Drata Trust Center Alternative: Why EU Companies Are Evaluating Options
Drata acquired SafeBase in 2024, creating one of the most comprehensive compliance-plus-trust-center solutions. But for European companies that already have compliance tooling, Drata's bundled approach creates specific friction.
TL;DR
Drata + SafeBase is a strong combination if you want GRC automation and a trust center in one platform. But European companies often already have an ISMS or compliance tool — meaning they'd be paying for Drata's GRC to access SafeBase's trust center, or buying SafeBase standalone at enterprise pricing. Both paths raise the same EU-specific issues: US corporate structure (CLOUD Act exposure), SOC 2-first positioning, and opaque pricing. Orbiq is a standalone EU trust center — no GRC bundle required, EU hosting by default, pricing published.
What Drata Does Well
Drata earned its market position through genuine product depth.
The platform automates evidence collection across SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR, NIS2, DORA, and dozens of other frameworks. It continuously monitors security controls in real-time and connects to cloud environments, identity providers, and security tools. With the SafeBase acquisition, Drata now offers the full chain: internal compliance automation → external trust presentation.
Specific things worth acknowledging:
- EU hosting available — Drata uses AWS infrastructure and gives customers a choice of US or EMEA cells. No additional negotiation required; you choose during setup.
- European HQ in London — with a dedicated Customer Success team for EMEA customers.
- NIS2 and DORA framework support — Drata added support for both by 2025, along with ISO 42001 for AI risk management.
- SafeBase trust center is genuinely mature — it pioneered the category and remains one of the most feature-rich trust center products available. Deep access controls, Salesforce integration, analytics dashboards, AI questionnaire automation.
- Trust Center Essential is included free with every Drata plan — a basic trust center with public document sharing, control status display, and subprocessor listing.
- Expanding European partner ecosystem — partnerships with Distology and Exclusive Networks for EMEA distribution across UK, Ireland, DACH, and Nordics.
If you're a growth-stage company that doesn't yet have compliance tooling and needs both a GRC platform and a trust center, the Drata + SafeBase combination is genuinely compelling.
Where European Buyers Hit Friction
The friction comes from the architecture: Drata is a GRC platform that now bundles a trust center. European companies often encounter specific structural issues with this approach.
1. Two Products, Two Pricing Layers
After acquiring SafeBase, Drata offers two distinct product bundles on their pricing page: "Drata GRC Platform" and "SafeBase Trust Center + AI QA." Both require contacting sales for pricing.
This means there are multiple paths to getting a trust center through Drata, each with different cost implications:
- Drata GRC + Trust Center Essential (free): The basic trust center comes included, but features are limited — no custom domain, no Salesforce integration, no AI questionnaire automation, no advanced analytics. Upgrade to Trust Center Pro is a separate add-on.
- Drata GRC + Trust Center Pro: Full-featured SafeBase trust center, but requires Drata GRC subscription as the base. Based on publicly reported figures, Drata GRC starts around €10,500/year, with Trust Center Pro reportedly adding €8,000–€15,000/year.
- SafeBase standalone: SafeBase can be purchased independently of Drata, with Foundation, Advanced, and Enterprise tiers. Pricing is contact-sales only.
For a European company that already runs ISO 27001 via DataGuard or an internal ISMS: you're either buying Drata's GRC (which duplicates what you have) to get the trust center, or buying SafeBase standalone at enterprise pricing for just the external proof layer.
2. US Corporate Structure — Same CLOUD Act Issue
Drata is headquartered in San Diego, California. SafeBase is also a US entity (now part of Drata). Even with EMEA hosting cells, both remain subject to the US CLOUD Act.
Your trust center contains security documentation, penetration test results, compliance evidence, and architectural details. For regulated EU industries, the question of which jurisdiction's law enforcement can compel disclosure of that data matters — regardless of where the servers sit.
3. SOC 2-First, Despite EU Framework Support
Drata was founded on SOC 2 automation. ISO 27001, GDPR, NIS2, and DORA were added later. This is reflected in the product's DNA:
- Onboarding flows typically start with SOC 2 or ISO 27001 selection
- Case studies and marketing primarily feature US companies
- The trust center (SafeBase) was also built for US enterprise sales workflows
NIS2 and DORA are supported at the framework level — controls are mapped, evidence can be collected. But the trust center's content structure, templates, and default presentation still assume SOC 2 is the primary framework visitors care about.
4. Pricing Opacity Across Both Products
Neither Drata nor SafeBase publishes pricing. Both require a sales conversation.
Based on publicly available information:
- Drata GRC: Starts around €10,500/year for basic plans. Growth plans range €15,000–€25,000/year. Enterprise: €30,000–€80,000+/year. Implementation fees of up to €25,000 have been reported separately.
- SafeBase standalone: Enterprise pricing; not publicly reported. The previous generation of SafeBase (pre-Drata) was typically cited at €15,000+/year.
- Trust Center Pro add-on to Drata: Reportedly €8,000–€15,000/year on top of the GRC platform subscription.
For a European mid-market company or startup that just needs a trust center, the total cost can quickly exceed what the actual requirement justifies.
5. Trust Center Essential Is Limited
The free Trust Center Essential included with Drata provides basic functionality: public document sharing, control status display, policy listing, and subprocessor display. But key features are reserved for Trust Center Pro:
- Custom URL (trust.yourcompany.com)
- Salesforce integration
- Private document access requests (limited to 300 approved unique domains/year on Pro)
- Personalisation and branding via HTML editor
- Automated access approvals
- DocuSign NDA integration
- Open APIs
- Publishing capabilities for announcements
If the free tier's limitations don't meet your needs, you're looking at the Pro add-on — which requires the GRC platform subscription as a base.
What European Companies Should Look For
If you're a European company evaluating Drata's trust center specifically, here's what matters:
Standalone Trust Center Without GRC Requirements
If you already have compliance tooling, you shouldn't need to buy a GRC platform to get an external proof layer. A trust center that works independently — connecting to your existing ISMS — avoids redundant spend.
Published, Predictable Pricing
Two separate contact-sales conversations (one for Drata, one for SafeBase/Trust Center Pro) is a procurement process designed for enterprise buyers with dedicated security budgets. SMEs and startups need to see pricing before committing time.
EU Data Sovereignty
EMEA hosting cells address residency. But for regulated industries, sovereignty — which jurisdiction's laws govern your data — matters separately. Look for vendors incorporated in the EU.
EU Frameworks as Primary
Your trust center should present NIS2, DORA, ISO 27001, and GDPR as primary frameworks, not as additions to SOC 2.
Drata Trust Center vs Orbiq: Side-by-Side
| Factor | Drata Trust Center (SafeBase) | Orbiq |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | GRC platform + trust center bundle | Standalone trust center |
| Headquarters | San Diego, US (European HQ in London) | Hamburg, Germany |
| EU hosting | EMEA cell available (AWS) — customer selects during setup | EU by default |
| Data sovereignty | US corporate structure; subject to CLOUD Act | EU corporate structure; EU jurisdiction |
| Pricing | Not published; requires sales conversation for both Drata and SafeBase. Reported: €10K+ for GRC + €8–15K for Trust Center Pro | Published pricing; free tier available |
| Free tier | Trust Center Essential: basic functionality, limited features | Free tier: core trust center features |
| Trust center deployment | Strongest when bundled with Drata GRC; standalone SafeBase available at enterprise pricing | Standalone by design |
| Primary frameworks | SOC 2 primary; ISO 27001, GDPR, NIS2, DORA supported | ISO 27001, GDPR, NIS2, DORA as equals |
| AI features | SafeBase AI Questionnaire Assistance — mature, cited by customers | Emerging — AI search and AI-supported questionnaires |
| CRM integrations | Deep Salesforce, HubSpot (Trust Center Pro) | API/webhook-driven; native integrations emerging |
| Subprocessor display | Available; auto-pulls from Drata vendor page | Public by default |
| NIS2/DORA support | Yes — framework-level within GRC platform | Yes — trust center structures content around NIS2/DORA requirements |
| Target market | Global; US-primary with growing EMEA presence | EU companies and companies selling to EU buyers |
When Drata Is Still the Right Choice
Drata + SafeBase makes sense if:
- You don't have compliance tooling yet — and want GRC automation and a trust center in one purchase
- You need SafeBase's mature trust center features — deep access controls, Salesforce ARR attribution, advanced analytics, AI questionnaire automation
- SOC 2 is your primary framework — Drata's SOC 2 automation is among the best available
- You're scaling rapidly across multiple frameworks — Drata supports dozens of frameworks with cross-mapping
- You have enterprise budget — and can absorb €20K–€40K+/year for the combined platform
- You want the full ecosystem — GRC + trust center + vendor risk management + questionnaire automation in one vendor
If those describe your situation, the Drata + SafeBase combination is hard to beat on feature depth. The friction points matter less when you need the full stack.
How Orbiq Approaches This Differently
Orbiq exists because most European companies already have compliance tooling. They don't need another GRC platform. They need the external proof layer.
No GRC bundle required. Use Orbiq alongside DataGuard, Secureframe, your internal ISMS, or even alongside Drata. Orbiq is the presentation layer, not the compliance engine.
EU hosting is default. EU-headquartered, EU-hosted. No CLOUD Act exposure. No EMEA cell selection required.
Pricing is published. Free tier to evaluate. Paid tiers with clear feature boundaries. No sales conversation needed.
EU frameworks are first-class. NIS2, DORA, ISO 27001, and GDPR structure the trust center from day one.
One product, one price. No two-layer pricing, no add-on tiers, no separate products for basic vs. advanced trust center features.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SafeBase now part of Drata?
Yes. Drata acquired SafeBase in 2024. SafeBase continues to operate as the trust center component of Drata's platform. It's also available as a standalone product separate from Drata's GRC platform, though pricing for standalone SafeBase requires a sales conversation.
Does Drata offer a free trust center?
Yes. Trust Center Essential is included free with every Drata GRC plan. It provides basic public document sharing, control status display, and subprocessor listing. Features like custom domains, Salesforce integration, AI questionnaires, and advanced analytics require Trust Center Pro, which is a paid add-on.
Does Drata offer EU hosting?
Yes. Drata uses AWS infrastructure and provides customers a choice of US or EMEA cells. The European HQ is in London with a dedicated EMEA Customer Success team. However, as a US-headquartered company, Drata remains subject to the CLOUD Act.
Does Drata support NIS2 and DORA?
Yes. Drata added NIS2 and DORA framework support by 2025, alongside ISO 42001 for AI risk management. These frameworks are supported within the GRC platform with mapped controls and evidence collection.
How does Drata's trust center compare to Orbiq on features?
SafeBase (Drata's trust center) is more feature-rich in several areas: deeper Salesforce integration, advanced analytics with ARR attribution, more mature AI questionnaire automation, and broader access control configurations. Orbiq is simpler, standalone, EU-native, and priced for the European mid-market. The right choice depends on whether you need enterprise trust center features or a clean EU-hosted external proof layer.
Key Takeaways
- Drata + SafeBase is feature-rich — but designed as a bundled GRC + trust center platform
- EU hosting is available — EMEA cells exist, but US corporate structure means CLOUD Act applies
- Two-layer pricing adds complexity — GRC platform + trust center add-on can exceed €25K/year
- Trust Center Essential is basic — key features require the paid Pro upgrade
- European companies with existing compliance tools pay for redundancy — the GRC platform may duplicate what you already have
- If you need just the external proof layer, a standalone trust center is simpler
See How Orbiq Works
If you need a standalone trust center with EU hosting, published pricing, and NIS2/DORA-native structure — without buying a GRC platform — Orbiq might be what you're looking for.
→ View our Trust Center (yes, we use our own product)