SOC 2 vs ISO 27001: which one do you need?
SOC 2 is an attestation report North American buyers ask for; ISO 27001 is a certificate recognized worldwide. The short answer on which to get first, the differences, and how to do both on one evidence base.
The short answer
SOC 2 is an attestation report by a CPA firm on the controls you operate, and it is what enterprise buyers in North America ask for. ISO 27001 is a certificate from an accredited body that your information security management system meets the standard, and it is what buyers in Europe, the UK and Asia-Pacific ask for. Get the one your next customers will ask for first; most SaaS companies selling globally end up with both, and the two share most of their control work.
SOC 2 and ISO 27001, row by row
| SOC 2 | ISO 27001 | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | An attestation report on controls against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria | A certification of an information security management system against an international standard |
| Who issues it | An independent CPA firm | An accredited certification body |
| What you receive | A report (Type 1 or Type 2) with the auditor's opinion and any exceptions | A certificate valid for three years, with surveillance audits |
| Who asks for it | Enterprise buyers in North America | Buyers in Europe, the UK, Asia-Pacific; increasingly global procurement |
| Scope | The services and criteria you choose (security is required) | The whole ISMS: scope, risk assessment, Statement of Applicability, 93 Annex A controls |
| Time to first result | Type 1 in weeks; Type 2 after a three- to twelve-month review period | Three to six months to Stage 2 for a company with basic controls |
| Renewal | A new report each period, usually annually | Annual surveillance, recertification every three years |
| With Viglyn | Evidence collected continuously, the examination run in the platform, included in every plan | The ISMS built on the same evidence, Stage 1 and 2 run in the platform, included in every plan |
The questions that decide it
Which should we get first?
The one your next customers will ask for. If your pipeline is North American enterprises, SOC 2; if it is European, UK or Asia-Pacific companies, ISO 27001. If both, start with whichever deal is closer and let the second reuse the first's evidence; in Viglyn every plan includes at least two frameworks for exactly this reason.
Can we do SOC 2 and ISO 27001 at the same time?
Yes, and it is the efficient path. The security controls overlap heavily: access, change management, logging, vendor management, incident response, backups. One evidence base maps to the Trust Services Criteria and to Annex A, so the second framework is a head start, not a second project.
What is the real difference in the audit?
A SOC 2 auditor tests the controls you say you operate and reports exceptions; there is no pass or fail, buyers read the exceptions. An ISO 27001 auditor checks that your management system exists, is followed and improves, then that the controls in your Statement of Applicability are in place, and issues or withholds a certificate.
More questions
Is ISO 27001 harder than SOC 2?
Does one replace the other?
How much does each cost?
Standards buyers weigh against each other
Find out which one you are closer to
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