Learn what PCI means for your business in 2025. Understand PCI DSS compliance, new v4.0 requirements, and how Swipesum helps you stay secure without monthly PCI fees.
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Most business owners first hear the term PCI when they’re suddenly hit with a PCI non-compliance fee or a message from their processor warning them to “get compliant.” It sounds technical and intimidating... but it doesn’t have to be.
PCI meaning, in the context of payment processing, stands for Payment Card Industry. It refers to the PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) which is a global framework created by Visa, Mastercard, and other card networks to keep customer card data safe. If your business accepts credit or debit cards, these standards apply to you. PCI compliance varies by merchant level, based on how many transactions you process per year. Smaller merchants typically fill out a self-assessment form and run a quick security scan. Larger organizations may need a third-party audit and ongoing network monitoring.
While PCI compliance isn’t legally mandated, it’s required by every major card brand and payment processor. Failing to maintain compliance can lead to monthly penalties, higher processing costs, or even account suspension. The good news? Staying compliant isn’t overwhelming, especially when you have a partner who understands the process. Swipesum helps businesses meet PCI DSS requirements, avoid unnecessary fees, and protect their customers’ data with confidence.
Curious about PCI compliance? Swipesum provides information on PCI in account approval emails, during onboarding, and after onboarding. We provide links and information for video tutorials that lead you through the questionnaires to get compliant. Book a free consultation today.
PCI stands for Payment Card Industry, a term used to describe the ecosystem of businesses, banks, and processors involved in handling credit and debit card transactions.
When people talk about being “PCI compliant,” they’re referring to following the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), a global security framework created by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and JCB. The goal of PCI DSS is simple: protect cardholder data and prevent fraud. These standards apply to any business that stores, processes, or transmits payment card information, whether you handle ten transactions a week or ten million.
In short: PCI meaning in payment processing = protecting customer card data and proving your systems are secure.
There are 12 major steps to ensure PCI compliance.
The policy boils down to a series of fairly simple security measures that any card processor or business handling payment card information should be able to easily follow. The goal of the requirements is to protect customer data and the requirements are meant to be adopted broadly.
Payment card companies care a great deal about ensuring merchants are handling information securely - but why? Two main reasons. First, credit card companies are generally on the hook for covering fraudulent charges that are on their customers’ accounts. In fact, it’s become a staple of most credit cards and one of the many reasons it can sometimes be smarter for customers to use credit instead of debit. The second reason is that they want to keep their customers happy broadly and so should you!
The PCI Security Standards Council updated the DSS framework to version 4.0 to address modern risks.
Here’s what’s changed:
Swipesum tracks these updates so merchants don’t have to, ensuring your systems stay aligned with the latest standards.
PCI Compliance is essential for any business accepting cards or handling credit card data, and while it protects customer information, it often comes with associated fees. Here's a breakdown of what to expect:
Many payment processors charge PCI Compliance Fees, each provider has different pricing as they mark up their actual costs. This fee is to help businesses meet the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). These fees can vary widely:
- Worldpay charges monthly fees starting at $30.00 per month.
- Elavon charges $74.99 per month.
These fees may be included in your overall processing costs or appear as a separate line item on your invoice. Swipesum, however, offers PCI compliance support at no additional cost, helping merchants avoid these fees.
If your business isn't PCI compliant, you might face Non-Compliance Fees, ranging from $10 to $100 per month. These penalties encourage businesses to achieve compliance quickly.
Additional Compliance Costs
Other potential costs include:
- SAQ (Self-Assessment Questionnaire): $0 to $200
- Vulnerability Scanning: $100 to $200 per IP address
- Employee PCI Training: $70 per employee
- Remediation: $100 to $10,000 depending on the work needed
Depending on your business size, PCI compliance can range from $1,000 to $50,000+ annually, with large enterprises potentially paying much more.
Swipesum's PCI Advantage
Swipesum simplifies PCI compliance by offering these services at no extra charge, helping businesses stay compliant without added costs. Investing in PCI compliance is crucial to avoid penalties and protect your business from data breaches.
Generally, your merchant account provider will offer PCI compliance services. There is likely a fee for this service but it can take some of the headache out of managing things yourself. Additionally, you can hire consultants to assist you with PCI compliance. You can also do it yourself, at no cost. All you have to do for PCI compliance is complete and file a self-assessment questionnaire each year along with records of the scans that are required of your payment network. There may be some additional paperwork required but it should all be relatively straightforward for businesses to complete.
You’ll then sign an attestation form that you agree to remain compliant and that’s it! You’ll get a nice certificate. For most small businesses, this is sufficient and as long as you continue meeting requirements, you won’t have any issues. If you’re a larger business and fall into a higher “compliance level,” you may have to submit your network to security scans by an approved vendor.
Compliance levels are based on the number of transactions you process in a given year.
If you’re a small business or perhaps doing some sales on the side, you can see that you likely fall into Level 4. Many medium sized businesses, restaurants, bars and other businesses you may find around town, likely fall into PCI Level 2 or 3. Level 1 is usually reserved for very large companies.
There are a few things to keep in mind when you’re determining your compliance level, getting PCI compliant and holding on to that designation.
Your payment processor should have fairly robust reporting tools that allow you to see how many transactions you’ve processed. Get a firm understanding of this number and ensure you apply appropriately. Being too low can result in fines. Being too high means you’re paying for things you don’t need to.
Security of your customers’ information should always be right on the top of your mind. It’s good business and bad data privacy policies can lead to some very expensive lawsuits.
PCI compliance can be confusing. Determining your level, understanding what you actually need to do - and most importantly, what you don’t - and keeping those programs running can be time consuming and expensive if you do things wrong.
Swipesum can help. Our proprietary software helps analyze your transactions to determine where fees might be bogging your business down. Our consulting services are designed to help you maximize your time running your business, not filling out paperwork.
Swipesum provides information on PCI in account approval emails, during onboarding, and after onboarding. We provide links and information for video tutorials that lead you through the questionnaires to get compliant.
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Sydney Stribrny
Sydney is a rising senior at Washington University in St. Louis studying Media and Marketing. As Swipesum's Creative Director, Sydney creates, designs, and develops strategies for Swipesum's content. In her free time, she enjoys running, watching movies, and cooking.
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