Vanta vs Drata vs Scrut: Best Choice For Startups Chasing SOC 2 And ISO 27001?
In 2025, the pressure on startups to prove security is stronger than ever. Buyers demand SOC 2 sooner. Investors expect a mature security posture earlier. Enterprises refuse to sign unless you can show real proof of compliance, not just promises. And this is exactly where tools like Vanta, Drata, and Scrut enter the picture.
At a distance, they all look similar. All three talk about automation. All three talk about faster audits. All three show dashboards stuffed with green checkmarks. But the truth is simple. They are built for completely different problems, completely different team types, and very different outcomes.
Choosing the wrong platform does not cost you a few days. It can push your audit timeline by months, inflate budget by thousands, and make your engineering team hate the entire compliance journey.
This breakdown cuts through marketing fog and gives you the real story.
The Three Platforms at a Glance
The broad, startup-friendly compliance tool
Made compliance automation mainstream with accessibility and wide integration coverage
The enterprise-grade automation engine
Built for companies with security teams who need deep, flexible, and customizable workflows
The risk-first, modern GRC platform
Next-generation GRC focused on risk management and holistic compliance
SECTION 1: What Each Platform Is Designed For
Before comparing features, you need to understand the core philosophy behind each tool. This is where most teams make their first mistake. Vanta, Drata, and Scrut do not solve the same problem. Their foundations shape everything else.
Vanta: The broad, startup-friendly compliance tool
Vanta is the platform that made compliance automation mainstream. It delivers accessibility, wide integration coverage, and a fast self-serve experience for small to mid-sized tech teams.
Strengths
Friction points
Vanta is ideal if you want fast implementation and do not need highly technical workflows.
Drata: The enterprise-grade automation engine
Drata plays in a different league. It is built for companies that already have a security team or at least someone technical driving compliance. Drata is deeper, more flexible, and more customizable than Vanta.
Strengths
Friction points
Drata is the choice for teams with mature operations and long-term compliance roadmaps.
Scrut: The risk-first, modern GRC platform
Scrut positions itself as a next-generation GRC tool focused on risk management, third-party governance, and holistic compliance. It is broader than Vanta and Drata in what it tries to cover, but that comes with trade-offs.
Strengths
Friction points
Scrut is the right choice if you want a unified GRC platform and not just SOC 2 automation.
SECTION 2: Automation Depth And Technical Capability
Tech teams often make the decision based on automation depth. But the reality is nuanced.
Vanta Automation: Wide but surface-level
Vanta shines in making monitoring easy. It covers most major SaaS integrations and automates a large percentage of basic SOC 2 checks.
Good for:
• Startups with standard cloud stacks
• Compliance beginners
• Founders who want quick wins without internal security personnel
Limitations:
• Alerts are sometimes too generic
• Automated evidence lacks contextual explanations
• Limited support for deep cloud configuration analysis
Vanta helps you get compliant fast but does not give technical granularity.
Drata Automation: The deepest in the market
Drata excels at automation. Everything is real-time, and evidence flows in continuously. For engineering-heavy teams, Drata gives more control and visibility.
Strengths:
• High accuracy in monitoring
• Strong API integrations
• Excellent control mapping
• Detailed audit logs
Limitations:
• Setup requires more engineering time
• Automation rules often require tuning
• Heavier cognitive load for non-technical teams
Drata is a powerful engine but not plug-and-play.
Scrut Automation: Strong potential but still developing
Scrut's automation quality varies depending on the integration and use case. It is improving rapidly, but still not as polished as Vanta or Drata.
Strengths:
• Good risk-to-control visibility
• Useful workflows for third-party risk
• Strong alignment with GRC practices
Limitations:
• Not as fast for audit readiness
• Some controls require manual mapping
• Alerts occasionally lack precision
Scrut automation works better when risk management, not speed, is the priority.
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SECTION 3: User Pain Points Across All Three Platforms
Across public reviews, analyst reports, and user interviews, these patterns emerge.
Vanta Pain Points
Drata Pain Points
Scrut Pain Points
SECTION 4: Pricing Reality No Vendor Wants To Talk About
While exact pricing varies, real user reports paint a clearer picture.
| Platform | Pricing Reality | Unexpected Costs |
|---|---|---|
| Vanta | Starts reasonable then scales aggressively | Add-ons, headcount pricing, framework expansion |
| Drata | One of the highest in the market | More frameworks, deeper features, extra onboarding |
| Scrut | Competitive initially | GRC modules, extra workflows, consultant hours |
None of them are truly budget-friendly for startups long-term.
SECTION 5: Onboarding And Support
Vanta
Fast, simple, but light-touch.
Drata
Structured but long and complex.
Scrut
Varies, especially for teams with limited GRC experience.
SECTION 6: Strength Analysis Summary
| Area | Vanta | Drata | Scrut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automation Depth | Medium | High | Medium |
| Risk Management | Basic | Medium | High |
| Third Party Governance | Basic | Medium | High |
| Best For | Startups | Enterprises | GRC-focused teams |
| Speed to Audit | Fast | Medium | Slow to medium |
| APAC Support | Weak | Weak | Better, but inconsistent |
SECTION 7: Which Tool Should You Choose?
Choose Vanta if:
Choose Drata if:
Choose Scrut if:
Final Remark: Why Smartly Helps Startups Beat Vanta, Drata, and Scrut
While Vanta, Drata, and Scrut are impressive platforms, they all share the same weaknesses for APAC startups.
They do not guarantee timeline certainty.
They do not guide every ISO clause with human experts.
They do not operate in your timezone.
They do not include audits or certification fees.
They do not solve the problem of compliance confusion.
Smartly was built to fix exactly these gaps.
Smartly gives startups:
ISO readiness in 15 to 30 days
All-in-one pricing with certification included
Real experts guiding every control
Purpose-built templates and policies tailored to APAC markets
Real-time support during your working hours
Evidence packs and mock audits that remove last-minute stress
Vanta automates.
Drata scales.
Scrut manages GRC.
Smartly certifies you faster.
If you want predictable cost, guaranteed speed, and real experts walking beside you every day, Smartly is the clear choice.