PCI DSS vs SOC 2: How to Decide Which Applies to Your Business

When it comes to protecting sensitive customer data, businesses often face a critical question: should they focus on PCI DSS, SOC 2, or both? While both frameworks aim to improve security, they serve different purposes and address different compliance needs. Understanding the distinction between PCI DSS and SOC 2 is essential for decision-makers, whether you are handling payment card information, managing customer data, or providing technology services.

This guide explains the differences between the two frameworks, outlines when each applies, and shows how organizations can streamline compliance for both, reducing risk and building trust with customers and partners.

TL;DR

PCI DSS focuses on protecting payment card data, while SOC 2 covers broader customer and operational data across cloud and service environments.

You’ll need PCI DSS if you handle card transactions and SOC 2 if your customers require assurance of your data security practices — fintechs and SaaS platforms often need both.

Together, PCI DSS and SOC 2 complement each other by addressing different layers of security — PCI safeguards payments, while SOC 2 reinforces trust and operational reliability.

What is PCI DSS?

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of security requirements developed by the PCI Security Standards Council to protect payment card information. It applies to any organization that stores, processes, or transmits credit and debit card data.

The standard focuses on safeguarding cardholder data through a combination of technical and operational controls. Key areas include:

• Network security: Protecting systems and networks from unauthorized access.
• Data protection: Encrypting and securely storing cardholder information.
• Vulnerability management: Regularly updating and patching systems.
• Access control: Restricting who can access sensitive data.
• Monitoring and testing: Continuously monitoring systems and testing security measures.

The current version, PCI DSS v4.0.1, was released on June 11, 2024. This update does not introduce new requirements but focuses on refining and clarifying existing ones, making it easier for organizations to implement security controls consistently. 

It provides detailed guidance on critical areas such as multi-factor authentication, encryption, and access management, helping businesses better protect cardholder data, meet compliance obligations, and prepare for audits.

What is SOC 2?

SOC 2 (System and Organization Controls 2) is a framework developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) to help service organizations manage customer data securely. Unlike PCI DSS, which focuses specifically on payment card data, SOC 2 covers a broader range of data security and operational practices.

SOC 2 is based on the Trust Service Criteria, which includes five key principles:

• Security: Protecting systems against unauthorized access, both physical and logical
• Availability: Ensuring systems are operational and accessible as promised
• Processing Integrity: Guaranteeing that system processing is complete, accurate, and authorized
• Confidentiality: Protecting sensitive information from unauthorized disclosure
• Privacy: Managing personal information according to privacy policies and regulatory requirements

SOC 2 reports come in two types:

• Type I: Evaluates the design of controls at a specific point in time
• Type II: Evaluates the operational effectiveness of controls over an observation period, typically 6 to 12 months

Achieving SOC 2 compliance not only ensures that robust security controls are in place but also serves as a competitive differentiator. It reassures customers, partners, and investors that your organization takes data protection seriously, reduces the risk of breaches, and can simplify vendor assessments and contractual obligations.

Key differences between PCI DSS and SOC 2

PCI DSS and SOC 2 both focus on keeping data secure, but they serve different purposes. PCI DSS is designed to protect payment card information, while SOC 2 covers a broader range of customer data and operational controls. Understanding the differences can help you prioritize compliance efforts and avoid costly mistakes.

1. Scope and focus

• PCI DSS: Focuses exclusively on protecting payment card data, including cardholder information and transaction records. Its controls are technical and operational, ensuring that payment systems remain secure against breaches and fraud.
• SOC 2: Covers a broader range of organizational practices and data types, including customer information, system availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. SOC 2 is designed to demonstrate that a service organization has mature security and operational controls in place.

2. Applicability and audience

• PCI DSS: Mandatory for any organization that stores, processes, or transmits cardholder data, such as merchants, payment gateways, and financial service providers. Compliance is essential for avoiding penalties from card networks and maintaining the ability to process payments.
• SOC 2: Primarily applies to service organizations, including SaaS providers, fintechs, and cloud-based platforms that manage sensitive customer data. SOC 2 is often requested by clients during vendor assessments to verify security and operational reliability.

3. Compliance requirements

• PCI DSS: Prescriptive, with specific technical and procedural requirements. Organizations must follow detailed rules for encryption, network segmentation, access controls, monitoring, and vulnerability management. Non-compliance carries strict financial penalties and operational risks.
• SOC 2: Criteria-based and flexible, based on the Trust Service Criteria (security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, privacy). Organizations can tailor their controls and processes to meet these criteria while demonstrating alignment with best practices.

4. Audit and reporting

• PCI DSS: Requires regular assessments, typically annually, by a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) or internal audit for smaller merchants. Organizations receive a compliance certificate upon successful completion, which must be maintained to continue processing card payments.
• SOC 2: Audits are conducted by independent CPA firms, producing Type I or Type II reports. Type I evaluates the design of controls at a single point in time, while Type II verifies operational effectiveness over 6–12 months. SOC 2 reports are often used in customer due diligence and vendor risk assessments.

5. Enforcement and consequences

• PCI DSS: Non-compliance can lead to fines from card brands, higher transaction fees, or even loss of the ability to process payments. It carries direct financial and operational risks.
• SOC 2: There are no legal penalties for non-compliance, but failing to achieve SOC 2 can impact client trust, limit business opportunities, and complicate contractual agreements, especially with enterprise clients that require strict data protection assurances.

6. Security approach

• PCI DSS: Strongly technical, emphasizing system-level controls, network segmentation, and encryption to protect cardholder data. It is more prescriptive in what needs to be done.
• SOC 2: Focuses on both technical and organizational controls, including policies, processes, monitoring, and risk management. It emphasizes how controls operate in practice, aligning security with broader operational goals.

7. Frequency and updates

• PCI DSS: Updates are released periodically (latest is v4.0.1, June 2024) with clarifications, guidance, and evolving security practices. Organizations must adapt to maintain compliance.
• SOC 2: The framework itself remains consistent, but reports must be updated periodically (typically annually) to reflect current control effectiveness and organizational practices.

PCI DSS vs SOC 2: Side-by-side comparison

Here’s a clear side-by-side look at how PCI DSS and SOC 2 differ across key areas, so you can quickly understand which framework applies to your business.

Category	PCI DSS	SOC2
Purpose	Protects payment card information from breaches and fraud	Ensures secure handling of customer data and evaluates overall system reliability
Scope	Applies only to entities that store, process, or transmit cardholder data	Applies to any service organization handling customer or business data
Framework type	Prescriptive — includes specific technical and operational requirements	Criteria-based — organizations design their own controls to meet Trust Service Criteria
Primary audience	Merchants, payment processors, and financial institutions	SaaS providers, fintech companies, and service organizations
Focus area	Network security, encryption, access control, vulnerability management, monitoring	Security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, privacy
Audit type	Annual assessment by a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) or internal review for smaller entities	Independent audit by a CPA firm resulting in Type I or Type II attestation report
Reporting outcome	Certificate of PCI DSS compliance	SOC 2 Type I or Type II report shared with clients and stakeholders
Enforcement	Mandatory for businesses that handle card data; enforced by card brands and banks	Voluntary but often required by customers during vendor evaluations
Penalties for non-compliance	Fines, penalties, or suspension of payment processing privileges	No legal penalties, but lack of compliance can impact client trust and business deals
Update frequency	Periodically updated by the PCI Security Standards Council (latest: v4.0.1, June 2024)	Ongoing — reports must be renewed periodically (typically annually)

When do you need PCI DSS, and when does SOC 2 apply?

Knowing which framework applies to your business depends on the type of data you handle and the services you provide. While there’s some overlap, each framework targets a specific kind of risk and audience.

You need PCI DSS if:

• You store, process, or transmit payment card data (credit, debit, or prepaid).
• You operate as a merchant, payment processor, or financial institution that handles cardholder information.
• Your systems interact directly with payment networks or point-of-sale (POS) systems.
• You want to maintain approval from card brands like Visa, Mastercard, or American Express.

You need SOC 2 if:

• You provide services or technology solutions that manage or process customer data, especially in a B2B or SaaS environment.
• You’re a cloud service provider, fintech platform, or data processor that must prove security and reliability to customers.
• You need to build trust with clients or meet vendor due diligence requirements during sales or partnership discussions.
• Your customers ask for a SOC 2 Type I or Type II report before signing contracts or sharing data.

Do you need both PCI DSS and SOC 2?

In many cases, yes. The need for both frameworks depends on the kind of data you handle and the expectations of your customers or partners.

If your business processes payment card data and also provides cloud-based or technology-driven services, you’ll likely need to comply with both PCI DSS and SOC 2. PCI DSS ensures that your payment systems are secure and meet card brand requirements, while SOC 2 demonstrates that your broader operations, infrastructure, and data-handling practices are trustworthy.

For growing organizations, investing in both isn’t just about checking compliance boxes. It shows that you take security seriously across every part of your business — from processing payments to protecting customer data on your platform.

How PCI DSS and SOC 2 complement each other

While PCI DSS and SOC 2 serve different purposes, implementing both frameworks can actually strengthen your overall security posture. Rather than thinking of them as separate compliance efforts, many organizations find that they work together to cover different aspects of risk.

Here’s how they complement each other:

• Broader security coverage: PCI DSS focuses on protecting payment card data, while SOC 2 addresses broader customer data, operational processes, and system reliability. Together, they create a more complete security framework.
• Streamlined audits: Controls implemented for SOC 2, like access management, logging, and monitoring, can also support PCI DSS requirements, reducing duplication of effort during audits.
• Enhanced customer trust: PCI DSS compliance shows that your payment systems are secure, while SOC 2 reports demonstrate your organization’s reliability and operational maturity. Having both reassures clients and partners across multiple dimensions.
• Simplified vendor assessments: Many enterprise customers request SOC 2 reports and may also require PCI DSS compliance if they share payment card data. Meeting both standards helps accelerate sales cycles and vendor onboarding.
• Continuous improvement: Implementing both frameworks encourages a culture of security and compliance, helping your organization stay ahead of risks and adapt to evolving industry requirements.

Automate PCI DSS and SOC 2 compliance using Sprinto

Managing PCI DSS and SOC 2 compliance manually can be time-consuming and prone to errors. 

Sprinto automates key aspects of compliance, helping organizations streamline their processes and stay audit-ready with minimal effort.

Key benefits of using Sprinto:

• Automated evidence collection: Gathers logs, policies, and other required documentation automatically, saving hours of manual work.
• Continuous monitoring: Tracks systems, processes, and controls in real time to identify gaps before they become risks.
• Common control mapping: Maps overlapping controls across multiple frameworks so efforts made for one standard (like SOC 2) can count toward others (like PCI DSS), significantly reducing duplicate work.
• Simplified audits: Prepares compliance reports for PCI DSS and SOC 2, reducing friction during audits.
• Centralized compliance management: Provides a single platform to manage multiple frameworks, making it easier to oversee and maintain compliance.
• Faster vendor approvals: SOC 2 and PCI DSS reports generated through Sprinto can help accelerate vendor assessments and client approvals.

Let’s skip to you becoming PCI DSS and SOC 2 compliant with Sprinto. Book a demo

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