Understanding ISO 27001 vs. SOC 2: Which One Do You Need?

Compliance is a Competitive Advantage

In B2B tech, you cannot sell without proving you are secure. The two most common ways to prove this are ISO 27001 and SOC 2.

ISO 27001

An international standard that focuses on the creation and maintenance of an Information Security Management System (ISMS). It's highly prescriptive about the process of security.

SOC 2

An American standard created by the AICPA. It evaluates an organization's systems based on Trust Services Criteria (Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, Privacy). It focuses on proving that controls are operating effectively over a period of time (Type II).

Conclusion

If you are targeting global enterprises, go ISO 27001. If you are a SaaS company selling primarily in North America, SOC 2 is usually the better starting point.