SOC 2 vs ISO 27001: Which Certification Does Your Business Actually Need?

Clients regularly ask us whether they should pursue SOC 2 or ISO 27001 first. The honest answer: it depends on who is asking for it.

SOC 2 is built for the US market

SOC 2 Type II is the de facto standard American enterprise buyers expect from SaaS vendors. It is assessed by a US-based CPA firm and focuses heavily on operational controls over a period of months.

ISO 27001 is the global standard

ISO 27001 is recognized internationally and is often required by European and multinational customers. It is a management system standard, meaning it certifies your entire security program, not just a point-in-time control set.

Can you need both?

Yes, and many growing companies eventually pursue both. The good news: roughly 70% of the underlying controls overlap, so pursuing one first makes the second significantly faster.

Our recommendation

If your primary market is US enterprise SaaS buyers, start with SOC 2. If you sell internationally or into regulated industries, ISO 27001 usually comes first. Either way, start with a gap assessment before committing to an audit date.