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Enterprises deploy a wide variety of cloud compliance tools to maintain the security and integrity of the cloud environment. These platforms follow industry-recognized standards and regulations for cloud compliance and help organizations adhere to the legal laws governing cloud computing services. We evaluated the most widely used of these tools to see how they compared on features—here are our picks for the best cloud compliance tools:
- Sophos Cloud Optix: Best for Public Cloud Environments
- Drata: Best Software Option for Compliance Automation
- Vanta: Best Cloud Compliance Tool for SaaS Businesses
- Sprinto: Best Cloud Compliance Option for Entity-Level Risks
- Trend Micro Cloud One: Best Tool for Automated Security
- PingSafe: Best Cloud Compliance Software for Risk Alerts
- Wiz: Best Cloud Compliance Software for Intuitive UX/UI
- Cavirin: Best Software Option for Hybrid Cloud Platforms
- Scrut Automation: Best for Cloud Native Companies
- Secureframe: Best for Automated Evidence Collection
Best Cloud Compliance Tool Comparison
The chart below provides a high-level look at how our top picks compared against key features. Note that each of the tools we evaluated includes a wide range of compliance frameworks, and vendors add new ones regularly. Be sure to check their websites for the most current list. Also note that all per-user prices are with a one-year commitment, unless otherwise noted.
| Automated Remediation | Real-time Visibility | Compliance Specifications | Automation Capabilities | Pricing (Annual) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sophos Cloud Optix | Yes | Yes | NIST, DISA, SOC, ISO, HIPAA, GDPR, PCI-DSS, CIS, CIPA, CCPA, ASD, POPI, NYDFS, Ohio Data Protection Act, HITRUST | Cloud-based |
Free trials and product demos Customized pricing options |
| Drata | Yes | Yes |
Cyber Essentials, SOC 2, ISO, HIPAA, GDPR, PCI-DSS, CCPA, CMMC, Microsoft SSPA, NIST, FFIEC, CCM |
Cloud-based | Quote-based |
| Vanta | Yes | Yes | HIPAA, SOC2, ISO, GDPR, USDP, NIST, FedRAMP, OFDSS, PCI-DSS, AWS FTR, MVSP, Microsoft SSPC, SOX, ITGC | Hardware, software, and hybrid | Customized plans |
| Sprinto | Yes | Yes | PCI-DSS, ISO, NIST, CSA, STAR, FCRA, OFDSS, CCPA, GDPR, HIPAA, AICPA, SOC2 | Cloud-based | Quote-based |
| Trend Micro Cloud One | Yes | Yes | ISO, CIS, LGPD, FISC, HITRUST, NIST, SOC2,APTRA,GDPR, HIPAA, PCIDSS, | Automated compliance and risk management processes | Contact sales for quote |
| PingSafe | Yes | Yes | PCI DSS, SOC 2, NIST, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR | Automated compliance monitoring | Contact sales for quote |
| Wiz | Yes | Yes | NIST, HIPAA, CIS, HiTrust, SOC2, GDPR, FISMA, SOX, PCI DSS, FedRamp | Automated compliance | Quote-based |
| Cavirin | Yes | Yes | NIST, CIS 7, DISA, ISO, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, GDPR | Automated compliance and risk management processes |
Free plan Premium plan with a pay-as-you-go monthly pricing structure |
| Scrut Automation | Yes | Yes | GDPR, FERPA, SOC3, SOC2, ISO, NIST, PCI DSS, CSA STAR, HiTrust, CMMI SVC, CMMI DEV, HIPAA, FR | Automated risk assessment, automated remediation | Contact sales for quote |
| Secureframe | Yes | Yes | SOC2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, Cyber Essentials, NYDFS NYCRR 500, FTC Safeguards Rule, Microsoft SSPA, NIST, CJIS, CMMS 2.0, HIPAA, GDPR, CCPA, CPRA | Automated compliance, automated evidence gathering, SOC2 automation | Quote-based |
Table of Contents
Sophos Cloud Optix
Best for Public Cloud Environments
Overall rating: 4.2/5
- Core Features: 4.8/5
- Compliance Framework Integrations: 5/5
- Cost: 2/5
- Customization: 4.4/5
- Ease of Use: 3.3/5
- Customer Support: 4.9/5
Sophos Cloud Optix is an artificial intelligence-powered security and compliance platform that enhances enterprise cloud protection and security management. It offers a single view of the entire compliance posture across all cloud environments and continuously assesses cloud configuration settings against complaints and security best practices standards. Sophos also has advanced reporting features with lists and graphs for visualizing compliance progress.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Integrates with popular clouds like AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and IaC | Cloud-only solution without provisions for on-premises deployments |
| Automatic remediation actions for detected threats | Demands hands-on-expertise and high-level technical knowledge |
Pricing
- Free trials and product demos
- Contact the company for a customized no-obligation quote
Features
- Out-of-the-box templates and audit-ready reports
- Customization options for security and compliance policies
- Compliance standards followed: FFIEC, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS and SOC2
- Container image scanning and Infrastructure-as-Code Scanning for compliance checks during the development lifecycle
- Interwoven identity and access management (IAM) roles to identify high-risk users
Drata
Best for Compliance Automation
Overall rating: 4.2/5
- Core Features: 4.6/5
- Compliance Framework Integrations: 5/5
- Cost: 1.4/5
- Customization: 4.7/5
- Ease of Use: 4.6/5
- Customer Support: 4.3/5
Drata is a leading solution for automated cloud compliance that uses a proprietary control library and supports a wide range of compliance frameworks. Businesses can use over 18 frameworks—including SOC 2, ISO 27001, and HIPAA—without sacrificing their need to tailor the platform according to their needs. Continuous automated monitoring provides a 360-degree view of compliance status and lets you address issues before they become a security crisis.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Eliminates hundreds of hours of manual work | Setup can be confusing |
| Offers options for custom controls | Expensive pricing structure according to reviewers |
Pricing
- Request a demo for custom quote
Features
- More than 85 native integrations for evidence collection and testing
- 17 compliance frameworks, standards, and regulations, plus custom frameworks
- Continuous control monitoring with extensive dashboards and alerts
Vanta
Best for SaaS Businesses
Overall rating: 4.2/5
- Core Features: 4.8/5
- Compliance Framework Integrations: 5/5
- Cost: 1.4/5
- Customization: 5/5
- Ease of Use: 4.3/5
- Customer Support: 3/5
Vanta’s security and compliance platform offers a flexible and comprehensive compliance program with holistic risk visibility that helps SaaS businesses maintain a strong security posture and round-the-clock compliance. In addition to a wide range of compliance frameworks, it offers pre-built templates for creating custom policies—as a result, business practices can be translated into easy-to-track policies to check and monitor team compliance.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Seamless audit process with a dashboard for tracking compliance progress | Some HD encryption settings get missed |
| Exclusive auditor portal for reviewing progress, checking evidence, and flagging issues | Requires more integration options for infrastructure monitoring |
| Streamlined third-party management for simplified vendor reviews | Documentation could be improved |
Pricing
- Custom plans based on business requirements
- Request a demo to initiate a quote
Features
- Pre-built integrations for a unified view across key risk surfaces
- Templates for custom frameworks and control
- Guided scoping, policies, controls, automated evidence collection, and continuous monitoring for audits
- Real-time monitoring with hourly automated tests and two-way task-tracker integrations
- In-app Slack and email notifications and alerts
Sprinto
Best for Entity-Level Risks
Overall rating: 4.1/5
- Core Features: 4.9/5
- Compliance & Framework Integrations: 5/5
- Cost: 1.4/5
- Customization: 4.7/5
- Ease of Use: 3.8/5
- Customer Support: 3.5/5
Sprinto is a popular cloud compliance solution that controls and monitors entity-level risks. Its pre-approved, auditor-grade compliance programs can easily integrate across different cloud environments. Businesses can ensure that their data and systems are secured, and all cloud services work harmoniously with Sprinto’s entity-level mapping feature. Each employee also has unique credentials based on their roles, so they can only access specific data or areas.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Centralized security compliance management with an intuitive dashboard | Some users have experienced minor glitches in the UI |
| Expert-led implementation for stronger security and successful audits | Requires dedicated software for running in local systems |
| Widest compliance coverage with zero coordination chaos |
Pricing
- Flexible pricing plans based on business requirements
- Contact Sprinto for personalized quote
Features
- Audit-friendly adaptive automation capabilities with framework-specific workflows, policy templates, and training modules
- Integration with 100-plus cloud applications and services for thorough risk assessment
- People-focused advisory combined with technical expertise and dedicated compliance experts
- Global compliance coverage including more than 15 standard frameworks like ISO, GDPR, HIPAA, and AICPA SOC
- Works with existing cloud setups by mapping entity-level controls, identifying gaps and security lapses, and implementing corrective actions
Trend Micro Cloud One
Best for Automated Security
Overall rating: 4.1/5
- Core Features: 4.1/5
- Compliance Framework Integrations: 5/5
- Cost: 3.7/5
- Customization: 4.5/5
- Ease of Use: 2.2/5
- Customer Support: 3.8/5
Trend Micro Cloud One is a workload security solution that helps you optimize prevention, detection, and response for endpoints and workloads. Its strong API integration with Microsoft Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud and its workload security feature automatically protect existing and new workloads across different environments. Malware is also automatically scanned each time new files are uploaded without interrupting the development team’s workflows.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Robust real-world malware protection | Technical support cloud be better |
| Automated compliance checks against a wide range of frameworks | Users report technical errors during upgrade |
Pricing
- Contact sales for quote
- 30-day trial available
Features
- Application fixes misconfigurations across cloud accounts and finds threats instantly without affecting running applications
- Automation delivers security information for both developers and security teams
- Continuous compliance and governance requirements evaluation
- Comprehensive visibility and auto-remediation of cloud infrastructure from one multi-cloud dashboard
- Auto-check feature against nearly 1,000 cloud service configurations from AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud
- Automated security and compliance checks against SOC2, ISO 27001, NIST, CIS, GDPR, PCI DSS, HIPAA, AWS, Azure Well-Architected Frameworks, and CIS Microsoft Azure Foundations Security Benchmark
PingSafe
Best for Risk Alerts
Overall rating: 4/5
- Core Features: 4.1/5
- Compliance Framework Integrations: 5/5
- Cost: 3.6/5
- Customization: 1.8/5
- Ease of Use: 4.7/5
- Customer Support: 2.8/5
PingSafe is a unified cloud security platform with real-time monitoring and risk-prioritizing alert tools. Leverage its monitoring capabilities to consistently scan the cloud and access complete attack surface visibility across multi-cloud infrastructures in one centralized location via its compliance dashboard. Access context-aware alerts, which are triggered by resource-specific contexts, so you can easily pull out actionable insights and address misconfigurations.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy-to-use platform | Customer support could be better |
| Real-time monitoring features | Limited customization options |
Pricing
- Contact sales for quote
- 30-day free trial available
Features
- Dashboard for tracking compliance scores over time, identifying trends, and optimizing your compliance strategy
- A user-friendly interface to get an overview of an organization’s compliance and security status
- Summary reports for quick data analysis, key metrics tracking, and information sharing with stakeholders
- Platform for easy viewing of your cloud assets for early detection of risks and security breaches
Wiz
Best for Intuitive UX/UI
Overall rating: 3.9/5
- Core Features: 4.4/5
- Compliance Framework Integrations: 5/5
- Cost: 1.9/5
- Customization: 3.9/5
- Ease of Use: 3.9/5
- Customer Support: 2.8/5
Wiz is a cloud visibility solution with a user-friendly platform that helps businesses connect to various cloud environments and cover cloud security issues. Its intuitive platform provides built-in cloud security solutions that normally require installing agents. Users can also take advantage of its security graph feature for straightforward and context-driven insights between the technologies running in their cloud environment with quick visualizations and analyses.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Wealth of built-in cloud security tools | Limited pricing information |
| User-friendly dashboard | Remediation workflow could be better |
Pricing
- Contact sales for quote
- Demo available
Features
- Agentless scanning syncs Wiz in minutes through an API for full coverage across different PaaS resources, virtual machines, containers, serverless functions, and more
- Foundational risk assessment feature consistently ensures correct configurations across cloud resources
- Wiz Security Graph Visualization shows interconnections between various technologies running in your cloud, all from a single, user-friendly console
Cavirin
Best for Hybrid Cloud Platforms
Overall rating: 3.8/5
- Core Features: 4.5/5
- Compliance Framework Integrations: 5/5
- Cost: 2.7/5
- Customization: 4.1/5
- Ease of Use: 1.3/5
- Customer Support: 2.6/5
Cavirin is a cloud compliance solution that provides cybersecurity risk posture and compliance for hybrid cloud platforms. Cavirin includes high-level features and benefits for hybrid cloud platforms, which can dynamically identify vulnerabilities and cybersecurity threats and fix cloud misconfigurations. Leverage its real-time monitoring, threat detection, and auto-remediation across platforms such as AWS, GCP, Azure, on-premises, Kubernetes, and more.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Multiple regulatory compliance requirements for and centralized auditing information | Reporting features need improvement |
| Proactive security monitoring supported by recommendations and auto-remediation | On-premises CIS extension required |
Pricing
- Free plan helps businesses get started with multi-cloud security
- Premium plan follows a pay-as-you-go monthly pricing structure—for details, contact the company
Features
- Regular security vulnerability assessments across the entire hybrid architecture
- Prescriptive remediations and preventive risk management
- Security frameworks included: NIST, DISA, SOC, ISO, HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI
- Machine learning-based CyberPosture Scoring for complete visibility and infrastructure management
- Immediate reports and support documentation for improved auditing processes
- Automated compliance and risk management processes to reduce manual efforts
Scrut Automation
Best for Cloud Native Companies
Overall rating: 3.7/5
- Core Features: 4/5
- Compliance Framework Integrations: 5/5
- Cost: 1.4/5
- Customization: 3.7/5
- Ease of Use: 3.7/5
- Customer Support: 3.5/5
Scrut Automation is a risk-focused compliance automation platform that scans and monitors misconfiguration in cloud-native accounts such as AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform, and more. Users can test their cloud configurations automatically against more than 150 Center for Internet Security (CIS) benchmarks, build strong information security, and add customized controls to scan their platform instead of using CIS’s preconfigured standards.
An example of Scrut’s risk monitoring process. Source: https://www.scrut.io/
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Works with over 150 CIS benchmarks | Interface could be more intuitive |
| Responsive teams for support and onboarding | Users report occasional issues with cloud detection |
Pricing
- Contact sales for quote
- Demo available
Features
- Scrut Cloud Security enables users to connect their cloud platforms via easy-to-use integrations
- Remediation task features allow users to create and assign remediation tasks, as well as monitor each task’s status
- Integration across multi-cloud infrastructure takes less than 10 minutes via pre-built integrations
- Automated cloud scanning and reports across more than 150 CIS controls
Secureframe
Best for Automated Evidence Collection
Overall rating: 3.7/5
- Core Features: 4.3/5
- Compliance Framework Integrations: 5/5
- Cost: 1.4/5
- Customization: 3.4/5
- Ease of Use: 3.1/5
- Customer Support: 3.2/5
Secureframe is a security platform that allows businesses to automate evidence collection and end-to-end compliance tasks. Users can easily download all the evidence collected and generated through automated tests and operational tasks. Its data room feature enables you to run through collected evidence in bulk or individually at each framework and control. Securframe also highlights codes that should be prioritized for an easier remediation process.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Wide range of prebuilt and customizable policies | Some workflows need automation |
| Robust and scalable platform | Users report minor bugs during integration |
Pricing
- Contact sales for quote
- Demo available
Features
- Automated evidence collection for detecting and remediating issues quickly
- Pre-built automated tests and options for custom tests for an effective compliance program
- AI-powered risk management solution that automates processes for identifying, managing, and mitigating risk
- Comprehensive view of security posture, including full lists of controls and monitoring control health via mapping
5 Key Features of Cloud Compliance Tools
The main objective of cloud compliance tools is straightforward: reduce cloud security risks without having to significantly alter existing business architecture. Here are the key considerations to consider when evaluating cloud compliance tools for your business.
Real-Time Visibility
The cloud environment demands continuous monitoring for security and compliance violations. Any breach, unauthorized access, or suspicious activity must be immediately reported to eliminate potential threats and attacks. Cloud computing tools must also offer unprecedented control and actively notify of any changes in the security and compliance protocols. Real-time visibility with centralized control and monitoring provisions can help improve the overall security level of the organization.
Remediation
Detecting compliance violations can improve security, but remediation capabilities can boost its strength drastically. A good cloud compliance tool should help act to address security issues, eliminating manual intervention and proactively fixing misconfigurations.
Compliance Specifications
There are many different compliance frameworks—including HIPAA, ISO 27001, NIST, GDPR, PCI, and DSS—that define specific cloud compliance requirements across industries and geographical locations. A cloud compliance tool must adhere to these standards and regulations without violations to avoid potential penalties. Some tools also enforce a wide range of compliance requirements or allow for customized frameworks.
Automation Capabilities
Manual processes demand effort, time, and resources, and are prone to error—replacing them with automated workflows, scripts, or actions can enhance efficiency. Cloud compliance tools equipped with automation capabilities can trigger actions when non-compliance is detected.
Detailed Logs And Audit Trails
Documenting compliance-related activities ensures transparency and accountability within the cloud environment and is essential for regulatory reporting and audits. A good tool offers a comprehensive view of the implemented compliance framework, security events, breaches, policy changes, fixes, and other associated events for future reference.
How We Evaluated the Cloud Compliance Tools
We assessed the top cloud compliance tools based on six major criteria and weighted subcriteria. We then included a five-point scale for each criteria and totaled the scores to determine the winner for each category and the best overall cloud compliance tool. Lastly, we assigned a primary use case to each cloud compliance tool included in our list.
Evaluation Criteria
We put the most weight on core features and compliance framework integration as cloud compliance tools deal with sensitive and confidential information. We then evaluated each option’s cost, customization, and ease of use. Finally, we looked into customer support solutions to wrap up our assessment of the best cloud compliance tools.
Core Features | 30 percent
Here, we considered each tool’s key capabilities, including compliance management, data encryption, incident response, and monitoring. Criteria Winner: Sprinto
Compliance Framework Integrations | 25 percent
We looked into how each cloud compliance tool adheres to compliance frameworks such as GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2, ISO 27001, and NIST. Criteria Winner: Multiple Winners
Cost | 15 percent
This considers the pricing plans offered by service providers including their starting license fee costs, free trial, billing options, and pricing transparency. Criteria Winner: Trend Micro Cloud One
Customization | 10 percent
We assessed the customizability of cloud compliance platforms for user roles, policies, and reporting tools. Criteria Winner: Vanta
Ease of Use | 10 percent
We browsed through real user feedback and ratings across certified review sites to assess each tool’s usability and learning curve. We also looked into each option’s knowledge base. Criteria Winner: PingSafe
Customer Support | 10 percent
We considered user feedback from reputable sites to assess how each tool provides support via live chat, email, and phone. Criteria Winner: Sophos Cloud Optix
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why Are Cloud Compliance Tools Necessary?
Cloud compliance tools can enhance the overall security posture of the business infrastructure, ensuring regulatory adherence. They also simplify compliance efforts for transparency. Non-compliance with government, regulatory agency, or other jurisdictional policy requirements can damage reputations, business, and bottom lines.
What Is SLA In Cloud Compliance?
Service level agreements (SLAs) are legally binding contracts that define the terms and conditions associated with the delivered service between the client and the service provider. As businesses can also get compliance services from cloud service providers, it is important to use these legal agreements to avoid future conflicts.
What Are The Top Cloud Compliance Standards?
There are a number of cloud compliance standards that vary based upon your business’s particular industry, but here are some of the most common:
- NIST
- NERC
- HIPAA
- ISO
- PCI DSS
- GDPR
- SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley)
Bottom Line: Best Cloud Compliance Tool
Cloud compliance tools help companies adhere to compliance standards, automate monitoring processes, and facilitate the creation of custom internal policies and guidelines. While most cloud compliance solutions offer the standard features of compliance management, each platform differs in usability, customization, and framework integrations. Use our guide to narrow down your list of the best cloud compliance tools and find the best one for your business.
If you’d like to dive deeper into cloud compliance, including its considerations, services, and top service providers, read our comprehensive guide to cloud compliance.
