SOC 2 Cost for Fintech Startups
Fintech companies face the highest scrutiny in SOC 2 audits. Due to the sensitive nature of financial transactions, auditors often require deeper testing of processing integrity and security controls, impacting the total cost.
Tailored for Fintech and your role.
Head of Compliance Strategy • CPA, CISA, ISO 27001 Lead Auditor
Strategic Priorities for Fintech Leaders
Transaction Integrity Benchmarks
Expect to pay a premium (15-20%) on audit fees for the Processing Integrity criteria, which is essential for fintech trust.
Infrastructure Complexity
If you use multi-cloud or complex payment gateways, your readiness tool costs will scale with the number of integrations needed.
Internal Resource Allocation
Budget for 150-200 hours of engineering time if you aren't using an automation platform; tools can reduce this by 80%.
Raphael N
Head of Compliance Strategy
Raphael leads go-to-market compliance strategy for high-growth SaaS and AI teams. With over a decade of experience across Big Four firms and fintech startups, he specializes in translating complex SOC 2 requirements into automated, engineering-friendly workflows.
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All RiscLens content is researched, written, and reviewed by compliance professionals with real-world audit experience. We maintain strict editorial independence and never accept payment for coverage or rankings.
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Audit readiness checklist
- •Define scope and evidence owners for SOC 2 Cost
- •Map controls to your Fintech workflows
- •Confirm evidence cadence and review approvals
- •Document exceptions and compensating controls
- •Validate auditor expectations before kickoff
Evidence to prepare
- •Access reviews
- •Change management approvals
- •Incident response logs
- •Vendor risk assessments
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is SOC 2 more expensive for Fintech$2
The increased complexity of financial data flows and the need for rigorous transaction logging means auditors must spend more time on fieldwork.
Can we skip Type 1 to save money$3
We recommend most fintechs start with Type 1 to close enterprise deals faster, even if the total 12-month cost is slightly higher than going straight to Type 2.
About RiscLens
Our mission is to provide transparency and clarity to early-stage technology companies navigating the complexities of SOC 2 (System and Organization Controls 2) compliance.
Who we serve
Built specifically for early-stage and growing technology companies—SaaS, fintech, and healthcare tech—preparing for their first SOC 2 audit or responding to enterprise customer requirements.
What we provide
Clarity before commitment. We help teams understand realistic cost ranges, timeline expectations, and common gaps before they engage auditors or expensive compliance vendors.
Our Boundaries
We do not provide legal advice, audit services, or certifications. Our assessments support internal planning—they are not a substitute for professional compliance guidance.
SOC 2 (System and Organization Controls 2) is a voluntary compliance standard for service organizations, developed by the AICPA, which specifies how organizations should manage customer data based on the Trust Services Criteria: security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.
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