Author: Marçal Santos, vCISO | +20 Years Cybersecurity Experience
Every founder asks me the same question: where should we invest first: SOC 2 or ISO 27001?
You’re not alone. The market is noisy. Tools promise push‑button compliance; auditors sell audits. What you need is a founder-friendly decision that unlocks deals fast without boxing you in.
I’ve helped dozens of B2B SaaS teams sequence this correctly. Here’s the 5-minute decision framework I use so you win revenue now and build toward both standards without rework.
Why This Choice Is Hard (And Where Smart Teams Slip)
Both sound similar. “Security certification, audit, trust, blah blah.” But SOC 2 and ISO 27001 are different instruments used by different buyers.
Sales pressure is real. A prospect dangles a big contract; you sprint into an audit… before you’re ready or before you’re sure it’s the right standard.
Tool ≠ outcome. Automation helps, but it won’t pick the right framework, write your SoA, or pass Stage 2 alone.
Your job: pick the standard that shortens your sales cycle and sets up a sane path to the other later.
The Decision Framework: Choose by Market, Not Memes
Use this in order. If you answer “yes” to a line, pick that path.
1) Where are your current and next 12 months’ deals?
- Mostly US mid-market SaaS, IT buyers familiar with SOC 2? → SOC 2 first
- EU/UK-heavy or selling into global enterprises/government frameworks? → ISO 27001 first
2) What do your largest target customers explicitly require in contracts/security questionnaires?
- “SOC 2 Type II report” → SOC 2 first
- “ISO 27001 certification from an accredited body” → ISO 27001 first
3) How fast do you need a badge to unstick deals?
- Under 90 days, need something credible for NDAs/pilots → SOC 2 Type I now, Type II next
- You have a 3–6 month runway, enterprise pilots depend on a formal certificate → ISO 27001
4) How global is your go-to-market in 2025?
- US-only or US-first → SOC 2
- Multiregional now or soon (EU, APAC, public sector) → ISO 27001
5) Internal maturity and appetite:
- You want a lighter attestation focused on controls in practice → SOC 2
- You want an ISMS (risk-led management system) you can scale across business units → ISO 27001
The Breakdown: What Each Path Looks Like (Timing, Audience, Steps)
SOC 2 vs ISO 27001 in 60 Seconds
Outcome
- SOC 2: Independent attestation report (Type I = “design at a point in time,” Type II = “design + operating effectiveness over 3–12 months”).
- ISO 27001: Certificate from an accredited body after Stage 1 and Stage 2 audits.
Audience
- SOC 2: US buyers, especially SaaS/IT procurement.
- ISO 27001: Global enterprises, EU/UK, regulated and international supply chains.
Scope
- SOC 2: Your service/system description + Trust Service Criteria (Security required; Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, Privacy optional).
- ISO 27001: Your ISMS with Annex A controls, Statement of Applicability, risk treatment.
Renewal cadence
- SOC 2: Annual audit period (Type II) with rolling evidence.
- ISO 27001: 3-year cycle with annual surveillance audits.
Speed to “usable proof"
- Fastest: SOC 2 Type I in ~60–90 days with good prep.
- Formal certificate required: ISO 27001 typically 4–6 months from zero with focus.
Path A: SOC 2 First (Revenue-First for US SaaS)
What matters to sales:
- A clean SOC 2 Type I gets you through early security reviews.
- A Type II (6–12 months coverage) closes bigger, risk-averse buyers.
A pragmatic 90-day SOC 2 Type I plan:
- Weeks 1–2: Scope the system (what’s in/out). Map the five must-haves: access control, change management/SDLC, vulnerability management, logging/monitoring, incident response. Stand up a lightweight risk register.
- Weeks 3–6: Implement gaps. Examples:
- SSO + MFA everywhere, least privilege roles.
- CI/CD with required reviews; infrastructure as code in version control.
- Endpoint protection + MDM; patch cadence documented.
- Centralized logs with alerting for auth, admin, and data access events.
- Vendor risk reviews for Tier 1 providers (cloud, auth, key subprocessors).
- Security training and acceptable use signed.
- Weeks 7–9: Evidence and policies. Keep policies lean—align with what you actually do. Dry run readiness assessment.
- Weeks 10–12: Type I audit. Close minor findings quickly.
From Type I to Type II (next 6–9 months):
- Operate the controls, collect evidence monthly.
- Run at least one incident drill and one business continuity drill.
- Maintain risk register and management reviews.
Indicative costs (2025 typical ranges):
- Tooling/automation: $7k–$20k/year depending on size and integrations.
- Pen test (app + infra): $5k–$20k.
- Audit (Type I): $5k–$10k; (Type II): $8k–$20k based on scope/period.
- vCISO/readiness help: $8k–$20k depending on lift.
Pro tip:
- If a whale is asking for SOC 2, negotiate the timeline for completion and make it a contractual commitment.
Path B: ISO 27001 First (Global, Enterprise, or EU/UK)
What matters to sales:
- An accredited ISO 27001 certificate unblocks global procurement and partner marketplaces.
A focused 4–6 month ISO 27001 plan from near-zero:
- Month 0: Define scope (product, region, teams). Don’t boil the ocean.
- Month 1: Risk assessment and treatment plan. This is the engine—tie controls to real risks.
- Month 1–2: Policies and SoA. Keep them implementable; map Annex A controls to risks.
- Month 2–3: Implement key controls:
- Access control, secure SDLC, vulnerability management, backups/DR, logging, incident response.
- Supplier management with defined Tiering and due diligence.
- Asset inventory and classification (automate where possible).
- Training and awareness; disciplinary clause; background checks where legal.
- Month 3: Internal audit and management review (required).
- Month 4: Stage 1 audit (documentation and readiness).
- Month 5–6: Address findings; Stage 2 (implementation and effectiveness). Get certified.
Ongoing:
- Quarterly risk reviews, yearly internal audit, annual surveillance audit, 3-year recertification.
Indicative costs:
- Tooling/automation: $7k–$20k/year .
- Pen test: $5k–$20k.
- Internal Audit: $3k–$7k.
- Certification body: $15k–$50k over 3 years (depends on headcount/scope), front-loaded at Stage 2.
- vCISO/implementation: $8k–$20k depending on maturity.
Pro tip:
Schedule and execute formal Management Review Meetings at least annually (ideally quarterly). The agenda must explicitly cover all required inputs: Internal Audit Results, Non-conformities, Risk Status, Control Performance, and Continual Improvement Opportunities. Document the decisions made and actions assigned to prove the leadership is actively governing the ISMS.
Mistakes I See (And How to Avoid Them)
1) Buying the audit before you’re ready
- Symptom: Auditor calendar booked, your controls aren’t live, and you’re backfilling evidence.
- Fix: Do a readiness check first. Close the top 10 gaps. Book the audit for when you can pass the first time.
2) Scoping everything into your ISMS/system
- Symptom: Your entire corporate IT, every microservice, and three legacy tools are “in scope.”
- Fix: Scope to what processes customer data and what materially impacts it. Keep nice-to-have systems out.
3) Copy-paste policies you don’t live by
- Symptom: Beautiful policy PDF; no one follows it. Auditors find the drift instantly.
- Fix: Write policies that match reality. Improve reality, then update policy. Not the other way around.
4) Treating SOC 2 Type II as a finish line
- Symptom: Evidence fire drill every 11 months; nothing operational in between.
- Fix: Build an evidence calendar and automate the feed. Treat compliance as part of engineering hygiene.
5) Ignoring the risk assessment
- Symptom: Generic risks (“malware!”) unconnected to your architecture.
- Fix: Tie risks to your stack: multitenancy boundaries, LLM feature threats, third-party auth, data residency. Choose controls that address those risks.
Strategic Takeaway: This Is a Go-To-Market Decision
Selecting SOC 2 or ISO 27001 isn’t a theology debate—it’s a revenue strategy.
If your pipeline is mostly US mid-market and prospects say “send your SOC 2,” do SOC 2 Type I in 60–90 days, then Type II. Keep an eye on ISO mapping as you build.
If you’re selling to EU/UK or global enterprises, or marketplaces/partners require a certificate, do ISO 27001 first with a tight scope. It ages well and travels globally.
Ready to accelerate your ISO27001 or SOC2 compliance journey without the usual headaches and budget overruns?
At SecureLeap, we've revolutionized the compliance process by bundling everything you need into one seamless experience:
✅ Platform Licenses: Direct access to Vanta, Drata, or Secureframe at competitive rates
✅ Expert vCISO Guidance: 20+ years of hands-on compliance experience
✅ Audit Services: Vetted auditor network with proven track records
✅ Ongoing Support: Continuous monitoring and maintenance to ensure sustained compliance
Why choose SecureLeap over managing multiple vendors?
• Single Point of Contact: No more juggling between platform support, consultants, and auditors
• Transparent Pricing: Fixed-fee packages with no surprise costs or scope creep
• Ongoing Partnership: We're with you for renewals, expansions, and additional certifications
Don't let compliance slow down your enterprise sales momentum. Get a personalized compliance roadmap and pricing in just 30 minutes.
Book Your Strategic Compliance Consultation →
Or
Contact us using this form.