Drata
Compliance automation platform for SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and GDPR.
About Drata
Drata connects to your AWS, Azure, GCP, GitHub, and Okta environments and pulls compliance evidence automatically — access logs, encryption configs, vulnerability scan results — on a continuous basis rather than in a pre-audit scramble. When an auditor requests proof that MFA was enforced across all admin accounts for the past 12 months, Drata has already collected and timestamped it. The platform maps collected evidence to specific SOC 2 Trust Service Criteria, ISO 27001 controls, HIPAA safeguards, and GDPR requirements simultaneously, so a single piece of evidence satisfies multiple frameworks. It fits seed-to-Series C SaaS companies that need SOC 2 Type II for enterprise sales cycles and don't have a dedicated compliance team. A two-person engineering org can reach audit-readiness in weeks rather than quarters. Accounting firms advising tech clients on compliance posture will find the dashboards useful for status reporting, but Drata is not a tool accounting firms deploy on behalf of clients — it lives inside the client's own infrastructure. The continuous monitoring catches control drift before it becomes an auditor finding, which is its clearest advantage over point-in-time spreadsheet approaches. That said, smaller companies often find they're paying for framework coverage they don't need, and the onboarding requires someone technical enough to configure cloud integrations correctly. If your client runs on-premise systems or niche ERPs, coverage gaps will require manual evidence uploads.
Best for
Tech companies and SaaS businesses wanting automated compliance with SOC 2, ISO 27001, and more
Key Features
- Automated SOC 2 compliance evidence collection
- Continuous control monitoring and alerting
- Pre-built compliance frameworks (SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR)
- Audit-ready documentation generation
- Risk assessment automation
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Pulls evidence directly from AWS, GCP, Azure, Okta, and GitHub without manual exports, eliminating the pre-audit evidence collection sprint
- Maps a single control or log entry to multiple frameworks simultaneously, so SOC 2 and ISO 27001 audits draw from the same evidence library
- Continuous monitoring flags control failures in real time — for example, if a new admin account is created without MFA, an alert fires before the auditor sees it
- Pre-built policy templates for SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and GDPR reduce the time to a first draft from weeks to hours
- Audit-ready reports are generated on demand with evidence already linked to specific criteria, which practicing auditors recognize and accept from major CPA firms
- Risk register built into the platform tracks identified risks, likelihood ratings, and remediation owners without a separate GRC tool
Cons
- Pricing is quote-only and typically starts in the low five figures annually — there is no free trial or self-serve entry tier to evaluate before committing
- On-premise systems, legacy ERPs, and niche SaaS tools require manual evidence uploads, which reintroduces the manual work the platform is supposed to eliminate
- Overkill for companies pursuing only a single lightweight framework — you pay for multi-framework infrastructure whether you use it or not
- Initial cloud integration setup requires engineering time; a non-technical admin cannot configure AWS or GCP connections without help
- Drata is not a substitute for a licensed CPA or auditor — it prepares evidence but the SOC 2 audit itself still requires a qualified audit firm, an additional cost many first-timers underestimate
- Switching away after a year of evidence collection creates lock-in, as historical evidence and audit trails are stored inside Drata's system rather than exported to a portable format by default
Ledger Brief Take
Built specifically for tech companies navigating SOC 2 and ISO 27001 requirements, Drata automates the evidence collection that traditionally burns weeks of manual prep time. The continuous monitoring approach means you're audit-ready year-round rather than scrambling when auditors arrive, though it's definitely enterprise-focused rather than something smaller practices would implement for clients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions accountants ask about Drata.
How much does Drata cost?
Drata does not publish pricing. Contracts are quote-based and typically run low five figures per year for a startup-stage SaaS company pursuing SOC 2. Multi-framework or enterprise deals run higher. There is no free tier or trial period. Request a demo to get a number.
Does Drata integrate with QuickBooks or Xero?
No. Drata integrates with infrastructure and identity tools — AWS, GCP, Azure, Okta, GitHub, Jira, and similar systems. It does not connect to accounting software. If your compliance scope includes financial data controls, you will configure those manually.
How does Drata compare to Vanta, its closest competitor?
Both automate SOC 2 evidence collection with similar integration sets. Vanta has historically offered lower entry pricing and a faster self-serve setup. Drata positions on deeper continuous monitoring and a more polished audit workflow. For a first SOC 2 at a small company, Vanta is often cheaper to start. For repeat audits or multi-framework programs, practitioners report Drata's evidence linking saves more time.
Is Drata appropriate for accounting firms to deploy for their clients?
No. Drata sits inside the client's own infrastructure and is operated by the client's team. An accounting firm advising on compliance can review Drata dashboards during fieldwork, but the platform is purchased and managed by the company being audited, not the auditor.
How secure is the evidence Drata collects?
Drata is SOC 2 Type II certified itself and uses AES-256 encryption at rest and TLS in transit. Access to your evidence workspace is controlled via SSO and role-based permissions. That said, you are granting Drata read access to your cloud environments, which is a permission scope your security team should review before signing.
Does Drata replace the need for a CPA firm to issue a SOC 2 report?
No. Drata prepares and organizes your evidence. An actual SOC 2 Type II report requires a licensed CPA firm to perform the audit and issue the opinion. Budget for both. Audit firm fees for a SOC 2 Type II typically run $15,000 to $50,000 separately from Drata's platform cost.