TL;DR: Quick Takeaways
- •Vanta and Drata are established players with 300+ and 200+ integrations respectively
- •LowerPlane offers 80% lower cost ($4,995 vs $28K-$40K) with comparable features
- •All three support SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and GDPR
- •LowerPlane provides dedicated advisor on all plans; Vanta/Drata charge extra
- •Best choice depends on company stage, budget, and support needs
The compliance automation market has exploded in recent years, with companies racing to achieve SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and other critical certifications. Three platforms have emerged as the go-to solutions: Vanta (the market leader with 8,000+ customers), Drata (the strong contender with 4,000+ customers), and LowerPlane (the cost-effective challenger built for startups).
Each platform promises to streamline your compliance journey, but they differ dramatically in pricing, features, and approach. Vanta commands premium pricing but offers the most extensive integration library. Drata positions itself as the modern alternative with strong cloud-native integrations. LowerPlane disrupts with 80% cost savings while maintaining essential features.
This comprehensive guide helps you choose the right platform based on your company size, budget, framework needs, and support requirements.
| Feature | Vanta | Drata | LowerPlane |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $28,000/year | $35,000/year | $4,995/year |
| Frameworks Supported | 15+ | 12+ | 5 major (ISO, SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, PCI) |
| Integrations | 300+ | 200+ | 80+ (growing) |
| Automation Rate | 60-70% | 55-65% | 30-50% |
| Dedicated Advisor | $10K+ extra | $8K+ extra | Included on all plans |
| Time to Audit-Ready | 6-8 weeks | 6-10 weeks | 8-12 weeks |
| Best For | Enterprise, scale-ups | Mid-market, SaaS | Startups, budget-conscious |
Detailed Feature Comparison
Automation Capabilities
Vanta
Vanta leads in automation with 300+ integrations covering cloud providers (AWS, GCP, Azure), identity providers (Okta, Azure AD), security tools (Wiz, Snyk), and SIEM platforms. Their continuous monitoring runs 1,200+ tests per hour, automatically collecting evidence for controls across all supported frameworks.
- •60-70% automation rate for evidence collection
- •Real-time policy drift detection and alerts
- •AI-powered questionnaire pre-fill (70% auto-answer rate)
Drata
Drata offers 200+ integrations with strong cloud-native support. Their automation focuses on developer-friendly workflows with GitHub, GitLab, and Jira integrations for policy-as-code. Continuous monitoring provides real-time compliance scoring.
- •55-65% automation rate for evidence gathering
- •Automated control mapping across frameworks
- •Built-in penetration testing scheduling
LowerPlane
LowerPlane provides 80+ integrations covering essential security tools. While the integration library is smaller, the platform focuses on deep automation for multi-framework overlap (80-90% control reuse between frameworks), reducing duplicate work.
- •30-50% automation rate for evidence collection
- •Cross-framework control mapping (single evidence satisfies multiple frameworks)
- •Automated policy generation for 5 major frameworks
Framework Support
Vanta
- ✓ SOC 2 Type I & II
- ✓ ISO 27001
- ✓ HIPAA
- ✓ GDPR
- ✓ PCI-DSS
- ✓ HITRUST CSF
- ✓ CMMC 2.0
- ✓ FedRAMP (Low/Moderate)
- ✓ NIST CSF
- ✓ CCPA/CPRA
- ✓ ISO 27017/27018
- ✓ TISAX
- ✓ And 3+ more
Drata
- ✓ SOC 2 Type I & II
- ✓ ISO 27001
- ✓ HIPAA
- ✓ GDPR
- ✓ PCI-DSS
- ✓ HITRUST CSF
- ✓ CMMC 2.0
- ✓ NIST CSF
- ✓ CCPA
- ✓ ISO 27017/27701
- ✓ CIS Controls
- ✓ And 1+ more
LowerPlane
- ✓ SOC 2 Type I & II
- ✓ ISO 27001
- ✓ HIPAA
- ✓ GDPR
- ✓ PCI-DSS
- ○ HITRUST (planned)
- ○ CMMC (planned)
- ○ NIST CSF (planned)
Focuses on deep support for 5 core frameworks with 80-90% control overlap optimization
User Experience & Interface
Vanta
Polished, enterprise-grade interface with comprehensive dashboards. Can feel overwhelming for first-time users due to the sheer number of features and options. Learning curve is 2-3 weeks for full proficiency.
Drata
Modern, intuitive UI designed for developer teams. Clean interface with excellent onboarding flow. Most users become proficient within 1-2 weeks. Strong mobile app for on-the-go compliance management.
LowerPlane
Streamlined interface focused on essential workflows. Designed for compliance beginners with guided setup and built-in education. Users typically productive within days, not weeks.
Pricing Deep Dive: 3-Year Total Cost of Ownership
Vanta
Drata
LowerPlane
Cost Savings Analysis
LowerPlane offers 90% cost savings compared to Vanta and Drata over 3 years:
- •$135K saved vs Vanta ($150K - $15K)
- •$138K saved vs Drata ($153K - $15K)
- •All plans include dedicated compliance advisor (worth $8-10K/year elsewhere)
- •No per-framework pricing – pursue all 5 frameworks for one price
Ready to Save 90% on Compliance?
Get a personalized cost comparison and free readiness assessment. See exactly how much you'll save with LowerPlane.
Customer Support & Onboarding
Vanta
- ✓24/5 email support (all plans)
- ✓Self-service knowledge base (400+ articles)
- ✓Community forum access
- ✓Dedicated CSM ($10K+/year extra)
- ✓4-week onboarding program
- ✓Quarterly business reviews (premium plans)
Drata
- ✓24/7 email/chat support (all plans)
- ✓Interactive product tours
- ✓Weekly office hours
- ✓Dedicated CSM ($8K+/year extra)
- ✓3-week onboarding program
- ✓Slack channel with support team (enterprise)
LowerPlane
- ✓Dedicated advisor included (all plans)
- ✓24/5 email support
- ✓Weekly check-ins during onboarding
- ✓Free readiness assessment
- ✓2-week onboarding (streamlined)
- ✓Direct advisor access via Slack/email
Comprehensive Pros and Cons
Vanta
✓ Pros
- • Most extensive integration library (300+)
- • Highest automation rate (60-70%)
- • 15+ framework support including niche certifications
- • Market leader with 8,000+ customers
- • Strong trust signal for enterprise buyers
- • Continuous monitoring with real-time alerts
- • Comprehensive knowledge base and resources
✗ Cons
- • Highest price point ($28K-$40K/year)
- • Dedicated advisor costs extra ($10K+/year)
- • Additional framework fees ($4-8K each)
- • Can feel overwhelming for first-time users
- • 2-3 week learning curve
- • Overkill for startups needing 1-2 frameworks
- • Annual contracts with limited flexibility
Drata
✓ Pros
- • Modern, developer-friendly interface
- • Strong cloud-native integrations (200+)
- • Excellent mobile app for remote management
- • 24/7 support availability
- • Fast onboarding (3 weeks)
- • Built-in penetration testing coordination
- • Good documentation and tutorials
✗ Cons
- • Premium pricing ($35K-$45K/year)
- • Dedicated CSM costs extra ($8K+/year)
- • Per-framework fees apply ($3-6K each)
- • Fewer frameworks than Vanta (12 vs 15+)
- • Less extensive integration library
- • Still expensive for early-stage startups
- • Annual commitment required
LowerPlane
✓ Pros
- • 80% lower cost ($4,995 vs $28K-$40K)
- • Dedicated advisor included (worth $8-10K elsewhere)
- • No per-framework fees – all 5 included
- • Fastest time to productivity (days, not weeks)
- • Multi-framework overlap optimization (80-90%)
- • Perfect for startups and budget-conscious teams
- • Free readiness assessment included
- • Streamlined, beginner-friendly interface
✗ Cons
- • Fewer integrations (80+ vs 200-375)
- • Only 5 frameworks currently (vs 12-15+)
- • Lower automation rate (30-50% vs 60-70%)
- • Less brand recognition than Vanta/Drata
- • Longer timeline to audit-ready (8-12 weeks)
- • Limited to major frameworks (no niche certifications)
- • Smaller customer base and community
Which Platform is Right for You?
Choose Vanta if you:
- ✓Need 3+ frameworks including niche certifications (TISAX, ISO 27017, etc.)
- ✓Have budget for premium tools ($40K+ annually)
- ✓Require maximum automation and integrations (300+)
- ✓Are selling to Fortune 500 companies that recognize the Vanta brand
- ✓Have raised Series B+ funding with resources for compliance team
Choose Drata if you:
- ✓Prefer a modern, developer-friendly platform
- ✓Have 2-3 frameworks to pursue
- ✓Can afford $35K-$45K annually
- ✓Value 24/7 support and mobile access
- ✓Are a cloud-native SaaS company with strong DevOps culture
Choose LowerPlane if you:
- ✓Have a limited budget (under $10K for compliance platform)
- ✓Need 1-3 core frameworks (SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR, or PCI)
- ✓Want dedicated advisor support without paying extra $8-10K/year
- ✓Are a pre-Series A startup or bootstrapped company
- ✓Lost deals due to lack of compliance and need certification fast
- ✓Prefer hands-on guidance over self-service
Key Takeaways
- 1
Vanta is the enterprise choice with 300+ integrations, 15+ frameworks, and 60-70% automation, but costs $28K-$40K/year plus extras.
- 2
Drata offers modern UX with developer-friendly features, 200+ integrations, and 12+ frameworks at $35K-$45K/year.
- 3
LowerPlane delivers 80% cost savings at $4,995/year with dedicated advisor included and no per-framework fees.
- 4
3-year TCO comparison: Vanta = $150K, Drata = $153K, LowerPlane = $15K (90% savings).
- 5
Best choice depends on stage: Enterprise/Series B+ → Vanta, Mid-market SaaS → Drata, Startups/Budget-conscious → LowerPlane.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I switch from Vanta or Drata to LowerPlane mid-year?
Yes! LowerPlane can import your existing evidence, policies, and control implementations. Most migrations complete within 2-3 weeks. You'll save money even after accounting for the sunk cost of your current platform. We offer migration assistance as part of onboarding.
Does LowerPlane work with my existing auditor?
Absolutely. LowerPlane generates auditor-ready evidence packages compatible with any AICPA-certified SOC 2 auditor, accredited ISO 27001 certification body, or HIPAA compliance assessor. We can also connect you with our network of audit partners if needed.
Why is LowerPlane so much cheaper than Vanta and Drata?
LowerPlane focuses on deep support for 5 core frameworks (vs 12-15+), uses efficient multi-framework overlap optimization to reduce duplicate work, and operates with a leaner team. We don't spend heavily on sales and marketing like larger competitors. Our savings get passed to customers.
What if I need a framework LowerPlane doesn't support yet?
We're adding HITRUST, CMMC, and NIST CSF in Q2 2025. If you need one of these, we can provide a timeline and early access. For other frameworks, we recommend Vanta or Drata, or we can build custom support if you have multiple companies interested.
Do Vanta and Drata customers actually pay the full price?
Yes. While some customers negotiate 10-15% discounts for multi-year contracts, the base pricing is accurate. Additional costs for dedicated advisors ($8-10K/year), extra frameworks ($3-8K each), and premium support tiers are standard. Total annual spend often reaches $40-50K+.
How long does it take to get audit-ready with each platform?
Vanta: 6-8 weeks (fastest due to highest automation). Drata: 6-10 weeks (similar to Vanta). LowerPlane: 8-12 weeks (longer due to more manual processes but includes dedicated advisor guidance). Timeline depends heavily on your existing security posture and resource availability.
Related Resources
Related Articles
How Much Does SOC 2 Cost in 2025?
Complete breakdown of SOC 2 costs including auditor fees, software, and resources.
The Cheapest Way to Get SOC 2 Certified
Proven strategies to reduce SOC 2 costs without compromising quality.
ISO 27001 vs SOC 2: Key Differences
Compare frameworks to determine which certification is right for you.
Get Compliance Insights & Cost-Saving Tips
Join 5,000+ compliance professionals getting expert tips, platform comparisons, and exclusive resources delivered weekly.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.