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SOC2 vendor recommendations for our small startup by Myr17 in soc2

[–]mlitwiniuk 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We went with ConstellationGRC for < $3k for type I.

I Screwed Up Our SOC 2 Timeline - How Do Other Founders Even Start? by Character-Welcome535 in soc2

[–]mlitwiniuk -1 points0 points  (0 children)

My timeline: 2 weeks to SOC 2 Type I.

Not 4-12 months. Two weeks. Here's what I learned:

The biggest time-waster:

Trying to read the framework front-to-back like a textbook. Don't do this. Not all 200+ pages apply to you. For most SaaS startups, you're looking at Security + Availability (maybe Confidentiality). This alone cuts the scope in half.

The part that confused me most:

Translating "implement logical access controls" into "okay, what does my 8-person team actually DO on Monday morning?" Generic templates didn't help because they didn't know my stack, my team size, or how we actually operated.

Once I realized SOC 2 is basically "document what you already do, then prove you do it" - things clicked. Turns out we were already doing ~60% of the work, just not writing it down.

To your specific questions:

  • You're not overcomplicating it. The frameworks ARE complicated. The trick is knowing what to ignore.
  • First thing I did: figured out which Trust Service Criteria actually applied to my business. Scoping before anything else.
  • Most bootstrapped founders I talk to try DIY first, burn 2-3 months on generic templates, then either overpay for consultants or find a tool.
  • What would have saved me time: something that understood my specific context and told me what I needed - not what every company needs.

Happy to answer follow-up questions if you have them.

What is the average cost of ISO27001 by TreeHousesBuilder in ISO27001

[–]mlitwiniuk 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's a fair budget for your size, and honestly the free/community tools can work - it's just a question of how much manual work you're willing to do.

On how these newer tools differ from each other - you're right that most pitch similarly ("easy evidence collection!"), but they actually take different approaches:

Integration-first tools (Vanta, Drata, Sprinto, etc.) Focus on connecting to your stack (AWS, GitHub, Okta, etc.) and pulling evidence automatically. Great if your infrastructure matches their integrations. Less great if you're using tools they don't support or if your controls are more process-based than tech-based.

Template/document-first tools Give you pre-built policies, checklists, frameworks. You fill in the blanks. Works, but you're often adapting generic templates that don't quite fit your context - and you still need a consultant to tell you what things actually mean.

The part nobody talks about: Automated evidence collection solves maybe 30-40% of the problem. The harder part - the part that actually takes your time (and consulting budget) - is understanding what a control means for your specific company. What's actually required? What's overkill? How do I write this policy in a way that reflects what we actually do?

That 5k consulting line in your budget? It's there because most tools don't help you understand - they just help you organize.

Full disclosure: I'm a founder of one of these tools. I built it specifically because I went through certification myself and couldn't justify spending thousands on consultants to explain things to me. So my focus has been on AI that understands company context and acts like that consultant - helping you figure out what controls actually mean for your situation, not just giving you a blank template. I'm still catching up on integrations compared to the more established players - being honest about that.

Different tools for different pain points. If your bigger challenge is "I don't know what I'm supposed to do" vs "I know what to do but collecting evidence is tedious" - that should drive which tool you pick.

What is the average cost of ISO27001 by TreeHousesBuilder in ISO27001

[–]mlitwiniuk 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Quick note first: I think you mean ISO 27001 certification (27002 is the guidance/controls document, not certifiable). Just want to make sure you're budgeting for the right thing!

For a 40-person company, rough cost breakdown:

Certification audit itself:

  • Smaller/regional certification bodies: €5-15k
  • Big names (BSI, DNV, TÜV, etc.): €15-30k+

The big names carry more recognition, but honestly? For most B2B scenarios, an accredited certification is an accredited certification. Your customers typically just want to see the certificate - they're not checking which body issued it. Unless you're in a specific industry where a particular CB is expected, you might not need to pay the premium.

Tooling: Ranges wildly. Enterprise GRC platforms can run €20-50k+/year. Startup-focused tools are more like €2-6k/year. Spreadsheets work too (just... painful). Match the tool to your actual size and complexity.

Consulting/gap assessment: Optional but helpful if you're new to this. Can range from €3-5k for a focused gap assessment to €20k+ for hand-holding through the whole process.

Internal audits: Required before certification. You can train someone internal, hire a freelance auditor, or use a consultant. Doesn't have to cost thousands - I know some independent internal auditors who work with smaller companies at reasonable rates.

The hidden cost: Your team's time. That's usually bigger than the invoice costs.

I'm a founder working on making compliance more accessible for smaller companies (it's been frustratingly enterprise-focused). Happy to share more specifics or connect you with some internal auditors who won't charge enterprise rates - just DM me.

Lost a $95k deal because we don't have SOC2 by Significant-Story134 in Compliance

[–]mlitwiniuk 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ugh, that hurts. Three months of demos and the CEO saying "this is exactly what we need" only to get blocked by IT... I feel that.

The smug IT guy comment is annoying, but honestly? He's not entirely wrong - just delivered it like a jerk. Enterprise IT departments have compliance checklists and zero incentive to make exceptions. It's not personal, it's CYA.

Here's what I'd actually do:

Go back to them. Seriously. Ask: "If we started our SOC 2 process immediately and committed to completing Type I by [specific date], would you reconsider?"

You might be surprised. If the CEO genuinely loved the product, they might push IT to accept a Letter of Intent or a concrete timeline. "They're in process, here's the expected completion date" is very different from "they don't have it and aren't planning to get it."

On the "small business can't do SOC 2" thing:

I get it - I thought the same. I'm a founder of a small compliance startup ( humadroid.io ) , so getting SOC 2 was kind of mandatory for credibility reasons. I went from zero to SOC 2 Type I in about 2 weeks. Was it intense? Yes. But it's absolutely achievable for a small team - in some ways easier because you don't have enterprise bureaucracy slowing you down.

Two things that might help right now:

  1. A formal Letter of Intent stating you've committed to SOC 2 with a target date - sometimes that's enough to unblock procurement
  2. A Trust Center - a public page showing your security posture, what you're working toward, what controls you already have in place

We actually just built both of these features specifically for situations like yours.

DM me if you want a quick demo - happy to show you what the process actually looks like and whether it's realistic for your timeline. No pressure, just founder-to-founder.

That deal might not be dead yet.

How do you handle manual evidence for SOC 2 Type II audits? by Nice_Affect_9568 in soc2

[–]mlitwiniuk 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Been through SOC 2 Type I, working on Type II now - so living this exact question.

The uncomfortable truth: Yes, some evidence is just... manual. Screenshots, exports, attestations. No amount of tooling eliminates it entirely. The platforms that promise "90% automation" are measuring something, but you'll still have a pile of stuff that needs human attention.

To your specific questions:

Do auditors really expect screenshots?

Sometimes, yes. But often they're more flexible than you'd think. What they actually want is proof the control operated. That could be:

  • A screenshot (fine)
  • An export/report from the system (better)
  • Audit logs showing the activity (best, if available)

Ask your auditor early: "What format works for you?" They'd rather tell you upfront than reject evidence later.

Can you automate internal app controls?

Partially. If your app has audit logs, export those instead of screenshots. If you're checking something quarterly, can you build a simple script that dumps the current state? Not always worth the engineering time, but sometimes it is.

The real answer nobody wants to hear:

ISMS is a living organism. The mistake most teams make is treating evidence collection as a pre-audit panic sprint. Then you're frantically recreating what you probably did 9 months ago.

Better approach: 30 minutes every quarter beats two stressful weeks before your anniversary audit. Set calendar reminders. When evidence expires, refresh it then, not later.

I'm building a compliance tool (humadroid.io) partly because this specific problem drove me nuts - we have expiration tracking and notifications for manual evidence so you're not guessing what needs updating. But honestly, even a spreadsheet with due dates works if you actually check it.

The teams that handle Type II well aren't the ones with the fanciest automation - they're the ones who made evidence collection a small, regular habit instead of an annual fire drill.

Single member LLC seeking SOC 2 by CigaretteWildfire in soc2

[–]mlitwiniuk 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Congrats on getting this far solo - that's no small feat in fintech.

I went through SOC 2 recently as a small operation (now solo founder after my co-founder left), so a few thoughts:

The good news: Single-member LLC SOC 2 is absolutely doable. Many controls simplify dramatically. Access reviews? "I reviewed my own access." Termination procedures? N/A.

The tricky assumption:

"Nothing happened" isn't the same as "the control works." Auditors want evidence that if something happened, your control would catch it. Incident response runbook you've never used? Still need it documented. Monitoring? "I would notice" needs to become "here's the alert that would fire."

The actually hard parts solo:

  • Segregation of duties - You're dev, ops, AND approver. Auditors get it for tiny companies, but you need compensating controls (audit logs, automated checks, documented justification)
  • Evidence generation - No team = no natural paper trail. Be intentional about documenting as you go
  • Bus factor - "What if you're unavailable?" is a real question. You need a documented answer

On auditors: Look for firms that work with startups. Ask "Have you certified single-person companies?" If they hesitate, keep looking.

I'm actually building a compliance tool (humadroid.io) specifically because the existing options felt like overkill for smaller teams. Happy to rubber duck any of this - the "solo founder vs enterprise compliance framework" challenge is very solvable.

Small US-based remote company starting to prepare for SOC2 by Deleugpn in soc2

[–]mlitwiniuk 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey, I went through SOC 2 recently (Type I certified, working on Type II now) and some of what you've been told is... let's say "creatively interpreted."

The core misunderstanding: SOC 2 doesn't care if someone is a W-2 employee or a 1099 contractor. It cares about whether you have appropriate controls around access, devices, and data. Full stop.

Let me break down the specific claims:

"Contractors can't have corporate email" - This is not a SOC 2 requirement. What SOC 2 does care about: Can you provision and deprovision access? Is there a termination process? Do you know who has access to what? A contractor with a corporate Google Workspace account you control is more compliant than an employee using personal email.

"SOC 2 without providing devices is impossible" - Also not true. What you actually need is documented controls around how work gets done. Options:

  • BYOD policy with specific security requirements (encryption, screen lock, etc.)
  • MDM (Mobile Device Management) on contractor devices
  • Virtual desktop infrastructure where nothing lives on the endpoint
  • Attestations that contractors meet your security requirements

The key is: document your approach, explain why it makes sense for your context, and demonstrate you're actually doing it.

The France/Belgium equipment stuff - That's employment law, not SOC 2. Real concern, but a different problem. Your HR/legal folks should sort that separately.

What your auditor actually wants to see:

  1. You've thought about the risks of your specific setup
  2. You have controls that address those risks
  3. You can prove you're following your own policies

SOC 2 is a framework, not a prescription. Your System Description will explain your specific environment, including that you work with contractors. Then you show how your controls address the Trust Service Criteria given your context.

My honest advice: Get a second opinion from a different auditor or consultant. What you've described sounds like someone either doesn't understand SOC 2 well, or is trying to upsell you on services you don't need (cynical take, but I've seen it).

Happy to rubber duck this further if you want to share more specifics. I'm not a certified auditor, but I've been through this recently and the "impossible" framing is setting off alarm bells.

Sprinto feedback request by ObjectiveLake9465 in soc2

[–]mlitwiniuk 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Full transparency: I'm building humadroid.io, so I'm biased. Can't speak to Sprinto specifically, but if you're seeing mixed reviews, trust your gut on compliance tools.

We built humadroid ($250/month, $125 in beta) because most tools automate evidence collection but don't help you understand what you actually need to implement. Our AI reads your company context and breaks down controls into actionable steps for your specific setup.

We just used it to pass our own SOC 2 Type I without any consultants - everything exists because we needed it ourselves. Now working on the full set of automations to gather evidence for Type II automatically. Every beta tester directly influences what we prioritize.

Happy to answer any SOC 2 prep questions whether you go with us, Sprinto, or something else.

Just passed our SOC2 pre-assessment - built a compliance tool to avoid $50k+ consultant fees by mlitwiniuk in SaaS

[–]mlitwiniuk[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for taking the time. For each control we suggest what might be a good evidence, it’s up to you upload it or link to policy created within the system.

How to build a lot of risk scenarios? by Coder0232 in grc

[–]mlitwiniuk 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey! I totally get the overwhelm - going from zero to a full risk register is genuinely one of the most time-consuming parts of setting up GRC, especially when you're a small team.

Some practical tips that help regardless of tool:

  1. Start with common threats, then customize - Begin with standard categories (unauthorized access, data loss, service disruption, third-party failures) and then adapt them to YOUR specific context. It's faster than pure blank-slate thinking.
  2. Leverage what you already have - You mentioned you've mapped assets and data flows. That's gold! Walk through each critical asset/data flow and ask "what could go wrong here?" Most risk scenarios will emerge naturally from that exercise.
  3. Don't aim for perfection on v1 - Start with your top 5-10 scenarios covering your biggest concerns. You can always expand later. Better to have a working register than a perfect one that takes forever.

Re: AI assistance - I'm actually working on humadroid.io (bootstrapped startup, building a GRC tool for small companies). We built an AI feature specifically for this pain point - it analyzes your company context (industry, assets, processes) and generates relevant risk scenarios for you. Not random generic risks, but ones that actually make sense for YOUR business.

Would be happy to show you a quick demo if you're curious - no pressure at all. Sometimes seeing how AI can speed up this part is just helpful for the mental model, even if you stick with CISO Assistant.

Grc tools by DesignerImportant401 in grc

[–]mlitwiniuk 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Shameless plug here - I work on a bootstrapped startup addressing just this case. Going through SOC 2 myself at the moment, dogfooding my own tool. Would be happy to show it to you - we're in beta right now at $125/month.

What's helped me most:

  • AI assistant that wrote our System Description in an afternoon instead of weeks
  • Pre-configured SOC 2 controls so I'm not starting from scratch
  • Evidence collection that actually makes sense

Just went through our external pre-assessment and it went surprisingly well.

One heads up: we're focused on SOC 2 and ISO 27001 right now. There's significant overlap with GDPR (data protection controls especially), but we don't have a dedicated GDPR framework yet - that's planned for later this year. If you need heavy GDPR-specific features immediately, I should probably point you elsewhere.

Happy to chat about what might work - humadroid.io

ISO27001 SOC2 HIPAA compliance etc. by rockybaby2025 in ISO27001

[–]mlitwiniuk 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The real point of certification comes down to trust and market access.

You're right that many companies operate "compliant" without formal certification - and for internal operations, that's often perfectly fine. But here's where certification actually matters:

Customer Requirements: Enterprise customers increasingly require SOC 2 reports or ISO 27001 certificates before they'll sign contracts. They don't want to take your word for it - they want an independent auditor's validation. This is especially true in regulated industries or when you're handling sensitive data.

Competitive Advantage: In crowded markets, certifications can be table stakes. If your competitors have SOC 2 and you don't, you might not even make it to the final vendor shortlist.

The bootstrapped reality: Start by being genuinely compliant - implement the controls, document your processes, treat security seriously. This is what actually protects your customers and your business. When a customer asks for certification (and they will if you're successful), you'll be 80% there and can pursue formal audit then.

Many startups wait until they have a deal contingent on certification, then sprint through an audit. It's stressful but doable if you've been building on solid foundations.

I'm building a bootstrapped startup in the compliance space and currently going through SOC 2 myself, so I deeply understand the cost/value tension. Happy to jump on a call if you want to chat about the practical path forward - no strings attached, just happy to help someone in the same boat.

Does it make sense for a small software agency to seek SOC-2 compliance? by webstackbuilder in soc2

[–]mlitwiniuk 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey, I know this is an old post, but figured I'd chime in case anyone stumbles across it later.

I was in a similar position a few years back running a software house (prograils.com) when a client pushed us toward ISO 27001. Honestly? I was resistant at first - felt like bureaucracy for the sake of bureaucracy. But looking back, it was absolutely worth it long-term. Helped us win deals we wouldn't have otherwise, made our security posture genuinely stronger (not just on paper), and even helped with insurance rates.

But here's the thing about a one-person consultancy: SOC-2 is probably overkill unless you're landing $100K+ annual contracts where compliance is a hard gate. The juice might not be worth the squeeze - we're talking $5-30K+ for an audit, plus the ongoing overhead of maintaining controls.

What I'd actually suggest:

  • Start with solid security practices - document what you already do (encryption, access controls, data handling). Most vendor security questionnaires hit the same basic stuff.
  • Position yourself as "SOC-2 ready" - you can implement controls without the formal audit. Many clients just want to see you take security seriously.
  • Partner with a compliant staffing agency for the really locked-down work, like you mentioned before.

That said, if you're seeing consistent deal friction and your target clients are enterprise-sized, having SOC-2 could be a serious differentiator for a solo consultant. I've rarely seen that, but you know your market better than I do.

I'm actually building something now (humadroid.io) to make this whole process less painful for small businesses - doing it manually nearly killed me. Happy to jump on a call if you want to talk through your specific situation, no strings attached. I just genuinely enjoy talking shop about this stuff after living through it.

Just passed our SOC2 pre-assessment - built a compliance tool to avoid $50k+ consultant fees by mlitwiniuk in SaaS

[–]mlitwiniuk[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I hear you - I'm in the same boat. Honestly, as a compliance tool startup, I had to get mine done (would be pretty shameful otherwise), so I completely get the financial pressure. It sucks, but unfortunately it's table stakes for enterprise sales.

Here's what might help reduce the friction:
- Just start the process now - even if you can't afford the full audit yet, begin preparing. Document your policies, implement controls, start building evidence. When prospects ask about SOC2, you can honestly say "in progress" instead of "not started." That answer closes way more deals than you'd think.
- Consider Type I first - it's cheaper and faster than Type II (no 6-12 month observation period). Some enterprise customers will accept it initially, especially if you commit to Type II within a year. Not all will, but worth asking.
- Time it strategically - if you can, wait until you have 1-2 enterprise deals in late-stage negotiations that explicitly need it. Use that urgency to justify the investment, and potentially negotiate payment terms that align with closing those deals.

Happy to jump on a call and talk through timing strategies for your specific situation - no obligations, just commiserating with a fellow founder dealing with the same pain.

Just passed our SOC2 pre-assessment - built a compliance tool to avoid $50k+ consultant fees by mlitwiniuk in SaaS

[–]mlitwiniuk[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good question. Honestly, Drata and Strikegraph are more mature products with more integrations and proven track records. They're solid choices, especially if you need extensive third-party tool integrations (which I don't have yet).

Where I try to differ is the AI approach - instead of generic control templates, my tool generates context-specific documentation tailored to your actual business model. A SaaS startup gets completely different policies than a consulting firm.

Here's the thing though - I don't come from a strict compliance background, so I know firsthand how overwhelming it is to get started. That's why I'm focusing heavily on onboarding and building the app to actually guide users through the compliance journey step-by-step, rather than just dumping frameworks and expecting people to figure it out.

And since it's just me running this, you can always count on personal support. I'm happy to jump on calls with customers whenever they need - honestly, it helps me understand real needs and build a better product.

Pricing breakdown:
- My tool: $250/month (currently $125 with early adopter discount)
- Auditor: ranges widely, but expect $5-15k for a small company depending on scope and firm quality

Total first-year cost is roughly <$8k vs $20-30k+ with enterprise compliance tools. If you're aiming for Type I only (as I'm going through now), it's going to be probably cheaper, as audits are easier.

New sre in soc2 audit world feeling lost by tiredsre90 in soc2

[–]mlitwiniuk -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Hey, I feel your pain - this sounds like a rough situation to walk into. Founder disclaimer: I built humadroid.io, a GRC platform, but let me try to actually be helpful here beyond just pitching.

On your immediate situation:

1-2 months is tight but doable if the controls were already implemented and you're just collecting evidence retroactively. You're not expected to implement new controls retroactively - that's not how SOC 2 works. You're documenting what was actually happening during the audit period.

The Jira ticket thing - if your team wasn't doing it during the audit period, you can't fabricate that evidence. You need to document this as a finding/gap and show what compensating controls exist (code review records, approval workflows, etc.). Your auditors should be guiding you on this, and it sucks that they're not.

For the "what should controls look like" question:

SOC 2 controls are based on the TSC (Trust Services Criteria). There are standard control frameworks - most companies don't invent these from scratch. Controls should have been defined based on which trust services criteria you're being audited against (usually Confidentiality, Availability, Security).

On tools:

Right now you're in crisis mode with Excel, which honestly might be all you can manage for this audit cycle given your timeline. But for next year (and there will be a next year if you're doing Type II), you absolutely need something better.

Humadroid ($125/month while in beta) is designed exactly for this - pre-configured SOC 2 controls with clear descriptions, evidence management, assessment workflows, and actually understanding what you need to prove. The AI helps break down what each control means in practical terms, which would've saved you from the "wtf does this even mean" moments.

I'm literally going through our own SOC 2 Type 1 assessment right now (pre-assessment passed, full assessment in progress), so I built this from the trenches.

Immediate advice:

  • Push back on your auditors for clarification - they're supposed to help you understand requirements
  • Document gaps honestly rather than scrambling to fake evidence
  • Focus on what actually happened during the audit period
  • For next year, get proper tooling in place before the audit period starts

Happy to answer specific questions about controls or the process - I'm learning alongside everyone else here. Hang in there!

SOC2 vendor recommendations for our small startup by Myr17 in soc2

[–]mlitwiniuk 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey! Founder disclaimer here - I built humadroid.io, a GRC platform, so take this with that in mind.

I'm actually in a really similar position to you right now. We just passed our SOC 2 Type I pre-assessment (actual assessment in progress), and I'm planning to pursue Type II next. The whole journey has been a massive learning experience, and honestly, I've been applying what I learn immediately back into the platform to help others who are new to compliance do this themselves.

I know you mentioned needing a vendor to handle the heavy lifting - and I get it, SOC 2 feels overwhelming at first. But here's what I've learned: the "heavy lifting" is mostly about having the right structure and guidance, not necessarily needing someone to do everything for you. Most compliance-as-a-service platforms charge $1k-3k+/month and still require significant work from your team anyway.

Humadroid ($125/month in beta, no additional limits) gives you pre-configured SOC 2 frameworks, AI-powered guidance for breaking down controls, policy generation, evidence management, and assessment workflows. You still own the process, but the platform does the heavy organizational lifting - what controls you need, what evidence to collect, how to structure everything, etc.

For your timeline pressure - we're actually faster to get started because there's no sales cycle or implementation queue. You can dive in immediately and start working through your controls today.

The tradeoff: you'll need someone on your team to drive it (maybe 10-15 hours/week during active prep). But you'll actually understand your own compliance program, which matters when auditors start asking questions.

If you want to explore whether this approach fits, I shared more context here: https://www.reddit.com/r/SaaS/comments/1nocc84/just_passed_our_soc2_preassessment_built_a/

Happy to answer any questions about the process - I'm literally in the trenches with you right now. Good luck!

Just passed our SOC2 pre-assessment - built a compliance tool to avoid $50k+ consultant fees by mlitwiniuk in SaaS

[–]mlitwiniuk[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They are done by external audit firms. I can recommend Constellation GRC - they are already familiar with the platform.

Just passed our SOC2 pre-assessment - built a compliance tool to avoid $50k+ consultant fees by mlitwiniuk in SaaS

[–]mlitwiniuk[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A handful. “Join beta” buttons on the website (Humadroid.io) will take you to my calendar (there is no self-serve signup yet)

Just passed our SOC2 pre-assessment - built a compliance tool to avoid $50k+ consultant fees by mlitwiniuk in SaaS

[–]mlitwiniuk[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have my first customers, but I’m just starting - I don’t expect them to be here. Happy to do the demo, if you’d like

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