When your B2B customers ask "Is your email vendor SOC 2 compliant?" during their security review, you need an answer. SOC 2 (Service Organization Control 2) is the standard that enterprise and mid-market companies use to evaluate the security practices of their vendors and their vendors' vendors. That chain includes your email tool.

If you're a SaaS company selling to enterprises, your email platform handling subscriber data needs to meet the same security standards your customers expect from you. SOC 2 Type II certification means the platform has been audited by an independent firm and demonstrated ongoing compliance with security, availability, and confidentiality principles.

What SOC 2 Compliance Means for Email Tools

SOC 2 evaluates five trust service criteria:

Security: Protection against unauthorized access (the most common and most important)
Availability: The system is available for operation as agreed
Processing integrity: System processing is complete, valid, and accurate
Confidentiality: Information designated as confidential is protected
Privacy: Personal information is collected, used, and disclosed properly

Not every email tool needs all five. At minimum, you want Security and Availability. For tools handling sensitive subscriber data, Confidentiality and Privacy matter too.

The 7 Best Options

1. Sequenzy

Best for: SOC 2 compliant email marketing with SaaS-specific automation

Sequenzy maintains SOC 2 Type II certification covering security, availability, and confidentiality. For B2B SaaS companies whose customers require vendor compliance documentation, Sequenzy provides the security assurances enterprise buyers expect from your email infrastructure.

The platform implements encryption at rest and in transit, role-based access controls, API key scoping, and comprehensive audit logging. Security reviews and penetration testing are conducted regularly, and the SOC 2 report is available to customers under NDA.

Beyond compliance, Sequenzy offers full email marketing automation with native Stripe integration, behavioral triggers, and lifecycle sequences. For SaaS companies that need both enterprise security credentials and modern email marketing, Sequenzy eliminates the trade-off between compliance and features.

Compliance: SOC 2 Type II Security features: TLS encryption, RBAC, API key scoping, audit logging, 2FA Pricing: From $29/month Pros: SOC 2 certified, full marketing automation, SaaS-focused, Stripe integration

2. SendGrid (Twilio)

Best for: SOC 2 certified email infrastructure at scale

SendGrid (owned by Twilio) inherits Twilio's comprehensive SOC 2 Type II certification. The audit covers security, availability, confidentiality, and processing integrity. For enterprise teams that need certified email infrastructure, SendGrid's Twilio parentage provides robust compliance documentation.

The SOC 2 report is available to customers under NDA. SendGrid also maintains ISO 27001 certification, providing additional assurance for international customers. The combination of certifications makes SendGrid one of the most thoroughly audited email platforms.

Compliance: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001 Security features: TLS encryption, IP access management, API key scoping, 2FA, SSO (enterprise) Pricing: From $20/month, enterprise plans for full compliance features Pros: Comprehensive certifications, enterprise features, proven at scale

3. Postmark (ActiveCampaign)

Best for: SOC 2 certified transactional email with focus on security

Postmark maintains SOC 2 Type II certification. The platform's security practices include encrypted data storage, TLS for all communications, regular penetration testing, and documented incident response procedures. As part of ActiveCampaign, Postmark benefits from shared security infrastructure.

For SaaS companies that send transactional email (password resets, notifications, receipts) containing user data, Postmark's SOC 2 compliance provides assurance that this sensitive data is handled securely.

Compliance: SOC 2 Type II Security features: TLS encryption, 2FA, API token management, bounce handling Pricing: From $15/month Pros: SOC 2 certified, excellent deliverability, transactional focus, security-conscious

4. Customer.io

Best for: SOC 2 compliant marketing automation for B2B SaaS

Customer.io maintains SOC 2 Type II certification covering security and availability. For B2B SaaS companies that need compliant marketing automation (onboarding sequences, lifecycle email, campaigns), Customer.io provides the compliance alongside powerful automation features.

The platform includes role-based access control, audit logging, and data encryption. For enterprise customers who require SOC 2 from their vendors, Customer.io can provide their report under NDA.

Compliance: SOC 2 Type II Security features: RBAC, audit logs, encryption, 2FA, SSO (enterprise) Pricing: From $100/month Pros: SOC 2 certified, powerful automation, B2B focus, security features

5. Braze

Best for: Enterprise SOC 2 compliance with multi-channel messaging

Braze maintains SOC 2 Type II certification and ISO 27001. As an enterprise platform, Braze's security infrastructure is built for the most demanding compliance requirements. The platform includes comprehensive audit logging, role-based access, SSO, and data encryption at rest and in transit.

For enterprise companies that need SOC 2 compliant multi-channel messaging (email, push, SMS, in-app), Braze provides the certifications and security features. The compliance documentation is extensive and available to customers during security reviews.

Compliance: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001 Security features: RBAC, SSO, audit logging, encryption, data retention controls, IP allowlisting Pricing: Custom (typically $50K+/year) Pros: Most comprehensive compliance, enterprise security features, multi-channel

6. ActiveCampaign

Best for: SOC 2 compliant email marketing with CRM for mid-market

ActiveCampaign maintains SOC 2 Type II certification. The platform includes security features like 2FA, role-based permissions, and data encryption. For mid-market companies that need compliant email marketing and CRM in one platform, ActiveCampaign provides both.

The SOC 2 certification covers the full platform including email, CRM, and automation features. This means your enterprise customers' security reviews don't need to evaluate separate vendors for email and CRM.

Compliance: SOC 2 Type II Security features: 2FA, role-based permissions, encryption, data export controls Pricing: From $29/month (enterprise features on higher tiers) Pros: SOC 2 certified, CRM + email in one platform, mid-market accessible

7. Resend

Best for: SOC 2 compliant developer-focused transactional email

Resend maintains SOC 2 Type II certification. For development teams building applications that send transactional email, Resend's compliance means the email sending layer meets enterprise security standards. The platform includes API key management, team permissions, and encrypted data handling.

For early-stage SaaS companies that need to pass customer security reviews, having a SOC 2 certified email provider simplifies the vendor assessment process.

Compliance: SOC 2 Type II Security features: API key management, team permissions, encryption, webhook signing Pricing: From $20/month Pros: SOC 2 certified, developer-friendly, modern platform, growing quickly

SOC 2 Compliance Checklist for Your Email Program

Vendor Assessment

Verify your email platform has SOC 2 Type II (not just Type I)
Request the SOC 2 report (usually under NDA)
Review the report for the trust service criteria that matter to your business
Check the audit period (should be within the last 12 months)
Note any exceptions or qualified opinions in the report

Access Controls

Enable 2FA on all email platform accounts
Use SSO if available (eliminates separate password management)
Implement role-based access (not everyone needs admin access)
Regularly review who has access and remove former employees

Data Handling

Understand where your subscriber data is stored (region, data centers)
Verify data is encrypted at rest and in transit
Know your data retention policies and configure appropriately
Have a process for data deletion requests

Monitoring

Enable audit logging if available
Monitor for unusual access patterns
Set up alerts for failed login attempts
Review API key usage periodically

When SOC 2 Isn't Enough

SOC 2 is a baseline for enterprise security, not a comprehensive compliance framework. Depending on your industry, you might also need:

HIPAA: Healthcare data (see our HIPAA email tools guide)
GDPR: EU personal data
PCI DSS: Payment card data
CCPA: California consumer data
ISO 27001: International security standard
FedRAMP: US government data

Some email platforms maintain multiple certifications. SendGrid (ISO 27001 + SOC 2), Braze (ISO 27001 + SOC 2), and AWS SES (comprehensive AWS compliance) cover the most ground.

FAQ

What's the difference between SOC 2 Type I and Type II? Type I evaluates security controls at a single point in time. Type II evaluates controls over a period (usually 6-12 months). Type II is more rigorous and more valuable because it demonstrates ongoing compliance, not just a snapshot.

Do I need my email tool to be SOC 2 certified? If your customers require SOC 2 from you, they'll often ask about your sub-processors (vendors). Having a SOC 2 certified email platform simplifies your compliance. If you're not selling to enterprises, SOC 2 is nice to have but not critical.

Can I see the SOC 2 report before signing up? Most platforms share the report under NDA after you become a customer or during the sales process. Some provide a summary or compliance brief publicly. Ask during evaluation if the report is important to your decision.

Does SOC 2 mean my data is safe? SOC 2 means the platform has been independently audited against security standards. It reduces risk but doesn't eliminate it. No certification guarantees zero security incidents. SOC 2 is about demonstrating reasonable security practices and controls.