SOC 2 evidence collection and integrations, explained for startups
Evidence is the proof that a control exists and runs: screenshots, exports, tickets, logs and signed documents. Integrations let a tool pull much of it automatically from your cloud, identity, code and HR systems. Counts matter less than whether your specific tools are covered.
What counts as SOC 2 evidence?
Anything that shows a control at work: a user list with MFA status from your identity provider, a pull request with an approval, an offboarding ticket, a backup log, a signed policy acknowledgement, the notes from an incident tabletop. For a Type II, the auditor samples evidence from across the observation period.
What do integrations automate?
An integration connects the compliance tool to one of your systems and checks configuration or pulls records on a schedule. Cloud providers, identity providers, code repositories, HR systems, device management and ticketing tools are the common ones. Continuous checks also warn you when something drifts, such as a new user without MFA.
How many integrations do the five tools list?
| Tool | What it publishes |
|---|---|
| Scytale | Scytale's integrations page says it connects 100+ tools (its homepage says 150+). Named examples include AWS, GitHub, GitLab, Slack, Google Workspace, JumpCloud, Okta, BambooHR, Greenhouse, Lever, Intercom, MongoDB and ClickUp.Source: scytale.ai · Read 2026-09-29 |
| Vanta | 400+ tools, per Vanta; AWS 40+ resources, Azure 30+, GCP 25+.Source: vanta.com · Read 2026-09-29 |
| Secureframe | 300+ integrations, per Secureframe.Source: secureframe.com · Read 2026-09-29 |
| Thoropass | Integrations 'vetted and approved by auditors'. No integration count on the page reviewed.Source: thoropass.com · Read 2026-09-29 |
| Comp AI | 580+ integrations, per Comp AI.Source: trycomp.ai · Read 2026-09-29 |
Does a higher count mean a better fit?
Not by itself. A startup with ten core systems needs those ten covered well. Make a list of your systems, then check each vendor's integration page by name. Scytale, for example, names AWS, GitHub, GitLab, Slack, Google Workspace, JumpCloud, Okta and several HR and recruiting tools. For anything not covered, ask how evidence is collected: manual upload, an API, or a custom connection.
What evidence still needs a person?
Leadership oversight, risk assessments, vendor reviews, tabletop exercises, policy approvals and anything from a system without an integration. These are often the items left until the end, so schedule them early.
How should you check integration coverage before buying?
Write down every system that holds customer data or controls access: cloud accounts, identity provider, code hosting, CI/CD, device management, HR system, ticketing, messaging and any data stores. Mark the five that matter most. Then ask each shortlisted vendor to show those five connected, and ask what the integration actually checks: a list of users, configuration settings, or only a connection status. A tool that covers your top five well is a better fit than one with a longer list that misses your identity provider.
What happens when a system has no integration?
You upload evidence by hand on a schedule, or the vendor builds a custom connection. Secureframe's Complete plan lists custom integrations, and Scytale's Scale plan lists on-prem integrations. Ask how manual uploads are reminded and reviewed, because missed manual evidence is a common source of exceptions.
What should you read next?
Next lesson · 9 of 10How to choose a SOC 2 auditor for your first audit
Questions founders ask
Which SOC 2 tool has the most integrations?
Of the five tools here, Comp AI states the most, 580+. Vanta states 400+, Secureframe states 300+ and Scytale states 100+.