Auditor vs. compliance platform vs. readiness firm
Three different vendors sell "SOC 2 help." Only one of them can sign your report. Here's who does what — and when to hire each.
| Provider | Can sign the report? | What you actually get | Hire when… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed CPA audit firm | Yes | The examination and the signed attestation report | You need the report itself — this is non-negotiable |
| GRC / compliance platform (Vanta, Drata, Secureframe) | No | Evidence collection, control monitoring, policy templates | You want to automate evidence and stay audit-ready year-round |
| Readiness / consulting firm | No | Gap assessment, remediation plan, evidence prep | You need hands-on help before the audit, or want the preparer separate from the auditor |
| Penetration testing firm | No | Security testing (often a SOC 2 evidence input) | Your auditor requires it or customers ask for it |
| vCISO | No | Part-time security leadership and program management | You have no security lead to run the program |
The independence line
Under AICPA rules, the firm that designs or implements your controls shouldn't be the one auditing them. That's why many buyers deliberately hire a readiness consultant to prepare and a separate CPA firm to attest. If one vendor offers to do both, ask exactly how independence is preserved — and get the answer in the engagement letter.
Can one vendor do audit + platform?
Yes, with care. Auditor-led models (like Thoropass, whose licensed CPA entity issues the report while its platform handles evidence) keep the assurance team as the engagement owner. The question to ask any bundled vendor: which legal entity signs my report, and is it a licensed CPA firm? If they can't name it, walk away.
A sensible buying order
- Decide if you need the report now. If a customer contract requires it, start with the auditor — timelines are the long pole.
- Add a platform if evidence is chaos. If collecting screenshots and logs already hurts, a GRC platform pays for itself before the audit starts.
- Add readiness help if you're far from ready. Take our 2-minute readiness quiz to find out.
- Keep the signer independent. Whoever prepares you shouldn't be the one issuing the opinion — unless the independence structure is explicit and documented.
Start with the signer
Get matched with licensed CPA firms that fit your scope — then layer platform and readiness help around them.