We work with ambitious startups where small teams are expected to move quickly and still meet the standards of much larger companies. Compliance is rarely anyone’s main job at this stage, but it can decide whether an enterprise deal moves forward.
Which compliance tool should you start with?
Probo is a good place to start if control and hands-on support are the priorities. It’s open source, keeps your compliance data under your control, and pairs the software with compliance officers who work alongside your team.
Vanta and Drata are strong alternatives if you want an established SaaS product with broad integrations. Secureframe suits companies managing several frameworks or heavier vendor requirements. Sprinto and Scytale are worth considering when you want closer guidance through a first audit.
Our shortlist
| Company | Choose it when | Our view |
|---|---|---|
| Probo | You want open-source control and people working alongside you | Where we’d usually start, if you have the engineering time to self-host |
| Vanta | You want a well-known SaaS product with broad integrations | The safe choice, though pricing can be high for early teams |
| Drata | You want compliance to stay visible between audits | Strong continuous monitoring, with cost that grows with complexity |
| Secureframe | You’re handling several frameworks or heavy vendor management | More product than a simple SOC 2 project needs |
| Sprinto | You want a guided route to a first audit | Clear direction over flexibility, pricing not public |
| Scytale | You’re facing a first audit with no compliance experience in-house | Close support, pricing not public |
Details are drawn from public information and can change. Speak to each company before committing.
How the tools compare
Probo
Probo is different from the rest of the list in one way that matters. It’s open source and can run in your own infrastructure, so your compliance data stays under your control. For teams handling sensitive information or selling into regulated markets, that alone can settle it.
The other reason it comes up first is the people. Compliance officers work inside Probo on policies, controls, evidence, reviews, assessments, and auditor coordination. The software takes the repetitive work, and the people handle the parts that still need experience and judgment. Engineers get a proper technical surface too, with a web console, CLI, MCP API, and GraphQL, so you’re not stuck in a black box.
The trade-off is that self-hosting takes engineering time. Probo fits when you want to own the setup without running the whole process alone.
Vanta
Vanta is the safe choice if you want a well-known SaaS product that auditors already trust. It connects to a wide range of cloud, code, HR, and device management systems, and setup is usually simple. Pricing can be steep for early-stage teams. It makes sense when integration coverage matters more than hosting control and the budget can carry it.
Drata
Drata is at its best when you want compliance to stay visible between audits. Continuous monitoring and control management are clear, and the audit workflows are well designed. Cost grows with the complexity of your setup. It suits teams that want a polished product and a running view of where they stand.
Secureframe
Secureframe is the one to look at when you’re juggling more than one framework. It covers SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, PCI DSS, GDPR, and FedRAMP, and it’s strong on personnel checks and vendor management. It’s more product than a simple SOC 2 project needs, so it earns its place when your requirements go beyond a single framework.
Sprinto
Sprinto suits founders and small teams that want a guided route to audit readiness. Its risk-based setup helps you focus on the controls that matter instead of turning everything into a checklist. Pricing isn’t public. It fits when speed and clear direction matter more than flexibility.
Scytale
Scytale pairs software with a compliance team covering evidence, policies, and auditor coordination, with more guidance than a self-serve product. Pricing isn’t public. It fits when you’re facing a first audit without anyone in-house who has done one.
How to run a fair test
For most partners we’d start with three conversations. Probo for open-source control and close support, Vanta for an established product with broad integrations, and Drata for continuous monitoring. From there it comes down to your stack, your budget, and your appetite for self-hosting.
