Smartly vs Vanta vs Scrut: Which Compliance Automation Platform Wins in 2025?
Compliance automation is no longer a niche function. It has become a growth driver for startups and scale-ups that need to prove trust, win enterprise clients, and expand into global markets. Among the top contenders are Smartly, Vanta, and Scrut—each serving very different audiences with distinct approaches to compliance.
Quick Snapshot: Smartly vs Vanta vs Scrut
TLDR Summary
Smartly combines real automation, rapid onboarding, and affordability in a platform designed for modern startups and scale-ups.
Vanta remains the heavyweight built for large enterprises with internal compliance departments and bigger budgets.
Scrut serves as the posture analytics specialist for mid-market companies with dedicated IT and compliance teams.
1. Platform Overview
Vanta
Vanta is the most established name in compliance automation. It focuses on SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI DSS frameworks. With its wide auditor network and reputation for enterprise readiness, Vanta is often the default choice for companies with larger security budgets.
However, its platform can be heavy and expensive for smaller teams. Many controls still require manual review, and onboarding typically takes weeks of coordination.
Scrut
Scrut is a compliance and security posture management platform built for cloud-hosted organizations. It focuses on continuous risk monitoring, real-time visibility, and automated evidence mapping across frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS.
Scrut's strength lies in its advanced monitoring and posture analytics. It helps detect misconfigurations, security gaps, and policy drift across AWS, Azure, and GCP environments. While powerful, it leans toward enterprise and mid-market customers with dedicated IT and compliance teams.
Smartly
Smartly represents the next generation of compliance automation. Built for startups and scale-ups, Smartly automates ISO 27001 and SOC 2 readiness through deep integrations, built-in risk assessment tools, policy libraries aligned with the 2022 ISO 27001 update, and AI-powered evidence mapping.
Smartly focuses on speed, affordability, and accuracy. The platform removes unnecessary consulting steps and provides full automation from risk assessment to audit-ready documentation.
Its philosophy is simple: compliance should not slow down your growth. Smartly helps teams achieve certification readiness faster and keeps systems compliant continuously.
2. Supported Frameworks
| Platform | Supported Frameworks | Notable Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Smartly | ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type I & II, GDPR mapping, NIST CSF | Native automation for ISO 27001:2022 with built-in Annex A and Statement of Applicability templates |
| Vanta | SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR, PCI DSS | Supports more frameworks but limited flexibility for custom mappings |
| Scrut | SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS | Strong posture monitoring with real-time risk visibility across frameworks |
Verdict: All three platforms cover essential frameworks. Smartly wins with stronger control mapping for ISO 27001:2022 and better Statement of Applicability automation. Vanta covers the most frameworks, while Scrut excels in continuous security posture monitoring.
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3. Automation Depth
Automation is the foundation of every compliance platform. The more your system connects directly to your cloud and HR tools, the less time your team spends collecting screenshots or filling spreadsheets.
| Platform | Automation Strength | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Smartly | Deep automation with real-time sync from AWS, GitHub, Google Workspace, and HR tools | Built for lean teams that need to move fast |
| Vanta | Broad automation coverage but higher manual oversight | Strong for enterprises with internal compliance staff |
| Scrut | Advanced posture monitoring with continuous security checks | Best for cloud-heavy environments needing real-time visibility |
Verdict: Smartly offers stronger real-time automation and faster turnaround for smaller, agile teams. Vanta's automation is mature but complex, and Scrut excels in security posture analytics but requires more technical expertise.
4. Integration Coverage
| Platform | Integration Count | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Smartly | 200+ | AWS, Azure, GCP, Google Workspace, Okta, Slack, Notion, GitHub, Jira, Linear, BambooHR |
| Vanta | 300+ | AWS, Azure, GitHub, Jira, Okta, Azure AD, Datadog, Duo |
| Scrut | 200+ | AWS, GCP, Azure, GitHub, Jira, Slack, Okta, CloudTrail, GuardDuty |
Verdict: Vanta has the largest integration library but often requires configuration support. Smartly focuses on quality over quantity, providing deeper evidence linkage and faster auto-verification. Scrut offers strong cloud security integrations with emphasis on posture monitoring.
5. Evidence Management
Evidence collection and refresh speed are what separate truly automated compliance from manual busywork.
Smartly
Smartly collects evidence automatically from integrated systems and refreshes it continuously. Evidence is mapped to specific controls and displayed in audit-ready format. The platform alerts control owners when evidence becomes stale or missing.
Vanta
Vanta collects evidence periodically through scheduled jobs. While automated, many evidence items still require manual review before they can be shared with auditors. The evidence dashboard is comprehensive but can feel overwhelming for first-time users.
Scrut
Scrut provides continuous security posture monitoring and evidence collection. Its strength lies in real-time visibility into cloud configurations, access controls, and security policies. However, evidence presentation can be technical and may require interpretation for auditors.
Verdict: Smartly provides the cleanest audit-ready evidence collection. Vanta offers strong periodic collection but requires more manual oversight. Scrut excels in continuous posture monitoring but focuses more on security teams than auditors.
6. Risk Management
Smartly
Built directly on ISO 27001:2022 and ISO 27005 risk management methodology. Smartly's risk register maps every risk to relevant controls, treatment plans, and responsible owners. The platform automatically generates and maintains the Statement of Applicability.
Vanta
Vanta provides basic risk tracking and control mapping. Its focus is more on evidence collection than risk management. Users must manually create and maintain their Statement of Applicability and risk treatment plans.
Scrut
Scrut offers strong real-time risk visibility through its security posture management features. It continuously monitors for misconfigurations and policy violations. However, risk management workflows are more technical and security-focused rather than compliance-audit oriented.
Verdict: Smartly wins for ISO 27001-aligned risk management with automated SoA generation. Vanta provides basic capabilities, while Scrut excels in technical security risk monitoring but may require translation for audit purposes.
7. Onboarding and Time to Certification
| Platform | Onboarding Speed | Average Time to Audit Readiness |
|---|---|---|
| Smartly | 2-3 weeks | 8-12 weeks |
| Vanta | 6-8 weeks | 16-24 weeks |
| Scrut | 4-6 weeks | 12-16 weeks |
Verdict: Smartly offers the fastest path to certification readiness. Vanta requires the longest onboarding due to its enterprise complexity. Scrut falls in the middle with moderate setup time but technical learning curve.
8. Pricing and Transparency
| Platform | Pricing Model | Typical Cost Range |
|---|---|---|
| Smartly | Transparent, all-inclusive | From $4,900/certification annually |
| Vanta | Custom enterprise pricing | $10,000-$25,000+ annually |
| Scrut | Tiered, based on company size | $12,000-$30,000+ annually |
Verdict: Smartly provides the clearest and most affordable pricing. Vanta and Scrut both use custom pricing that scales significantly with company size and feature needs.
9. User Experience and Design
Smartly
Clean, intuitive dashboard designed for non-technical users. Shows risk posture, control health, and certification progress at a glance. Built for startups that need clarity without complexity.
Vanta
Data-rich dashboards suited to compliance teams with technical expertise. Can feel overwhelming for smaller organizations or first-time users. Enterprise-grade UI with steep learning curve.
Scrut
Technical interface optimized for security engineers and IT teams. Strong on security posture visualization but may require interpretation for business stakeholders. Focused more on security operations than compliance workflows.
Verdict: Smartly delivers the best balance of simplicity and functionality for startups. Vanta favors depth over simplicity. Scrut is best suited for technical security teams.
10. Customer Support
Smartly
Rapid, multilingual customer support with dedicated account managers. One-hour average response time. Proactive guidance throughout certification journey.
Vanta
Ticket-based system with slower responses for smaller clients. Premium support available at higher price tiers. Support quality varies by plan level.
Scrut
Responsive support for technical queries. Strong for cloud security questions but may be less accessible for general compliance guidance. Support model favors mid-market and enterprise clients.
Verdict: Smartly leads in accessibility and responsiveness across all customer tiers. Vanta's experience varies by pricing plan. Scrut provides strong technical support but less hand-holding for compliance processes.
11. Strengths and Weaknesses
| Platform | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| Smartly | Fast onboarding, transparent pricing, ISO 27001:2022 native support, excellent for startups | Focused primarily on ISO 27001 and SOC 2 |
| Vanta | Enterprise maturity, large auditor network, wide framework support | Expensive, slow onboarding, complex for small teams |
| Scrut | Strong security posture monitoring, continuous risk visibility, cloud-focused | Technical learning curve, higher cost, security-focused vs audit-ready |
12. Which Platform Is Best for You?
Choose Smartly if:
- You are a startup or scale-up pursuing ISO 27001 or SOC 2
- You need fast onboarding and transparent pricing
- You want real-time automation without the enterprise complexity
Choose Vanta if:
- You are a large enterprise managing multiple frameworks
- You have dedicated internal compliance teams and larger budgets
Choose Scrut if:
- You prioritize continuous security posture monitoring
- You have technical security teams who need real-time risk visibility
13. Final Verdict
Smartly redefines compliance automation with precision and speed. Vanta remains the enterprise workhorse, while Scrut serves as the posture analytics specialist. But for agile companies that want to get certified, stay compliant, and win global clients faster, Smartly is the clear leader in 2025.
Smartly: The fastest, simplest, and most affordable path to ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certification.