SOC 2 vs. ISO 27001
North American Standard vs. Global Standard
SOC 2 is the compliance standard for SaaS companies selling to US enterprises. ISO 27001 is the global equivalent.
📊 Scoring Matrix
North America focused
Globally recognized
50K-200K Type II audit
75K-300K certification
3-6 months to complete
6-12 months to certify
Annual audit required
Annual surveillance + 3yr recert
Required for US enterprise sales
Required for EMEA/APAC deals
Trust Service Criteria (AICPA)
ISMS (ISO standard)
📋 Executive Summary
Selling to US enterprises? SOC 2 first. Global enterprise sales? ISO 27001. Many companies need both.
Missing SOC 2 blocks 80% of US enterprise deals. Missing ISO 27001 blocks most EMEA enterprise deals.
🎯 Decision Framework
- ✓ Selling to US enterprises
- ✓ SaaS/cloud-native company
- ✓ Faster time to compliance
- ✓ AICPA-recognized framework
- ✓ Global enterprise sales
- ✓ European/APAC market focus
- ✓ ISO framework alignment
- ✓ Government contracts
US-only sales? SOC 2 Type II. Global sales? ISO 27001. Both? Start SOC 2, add ISO 27001 within 12 months.
🌐 Market Context
SOC 2 is table stakes for SaaS in the US. ISO 27001 growing 20% YoY as European enterprise AI procurement tightens.
Automation platforms (Vanta, Drata) reducing compliance costs by 40-60%. Both certifications becoming baseline expectations.
🛠️ Related Tools
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