A-LIGN vs Coalfire: SOC 2 Audit Firm Comparison

Choosing between A-LIGN and Coalfire is a decision we help mid-market and enterprise clients navigate regularly. Both are among the largest national audit and compliance firms serving the SOC 2 market, but they approach it differently: Coalfire has deep roots in government and federal compliance (FedRAMP, CMMC, and federal security assessments) alongside its commercial SOC 2 practice, while A-LIGN has built a broad multi-framework compliance practice with particular strength across SOC 2, PCI DSS, ISO 27001, and HITRUST. For compliance leaders at companies with two hundred or more employees evaluating premium audit firms, understanding how these firms differ in methodology, industry specialization, pricing, and audit experience is critical to making the right choice.

This guide compares A-LIGN and Coalfire across firm profile, audit methodology, pricing, industry specialization, GRC platform partnerships, and overall audit experience.

Firm Profiles

A-LIGN Overview

A-LIGN is a compliance and security services firm that has grown into one of the largest providers of SOC 2, PCI DSS, ISO 27001, HITRUST, and related compliance audits in the United States. The firm positions itself as a multi-framework compliance partner, offering audit and assessment services across a broad range of security and privacy frameworks.

Attribute	Details
Firm size	Large — hundreds of compliance professionals
Primary services	SOC 2, PCI DSS, ISO 27001, HITRUST, FedRAMP, penetration testing, privacy assessments
Market position	Broad multi-framework compliance; strong in commercial SaaS and technology
Geographic presence	National with multiple offices; serves clients across the US and internationally
Client base	Ranges from growth-stage companies to large enterprises
Framework breadth	One of the broadest framework offerings among compliance-focused firms

Coalfire Overview

Coalfire is a cybersecurity advisory and assessment firm with deep expertise in government security, cloud security, and compliance. The firm is particularly well-known for its FedRAMP assessment practice and cloud security advisory, alongside its commercial SOC 2 and compliance audit services.

Attribute	Details
Firm size	Large — significant team of cybersecurity and compliance professionals
Primary services	SOC 2, FedRAMP, CMMC, cloud security assessment, penetration testing, advisory
Market position	Strong in government/federal compliance and cloud security; growing commercial practice
Geographic presence	National with multiple offices; strong presence in government-heavy markets
Client base	Government contractors, cloud service providers, technology companies, enterprises
Framework breadth	Deep in government frameworks (FedRAMP, CMMC); broad commercial coverage

Comparison Framework

Audit Methodology

Dimension	A-LIGN	Coalfire
Approach to scoping	Structured scoping process across frameworks; experienced in complex multi-framework scoping	Thorough scoping with emphasis on understanding technology architecture and deployment models
Testing methodology	Standardized testing procedures across frameworks; efficiency from repeatable processes	Technical depth in testing; cloud security expertise informs testing approach
Use of technology	GRC platform integration for evidence collection; adapts to client platform	Technology-forward approach; strong understanding of cloud architectures during audit
Multi-framework efficiency	Strong — firm's breadth across frameworks enables combined audits that reduce overall effort	Capable of multi-framework delivery; particular efficiency when combining SOC 2 with FedRAMP
Communication during audit	Regular status updates; structured communication cadence	Strong technical communication; audit teams often include deep technical expertise
Report quality	Professional, detailed reports with clear control descriptions and test results	Detailed reports; particularly thorough system descriptions for complex environments

Industry Specialization

Industry	A-LIGN Strength	Coalfire Strength	Notes
SaaS / technology	Strong — broad SaaS client base across sizes	Strong — cloud-native technology focus	Both firms serve SaaS well; A-LIGN may have more startup experience
Government / FedRAMP	Capable	Very strong — one of the leading FedRAMP 3PAOs	Coalfire is the clear choice if FedRAMP is a primary requirement
Financial services / fintech	Strong — PCI DSS and SOC 2 combined expertise	Capable	A-LIGN's PCI DSS depth adds value for fintech
Healthcare / HITRUST	Strong — significant HITRUST assessment practice	Capable	A-LIGN has deeper HITRUST-specific expertise
Cloud infrastructure	Strong	Very strong — deep cloud security advisory and assessment	Coalfire's cloud security heritage is a differentiator
Defense / CMMC	Growing	Strong — established CMMC assessment practice	Coalfire leads in defense and CMMC

Pricing Comparison

Pricing Factor	A-LIGN	Coalfire	Notes
SOC 2 Type II (mid-market, 200-500 employees)	$40,000-$80,000	$45,000-$90,000	Both firms price at the premium tier; Coalfire may be slightly higher for complex environments
SOC 2 Type II (enterprise, 500+ employees)	$60,000-$120,000+	$65,000-$130,000+	Enterprise pricing varies significantly based on scope complexity
Multi-framework bundle (SOC 2 + ISO 27001)	Competitive bundled pricing; framework breadth creates bundling opportunities	Competitive bundled pricing; particularly efficient for SOC 2 + FedRAMP	Both firms offer bundled pricing; A-LIGN may have more bundle combinations
Penetration testing (add-on)	Available as part of comprehensive engagement	Available; integrated with security assessment services	Both firms offer pen testing; often bundled with audit engagement
Pricing model	Typically fixed-fee based on scope	Typically fixed-fee based on scope	Both use scope-based pricing; request detailed proposals for comparison
Pricing transparency	Clear proposal process with detailed scope and pricing	Detailed proposal process	Both firms provide detailed proposals; negotiation common at enterprise level

Scorecard Comparison

Dimension	A-LIGN (1-10)	Coalfire (1-10)	Notes
SOC 2 expertise	9	8	Both strong; A-LIGN has broader SOC 2 volume
Multi-framework capability	9	8	A-LIGN covers more commercial frameworks; Coalfire adds government frameworks
Government/federal compliance	7	10	Coalfire is a clear leader in FedRAMP and government compliance
Cloud security depth	8	9	Coalfire's cloud security heritage provides deeper technical assessment
SaaS industry experience	9	8	A-LIGN has broader SaaS client base; Coalfire growing
Pricing competitiveness	7	6	Both premium; A-LIGN may offer slightly more competitive pricing for standard engagements
GRC platform familiarity	8	7	A-LIGN has broader GRC platform partnerships; Coalfire growing
Communication quality	8	8	Both firms maintain strong communication throughout engagements
Report turnaround time	8	7	Both deliver within industry norms; A-LIGN may have slight edge on turnaround
Advisory value beyond audit	7	9	Coalfire's advisory practice provides deeper security guidance beyond compliance

Strengths and Limitations

A-LIGN Strengths

• Broad multi-framework coverage (SOC 2, PCI DSS, ISO 27001, HITRUST, FedRAMP, privacy) enables efficient combined audits
• Large SOC 2 practice with experience across company sizes from growth-stage to enterprise
• Strong GRC platform partnerships with familiarity across major platforms (Vanta, Drata, Secureframe)
• Structured, efficient audit methodology developed through high-volume compliance practice
• Framework bundling options that can reduce total compliance assessment costs

A-LIGN Limitations

• Premium pricing may exceed budgets for smaller companies (better suited for 200+ employee organizations)
• Less specialized than boutique firms for specific niche industries
• Large firm dynamics mean engagement team composition matters — quality can vary by specific team
• Government compliance (FedRAMP, CMMC) is not the firm's primary heritage

Coalfire Strengths

• Unmatched FedRAMP and government compliance expertise as one of the leading 3PAOs
• Deep cloud security knowledge that informs more thorough technical assessments
• Strong advisory practice that provides security guidance beyond compliance checkbox auditing
• Excellent for organizations that need both commercial compliance (SOC 2) and government compliance (FedRAMP, CMMC)
• Technical depth of audit teams — Coalfire auditors often have deeper technical backgrounds

Coalfire Limitations

• Premium pricing that reflects the firm's market position; may be higher than alternatives for standard SOC 2 engagements
• Government compliance heritage may not align with needs of purely commercial SaaS companies
• May have less volume in startup-focused SOC 2 compared to firms that specialize in the growth-stage market
• HITRUST and PCI DSS practices, while capable, are not the firm's primary differentiator

Decision Framework

Which Firm Fits Your Profile

Company Profile	Recommended Firm	Reasoning
Mid-market SaaS (200-500 employees), SOC 2 + ISO 27001	A-LIGN	Broader multi-framework expertise; efficient bundled audits; strong SaaS experience
Cloud service provider needing SOC 2 + FedRAMP	Coalfire	Leading FedRAMP 3PAO; combined SOC 2 + FedRAMP efficiency
Fintech needing SOC 2 + PCI DSS	A-LIGN	Deeper PCI DSS practice alongside SOC 2
Healthcare tech needing SOC 2 + HITRUST	A-LIGN	Significant HITRUST assessment practice
Defense contractor needing SOC 2 + CMMC	Coalfire	Established CMMC assessment practice
Enterprise with complex cloud architecture	Coalfire	Cloud security depth informs more thorough technical assessment
Company wanting broadest framework coverage from one firm	A-LIGN	Widest range of compliance assessment services
Company prioritizing security advisory alongside audit	Coalfire	Stronger advisory practice beyond compliance assessment
Government technology company	Coalfire	Government compliance heritage and relationships

Key Selection Questions

Question	Why It Matters	How to Evaluate
What frameworks do we need beyond SOC 2?	Framework requirements drive firm selection — each firm has different strengths	Map your framework needs to each firm's specialization
Do we need FedRAMP or government compliance?	If yes, Coalfire has a significant advantage	Confirm FedRAMP 3PAO status and recent FedRAMP experience
What is our total compliance assessment budget?	Both firms are premium; pricing differences can be significant at scale	Request detailed proposals from both; compare total cost across all frameworks
How technically complex is our environment?	Complex environments benefit from Coalfire's technical depth	Evaluate audit team composition and technical expertise
Which GRC platform do we use?	Platform familiarity affects audit efficiency	Confirm that the firm's team has direct experience with your platform
What is our timeline?	Firm capacity and scheduling affect when your audit can begin	Confirm availability and expected start dates during proposal process

GRC Platform Partnerships

Platform Familiarity

Platform	A-LIGN Familiarity	Coalfire Familiarity
Vanta	Strong — extensive experience with Vanta's auditor portal	Growing — increasing familiarity as platform adoption grows
Drata	Strong — regular engagement through Drata's auditor portal	Growing
Secureframe	Familiar — works with Secureframe's evidence format	Familiar
Thoropass (formerly Laika)	Familiar	Familiar
Sprinto	Growing familiarity	Growing familiarity

In our experience, both firms work effectively with major GRC platforms, but A-LIGN's higher volume of SOC 2 engagements across a broader client base means their teams have likely encountered more platforms in production environments.

The Audit Experience

What to Expect from Each Firm

Phase	A-LIGN Experience	Coalfire Experience
Proposal and scoping	Structured proposal process with detailed scope definition; clear pricing	Thorough scoping with emphasis on understanding your technical architecture
Kickoff	Professional kickoff covering timeline, evidence requirements, and team introductions	Kickoff that often includes deeper technical discussion of your environment
Evidence collection	Efficient evidence review leveraging GRC platform portals; structured evidence request lists	Thorough evidence review; may include more technical depth in evidence requirements
Control owner interviews	Structured interviews covering control design and operation	Interviews that may include more technical probing based on Coalfire's security background
Findings communication	Clear communication of findings with remediation guidance	Findings communicated with both compliance and security context
Report delivery	Professional reports delivered within industry-standard timelines	Detailed reports with strong system descriptions for complex environments

Key Takeaways

• A-LIGN and Coalfire are both premium, national compliance firms well-suited for mid-market and enterprise SOC 2 engagements — the choice between them depends primarily on your framework requirements, industry vertical, and whether you need government or commercial compliance expertise
• In our experience, A-LIGN offers the broadest multi-framework coverage among compliance-focused firms, making it the stronger choice for organizations needing SOC 2 combined with PCI DSS, HITRUST, ISO 27001, or multiple commercial frameworks from a single firm
• Coalfire is the clear leader for organizations needing FedRAMP, CMMC, or government compliance alongside SOC 2, with deep cloud security expertise that also benefits commercially-focused companies with complex cloud architectures
• Both firms price at the premium tier ($40,000-$130,000+ for SOC 2 Type II depending on size and complexity), with Coalfire sometimes pricing slightly higher for complex environments that benefit from its deeper technical assessment approach
• We recommend confirming specific GRC platform experience during the proposal process — while both firms are broadly familiar with major platforms, A-LIGN's higher SOC 2 volume provides broader exposure to diverse platforms
• We help our clients evaluate audit firm fit based on framework requirements, industry vertical, technical complexity, and total compliance program needs — ensuring the selected firm aligns with both current and anticipated compliance requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which firm is better for a first-time SOC 2 audit?

What we tell clients is that both firms can handle first-time SOC 2 engagements, but A-LIGN may have more experience with growth-stage companies doing their first audit given its broader SOC 2 practice volume. For first-time audits at companies with two hundred or more employees (which is the typical client size for both firms), either firm provides the experience and guidance needed. If you are a smaller company (under one hundred employees), we typically recommend firms that specialize in the startup SOC 2 market, such as KirkpatrickPrice, BARR Advisory, or Prescient Assurance.

Can we use the same firm for SOC 2 and FedRAMP?

Yes, and using a single firm for both can be significantly more efficient. Based on what we see with our government-adjacent clients, if you need both SOC 2 and FedRAMP, Coalfire is the strongest choice among these two firms — their FedRAMP 3PAO practice is one of the most established in the market, and combining SOC 2 and FedRAMP with the same firm creates efficiency in scoping, evidence collection, and audit team understanding of your environment. A-LIGN also offers FedRAMP services, but Coalfire's government compliance heritage makes it the more natural choice for this combination.

How do we negotiate pricing with premium firms?

The advice we give most often here is that premium firms like A-LIGN and Coalfire are most responsive to negotiation when you commit to multi-year engagements, bundle multiple frameworks, or provide early access to audit-ready evidence that reduces their effort. We recommend requesting proposals from both firms simultaneously — competitive quotes provide negotiation leverage. Be transparent about your budget constraints while demonstrating that your organization is well-prepared (GRC platform deployed, evidence organized, readiness assessment complete), which reduces the firm's perceived risk of scope expansion and enables more competitive pricing.

What if our company is too small for these firms?

A-LIGN and Coalfire primarily serve companies with two hundred or more employees, and their pricing reflects the premium service level they provide. If your company has fewer than one hundred employees, we typically recommend firms that specialize in the startup and growth-stage market: KirkpatrickPrice, BARR Advisory, Prescient Assurance, and Johanson Group offer strong SOC 2 expertise at price points better suited for smaller organizations. These firms provide equally valid SOC 2 reports — the AICPA standards are the same regardless of which firm performs the audit.