SOC 2

How do I choose a SOC 2 auditor?

A SOC 2 audit must be performed by a licensed CPA firm, so start by confirming the firm is a licensed CPA. Then weigh experience with companies your size and industry, whether they work smoothly with your evidence platform, price and timeline, independence, and references. Do a readiness assessment first so you engage the auditor with gaps already closed.

Step by step

1. Confirm CPA licensing. A SOC 2 report can only be issued by a licensed CPA firm. Verify the firm holds an active license before anything else.
2. Check relevant experience. Prefer a firm that has audited companies your size and in your industry so they understand your controls and buyers.
3. Check platform and evidence fit. Ask how they accept evidence and whether they work smoothly with your compliance platform, which affects effort and cost.
4. Compare price and timeline. Get scoped quotes and expected timelines; the cheapest bid is not always the fastest or smoothest.
5. Check independence and references. The auditor must be independent (they cannot also build your controls), and references confirm reliability.

The one hard requirement: a licensed CPA firm

SOC 2 is an AICPA attestation, so the report must be issued by an independent licensed CPA firm. Any provider that is not a CPA firm cannot sign a SOC 2 report. That independence is also why your auditor cannot be the same party that implements your controls.

Everything else is fit and effort

Beyond licensing, the differences are experience with your size and sector, how they accept evidence, price, timeline, and responsiveness. A firm that is comfortable pulling evidence from your platform will run a smoother audit than one that wants everything by email.

Where Keel fits

Keel keeps your controls and evidence in one place with freshness tracking, so whichever CPA firm you choose, you can hand over organized, current evidence instead of scrambling. Run a readiness assessment in Keel first to engage the auditor with gaps already closed.

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