Key Takeaways
1. Not All SOC Consulting Firms Are Equal: Choosing the right partner requires more than comparing price tags—you need a firm with deep expertise, proven experience, and the ability to guide you through the entire audit lifecycle.
2. Efficiency and Readiness Save Time and Money: Firms like IS Partners stand out by offering streamlined onboarding, readiness assessments, and senior-led engagements that minimize disruptions and reduce total SOC cost.
3. Full-Service Capabilities Provide Long-Term Value: A SOC consulting firm that offers SOC 1, SOC 2, SOC 3, vendor supply chain audits, and cybersecurity assessments ensures continuity, reduces complexity, and scales with your compliance needs.
When evaluating SOC consulting firms, you want more than just compliance—you need a partner who delivers trust, efficiency, and lasting value. Here’s what to prioritize in your search, plus an inside look at how IS Partners shines across each dimension.
Your Step-by-Step Process for Evaluating SOC Consulting Firms
A thoughtful, criteria-based evaluation process helps you choose a SOC consulting partner that aligns with your goals, minimizes SOC cost, and maximizes long-term audit readiness. Here are seven steps you should take when evaluating SOC consulting firms.
- Identify Your Compliance Needs: Before comparing firms, clarify the type of SOC report you need—such as SOC 1, SOC 2, or SOC 3—and whether or not you’ll need a readiness assessment. You should also evaluate whether your company has internal expertise or if you’ll need more hands-on support.
- Tip: If you’re unsure, look for firms that offer SOC readiness services and can guide you in scoping the right engagement.
- Check Firm Credentials and Experience: Evaluate how long the firm has been performing SOC audits, if they specialize in your industry, and if they have licensed CPAs or a credentialed audit team.
- Tip: Look for a track record of successful engagements, especially with recognizable companies or within regulated industries.
- Assess the Breadth of Services Offered: A strong consulting firm should offer a full breadth of SOC services, including SOC 1, SOC 2, and SOC 3 audits; SOC 2 readiness assessments; SOC for cybersecurity and vendor supply chain; and ongoing advisory support.
- Tip: One-stop firms can support you across your entire compliance lifecycle, reducing cost and complexity.
- Evaluate Onboarding and Workflow Efficiency: Ask potential firms how quickly they can start, their project timeline, and whether they use collaborative tools for evidence collection.
- Tip: Watch out for long onboarding periods or inefficient manual workflows. You want a partner with fast onboarding and streamlined audit workflows that reduce downtime.
- Compare Pricing Transparency and SOC Cost: Get clear, itemized proposals that answer questions like whether readiness and audit phases are billed separately and if there are additional fees for revisions or Q&A. You also need an itemized breakdown of what’s included in your proposal, such as scoping, testing, reporting, and follow-up.
- Tip: Don’t just compare rates—assess value vs. cost, including time saved through efficiency.
- Request Case Studies or Client References: Ask for case studies in your industry or use case, testimonials or contact info for past clients, and details on how they helped companies pass SOC audits quickly.
- Tip: Firms should display the logos of trusted clients in healthcare, tech, finance, and retail on their websites and other owned properties, offering social proof at a glance.
- Evaluate Fit and Communication Style: Gauge responsiveness and clarity during sales calls, whether you’ll have a dedicated audit manager, and whether the firm provides strategic advice or just technical audits.
- Tip: The right consulting firm should feel like an extension of your team, not just a box-checking vendor.
Once you’ve evaluated potential SOC partners, it’s time to narrow down your list of promising candidates. Here are four key reasons why IS Partners is different from other SOC consulting firms:
1. Deep SOC Expertise and Breadth of Services
Why it matters: You need a firm that offers specialized knowledge across multiple SOC frameworks and can tailor solutions to your specific needs.
ISÂ Partners excels with services that include:
- SOCÂ 1 Audits: For control assurance in financial reporting systems, delivered faster with less prep thanks to an efficient process and senior-level auditing leadership.Â
- SOCÂ 2 Audits: Designed to prove data security to customers and vendors (as highlighted on their general SOC page).Â
- SOC 2 Readiness: Helps identify control gaps, provide a clear remediation roadmap, and save you both time and money by ensuring you’re prepared to pass your audit on the first attempt.Â
- SOCÂ 3 Reports: Ideal for public-facing assurance, these tailored reports support marketing efforts and build customer trust.Â
- SOC for Vendor Supply Chain: Enhances transparency and mitigates third-party risks across your supply chain.Â
- SOC for Cybersecurity: Targets security control design and incident prevention, bolstering your risk management efforts.
2. Efficient Onboarding and Streamlined Workflow
Why it matters: A long, disruptive audit process can drain resources and morale.
IS Partners promises:
- Faster audit preparation through an efficient approach that reduces time and effort.Â
- Dedicated, senior-led teams ensuring clarity, consistency, and speed from day one.
These features mean faster compliance with less internal friction—critical for operations and budget-conscious teams.
3. Competitive, Predictable Pricing (aka SOC Cost)
Why it matters: Transparency around the cost of a SOC audit helps you budget accurately and avoid surprises.
IS Partners highlights:
- Competitive pricing without sacrificing quality, particularly noted in their SOCÂ 1 services.Â
- A Readiness Assessment that not only streamlines your audit but also saves time and money.
Transparent, fair pricing combined with proactive readiness saves translates to value—especially when considering total SOC cost from prep to completion.
4. Proven Track Record and Recognizable Trust Signals
Why it matters: Reputation and experience often correlate with quality and reliability.
ISÂ Partners is trusted by top-tier names, including Tommy Hilfiger, Shutterfly, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Teladoc, Avmed, and more, across multiple service lines.
This breadth of clientele signals confidence across industries and validates their process and delivery.
5. Overall Strategic Value: Readiness + Reputation + Agility
Why it matters: The best SOC consulting firm delivers more than reports—it offers a holistic, empowering experience.
IS Partners stands out by combining:
| Strength | Value Delivered |
| 20+ years of experience | Deep expertise and institutional knowledge enhance quality. |
| Efficient onboarding & senior-led engagement | Minimizes internal disruption and maximizes clarity. |
| Clear pricing strategy | Keeps SOC cost manageable and transparent. |
| Readiness-first approach | Saves time and reduces audit stress. |
| Strong, recognizable client base | Validates success and builds confidence. |
Ultimately, IS Partners is an experienced SOC consulting firm that offers fast onboarding, accurate controls mapping, transparent reporting, and reliable access to seasoned US-based CPAs and cybersecurity professionals with no need for outsourcing. Our team has more than 20 years of experience in SOC audits and a 95% client retention rate, proving our value in the crowded SOC market. Want to learn how we can help you pass your next SOC audit with ease? Explore our full list of SOC compliance services, including our SOC 1 and SOC 2 audit services, for more information.
What Should You Do Next?
How long does it take to complete a SOC 1 audit? This depends on how prepared and how many resources your organization must dedicate to the project. The first time through, usually a readiness assessment is performed, and then the Type I phase, which will typically take anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks. However, in situations where an organization does not have the resources or priority assigned, it may take 8 to 10 weeks. A Type II report takes about 8 to 12 weeks to complete, although it may take a little longer during the first audit but become more efficient every year thereafter.
What is the difference between a SOC 1 audit and SOC 2 audit? In its simplest form, a SOC 1 is a report on controls at a service organization relevant to a user entity’s internal control over financial reporting. On the other hand, a SOC 2 report is related to controls at a service organization relevant to the trust services criteria. Read more about SOC 1 vs. SOC 2.
When should I consider getting a SOC 3 report? You can request a SOC 3 report whenever you wish to demonstrate your organization’s dedication to providing exceptional service and compliance with the AICPA Trust Service Principals. A SOC 3 report should be considered as part of a strategy to promote the findings in your organization’s SOC 2 report, especially when they are positive.
