Comparing Ernst & Young and Thoropass

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About Ernst & Young

Ernst & Young (EY) offers SOC reporting and ISO certification services through independent assessments of internal controls and management systems. They handle various frameworks and standards, using their own portals and secure data rooms that connect with client evidence sources and common compliance platforms. The firm specializes in technology-risk assessments for enterprises. Pricing operates on enterprise quotes based on scope, locations, and specific reporting requirements.

About Thoropass

Thoropass is the modern alternative to legacy IT security auditors like EY, combining enterprise-grade audits with AI-native speed and precision to help companies identify risk, build trust, and reduce the cost of compliance and security audits like SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Their platform automates evidence collection through integrations with common business tools, while their auditors—many former Big 4 professionals—work with clients throughout the process rather than just showing up at the end of the annual audit period. The system can handle multiple frameworks simultaneously using shared control mappings, which reduces audit cycles and overhead compared to traditional approaches. Pricing appears to be quote-based, with published estimates suggesting costs that vary significantly based on company size and complexity.

What do users say?

We've used AI to analyze a number of reviews from third-party sites like G2, Reddit, and Capterra, and here's what the AI found:

Based on reviews, Ernst & Young is recognized as having strong capabilities in governance, risk, and compliance auditing, with users highlighting their professionalism and reputation as a leading firm among the Big Four accounting companies. However, review sentiment appears to be mixed overall, with some users expressing concerns about service consistency and quality compared to previous standards. Users note that while EY offers a comprehensive range of audit and assurance services with global brand recognition, customer satisfaction levels vary significantly across different review platforms and price often ends up feeling like a black box and costing higher than initially anticipated.

Based on reviews, Thoropass appears to be well-regarded for its user-friendly platform design with intuitive dashboards and task-oriented roadmaps that help streamline compliance processes, particularly for SOC 2 and ISO 27001 audits. Users frequently praise the built-in auditors, strong customer support with attentive account managers, and helpful automation features that make compliance less overwhelming. However, some users mention that pricing transparency could be improved.

Comparison

Ernst & Young brings deep enterprise experience and global recognition as a Big Four firm, with strong capabilities in SOC reporting and ISO certification through their accredited certification body (EY CertifyPoint). However, their traditional engagement model relies on custom pricing and manual evidence handling, which can create longer audit cycles and coordination overhead for modern compliance teams seeking automation.

Thoropass combines compliance software with an in-house audit firm, delivering embedded auditors and AI-powered evidence collection through a unified platform. Their approach streamlines multi-framework audits with 100+ integrations and transparent pricing, though they rely on partners for accredited ISO certificate issuance rather than serving as a certification body themselves.

Category	Ernst & Young	Thoropass
Modern Platform	❌	✅
Integrated Auditors	❌	✅
Automation & AI	❌	✅
Transparent Pricing	❌	✅
PCI Assessments	❌	✅
SOC 2 Assessments	✅	✅
Global Enterprise	✅	✅

Modern Platform

Ernst & Young operates through EY Canvas, a client portal that facilitates traditional audit workflows but lacks native compliance automation or real-time evidence collection capabilities. The platform serves as a collaboration tool rather than an integrated compliance management system.

Thoropass built their platform as a unified workspace where auditors work directly with clients using automated evidence collection, AI-powered reviews, and continuous monitoring. This architecture eliminates the handoffs between preparation tools and audit execution that characterize traditional approaches.

Integrated Auditors

Ernst & Young follows the conventional model where auditors engage at specific project phases, typically after clients complete most preparation work independently. This can create alignment gaps and require multiple rounds of clarification during the examination phase.

Thoropass embeds auditors from day one as part of the platform subscription, providing ongoing guidance throughout preparation and execution phases. Clients work directly with their assigned audit team within the same system used for evidence management and control tracking.

Automation & AI

Ernst & Young uses EY Canvas for document sharing and EY Helix for data analytics, but evidence collection and review processes remain largely manual. Their approach emphasizes human expertise and traditional audit procedures over automated workflows.

Thoropass deployed First Pass AI to automatically validate evidence quality before auditor review, reducing feedback loops and accelerating audit cycles. Their 100+ integrations automatically collect and refresh evidence from client systems throughout the audit period.

Pricing

Ernst & Young uses custom engagement pricing that requires sales consultation and varies based on scope complexity, geographic requirements, and specific deliverables. Pricing information is not publicly available.

Thoropass also uses quote-based pricing but promotes "quote in 24 hours" turnaround times. Thoropass has a significantly lower price tag because of the consolidation of audit and compliance into one platform. Although pricing does vary for each organization, initial scoping is representative of the true price tag.

PCI Assessment

Ernst & Young does not appear on PCI Security Standards Council listings as a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) or Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV). Organizations requiring PCI DSS validation would need separate vendors for assessment and scanning services.

Thoropass earned PCI QSAC (Qualified Security Assessor Company) and ASV status, enabling them to conduct PCI DSS assessments and provide required vulnerability scanning services within their unified platform. This consolidation simplifies vendor management for payment processing organizations.

ISO Certification

Ernst & Young operates EY CertifyPoint as an RvA-accredited certification body (CB) that can issue official ISO 27001 certificates and other management system standards. This full certification authority meets regulatory and customer requirements for accredited ISO compliance.

Thoropass provides ISO 27001 readiness preparation and internal audit capabilities but partners with external certification bodies for official certificate issuance. While they streamline preparation workflows, they cannot independently grant accredited ISO certifications.

Global Enterprise

Ernst & Young maintains PCAOB registration and delivers thousands of SOC reports annually through established global practices. Their Big Four brand recognition and enterprise audit infrastructure satisfy board expectations and regulatory preferences at scale.

Thoropass focuses primarily on mid-market organizations and growth-stage companies, with venture funding supporting rapid platform development. While they serve some enterprise clients, their global footprint and brand recognition remain more limited than Big Four alternatives.

Conclusion

Ernst & Young suits enterprises requiring accredited ISO certification, Big Four brand recognition, or complex multi-entity audit coordination. Their established global practices and certification authority capabilities make them ideal for organizations where board expectations, regulatory preferences, or international compliance requirements prioritize traditional audit firm credentials over process efficiency. However, their price, capabilities, and manual approach may be overkill for mid-market and smaller enterprises.

Thoropass works best for growth-stage and mid-market companies seeking faster audit cycles, integrated automation, and consolidated vendor relationships. Organizations choosing Thoropass typically prioritize operational efficiency, transparent pricing, and embedded auditor collaboration over traditional Big Four brand recognition, especially when pursuing SOC 2, PCI DSS, or HITRUST frameworks where their specialized accreditations and combination of enterprise rigor with AI-native speed provide clear advantages.