How much does PCI DSS compliance really cost?
Every business that processes credit cards must comply with PCI DSS. Costs range from $5k for a small SAQ to $500k+ for a Level 1 enterprise audit. Calculate your exposure below.
Your PCI Profile
<20k e-commerce or <1M other
Number of systems storing/transmitting card data
Used to estimate training costs
First-Year Compliance Cost
$8k–$39k
All setup, assessment, and remediation costs
Annual Recurring Cost
$5k–$20k
Ongoing assessment, scanning, training, tools
Cost Breakdown
Non-Compliance Fine (annual)
$60k–$1.2M
$5k–$100k/month from Visa/Mastercard via your acquirer
Breach Liability (without PCI)
$50k–$500k
Full fraud liability + forensics + fines if non-compliant at breach
Compliance Cost vs Risk Ratio
3%
Compliance costs 3% of non-compliance exposure — almost always worth it
Timeline to Compliance
5–16 weeks
From kickoff to first passing assessment
Your first-year compliance exposure: $8k–$39k
We'll review your environment, identify compliance gaps, and give you a prioritised remediation roadmap.
Get a Free PCI Exposure Teardown →Or email Oliver directly → oliver@digitalsignet.com