5 Steps to Choosing a Compliance Platform

In recent years, automated compliance platforms have become increasingly central to conversations about modernizing risk and compliance programs. Where legacy governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) platforms often rely on manual input and point-in-time checks, these newer platforms integrate directly with business systems to automate audit evidence collection and support continual monitoring.

As organizations look to strengthen internal controls, reduce audit effort, and improve visibility into their overall compliance posture, many are exploring whether these compliance platforms are worth the investment – and, if so, which one aligns best with their needs.

Choosing a compliance platform for the first time can be overwhelming, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. The following considerations can help organizations approach this decision with clarity and structure.

1. Understand your objectives

Before jumping into product comparisons, it’s critical to clarify what you want from a compliance platform. Consider priorities such as:

• Building out key policies, procedures, and controls
• Streamlining evidence collection
• Enhancing continuous monitoring

The right compliance platform for a large, mature enterprise might look very different from the right platform for a growing company just formalizing its control environment. Your goals should align with your organization’s compliance maturity and complexity, and they should address any existing pain points. Clearly defining these goals up front will help the platform deliver meaningful impact where it’s needed most.

2. Develop a scorecard to guide evaluation

Not all compliance platforms offer the same features, and even similar features can differ in usability and effectiveness among platforms. Building a high-level scorecard gives structure to your evaluation and enables more objective comparisons across vendors.

Items to assess on a typical scorecard might include:

• Pre-built templates, such as policies or control libraries
• Continuous monitoring capabilities, such as alerting for misconfigured settings or control failures
• Support for broader GRC processes, including risk assessments, vendor due diligence, and access reviews
• Automated evidence collection, which reduces manual effort to fulfill audit requests
• User experience, especially if you plan to have a broader set of users directly interacting with the platform
• Customization options and the level of vendor support available for setup and changes
• Security considerations, including where your data will be stored and whether any third parties are involved
• Integration capabilities with your existing systems, such as cloud infrastructure, identity providers, and ticketing systems

Tailor the scorecard to reflect your organization’s specific priorities and use it as a consistent reference point throughout the evaluation process. A clear, well-defined framework will help you stay focused on what matters most and avoid getting sidetracked by less relevant features.

3. Identify a short list of potential compliance platforms

Start with broad research to build an initial list of three to five candidates. Online comparisons and peer recommendations are good starting points, as are platform websites that often include side-by-side comparisons or use case breakdowns. Industry events, user communities, and informal outreach within your professional network also can offer valuable insights, particularly related to real-world implementation experiences and customer support quality.

As you explore options, pay attention to how individual providers position their strengths. Are they geared more toward startups or enterprise-scale programs? Do they focus on regulated industries, specific frameworks, or particular types of risk? These signals can help you determine initial fit even before a demo.

This stage is about casting a wide net while being intentional – filtering down to vendors that realistically could support your goals and compliance environment.

4. Schedule demos and identify finalists

Once you’ve built a short list of potential compliance platforms, schedule introductory demos that include key stakeholders who will be using or supporting the platform. Their input helps ensure the evaluation reflects real-world needs for functionality, user experience, and integrations. These sessions will help provide insight into how each platform works in practice, as well as the vendor’s pricing and support models, to evaluate whether it aligns with your organization’s objectives, team structure, and compliance maturity.

As you progress through the initial demos, you might discover new functionality or gaps that shift your criteria. If so, revisit and adjust your scorecard so it continues to reflect your priorities. At this stage, it’s also important to go beyond the highlighted features. Consider asking about:

• Implementation timelines and effort. What does a typical deployment look like? How much internal time and involvement are required?
• Roles and responsibilities. What support does the vendor provide (for example, onboarding, training, technical setup)? What’s expected of your internal teams?
• Post-implementation support. What’s included after go-live? Are there service tiers, dedicated contacts, or self-service resources?
• Customer success and return on investment. How does the vendor measure success and help clients track platform value over time?

Answering these questions will help you identify key differences between providers and help you prepare to manage the rollout effectively.

5.  Make your decision

At this point, determine whether you’re ready to move forward with selecting a compliance platform. If so, involve key stakeholders from both sides of the equation: representatives from the teams who will use the platform and those responsible for approving the investment. From there, define what additional information you need to make a confident decision. This might include targeted follow-up demos, deeper technical discussions, or validation from peer references.

There’s a lot to consider when choosing a compliance platform, and no single platform is right for everyone. But with a clear framework and good questions, organizations can navigate the decision with greater clarity and confidence.