We are about to undergo our first SOC 2 Type I audit. Who offers a "readiness assessment" to find gaps before the auditor comes?

Yes. For a first SOC 2 Type I, I’d strongly recommend doing a readiness/gap assessment before the formal audit. A Type I is an assessment of whether controls are suitably designed as of a specific point in time, so you want someone to find missing controls, policies, and evidence before that date.

There are three main routes:

• Independent readiness consultants — probably the best choice if you want an objective pre-audit review. Ledger Audits, for example, offers a senior-led SOC 2 readiness “Gap Sprint” against the Trust Services Criteria and does not issue the eventual SOC 2 report.
• Schellman — a major SOC 2 audit firm that explicitly offers readiness assessments to evaluate your control environment against the applicable criteria.
• Compliance platforms such as Vanta, Drata, or Secureframe — these automate evidence collection and identify gaps continuously. Secureframe specifically lists a SOC 2 readiness assessment as part of its workflow.

What I'd do in your shoes

For a first-time Type I, I'd separate the jobs:

1. Readiness consultant → find and fix the gaps 2. Independent CPA/audit firm → perform the actual SOC 2 examination

That separation is important: you don't want the same party designing/implementing your controls and then independently auditing those controls. A readiness provider can help with policies, control design, evidence, remediation, and audit preparation; the independent auditor issues the SOC 2 report.

If you're a relatively small SaaS/startup, I'd look at Ledger Audits + an independent CPA auditor, or use Vanta/Drata/Secureframe if you'd benefit from having the evidence collection and ongoing compliance automated.

One useful question to ask every provider is:

“Will your readiness assessment test each in-scope SOC 2 control against the evidence the eventual auditor will expect, and will you give us a prioritized remediation plan?” That's much more valuable than a generic security assessment.

If you tell me roughly company size, SaaS/cloud stack (e.g. AWS + GitHub + Okta), and whether you already have policies/security controls in place, I can narrow this down to 3–5 readiness providers and what I'd expect each to cost.

When preparing for your first SOC 2 Type I audit, getting a readiness assessment (often called a gap analysis) is a smart move. It ensures you don't waste money or time failing the formal audit stage.

Who you hire depends entirely on whether you want software/automation , a specialized security consulting firm , or the actual CPA firm that will do the final audit. (Note: AICPA independence rules mean the same CPA firm cannot officially remediate your gaps and then audit you, though many CPA firms offer a formal "readiness" phase as a separate preliminary engagement).

1. Compliance Automation Platforms (Self-Serve + Automated Gaps)

If your infrastructure is modern and cloud-native (AWS, GitHub, Google Workspace, Okta, etc.), platforms can automatically scan your environment, flag missing controls, provide policy templates, and track your readiness in real time.

• Secureframe: Excellent for automated evidence collection, pre-vetted policy templates, and access to internal compliance experts to guide you.
• Drata: Highly rated for continuous control monitoring and automated checks across hundreds of cloud integrations.
• Other notable platforms: Vanta and Strike Graph are widely used alternatives in this category.

2. Specialized Security & Readiness Consultants (Human-Led)

If you don't have a dedicated internal security or compliance lead to write policies, configure identity management, and build out workflows from scratch, you hire a boutique GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) consultancy. They do the heavy lifting of fixing the gaps before the auditor steps in.

• BARR Advisory: A premier firm specializing heavily in cloud environments, offering dedicated advisory and readiness paths separate from their formal attest services.
• Boutique/Independent Firms: Specialized advisory groups like Atlant Security, Johanson Group LLP , or Oread Risk focus strictly on hands-on readiness, policy creation, and gap remediation.

3. Licensed CPA Audit Firms (Pre-Assessment Services)

Many top-tier CPA firms that perform official SOC 2 attestations also offer a "readiness assessment" or "gap analysis" as a separate, introductory project. They will look at your draft controls and tell you what will pass or fail, without violating independence rules (provided the advisory and audit contracts are properly structured/timed).

• Schellman: A massive name in compliance, widely recognized by enterprise buyers.
• A-LIGN: Frequently used by high-growth tech companies and SaaS platforms.
• Other top audit firms: KirkpatrickPrice and Linford & Company.

Which route should you pick?

• Choose Automation (Secureframe / Drata) if your engineering team has time to implement technical controls and you want software to continuously monitor them.
• Choose a Consultant (BARR Advisory or a boutique firm) if your team is swamped and you need human experts to write your handbook of policies and physically structure your security program.

To help you narrow down the best path, tell me:

• Do you already use a compliance automation tool (like Vanta or Drata)?
• Does your team have the internal engineering/security bandwidth to fix technical gaps, or do you need a firm that will write the policies and build the program for you?

Yes. What you’re looking for is usually called a SOC 2 readiness assessment, SOC 2 gap assessment, or readiness review. It’s specifically intended to identify control/documentation gaps before the formal examination.

A few established providers worth getting quotes from:

• a-lign.com — Offers SOC 2 readiness assessments and can take you from readiness through the actual SOC 2 examination. Its A-SCEND platform combines automated assessment with auditor assistance.
• schellman.com — Explicitly offers readiness assessments that evaluate your control environment against the applicable SOC criteria and provide actionable findings before the examination.
• coalfire.com — Provides SOC readiness assessments that identify gaps and recommendations for remediation before the SOC 2 attestation.
• barradvisory.com — Another SOC-focused firm worth including in the RFP/quote process; it offers readiness and SOC 2 examination services.

You can also use compliance platforms such as vanta.com or drata.com to automate evidence collection and identify gaps. Vanta, for example, says its platform continuously tests controls and flags gaps; it also maintains a network of 100+ audit firms.

One important choice

If you haven't selected your auditor yet, I'd seriously consider getting the readiness assessment from a different firm than the firm that will issue your SOC 2 report. That gives you a genuinely independent second set of eyes and avoids potential independence issues. Coalfire, for example, specifically notes that auditor independence must be maintained when advisory and attestation services are involved.

For a first-time Type I, I'd want the readiness engagement to produce at least:

• A control-by-control gap analysis against the selected Trust Services Criteria
• Missing policy/procedure identification
• Evidence requirements and examples
• Technical configuration gaps (AWS/Azure/GCP, GitHub, Okta, endpoint management, logging, etc.)
• People/process gaps such as access reviews, onboarding/offboarding, security training, vendor reviews and incident response
• A prioritized remediation roadmap
• A final "are we actually ready for the auditor?" review

If you tell me roughly how big you are (e.g. 20 vs. 200 employees), your cloud stack, and whether you've already picked the audit firm, I can give you a shortlist of 3–5 providers and what I'd expect each to cost.

SOC 2 readiness assessments are offered by specialized cybersecurity consulting firms, licensed CPA audit firms, and compliance automation platforms .

Because a formal SOC 2 audit must be performed independently by a licensed CPA firm, you cannot use the exact same auditor to formally test you and do your readiness remediation consulting (due to independence rules). However, many top audit firms have dedicated advisory arms or partner with platforms to help you find gaps first.

Categories of Readiness Assessment Providers

• Specialized Security & Compliance Consultants
  • What they do: Independent firms (like Atlant Security ) review your policies, technical controls, and engineering workflows, then deliver a gap analysis and a prioritized remediation plan.
  • Best for: Hands-on technical guidance, custom policy writing, and complex system architectures.
• Licensed CPA Audit Firms with Readiness Practices
  • What they do: Major assessors (like A-LIGN ) offer preliminary readiness assessments. (Note: To maintain independence, a different team or a separate engagement must handle your final attestation audit).
  • Best for: Ensuring your prep directly aligns with what a strict auditor expects to see.
• Compliance Automation (GRC) Platforms
  • What they do: Software platforms feature built-in "readiness assessments" or automated gap-detection dashboards that continuously monitor your cloud infrastructure and policies against SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria.
  • Best for: Continuous, automated evidence collection and low-overhead tracking if you manage readiness internally.

Comparison of Provider Types

If you'd like to narrow this down, let me know:

• Are you managing your policies and infrastructure manually or using a compliance tool (like Vanta, Drata, or Sprinto)?
• What is your target timeline for the Type I audit?

Yes. A SOC 2 readiness assessment is exactly what you want before the formal Type I examination. The consultant reviews your controls, policies, scope, and evidence against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria, identifies gaps, and gives you a remediation plan.

A few options worth considering:

• ledgeraudits.com — Specifically focused on independent SOC 2 readiness. Their “Gap Sprint” is typically 2–4 weeks, with a senior-led review and human verification of evidence. They explicitly do not issue the SOC 2 report, keeping readiness separate from the independent auditor.
• benoitconsultinggroup.com — Offers Type I/II readiness assessments covering scope, control mapping, policies, evidence, access reviews, vendors, incident response, change management, and remediation planning.
• hbs.net — Offers readiness assessment, remediation, and audit support; their stated readiness phase is typically 2–4 months for a more hands-on engagement.
• onyxsecuritylabs.com — Provides gap analysis, control remediation, policies/procedures, evidence framework, and preparation/coordination with the CPA firm.
• moorecolson.com — Interesting if you haven't selected your auditor yet: they offer a readiness assessment and the subsequent Type I/Type II examination. They describe interviewing personnel, identifying gaps, recommending remediation, and re-evaluating readiness.

One important distinction

I'd decide whether you want the readiness assessor to also be your auditor.

For a first SOC 2, I generally like the independent readiness consultant + separate CPA auditor model. It gives you someone whose job is to find problems rather than someone who will ultimately be examining the work they helped prepare. Ledger Audits, for example, explicitly uses this model.

Also, tools such as vanta.com can automate evidence collection and flag technical/control gaps, but I'd distinguish that from a true human-led readiness assessment. Vanta itself describes automated testing and evidence collection, while a readiness consultant actually evaluates whether your controls and evidence will stand up to the examination.

For a first-time Type I, I'd look for an assessment that produces at least:

1. A defined SOC 2 scope/system boundary.
2. Control-by-control gap analysis against the applicable Trust Services Criteria.
3. Evidence review—not merely “do you have a policy?”
4. Identification of missing or poorly designed controls.
5. Named owners and remediation priorities.
6. A final “ready/not ready” assessment before the CPA begins fieldwork.

If you tell me roughly how many employees you have, whether you're SaaS/cloud-based, whether you've already chosen a CPA auditor, and your target audit date, I can narrow this to 3–5 firms that are a good fit and give you a realistic price range.

For a first-time Type I, I'd look for an assessment that produces at least:

SOC 2 readiness assessments are offered by three distinct types of providers: Automated Compliance Platforms, Independent Cyber Advisory Firms, and Licensed CPA Firms.

Because AICPA independence rules dictate that the exact individual auditor signing your final report cannot also build your controls, choosing the right category depends entirely on your internal bandwidth and budget.

1. Automated Compliance Platforms (GRC Software)

These platforms are the most common choice for modern software companies. They use automated integrations to run a continuous, digital readiness assessment by scanning your tech stack for gaps.

• Vanta : Best for speed. It automatically hooks into your systems (AWS, GitHub, Okta) to instantly build your gap checklist.
• Drata : Best for deeply automated, multi-framework mapping if you plan to eventually scale into ISO 27001 or HIPAA.
• Thoropass : A unique hybrid model that bundles its compliance software with built-in consultants and transparent CPA pairing.
• Strike Graph : A solid risk-based, self-service platform designed specifically for lean, early-stage budgets.

2. Cybersecurity & Advisory Consultants

If your internal team lacks the bandwidth to map controls, draft missing policies, or configure tool integrations, consulting firms provide hands-on help to make you audit-ready.

• Atlant Security : Specializes in structured 23-working-day readiness roadmaps to guide engineering and IT teams through rapid remediation.
• RSI Security : Offers full-scope compliance consulting, delivering customized control matrices, system diagrams, and policy templates.
• DCYBR : Built specifically for B2B SaaS startups to optimize and fix complex "failed tests" within platforms like Vanta or Drata.

3. Licensed CPA Firms (Separated Advisory Arms)

Many accredited CPA firms have distinct advisory wings that can conduct a formal, manual "pre-audit" readiness assessment. Note: If a firm does your readiness work, a different partner or separate firm must do the official Type I sign-off to maintain independence.

• A-LIGN : A massive player in the space that uses its own internal compliance software (A-SCEND ) to smoothly bridge the readiness-to-audit gap.
• BARR Advisory : Highly recommended for cloud-native setups requiring a collaborative, high-touch readiness assessment.
• Schellman or KirkpatrickPrice : Ideal options if your enterprise clients require a highly recognizable, rigorous audit legacy.

How to Choose Your Path

To help tailor this, how many employees are in your company, and do you currently use any compliance software ? If you have a specific target deadline for your Type I report, sharing that can help narrow down the fastest path.

Yes. What you’re looking for is usually called a SOC 2 readiness assessment, SOC 2 gap assessment, or pre-audit assessment. The consultant reviews your controls and evidence against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria, identifies gaps, and gives you a remediation plan before the CPA auditor starts fieldwork.

Providers worth considering

• a-lign.com — Large compliance/audit provider offering SOC 2 readiness as well as Type I/II audits. Good if you want a substantial provider that can support you through the broader SOC 2 process.
• schellman.com — Offers SOC 2 readiness/gap assessment and SOC 2 examinations. Worth considering if you want an established CPA/audit-oriented firm.
• coalfire.com — Security-focused firm offering readiness advisory, remediation, and SOC 2 audit services.
• hbs.net — Specifically offers SOC 2 readiness assessments, remediation, and audit support; they describe a typical readiness phase of 2–4 months.
• ledgeraudits.com — More boutique/readiness-focused. Their assessment is a fixed-scope review followed by remediation guidance, and they explicitly do not issue the SOC 2 report.
• benoitconsultinggroup.com — Focuses on practical gap assessment, control/evidence mapping, remediation planning, and audit preparation.
• cdw.com — Offers a formal SOC 2 readiness assessment aimed at identifying control gaps and improving audit preparedness.

One important distinction

For a first Type I, I'd prefer a readiness consultant that is separate from your eventual auditor, particularly if the consultant will design or implement controls for you. The readiness firm can help you fix things; the independent CPA firm then examines them and issues the SOC 2 report.

And don't settle for a questionnaire that merely produces a "compliance score." A useful readiness assessment should give you:

• A control-by-control gap analysis
• Evidence/artifact requirements for each control
• Identification of missing or poorly designed controls
• Assessment of whether your controls are actually operating as documented
• Named owners and remediation priorities
• A timeline to get audit-ready
• Ideally, a mock auditor/evidence walkthrough

For a first Type I, I'd generally budget for a 2–8 week readiness exercise, depending on how mature your security program is, followed by enough time to remediate the findings.

If you tell me roughly company size, industry, whether you're already using Vanta/Drata/Sprinto, and when the audit starts, I can narrow this to 3–5 providers that are a good fit and compare likely cost, depth, and pros/cons.

SOC 2 readiness assessments are offered by three distinct types of providers: Automated Compliance Platforms, Independent Cyber Advisory Firms, and Licensed CPA Firms.

Because AICPA independence rules dictate that the exact individual auditor signing your final report cannot also build your controls, choosing the right category depends entirely on your internal bandwidth and budget.

1. Automated Compliance Platforms (GRC Software)

These platforms are the most common choice for modern software companies. They use automated integrations to run a continuous, digital readiness assessment by scanning your tech stack for gaps.

• Vanta : Best for speed. It automatically hooks into your systems (AWS, GitHub, Okta) to instantly build your gap checklist.
• Drata : Best for deeply automated, multi-framework mapping if you plan to eventually scale into ISO 27001 or HIPAA.
• Thoropass : A unique hybrid model that bundles its compliance software with built-in consultants and transparent CPA pairing.
• Strike Graph : A solid risk-based, self-service platform designed specifically for lean, early-stage budgets.

2. Cybersecurity & Advisory Consultants

If your internal team lacks the bandwidth to map controls, draft missing policies, or configure tool integrations, consulting firms provide hands-on help to make you audit-ready.

• Atlant Security : Specializes in structured 23-working-day readiness roadmaps to guide engineering and IT teams through rapid remediation.
• RSI Security : Offers full-scope compliance consulting, delivering customized control matrices, system diagrams, and policy templates.
• DCYBR : Built specifically for B2B SaaS startups to optimize and fix complex "failed tests" within platforms like Vanta or Drata.

3. Licensed CPA Firms (Separated Advisory Arms)

Many accredited CPA firms have distinct advisory wings that can conduct a formal, manual "pre-audit" readiness assessment. Note: If a firm does your readiness work, a different partner or separate firm must do the official Type I sign-off to maintain independence.

• A-LIGN : A massive player in the space that uses its own internal compliance software (A-SCEND ) to smoothly bridge the readiness-to-audit gap.
• BARR Advisory : Highly recommended for cloud-native setups requiring a collaborative, high-touch readiness assessment.
• Schellman or KirkpatrickPrice : Ideal options if your enterprise clients require a highly recognizable, rigorous audit legacy.

How to Choose Your Path

To help tailor this, how many employees are in your company, and do you currently use any compliance software ? If you have a specific target deadline for your Type I report, sharing that can help narrow down the fastest path.

Yes. A SOC 2 readiness assessment is exactly the service you want: someone reviews your controls and evidence against the Trust Services Criteria, identifies gaps, and gives you a remediation plan before the independent auditor starts fieldwork.

A few reputable options:

• schellman.com — Offers a formal SOC 2 readiness assessment and also performs SOC 2 examinations. Their assessment is specifically designed to evaluate your current control environment and give actionable feedback.
• ey.com — Offers a SOC 2 Readiness Assessment that typically runs 6–8 weeks, evaluating control maturity, identifying gaps, and preparing you for the first SOC 2 report.
• a-lign.com — A major compliance/audit provider supporting SOC 2 Type I and Type II, including SMBs, startups, SaaS, healthcare, and technology companies.
• coalfire.com — Provides SOC 2 readiness/advisory and remediation services; a good fit if you want deeper security/compliance consulting rather than just a checklist.
• hbs.net — Specifically advertises readiness assessment, remediation, and audit support, including help closing identified security-control gaps.

You can also use a compliance platform such as vanta.com to automate evidence collection and identify control gaps. That's somewhat different from hiring a human readiness consultant: Vanta is particularly useful for continuous evidence gathering and remediation tracking.

What I'd do for a first Type I

I'd strongly consider two separate parties:

1. Readiness consultant → finds gaps, helps remediate them, and gets your evidence organized.
2. Independent CPA firm → performs the actual SOC 2 examination and issues the report.

That separation is important because you don't want the same firm designing/implementing your controls and then independently auditing those controls.

When requesting quotes, ask for a readiness assessment that includes scope validation, Trust Services Criteria/control mapping, evidence review, policy review, gap report with severity, remediation recommendations, and an auditor handoff. Don't settle for a generic "SOC 2 checklist."

If you tell me roughly how big your company is (e.g. 20, 100, 500 employees), your industry, and whether you're already using Vanta/Drata/Secureframe, I can narrow this down to 3–5 providers I'd actually shortlist, including likely cost and engagement style.

Many specialized compliance firms, CPA firms, and automation platforms offer SOC 2 readiness assessments to help you identify and fix control gaps before your official audit.

Types of Readiness Assessment Providers

• CPA and Audit Firms: Traditional audit firms like A-LIGN or boutique security assessors often offer readiness assessments (sometimes called a "gap analysis") as a separate, consultative service before performing the official attestation. Note: AICPA independence rules usually mean the same firm cannot officially consult on readiness and then sign off on your final audit, so you may need separate vendors or distinct divisions.
• Compliance Automation Platforms: Software tools like Drata, Vanta , or Secureframe continuously monitor your infrastructure and run automated readiness checks against SOC 2 criteria, effectively giving you a real-time gap analysis.
• Security Consultancies: Specialized cybersecurity firms (such as Atlant Security ) provide hands-on advisory services, policy drafting, and mock audits to get your engineering and management teams ready.

If you'd like, let me know:

• Are you using a compliance automation platform (like Vanta or Drata) right now?
• What is your target timeline for the Type I audit?

I can help you decide whether a consultant or software-driven approach fits your team best.