Vanta alternatives for PCI compliance, by the reason you are leaving
Published
Vanta is built for companies juggling many frameworks. A shop that takes cards usually has one PCI job a year: the right questionnaire, quarterly scans where it applies, and an attestation for the acquirer. This page sorts the alternatives by why you are leaving, and checks each one's PCI claims on its own site and on the Council's lists.
Verdict
- Best for a small shop that mostly needs scansVikingCloud
- Best with the assessor in the same contractThoropass
- Closest like-for-like swap for VantaSecureframe
- Best for SAQ work inside the platformScrut
Vendors compared7
Why merchants look past Vanta
People who search for Vanta alternatives with PCI in mind tend to fall into one of the groups below. Pick yours; the vendors and the questions change with it.
Why are you leaving Vanta?
You: You take cards through a processor, your acquirer asks for a self-assessment each year, and no customer is asking you for SOC 2.
Why Vanta may not fit: Vanta lists PCI DSS as one framework among dozens. It names the online SAQs (A, A-EP and D) but not the card-present ones, it is not an approved scanning vendor, and it says it does not replace a QSA.
Check before you sign
- 01The scanner is on the Council's ASV list under the vendor's own name.
- 02The guided questionnaire covers the SAQ type your acquirer expects.
- 03You know who receives the finished SAQ and AOC (usually your acquirer).
Look atVikingCloudSecurityMetrics
What Vanta states for PCI
Vanta, as its own site puts it
PCI DSS entry“framework support for Service Providers and Merchants”
Evidence“Automate audit prep and evidence collection”
Integrations“400+ tools”
SAQ types named for PCI“SAQ-A, SAQ-A EP, SAQ-D Merchant, and SAQ-D Service Provider”
SAQ and AOC“Guided SAQ and AOC completion”
Scanner integrationsQualys, Rapid7
Assessor“Vanta does not replace a Qualified Security Assessor.”
On the Council's ASV listNo
On the Council's QSA listNo
Read on2026-10-22
Vanta's frameworks page lists PCI DSS beside SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA and dozens more. That breadth is the point of the product, and it is also the most common reason a small merchant looks elsewhere: the PCI part of the job is narrow, and most of what a multi-framework platform watches is not on your questionnaire.
What you actually owe is set outside the software. The Council says PCI SSC does not define compliance requirements for any organization or set compliance validation responsibilities … Compliance validation requirements are set by brands, acquirers, payment facilitators, etc.
In practice that means an SAQ or a ROC, an Attestation of Compliance, and external scans where your SAQ includes them. Find yours with the SAQ type finder before you compare platforms.
The alternatives side by side
Vanta sits in the first column as the baseline. “No” on a Council-list row means the company was not on that list when we read it; “Ask the vendor” means its own site did not say.
Swipe sideways for more vendors
| What a merchant asks | Vanta | Secureframe | Sprinto | Scrut | Thoropass | VikingCloud | SecurityMetrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walks you through a self-assessment (SAQ)SAQ | Yes | Yes | Ask the vendor | Yes | Yes | Yes | Ask the vendor |
| Is itself on the Council's ASV listReq. 11.3.2 | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Gets your quarterly external scan doneReq. 11.3.2 | Ask the vendor | Yes | Ask the vendor | Ask the vendor | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Is itself a QSA company (can assess you)ROC / AOC | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ships PCI policy templatesReq. 12.1.1 | Yes | Yes | Ask the vendor | Yes | Ask the vendor | Ask the vendor | Ask the vendor |
| Pulls evidence from your systems automaticallyEvidence | Yes | Yes | Ask the vendor | Yes | Yes | Ask the vendor | Ask the vendor |
| Sells a plan for small merchants by nameSmall merchants | Ask the vendor | Ask the vendor | Ask the vendor | Ask the vendor | Ask the vendor | Yes | Ask the vendor |
The alternatives by reason
Scan-first: for the small shop on an SAQ
Most small merchants need the same short list every year: the right questionnaire, a passing external scan every quarter where their SAQ calls for one, and a signed attestation for the acquirer. A firm that is itself an approved scanning vendor covers the scan without a second contract.
VikingCloud
PCI firm with a small-business plan, SecureTrust PCI Manager for Small Business.
FitsSmall shops on a short SAQ
Guided self-assessmentYes
On the Council's ASV listYes
QSA companyYes
PCI policy templatesAsk the vendor
Not stated on their site when read on 2026-10-22.
Its small-business page says Our PCI compliance scanner solution is Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV) certified
and offers a guided experience, unlimited attempts, and express renewal feature
. The Council lists two of its scanners, AsgardScanner and VikingCloud Advanced Intel Scanner. You buy it on the SecureTrust website.
VerdictSmall shops that mostly need scans
SecurityMetrics
Scanning vendor and QSA company.
FitsShops that want scans and an assessor from one firm
On the Council's ASV listYes
QSA companyYes
Guided self-assessmentAsk the vendor
Not stated on their site when read on 2026-10-22.
Plan for small merchantsAsk the vendor
Not stated on their site when read on 2026-10-22.
For this page we rely on the Council: the ASV list names SecurityMetrics ASV Scan I and ASV Scan II, and the QSA list names the company. Everything else is a question for the vendor.
VerdictScans and an assessor from one listed firm
Audit bundled: one firm prepares and assesses
With Vanta, the assessor is a separate firm. If your acquirer wants a Report on Compliance, or you are a service provider, a platform whose company is on the QSA list puts both in one agreement. How the AOC, ROC and QSA fit together.
Thoropass
Compliance platform whose company is also a QSA and an ASV.
FitsMerchants facing a ROC, and service providers
QSA companyYes
On the Council's ASV listYes
SAQ as well as ROCYes
Pulls evidence automaticallyYes
PCI policy templatesAsk the vendor
Not stated on their site when read on 2026-10-22.
Thoropass says it offers a third-party Report on Compliance (RoC), Attestation of Compliance (AoC), and Self Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) in PCI
and that Thoropass provides PCI Council–approved external vulnerability scans
. The Council lists “Thoropass PCI ASV” and lists Thoropass, Inc. as a QSA company.
VerdictAudit and platform in one contract
Like-for-like: another compliance platform
These do Vanta's kind of job: connect to your systems, collect evidence, keep policies. None is itself an ASV or a QSA, so the scan and any assessment come from someone else.
Secureframe
Compliance platform with a PCI DSS framework page.
FitsTeams that want named SAQ paths and scans arranged
Names SAQ A, A-EP and DYes
Arranges ASV scansYes
PCI policy templatesYes
Pulls evidence automaticallyYes
Its PCI page offers a network of Approved Scanning Vendors and penetration testers, and says Use and customize the Secureframe library of templated, PCI DSS-compliant policies
, with policies vetted by dozens of auditors
. Its staff PCI training is the part it calls approved by our network of QSAs
.
VerdictLike-for-like swap with ASV scans arranged
Scrut
Compliance platform with a PCI DSS solution page.
FitsMerchants who want the SAQ itself done in the tool
Complete and attest SAQsYes
PCI policy templatesYes
Pulls evidence automaticallyYes
Arranges ASV scansAsk the vendor
Not stated on their site when read on 2026-10-22.
Scrut says you can Complete and attest to PCI DSS Self-Assessment Questionnaires (SAQs)
and Invite internal auditors and external PCI DSS Qualified Security Assessors (QSAs) to the platform
. Its PCI page does not mention ASV scans.
VerdictSAQ work inside the platform
Sprinto
Compliance platform with a PCI DSS page.
FitsAsk the vendor
Guided self-assessmentAsk the vendor
Not stated on their site when read on 2026-10-22.
Arranges ASV scansAsk the vendor
Not stated on their site when read on 2026-10-22.
PCI policy templatesAsk the vendor
Not stated on their site when read on 2026-10-22.
Sprinto has a page titled “PCI DSS Compliance Made Easy with Sprinto AI”, but its site refused our reader, so we could not check what the PCI support covers.
VerdictCheck with the vendor
Sprinto, Thoropass and Secureframe vs Vanta
The pairings people search for most, on the PCI side only.
Sprinto vs Vanta
VantaPCI entry for merchants and service providers
SprintoPCI page exists; content not readable
Both sell a multi-framework compliance platform, and neither is on the Council's ASV or QSA list. Sprinto's site refused our reader, so we cannot say which SAQ types it covers or who runs its scans. Ask both vendors the same three questions: which SAQ, whose ASV, which QSA.
Thoropass vs Vanta
VantaPlatform; assessor is a separate firm
ThoropassPlatform, QSA company and listed ASV
This is the clearest split on the page. Thoropass is on both Council lists, so the platform, the quarterly scan and the assessment can sit with one company. Vanta is on neither, so you add a scanning vendor and, if you need a ROC, a QSA firm.
Secureframe vs Vanta
VantaNames SAQ A, A-EP and D; connects to Qualys and Rapid7
SecureframeNames SAQ A, A-EP and D; ASV scans arranged
The closest pair. Both are platforms, neither is an ASV or QSA, and both name the online SAQs. The difference is the scan: Secureframe says it works with a network of approved scanning vendors, while Vanta connects to the Qualys and Rapid7 scanners you run and does not say whether it brings in the passing ASV report. Ask both how the quarterly report reaches your acquirer.
Questions
Do I need compliance software for PCI at all?
No rule in PCI DSS requires a platform. Your acquirer and the card brands decide what you validate, and many small shops only need the right SAQ, its attestation and any external scans it includes. Software helps when you have many systems to collect evidence from. Start with the SAQ type finder, then decide.
Is Vanta an approved scanning vendor?
Vanta was not on the Council's ASV list when we read it on 2026-10-22. That matters even for the shortest questionnaire: SAQ A for v4.x includes Requirements 11.3.2 and 11.3.2.1 (external vulnerability scans) for merchants whose pages redirect to, or embed, a processor's payment page. See the scanning vendors we compared.
Can the firm that prepares me also assess me?
A Qualified Security Assessor (QSA): “QSA companies are qualified by PCI SSC to validate an entity's adherence to PCI DSS requirements.” Thoropass, VikingCloud and SecurityMetrics are all on the Council's QSA list. If one firm does both jobs, ask how it keeps the preparation team apart from the assessors. For firms that only consult or only assess, see PCI consultants and service providers.
Which alternative suits a Level 4 merchant?
Your acquirer assigns your merchant level from your yearly card volume for each card brand. Visa, Mastercard and Discover set their own thresholds; ask your acquirer which level you are. If you land on a short SAQ, a scan-first firm such as VikingCloud is usually closer to the job than a multi-framework platform. The merchant level calculator shows how the thresholds work where a brand publishes them.
Who signs the attestation if I use one of these tools?
You do. The Attestation of Compliance is “the official PCI SSC form for merchants and service providers to attest to the results of a PCI DSS assessment, as documented in a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) or Report on Compliance (ROC).” It is signed by the entity and by the QSA company if one was involved. Before you start an SAQ, confirm with the organization you submit it to (usually your acquirer, the merchant bank) that you are eligible for it.
Sources
- Vanta: PCI DSS compliance software (vanta.com), read on 2026-10-22
- Vanta Help Center: PCI 4.0 Frequently Asked Questions (help.vanta.com), read on 2026-10-22
- Vanta: Qualys integration (vanta.com), read on 2026-10-22
- Vanta: Rapid7 integration (vanta.com), read on 2026-10-22
- Vanta: Additional frameworks (PCI DSS entry) (vanta.com), read on 2026-10-22
- Vanta: home page (vanta.com), read on 2026-10-22
- Secureframe: PCI DSS Compliance (secureframe.com), read on 2026-10-22
- Sprinto: PCI DSS Compliance Made Easy with Sprinto AI (title only; page text not readable) (sprinto.com), read on 2026-10-22
- Scrut: PCI DSS Compliance Automation Software (scrut.io), read on 2026-10-22
- Thoropass: PCI DSS compliance software (thoropass.com), read on 2026-10-22
- Thoropass: becoming a QSAC for PCI payments (24 January 2024) (thoropass.com), read on 2026-10-22
- VikingCloud: PCI Compliance for Small Business (vikingcloud.com), read on 2026-10-22
- VikingCloud: home page (vikingcloud.com), read on 2026-10-22
- PCI SSC: Approved Scanning Vendors list (pcisecuritystandards.org), read on 2026-10-22
- PCI SSC: Qualified Security Assessors list (pcisecuritystandards.org), read on 2026-10-22
- PCI SSC: PCI DSS v4.x Quick Reference Guide (docs-prv.pcisecuritystandards.org), read on 2026-10-22
- PCI SSC: ASV Program Guide v4.0 r2 (docs-prv.pcisecuritystandards.org), read on 2026-10-22
- PCI SSC: SAQ Instructions and Guidelines v4.0.1 r1 (docs-prv.pcisecuritystandards.org), read on 2026-10-22
- PCI SSC blog: updates for merchants validating to SAQ A (30 January 2025) (blog.pcisecuritystandards.org), read on 2026-10-22
- PCI SSC: Glossary (pcisecuritystandards.org), read on 2026-10-22