Let’s say a compliance platform is worth $12,000 per year. Does that sound like a lot?
The answer is contingent on what it replaces.
Automating the collection of evidence across a complex technology system eliminates hundreds of hours of repetitive work, then $12,000 is a well-spent amount of money. The calculation would be different if a startup of seven people could collect the same amount of evidence in just several minutes each month.
That’s a useful way to approach the search for a Vanta alternative. Start by asking what platform comes with the most features. Ask your company about how these tools can help you save time and money.
Automated Manufacturing Has a Break-Even Point
Automating compliance isn’t necessarily good or bad. Scale can alter its value. Imagine a tech company that is growing, with numerous cloud environments, many applications and frequent changes to access. Manually collecting evidence could be a major operational burden. Integrations that automatically monitor systems and record evidence easily justify the cost.
Now think about a 10-person company getting ready for its first SOC 2. Imagine a startup having 10 employees in preparation for its first SOC 2.
This is a crucial distinction in evaluating the pricing offered by Vanta. The capabilities of a sophisticated platform are amazing, however they can only be of value when a company requires them.
Compare Architecture and Not Just Brands
Searching for Vanta vs Drata will quickly turn into an exercise of feature-by-feature. Both are trusted compliance platforms built around automation and integrations, so looking at their supported frameworks including integrations, service contracts, and individual quotations are useful for businesses looking to implement this approach.
There’s a second decision to take first. Do you need a compliance platform that integrates? Certain businesses would prefer automated evidence collection and continuous monitoring. Some companies prefer to create their own evidence, particularly when the workload is low.
Vanta Competitors Do not all follow the Same Model
A lot of Vanta competitors are also in the same class that concentrates on automation. There are also platforms that are less heavy which focus on organization and extensive system connectivity.
CertAssist is in the second category. The product was created by compliance consultants as well as internal auditors, CertAssist organizes framework controls within a single workspace. It provides editable policy as well as evidence-based guidance. It also allows auditors to review evidence submitted via restricted access.
It is deliberately not connected to operating systems, nor install infrastructure agents. Customers select and upload the evidence they want to share.
Consideration should be given to the system’s access.
The elimination of integrations has its disadvantages: someone must manually collect evidence.
This also means that integration setup is eliminated and means the compliance application does not require constant connections to the operational environment.
The designs of either are not superior to each other. It is essential to inquire what choices make sense to your business.
CertAssist is aimed at teams that comprise between five and 200 individuals. It also publishes its prices, rather than requiring a sales conversation to obtain the price at which to start. Its official launch price is $225 per month compared with a regular price of $375 per month.
Let Complexity earn its place
The requirements of a 10 person start-up today might not necessarily match its requirements at 100 or 500 employees.
Although compliance is easy but a lighter platform might make sense. As the number of systems, employees, frameworks and evidence requirements increase, the economy could eventually favor greater automation. It’s better to let complexity of compliance technology take its place.
Don’t buy fifty different integrations simply because they seem impressive in the comparison chart. They’re well worth the money when doing the tasks they replace is more expensive than doing them manually.