What is SOC 2? A plain-English guide for software buyers

Where does SOC 2 come from?

SOC stands for System and Organization Controls. The AICPA describes SOC as a suite of service offerings that CPAs may provide, and SOC 2 is the one most software companies meet first. The AICPA's guide for it is titled 'SOC 2 Reporting on an Examination of Controls at a Service Organization Relevant to Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, or Privacy'. That long title is a good summary: a CPA firm examines your controls and reports on them against one or more of those five categories.

Source: AICPA SOC suite of services · read 2026-09-29

Who asks for a SOC 2 report?

Mostly your customers. When a company buys software that stores or processes its data, its security team wants evidence that the vendor runs sensible controls. A SOC 2 report answers many of those questions in one document, which is why sales teams often feel the pressure first: a deal stalls until the report exists. Investors, partners and insurers ask for it too.

What is inside the report?

A SOC 2 report contains the auditor's opinion, management's assertion about the system, a description of the system in scope, and the controls with the tests the auditor performed. In a Type II report the results of those tests over the review period are included, along with any exceptions the auditor found. The report is restricted-use: you share it with customers and prospects under NDA, rather than posting it publicly.

Is SOC 2 a certification?

Not in the way ISO 27001 is. There is no SOC 2 certificate issued by a certification body. You receive an attestation report from a CPA firm, and customers read the report itself. People still say 'SOC 2 certified' in conversation, but when you compare vendors, ask who issues the report and what type it is.

What does compliance software do for SOC 2?

Software helps with the preparation: mapping controls to the criteria, writing policies, collecting evidence from your cloud and SaaS tools, tracking employee tasks such as security training, and giving the auditor access to that evidence. Some vendors add people: a dedicated compliance expert, a partner network or an in-house audit team. None of that replaces the CPA firm's examination. The rankings compare six platforms on how they handle this work.

Where should you start?

Decide which of the five categories your customers need (most start with security), whether you need a Type I or Type II report first, and who inside your company will own the work. The next lesson covers the two report types.

How long does a first SOC 2 take?

It depends on scope, report type and how much is already in place. A Type I can follow once controls are designed and evidenced; a Type II needs a review period on top. Vendors quote timelines on their own pages; treat them as claims and ask your auditor for the fieldwork schedule. The biggest variable is usually internal ownership: a team with a named owner and regular check-ins moves faster than one fitting compliance around product work.