Smartly vs Vanta vs Secureframe: The Ultimate Compliance Automation Comparison in 2025
The compliance automation industry has exploded in recent years. What was once a manual, consultant-heavy process is now a competitive race between software platforms promising to make ISO 27001 and SOC 2 easier, faster, and more affordable.
Quick Snapshot: Smartly vs Vanta vs Secureframe
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.
Secureframe provides an approachable starting point with guided onboarding and templates but relies on significant manual input.
1. Overview of Each Platform
Vanta
Vanta is the most recognized name in compliance automation. It pioneered the category and is often the first tool companies hear about when starting their SOC 2 or ISO 27001 journey. Vanta's strength lies in its broad framework coverage, extensive integrations, and large auditor network.
However, it comes with complexity and cost. Vanta's setup is often time-consuming, requiring dedicated compliance personnel to manage configurations and respond to alerts.
Secureframe
Secureframe entered the market soon after Vanta, focusing on making compliance more approachable for startups. Its promise is to get teams "audit ready" quickly with guided onboarding, templates, and pre-written policies.
Secureframe is easy to use and visually intuitive, but much of the heavy lifting still depends on manual setup. Its automation coverage is limited compared to newer players, and pricing can escalate quickly for multiple frameworks or larger organizations.
Smartly
Smartly represents the new generation of compliance automation — designed for fast-growing startups and scale-ups in Asia-Pacific and emerging global markets.
Its mission is simple: eliminate unnecessary consulting layers and replace them with real automation that drives both speed and accuracy. Smartly offers a modern platform focused on ISO 27001 and SOC 2 readiness, combining real-time integrations, AI-driven control mapping, and ISO 27001:2022 alignment at a fraction of the cost of legacy platforms.
In short, Vanta built the market, Secureframe simplified it, and Smartly is reinventing it for modern, fast-moving teams.
2. Supported Frameworks
| Platform | Supported Frameworks | Key Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Smartly | ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type I & II, GDPR, NIST CSF | Full automation for ISO 27001:2022 and seamless mapping between frameworks |
| Vanta | SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR, PCI DSS | Broad framework coverage with strong auditor partnerships |
| Secureframe | SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR, PCI DSS, NIST | Multi-framework support but limited customization options |
Verdict: Vanta and Secureframe offer a wide range of frameworks, suitable for enterprises or companies pursuing multiple certifications. Smartly focuses on the most in-demand certifications — ISO 27001 and SOC 2 — and automates them end to end.
3. Automation Depth
Automation is what separates true compliance platforms from glorified checklists.
Smartly
Uses real-time data synchronization across connected systems such as AWS, GitHub, Google Workspace, and HR tools. It continuously validates evidence freshness and flags outdated records automatically.
Vanta
Automates many checks but still relies heavily on manual verification. Its architecture was designed for early compliance automation and now carries some complexity that slows smaller teams.
Secureframe
Automates some aspects of evidence collection, but much of its process is template-driven. Users often need to upload screenshots or respond manually to reminders.
Verdict: Smartly wins on automation depth and accuracy. It delivers live monitoring and real-time alerts with minimal manual input. Vanta follows closely but with higher setup complexity. Secureframe remains largely manual.
4. Integration Coverage
| Platform | Number of Integrations | Example Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Smartly | 200+ | AWS, Azure, GCP, Jira, Slack, Okta, Notion, BambooHR |
| Vanta | 300+ | AWS, Azure, GitHub, Datadog, Okta, Jira, Duo |
| Secureframe | 150+ | AWS, GCP, GitHub, Slack, Zoom, HR systems |
Verdict: Vanta currently offers the widest range of integrations, but Smartly's connections are deeper and optimized for automation rather than surface-level data pulls. Secureframe offers fewer integrations and less flexibility for custom connections.
5. Evidence Management
Evidence management is often the biggest time sink in audits.
Smartly
Automatically collects and refreshes evidence in real time. Every piece of evidence links directly to a control and updates automatically when systems change.
Vanta
Automates evidence collection but requires frequent manual confirmation to keep items current. Some integrations pull stale data that auditors may not accept without review.
Secureframe
Includes guided evidence requests but depends on user uploads and checklists, especially for HR and vendor management controls.
Verdict: Smartly leads with real-time, auto-refreshing evidence. Vanta requires more manual oversight. Secureframe remains largely checklist-driven.
6. Risk Management and ISO 27001 Readiness
Smartly
Includes a built-in risk register that aligns directly with ISO 27005. It automatically links each risk to controls, treatment plans, and responsible owners. Risk assessment results are visible in real time and integrated with the Statement of Applicability (SoA).
Vanta
Supports risk documentation but requires manual mapping between controls and treatments. Risk scoring is available but basic.
Secureframe
Provides a static risk register with no automation or linkage between risks and controls.
Verdict: Smartly clearly leads for ISO 27001 readiness and risk-based compliance. Vanta and Secureframe provide partial coverage but lack true automation or ISO 27005 alignment.
7. Onboarding and Implementation
| Platform | Onboarding Approach | Average Time to Readiness |
|---|---|---|
| Smartly | Guided onboarding with automation-first setup | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Vanta | Consultant-driven onboarding | 6 to 8 weeks |
| Secureframe | Self-serve onboarding with templates and guidance | 4 to 6 weeks |
Verdict: Smartly gets teams audit-ready fastest with minimal friction. Vanta requires more consulting overhead. Secureframe sits in the middle with decent self-serve tools.
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8. Audit Support and Collaboration
Smartly
Simplifies the audit process by providing a pre-audit readiness score, generating ISO 27001 SoA automatically, and offering direct auditor collaboration through its platform.
Vanta
Connects users to a network of auditors but requires significant manual coordination.
Secureframe
Provides built-in auditor collaboration tools but focuses more on checklist-driven reporting than active audit preparation.
Verdict: Smartly delivers a hands-on, data-driven approach to audit preparation, ensuring teams walk into audits with full confidence.
9. Pricing and Transparency
Pricing is often the biggest differentiator for startups choosing between compliance platforms.
| Platform | Pricing Model | Typical Cost | Transparency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smartly | Subscription model with all-inclusive automation certification | From $4,900 USD per year | Fully transparent, published pricing |
| Vanta | Custom quotes per framework and employee count | Typically $10,000 to $25,000 USD per year | Non-transparent |
| Secureframe | Tiered pricing based on company size | Around $12,000 to $20,000 USD annually | Non-transparent |
Verdict: Smartly offers the most transparent and affordable model without hidden costs. Vanta and Secureframe provide strong functionality but at significantly higher prices.
10. Continuous Monitoring
Smartly
Continuously tracks every connected system and automatically alerts owners when configurations drift from compliance. It turns compliance from a yearly scramble into a real-time operational habit.
Vanta
Performs scheduled scans but still relies on user intervention for remediation.
Secureframe
Monitors basic system health but lacks real-time alerting and remediation workflows.
Verdict: Smartly provides genuine continuous compliance monitoring, allowing organizations to maintain readiness every day of the year.
11. Customer Experience and Support
Smartly
Offers live support within one hour, bilingual coverage for Asia-Pacific clients, and dedicated account managers for all users. It maintains one of the fastest response times in the industry.
Vanta
Provides support through a ticket system, with priority response reserved for enterprise clients.
Secureframe
Offers responsive onboarding teams but slower follow-up once implementation is complete.
Verdict: Smartly leads on accessibility and customer support quality, especially for small and mid-size businesses that need fast, human responses.
12. Platform Design and User Experience
Smartly
Offers a modern, clean interface that visualizes compliance health, risk exposure, and audit readiness in a single screen.
Vanta
Dashboard is powerful but can be overwhelming for new users managing only one framework.
Secureframe
Design is user-friendly but lacks the advanced control visibility that auditors often expect.
Verdict: Smartly combines simplicity with depth, making it easier for startups to stay compliant without a dedicated compliance manager.
13. Flexibility and Scalability
Smartly
Grows with you. Teams can start with ISO 27001 and expand to SOC 2 later, reusing 80 percent of their controls and evidence.
Vanta
Supports large-scale enterprise environments but often requires additional consulting to manage complexity.
Secureframe
Scales well for early-stage companies but struggles with multi-framework management.
Verdict: Smartly provides the best scalability balance — flexible enough for startups and robust enough for scale-ups.
14. Strengths and Weaknesses
| Platform | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| Smartly | Real-time automation, transparent pricing, ISO 27001:2022 alignment, fast onboarding, strong regional support | Currently focused on ISO 27001 and SOC 2 only |
| Vanta | Enterprise reputation, wide framework support, strong auditor partnerships | High cost, complex interface, slower onboarding |
| Secureframe | Simple user experience, good onboarding guides, helpful for smaller teams | Limited automation, high pricing tiers, manual evidence uploads |
15. Which Platform Fits You Best?
Choose Smartly if:
- You are a startup or scale-up pursuing ISO 27001 or SOC 2 certification quickly
- You want automation instead of consultants
- You prefer transparent, affordable pricing
- You want to maintain continuous compliance throughout the year
Choose Vanta if:
- •You have a large compliance team and multiple frameworks
- •You are an enterprise that values brand recognition and deep auditor connections
Choose Secureframe if:
- •You are an early-stage startup that prefers a simplified, guided experience
- •You do not need deep automation or complex integrations
16. The Final Verdict
In 2025, compliance automation is no longer a luxury. It is a requirement for winning enterprise clients and building trust with investors and customers.
Vanta remains the established industry giant with broad coverage and strong partnerships but comes with high complexity and cost. Secureframe provides a good starting point for smaller teams but depends heavily on manual input.
Smartly stands out as the modern solution — fast, automated, and affordable.
It delivers what startups need most:
- Speed in achieving ISO 27001 or SOC 2 readiness
- Simplicity through automation-first workflows
- Transparency in pricing and progress tracking
- Confidence in facing audits with accurate, current evidence
With Smartly, compliance becomes a competitive advantage rather than a burden.
17. Final Thoughts
The compliance landscape has shifted. Companies no longer need to choose between speed and security.
Smartly proves that automation, affordability, and accuracy can coexist in one platform. It empowers growing companies to achieve ISO 27001 or SOC 2 certification in weeks, not months, while keeping systems continuously audit-ready.