SOC 2 vs ISO 27001: Which is Right for Your Business?

A Kyte Global perspective. Clear, practical guidance to pick the standard that drives trust, sales and sustainable security.

In 2025, buyers, partners and regulators expect demonstrable evidence that you protect their data. But “demonstrable evidence” can mean different things to different stakeholders: some ask for a globally recognised management-system certification, others request an attestation that your operational controls work over time. Two of the most requested standards are ISO/IEC 27001 and SOC 2, and while they overlap, they’re not interchangeable. Choosing the right path (or deciding to pursue both) influences how you structure security, how much effort you invest up front, and crucially, how quickly you can win business.

This guide explains, in straightforward terms, what each framework is, how they differ, who typically requests them, and a practical decision model to help you choose the best approach for your organisation in 2025. We close with how Kyte Global supports clients in selecting and implementing the controls that matter.

What each standard actually is:

ISO/IEC 27001

An international standard for establishing, operating and continually improving an Information Security Management System (ISMS). It’s built around a formal, risk-based approach: identify information risks, implement controls to mitigate those risks, and continually measure and improve over time. ISO 27001 is a certification issued by accredited bodies after an external audit confirms compliance.

SOC 2

A U.S. attestation standard developed by the AICPA. A SOC 2 report is an auditor’s opinion on controls mapped to the AICPA’s Trust Services Criteria (Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy) and whether those controls are suitably designed (Type I) and operating effectively over time (Type II). SOC 2 is an attestation, not an ISO-style certification.

Key structural differences that matter to businesses

Understanding the structural differences helps you align your compliance choice with business goals.

• Certification vs. attestation: ISO 27001 results in a certification from an accredited certification body. SOC 2 results in a third-party auditor’s report, it is an attestation that describes the controls and provides an opinion. The end deliverables are different in scope and tone, and different stakeholders treat them differently.
• Risk-based ISMS vs. control-focused criteria: ISO 27001 requires a documented ISMS: policies, risk assessments, risk treatment plans and a continuous improvement loop. SOC 2 focuses on specific control objectives derived from the Trust Services Criteria, thus you need to select the criteria relevant to your services and prove controls meet those criteria.
• Geography and market expectations: ISO 27001 is globally recognised and often preferred by international partners and enterprises outside the US. SOC 2 is widely requested by US-based customers and cloud/software buyers who are familiar with AICPA attestations. Many organisations selling to both US and international customers find themselves asked for one or the other and sometimes both.
• Audit Approach: SOC 2 Type II audits typically cover control operating effectiveness over a period (commonly 6–12 months), which demonstrates operational maturity. ISO audits include initial certification audits and annual surveillance audits, focused on evaluating the ISMS and its effectiveness. Both require ongoing evidence and continual improvement, but the way evidence is framed differs.

What Buyers and Regulators ask for

• Buyers in the US SaaS/tech ecosystem: SOC 2 remains the most-requested assurance for cloud services and SaaS vendors, because security teams and procurement are used to the AICPA format and its focus on controls that matter to service delivery.
• International partners and public sector: ISO 27001 often carries more weight with international customers, governments and multinational suppliers who value an accredited, ISO-based management system approach.
• Highly regulated industries: Financial services, healthcare and other regulators may accept either, but often mandate specific controls or additional certifications. For global banks and some enterprise procurement teams, ISO 27001 plus supplementary attestations or certifications is common practice. (When in doubt, check the procurement specification, some buyers explicitly list ISO 27001 or SOC 2 as a requirement.)

 Practical benefits beyond the certificate/report

ISO 27001 benefits

• Forces you to build a risk-aware management system that ties security to business objectives.
• Encourages documented policies, ownership and repeatable processes, helpful for scale and M&A readiness.
• Globally recognisable certification that’s straightforward to present in international tenders.

SOC 2 benefits

• Focuses auditors and customers on controls that directly protect customer data and service availability.
• SOC 2 Type II demonstrates controls operating effectively over time providing strong evidence for customers during procurement.
• Often faster to scope for a specific service offering (you pick Trust Services Criteria relevant to your customers).

 Costs, timelines and resourcing. The realistic expectations

• ISO 27001: Implementing an ISMS typically takes months to a year, depending on the organisation size and maturity. Certification audits have professional fees (implementation consultants, internal resource time, auditor fees). Expect investment in policy documentation, risk registers, training and technical controls.
• SOC 2: A SOC 2 Type I can be achieved relatively quickly once controls are in place (a point-in-time design audit), but a meaningful Type II requires evidence of operating effectiveness over a period (commonly 6–12 months). Costs include readiness assessments, remediation, and auditor/CPA fees.

Both frameworks reward preparation. A well-scoped readiness program, strong internal ownership, and phased implementation reduce cost and accelerate timelines.

Can you pursue both and should you?

Yes, many organisations pursue both, especially those selling globally. The frameworks are complementary:

• ISO 27001 provides the management system foundation (risk processes, policies, ownership).
• SOC 2 provides customer-focused operational attestation showing controls actually work in practice.

A practical example in 2025: security-first vendors that already hold ISO 27001 have used that ISMS to accelerate SOC 2 readiness, because the policies, controls and evidence collection processes are already in place. Conversely, companies that started with SOC 2 later expanded into ISO 27001 to satisfy international tenders and embed security into their management system. The dual approach, that is, holding ISO 27001 and completing a SOC 2 Type II illustrates how vendors use both credentials to reach diverse markets and build customer trust.

A practical decision framework: choose by business need

Use this flow to decide your priority:

1. Who buys your service? Mostly US tech and SaaS buyers → SOC 2 is usually the priority. Global enterprises, government or export markets → ISO 27001 may be required/preferred.
2. Do you need evidence controls operate over time? Yes → plan for SOC 2 Type II.
3. Do you want a risk-management system that scales and ties to corporate governance? Yes → ISO 27001 is better suited.
4. Do you sell to a mixed market? Consider doing both: ISO 27001 + SOC 2 Type II gives a strong governance base and customer-facing attestation.
5. Time-to-market constraints? If you need to demonstrate controls quickly to win deals, start with SOC 2 readiness and a Type I while building the ISMS that will later support ISO certification and a Type II.

Common questions we hear

Q: Is SOC 2 “better” than ISO 27001? A: Neither is categorically better, each serves different purposes. SOC 2 is an attestation of controls focused on service delivery; ISO 27001 is a management-system certification designed to embed risk-based security across an organisation. Choose based on audience and objectives.

Q: If I have one, can I skip the other? A: Maybe, if your market only asks for one. But many global customers accept neither alone; some require both. Consider buyer mix and long-term plans.

Q: Which is harder to maintain? A: Both require ongoing work. ISO 27001 requires active ISMS management; SOC 2 Type II needs continuous evidence that controls are operating effectively. Maintenance effort depends on evidence collection and how well controls are embedded into daily operations.

 How Kyte Global helps by providing practical services that reduce risk and accelerate time-to-attestation/certification

At Kyte Global we support complete compliance journeys: readiness assessments, gap remediation, policy and procedure development, control implementation, evidence automation, internal audit and vendor selection for external audits. Our approach includes:

1. Business-first scoping — we help you map customer requirements to the right standard(s) and scope.
2. Risk-driven design — for ISO 27001 we build an ISMS aligned with business risk and governance priorities. For SOC 2 we map controls to the Trust Services Criteria your customers care about.
3. Advisory & coaching during audit — we coach teams through auditor questions and help prepare artefacts so audits are efficient.
4. Continuous improvement — post-certification/attestation we help you convert audit findings into a continuous improvement backlog that protects customers and reduces future audit cost.

If you'd like, we can prepare a short readiness snapshot for your organisation (scope analysis, likely gaps and an estimated 6–12 month roadmap) so you understand the fastest path to the credential that will unlock your next deals.

A final practical checklist to decide today

If you’re still at the “which” stage, use this checklist:

• If your prospects explicitly request SOC 2 Type II → prioritise SOC 2.
• If you sell to international enterprises, government or need a globally recognised certification → prioritise ISO 27001.
• If you need rapid proof of controls while building an ISMS → SOC 2 Type I (short-term) → then SOC 2 Type II and/or ISO 27001.
• If long-term governance and risk integration are strategic priorities → ISO 27001 first.
• If you want maximum market coverage and resilience — plan for both, staged intelligently.

Closing thoughts

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The right choice depends on your customers, your markets, and whether you need a management system or a customer-facing operational attestation, and more often than not, the right standard is both, pursued in a staged, business-aligned way.

At Kyte Global we help organisations make that call, reduce audit fatigue, and turn compliance into a competitive advantage rather than a checkbox exercise. If you’d like a tailored recommendation for your business, including a scoped 6–12 month roadmap to achieve SOC 2, ISO 27001 or both, you can contact our team and we’ll put together a practical plan built on your commercial priorities.