Best Audit Software Shortlist
I’ve assessed and carefully selected the following tools, which cover a broad range of potential audit use cases.
- Diligent HighBond - Best for growing companies
- FORM OpX - Best for paperless audits
- eCASE Audit - Best for government agencies
- SafetyCulture - Best for mobile auditing teams
- EHS Insight - Best value for money
- StandardFusion - Best comprehensive suite of audit features
- Workiva - Best for automations
- Pro-Sapien - Best for Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) audits
- Onspring - Best for risk assessment features
- Netwrix Auditor - Best for IT audits
Below I’ve provided a detailed evaluation of each tool, including a screenshot to give you an idea of the user interface, a summary of its key features, and some notable pros and cons.
What Is Audit Software?
Audit software refers to computer programs specifically designed to assist in various audit processes. It’s used by individuals and organizations, including internal auditors, regulatory bodies, and compliance teams, to evaluate the accuracy of financial information and the effectiveness of internal controls, and to ensure compliance with applicable rules and requirements.
Audit software typically includes a range of functionalities such as data analysis, risk assessment, document management, workflow automation, and reporting. These tools facilitate the efficient examination of financial records, internal controls, and other relevant data. Auditors can then identify potential errors, irregularities, or non-compliance with established standards and regulations.
Overviews of the 12 Best Audit Software
Here’s my assessment of each audit software I chose for my top list and what features I think set it apart from the competition.
1. Diligent HighBond - Best for growing companies
Diligent HighBond is designed to scale with your team. Its broad set of features makes it suitable for a wide range of auditing scenarios.
Why I picked Diligent HighBond: It’s a flexible audit management software designed to make your entire audit workflow more efficient, from planning to reporting.
Diligent HighBond fits nicely into a number of different use cases, such as compliance management, IT risk management, and ESG.
Diligent HighBond Standout Features and Integrations:
Features include advanced analytics and data automation, which you can use to more easily identify and assess risks in real-time. HighBond’s storyboards provide great data visualization, so you can get a deeper understanding of your company’s internal data.
I liked that HighBond focuses on configuration over customization. It has many configuration options, but they avoid complicated customization and bespoke solutions. Instead, this software was designed by implementing years of insight and customer feedback about what works and what doesn’t.
Integrations include Amazon Web Services, Dun & Bradstreet, Oracle, Netsuite, Microsoft SQL Server, SAP, Salesforce, Sage Accounting, Quickbooks, Zendesk, Stripe, Square, and dozens more.
Pricing: Custom pricing available upon request
Free Trial: Free product demo available
Pros
- Simple, visually intuitive interface
- Setup is straightforward
- Wide range of audit uses
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- No free plan/trial available
2. FORM OpX - Best for paperless audits
Form OpX enables you to do away with much of the physical paperwork associated with audits and replace them with digital forms, workflows, and reporting.
Why I picked Form OpX: A common challenge with all types of audits is getting compliance and buy-in from everyday employees. OpX addresses this issue by providing digital forms that are easy to complete on a mobile phone or tablet.
Form OpX Standout Features and Integrations:
Features include corrective action software that gives users in the field instant insights via mobile devices so they can make more informed decisions.
Detailed real-time reports allow auditors to track progress and show teams how they’re measuring up at a per-user level.
I like that OpX has an offline mode that lets your teams stay productive and work without interruption, even in areas with little to no cellular connectivity.
Plus, the configurable interface allows you to use your company’s brand colors and fonts, which I think makes for a better user experience and helps build company culture.
Integrations include Salesforce and numerous service, work order, and ERP systems. Most importantly, OpX has an Open API that allows you to transfer data back and forth between almost any software or app you need.
Pricing: From $21/user/month
Free Trial: Free 4-week trial
Pros
- Fully configurable interface and branding
- Upfront pricing structure
- Offline mode
Cons
- Limited details about integrations
- Form creation can be cumbersome
3. eCASE Audit - Best for government agencies
eCASE Audit was specifically designed for use by government agencies. It helps to streamline audit processes to ensure compliance with Government Accountability Office (GAO) guidelines.
Why I picked eCASE Audit: Government agencies and organizations have very specific needs and requirements when it comes to audits.
An audit software that’s ideal for private companies may not be what’s needed in the public sector. For those situations, eCASE Audit offers a dedicated and purpose-built solution.
eCase Audit Standout Features and Integrations:
Features include issue tracking and resolution management with automated follow-ups. This makes assigning ownership of tasks and meeting deadlines easier. Integrated scheduling and time tracking helps to record the time spent to complete various audit procedures and reduces the need for data re-entry.
I liked that eCASE Audit has collaboration tools that allow users to edit PDFs, spreadsheets, slideshows, and other documents from within the application.
Integrations are limited, as eCase Audit is designed to be an all-in-one audit software. However, it does support email integration with Microsoft Outlook or other email services that use SMTP settings, as well as Word-based correspondence templates.
Pricing: Custom pricing available upon request
Free Trial: Free demo available
Pros
- Cloud-based data storage
- Purpose-built for government agencies
- Clean, intuitive interface
Cons
- Limited integrations
- No mobile app
4. SafetyCulture - Best for mobile auditing teams
SafetyCulture (formerly iAuditor) is used across various industries for safety audits, quality control inspections, and compliance assessments.
Why I picked SafetyCulture: It allows users to conduct audits, assessments, and inspections on their device of choice. You don’t need to bring your paperwork back from the field and manually enter it on a desktop in the office. Audit team members can also access real-time data and monitor audit progress directly from their phones.
SafetyCulture Standout Features and Integrations:
Features include being a mobile-first application. Some software adds mobile functionality as an afterthought, but you can tell that SafetyCulture prioritizes the mobile experience. I like that it allows you to digitize all of the elements of your operations and collaborate together with various teams across your organization.
You can pair SafetyCulture with sensors to monitor and alert you of particular conditions—for example, if inventory drops below a certain point or if critical local weather alerts are issued. SafetyCulture can also instantly generate and share custom reports with your team, manager, or client.
Integrations include Procore, Tableau, SharePoint, Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive. Third-party connectors like Zapier and Power Automate allow you to integrate additional tools.
Pricing: From $24/user/month
Free Trial: Free plan for up to 10 users
Pros
- Easy form setup process
- Free plan available
- Easy to learn and use
Cons
- Few native integrations
- Limited customization
5. EHS Insight - Best value for money
EHS Insight is a well-priced audit tool that covers audit management, incident management, compliance tasks, training management, audit observations, environmental management, and quality management modules.
Why I picked EHS Insight: Some audit software tools focus on a very specific task. While they may be inexpensive, oftentimes you eventually end up buying several other tools to fill in the gaps. EHS Insight charges a flat rate that covers most, if not all, of the audit tools you need.
EHS Insight Standout Features and Integrations:
Features include a fully functional mobile app, and visually appealing user dashboards and reports. After seeing so many drab and outdated audit software options, that really stood out to me.
Offline access keeps data accessible, even if you don’t have an internet connection in the field. And cloud functionality means you can access your information from pretty much anywhere on any device.
Integrations Unfortunately, EHS Insight doesn’t provide any information about integrations on its website.
Pricing: Starting at $3,600/year
Free Trial: Free trial upon request
Pros
- User-friendly interface
- Broad range of features and applications
- Great mobile app
Cons
- Lack of detail regarding integration
- Not designed for smaller businesses
6. StandardFusion - Best comprehensive suite of audit features
StandardFusion contains a broad range of tools for risk management, audit management, compliance management, as well as vendor and third-party assessments.
Why I picked StandardFusion: StandardFusion’s broad range of audit features is great for larger companies that want a tool that covers a lot of different needs. They’re applicable across most industries, from technology, healthcare, and manufacturing to financial services and retail.
StandardFusion Standout Features and Integrations:
Features include a broad selection of data reporting and risk analytics. StandardFusion supports multiple industry-specific audit standards, including ISO, SOC, NIST, HIPAA, PCI DSS, FedRAMP, and GDPR.
I like that it’s able to generate visually appealing reports for any audience, whether you want high-level executive summaries or more detailed compliance reports. Its in-depth analytics let you monitor the status of your risks and see how they continue to evolve over time. Tracking progress lets you see how changes are affecting your business.
Vendor management is something fairly unique to StandardFusion out of the audit softwares on this list. It allows you to identify and track all vendors and third parties important to your organization. You can create vendor questionnaires and perform vendor assessments to identify any potential third-party risks that may affect you.
Integrations include RiskRecon, SecurityScorecard, Slack, Jira, Confluence, ZenDesk, SSP Reporting, POA&M, and Qualys.
Pricing: From $1,500/mo (plus $7,500 onboarding)
Free Trial: Free demo available
Pros
- Broad range of compliance and risk management features
- Visually intuitive interface
- Great automation features
Cons
- Integrations not available on Starter plan
- Very expensive compared to other options
7. Workiva - Best for automation
Every time data needs to be manually entered or updated by a human, it introduces room for error. Workiva helps to automate financial reporting work and reduce the risks associated with manual data entry.
Why I picked Workiva: It’s important to make sure audit work is being done accurately and completely, but you probably also want it to be done quickly, too. Whether you’re preparing regulatory filings or producing annual reports, Workiva’s automation features can help cut the time it takes to complete your audit tasks.
Workiva Standout Features and Integrations:
Features include APIs and connectors that make it easy to input and output data like account balances or transaction details. This means you’re using the same data across all of your work, including within your ERP, consolidation systems, planning systems, or budgeting software—I liked that.
Once your data is linked, your documents and spreadsheets auto-update with the latest information. Workiva can handle data whether it’s formatted as a number, in a table, or as text.
Workiva has specific features to help with ESG reporting, internal audit management, SEC reporting, and SOX compliance.
Integrations include Dropbox, Hubspot, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Salesforce, and 20+ other tools.
Pricing: Custom pricing available upon request
Free Trial: Free demo available
Pros
- Extensive automation options
- Visually appealing interface
- Easy to use
Cons
- Pricing details aren’t transparent
- Not ideal for smaller businesses
8. Pro-Sapien - Best for environmental, health & safety (EHS) audits
Pro-Sapien is an award-winning and comprehensive environmental, health & safety (EHS) audit platform.
Why I picked Pro-Sapien: It’s the best tool that I found in my research for EHS workflows. It’s got purpose-built EHS modules, an intuitive design, and AI-powered automations.
Pro-Sapien’s Standout Features and Integrations:
Features include an integrated mobile platform that auditors can access from their mobile or tablet when they’re out of the office for inventory counts or site visits. Teams can also save time with the automated approval and verification that automatically routes documents to the correct person based on factors like audit type and location.
I liked that you can import templates from your existing library. Sometimes a finding comes up more than once in your organization, and this helps reduce the time and effort spent on paperwork.
Pro-Sapien’s Business Intelligence model provides reports and analytics that help you identify trends, measure against KPIs (key performance indicators), and make data-based decisions.
Integrations include SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, and Microsoft 365.
Pricing: Custom pricing available upon request
Free Trial: Free demo available
Pros
- Easy to learn and use
- Mobile compatible
- Great analytics and reporting
Cons
- Requires Microsoft 365
- Limited integrations
9. Onspring - Best for risk assessment features
Onspring’s internal audit software lets you align your audit plans with your organization’s most significant risks and objectives.
Why I picked Onspring: It helps you manage the entire audit process, from planning to reporting, through user-friendly dashboards. You can easily manage and keep track of all audit-related documents like work papers, findings, review notes, and milestones.
And, out of all the software that made my list, this one is the easiest to use.
Onspring Standout Features and Integrations:
Features include their “no code automation,” which I really liked. It lets anyone drag and drop different elements to customize their dashboards, reports, and workflows. You don’t need to call someone in your IT department to help.
Its real-time reporting and risk insights keep you up-to-date, whether you want just the big picture or need more granular details.
Onspring also comes with audit communication tools like surveys and questionnaires, as well as automated notifications via email, SMS, and Slack.
Integrations include Ascent, RapidRatings, SecurityScorecard, RiskRecon, BitSight, Jira, Slack, and a few others natively. They can also help you integrate some of your existing favorite technology upon request.
Pricing: Custom pricing.
Free Trial: Free demo available
Pros
- User-friendly
- No-code automation feature
- Multiple audit use cases
Cons
- Pricing isn’t transparent
- No mobile app
10. Netwrix Auditor - Best for IT audits
Netwrix’s audit software helps IT teams detect security threats and prove compliance.
Why I picked Netwrix: There are constantly new viruses, hacks, phishing attempts, and other cyber threats that threaten the security of your business’ computer infrastructure. A tool like Netwrix Auditor makes it easier to ensure your business is secure. Instead of waiting for a threat or problem to emerge, it allows you to actively monitor and catch issues before they become a problem.
Netwrix Standout Features and Integrations:
Features include predefined reports that are mapped to common regulations and industry standards. I thought these would be helpful to reduce the time needed to prepare for audits.
Netwrix’s Google-like search function allows you to find answers within minutes. That way, you’re not combing through audit logs and records for hours to answer specific questions from auditors.
Risk assessment tools help you identify weaknesses and security gaps in your infrastructure. Netwrix also sends alerts to notify you of suspicious activity around your sensitive data. That way, you can respond before you have a data breach or system failure.
Integrations include Splunk, Cyberark, Amazon Web Services, IBM QRadar, Intel Security, and 10+ others.
Pricing: Custom pricing available upon request
Free Trial: 20-day trial
Pros
- Risk identification tools
- Helpful automations
- Searchable tool
Cons
- Outdated user interface
- Pricing isn’t transparent
11. QT9 QMS - Best ISO compliance features
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) compliance is an internationally-recognized standard or way of doing something. QT9’s software helps with ISO compliance across various industries, including ISO 9001, ISO 13485, ISO 14001, and ISO 17025.
Why I picked QT9 QMS: It allows you to automate and connect all of your quality control and total quality management processes to ensure your products are meeting your customer’s expectations while complying with all applicable industry standards and requirements. This is particularly important in industries like aerospace and medical devices, where the margin for error can be incredibly small.
QT9 QMS Standout Features and Integrations:
Features include the ability to access the software from anywhere. I liked that it supports Mac, PC, Chromebook, Linux, and mobile devices equally well. The software’s modern dashboard grids and graphics improve data visibility.
QT9 helps businesses to automate routine tasks by implementing quality management best practices. Its fully integrated models can easily transfer data and documents from one system to the next.
Integrations include QT9’s own ERP software, Microsoft Office, and Microsoft Excel.
Pricing: Custom pricing available upon request
Free Trial: 30-day trial
Pros
- Fast and easy implementation
- Mobile-friendly
- Scalable
Cons
- Limited integrations
- Steep learning curve
12. Resolver’s Internal Audit Software - Best for internal audit teams
Resolver’s software helps internal audit teams to allocate resources to high-priority tasks, allowing teams to streamline and automate different steps of the audit process.
Why I picked Resolver: It helps internal auditors to perform high-quality risk-based audits quickly, with automated workflows and customizable templates.
Although I focused on Resolver’s internal audit software here, they also offer a range of products for managing enterprise risk, security risk, IT risk, vendor risk, and regulatory compliance—all of which could also be used for audit purposes.
Resolver’s Standout Features and Integrations:
Features include powerful reporting dashboards. In my opinion, these real-time reports will help ensure auditors are always making the best decisions based on the latest information.
A central information hub stores all audit data, consolidating process documentation, risk assessments, and audit work papers. Plus, when needed, internal audit teams can easily share data with individuals in other departments, increasing efficiency and engagement.
Automated workflows, reminders, and alerts reduce the amount of time that auditors will need to chase for backup via email and phone calls. One-click audit committee reports let you see an overview of the entire business or use filters to drill down to finer details.
Integrations: None natively supported. (API and webhooks integration only)
Pricing: Contact for custom pricing.
Free Trial: Free demo available
Pros
- Simple, visually intuitive interface
- Great automation features
- Strong reporting functionality
Cons
- No native integrations
- No mobile app
Other Options
Here are some additional audit tools that didn’t quite make my top 12 list but are still worth checking out.
- AuditBoard - Best cloud-based features
- SiteDocs - Best for construction and maintenance projects
- Audit Prodigy - Best for integrated audit and compliance management features
- ProcessGene - Best GRC (governance, risk, and compliance) software
Selection Criteria For Audit Software
Here’s a short summary of the main selection and evaluation criteria I used to develop my list of the best audit software for this article:
Core Functionality
First, I evaluated and compared a wide range of popular audit softwares to see the sort of functions they had in common. These are the basic things that an audit software needs to be able to do in order to make it onto my list:
- Create a detailed audit trail of the system
- Manage workflows
- Test and sample data
- Perform a risk assessment
- Allow for data analysis (should support data import, data cleansing, data transformation, and provide various analytical tools for testing, validation, and identification of anomalies or patterns.)
- Track and manage issues as they arise
- Help the user ensure compliance
Key Features
In order to deliver the core functionality I’ve outlined above, here are some key features that I think audit software should include:
- Checklists, templates, and forms: These help to add structure and guide the audit process, as well as standardize documentation.
- Audit planning tools: These are vital to conducting audits effectively and on schedule.
- Reporting and dashboards: These allow auditors to more easily interpret information at a glance, as well as inform the decision-making of stakeholders. Analytics help auditors spot areas for improvement, especially when compared against benchmarks.
- Mobile access: Audits are often completed on the go or in the field, so the software should ideally be compatible with mobile devices or tablets. An offline mode or the ability to use 4G instead of wifi is also an advantage.
- Task management: Audit teams need a way to assign tasks to individual team members and track their progress.
- Compliance and risk management: Features within the software should help make sure the business is compliant with relevant standards and regulations.
- Alerts and notifications: The software should proactively warn about potential problems early, so they can be prevented or mitigated early on.
Usability
I prioritized audit software that I thought had a high level of usability. I define usability as being easy both to implement and to use.
Any audit software will have a learning curve to some degree. But modern software should be user-friendly and easy to navigate in an intuitive way.
People Also Ask
Here are some other questions you might have when trying to find the audit software that’s right for your use case.
How much does audit software cost?
Who uses audit software?
What are the different types of audit software?
Final Thoughts
Auditing is a rather broad term that covers accounting audits, IT audits, environmental audits, and many others. You’ll need different tools and features in your software for each of these. The best audit software for you will be the one that helps you to complete your audit as efficiently and accurately as possible.
Hopefully, my audit software picks will help you to find the audit software that’s the best fit for your team.
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