9 min read
Over the last two to three years, we’ve seen increasing demands on all kinds of software companies to comply with security and compliance standards. More and more organizations are looking to benefit by moving their operations to the cloud, but this increases the potential for cybersecurity attacks and breaches.
A new type of compliance vendor has emerged to help companies that must comply with the security standards designed to ward off cybersecurity threats. These SaaS vendors typically offer guidelines for each part of a security standard, and a neat dashboard for compiling the various documents needed.
Vanta is one such security compliance tool, which you likely already know if you’re reading this post! That said, there are 5 Vanta alternatives to consider, which may be better suited to your business depending on your needs.
The Rise of Security Compliance Automation Platforms
The annual Crowdstrike global threat report makes it clear that the number of adversaries and attacks increases annually, as does the number of common and known vulnerabilities (CVEs). Software companies are exposing more surface area to potential attackers while also shipping more and more code with vulnerabilities.
So, it’s not surprising that against this backdrop, there’s a growing expectation that software companies should mitigate these threats and risks by complying with industry standards and opt-in frameworks like SOC2 and ISO27001. Some buyers simply will not consider a software vendor if it does not have these certifications.
Achieving compliance with these standards is not straightforward. The requirements in the standards are not always clear and navigating through the various criteria can be challenging and distracting - especially for smaller, cloud native companies focused on rapid growth. And that’s why vendors like Vanta have suddenly emerged.
What is Vanta?
Vanta’s security software focuses on automated compliance, claiming it can automate up to 90% of security and privacy frameworks. They also employ continuous security monitoring with hourly tests, along with compliance audits and risk assessment features.
They offer compliance for specific security requirements, like HIPAA and ISO 27001, which include some documentation features.
5 Vanta Alternatives
Vanta is a solid tool, especially if you’re focused on automating security workflows. That said, there are a few reasons why you may be considering a Vanta alternative:
- Pricing. Vanta’s pricing isn’t currently listed online, so you might be wary about cost. Other tools may have freemium or budget-friendly subscriptions available.
- The features may not be a perfect fit. Vanta has some undeniably great features, but they also may not have exactly what you’re looking for. High-performing DevOps teams in regulated industries, for example, really need features like automated evidence collection or an open-source SDLC template.
- There’s no free trial. You can book a demo with a sales rep to see if Vanta is right for you, but some businesses strongly prefer getting into a tool and testing it out themselves before making a purchase. Since Vanta does not offer a free trial, this may count them out.
This being said, let’s discuss the 5 best Vanta alternatives for 2024 and beyond and how to choose which one is right for you.
1. Kosli
Kosli is particularly useful for DevOps teams delivering software to the cloud. It offers automated security compliance and continuous security monitoring for the software delivery life cycle from initial commit to deployment. Tools like Vanta - and the others on this list - can’t capture pipeline evidence for unit tests, security scans, pull requests, etc the way Kosli can.
Kosli automatically records all deployments from your DevOps team, giving you the ultimate Easy Button for compliance certifications and audits. Documentation proving your SDLC has never been easier, and if a potential vulnerability is tracked in real-time, you’ll be able to easily identify what the issue is and what caused it.
It’s important to note that comparing Vanta and Kosli puts us in a bit of an “apples to oranges” situation. In some cases, businesses will work with both Vanta and Kosli, as Vanta can help managers with high-level compliance automation while giving the DevOps team an easy, non-disruptive option for how code is qualified and deployed.
Kosli is especially helpful with the change management aspect of SDLC standards. You can see an example of how we helped Stacc with their ISO27001 compliance audit.
Who Should Use Kosli?
When considering Kosli vs. Vanta, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Cloud-native companies deploying changes who want compliance without disrupting existing automation, tools, and processes should consider Kosli. If you’re delivering software to the Cloud, many businesses struggle with the change management part of standards, like the Common Criteria 8 (CC8) in Soc2.
For this standard, you need to define, implement, and prove your process for delivering software while maintaining security standards. While Vanta has some guidelines for this, they aren’t particularly specific; they won’t be sufficient for high-performing, fast-moving engineering DevOps teams.
Kosli’s open-source SDLC template, however, can help with this. It’s based on best practices honed from years of DevOps consultancy inside highly regulated organizations. It gives you everything you need to define secure steps for build, process, and runtime.
It’s made more impactful by Kosli’s automated evidence collection for SDLC purposes. Most teams have to do this manually, but Kosli integrates with CI tools to record evidence for tests, security scans, pull requests, etc.
So, if you’re doing DevOps and you’re using Vanta (or a Vanta alternative), the secure SDLC template in combination with Kosli will make your life much easier.
2. Drata
Drata is one of the most direct Vanta competitors, also focusing heavily on automated compliance through security and development workflows.
It’s one of the most popular Vanta alternatives, offering comparable features in the risk management sector, too.
Drata offers frameworks specific to different requirements, including ISO27001, but they can also develop custom frameworks for their clients.
The Vanta vs. Drata debate is tight, but there are a few key differences.
Unlike Vanta, Drata does not offer a suite of AI tools. That said, Data’s software is geared more toward technical teams that need to manage complex and advanced tasks while prioritizing functionality and performance.
They can help businesses of all sizes, ranging from startups to enterprise-grade companies. That said, it’s best suited for medium to large-sized businesses.
If you have particular use cases around your compliance needs, you might want to consider that Vanta has a significantly larger partner directory with many more tool integrations.
3. SecureFrame
Secureframe is an automated compliance tool that’s meant exclusively for enterprise companies.
They offer features like AI-driven tools to help with security remediation. As a note, AI does have pros and cons to consider; while it can help streamline processes, it’s also not infallible, and some areas of security assessment are best left to human decision-making.
Secureframe also has the California security regulations framework, which some other tools don’t yet offer.
Finally, their Trust Center shows compliance and security to customers and shareholders, which can be a nice added bonus. It’s worth noting, though, that a privacy statement, authorization, or certification could do the same thing.
Their focus is on building trust to unlock growth through automated compliance, and it’s a good Vanta alternative for enterprise companies.
4. Auditboard
Still looking for alternatives to Vanta? AuditBoard may be a good option to consider.
They’re an audit-focused tool that can facilitate compliance with different regulations and policies. It’s actually used by audit professionals, so if you have someone on staff running or managing audits and you want to keep it that way, this may be your go-to choice.
AuditBoard also comes with extensive risk management features, similar to what Vanta can offer, and they can audit both your IT and operational processes with one tool.
5. RegScale
RegScale is another Vanta competitor, and it’s another one of the automated compliance tools on our list. It’s all about regulated compliance automation, and they specialize in those hyper-regulated industries, including government agencies.
They can help you manage the manual and regulated aspects of your security programs, and they offer similar features to both Vanta and Drata. They can help with security compliance and offer auditing features while still allowing for deployment flexibility.
RegSale also has 100s of API integrations, allowing for real-time assessments and automation with different security management platforms and external data sources.
Final Thoughts: How to Choose a Compliance Software
Vanta is a great tool when you’re looking for security compliance automation, especially with complex workflows. It’s competitively priced and can be an effective tool if it aligns with your needs.
When making a choice regarding compliance software, ask yourself the following questions as you review different platforms:
Does it offer the specific features + frameworks you need? Consider your needs now and in the future as your business grows.
Are you able to find a tool that resolves your DevOps and Cloud needs? Kosli, for example, offers security compliance and continuous monitoring for your CI pipelines and your environments.
Are customer reviews mostly positive? How happy are customers with support, reliability, and customer support, and what do the negative reviews say?
Does the pricing align with your budget, both now and long term? Make sure you consider potentially costly add-ons or additional usage fees; every platform uses its own pricing models.
Will the tool scale well with your business? Some security compliance or monitoring software works only on a small scale. Choose a solution that will scale with your business over time.
If you have any questions, book demos or take some time to check out free trials if the platforms offer them. Try to get hands-on with the tool in question, either through a demo or a trial, and ask any questions that you have.
And when considering security compliance software, consider Kosli.
Kosli can work as an alternative to Vanta, or in addition to the software if you’re already using it. We offer the best automated compliance software, and help businesses in all industries— including highly regulated industries— maintain and document compliance while deploying hundreds of changes per day.
We constantly monitor for new vulnerabilities so they’re caught in real-time before they become a problem with a potential threat or in an audit.
Kosli can help you secure and maintain security compliance through auditing and continuous monitoring features. Get started for free now.
