NIST SP 800-171 vs SOC 2
What is the difference between NIST SP 800-171 and SOC 2?
NIST SP 800-171 is a information security framework applying in the United States, with 93 controls across 30 domains. SOC 2 is a other framework applying in the United States, with 61 controls across 5 domains. They govern different subjects, so the overlap is limited to the governance requirements they share. The mapping below shows where that is.
Measured coverage between these frameworks
We map controls between these two frameworks in a knowledge graph and have a person review every mapping before it is published. Below is what that review found. The figures are read live from the graph, not written by hand.
NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 into SOC 2
42.6%26 of 61 SOC 2 controls carry evidence from NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3, leaving 35 to satisfy separately.
98 candidate mappings were examined and 0 were rejected on review, signed off 2026-08-19.
Read the full crosswalk, including every rejected mapping →SOC 2 into NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3
32%31 of 97 NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 controls carry evidence from SOC 2, leaving 66 to satisfy separately.
91 candidate mappings were examined and 15 were rejected on review, signed off 2026-08-19.
Read the full crosswalk, including every rejected mapping →Coverage is directional. Mapping A into B is a different measurement from B into A, because the two standards do not carry the same depth on the same subjects.
Questions people ask about NIST SP 800-171 and SOC 2
What is the difference between NIST SP 800-171 and SOC 2?
Do I need both NIST SP 800-171 and SOC 2?
How do NIST SP 800-171 and SOC 2 controls map to each other?
Which framework should I implement first, NIST SP 800-171 or SOC 2?
Each framework on its own
Comparisons people read next
Each of these compares one of the two standards above against another it shares controls with.
See all control mappings with interactive gap analysis
Explore the complete mapping between NIST SP 800-171 and SOC 2 on our compliance platform.