Software category
SOC 2 software for startups
SOC 2 software is the system a startup uses to get audit-ready: controls, policies, evidence, access reviews, and a trust center a buyer can open during a deal. For a small team, the useful version is self-serve, priced in public, and able to reuse that work when ISO 27001 or another framework shows up later.
Most first SOC 2 projects stall on the same jobs: a questionnaire blocking a deal, evidence scattered across drives, and a platform quote that arrives only after a sales call. The exam itself is still performed by a CPA firm. Software does not issue the report. It keeps the program current enough that the exam is an examination, not a reconstruction.
Differentiators
Why teams choose Keel for this
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Start before the sales call
Keel publishes its prices and lets you open a workspace without a credit card. SOC 2 is included on Starter ($99/mo) and Pro ($299/mo), or added to a Free workspace as a framework add-on. Pro is free for 14 days with no credit card.
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Evidence once, then the next framework
SOC 2 controls sit on the same crosswalked library as ISO 27001, HIPAA, PCI DSS, and the rest of the catalog. The second framework reuses the control and the evidence instead of starting a second pile.
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The jobs a first audit actually asks for
Policies from framework-mapped templates, a risk register linked to controls, access reviews, evidence with owners, and a trust center you can send while the deal is still open.
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A free auditor seat
Every plan, including Free, includes a read-only auditor seat that does not count against your seat limit. Your assessor reviews in the workspace instead of a zip file.
Capabilities
Best for
Startups and SMBs whose next customer, investor, or insurer asked for SOC 2, and who need a program a founder or IT lead can run without an enterprise suite.
Not the right fit if
Teams that want the software to issue the SOC 2 report. A licensed CPA firm still performs the examination. Keel prepares the program and keeps the evidence current.
Common questions
Does SOC 2 software replace the auditor?
No. SOC 2 is an attestation issued by a licensed CPA firm. Software collects the controls, policies, and evidence the firm examines. Keel includes a free read-only auditor seat so that review happens in the workspace.
What should a startup look for in SOC 2 software?
A way to start without a sales call, published pricing, evidence that stays attached to controls, policies you can approve and export, access reviews, and a trust center you can send during the sales cycle. Ask whether the second framework reuses the first.
How much does Keel cost for a first SOC 2?
SOC 2 is included on Starter ($99/mo) and Pro ($299/mo), or added to a Free workspace as a framework add-on. Pro is free for 14 days with no credit card. The platform fee is not the audit fee. The CPA firm bills the examination separately. See pricing for what each plan includes.
Can I move off another SOC 2 platform later?
keel-migrate is an open-source, read-only export that runs on your machine. What it can read depends on the source platform. The compare pages say which sources are supported today, and what still has to come across by hand.
Try it on your own program
Start free, apply a framework, and see how much of the work AI can draft for you. No credit card.