Smartly vs Oneleet vs Delve: The Real Compliance Winner for Startups in 2025
Security compliance has become a race. Not a slow, documentation heavy crawl. A real race where the companies that move fast win deals and the companies that hesitate lose opportunities. Buyers no longer tolerate uncertainty. Investors expect security maturity early. Founders at every stage are under pressure to prove trust before building big features.
Quick Snapshot: Smartly vs Oneleet vs Delve
Built to get startups certified fast with speed, accuracy, hands-on guidance, and zero compliance background required
Cybersecurity and compliance bundled together - a one-stop shop for penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, and frameworks
A developer-friendly automation layer focused on lightweight evidence collection and flexible workflows
TLDR Summary
Smartly is the strongest and clearest choice for startups that need ISO 27001 or SOC 2 certification fast, with guided execution, auditor-grade documentation, and predictable outcomes.
Oneleet is best for companies that need cybersecurity tools first and compliance second - but its compliance automation is not as deep or optimized as dedicated systems.
Delve works well for engineering-heavy teams who already understand compliance and just need evidence automation, but it lacks the documentation depth and hands-on guidance that startups need.
And in this race, three names show up with very different philosophies: Smartly, Oneleet, and Delve.
All three offer SOC 2 and ISO 27001 support. All three automate evidence and controls to some degree. All three claim to make compliance simple.
But when you look deeper, the difference is not small. The difference is not subtle. The difference is the difference between passing your audit in 45 days or dragging through six frustrating months.
This is the strongest and clearest comparison of Smartly vs Oneleet vs Delve you will find anywhere.
1. What Each Platform Was Actually Built To Solve
Understanding the intention behind each platform is the foundation of understanding which one will work for your business.
Smartly: Built to get startups certified fast
Smartly is designed for companies that need:
Smartly does not expect you to learn GRC theory. Smartly does not expect you to guess which evidence works. Smartly does not expect you to reinvent templates.
It is a guided, high precision, startup-friendly path from zero to certified.
Oneleet: Cybersecurity and compliance bundled together
Oneleet positions itself as a one-stop shop for:
It appeals to companies who want everything in a single platform. But the tradeoff is that the compliance automation is not as deep or optimized as dedicated ISO or SOC 2 systems. Features are spread across multiple security categories, which dilutes the depth of each module.
Delve: A developer-friendly automation layer
Delve focuses on lightweight:
It is meant to reduce manual admin work but assumes that the customer already understands how compliance works. Delve is helpful for teams who want automation, but not ideal for teams without internal expertise.
2. Onboarding And Time To Certification
Time is money. Time lost in compliance is opportunity cost. The faster a company becomes audit ready, the faster it closes enterprise deals.
Smartly: Fastest time to certification
Smartly consistently delivers:
ISO 27001 readiness in 30 to 45 days
SOC 2 Type I in 21 to 30 days
SOC 2 Type II within 90 days
Full guidance from day one
Smartly compresses timelines with:
Smartly is the only platform with an execution model designed for speed.
Oneleet: Slower, more security-heavy onboarding
Oneleet's onboarding includes:
For cybersecurity, this is good. For pure compliance timelines, it slows progress. Compliance becomes one of many modules instead of the central focus.
SOC 2 or ISO 27001 readiness typically takes: 3 to 6 months for startups without internal GRC knowledge
Delve: Fast initial setup, slow later
Delve integrates quickly:
The problem appears later. Once the real compliance work starts, teams need:
Delve does not guide these steps deeply, which slows down teams who are not already experienced.
Time to Certification Comparison
| Metric | Smartly | Oneleet | Delve |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISO 27001 Readiness | 30-45 days | 3-6 months | 2-4 months |
| SOC 2 Type I | 21-30 days | 2-4 months | 1-3 months |
| SOC 2 Type II | 90 days | 4-9 months | 3-6 months |
| Initial Setup Time | 1-2 days | 1-2 weeks | 1-3 days |
3. Depth And Quality of Automation
Automation only matters when it reduces work that auditors require. Most platforms automate the wrong things. Smartly automates the right things.
Smartly: Deep automation focused on certification output
Smartly automates:
But the real advantage is that Smartly also automates clarity. Smartly tells you exactly which evidence to upload and how to format it.
Oneleet: Broad security automation, shallow compliance automation
Oneleet automates:
The compliance automation exists, but:
• Controls are generic
• Evidence steps are vague
• ISO workflows are high-level
• Task definitions are unclear
Oneleet is strong for cybersecurity. Not strong for ISO or SOC 2 depth.
Delve: Good for evidence automation, weak for governance
Delve captures evidence automatically, especially from:
But it is weaker in:
• Documentation structure
• Policy completeness
• Auditor-aligned mapping
• ISO governance
• Detailed task instruction
Delve automation reduces manual evidence work but does not build your compliance program for you.
4. Documentation, Policies, And Governance
This is where most companies fail their audits. And this is where the difference between these platforms is massive.
Smartly: Auditor-grade documentation with zero guesswork
Smartly provides:
Smartly does not send you to write documents alone. Smartly gives you exactly what passes audit.
Oneleet: Generic templates without tailored guidance
Oneleet includes:
• Policy templates
• General documentation
But:
• They are not industry-tailored
• They lack auditor-ready formatting
• They require heavy editing
• They do not come with guidance
Teams must rewrite documents themselves.
Delve: Minimal documentation support
Delve does not supply a strong documentation library. Most of the writing and structuring must be done internally. This slows teams and introduces risk.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Smartly | Oneleet | Delve |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automated Evidence Collection | |||
| Pre-Written Policies | Basic | Minimal | |
| Dedicated Compliance Specialist | Limited | No | |
| Continuous Monitoring | |||
| Audit Included | Separate | No | |
| Penetration Testing | Partner Network | No | |
| Risk Register Management | Basic | Limited | |
| ISMS Documentation | Generic | Minimal | |
| Step-by-Step Guidance | Limited | No |
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5. Pricing And Total Cost
Upfront cost matters. But total cost of certification matters more.
Smartly: Transparent pricing with certification included
Smartly includes:
This makes Smartly one of the most cost-effective platforms for startups.
Oneleet: Higher cost because of cybersecurity bundle
Oneleet pricing includes:
• Pentesting
• Vulnerability scanning
• Asset monitoring
• Compliance
This is useful but expensive. Startups who only need SOC 2 or ISO 27001 end up paying for tools they do not need.
Delve: Lower pricing but incomplete
Delve is cheaper but does not include:
• Audit
• Deep guidance
• Documentation support
Founders end up needing:
• Consultants
• External auditors
• Additional security tooling
This increases the real cost.
6. Support And Human Expertise
Compliance is not a software problem. It is a human expertise problem.
Smartly: Direct expert guidance until certification is complete
Smartly gives every customer:
This is why Smartly customers finish projects fast.
Oneleet: Good technical support, limited compliance support
Oneleet support focuses more on:
• Cybersecurity tools
• Penetration testing workflows
• Scanning issues
Compliance support exists but:
• It is not guided
• It is not step-by-step
• It is not hands-on
Delve: Reactive support, not strategic support
Delve support is helpful for:
• Integrations
• Platform issues
But it does not help you interpret controls or prepare for auditors.
7. Who Each Platform Is Best For
Smartly is best for:
Oneleet is best for:
Delve is best for:
8. The Real Winner: Which Platform Should a Startup Choose
Smartly wins for startups because Smartly delivers outcomes with certainty.
Not theory. Not dashboards. Not templates without context. Actual certification outcomes.
Smartly gives startups:
Oneleet wins if you need cybersecurity first, compliance second.
Delve wins if you already have compliance experts internally.
But Smartly wins if your company cares about speed, accuracy, and revenue impact.
Why Smartly Leads the Compliance Automation Race
Smartly has redefined how startups achieve compliance. Its approach blends automation, expertise, and transparency — giving teams control, confidence, and speed.
With Smartly, you get:
ISO 27001 or SOC 2 certification in weeks.
Continuous compliance through automated monitoring.
Expert guidance from start to finish.
Transparent, pay-after-certification pricing that eliminates risk.
Smartly: The fastest path to ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certification — built for startups that move fast, build trust, and grow securely.