Sekorti
What is a trust center? A practical guide for 2026.
A trust center is a public page where a company shows buyers its security and compliance posture: certifications, policies, sub-processors and security documents, in one place. This guide covers what to put on one, what to keep gated, and how to create a free trust center buyers will actually use.
Trust center: a definition
A trust center (also called a trust portal or security portal) is the page a buyer’s security team opens before they send you a questionnaire. It answers the common questions up front, lets buyers request sensitive documents, and shows that your security information is current.
It replaces three things that do not scale: the security PDF that is out of date the week after it is written, the sub-processor spreadsheet nobody remembers to update, and the email thread where your team answers the same questions for every deal.
What to put on a trust center
- Certifications and attestations: SOC 2, ISO 27001, ISO 42001, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, with status and dates
- Policies: information security, access control, incident response, business continuity, acceptable use
- Sub-processors: who handles personal data, where, and why (see our sub-processor list page)
- Security documents: SOC 2 report, penetration test summary, DPA, insurance certificate
- Security practices: encryption, hosting region, access management, vulnerability management
- Answers to common questions: the 20 questions every buyer asks
- Updates: renewed certifications, new sub-processors, resolved incidents
Public vs gated documents
Not everything should be public. A good rule:
| Document | Typical access | Why |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 27001 certificate | Public | Meant to be shown |
| SOC 3 report | Public | General-use report |
| Security policies (summaries) | Public | Answers common questions |
| SOC 2 Type II report | Gated, under NDA | Restricted-use report with control details |
| Penetration test report | Gated, under NDA | Contains findings |
| Data processing agreement | Public or on request | Often needed early in procurement |
Read more in how to share a SOC 2 report under NDA.
Why companies use a trust center
- Fewer questionnaires: buyers self-serve the common answers, so fewer full questionnaires arrive
- Faster deals: security review stops being the step that stalls a contract
- Consistency: everyone points to the same source instead of answering from memory
- Control: you decide what is public, what needs a request and who has accessed what
Trust center vs security page vs questionnaire
| Security page | Trust center | Questionnaire | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who starts it | You | You | The buyer |
| Stays current | Only if someone edits it | Yes, when tied to real evidence | Answered once per buyer |
| Gated documents | No | Yes | Attached by email |
| Effort per deal | Low | Lowest | High |
How to create a free trust center
- Gather what you have: policies, certifications, sub-processors, any SOC 2 or pen test reports. You do not need SOC 2 first.
- Decide access: what is public, what needs a request, what needs an NDA.
- Publish it on a stable URL and link it from your website footer and sales emails.
- Keep it current: renewals, new sub-processors and incidents should update the page, not wait for someone to remember.
With Sekorti’s free Trust Center you enter your work email or domain, Sekorti builds your Security Context from your website and documents, and your Trust Center is live in minutes. The Free plan is $0 a month with no card required.
Trust center checklist
- Certifications with status and renewal dates
- Security policy summaries
- Live sub-processor list
- Gated SOC 2 and pen test reports with an access request flow
- Answers to the 20 most common questions
- An updates feed
- A link from your website footer
Frequently asked questions
Is a trust center the same as a trust portal?
Yes. Trust center, trust portal and security portal are used for the same thing: a page that shows buyers your security and compliance posture.
Do I need SOC 2 before I create a trust center?
No. Start with what you have, such as policies, GDPR statements and pen test results, and show plainly what is still in progress.
Can a trust center be free?
Yes. Several vendors offer a free trust center, including Sekorti, whose Free plan is $0 a month with no card required. See our trust center software comparison.
Create your free Trust Center.
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