6
Frameworks Compared
3
Geographies Covered
2-12
Months Timeline
$5k-$100k
Cost Range
Framework Overview
Click to expand details for each framework
SOC 2 Type II
Trust Service Criteria for service organizations
Geography:Global (US-originated)
Timeline:3-6 months
Cost:$15k-$50k
Best for:
SaaS companies, cloud service providers
ISO 27001 / 42001
Information security & AI management systems
Geography:Global (ISO standard)
Timeline:6-12 months
Cost:$20k-$100k
Best for:
Enterprise, international operations
GDPR
EU data privacy regulation
Geography:EU/EEA (extraterritorial)
Timeline:2-4 months
Cost:$10k-$30k
Best for:
Companies processing EU citizen data
HIPAA
US healthcare data protection
Geography:United States
Timeline:3-6 months
Cost:$15k-$40k
Best for:
Healthcare providers, health tech
EU AI Act
EU regulation for high-risk AI systems
Geography:EU/EEA (extraterritorial)
Timeline:6-12 months
Cost:$30k-$100k+
Best for:
High-risk AI systems in EU
NIST AI RMF
AI risk management framework
Geography:United States (voluntary)
Timeline:2-4 months
Cost:$5k-$20k
Best for:
US federal contractors, AI developers
Side-by-Side Comparison
Key differences at a glance
| Aspect | SOC 2 | ISO 27001 | GDPR | HIPAA | EU AI Act | NIST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | Security controls | ISMS & AI governance | Data privacy | Healthcare data | High-risk AI | AI risk management |
| Certification Required | Yes (auditor) | Yes (certification body) | No (compliance) | No (compliance) | Yes (conformity) | No (voluntary) |
| Annual Audit | Yes | Yes (surveillance) | No | No | Yes | No |
| AI-Specific | No | Yes (42001) | Partial (DPIA) | No | Yes | Yes |
| Penalties | Contract breach | Certification loss | Up to €20M or 4% revenue | Up to $1.5M per violation | Up to €30M or 6% revenue | None (voluntary) |
Decision Tree
Answer these questions to find the right framework
1
Do you process EU citizen data?
Yes
GDPR is mandatory
No
Continue
2
Do you handle US healthcare data (PHI)?
Yes
HIPAA is mandatory
No
Continue
3
Are you selling to enterprise customers?
Yes
SOC 2 Type II recommended
No
Continue
4
Do you operate internationally?
Yes
ISO 27001 recommended
No
Continue
5
Is your AI system high-risk in the EU?
Yes
EU AI Act mandatory
No
NIST AI RMF recommended