The PCI Reality
If raw card data ever touches your servers, you're in SAQ-D territory — annual audits, network segmentation, quarterly scans, six-figure compliance cost.
The Way Out
Use hosted fields or tokenized iframes so card data goes directly from the customer's browser to the gateway, never through your stack. You drop to SAQ-A — a one-page self-attestation.
Tokens, Not Cards
After the first transaction, store a token from the gateway (not the PAN). Use the token for repeat charges, refunds, and recurring billing. Your database stays out of PCI scope.
Payomatix Out of the Box
Our hosted checkout and tokenization vault put 99% of merchants in SAQ-A from day one. Compliance becomes a checkbox, not a project.