Auditors with confirmed integrations to your platform can pull evidence directly, which reduces the back-and-forth during fieldwork.
Whether you need one comes down to scope and staffing. A five-person startup with one cloud provider can often assemble evidence manually for a first Type 1. A company with dozens of systems, many employees, and an ongoing Type 2 observation window usually finds a platform pays for itself in saved engineering hours. The platform is a productivity tool, not a compliance requirement.
Keep the two budgets separate. The platform subscription is one line item; the audit fee is another. SOC 2 audits booked through the AuditNex network start at $2,500 as a promotional rate and average about $5,000, per the AuditNex 2026 rate card, while the broader US market runs $5,000 to $60,000 or more depending on scope. Decide on the audit first, then choose whether automation is worth it for your team.
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Related questions
Can I pass SOC 2 with spreadsheets instead of a GRC platform?
Yes. A GRC platform is not required to pass a SOC 2 audit; the AICPA standards mandate no specific tool. Spreadsheets and manual evidence work, but they add prep and audit hours as your control count grows.
Can I switch GRC platforms mid-SOC 2 audit?
Yes, but time it carefully. You can move between GRC platforms during a SOC 2 engagement because the audit is a CPA attestation, not tied to any tool. Switching mid-observation risks evidence gaps, so plan it with your auditor.
Can any auditor work with Vanta?
Usually yes. Any licensed CPA firm can audit a company that uses Vanta, but only auditors with a confirmed Vanta integration pull evidence directly from the platform. Others still work from exported reports, which adds some manual effort.
Do auditors charge less if I use Drata?
Usually not directly. Drata doesn't lower the auditor's fee itself, but by automating evidence collection it cuts the auditor's fieldwork hours, and some auditors pass part of that time savings along in their quote.
Does Drata include the SOC 2 audit?
No. Drata is a compliance automation platform, not a CPA firm, so it does not perform or issue the SOC 2 audit. You engage a licensed auditor separately, and that attestation fee is not part of your Drata plan.
Does Secureframe work with any auditor?
Mostly yes, but not automatically. Secureframe partners with a network of auditors and works best when your CPA firm has a confirmed integration that pulls evidence directly. Any independent auditor can accept Secureframe evidence, though non-integrated firms review it manually.
Sources: AICPA SSAE No. 18 attestation standards; AuditNex network rate card, 2026. Answer written and maintained by the AuditNex research team; last reviewed July 26, 2026. AuditNex is a marketplace — accredited firms price and scope engagements independently.