Summary

Security (the Common Criteria) is mandatory. Beyond that, select criteria relevant to your customers’ concerns and your business model:

SOC 2 for Cloud Services: A Complete Guide to Getting Certified

If you run a cloud service company and your enterprise customers are asking for a SOC 2 report, you’re not alone. SOC 2 has become the de facto security standard for SaaS and cloud infrastructure providers. But the path from “we need this” to “we have it” can feel overwhelming without a clear roadmap.

This guide breaks down exactly how to get SOC 2 for your cloud service — from understanding what it actually is, to choosing the right audit type, to preparing your systems and documentation.

What Is SOC 2 and Why Do Cloud Services Need It?

SOC 2 (System and Organization Controls 2) is an auditing standard developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). It evaluates how a service organization manages customer data based on five Trust Services Criteria (TSC):

Security (required for all SOC 2 audits)
Availability
Processing Integrity
Confidentiality
Privacy

Cloud services — whether you’re providing infrastructure, a SaaS platform, or managed services — handle sensitive customer data. Enterprise buyers and regulated industries like healthcare and finance increasingly require a SOC 2 report before signing contracts. Without one, you may lose deals to competitors who already have it.

SOC 2 Type I vs. Type II: Which One Do You Need?

Before you start preparing, you need to understand the difference between the two report types.

SOC 2 Type I

A Type I report evaluates whether your security controls are designed appropriately at a single point in time. It’s faster to obtain (typically 4–8 weeks after readiness) and is useful for demonstrating early commitment to security.

Best for: Early-stage startups that need to show customers they take security seriously while working toward a full audit.

SOC 2 Type II

A Type II report evaluates whether your controls are operating effectively over a period of time — typically 6 to 12 months. This is the gold standard that most enterprise customers require.

Best for: Growth-stage companies closing enterprise deals or operating in regulated industries.

Most cloud service providers aim for Type I first, then pursue Type II during the observation period.

Step-by-Step: How to Get SOC 2 for Your Cloud Service

Step 1: Define Your Scope

Scoping is one of the most important — and most overlooked — steps. Your scope defines which systems, services, and people fall under the audit. A narrow, well-defined scope keeps costs manageable and the audit focused.

Ask yourself:

Which specific cloud services or products are in scope?
Which infrastructure components process or store customer data?
Which employees have access to in-scope systems?
Which vendors or subprocessors touch customer data?

Work with your auditor early to validate your scope. Over-scoping wastes time and money; under-scoping creates audit findings.

Step 2: Choose Your Trust Services Criteria

Security (the Common Criteria) is mandatory. Beyond that, select criteria relevant to your customers’ concerns and your business model:

Availability — Critical if your SLA uptime commitments are a selling point
Confidentiality — Important for B2B platforms handling proprietary business data
Privacy — Relevant if you process personal data, especially under GDPR or CCPA
Processing Integrity — Relevant for financial processing or data transformation services

Most cloud SaaS companies start with Security + Availability + Confidentiality.

Step 3: Conduct a Readiness Assessment

A readiness assessment (also called a gap assessment) compares your current controls against SOC 2 requirements. This identifies what you have, what you’re missing, and what needs to be strengthened before the formal audit.

Common gaps found in cloud service readiness assessments include:

No formal access control policy or review process
Missing vendor risk management program
Lack of documented incident response procedures
No formal change management process
Insufficient logging and monitoring

You can conduct a readiness assessment internally using a compliance framework, or hire a consultant. Either way, document your findings and create a remediation plan with clear owners and deadlines.

Step 4: Implement and Document Your Controls

This is where the real work happens. You need to both implement controls and document them thoroughly. Auditors don’t just look at what you do — they look at the evidence that you consistently do it.

Key control areas for cloud services include:

Logical Access Controls

Role-based access control (RBAC) for all systems
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) enforced across the organization
Quarterly access reviews
Offboarding procedures that revoke access within 24 hours

Infrastructure Security

Network segmentation and firewall configurations
Vulnerability scanning and patch management schedules
Penetration testing (at least annually)
Encryption at rest and in transit

Monitoring and Logging

Centralized log management with retention policies
Alerts for anomalous activity
Regular review of security events

Vendor Management

Inventory of all third-party vendors
Security reviews for critical subprocessors
Contractual security requirements (DPAs, BAAs where applicable)

HR and People Controls

Background checks for new hires
Security awareness training (documented and tracked)
Acceptable use policies signed by all employees

Step 5: Collect and Organize Evidence

Evidence collection is ongoing throughout your observation period for Type II. Build a system for collecting evidence automatically where possible:

Use your cloud provider’s native logging (AWS CloudTrail, Azure Monitor, GCP Audit Logs)
Screenshot access review completions and store them systematically
Keep records of all training completions
Document every change management ticket and approval

Compliance automation tools like Vanta, Drata, or Secureframe can significantly reduce the manual burden of evidence collection for cloud environments.

Step 6: Select a CPA Auditor

Only a licensed CPA firm can issue a SOC 2 report. When evaluating auditors:

Look for firms with specific cloud and SaaS experience
Compare pricing (Type I typically runs $10,000–$30,000; Type II $20,000–$60,000+)
Ask about their evidence request process and communication style
Check turnaround times for report delivery

Smaller, specialized firms often provide a better experience for startups than large generalist accounting firms.

Step 7: Complete the Audit

For Type I, the auditor reviews your control design at a point in time. For Type II, they review evidence across your observation period. Expect:

An initial kick-off meeting to align on scope and timeline
Evidence requests submitted through a shared portal or spreadsheet
Walkthroughs where you explain your controls
A draft report for your review before the final version is issued

The final SOC 2 report includes the auditor’s opinion, a description of your system, and details of any exceptions found.

How Long Does SOC 2 Take for Cloud Services?

Milestone	Typical Timeline
Readiness assessment	2–4 weeks
Control implementation and remediation	4–12 weeks
Type I audit	4–8 weeks after readiness
Type II observation period	6–12 months
Type II audit fieldwork	4–8 weeks

Plan for 3–6 months minimum to achieve SOC 2 Type I, and 12–18 months for a first SOC 2 Type II report.

Common Mistakes Cloud Services Make During SOC 2 Preparation

Waiting too long to start — If a big customer is asking, start immediately
Skipping the readiness assessment — Going straight to audit without knowing your gaps is expensive
Poorly defined scope — Vague scope creates audit confusion and findings
Underdocumented policies — Controls must be written down, not just practiced
Ignoring vendor risk — Your cloud subprocessors are part of your control environment

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does SOC 2 cost for a cloud service company?

Costs vary by company size and scope. Expect $15,000–$30,000 for a Type I report and $30,000–$75,000 for Type II, including auditor fees. Compliance automation tools add $10,000–$30,000 annually but significantly reduce internal labor costs.

Can a startup get SOC 2?

Absolutely. Many early-stage SaaS companies pursue SOC 2 Type I within their first year to unlock enterprise sales. The key is starting with a focused scope and using templates and automation to reduce the burden.

Do I need SOC 2 if I’m already ISO 27001 certified?

They overlap significantly but serve different markets. SOC 2 is preferred in North America; ISO 27001 is more recognized internationally. Many cloud providers eventually pursue both.

How often do I need to renew my SOC 2 report?

SOC 2 Type II reports cover a specific period (usually 12 months). Most companies run continuous annual audits to maintain a current report, since customers often require a report dated within the last 12 months.

What’s the difference between a SOC 2 report and a SOC 2 certification?

Technically, SOC 2 produces a report (an auditor’s opinion), not a certification like ISO 27001. However, a clean SOC 2 Type II report functions as the industry’s equivalent of certification for cloud services.

Start Your SOC 2 Journey Faster With Ready-to-Use Templates

Building your SOC 2 policy library and control documentation from scratch is one of the most time-consuming parts of the process. Our professionally written SOC 2 compliance template packages give you everything you need to hit the ground running:

Information Security Policy
Access Control Policy and Procedures
Incident Response Plan
Vendor Risk Management Policy
Change Management Procedures
Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plan
Employee Security Awareness Training Documentation
And more — fully editable and audit-ready

Stop spending weeks writing policies. Download our SOC 2 template bundle today and cut your preparation time in half. Your auditor will thank you — and so will your sales team.