Key takeaway
SOC 2 is a US-centric attestation report issued by a licensed CPA firm; ISO 27001 is a globally recognised certification issued by an accredited body. US enterprise buyers usually ask for SOC 2, international and EU/UK buyers for ISO 27001. The controls overlap heavily, so many firms build once and map to both.
The core difference
ISO/IEC 27001 certifies that you operate an Information Security Management System (ISMS) against an international standard. A certificate is issued by an accredited certification body after a two-stage audit and is recognised worldwide.
SOC 2 is an attestation report under the AICPA Trust Services Criteria. A licensed CPA firm examines your controls and issues a report that customers read directly. It is the de-facto trust signal in the US market.
Type I vs Type II, and timelines
SOC 2 comes in two forms. Type I tests control design at a point in time and is faster. Type II tests design and operating effectiveness over a period, usually 3 to 12 months, and is what most enterprise buyers ultimately require.
ISO 27001 readiness for a mid-size organisation typically takes three to six months, plus the certification audit. Both involve a separate fee for the certifying or attesting firm.
Which should you choose?
The decision usually follows your buyers and geography.
- Selling mainly to US enterprises: start with SOC 2 (often Type II)
- Selling internationally or into the EU/UK: ISO 27001
- Selling to both: build one control set and map to both frameworks
- Heavily regulated (finance, health): you may also need PCI DSS, HIPAA or India regulatory audits
How IntelligenceX helps
We run gap assessments, build the controls and evidence, and support you through the audit for both SOC 2 and ISO 27001, mapping shared controls so you do the work once. We prepare and support; the certificate or report comes from the accredited body or CPA firm.
Frequently asked questions
Can a company have both SOC 2 and ISO 27001?
Yes, and many do. The control sets overlap by roughly 80%, so a single security programme can support both. We map the shared controls so you avoid duplicating effort.
Does ISO 27001 or SOC 2 prove GDPR compliance?
Neither is a GDPR certification, but both demonstrate strong security practices that support GDPR's security obligations. ISO 27701 is the privacy-specific extension that maps directly to GDPR.