Comparing PCI QSA Firms

Picking the right QSA firm for your enterprise organization can be one of the most important strategic decisions you make for your business. Not all QSAs have the same strengths and weaknesses, and your choice will vastly affect your road to PCI compliance. 

In this blog, I will compare the QSA firms SecurityMetrics, Coalfire, and A-Lign by looking at what you can expect from each QSA’s assessment and what they will cost.

What can I expect from a SecurityMetrics PCI Assessment? 

SecurityMetrics is a full-service provider with a broad set of services and tools designed to simplify compliance. A key strength is their dedicated PCI audit coordinator, who serves as a single point of contact to ensure clear communication and to help you meet strict deadlines. 

The company's experience with the unique and complex environments of service providers is a major benefit, as they understand the nuances of decentralized payment flows and multi-merchant relationships. They are also known for their 24/7 in-house technical support and a strong emphasis on client education, making them an approachable and supportive partner.

What does a SecurityMetrics PCI Assessment Cost?

If you’re a small business, PCI DSS compliance should cost from $300 per year (depending on your environment). Your cost will be impacted by:

• Self-Assessment Questionnaire: $50 - $200
• Vulnerability scanning: around $100 - $200 per IP address
• Training and policy development: around $70 per employee
• Remediation (software and hardware updates, etc.) varies widely based on how much work is needed to achieve compliance and security: anywhere from $100 to $10,000

If you're a large enterprise and need a PCI DSS assessment, expect to pay $70,000+ in total costs (depending on your environment), which will include:

• Onsite audit: around $40,000
• Vulnerability scans: around $1,000
• Penetration testing: around $15,000
• Training and policy development: around $5,000
• Remediation (software and hardware updates, etc.) varies greatly based on how much work is needed to achieve compliance and security: anywhere from $10,000 to $500,000

The best way to get an idea of what your PCI assessment will cost with SecurityMetrics is to use our PCI Price Estimator or request a quote. 

What can I expect from a Coalfire PCI Assessment? 

Coalfire is a premier choice for enterprises with intricate technological ecosystems. They are known for their proprietary SaaS platform, Compliance Essentials, which streamlines the audit process by centralizing evidence and mapping it to multiple compliance frameworks. 

Their deep expertise in cloud security and as a FedRAMP 3PAO makes them an ideal partner for federal contractors and cloud-first businesses.

What does a Coalfire PCI Assessment cost?

At the time this blog was written, Coalfire doesn’t explicitly say what their PCI audits cost, or give a projected range. Readers interested in the cost of a Coalfire assessment should reach out directly for a quote. 

What can I expect from an A-LIGN PCI Assessment?

A-LIGN specializes in a technology-first approach to compliance, using its proprietary platform, A-SCEND, to streamline audits. Their platform allows for evidence deduplication, meaning a single piece of evidence can be mapped to multiple compliance frameworks (e.g., SOC 2, and ISO 27001). 

This makes them a strong choice for businesses that need to complete multiple audits efficiently. They are also known for their high-volume audit capabilities, having completed tens of thousands of audits globally.

What does an A-LIGN PCI Audit Cost? 

Prospective customers will need to reach out to A-LIGN to request a quote, because at the time this blog was written there is no projected range available on their website. 

Advice on Choosing the Best PCI QSA for Your Needs

Whether you’re choosing a PCI QSA firm for a first-time audit or you’re considering whether or not to renew, there’s some questions you should ask yourself and your prospective partner: 

• How well does this partner understand your environment/industry/specific PCI compliance needs?
• What guarantees do they offer? Will they guarantee you meet your deadlines? 
• What will your PCI Audit cost? How can they save you time and money?
• Do they provide value beyond the Report on Compliance (ROC)?
• What level of communication and project management can you expect?

By answering these questions, you will have a better understanding of which QSA firm will best fit your needs. If you have specific questions about your PCI needs or an upcoming audit reach out to an expert today.