Vanta SOC 2 Explained: Reports and Audits

If you use Vanta to prepare for SOC 2, it is worth understanding exactly what Vanta does and does not do before you start your audit. Vanta automates evidence collection and monitors your controls, but it does not audit you or issue your report. This guide explains who actually audits Vanta customers, how Type 1 and Type 2 reports work, and what a Vanta-based SOC 2 audit typically costs.

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Does Vanta Issue Your SOC 2 Report?

No. Vanta is a compliance automation platform, not a CPA firm, so it cannot issue a SOC 2 report. Only an independent, licensed CPA auditor can evaluate your controls and issue the final SOC 2 report under AICPA standards.

Vanta's role is to help you prepare for that audit. The platform connects to your cloud infrastructure, identity provider, HR systems, and development tools to collect evidence continuously and monitor whether your controls are configured correctly. When your auditor is ready to review your environment, they access a dedicated auditor portal inside Vanta rather than requesting manual screenshots and spreadsheet exports.

Who Audits You When You Use Vanta?

Independent CPA firms audit Vanta customers, the same way they audit companies using any other compliance platform or no platform at all. Vanta maintains a partner network of CPA firms familiar with its evidence workflows, including firms like A-LIGN, Schellman, and BARR Advisory, but you are not required to choose from that list.

Any licensed CPA firm can audit a Vanta customer as long as they are willing to review evidence inside the Vanta trust center. When comparing options, ask how many Vanta-based audits the firm has completed and whether their team reviews evidence directly in the platform rather than asking you to export it manually. Firms with direct Vanta experience typically move through fieldwork faster because they already understand how the platform structures evidence and maps controls to SOC 2 criteria.

What Is the Difference Between SOC 2 Type 1 and Type 2 on Vanta?

The difference between Type 1 and Type 2 has nothing to do with Vanta specifically. It is a distinction defined by AICPA standards. A Type 1 report evaluates whether your controls are designed appropriately at a single point in time. A Type 2 report goes further, testing whether those controls actually operated effectively over an observation period, typically 3 to 12 months.

Vanta supports both report types the same way: by collecting evidence continuously and giving your auditor visibility into control status. Many companies use Vanta to complete a Type 1 report first, since it gives their sales team something to share quickly, then work toward a Type 2 report once they have several months of evidence built up in the platform.

How Long Does a SOC 2 Audit Take with Vanta?

A Type 1 audit with Vanta typically takes 4 to 8 weeks from kickoff to report delivery. A Type 2 audit requires an observation period of 3 to 12 months, plus a few additional weeks for fieldwork and report delivery once the observation period ends.

Vanta can meaningfully shorten the preparation and evidence-gathering work that happens before and during the audit, since integrations pull evidence automatically instead of requiring manual collection. What Vanta cannot do is shorten the required observation period for a Type 2 report. That timeline is set by audit standards, not by how quickly your evidence is organized.

How Much Does a SOC 2 Audit Cost with Vanta?

SOC 2 audit fees for Vanta customers typically range from $15,000 to $60,000, depending on report type, the number of trust services criteria in scope, and the complexity of your infrastructure. This is separate from Vanta's own platform subscription, which usually starts around $10,000 per year.

Vanta mainly reduces internal preparation time rather than the audit fee itself, since your team spends fewer hours manually collecting and organizing evidence. Auditors still perform the same independent testing regardless of which compliance platform you use, so the savings on the audit fee are usually modest compared to the time savings on internal prep. For a full breakdown of what drives SOC 2 pricing, see our guide on how much a SOC 2 audit costs in 2026.

Choosing an Auditor for Your Vanta-Based Audit

Beyond confirming a firm has Vanta experience, ask how they scope controls. Vanta ships a broad, pre-built control framework, and not every control in it applies to your specific environment. A good auditor helps you trim the scope to what is actually relevant rather than testing against every default control. Also ask about their experience with cloud-native infrastructure like AWS, GitHub, and Okta, since these are the systems most Vanta customers rely on day to day.

If you are still deciding between Vanta and another platform, see our Drata vs Vanta comparison or our broader roundup of SOC 2 compliance platforms. You can also see auditors specifically experienced with Vanta on our Vanta SOC 2 auditors page.

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Vanta SOC 2 FAQs

Does Vanta guarantee SOC 2 compliance?

No. Vanta automates evidence collection and monitors control configuration, but it does not guarantee a clean audit result. Your actual controls and processes, not the platform itself, determine whether you pass your audit.

Can I choose any auditor if I use Vanta?

Yes. You are not limited to Vanta's partner network. Any licensed CPA firm can audit a Vanta customer as long as they can review evidence inside the Vanta auditor portal.

Does Vanta reduce SOC 2 audit fees?

Usually not by a large amount. Vanta mainly saves time on internal preparation and makes evidence easier for auditors to review. The audit fee itself is still driven primarily by scope, report type, and infrastructure complexity.

Can I switch from Vanta to another platform mid-audit?

Switching platforms during an active audit is generally not advisable, since it can break evidence continuity and require your auditor to learn a new system mid-engagement. Most companies wait until their next audit cycle to switch.

What should I prepare before giving my auditor access to Vanta?

Before fieldwork begins, confirm all integrations are connected and syncing, your control scope matches your actual environment, monitoring alerts are resolved, and policies are reviewed and up to date. A well-organized Vanta instance reduces back-and-forth once the audit starts.