Vanta pioneered compliance automation, but the landscape has evolved. For today's startups and SMBs, the real pain isn't just passing an annual SOC 2 or ISO 27001 audit. It's the constant, revenue-blocking friction of security questionnaires killing sales momentum. It's the looming pressure of new regulations like NIS 2 and DORA. And it's the relentless drain on your most valuable engineering resources, pulling them away from building your product to answer security questions.
If you're manually managing compliance in spreadsheets or your current tool feels like a glorified checklist, you're falling behind. The critical problem many businesses face is that even with a certification in hand, they can't prove their security posture efficiently to prospects. This leads to stalled deals, frustrating procurement cycles, and lost revenue. The goal has shifted from a one-time certificate to building a continuous, automated trust engine that accelerates sales.
This guide delivers a direct, actionable analysis of the 5 best Vanta alternatives, specifically for SMBs and startups. We'll cut through the marketing fluff to show you how each platform solves specific pain points—from automating security questionnaires and achieving ISO 27001 to preparing for SOC 2 Type 2 audits. This is about choosing a tool that not only gets you certified but actively helps you close deals faster.
1. Compli.st
Compli.st stands out among Vanta alternatives by directly targeting the most painful intersection of compliance and sales: security questionnaires. It’s an AI-powered platform built for startups and SMBs who are tired of losing deals and engineering hours to tedious security reviews. Compli.st transforms this revenue bottleneck into a competitive advantage, enabling you to prove your security posture instantly and accelerate sales cycles for frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, NIS 2, and DORA.
Unlike generic AI tools that invent ("hallucinate") answers and create risk, Compli.st’s Smart Library acts as your single source of truth. It answers questions only from your verified documents—audit reports, policies, and past questionnaires. This empowers your sales team to complete security reviews in minutes, not weeks, without distracting your InfoSec team. This dual focus on audit readiness (SOC 2, ISO 27001) and revenue acceleration is what makes it a game-changer for B2B tech companies.
Key Differentiators and Use Cases
Compli.st is built for the real-world challenges of startups and SMBs. If you're a CTO or sales leader fighting to unblock deals stuck in security reviews, this platform is your solution. Its ability to auto-generate GDPR Article 30 records and data maps eliminates hours of manual work. The RiskAI module provides ISO 27005-aligned risk analysis with clear heatmaps and actionable remediation plans, moving beyond basic evidence collection to offer strategic risk management that auditors and enterprise customers respect.
Platform Strengths & Limitations
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Source-Cited AI: Instantly answers security questionnaires using only your verified documents, freeing up engineering time and accelerating sales. | Dependency on Document Quality: The AI's accuracy is directly linked to the quality and completeness of your uploaded policies and reports. |
| Actionable Compliance Suite: Integrated tools for risk management (RiskAI), GDPR, NIS 2, DORA, and a public Trust Centre to proactively build customer trust. | Phased Feature Rollout: Some advanced automation, like the automatic Excel completion tool, is a Pro-tier or coming-soon feature, so availability may vary. |
| Built for SMB & Startup Security: Employs AES-256 encryption, TLS 1.3, and offers European hosting with segregated customer data to meet enterprise-grade security demands. | |
| Transparent & Scalable Pricing: Features a free-forever tier for core AI questionnaire functions, with affordable paid plans that grow with you. |
Ideal User Profile and Pricing
Compli.st is the ideal solution for B2B SaaS startups and SMBs who are bogged down by client security questionnaires. Its pricing model is designed for accessibility, starting with a Free forever plan. Paid tiers include Starter (€19/month), Pro Team (€85/month), and Enterprise (€349/month), with deep discounts for annual billing and a 14-day free trial without a credit card.
Website: https://www.compli.st
2. Drata
Drata is a powerful AI-native trust and GRC platform, making it a leading Vanta alternative for fast-growing tech companies. The platform is designed to automate the heavy lifting of achieving and maintaining compliance for frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, and PCI DSS. Its key strength is continuous control monitoring and automated evidence collection, which dramatically reduces the manual, repetitive work that consumes teams during audit preparation.
Drata’s extensive integration marketplace allows it to plug directly into your company’s tech stack, from cloud providers to HR systems, giving you a complete, real-time view of your security posture. This is a critical feature for businesses managing multiple frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001, as Drata intelligently maps controls across standards to eliminate redundant work. A key differentiator is its inclusion of a SafeBase Trust Center and AI-powered questionnaire automation, helping sales and GRC teams accelerate security reviews and build client trust. For teams specifically tackling SOC 2, you can learn more about how to navigate a SOC 2 Type 2 audit on compli.st.
### Key Features & Considerations
| Feature | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Automation | Enterprise-grade continuous monitoring frees up your team from manual evidence collection. |
| Integrations | Extensive library and an Open API ensure it connects to the tools you already use. |
| Frameworks | Multi-framework mapping is a huge time-saver for managing standards like ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type 2 simultaneously. |
| Pricing | Quote-based; costs can increase significantly as you add more frameworks or scale your team. |
3. Secureframe
Secureframe is a strong all-in-one compliance automation platform and a top Vanta alternative. It's built to help businesses achieve and maintain compliance for a wide range of frameworks, including SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and GDPR. The platform's core value is its continuous control monitoring, automated evidence collection, and a complete suite of tools that simplify the entire audit process, from readiness to report.
With over 300 integrations, Secureframe connects deeply into your tech stack to automate security monitoring. A key differentiator is its optional EU/UK data-residency, a critical feature for European businesses with strict data sovereignty requirements under GDPR. The platform also includes comprehensive risk management, AI-powered security questionnaire automation, and a customer-facing Trust Center to proactively prove your security. When evaluating solutions, it's smart to compare feature sets and pricing; you can see how compli.st handles pricing for a transparent market comparison.
### Key Features & Considerations
| Feature | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Automation | Continuous monitoring saves countless hours on manual evidence gathering for your audits. |
| Integrations | 300+ pre-built integrations connect to your cloud and SaaS tools for comprehensive coverage. |
| Frameworks | Broad support for major global and industry-specific standards like ISO 27001 and SOC 2. |
| Pricing | Quote-based, meaning you need to engage with their sales team to understand the total cost. |
4. Thoropass (formerly Laika)
Thoropass stands out among the best Vanta alternatives by integrating its compliance automation software directly with in-house audit services. This all-in-one approach is designed for businesses that want to simplify vendor management and streamline the entire compliance journey, from readiness to final report. The platform supports key frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and PCI DSS, making it a comprehensive solution for businesses with complex compliance needs.
The core value of Thoropass is its unified model. It provides guided audit readiness with in-platform auditors who assist your team, ensuring evidence is collected correctly and controls are implemented effectively. This high-touch service, combined with features like multi-framework control mapping and unified evidence collection, is particularly valuable for companies managing compliance for multiple products or global teams. By centralizing communication and evidence, Thoropass reduces the friction that typically comes from coordinating between a software provider and a separate audit firm.
### Key Features & Considerations
| Feature | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Integrated Audit | A single contract for both software and audit services simplifies procurement and management. |
| Guided Readiness | In-platform auditors provide expert guidance, which is great for teams new to ISO 27001 or SOC 2. |
| Multi-Framework | Strong capabilities for mapping controls across multiple standards save time and effort. |
| Pricing | Quote-based only; this combined service model is likely a higher investment than software-only tools. |
5. Sprinto
Sprinto is built for speed, making it a top Vanta alternative for startups and scale-ups that need to get compliant—fast. The platform focuses on automating security compliance for frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, and GDPR, designed to get cloud-native companies audit-ready in weeks, not months. Its biggest pain point solved is the resource drain on engineering teams; Sprinto's structured, guided implementation removes the guesswork and minimizes the time investment required from your technical staff.
With a strong library of 200-300+ integrations, Sprinto provides continuous monitoring across your tech stack to automate evidence collection. A unique offering is its AI-guided Sprinto X program, a free readiness assessment tool that helps early-stage startups understand their SOC 2 gaps before committing to an audit. Sprinto also offers some pricing transparency through purchasable SKUs on the AWS Marketplace, allowing businesses to budget more effectively. This makes it a compelling option for teams that need to move quickly and manage costs closely.
### Key Features & Considerations
| Feature | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Speed | Guided implementation and AI-assisted onboarding are designed for rapid audit readiness. |
| Integrations | Comprehensive library covers the common SaaS, IaaS, and developer tools used by startups. |
| Early Readiness | The free Sprinto X tool is valuable for startups to assess their SOC 2 posture early on. |
| Pricing | AWS Marketplace SKUs provide some transparency, but custom quotes are still common. |
6. Hyperproof
Hyperproof is a robust Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) platform, making it a solid Vanta alternative for mid-market and enterprise businesses that need to go beyond initial certifications like SOC 2. Its architecture is built for complex compliance programs, offering deep support for European frameworks like NIS 2 and DORA. The platform excels at mapping controls across multiple frameworks, a critical time-saver for teams managing a diverse portfolio of compliance obligations.
A key differentiator for Hyperproof is its dedicated support for European customers, offering an EU-based instance and local support hours to address data residency and GDPR requirements. This focus, combined with mature risk management and vendor risk assessment capabilities, positions it as a strategic solution for larger companies scaling their GRC functions. While it automates evidence collection, its core value is in centralizing risk and compliance into a single, auditable system. It's ideal for organizations that have outgrown simpler tools and need comprehensive GRC oversight.
### Key Features & Considerations
| Feature | Analysis |
|---|---|
| EU Focus | Dedicated EU instance and strong support for frameworks like NIS 2, DORA, and ISO 27001. |
| Controls Mapping | Advanced capabilities to map controls across dozens of frameworks, reducing duplicate effort. |
| Risk Management | Mature modules for managing internal and third-party vendor risks. |
| Pricing | Quote-based; benchmarks suggest a mid-to-high total cost of ownership for larger scopes. |
7. AuditBoard
AuditBoard is an enterprise-grade, AI-first GRC platform, presenting a powerful alternative to Vanta for large and global organizations. It moves beyond single-framework compliance to offer a connected system for audit, risk management, and compliance. The platform is built for complexity, acting as a single data core where risks, controls, and frameworks are interconnected, giving you a holistic view of your GRC posture. This is especially valuable for enterprises managing diverse business units or complex regulations like DORA or NIS 2.
Unlike solutions aimed at startups, AuditBoard’s strengths are its deep analytics, powerful reporting, and AI-assisted workflows for control testing and issue management. This makes it ideal for mature compliance programs that require extensive internal audit capabilities alongside standard certifications like SOC 2 or ISO 27001. Its architecture is built to scale across complex corporate structures, offering granular control that SMB-focused tools lack. While powerful, its comprehensive nature means implementation is more involved, demanding a greater investment than lightweight Vanta alternatives.
### Key Features & Considerations
| Feature | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Connected GRC | A single data core connects risks, controls, and frameworks for a unified view. |
| AI Assistance | AI is leveraged for testing, reporting, and advanced analytics. |
| Scalability | Designed to scale across complex, multi-entity and global enterprises. |
| Pricing | Quote-based with no public pricing; typically a higher cost suited for enterprise budgets. |
8. OneTrust (includes Tugboat Logic capabilities)
OneTrust is a comprehensive platform that extends far beyond typical compliance automation, making it a strategic Vanta alternative for enterprises needing a unified approach to trust, privacy, and risk. After acquiring Tugboat Logic, OneTrust integrated its security assurance capabilities into a broader suite covering privacy, third-party risk management (TPRM), AI governance, and GRC. This makes it ideal for larger, multinational organizations, especially those with a strong European presence, that must navigate complex regulations like GDPR alongside security frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001.
The platform’s strength is its modularity, allowing businesses to select and scale solutions based on their needs. For example, a company struggling with both SOC 2 compliance and managing GDPR data subject access requests can centralize these functions in OneTrust. The integration of Tugboat Logic’s automation streamlines evidence collection for security audits, while the core OneTrust engine handles intricate privacy workflows and the emerging challenges of AI governance. This holistic approach helps organizations build a foundational trust program rather than just chasing individual certifications.
### Key Features & Considerations
| Feature | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Broad GRC Scope | Goes beyond security assurance to include privacy, TPRM, and AI governance. |
| Modularity | Solutions are packaged modularly, offering scalability but potentially complex pricing. |
| European Focus | Established EU presence and deep expertise in GDPR and European privacy laws. |
| Implementation | More resource-intensive to implement compared to specialised SOC 2-only tools. |
9. TrustCloud (formerly Kintent)
TrustCloud, formerly Kintent, is a security assurance platform designed to accelerate sales cycles by building customer trust. It offers a unique value proposition among the best Vanta alternatives, particularly for startups and SMBs, with its freemium Starter tier focused on SOC 2 readiness. The platform integrates a Trust Centre, AI-driven questionnaire automation, and risk management into a cohesive solution that prioritizes sales enablement alongside compliance. Its core is a common control framework that simplifies managing multiple standards like SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, and DORA.
This approach helps organizations not only get compliant but also leverage it as a commercial asset through an auto-generated trust portal called TrustShare. A key differentiator for TrustCloud is its value-based pricing model, which moves away from per-user fees to a usage-oriented structure, making it a more predictable and scalable option for growing businesses. For teams overwhelmed by client security questionnaires, its AI capabilities are engineered to streamline responses and automate evidence collection, significantly reducing the manual burden on sales and technical teams.
### Key Features & Considerations
| Feature | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Freemium Tier | An accessible entry point for startups beginning their SOC 2 journey. |
| Trust Centre | Auto-generates a TrustShare portal to proactively share security posture. |
| Pricing Model | Value-based and usage-oriented, avoiding per-seat costs for better scalability. |
| Vendor Size | A smaller vendor compared to established GRC suites, which may be a factor for large enterprises. |
10. Scrut Automation
Scrut Automation is a cloud-native GRC platform designed for continuous compliance monitoring, positioning it as a noteworthy Vanta alternative. It targets mid-market companies and startups looking to streamline audits for frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and GDPR. The platform is built around a core of automated control monitoring and real-time evidence collection, aiming to minimize the manual effort required for compliance management and audit readiness.
A key differentiator for Scrut Automation is its focus on organizations serving the European Union, offering dedicated resources for GDPR compliance. Its platform integrates policy management, risk assessments, and third-party risk management into a unified dashboard. This comprehensive approach helps InfoSec managers and founders gain clear visibility into their security posture. While it offers a solid feature set for multi-framework rollouts, its integration ecosystem is still developing compared to more established players in the compliance automation space.
### Key Features & Considerations
| Feature | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Automation | Provides real-time compliance tracking and automated control monitoring. |
| Integrations | Connects with common cloud and SaaS tools but has a smaller library than leaders. |
| Frameworks | Strong support for core standards like SOC 2 and ISO 27001, with a focus on GDPR. |
| Pricing | Quote-based and not publicly available, requiring a sales demonstration to get a price. |
11. DataGuard
DataGuard is a specialised compliance and information security platform, making it a strong Vanta alternative for organizations with a keen focus on the European regulatory landscape. The platform is designed to guide businesses through the complexities of achieving certifications like ISO 27001 and ensuring compliance with GDPR, NIS 2, and DORA. Its core value proposition combines AI-powered automation with access to certified security experts, offering a hybrid approach that serves businesses with varying levels of in-house expertise.
This blend of software and service is a key differentiator, particularly for SMBs that need to build an Information Security Management System (ISMS) or a privacy program from scratch. DataGuard offers flexible tiers, from a pure self-service SaaS model to a more hands-on approach with dedicated expert support, helping to streamline audit readiness and policy creation. The platform’s integrations and API ensure it can connect to your tech stack to centralize risk management and compliance monitoring, making it a pragmatic choice for navigating EU-centric frameworks.
### Key Features & Considerations
| Feature | Analysis |
|---|---|
| EU Specialisation | Deep expertise and platform focus on GDPR, NIS2, DORA, and ISO 27001. |
| Hybrid Model | Offers a choice between pure SaaS and SaaS combined with expert services. |
| Frameworks | Primarily tailored for European and international security standards. |
| Pricing | Quote-based; the final cost depends heavily on the selected service tier and scale. |
12. G2 – Vanta Alternatives Category Page
For organizations in the early stages of market research, the G2 category page for Vanta alternatives is an invaluable starting point. Rather than a direct competitor, G2 is a peer-to-peer review platform that aggregates user feedback, feature comparisons, and satisfaction ratings for business software. This makes it an excellent resource for creating a shortlist of potential solutions by comparing dozens of vendors, including Secureframe, Drata, and Thoropass, based on verified user experiences.
The platform allows you to filter alternatives by company size, industry, and specific features, helping you narrow down choices that align with your unique compliance requirements. The main advantage of using G2 is gaining access to candid pros and cons from actual users, which offers a more grounded perspective than marketing materials alone. While pricing information is often not specified, the direct comparisons and user sentiment are indispensable for initial due diligence. For more in-depth analyses once you have a shortlist, you can explore detailed guides on the compli.st blog.
### Key Features & Considerations
| Feature | Analysis |
|---|---|
| User Reviews | Access to a large volume of verified, real-world user feedback and ratings. |
| Side-by-Side Comparison | Functionality to directly compare features and satisfaction scores across multiple vendors. |
| Filtering | Granular filters help narrow the field based on company size, industry, and required features. |
| Pricing | Pricing data is frequently absent or outdated, requiring direct vendor engagement. |
Top 12 Vanta Alternatives Comparison
| Product | Core features ✨ | Quality / Trust ★ | Pricing / Value 💰 | Target audience 👥 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 Compli.st | ✨ Source‑cited AI answers, RiskAI (ISO27005) heatmaps, Trust Center, GDPR Article‑30 & Excel auto‑fill (Pro) | ★★★★★ Source‑cited, privacy‑first; trusted by 500+ | 💰 Free tier → Starter €19/mo, Pro €85/mo, Enterprise €349/mo (yearly ~50% off) | 👥 Sales teams, CTOs/CISOs, compliance managers (mid‑market → enterprise) |
| Drata | ✨ Continuous control monitoring, automated evidence, SafeBase/AIQA, broad integrations | ★★★★☆ Enterprise adoption; strong reviews | 💰 Quote‑based; add‑ons for multiple frameworks | 👥 Fast‑growing SaaS & enterprise security teams |
| Secureframe | ✨ 300+ integrations, continuous monitoring, AI‑assisted questionnaires, Trust Center, EU/UK data option | ★★★★☆ High user satisfaction; EU data‑residency option | 💰 Quote‑based (EU/UK hosting available) | 👥 EU customers, SMB → mid‑market SaaS |
| Thoropass (Laika) | ✨ Software + in‑house audit services, unified evidence collection, guided audit readiness | ★★★★ Guided audits; tight vendor‑audit alignment | 💰 Quote‑based (software + audit bundles) | 👥 Teams needing combined software + audit services |
| Sprinto | ✨ 200–300+ integrations, Sprinto X AI onboarding, structured implementation, AWS Marketplace SKUs | ★★★★ Fast time‑to‑audit readiness | 💰 Marketplace SKUs / quote‑based; cost calculators | 👥 Startups & scaleups seeking rapid SOC 2 readiness |
| Hyperproof | ✨ Deep controls mapping (incl. NIS2/DORA), evidence automation, EU instance & local support | ★★★★ Mature GRC and reporting capabilities | 💰 Custom quotes; mid‑to‑high TCO for large scopes | 👥 Mid‑market & enterprise multi‑framework programs |
| AuditBoard | ✨ Connected risk/control core, AI for testing & analytics, enterprise scaling | ★★★★☆ Leader for large enterprises; deep analytics | 💰 Custom pricing; higher cost & longer implementations | 👥 Large/global enterprises, audit & risk teams |
| OneTrust (w/ Tugboat) | ✨ Privacy automation, consent/CMP, AI governance, TPRM + security assurance | ★★★★☆ Comprehensive privacy & compliance pedigree | 💰 Custom/complex pricing; modular packages | 👥 Enterprises needing full privacy + GRC stack |
| TrustCloud (Kintent) | ✨ Trust Center/TrustShare, AI questionnaire automation, cross‑mapping SOC2/ISO/GDPR/DORA | ★★★★ Freemium starter; sales‑forward trust portal | 💰 Freemium → value/usage pricing (not per‑user) | 👥 Startups & SMBs focused on sales enablement |
| Scrut Automation | ✨ Automated controls, real‑time compliance tracking, GDPR & EU onboarding content | ★★★★ EU‑focused visibility & automation | 💰 Quote/demo required | 👥 Mid‑market EU companies needing continuous compliance |
| DataGuard | ✨ ISO 27001 / ISMS build, GDPR management, AI automation, SaaS + expert support tiers | ★★★★ EU specialist with expert services | 💰 Quote‑based; SaaS → SaaS+services models | 👥 EU organisations prioritizing regulatory compliance |
| G2 – Vanta Alternatives | ✨ Curated competitor hub, verified reviews, feature matrices & vendor links | ★★★☆ Neutral marketplace; recent reviewer insights | 💰 Free to use; vendor pricing often incomplete | 👥 Buyers shortlisting vendors and procurement teams |
Making the Right Choice: From Audit-Ready to Revenue-Ready
Choosing the right compliance automation tool can feel overwhelming. This deep dive into the 5 best Vanta alternatives shows that while platforms like Drata, Secureframe, and Thoropass are powerful for streamlining audits and centralizing evidence for SOC 2 or ISO 27001, the market has evolved beyond just passing an audit.
The most critical takeaway is this: selecting the right tool isn't about finding a Vanta clone. It’s about diagnosing your company’s biggest pain point. While getting audit-ready was the old challenge, today's startups and SMBs face a more immediate, painful problem: the endless stream of security questionnaires that block sales and burn out your engineering team.
Shifting Focus from Compliance to Commercial Enablement
Your decision should be guided by one question: What is the biggest bottleneck to our growth?
- Is it the annual audit? If your primary struggle is organizing evidence and passing your yearly SOC 2 Type 2 or ISO 27001 audit, traditional compliance automation platforms are an excellent fit. Their structured workflows and integrations are built for this exact purpose.
- Is it the daily sales friction? But if your sales team is constantly stalled by security reviews and your engineers are pulled away from product development to answer questionnaires, your problem is a revenue problem. This requires a solution that connects compliance directly to sales enablement.
This is where the next generation of trust management platforms, including our tool Compli.st, changes the game. The goal is no longer just to be audit-ready but to be revenue-ready. This means turning your compliance efforts into a proactive sales asset that builds trust and closes deals faster.
Key Considerations for Your Final Decision
As you finalize your choice from the best Vanta alternatives, consider these actionable factors:
- Team Bandwidth: Be honest about your team's capacity. Some platforms require heavy configuration, while others are more automated. A tool that overwhelms your small team is the wrong tool, no matter its features.
- Integration Ecosystem: Your compliance platform must connect seamlessly with your tech stack (AWS, GitHub, Jira). Deep, native integrations are far more reliable for evidence collection than basic API connections.
- Future Frameworks: Your compliance needs will grow. Whether it’s NIS 2, DORA, or another industry-specific regulation, ensure the platform you choose can support future frameworks or manage custom controls.
- The "Questionnaire Pain" Factor: Don't underestimate the cost of security questionnaires. Calculate the hours your engineering and security teams spend on them each month. If that number is high, prioritize a solution with strong, AI-powered questionnaire automation to get an immediate and clear return on investment.
Ultimately, choosing a Vanta alternative is a strategic decision that impacts your entire business. By aligning your choice with your most significant growth bottleneck, you select not just a tool, but a partner. The right platform won't just get you through your next audit; it will help you win your next ten customers.
Ready to transform your security compliance from a cost centre into a revenue accelerator? See how Compli.st leverages AI to automate security questionnaires and streamline your journey to SOC 2, ISO 27001, NIS 2, and DORA. Book a demo today and discover a smarter way to build and prove trust.