People say "we need to hire someone for our SOC 2" as if it is one purchase. It is two, and by design they cannot be the same firm. Understanding the split is how you avoid overpaying and choose the right help for each half.
Book a free readiness callA SOC 2 report is only worth something because an independent party vouches for it. That independence is the whole point. So the standard splits the work in two. One party helps you get ready, which means finding your gaps, writing policies, fixing controls, and organising evidence. A separate party, a licensed CPA firm, examines the result and issues the report. The firm that prepares you is not allowed to be the firm that judges you.
The practical takeaway: you are going to hire two things. A prep partner to do the readiness work, and an audit firm to sign the report. Confusing the two, or trying to buy them from one place, is where budgets and timelines go wrong.
| Audit prep partner | Full audit firm (the auditor) | |
|---|---|---|
| Job | Gets you audit-ready: gap assessment, policies, remediation, evidence | Independently examines your controls and issues the SOC 2 report |
| Signs the report | No, and is not allowed to | Yes, this is the whole point of them |
| Where the effort is | Most of it, this is the heavy lifting | A defined examination once you are ready |
| Hands-on with your systems | Yes, closes real gaps with your team | No, observes and tests from the outside |
| Typical cost | Fixed fee, sized to scope | Often USD 10,000 to 30,000 or more, priced in USD |
| Best value for a startup | A boutique specialist, fast and focused | A reputable licensed CPA firm your buyers accept |
Large national and Big 4 firms can do SOC 2 readiness advisory, and for a very large or complex multi-framework program at enterprise scale they are a reasonable choice. The trap is using them for a first SOC 2 at a startup. You tend to pay premium rates for junior staff, move slowly, and get a process built for a 5,000-person company applied to your 30-person one.
For the readiness half, a specialist prep partner is usually faster and far less expensive for the same outcome. For the audit half, you do not need the biggest name, you need a reputable licensed CPA firm whose report your buyers will accept. Spending Big 4 money on a first SOC 2 is the most common way startups overpay.
traztech is a prep partner, not an auditor. We do the readiness and remediation, we coordinate your independent auditor so the examination goes smoothly, and we bring real security depth to the controls. Our founder is a published security researcher with six CVEs, so what we build survives a buyer's technical reviewer, not just the audit. We quote fixed scope, so you know the readiness number before you commit, and we are honest that the audit itself is a separate cost you pay the CPA firm.
Tell us your scope and deadline and we will quote the readiness work fixed, then help you pick an auditor that fits. No Big 4 markup, no invented numbers.
Book a free readiness callAudit prep is the work of getting ready: closing control gaps, writing policies, and collecting evidence. The audit is the independent examination that produces the SOC 2 report. They are two separate jobs, and by the rules of the standard they must be done by two independent parties. A prep partner gets you ready, and a licensed CPA firm issues the report.
Because the standard requires the auditor to be independent of the work they are examining. If the same firm built your controls and then judged them, the report would not be trustworthy. This is why you hire a prep partner and a separate CPA audit firm. A good prep partner coordinates with your auditor but never signs the report.
For a startup or mid-market company, usually not for the prep. The Big 4 are built for large, complex engagements and price accordingly, often with junior staff doing the work. For the readiness itself, a specialist prep partner is typically faster and far less expensive for the same outcome. For the audit signature, choose a reputable licensed CPA firm that fits your buyers' expectations.
Most of the time and effort is in readiness, not the audit, so that is where good help pays off. Budget a fixed fee for a prep partner to close the gaps, a separate fee for the independent auditor, and optionally a compliance platform subscription. Avoid paying enterprise-firm rates for a first SOC 2 that a boutique can deliver faster.