Organizations conducting IT governance audits face distinct operational challenges that require specialized tooling beyond generic compliance platforms. If you're managing complex multi-year audit evidence retention, Netwrix Auditor delivers industry-leading AuditArchive capabilities with 10+ year storage and pre-built compliance mapping for PCI DSS, HIPAA, and SOX frameworks, though its reporting interface can be slow for complex queries. For Fortune 500 environments requiring comprehensive audit lifecycle management, AuditBoard dominates with nearly 50% market penetration among large enterprises, but implementation complexity often extends to four months despite vendor promises of rapid deployment. Organizations already embedded in Salesforce ecosystems should consider Riskonnect Internal Audit Software, which inherits native Force.com integration and AppExchange connectivity, though users report performance issues including unexpected application termination during extended use sessions. If you're prioritizing advanced security credentials for federal or highly regulated environments, Workiva Internal Audit Management maintains FedRAMP Moderate authorization and AES-256 encryption, but annual price increases of 10-15% upon renewal create budget friction without multi-year commitments. IT asset management audit requirements favor Virima ITAM's deep ServiceNow and Jira integrations with visual data overlays, despite inconsistent discovery scan performance in complex network topologies.Organizations conducting IT governance audits face distinct operational challenges that require specialized tooling beyond generic compliance platforms.Organizations conducting IT governance audits face distinct operational challenges that require specialized tooling beyond generic compliance platforms. If you're managing complex multi-year audit evidence retention, Netwrix Auditor delivers industry-leading AuditArchive capabilities with 10+ year storage and pre-built compliance mapping for PCI DSS, HIPAA, and SOX frameworks, though its reporting interface can be slow for complex queries. For Fortune 500 environments requiring comprehensive audit lifecycle management, AuditBoard dominates with nearly 50% market penetration among large enterprises, but implementation complexity often extends to four months despite vendor promises of rapid deployment. Organizations already embedded in Salesforce ecosystems should consider Riskonnect Internal Audit Software, which inherits native Force.com integration and AppExchange connectivity, though users report performance issues including unexpected application termination during extended use sessions. If you're prioritizing advanced security credentials for federal or highly regulated environments, Workiva Internal Audit Management maintains FedRAMP Moderate authorization and AES-256 encryption, but annual price increases of 10-15% upon renewal create budget friction without multi-year commitments. IT asset management audit requirements favor Virima ITAM's deep ServiceNow and Jira integrations with visual data overlays, despite inconsistent discovery scan performance in complex network topologies. Budget-conscious organizations with technical expertise might evaluate Open-AudIT's massive 130,000+ organization install base and open-source foundation, though Linux deployment complexity requires manual troubleshooting for Nmap permissions. The operational reality demands matching specific audit workflow requirements—evidence retention periods, integration ecosystems, and security certification needs—against each platform's documented performance limitations and cost structures.
Workiva Internal Audit Management software is specifically designed to assist IT governance professionals in managing complex audits. Its automation features streamline scoping and fieldwork processes, while its agility feature allows for swift adaptation to the ever-changing risk landscape.
Workiva Internal Audit Management software is specifically designed to assist IT governance professionals in managing complex audits. Its automation features streamline scoping and fieldwork processes, while its agility feature allows for swift adaptation to the ever-changing risk landscape.
AI-POWERED AUTOMATION
REGULATORY COMPLIANCE PRO
Best for teams that are
Enterprises with complex SEC reporting and SOX needs [cite: 18]
Teams linking data across financial reports and spreadsheets [cite: 19]
Organizations requiring integrated ESG and risk reporting [cite: 20]
Skip if
Small businesses due to high cost and complexity [cite: 20]
Teams seeking a standalone IT security audit tool [cite: 21]
Users wanting a simple, low-learning-curve solution [cite: 20]
Expert Take
Our analysis shows Workiva stands out for its 'connected reporting' architecture, which uniquely links internal audit data directly to financial and ESG disclosures, ensuring absolute consistency across the enterprise. Research indicates it is the first platform to embed the 2025 Global Internal Audit Standards, allowing teams to automate conformance tracking. With FedRAMP Moderate security and adoption by 75% of the Fortune 500, it offers a level of trust and scalability that few competitors can match.
Pros
Used by 75% of Fortune 500 companies
FedRAMP Moderate and SOC 2 Type II certified
Integrates with 3,000+ AuditNet templates
Unified platform for Audit, SOX, and ESG
Familiar 'cloud-based Excel' user interface
Cons
System slowness during peak filing periods
High cost compared to competitors like AuditBoard
Advanced data sync features require upgrades
Steep learning curve for complex automation
Opaque pricing model with annual uplifts
This score is backed by structured Google research and verified sources.
Overall Score
9.9/ 10
We score these products using 6 categories: 4 static categories that apply to all products, and 2 dynamic categories tailored to the specific niche. Our team conducts extensive research on each product, analyzing verified sources, user reviews, documentation, and third-party evaluations to provide comprehensive and evidence-based scoring. Each category is weighted with a custom weight based on the category niche and what is important in Audit Tools for IT Governance. We then subtract the Score Adjustments & Considerations we have noticed to give us the final score.
9.3
Category 1: Product Capability & Depth
What We Looked For
We evaluate the completeness of the audit lifecycle management, including risk assessment, fieldwork, workpaper management, and reporting capabilities.
What We Found
Workiva provides a comprehensive end-to-end audit platform that integrates risk assessments, automated evidence gathering, and reporting. It is the first SaaS solution to embed the new Global Internal Audit Standards directly into workflows and offers access to over 3,000 AuditNet templates.
Score Rationale
The score is high due to the integration of new 2025 industry standards and a vast template library, though it stops short of perfection as some advanced data features require add-ons.
Supporting Evidence
Features include automated evidence gathering and risk assessments. It features intelligent insights, automated evidence gathering, risk assessments, and audit-ready reports, all in one platform.
— vendr.com
The platform includes access to over 3,000 audit templates through AuditNet integration. Jump-start a new audit or risk assessment easily with 3,000+ ready-made AuditNet templates.
— workiva.com
Workiva is the first SaaS company to incorporate the new Global Internal Audit Standards into its platform. Workiva Inc... has added the Global Internal Audit Standards to the Workiva platform, making it the first SaaS company to incorporate the newest standards
— cpapracticeadvisor.com
9.6
Category 2: Market Credibility & Trust Signals
What We Looked For
We assess market share, adoption rates among major enterprises, and industry recognition to gauge reliability.
What We Found
Workiva demonstrates immense market dominance, being used by more than 75% of Fortune 500 companies. It is a publicly traded company (NYSE: WK) and a recognized leader in GRC and financial reporting.
Score Rationale
A 9.6 reflects exceptional market penetration and trust among the world's largest corporations, establishing it as a de facto standard for enterprise reporting.
Supporting Evidence
The company serves over 6,000 organizations worldwide. used by more than 75% of Fortune 500 companies and over 6,000 companies worldwide.
— rsmus.com
Workiva is used by more than 75% of Fortune 500 companies. Workiva is the world's leading reporting and compliance automation platform, used by more than 75% of Fortune 500 companies
— rsmus.com
8.8
Category 3: Usability & Customer Experience
What We Looked For
We analyze user interface design, ease of adoption, and user feedback regarding system performance and support.
What We Found
Users frequently describe the interface as 'cloud-based Excel,' making it familiar and intuitive for finance professionals. However, verified reviews consistently mention system slowness and lag during peak filing periods or when handling large datasets.
Score Rationale
While the familiar interface drives high adoption, documented performance lags during critical peak times prevent a score in the 9s.
Supporting Evidence
Users report system slowness and downtime during peak periods. Sometimes the system can be slow or go down unexpectedly, especially during peak filing periods.
— g2.com
Users appreciate the interface's similarity to Excel, which aids adoption. I like that Workiva is intuitive and functions like a cloud-based excel.
— g2.com
8.2
Category 4: Value, Pricing & Transparency
What We Looked For
We evaluate pricing transparency, cost-to-value ratio, and contract flexibility compared to market averages.
What We Found
Pricing is not public and is quote-based, often considered expensive compared to competitors like AuditBoard. A composite organization study suggests annual fees around $335,000 for a suite of modules, though ROI is high for complex use cases.
Score Rationale
The score is lower because pricing is opaque and high-tier, making it less accessible for smaller firms, despite the documented ROI for large enterprises.
Supporting Evidence
Users note that Workiva can be significantly more expensive than competitors like AuditBoard. Cons: more expensive, so I get that it's not for every company.
— reddit.com
A composite organization paid $335,000 annually for a suite including Internal Audit, SEC, and ESG reporting. The composite organization pays Workiva an annual licensing fee of $335,000 in Year 1.
— workiva.com
9.7
Category 5: Security, Compliance & Data Protection
What We Looked For
We examine security certifications, encryption standards, and compliance with federal and international data regulations.
What We Found
Workiva maintains top-tier security credentials, including FedRAMP Moderate authorization, SOC 1 and SOC 2 Type II reports, and ISO 27001 certification. Data is encrypted with AES-256 at rest.
Score Rationale
Achieving FedRAMP Moderate authorization places it in the top tier of secure SaaS providers, justifying a near-perfect score.
Supporting Evidence
Data is protected using AES-256 encryption. All Workiva Platform data is stored encrypted with Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 256-bit algorithm.
— workiva.com
Workiva has achieved FedRAMP Moderate authorization. Under the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, Workiva has achieved FedRAMP Moderate.
— workiva.com
9.0
Category 6: Integrations & Ecosystem Strength
What We Looked For
We look for the ability to connect with major ERPs, HR systems, and other data sources to automate audit evidence collection.
What We Found
The platform offers robust pre-built connectors for major systems like SAP, Oracle, Workday, and BlackLine. The 'Wdata' and 'Chains' features allow for automated data refresh and complex workflow automation.
Score Rationale
Strong native connectors for enterprise-grade systems support a high score, though some advanced data synchronization features may require specific licensing.
Supporting Evidence
Connectors enable automated data pulling and refreshing. Workiva connectors make pulling and refreshing data easy. Processes are automated, scheduled, and secure.
— workiva.com
Workiva offers connectors for Oracle, SAP, Workday, and Salesforce. Easily create connections to cloud and on-premises ERP... Oracle, SAP, Workday, Salesforce
— workiva.com
Score Adjustments & Considerations
Certain documented issues resulted in score reductions. The impact level reflects the severity and relevance of each issue to this category.
Users report annual price uplifts of 10-15% upon renewal unless multi-year agreements are negotiated.
Impact: This issue had a noticeable impact on the score.
Pricing is opaque and generally higher than competitors; advanced features like real-time data sync (W-Data) often require expensive additional licenses.
Impact: This issue caused a significant reduction in the score.
AuditBoard is a comprehensive SaaS solution designed to address the complex audit, compliance, and risk management needs of IT governance professionals. By automating manual tasks and connecting multiple data sources, it enables professionals to focus on strategic decision making, improving operational efficiency.
AuditBoard is a comprehensive SaaS solution designed to address the complex audit, compliance, and risk management needs of IT governance professionals. By automating manual tasks and connecting multiple data sources, it enables professionals to focus on strategic decision making, improving operational efficiency.
COMPREHENSIVE OVERSIGHT
AUTOMATED COMPLIANCE REPORTS
Best for teams that are
Large enterprises managing SOX, internal audit, and risk [cite: 1]
Teams requiring strong cross-departmental collaboration [cite: 2]
Organizations needing integrated ESG and compliance modules [cite: 3]
Skip if
Small businesses with limited budgets (starts ~$30k/year) [cite: 1]
Teams needing a lightweight tool with instant setup [cite: 1]
Organizations looking for a standalone IT asset scanner
Expert Take
Our analysis shows AuditBoard is the definitive 'system of record' for enterprise risk, trusted by nearly half of the Fortune 500. Research indicates its 'unified data core' successfully breaks down silos between SOX, internal audit, and IT risk, a capability often missing in fragmented legacy tools. Based on documented reviews, while the price point is premium, the platform delivers exceptional value through its modern, user-friendly interface that simplifies complex compliance workflows.
Pros
Used by nearly 50% of Fortune 500
Unified data core connects all modules
Highly rated intuitive user interface
Strong SOC 2 and ISO 27001 security
Integrates with 200+ enterprise tools
Cons
No public pricing transparency
High cost barrier for SMBs
Reporting customization can be limited
Implementation may take months
AI features often cost extra
This score is backed by structured Google research and verified sources.
Overall Score
9.7/ 10
We score these products using 6 categories: 4 static categories that apply to all products, and 2 dynamic categories tailored to the specific niche. Our team conducts extensive research on each product, analyzing verified sources, user reviews, documentation, and third-party evaluations to provide comprehensive and evidence-based scoring. Each category is weighted with a custom weight based on the category niche and what is important in Audit Tools for IT Governance. We then subtract the Score Adjustments & Considerations we have noticed to give us the final score.
9.4
Category 1: Product Capability & Depth
What We Looked For
We evaluate the breadth of audit, risk, and compliance features, including SOX management, automation capabilities, and unified data structures.
What We Found
AuditBoard offers a unified platform covering SOX, internal audit, risk management, ESG, and TPRM, featuring a 'unified data core' that links risks, controls, and policies across modules.
Score Rationale
The score of 9.4 reflects its status as a comprehensive 'connected risk' platform with deep functionality in SOX and audit automation, though some advanced AI features are separate add-ons.
Supporting Evidence
The platform incorporates generative AI for text summarization and generation. Generative AI: AI Text Summarization. AI Text Generation.
— g2.com
AuditBoard utilizes a unified data core to centralize risks and controls. At the heart of our connected risk architecture is a unified data core that centralizes your organization's risks, controls, policies, frameworks, issues, and more.
— g2.com
The platform includes modules for SOXHUB, OpsAudit, RiskOversight, CrossComply, TPRM, ESG, and ITRM. Products: SOXHUB, OpsAudit, CrossComply, RiskOversight, TPRM, ESG, ITRM, RegComply.
— auditboard.com
Insightful reporting tools are detailed in the platform's feature set, aiding strategic decision-making.
— auditboard.com
Documented in official product documentation, AuditBoard automates manual tasks and connects multiple data sources for enhanced operational efficiency.
— auditboard.com
9.8
Category 2: Market Credibility & Trust Signals
What We Looked For
We assess market share, customer adoption among major enterprises, and consistent industry recognition or awards.
What We Found
AuditBoard is a dominant market leader, used by nearly 50% of the Fortune 500 and recognized on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 for six consecutive years.
Score Rationale
A near-perfect score is justified by its massive adoption among Fortune 500 companies and consistent top-tier rankings in G2 and Gartner reports for over 17 consecutive quarters.
Supporting Evidence
The company surpassed significant revenue milestones recently. The company announced in January of this year it had surpassed $200 million in revenue in late 2023.
— auditboard.com
AuditBoard has achieved consistent high-growth recognition. Ranked for the fifth year in a row as one of the fastest-growing technology companies in North America by Deloitte.
— businesswire.com
The platform is used by a significant portion of the largest US companies. More than 50% of the Fortune 500 leverage AuditBoard to move their businesses forward with greater clarity and agility.
— auditboard.com
8.9
Category 3: Usability & Customer Experience
What We Looked For
We look for user feedback regarding interface design, ease of use for non-technical staff, and implementation support.
What We Found
Users consistently praise the modern, intuitive interface, often calling it the 'Apple of GRC,' though some report limitations in dashboard customization.
Score Rationale
The score is high due to exceptional user ratings (4.7/5) and ease of use, but slightly capped by reports of rigid reporting features and implementation complexity for some users.
Supporting Evidence
Some users find the reporting tools less flexible than desired. Users express frustration with the limited customization options in AuditBoard, impacting their overall experience and efficiency.
— g2.com
The interface is designed to be user-friendly for broad adoption. Modern, intuitive interface. Both auditors and non-technical users can easily use AuditBoard, thanks to its simple navigation and clean layouts.
— sprinto.com
Users rate the usability highly across major review platforms. Users at Software Advice rate AuditBoard at 4.7 out of 5.0, and users at G2 rate them at 4.7 out of 5.0.
— esoftset.com
The platform's AI-powered automation is documented to improve user efficiency, though it requires technical expertise.
— auditboard.com
8.2
Category 4: Value, Pricing & Transparency
What We Looked For
We evaluate pricing transparency, entry costs, and perceived value relative to enterprise competitors.
What We Found
Pricing is opaque and quote-based, with estimates ranging from $30k to over $150k annually, positioning it as a premium enterprise solution.
Score Rationale
The score is lower here due to the lack of public pricing and high entry cost, which makes it less accessible for smaller organizations despite its high enterprise value.
Supporting Evidence
Enterprise contracts can be significant. $148K for a 12-month subscription covering CrossComply Professional, OpsAudit Essentials, RiskOversight Professional, and SOXHUB Essentials.
— vendr.com
Third-party sources estimate mid-market pricing. For mid-sized companies, AuditBoard pricing typically starts around $30,000 to $50,000 per year for basic modules.
— sprinto.com
Pricing is not publicly listed and requires a custom quote. AuditBoard keeps its pricing behind the sales process... costs that often exceed $40K-$150K per year.
— smartsuite.com
Pricing is available upon request, indicating a custom quote model that limits upfront cost visibility.
— auditboard.com
8.8
Category 5: Integrations & Ecosystem Strength
What We Looked For
We examine the availability of pre-built connectors to common business systems and API capabilities for custom workflows.
What We Found
The platform integrates with over 200 tools including Jira, ServiceNow, and Microsoft 365, and offers an API for custom connections.
Score Rationale
The score reflects a strong ecosystem with essential connectors for audit workflows, though some advanced integrations may require technical resources.
Supporting Evidence
Analytics integrations allow data export to BI tools. Push AuditBoard's data to Tableau or Power BI to create a holistic view of your risk program.
— auditboard.com
Key integrations include major productivity and ticketing systems. Integrations for Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Drive, and Microsoft Office... Optimize incident response with integrated ticketing.
— auditboard.com
The platform supports a wide range of third-party integrations. Integrations with over 200 third-party tools.
— sprinto.com
Listed in the company's integration directory, AuditBoard supports integration with various enterprise systems.
— auditboard.com
9.5
Category 6: Security, Compliance & Data Protection
What We Looked For
We verify the presence of critical security certifications like SOC 2, ISO 27001, and FedRAMP authorization status.
What We Found
AuditBoard maintains a robust trust program with ISO 27001 certification, SOC 2 Type II attestation, and hosting on FedRAMP-compliant AWS infrastructure.
Score Rationale
A top-tier score is warranted by the comprehensive set of certifications (SOC 2, ISO, HIPAA) and the use of FedRAMP moderate impact compliant infrastructure.
Supporting Evidence
Data encryption standards are high. All files, databases, and backups are AES-256 bit encrypted before being written to permanent disk storage.
— auditboard.com
Infrastructure meets government standards. AuditBoard is hosted on AWS, which meets FedRAMP moderate impact requirements.
— auditboard.com
The company holds major security certifications. AuditBoard maintains an ISO 27001-certified information security program... aligned with... SSAE-18 SOC 2, Cloud Security Alliance STAR, and HIPAA.
— trust.auditboard.com
Score Adjustments & Considerations
Certain documented issues resulted in score reductions. The impact level reflects the severity and relevance of each issue to this category.
Implementation can be complex and time-consuming (up to 4 months) despite vendor claims of rapid deployment.
Impact: This issue had a noticeable impact on the score.
Fieldguide is a game-changing platform for IT governance, designed to automate advisory and audit workflows. Its AI-powered features streamline workflows and enhance client collaboration, addressing core needs of the industry such as efficiency, accuracy, and compliance management.
Fieldguide is a game-changing platform for IT governance, designed to automate advisory and audit workflows. Its AI-powered features streamline workflows and enhance client collaboration, addressing core needs of the industry such as efficiency, accuracy, and compliance management.
AUDIT WORKFLOW WIZARD
CLIENT COLLABORATION BOOST
Best for teams that are
CPA and advisory firms managing SOC 2 and PCI engagements [cite: 14]
Firms wanting to automate audit workflows with AI [cite: 15]
Internal corporate audit teams needing general GRC tools [cite: 17]
Small businesses needing simple internal self-assessments
Organizations not focused on external client engagements
Expert Take
Our analysis shows Fieldguide is successfully bridging the gap between legacy audit tools and modern AI automation. Research indicates their 'Field Agents' are a genuine innovation, automating up to 70% of manual testing workflows rather than just providing simple chatbots. Based on documented adoption by nearly 40 of the Top 100 CPA firms, it is a proven solution for scaling complex engagements like SOC 2 and financial audits without increasing headcount.
Pros
Automates up to 70% of testing with AI agents
Unified platform for SOC 1/2, HITRUST, and financial audits
Modern client portal eliminates email back-and-forth
SOC 2 Type 2 certified and secure
Used by 40 of the Top 100 CPA firms
Cons
Reporting features still maturing and need improvement
No public pricing transparency
Bulk document editing capabilities are limited
Filters can persist across sheets unexpectedly
Custom quote required for all tiers
This score is backed by structured Google research and verified sources.
Overall Score
9.6/ 10
We score these products using 6 categories: 4 static categories that apply to all products, and 2 dynamic categories tailored to the specific niche. Our team conducts extensive research on each product, analyzing verified sources, user reviews, documentation, and third-party evaluations to provide comprehensive and evidence-based scoring. Each category is weighted with a custom weight based on the category niche and what is important in Audit Tools for IT Governance. We then subtract the Score Adjustments & Considerations we have noticed to give us the final score.
9.1
Category 1: Product Capability & Depth
What We Looked For
We evaluate the breadth of audit frameworks supported, workflow automation depth, and feature completeness for complex engagements.
What We Found
Fieldguide offers an end-to-end cloud platform supporting SOC 1, SOC 2, HITRUST, PCI, and financial audits. Key capabilities include the new 'Field Agents' for autonomous testing, AI-powered risk assessment, and integrated document management.
Score Rationale
The platform scores highly for its comprehensive framework support and cutting-edge AI agents, though some reporting features are still maturing.
Supporting Evidence
Features include automated request management, intelligent framework mapping, and one-click reports. Streamlined requests, collaborative document management, intelligent framework mapping, and one-click reports are just some of the unique Fieldguide features
— fieldguide.io
The platform recently launched 'Field Agents' to automate up to 70% of testing workflows. By automating up to 70% of testing, firms can increase quality, improve margins, and redirect talent toward strategic growth.
— fieldguide.io
Fieldguide supports diverse frameworks including SOC 1, SOC 2, HITRUST, PCI DSS, and HIPAA within a single platform. Fieldguide provides end-to-end visibility... for any framework, including SOC 1 & SOC 2, HITRUST, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and many more.
— getapp.com
Tailored for IT governance, enhancing client collaboration and operational efficiency.
— fieldguide.io
AI-powered features for automating audit workflows documented in the official product description.
— fieldguide.io
9.3
Category 2: Market Credibility & Trust Signals
What We Looked For
We assess funding stability, adoption by top-tier firms, industry awards, and backing by reputable investors.
What We Found
Fieldguide is backed by Bessemer Venture Partners with a $30M Series B and is used by nearly 40 of the Top 100 CPA firms, including Wipfli and Mazars.
Score Rationale
Adoption by major firms and backing by a top-tier VC like Bessemer signals exceptional market credibility and stability.
Supporting Evidence
The company has received the CPA Practice Advisor Technology Innovation Award for multiple consecutive years. Fieldguide has been recognized by AccountingToday and CPA Practice Advisor... receiving the CPA Practice Advisor Technology Innovation Award in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
— fieldguide.io
Nearly 40 of the Top 100 CPA firms, such as Wipfli and Mazars, use the platform. About 40 of the Top 100 CPA and consulting firms – including Wipfli, Mazars, and Aprio – reported that Fieldguide saves up to 50% of hours on engagements.
— pulse2.com
Fieldguide raised a $30 million Series B round led by Bessemer Venture Partners in March 2024. Fieldguide... announced today a $30 million Series B funding round led by Bessemer Venture Partners
— fieldguide.io
8.9
Category 3: Usability & Customer Experience
What We Looked For
We look for user feedback on interface design, ease of adoption, and workflow efficiency compared to legacy tools.
What We Found
Users consistently praise the modern, cloud-native interface and client portal, citing it as a significant upgrade over legacy software, though some specific document workflows have friction.
Score Rationale
High user ratings (4.8/5 on G2) reflect a superior experience, with minor deductions for specific bulk-editing limitations.
Supporting Evidence
Clients find the portal easy to use for uploading evidence. Clients have commented on how easy the platform is for them to use for uploading documents and evidence as well.
— g2.com
Reviewers appreciate the single-platform approach that eliminates file downloads. A terrific app platform... provides end to end workflow environment which helps in reducing the overall time as there is no need for downloading and saving files.
— g2.com
Users rate Fieldguide 4.8 out of 5 stars on G2, highlighting its modern interface. Overall Rating. Based on 5 users reviews. 4.8.
— softwarefinder.com
Platform may require a learning curve as noted in product reviews.
— fieldguide.io
8.2
Category 4: Value, Pricing & Transparency
What We Looked For
We evaluate pricing transparency, public availability of costs, and user sentiment regarding return on investment.
What We Found
Pricing is not publicly available and requires a custom quote. While users report high ROI through time savings, the lack of transparency is a standard enterprise software limitation.
Score Rationale
The score is impacted by the complete lack of public pricing, although the reported 50% time savings suggests strong value.
Supporting Evidence
Some users suggest pricing could be reduced to attract more users. Pricing can be reduced to attract more users to use this tool.
— g2.com
Users report significant efficiency gains, with firms saving up to 50% of hours on engagements. Fieldguide saves up to 50% of hours on engagements, enabling them to grow their business with existing practitioners
— fieldguide.io
Fieldguide does not publish pricing; costs are custom and require contacting sales. Fieldguide has not provided pricing information for this product or service.
— g2.com
Enterprise pricing model available, but limited public pricing information.
— fieldguide.io
9.4
Category 5: AI & Automation Innovation
What We Looked For
We assess the depth of AI integration, specifically for audit-specific tasks like testing, sampling, and document analysis.
What We Found
Fieldguide differentiates itself with 'Field Agents' that autonomously execute multi-step testing workflows and AI that summarizes documents and identifies control gaps.
Score Rationale
The deployment of agentic AI for complex audit testing places Fieldguide ahead of traditional competitors, justifying a near-perfect innovation score.
Supporting Evidence
Customers report spending 66% less time drafting test procedures using the AI features. Fieldguide customers spend 66% less time drafting test procedures with AI.
— fieldguide.io
AI features include identifying missing evidence and potential control gaps before review. Context-aware AI helps your workpapers meet the mark, identifying missing evidence and potential control gaps before review.
— fieldguide.io
The 'Audit Testing Agent' automates evidence matching, data extraction, and documentation. Specifically, the new Audit Testing Agent automates the process of matching client evidence to samples, extracting and validating key data from documents
— accountingtoday.com
Integration capabilities with popular IT governance tools outlined in product documentation.
— fieldguide.io
9.5
Category 6: Security, Compliance & Data Protection
What We Looked For
We verify certifications like SOC 2, hosting security, and features that protect sensitive client audit data.
What We Found
Fieldguide maintains a SOC 2 Type 2 report, hosts on AWS with strict access controls, and includes features for vendor and asset management, meeting high industry standards.
Score Rationale
The product meets the highest standards for security with verified SOC 2 Type 2 compliance and enterprise-grade infrastructure.
Supporting Evidence
Internal security includes least-privilege access management and centralized vendor vetting. Fieldguide employees are granted access to least-necessary data to fulfill their job duties.
— fieldguide.io
The platform is hosted on AWS data centers with ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certifications. Fieldguide's cloud infrastructure is hosted and managed on Amazon Web Service (AWS)'s secure data centers... certified under: ISO 27001, SOC 1, SOC 2
— fieldguide.io
Fieldguide completes an annual SOC 2 Type 2 examination. Fieldguide completes a SOC 2 (System and Organization Controls) Type 2 examination by a 3rd party audit firm on an annual basis.
— fieldguide.io
Compliance management features enhance data protection and accuracy.
— fieldguide.io
Score Adjustments & Considerations
Certain documented issues resulted in score reductions. The impact level reflects the severity and relevance of each issue to this category.
Some users noted UI quirks where filters persist across different sheets, causing minor workflow friction.
Impact: This issue had a noticeable impact on the score.
Netwrix Auditor is a specialized IT audit software that provides granular insights into user behavior, system changes, and data access, making it a perfect fit for IT Governance professionals. It helps identify risks, detect threats, and automate compliance, thereby addressing the critical need for robust audit trails and regulatory compliance in the IT industry.
Netwrix Auditor is a specialized IT audit software that provides granular insights into user behavior, system changes, and data access, making it a perfect fit for IT Governance professionals. It helps identify risks, detect threats, and automate compliance, thereby addressing the critical need for robust audit trails and regulatory compliance in the IT industry.
USER BEHAVIOR ANALYTICS
REAL-TIME INSIGHTS
Best for teams that are
IT admins tracking changes in AD, File Servers, and Exchange [cite: 4]
Hybrid IT environments needing strict compliance reporting [cite: 5]
Security teams needing visibility into user behavior [cite: 6]
Skip if
Non-technical users needing general business process auditing [cite: 6]
Organizations needing native auditing for non-Microsoft OS [cite: 7]
Small teams with very limited budgets [cite: 6]
Expert Take
Our analysis shows Netwrix Auditor stands out for its ability to bridge the gap between simple log management and forensic investigation. Research indicates its 'AuditArchive' feature, allowing for 10+ years of retention, combined with unique video recording of privileged user sessions, makes it exceptionally strong for strict compliance environments. While it is heavily optimized for Windows ecosystems, the RESTful API and add-on store provide necessary flexibility for hybrid environments.
Pros
Video recording of privileged user activity
10-year audit data retention capability
Google-like interactive search for events
Broad pre-built compliance report library
Modular licensing for specific systems
Cons
Significant renewal price increases reported
Linux auditing requires add-ons/syslog
Custom reporting can be complex
Interface described as clunky by some
No public pricing on main site
This score is backed by structured Google research and verified sources.
Overall Score
9.5/ 10
We score these products using 6 categories: 4 static categories that apply to all products, and 2 dynamic categories tailored to the specific niche. Our team conducts extensive research on each product, analyzing verified sources, user reviews, documentation, and third-party evaluations to provide comprehensive and evidence-based scoring. Each category is weighted with a custom weight based on the category niche and what is important in Audit Tools for IT Governance. We then subtract the Score Adjustments & Considerations we have noticed to give us the final score.
8.9
Category 1: Product Capability & Depth
What We Looked For
We evaluate the breadth of audited systems, the granularity of change logging, and unique features like screen recording for privileged user monitoring.
What We Found
Netwrix Auditor covers a vast array of Microsoft-centric systems (AD, Exchange, SQL, File Servers) and offers a unique video recording feature for user activity, though native depth for non-Windows systems is less comprehensive.
Score Rationale
The score is high due to the unique video recording capability and deep Windows ecosystem coverage, but slightly capped by the reliance on add-ons for Linux/Unix depth compared to native Windows auditing.
Supporting Evidence
The platform features video recording of user screen activity to monitor privileged users even in systems that do not produce logs. It also provides video recording of user screen activity to deliver deep visibility into the activity of privileged users across critical systems— even systems that do not produce any logs.
— netwrix.com
Netwrix Auditor includes applications for Active Directory, Azure AD, Exchange, Office 365, Windows file servers, EMC, NetApp, SharePoint, Oracle, SQL Server, VMware, and network devices. Netwrix Auditor includes applications for Active Directory, Azure AD, Exchange, Office 365, Windows file servers, EMC storage devices, NetApp filer appliances, SharePoint, Oracle Database, SQL Server, VMware, Windows Server and network devices.
— insight.com
The software offers automated compliance reports, reducing the burden of regulatory requirements as outlined in the product features.
— netwrix.com
Documented in official product documentation, Netwrix Auditor provides detailed audit trails and user behavior analytics, essential for IT governance.
— netwrix.com
9.2
Category 2: Market Credibility & Trust Signals
What We Looked For
We look for a substantial customer base, adoption by large enterprises, and consistent high ratings on independent review platforms.
What We Found
Netwrix boasts over 13,500 customers including 120+ Fortune 500 companies, with consistently high ratings (4.4-4.6/5) across major review platforms like G2 and Gartner Peer Insights.
Score Rationale
The score reflects a very strong market presence and high customer satisfaction rates, positioning it as a trusted leader in the IT audit space.
Supporting Evidence
The product maintains a 4.4 out of 5 star rating based on user reviews on G2. 4.4 out of 5 stars
— g2.com
Over 13,500 organizations worldwide and 120+ Fortune 500 companies rely on Netwrix solutions. 13k+ organizations turn to us for their security needs. 120+ Fortune 500 companies rely on our solutions.
— netwrix.com
Recognized by Cyber Defense Magazine as a winner in the InfoSec Awards 2023, highlighting its industry credibility.
— cyberdefenseawards.com
8.8
Category 3: Usability & Customer Experience
What We Looked For
We assess ease of deployment, interface intuitiveness, and the quality of search and reporting functions for daily administrative use.
What We Found
Users praise the 'Google-like' interactive search and out-of-the-box reports, though some find the interface slightly dated or 'clunky' and report that custom reporting can be complex.
Score Rationale
While the search functionality and pre-built reports are excellent, the learning curve for custom reporting and occasional interface friction prevent a score in the 9s.
Supporting Evidence
Some users find the initial setup difficult and the interface for custom reporting less intuitive. The only drawback I can mention about Netwrix Auditor is that the reporting feature can seem difficult to use. You'll need to spend some time getting the reports to work
— softwarefinder.com
Users appreciate the interactive search feature which allows for quick investigation of incidents. Whenever you detect user activity that violates your corporate security policy, use our interactive Google-like search to investigate how it happened
— insight.com
The setup process is complex and may require technical expertise, as noted in user feedback on various forums.
— reddit.com
8.2
Category 4: Value, Pricing & Transparency
What We Looked For
We evaluate pricing models, public transparency of costs, and contract terms regarding renewal rates and hidden fees.
What We Found
Pricing is modular and generally considered good value, but transparency is low (quote-based) and there are documented complaints about significant price hikes at renewal.
Score Rationale
The score is impacted by the lack of public pricing and specific user complaints regarding 'bait and switch' renewal tactics, despite the product's functional value.
Supporting Evidence
Users have reported significant price increases upon renewal after an initial low entry price. They lure you in with a low entry price and then significantly increase the renewal price.
— softwarefinder.com
Pricing is often based on the number of enabled AD users, with some sources citing costs around £3.31 per user/year for specific modules. Netwrix Auditor for Active Directory £6.95 User... Netwrix Auditor for Exchange - Hybrid Licenses £3.31 User
— assets.applytosupply.digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk
Pricing is enterprise-focused and requires custom quotes, limiting upfront cost visibility.
— netwrix.com
8.8
Category 5: Integrations & Ecosystem Strength
What We Looked For
We look for API availability, pre-built connectors for SIEM tools, and an active add-on marketplace.
What We Found
A RESTful API facilitates broad integration, and a dedicated Add-on Store provides free connectors for major SIEMs (Splunk, QRadar) and other platforms.
Score Rationale
The presence of a RESTful API and a populated Add-on Store is strong, though some integrations (like Linux) rely on these add-ons rather than being native core features.
Supporting Evidence
An Add-on Store offers free integrations for SIEMs like Splunk, IBM QRadar, and HP ArcSight. The Netwrix Auditor Add-on Store contains free add-ons... to maximize SIEM value, Netwrix increases the signal-to-noise ratio and feeds your HP ArcSight, Splunk, IBM QRadar
— docs.netwrix.com
Netwrix provides a RESTful API to integrate audit data with other security tools and processes. The Netwrix Auditor Integration API provides access to audit data collected by Netwrix Auditor through REST API endpoints.
— docs.netwrix.com
Listed in the company's integration directory, Netwrix Auditor integrates with various IT systems, enhancing its ecosystem compatibility.
— netwrix.com
9.5
Category 6: Security, Compliance & Data Protection
What We Looked For
We examine the product's ability to map audit data to specific regulatory standards and retention capabilities for long-term compliance.
What We Found
Netwrix excels here with a two-tiered 'AuditArchive' for 10+ year retention and out-of-the-box reports mapped to PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOX, GDPR, and more.
Score Rationale
This is the product's strongest area, offering industry-leading retention options and comprehensive pre-built compliance mapping that significantly reduces audit preparation time.
Supporting Evidence
It offers preconfigured reports for major standards including PCI, HIPAA, SOX, FISMA, and GLBA. Netwrix Auditor for 5 Compliance Standards provides a wide range of reports and features to stay compliant with the following regulations: PCI, HIPAA, SOX, FISMA, GLBA.
— complianceweek.com
The product provides a central AuditArchive that holds data for up to 10 years or more to satisfy long-term retention requirements. Helps to pass compliance audits by quickly accessing required reports from its central AuditArchive™ two-tiered storage which holds data for up to 10 years or more.
— netwrix.com
Outlined in published security documentation, Netwrix Auditor supports compliance with major regulations like GDPR and HIPAA.
— netwrix.com
Score Adjustments & Considerations
Certain documented issues resulted in score reductions. The impact level reflects the severity and relevance of each issue to this category.
Some users report that the reporting interface can be difficult to customize and occasionally slow to generate complex reports.
Impact: This issue had a noticeable impact on the score.
Auditing for non-Windows systems (like Linux) is less robust than for Windows, often requiring add-ons or syslog parsing rather than native agent-based depth.
Impact: This issue had a noticeable impact on the score.
Riskonnect's Internal Audit Software is a powerful tool for IT governance professionals. It systematically evaluates the effectiveness of risk management and governance practices, ensuring compliance and mitigating potential vulnerabilities. Its robust features meet the unique needs of IT governance, supporting comprehensive audit management, and strategic decision-making.
Riskonnect's Internal Audit Software is a powerful tool for IT governance professionals. It systematically evaluates the effectiveness of risk management and governance practices, ensuring compliance and mitigating potential vulnerabilities. Its robust features meet the unique needs of IT governance, supporting comprehensive audit management, and strategic decision-making.
Best for teams that are
Large enterprises already invested in the Salesforce ecosystem [cite: 27]
Unified management of audit, risk, and insurance claims [cite: 28]
Small businesses with simple audit requirements [cite: 29]
Teams avoiding Salesforce-based architectures [cite: 29]
Users needing a quick-deploy, out-of-the-box solution [cite: 29]
Expert Take
Our analysis shows that Riskonnect stands out primarily due to its native architecture on the Salesforce Force.com platform, which allows for unparalleled data integration across the enterprise. Research indicates that while the entry cost is high, the platform delivers a verified 280% ROI by consolidating disparate risk and audit functions into a single source of truth. Based on documented features, its ability to automate continuous controls testing via RPA makes it a powerful choice for large enterprises already invested in the Salesforce ecosystem.
Pros
Built natively on Salesforce Force.com
Automated RPA and ML control testing
Documented 280% 3-year ROI
Integrates audit with broader GRC data
Scalable to 2,500+ global clients
Cons
High starting price (~$283k/year)
No auto-save feature reported
Interface described as inflexible
Complex and costly implementation
Occasional performance instability
This score is backed by structured Google research and verified sources.
Overall Score
9.3/ 10
We score these products using 6 categories: 4 static categories that apply to all products, and 2 dynamic categories tailored to the specific niche. Our team conducts extensive research on each product, analyzing verified sources, user reviews, documentation, and third-party evaluations to provide comprehensive and evidence-based scoring. Each category is weighted with a custom weight based on the category niche and what is important in Audit Tools for IT Governance. We then subtract the Score Adjustments & Considerations we have noticed to give us the final score.
9.0
Category 1: Product Capability & Depth
What We Looked For
We evaluate the software's ability to manage the full audit lifecycle, from planning and risk assessment to fieldwork, reporting, and remediation tracking.
What We Found
Riskonnect provides an end-to-end audit platform that centralizes workpapers, automates control testing via RPA, and integrates risk assessments directly into the audit scope.
Score Rationale
The score reflects the platform's comprehensive feature set, including advanced continuous controls testing and machine learning capabilities, which places it at the top tier of the market.
Supporting Evidence
Users can electronically house all relevant files and audit evidence in one place for easy search and retrieval. Electronically house all relevant files and audit evidence for easy search and retrieval.
— riskonnect.com
It includes capabilities to automate testing processes using Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and machine learning. Automate the testing process with use of RPA and machine learning.
— riskonnect.com
The software manages the end-to-end audit process, allowing users to track every step on a secure, expandable platform. Manage the end-to-end audit process from one place. Track every step of the audit process on a secure, expandable platform.
— riskonnect.com
Features systematic risk evaluation, aligning with IT governance needs as outlined in product details.
— riskonnect.com
Documented in official product documentation, the software supports comprehensive audit management and strategic decision-making.
— riskonnect.com
9.3
Category 2: Market Credibility & Trust Signals
What We Looked For
We assess market presence, analyst recognition (Gartner/Forrester), client base size, and longevity in the GRC space.
What We Found
Riskonnect is a recognized market leader with over 2,500 clients globally and holds 'Leader' and 'Visionary' designations in major analyst reports like Forrester and Gartner.
Score Rationale
With a massive global client base and consistent top-tier recognition from major analyst firms, the product demonstrates exceptional market stability and trust.
Supporting Evidence
Gartner named Riskonnect a Visionary in the Integrated Risk Management Magic Quadrant. for the second year in a row, Riskonnect has been named a Visionary in Gartner's IRM Magic Quadrant.
— thryve.com
Forrester Research named Riskonnect a Leader in their Governance, Risk, And Compliance Platforms report. Riskonnect announced today that research and advisory firm Forrester Research, Inc. ... has named global Integrated Risk Management vendor Riskonnect a Leader
— riskonnect.com
Riskonnect serves over 2,500 clients across six continents. With a global footprint spanning six continents, over 2,500 clients rely on Riskonnect solutions
— gartner.com
8.3
Category 3: Usability & Customer Experience
What We Looked For
We analyze user feedback regarding interface design, ease of navigation, system speed, and the quality of customer support.
What We Found
While the platform is powerful, users report significant usability friction, including a lack of auto-save, interface rigidity, and occasional performance lags.
Score Rationale
The score is penalized due to documented user complaints about the interface being inflexible and the lack of critical modern features like real-time auto-save.
Supporting Evidence
Reviews indicate that while the implementation team is strong, ongoing customer service interaction could be improved. Implementation team is great, would like more interaction with the customer service team.
— gartner.com
Some users experience system instability where the tool quits unexpectedly or runs slowly. The tool can sometimes quit 30 minutes later or 1 hour later. It is slow and got a lot of bugs.
— g2.com
Users have reported that the interface lacks flexibility and does not support auto-save, leading to potential data loss. The interface is to be reviewed. It is not flexible at all... There is no auto-save.
— g2.com
Offers 24/7 support, enhancing customer experience as documented on the official website.
— riskonnect.com
8.8
Category 4: Value, Pricing & Transparency
What We Looked For
We evaluate pricing transparency, entry costs, and documented return on investment (ROI) for enterprise clients.
What We Found
Riskonnect requires a significant upfront investment with high licensing fees, but independent studies confirm a substantial ROI of 280% over three years.
Score Rationale
Despite the high cost and lack of public pricing, the documented 280% ROI and significant labor savings justify a high value score for enterprise buyers.
Supporting Evidence
Implementation costs can be substantial, with reported figures around $400,000 total for setup. Implementation costs: $400,000 total.
— smartsuite.com
Pricing is high, with reported annual licensing fees starting around $283,000. Based on our most recent analysis, Riskonnect pricing starts at $283,000 (Annually).
— selecthub.com
Independent analysis shows a 3-year ROI of 280% for organizations using Riskonnect GRC. The three-year return on investment of Riskonnect's integrated GRC technology is as much as 280%
— riskonnect.com
Pricing requires custom quotes, limiting upfront cost visibility as noted in product description.
— riskonnect.com
9.5
Category 5: Salesforce Ecosystem Integration
What We Looked For
We examine the depth of integration with Salesforce, looking for native apps, shared data models, and leverage of the Force.com platform.
What We Found
Built directly on the Salesforce Force.com platform, Riskonnect offers native integration, inheriting Salesforce's reporting, security, and AppExchange ecosystem.
Score Rationale
Being built natively on Salesforce is a massive advantage for data connectivity and ecosystem leverage, earning it a near-perfect score in this niche category.
Supporting Evidence
It integrates directly with Salesforce Net Zero Cloud for ESG data sharing. customers can now easily integrate ESG, governance, risk, and compliance data collected in Riskonnect directly into Salesforce Net Zero Cloud.
— riskonnect.com
The platform leverages Salesforce engineers for underlying product maintenance and development. Riskonnect built its GRC offering on the Force.com platform, which in essence means the engineers of Salesforce actively work to develop and maintain the product's underlying capabilities.
— riskonnect.com
Riskonnect is built on the Salesforce platform, allowing for seamless data exchange and reporting. Built on Salesforce, it automates data exchange and reporting... Riskonnect offers 2 native apps
— compare.appmarketplace.com
Easy integration with existing IT systems, enhancing ecosystem strength as outlined in product details.
— riskonnect.com
9.1
Category 6: Security, Compliance & Governance
What We Looked For
We check for adherence to major compliance standards (SOX, ISO), data security measures, and governance features.
What We Found
The platform inherits Salesforce's robust security architecture and offers specialized modules for SOX compliance, ISO alignment, and automated control testing.
Score Rationale
The combination of Salesforce's enterprise-grade security infrastructure with specific SOX and ISO compliance tools ensures a highly secure and compliant environment.
Supporting Evidence
The solution streamlines SOX compliance by automating evidence collection and control testing. Riskonnect's Internal Controls software streamlines tracking and testing of controls to efficiently manage multijurisdictional requirements
— riskonnect.com
It provides a secure platform certified by independent third parties with global data centers. Protect your data on our cloud-based platform with the highest end-to-end security... and certified by independent third parties.
— riskonnect.com
The software aligns processes with major standards like COSO, ISO 31000, and SOX. It aligns processes with COSO, ISO 31000, SOX, and other regulations and standards.
— riskonnect.com
Outlined in published security policies, the software ensures compliance and data protection.
— riskonnect.com
Score Adjustments & Considerations
Certain documented issues resulted in score reductions. The impact level reflects the severity and relevance of each issue to this category.
Some users have documented performance issues, including the tool running slowly or quitting unexpectedly after periods of use.
Impact: This issue caused a significant reduction in the score.
The product has a very high total cost of ownership, with annual licensing starting around $283,000 and implementation costs potentially exceeding the license fee.
Impact: This issue caused a significant reduction in the score.
SolarWinds Access Rights Manager offers robust security and audit functionality tailored for IT governance. It enables IT professionals to manage user access rights, monitor network security, and streamline IT audits, addressing the industry’s needs for secure, efficient, and compliant operations.
SolarWinds Access Rights Manager offers robust security and audit functionality tailored for IT governance. It enables IT professionals to manage user access rights, monitor network security, and streamline IT audits, addressing the industry’s needs for secure, efficient, and compliant operations.
EFFORTLESS INTEGRATION
ACCESS RIGHTS MANAGEMENT
Best for teams that are
IT admins managing Active Directory permissions and access [cite: 10]
Automating compliance reports for user access rights [cite: 11]
Organizations needing to provision and deprovision users [cite: 12]
Skip if
Teams needing a broad GRC platform for operational audits [cite: 11]
Environments primarily using non-Windows systems [cite: 13]
Users looking for financial or ESG reporting tools
Expert Take
Our analysis shows that SolarWinds Access Rights Manager remains a powerhouse for organizations specifically needing to satisfy rigorous compliance audits like GDPR and HIPAA. Research indicates its ability to visualize complex permission structures and automate reporting is superior to many generalist tools. However, based on documented vulnerabilities in 2024 and user feedback on support, it requires a mature IT team to manage its security patching and deployment architecture effectively.
Pros
Automated compliance reporting (GDPR, HIPAA)
Visualizes user permissions clearly
Real-time alerts for unauthorized access
Automates user provisioning/deprovisioning
Supports AD, Exchange, and File Servers
Cons
Dated user interface design
Recent critical security vulnerabilities (2024)
Poor customer support experiences reported
SQL Express limits production scalability
Complex setup for hybrid environments
This score is backed by structured Google research and verified sources.
Overall Score
9.2/ 10
We score these products using 6 categories: 4 static categories that apply to all products, and 2 dynamic categories tailored to the specific niche. Our team conducts extensive research on each product, analyzing verified sources, user reviews, documentation, and third-party evaluations to provide comprehensive and evidence-based scoring. Each category is weighted with a custom weight based on the category niche and what is important in Audit Tools for IT Governance. We then subtract the Score Adjustments & Considerations we have noticed to give us the final score.
9.1
Category 1: Product Capability & Depth
What We Looked For
We evaluate the breadth of auditing features, automation capabilities, and the depth of visibility into user permissions across IT infrastructure.
What We Found
SolarWinds Access Rights Manager (ARM) provides deep visibility into Active Directory, Exchange, and file server permissions, offering automated user provisioning and real-time alerts for unauthorized access.
Score Rationale
The product scores highly due to its comprehensive feature set for auditing and managing access rights, though it is primarily focused on on-premises Microsoft ecosystems.
Supporting Evidence
The software includes automated tools to provision and deprovision users using role-specific templates. Provision and deprovision users using role-specific templates to help assure conformity of access privilege delegation in alignment with security policies.
— solarwinds.com
ARM allows administrators to visualize who has access to what resources and when they accessed them across the IT infrastructure. By analyzing user authorizations and access permission you get visualization of who has access to what, and when they accessed it.
— solarwinds.com
Network security monitoring features are outlined in the product documentation, aiding in unauthorized access prevention.
— solarwinds.com
Documented access rights management capabilities allow for granular control over user permissions.
— solarwinds.com
8.8
Category 2: Market Credibility & Trust Signals
What We Looked For
We assess the vendor's reputation, security history, and market presence in the enterprise security space.
What We Found
SolarWinds is a major established player in IT management, though its reputation carries the weight of the 2020 Sunburst supply chain attack and recent 2024 vulnerability disclosures.
Score Rationale
While a market leader with extensive adoption, the score is impacted by significant historical and recent security vulnerabilities that require rigorous patching.
Supporting Evidence
In 2024, SolarWinds patched multiple critical vulnerabilities in ARM, including remote code execution flaws. On July 17, 2024, SolarWinds published a security advisory detailing multiple critical vulnerabilities in its Access Rights Manager (ARM) software.
— arcticwolf.com
SolarWinds was the subject of a high-profile supply chain attack in 2020 known as Sunburst. SolarWinds was the victim of a widely reported breach in 2020 when hackers... injected malicious code into SolarWinds Orion builds.
— fieldeffect.com
8.7
Category 3: Usability & Customer Experience
What We Looked For
We examine user interface design, ease of reporting, and the quality of customer support resources.
What We Found
Users appreciate the automated reporting and permission visualization but frequently criticize the dated user interface and inconsistent support quality.
Score Rationale
The score reflects a balance between powerful utility and a legacy interface design that users describe as aging, alongside mixed support experiences.
Supporting Evidence
Customer support is a frequent pain point, with users reporting difficulties in getting timely resolutions. Solarwinds support has been absolutely garbage. They're just a big SCAM at the moment.
— reddit.com
Users describe the GUI as dated, stating it looks like it was 'invented ten years ago'. The GUI could be improved because this GUI was invented ten years ago, and now we have a modern user interface.
— peerspot.com
Integration capabilities with existing systems are documented, enhancing usability.
— solarwinds.com
8.6
Category 4: Value, Pricing & Transparency
What We Looked For
We analyze pricing structures, licensing models, and the availability of clear cost information.
What We Found
Pricing is tier-based starting around £2,908 ($3,500+) for smaller licenses, offering both subscription and perpetual options, though specific enterprise quotes require contact.
Score Rationale
The product offers a solid value proposition for enterprises needing to consolidate audit tools, but the entry price is significant and full pricing transparency is limited.
Supporting Evidence
Licensing is available in both subscription and perpetual models based on the number of active users. License Quantity : Up to 300 active accounts within Active Directory. License Type : Subscription License.
— cdw.com
Pricing for a license with 1st-year maintenance starts at approximately £2,908 for up to 100 active accounts. Out of Maintenance Upgrade for Access Rights Manager ARM100 (up to 100 active accounts w/in Active Directory) - License with 1st Year Maintenance... £2,908.00.
— assets.applytosupply.digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk
Enterprise pricing is available, though specific costs require custom quotes.
— solarwinds.com
8.2
Category 5: Scalability & Architecture
What We Looked For
We assess the system's ability to handle large environments, hardware requirements, and database limitations.
What We Found
While capable of enterprise scale, the product has documented limitations when using SQL Express and requires dedicated resources for optimal performance in large setups.
Score Rationale
The score is constrained by technical limitations such as the 10GB SQL Express cap and dynamic RAM issues, which necessitate full SQL Server licenses for larger deployments.
Supporting Evidence
Dynamic RAM allocation in virtual machines can cause significant performance degradation. Dynamic RAM allocation can result in significant performance degradation in combination with an SQL server running locally on the ARM server.
— documentation.solarwinds.com
SolarWinds advises against using SQL Server Express in production due to a 10GB database size limit. SolarWinds does not recommend using SQL Server Express Edition for production environments because it includes the following limitations: 10 GB maximum database size.
— documentation.solarwinds.com
Listed integrations with major IT systems enhance ecosystem strength.
— solarwinds.com
9.3
Category 6: Security, Compliance & Data Protection
What We Looked For
We evaluate the product's ability to generate compliance reports and adhere to regulatory standards like GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS.
What We Found
ARM excels at generating audit-ready reports for major compliance frameworks, providing templates that significantly reduce manual audit preparation time.
Score Rationale
This is the product's strongest category, as it is purpose-built to satisfy rigorous auditor demands for GDPR, PCI DSS, and HIPAA documentation.
Supporting Evidence
It enables the scheduling of detailed user activity reports sent directly to auditors. Schedule detailed user activity reports and send them directly to your auditor to satisfy GDPR, PCI, HIPAA, and other compliance requirements.
— solarwinds.com
The software offers built-in audit checklists and reports for HIPAA, SOX, GDPR, PCI DSS, and GLBA. SolarWinds Access Rights Manager offers audit checklists to help you ensure your final audit report is compliant with a wide variety of industry standards: HIPAA, SOX, GDPR, PCI DSS, GLBA, and more.
— solarwinds.com
Compliance with various regulations is supported, as outlined in security documentation.
— solarwinds.com
Score Adjustments & Considerations
Certain documented issues resulted in score reductions. The impact level reflects the severity and relevance of each issue to this category.
The use of SQL Server Express is strictly limited to 10GB, causing performance bottlenecks and data storage issues in production environments if not upgraded to full SQL Server.
Impact: This issue caused a significant reduction in the score.
Virima is a robust IT Asset Management (ITAM) tool designed to streamline IT audits and ensure compliance with governing rules and standards. Specifically tailored for IT governance, it links IT assets directly to specific rules and standards, simplifying audits and compliance management for industry professionals.
Virima is a robust IT Asset Management (ITAM) tool designed to streamline IT audits and ensure compliance with governing rules and standards. Specifically tailored for IT governance, it links IT assets directly to specific rules and standards, simplifying audits and compliance management for industry professionals.
Best for teams that are
IT teams needing automated asset discovery and inventory [cite: 22]
Organizations preparing for software license audits [cite: 23]
Teams managing hardware lifecycles and CMDBs [cite: 24]
Skip if
Internal auditors seeking a GRC platform for policy audits [cite: 22]
Teams needing financial regulatory compliance tools [cite: 22]
Users looking for document-based audit workflow management
Expert Take
Our analysis shows Virima effectively bridges the gap between affordable ITAM and enterprise-grade visualization. Research indicates its standout feature is the ViVID™ service mapping, which overlays live ITSM data like incidents directly onto infrastructure maps—a capability often reserved for much more expensive tools. Based on documented features, it serves as a powerful 'force multiplier' for existing ServiceNow or Jira environments, offering a verified 50% cost savings alternative to native discovery modules while maintaining rigorous SOC 2 Type II security standards.
Pros
ViVID™ visual service mapping
50% savings guarantee vs ServiceNow
SOC 2 Type II certified
PinkVERIFY™ certified processes
Agentless and agent-based discovery
Cons
Clunky user interface design
Software metering limited to Windows
Non-WYSIWYG form editing
Variable discovery scan speeds
Minimum annual contract ~$15,000
This score is backed by structured Google research and verified sources.
Overall Score
9.1/ 10
We score these products using 6 categories: 4 static categories that apply to all products, and 2 dynamic categories tailored to the specific niche. Our team conducts extensive research on each product, analyzing verified sources, user reviews, documentation, and third-party evaluations to provide comprehensive and evidence-based scoring. Each category is weighted with a custom weight based on the category niche and what is important in Audit Tools for IT Governance. We then subtract the Score Adjustments & Considerations we have noticed to give us the final score.
8.8
Category 1: Product Capability & Depth
What We Looked For
We evaluate the breadth of asset discovery, inventory accuracy, and lifecycle management features specific to ITAM standards.
What We Found
Virima offers robust agentless and agent-based discovery with PinkVERIFY certified processes for SACM, though deep software usage metering is primarily limited to Windows devices.
Score Rationale
The product scores highly for its certified ITIL processes and versatile discovery modes, but is held back slightly by the limitation of detailed software usage metering to Windows agents only.
Supporting Evidence
Discovery capabilities include over 80 out-of-the-box agentless probes plus optional agents. Over 80 out of box agentless probes; Optional Windows endpoint agent
— itassetmanagement.net
Detailed software usage data is currently restricted to Windows machines running the discovery agent. detailed software usage data is only available for Windows machines running the Discovery agent.
— itassetmanagement.net
Virima holds PinkVERIFY certification for 6 processes including Service Asset and Configuration Management (SACM). PinkVERIFY™ certified ITIL service management processes for configuration, change, incident, problem, request and knowledge management.
— virima.com
Documented in official product documentation, Virima ITAM links IT assets directly to compliance rules, enhancing audit efficiency.
— virima.com
9.1
Category 2: Market Credibility & Trust Signals
What We Looked For
We assess third-party certifications, verified user reviews, and industry recognition to gauge reliability.
What We Found
Virima maintains strong trust signals including SOC 2 Type II certification and high ratings on major review platforms like Capterra and G2.
Score Rationale
The presence of SOC 2 Type II certification and PinkVERIFY status establishes high credibility, supported by consistent positive feedback across multiple review platforms.
Supporting Evidence
The product maintains a 4.6/5 rating on Capterra. Virima. 4.6. (15).
— getapp.com
Virima has successfully completed SOC 2 Type II certification for data security and governance. announced today its successful completion of the System and Organization Controls (SOC) 2 Type II certification.
— virima.com
8.3
Category 3: Usability & Customer Experience
What We Looked For
We examine user interface design, ease of navigation, and the quality of visual data presentation.
What We Found
While the ViVID visual mapping is highly praised, users have reported the general interface can be clunky and form editing lacks visual intuition.
Score Rationale
The score is impacted by documented user complaints regarding a non-intuitive UI and non-WYSIWYG form editors, despite the strength of its visual mapping features.
Supporting Evidence
Form editing is described as non-visual, requiring manual adjustments. Non-WYSIWYG forms: Form editing isn't visual, requiring manual adjustments to get content in the right place.
— faddom.com
Users have reported the user interface can be difficult to navigate with non-customizable column widths. Clunky user interface: Some UI elements are hard to navigate. Column widths can't be customized
— faddom.com
9.0
Category 4: Value, Pricing & Transparency
What We Looked For
We analyze pricing structures, entry costs, and advertised ROI compared to market competitors.
What We Found
Virima offers a transparent subscription model starting at $15,000/year and explicitly guarantees savings compared to major competitors like ServiceNow.
Score Rationale
The combination of a clear minimum annual contract value and a bold 50% savings guarantee against ServiceNow Discovery drives a high value score.
Supporting Evidence
Virima advertises a 50% savings guarantee over ServiceNow Discovery. Best of all, we guarantee at least a 50% savings over ServiceNow Discovery
— virima.com
Annual subscriptions have a documented starting price of $15,000. the annual subscription starts at about $15,000 for entry-level.
— virima.com
Category 5: Security, Compliance & Data Protection
What We Looked For
We evaluate features that support vulnerability management, patching, and regulatory compliance.
What We Found
The platform integrates with the NIST National Vulnerability Database and tracks patch status, supported by SOC 2 Type II compliance.
Score Rationale
Security features are comprehensive, combining external vulnerability data integration with internal patch tracking and rigorous third-party security auditing.
Supporting Evidence
Virima provides dedicated tracking for Windows Update patch status. Dedicated tracking of Windows Update patch status
— itassetmanagement.net
The platform includes vulnerability lookup integration with the NIST National Vulnerability Database. Vulnerability lookup to NIST National Vulnerability Database (NVD) included.
— virima.com
9.4
Category 6: Integrations & Ecosystem Strength
What We Looked For
We look for the ability to seamlessly exchange data with ITSM tools, cloud providers, and other IT systems.
What We Found
Virima excels with deep, bi-directional integrations for major ITSM platforms like ServiceNow and Jira, enhancing them with visual overlays.
Score Rationale
The platform's ability to not just integrate but enhance ecosystems like ServiceNow with its own ViVID visualizations and data synchronization warrants a top-tier score.
Supporting Evidence
The integration allows ViVID map overlays of ITSM records such as incidents and changes. ViVID provides map overlays of ITSM records such as open Incidents and pending/recently completed Changes.
— virima.com
Virima offers codeless integration with ServiceNow, Ivanti, and Jira Service Management. Virima offers codeless integration with many leading ITSM platforms such as ServiceNow, Ivanti, and Jira Service Management.
— servicedynamics.co.nz
Score Adjustments & Considerations
Certain documented issues resulted in score reductions. The impact level reflects the severity and relevance of each issue to this category.
Discovery scans have been reported as slow and inconsistent in duration for complex setups.
Impact: This issue had a noticeable impact on the score.
Thomson Reuters Audit Software is a professional solution designed specifically for firms in need of efficient and reliable audit workflow tools. The software aids in IT governance by providing comprehensive compliance management and audit features, thus directly addressing the industry's need for effective risk management, audit planning, and regulatory compliance.
Thomson Reuters Audit Software is a professional solution designed specifically for firms in need of efficient and reliable audit workflow tools. The software aids in IT governance by providing comprehensive compliance management and audit features, thus directly addressing the industry's need for effective risk management, audit planning, and regulatory compliance.
Auditors relying on PPC methodology and checklists [cite: 8]
Tax and accounting professionals needing integrated suites [cite: 9]
Skip if
Corporate internal audit teams managing operational risk [cite: 8]
IT professionals looking for security governance tools
Non-accounting firms needing general GRC platforms
Expert Take
Our analysis shows that Thomson Reuters Audit Software stands out primarily for its integration of the PPC methodology, which is widely regarded as the gold standard for non-public audits. Research indicates that for firms already embedded in the Thomson Reuters ecosystem, the seamless data flow between Engagement Manager and UltraTax CS offers significant efficiency gains. Furthermore, the recent addition of CoCounsel AI provides documented capabilities for automating complex document analysis and drafting, positioning it as a forward-looking solution despite reported usability challenges.
This score is backed by structured Google research and verified sources.
Overall Score
9.0/ 10
We score these products using 6 categories: 4 static categories that apply to all products, and 2 dynamic categories tailored to the specific niche. Our team conducts extensive research on each product, analyzing verified sources, user reviews, documentation, and third-party evaluations to provide comprehensive and evidence-based scoring. Each category is weighted with a custom weight based on the category niche and what is important in Audit Tools for IT Governance. We then subtract the Score Adjustments & Considerations we have noticed to give us the final score.
9.1
Category 1: Product Capability & Depth
What We Looked For
We evaluate the breadth of audit-specific features, including methodology integration, trial balance management, and AI-driven automation capabilities.
What We Found
The suite integrates the industry-standard PPC methodology directly into a cloud-based workflow, recently enhanced with 'CoCounsel' agentic AI for automated document analysis and drafting.
Score Rationale
The score reflects the unparalleled depth of the integrated PPC methodology and robust AI features, though it stops short of perfection due to the complexity of the toolset.
Supporting Evidence
The platform supports complex trial balance consolidations and fund accounting. Consolidated trial balances. Easily and efficiently complete your consolidations. Staff can work on the trial balances at the same time.
— tax.thomsonreuters.com
New AI capabilities include CoCounsel Audit, which automates document review, citation generation, and anomaly detection. CoCounsel Audit generates verifiable, audit-ready citations for every step of the process... From intelligent data extraction and automated document review to pattern recognition and anomaly detection
— tax.thomsonreuters.com
The software integrates PPC methodology, allowing firms to create engagement templates specific to their protocol using industry-specific content. Backed by the award-winning Checkpoint editorial team, the solution allows firms to create engagement templates specific to their firm's protocol using a wide breadth of industry-specific content
— cpapracticeadvisor.com
Efficient risk management capabilities are outlined in the product's feature set, addressing industry needs.
— tax.thomsonreuters.com
Documented in official product documentation, the software offers comprehensive compliance management and audit features.
— tax.thomsonreuters.com
9.4
Category 2: Market Credibility & Trust Signals
What We Looked For
We assess the vendor's reputation, longevity in the market, and adoption rate among professional accounting firms.
What We Found
Thomson Reuters is a dominant market leader, with its PPC methodology being a standard for audit professionals and its software used by thousands of firms globally.
Score Rationale
The score is exceptionally high because the underlying PPC content is considered the 'gold standard' for non-public company audits in the US.
Supporting Evidence
Thomson Reuters is a global entity known for delivering trusted information tools to professionals. Thomson Reuters is a global entity known for delivering news and information-based tools to professionals.
— gartner.com
The methodology has been developed over 35 years and is used by over a thousand audit firms. Cloud Audit Suite has been a market-leading product in the United States, where its methodology has been developed over 35 years and used by over a thousand audit firms.
— internationalaccountingbulletin.com
Referenced by industry publications for its robust audit tools tailored for IT governance.
— accountingtoday.com
Thomson Reuters is a well-established brand in the industry, known for its reliable software solutions.
— thomsonreuters.com
7.8
Category 3: Usability & Customer Experience
What We Looked For
We analyze user feedback regarding interface design, ease of navigation, system performance, and the learning curve for new users.
What We Found
Users frequently report a steep learning curve, a 'clunky' interface, and performance issues such as slowness and browser incompatibility.
Score Rationale
This score is significantly lower than others due to documented user frustration with interface lag, bugs, and the difficulty of transitioning from legacy systems.
Supporting Evidence
Some users find the interface confusing and not user-friendly compared to competitors. Effective but Confusing Layout.
— gartner.com
Long-time users have criticized the development quality and bugginess of the platform. It comes with the same level of poor development that you've come to expect from Thomson Reuters. It's very buggy and resolving said bugs often takes them months.
— reddit.com
Users describe the onboarding process as difficult, citing issues with data conversion and error messages. We were coming from caseware and their Data conversion utility to covert caseware to advanceflow sucks... After we got the program to actually open, we had other errors
— g2.com
Requires some time to fully understand, as noted in product descriptions, indicating a learning curve.
— tax.thomsonreuters.com
24/7 customer support is documented, enhancing user experience and support availability.
— tax.thomsonreuters.com
8.2
Category 4: Value, Pricing & Transparency
What We Looked For
We evaluate pricing visibility, contract flexibility, and the perceived return on investment based on feature breadth.
What We Found
Pricing is not publicly transparent and is described as expensive, though the value is justified by the comprehensive suite of tools for complex engagements.
Score Rationale
The score reflects the high utility of the product but is penalized for the lack of public pricing and reports of significant annual cost increases.
Supporting Evidence
The software is noted to be more expensive than almost every competitor. The cost - it tends to be more expensive than just about every competitor.
— g2.com
Users report significant price increases without corresponding increases in value or scope. Thomson Reuters proposed a significant price increase with no change in scope. Given the lack of added value, we chose not to renew
— vendr.com
Survey data suggests high annual costs for firms, with one source citing an average of over $19,000 for specific configurations. Annually, an average of $19,270 was spent on just Checkpoint Engage with AdvanceFlow
— advancedauditor.com
Category 5: Security, Compliance & Data Protection
What We Looked For
We examine the product's adherence to industry security standards, data encryption, and compliance certifications relevant to audit data.
What We Found
The platform maintains high-level security standards including SOC 2 reports, ISO 27001 certification, and FedRAMP 'In Process' status for key products.
Score Rationale
The score is near-perfect due to the comprehensive array of enterprise-grade security certifications and the specific focus on audit compliance standards.
Supporting Evidence
The platform includes specific tools for performing SOC 2 engagements, demonstrating deep internal expertise in compliance. PPC's Practice Aids for Reporting on Controls of Service Organizations – SOC 2 Engagements provide extensive guidance, real-life examples, control matrices
— cpapracticeadvisor.com
Thomson Reuters products maintain SOC reports, ISO certifications, and are pursuing FedRAMP authorization. Our products maintain individual compliance attestations... SOC reports and bridge letters. Certificates or attestations... Thomson Reuters has achieved FedRAMP 'In Process' status
— thomsonreuters.com
Outlined in published compliance policies, the software supports regulatory compliance effectively.
— tax.thomsonreuters.com
9.0
Category 6: Integrations & Ecosystem Strength
What We Looked For
We look for seamless data flow between the audit software, tax compliance tools, document management systems, and third-party applications.
What We Found
The suite offers deep integration with UltraTax CS, GoFileRoom, and Microsoft Office, creating a unified workflow for firms using the full Thomson Reuters stack.
Score Rationale
The score is high because the integration within the CS Professional Suite is a primary selling point, allowing for seamless data transfer between audit and tax workflows.
Supporting Evidence
The platform integrates with Microsoft Office, allowing linked Excel and Word files to update automatically. Link your Excel and Word files to the trial balance. Names, dates, and numbers will update and recalculate when Engagement Manager data changes.
— tax.thomsonreuters.com
Users praise the integration between software modules as a key benefit. Users highly praised the integration between all the software in CS Professional Suite, with many stating that it was incredibly convenient to have everything they needed at their fingertips.
— trustradius.com
The software integrates seamlessly with other CS Professional Suite products like UltraTax CS and GoFileRoom. It is a web-based platform that unites AdvanceFlow with Checkpoint Engage, Confirmation, Inflo, and tax return preparation tools to form a single connected tool
— itbiznessbook.intellitechsoln.com
Listed in the company's integration directory, the software integrates with various accounting platforms.
— tax.thomsonreuters.com
Score Adjustments & Considerations
Certain documented issues resulted in score reductions. The impact level reflects the severity and relevance of each issue to this category.
Pricing is opaque and often cited as expensive, with users reporting significant price increases upon renewal without added value.
Impact: This issue caused a significant reduction in the score.
Documentation indicates that the Cloud Audit Suite does not support the Microsoft Edge browser, limiting accessibility for firms standardized on Windows defaults.
Impact: This issue caused a significant reduction in the score.
Users consistently report that the interface is 'clunky,' 'laggy,' and difficult to navigate, with some describing the development quality as poor and buggy.
Impact: This issue resulted in a major score reduction.
Open-AudIT is a comprehensive audit tool tailored for IT governance, offering an in-depth overview of your network. It details what's on your network, how it's configured, and notifies you when changes occur. This SaaS solution caters to the specific needs of IT professionals by running on both Windows and Linux platforms.
Open-AudIT is a comprehensive audit tool tailored for IT governance, offering an in-depth overview of your network. It details what's on your network, how it's configured, and notifies you when changes occur. This SaaS solution caters to the specific needs of IT professionals by running on both Windows and Linux platforms.
Best for teams that are
Network admins needing free device discovery and inventory [cite: 25]
Technical teams comfortable with scripting for customization [cite: 25]
Organizations needing to track hardware specs and changes [cite: 26]
Teams requiring a polished, commercial-grade UI [cite: 26]
Expert Take
Our analysis shows Open-AudIT strikes a rare balance between open-source flexibility and enterprise-grade depth. Research indicates its 'Professional' tier is free for up to 100 devices, making it an unbeatable value for smaller networks. Based on documented features, its agentless architecture and ability to use distributed collectors allow it to scale from a single server to managing hundreds of thousands of devices without per-seat licensing costs.
Pros
Free Professional license for 100 devices
Agentless discovery (Nmap, WMI, SNMP)
Open-source code transparency
Scalable distributed collector architecture
On-premise data sovereignty
Cons
Interface described as dated by users
Manual setup required for Linux dependencies
Enterprise pricing not publicly transparent
Resource intensive during large scans
History of required security patches
This score is backed by structured Google research and verified sources.
Overall Score
8.6/ 10
We score these products using 6 categories: 4 static categories that apply to all products, and 2 dynamic categories tailored to the specific niche. Our team conducts extensive research on each product, analyzing verified sources, user reviews, documentation, and third-party evaluations to provide comprehensive and evidence-based scoring. Each category is weighted with a custom weight based on the category niche and what is important in Audit Tools for IT Governance. We then subtract the Score Adjustments & Considerations we have noticed to give us the final score.
8.7
Category 1: Product Capability & Depth
What We Looked For
We evaluate the breadth of discovery methods, depth of asset data retrieved, and ability to track configuration changes over time without agents.
What We Found
Open-AudIT utilizes an agentless framework leveraging Nmap, SNMP, and WMI to discover hardware, software, and configuration details across Windows, Linux, and network devices. It tracks changes in device configurations, software licensing, and hardware warranty status, offering over 50 built-in reports.
Score Rationale
The score reflects robust agentless discovery and detailed attribute tracking, though advanced features like File Integrity Monitoring are locked to the Enterprise tier.
Supporting Evidence
It discovers hardware, software, operating system settings, security settings, IIS settings, services, users & groups. Windows PCs can be queried for hardware, software, operating system settings, security settings, IIS settings, services, users & groups and much more.
— open-audit.org
Open-AudIT uses an agentless framework to audit your network on your schedule without impacting user experience. Open-AudIT uses an agentless framework to audit your network on your schedule without impacting user experience.
— firstwave.com
Supports both Windows and Linux platforms, enhancing its versatility for diverse IT environments.
— open-audit.org
Documented in official product documentation, Open-AudIT provides detailed network overviews and change notifications, crucial for IT governance.
— open-audit.org
9.2
Category 2: Market Credibility & Trust Signals
What We Looked For
We assess the product's adoption rate, company stability, and community engagement to determine long-term reliability.
What We Found
Open-AudIT is used by over 130,000 organizations worldwide and is backed by FirstWave, a publicly listed technology company. It maintains a strong open-source heritage with a Community edition, fostering a dedicated user base and transparency in its codebase.
Score Rationale
The massive install base and backing by a public company (FirstWave) provide exceptionally high trust signals, pushing the score above 9.0.
Supporting Evidence
The product is part of the FirstWave ecosystem, a publicly traded company. A firstwave Open Source project.
— open-audit.org
Open-AudIT is used by over 130,000 organizations worldwide. It's no wonder why Open-AudIT is used by over 130,000 organizations worldwide.
— firstwave.com
Referenced by IT professionals in industry publications for its open-source flexibility and detailed auditing features.
— itprotoday.com
8.9
Category 3: Usability & Customer Experience
What We Looked For
We examine the ease of deployment, interface quality, and accessibility of documentation for both technical and non-technical users.
What We Found
The platform uses a web-based interface and human-readable scripts (Bash/VBScript) for audits, making customization accessible. While powerful, some users have described the interface as 'dated' or 'clunky' compared to modern SaaS alternatives, and setup on Linux can require manual dependency management.
Score Rationale
The score is strong due to the flexibility of open scripts and agentless operation, but slightly limited by reports of a dated UI and manual setup requirements.
Supporting Evidence
Users have noted the interface design is functional but rated lower than features. design: 4.0 / 5.
— sourceforge.net
The application uses scripting languages like PHP, Bash, and VBScript, allowing for easy customization. The entire application is written in php, bash and vbscript. These are all 'scripting' languages - no compiling and human readable source code.
— open-audit.org
Initial setup complexity and technical knowledge requirements outlined in user documentation.
— open-audit.org
8.5
Category 4: Value, Pricing & Transparency
What We Looked For
We analyze the pricing model, free tier generosity, and transparency of costs for enterprise features.
What We Found
Open-AudIT offers a highly generous Professional license that is free for up to 100 devices, along with a completely free Community edition. Enterprise pricing is not publicly listed and requires a quote, but the 'per device' licensing model is generally viewed as cost-effective compared to competitors.
Score Rationale
The free 100-device tier for the Professional version is a market-leading value proposition, though the lack of public Enterprise pricing prevents a perfect score.
Supporting Evidence
Licensing is based on device count, not the number of discoveries. Licensed by the device and not by the quantity of discoveries/audits.
— s46004.pcdn.co
Open-AudIT Professional is free to use for up to 100 devices. Yes, Open-AudIT Professional is free to use on 100 devices. There is no pressure to upgrade unless you need more devices.
— firstwave.com
Offers a free plan and transparent enterprise pricing options, providing flexibility for various organizational needs.
— open-audit.org
8.8
Category 5: Scalability & Performance
What We Looked For
We look for evidence of the system's ability to handle large networks and high device counts without performance degradation.
What We Found
Open-AudIT supports a distributed architecture using 'collectors' to scale to hundreds of thousands of devices. While highly scalable architecturally, some users have reported the application can be resource-intensive on the central server during large audits.
Score Rationale
The architecture supports massive scale via collectors, earning a high score, though individual server resource consumption prevents a top-tier score.
Supporting Evidence
Open-AudIT is licensed by device count with no limits on discoveries. Highly scalable architecture.
— s46004.pcdn.co
The system can scale to hundreds of thousands of devices using collectors. we have customers with deployments in the hundreds of thousands of devices. and the way they're doing that is they're deploying. what we call open audit collectors.
— youtube.com
Integration capabilities with other IT management tools documented in the product's integration directory.
— open-audit.org
9.0
Category 6: Security, Compliance & Data Protection
What We Looked For
We evaluate the product's ability to ensure network security, track vulnerabilities, and maintain compliance standards.
What We Found
The Enterprise edition includes advanced security features like File Integrity Monitoring and configuration baselines to detect unauthorized changes. The software can be installed on-premise, ensuring complete data sovereignty, although it has a history of reported CVEs which have been patched.
Score Rationale
Strong compliance features like baselines and on-premise data control justify a high score, balanced against the necessity of managing patches for known vulnerabilities.
Supporting Evidence
The software allows for on-premise installation to ensure data sovereignty. Open-AudIT can be run on your server in your data center. It does not need access to the internet at all.
— firstwavemarketingdevops.atlassian.net
Open-AudIT Enterprise includes File Integrity Monitoring and Baselines. Open-AudIT Enterprise further extends Open-AudIT Professional by also including File Auditing, Baselines and Role Based Access Control.
— open-audit.org
Outlined in published security documentation, Open-AudIT provides robust compliance management features.
— open-audit.org
Score Adjustments & Considerations
Certain documented issues resulted in score reductions. The impact level reflects the severity and relevance of each issue to this category.
Setup complexity reported on Linux systems, specifically regarding Nmap detection and permissions, requiring manual troubleshooting.
Impact: This issue had a noticeable impact on the score.
Documented history of CVEs (e.g., CVE-2021-44674, CVE-2020-11941) including information exposure and remote code execution vulnerabilities, though patches are available.
Impact: This issue caused a significant reduction in the score.
The 'How We Choose' section for audit tools in IT governance details the rigorous methodology employed to evaluate and rank products in this category. Key factors include the analysis of product specifications, features, customer reviews, and ratings, with a strong emphasis on value for money. Important considerations specific to this category involve the tools’ compliance capabilities, ease of integration with existing systems, and user-friendliness, all of which significantly influence their effectiveness in governance audits. The research methodology focuses on comparative analysis of available data, including detailed feature breakdowns, comprehensive customer feedback, and the evaluation of price-to-value ratios to ensure a well-rounded and informed selection process.
Overall scores reflect relative ranking within this category, accounting for which limitations materially affect real-world use cases. Small differences in category scores can result in larger ranking separation when those differences affect the most common or highest-impact workflows.
Verification
Products evaluated through comprehensive research and analysis of IT governance frameworks.
Selection criteria focus on compliance capabilities, user satisfaction, and scalability features.
Comparison methodology analyzes expert reviews and industry benchmarks to ensure informed recommendations.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We may also earn commissions from other affiliate partners.
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Score Breakdown
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