How much does it cost to use Trace to prepare for AASB S2 compliance?
Trace pricing combines an annual platform subscription with expert services on top, so the cost of compliance depends on which product modules you need and the package you choose for each. We will quote a fixed price once we have scoped the work with you. Trace is designed to cost less than a large consulting firm, both in Year 1 and over time.
How Trace pricing works
At Trace we offer a proportionate, efficient and defensible approach to AASB S2 climate reporting.
Each workstream is priced separately, and each has three packages: self-led, standard and advanced. You choose the level of support for each workstream, so you only pay for the help you need. There is more on what each package includes here.
Every workstream package requires a subscription to the Trace Compliance Hub. This is where your evidence is collected and your audit trail is kept, and it gives you access to our Sustainability Agent, Tracey. The subscription can be included in your services or priced separately, starting at $1,750 per year.
We cannot give an off-the-shelf price before scoping, because the work varies with your organisation. The main drivers are:
- Size and complexity. The number of entities, sites and business lines in your reporting boundary.
- What you already have. Existing risk registers, emissions inventories, governance documents and prior climate work reduce the effort.
- How much you want to lead internally. The more your team takes on, the lower the cost.
- Timing. When you start and how your reporting deadline fits our delivery windows.
Indicative pricing by workstream
|
Workstream |
Indicative range (AUD ex GST) |
|---|---|
|
Readiness Assessment |
$3,000 to $9,000 |
|
Governance Review |
$2,000 to $10,000 |
|
Climate risk and scenario analysis |
$20,000 to $30,000 |
|
Emissions measurement |
$10,000 to $20,000 |
|
Climate metrics & targets (excluding emissions) |
$5,000 to $10,000 |
|
Disclosure drafting and assurance support |
$10,000 to $25,000 |
|
All workstreams |
$50,000 to $104,000 |
These are ranges, not quotes. Your price is confirmed after scoping.
Why Trace costs less than a large consulting firm
Our mission is to reduce the cost and burden of compliance, so organisations can focus on climate resilience and opportunities.
Here’s how we achieve that:
- AI where it helps. Experts where it matters. This model is the main reason Trace costs less. AI handles data processing, first drafts and structure, so our experts spend their time on the judgement calls rather than manual work.
- Standardised, proven workflows. We do not rebuild the approach for each client, which keeps effort predictable.
- A proportionate approach. We scope to what AASB S2 requires, not to everything that could be done: Everything the standard asks for. Nothing it doesn't.
- Lower costs over time. Context, decisions and source documents are retained in the platform, so Year 2 does not start from scratch. Your team also builds capability as it goes, so you can take on more work in-house each year.
- A faster audit. Your climate disclosure will be assured, and assurance is a significant cost in its own right. The median disclosed assurance fee for first-year Group 1 reporting was $89,000: $95,000 where a Big Four firm provided assurance and $55,000 for a mid-tier firm, according to Purpose Bureau and Monash Business School's State of the Market: Assurance Snapshot (July 2026). Assurance fees depend on how long the work takes. Auditors have told us that reports are faster to audit when an expert adviser has run the process, because the evidence is organised and the methodology is documented.
The median disclosed assurance fee for first-year Group 1 reporting was $89,000. Investing in a partner to help you prepare can bring down Audit fees.
How to keep your costs down
- Draft the disclosure yourself. Use Trace's disclosure template and write it in house, rather than having Trace draft it for you.
- Adopt the philosophy of Minimum Viable Compliance. Disclose everything the standard asks for and nothing it doesn’t. You can read more about ASRS relief and proportionality here.
- Keep non-emissions metrics in house. Where your finance team is comfortable leading this work, it can sit internally.
- Start early. We price more favourably for organisations that start early and fit our delivery windows. That helps our capacity planning as much as your budget.
Common mistakes
- Comparing on price alone. A cheaper option that leaves your auditor with more to test can cost more once assurance fees are counted.
- Leaving it late. Compressed timelines reduce your options and remove the early-start pricing. Read more about our Proactive Pricing here
- Buying more than the standard requires. Voluntary extras add cost and expand what your auditor has to test.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Can you just give me a price? Year 1 compliance with Trace costs between $40,000 and $80,000 for most of our clients, and we can give you indicative ranges for each workstream, but not a fixed price until we have scoped the work. Cost depends on your size, complexity, existing material and how much your team wants to lead. Scoping is quick and lets us confirm a price you can budget against.
Q: Will it cost the same every year? No, it should cost less over time, though Year 2 can be similar to Year 1 because of additional Scope 3 and risk quantification requirements. With Trace, your evidence and decisions are retained in the platform, so Year 2 builds on Year 1 rather than starting again, and your team can take on more as its capability grows.
Q: Is the self-led package enough to comply? Every package is designed to meet AASB S2. The difference is how much of the work your team does and how much Trace does. Self-led suits teams with the time and capability to lead, with Trace's platform and experts behind them.