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Zscaler Competitors and Alternatives

7 hours ago by softwarepair

Cloud security has undergone a significant shift over the past decade. As organizations move away from perimeter-based security toward identity-driven, cloud-delivered models, platforms such as Zscaler have become central to that transition. Its Zero Trust Exchange, secure web gateway, and SASE services attract many enterprises that want to modernize their security architecture.

Yet Zscaler is not the only provider capable of delivering these capabilities. The market is rapidly expanding, and several vendors now offer comparable, and in some cases more specialized, solutions. Pricing structures, integration requirements, performance considerations, and vendor ecosystem preferences have made many organizations examine alternative options.

This guide provides an in-depth look at the most relevant Zscaler competitors in 2025, the conditions in which they perform well, and the gaps they fill in enterprise environments. For a broader comparison, you can refer to our full article on Zscaler competitors and alternatives as well.

Why Organizations Evaluate Zscaler Alternatives

Zscaler is widely adopted, but it does not always align with every organization’s operational model. Several reasons commonly appear during vendor evaluations:

1. Pricing and Licensing Structure

Zscaler’s subscription model is straightforward but often considered premium. Enterprises with thousands of users can face significant annual costs, especially when advanced modules are added. Competitors with more flexible or tiered models may offer a better financial fit.

2. Ecosystem Integration

Businesses heavily invested in Palo Alto, Cisco, or Fortinet infrastructure sometimes lean toward providers that integrate directly with their existing administrative consoles and policy engines. Maintaining multiple disjointed platforms can create operational friction.

3. Regional Performance Variability

While Zscaler has an extensive network, latency and throughput performance can differ from region to region. Vendors with larger global edge footprints—such as Cloudflare—may offer consistently lower latency in certain markets.

4. Feature Depth in Specific Security Domains

Some organizations require deeper data protection, CASB granularity, or application-level controls than Zscaler currently provides. This is especially common among regulated industries.

5. Preference for Consolidated Security Platforms

Many enterprises are trying to reduce vendor sprawl. Vendors that offer firewalls, endpoint protection, SIEM, and SASE under one ecosystem appeal to teams looking to centralize their operations.

Leading Zscaler Competitors in 2025

Below are the alternatives most frequently evaluated by enterprises implementing or expanding SASE, Zero Trust, and cloud-delivered security.

1. Netskope

Netskope is widely viewed as Zscaler’s closest direct competitor. Its platform is deeply focused on data protection, cloud application visibility, and contextual access control.

Where Netskope Stands Out

  • Strong CASB and inline DLP engine
  • Detailed application activity analysis (beyond basic allow/deny)
  • NewEdge network architecture designed to support low-latency traffic
  • Direct controls tailored for SaaS and cloud services

Enterprises that prioritize data governance, sensitive information handling, or SaaS oversight often find Netskope’s level of visibility more suitable than Zscaler’s.

Best Fit

Organizations with large SaaS footprints or requiring nuanced data protection rules.

2. Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access

Prisma Access brings Palo Alto’s long-established security stack into a cloud-delivered format. For companies already invested in Palo Alto hardware, Prisma Access becomes a natural extension rather than a separate ecosystem.

Advantages

  • Integration with Palo Alto NGFWs and Panorama
  • Strong threat analysis through WildFire
  • Broad Zero Trust access controls
  • Consistent policy engine across cloud and on-prem environments

Organizations wanting a unified management plane—especially those operating large firewall deployments—often prefer Prisma Access.

Best Fit

Enterprises seeking to consolidate network, endpoint, and SASE under one security vendor.

3. Cisco Secure Access

Cisco’s role in enterprise networking gives it a strong position in secure access and Zero Trust. Cisco Secure Access combines several technologies—Duo, Umbrella, ThousandEyes—into a single cloud-delivered service.

Key Points

  • Mature identity and MFA capabilities through Duo
  • DNS-layer protection that blocks threats early
  • Broad SD-WAN integration options via Cisco’s networking products
  • Reliable global backbone with strong enterprise presence

Enterprises with existing Cisco infrastructure find this approach appealing due to its consistent administrative experience.

Best Fit

Organizations that already use Cisco networking gear or need robust identity-centric security.

4. Cloudflare One

Cloudflare has evolved far beyond content delivery. Cloudflare One, its SASE and Zero Trust suite, leverages the company’s extensive global network—one of the most distributed in the world.

Strengths

  • Extremely low latency thanks to Cloudflare’s global edge network
  • Streamlined deployment and simple configuration
  • DDoS protection built directly into the ecosystem
  • Strong secure web gateway and access control performance

Organizations that operate globally or require consistent edge performance often cite Cloudflare as a preferred alternative to Zscaler.

Best Fit

Companies emphasizing speed, global distribution, and simplified management.

5. Fortinet FortiSASE

Fortinet has a long track record in unified security architecture. FortiSASE extends the company’s hardware-driven approach into the cloud, creating a cohesive environment for hybrid deployments.

Distinct Benefits

  • Native integration with FortiGate firewalls and FortiClient
  • Strategy built around both SD-WAN and security convergence
  • Competitive pricing structures
  • Single-pane-of-glass visibility for hardware and cloud components

Organizations with distributed branches or preexisting Fortinet hardware frequently prefer FortiSASE for its architectural consistency.

Best Fit

Enterprises seeking cost-efficient cloud security with tight integration to on-prem firewalls.

6. Akamai Enterprise Application Access

Akamai is best known for CDN technologies, but its security services follow the same high-performance model. Enterprise Application Access offers Zero Trust capabilities with strong global reach.

Advantages

  • Globally distributed edge network
  • Stable access performance for internal applications
  • Strong protection for web applications and APIs
  • Ideal for high-traffic, latency-sensitive environments

Industries that depend on reliable global access—such as media, streaming, and digital services—often benefit from Akamai’s infrastructure.

Best Fit

Organizations needing stable global application performance alongside secure access controls.

7. Broadcom (Symantec) Security Cloud

Symantec, now part of Broadcom, continues to provide enterprise-grade security, particularly in data protection and endpoint integration.

Notable Features

  • One of the most mature DLP solutions in the industry
  • Broad threat intelligence network
  • Integrated email, endpoint, and web security options

Highly regulated industries often prefer Symantec for its compliance history and detailed policy controls.

Best Fit

Financial, healthcare, and government sectors requiring extensive data protection measures.

8. Check Point Harmony Connect

Check Point’s Harmony Connect allows organizations to unify cloud security under the same philosophy used for its on-prem firewalls.

Strengths

  • Consistent policy and threat management
  • Strong intrusion prevention and malware detection capabilities
  • Focus on deep threat inspection rather than broad generalization

Enterprises already standardized on Check Point firewalls find Harmony Connect a practical extension.

Best Fit

Companies valuing detailed threat prevention and unified management.

9. Versa Networks

Versa built its reputation primarily on SD-WAN before expanding into SASE. This networking-first foundation positions it well for distributed environments.

Advantages

  • Solid SD-WAN performance integrated with security
  • Positioned well for branch-heavy organizations
  • Competitive price point

Enterprises that want tightly integrated networking and security without complex licensing often evaluate Versa as an alternative.

Best Fit

Organizations with many branch offices and a focus on SD-WAN efficiency.

Comparing Zscaler to Its Competitors

While each alternative has strengths, it helps to compare them across business-critical categories.

Performance

Providers with particularly strong global performance include:

  • Cloudflare
  • Akamai
  • Prisma Access (via Palo Alto’s backbone)

Zscaler performs well but may vary depending on the region.

Data Protection

Top performers:

  • Netskope
  • Symantec/Broadcom
  • Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps (where applicable)

These vendors typically provide more granular controls for SaaS and sensitive data.

Zero Trust Access

Leading solutions:

  • Zscaler
  • Cisco Duo + Secure Access
  • Akamai EAA
  • Palo Alto Prisma Access

Each excels in identity-driven access and application segmentation.

Ecosystem Suitability

If an organization already uses certain vendors, the choice often becomes natural:

  • Palo Alto users → Prisma Access
  • Fortinet users → FortiSASE
  • Cisco users → Secure Access
  • Check Point users → Harmony Connect

This reduces the operational load of managing disparate systems.

Pricing Considerations

Zscaler’s pricing tends to be higher compared to several competitors. Cost-efficient alternatives include:

  • Fortinet FortiSASE
  • Cloudflare One
  • Versa Networks

These are frequently chosen by mid-sized companies looking for enterprise-grade protection without premium pricing.

Selecting the Right Zscaler Alternative

The ideal choice depends on each organization’s structure and security priorities:

  • For deep data visibility: Netskope
  • For ecosystem consolidation: Prisma Access or FortiSASE
  • For global speed: Cloudflare One
  • For identity-focused access: Cisco Secure Access
  • For performance-sensitive workloads: Akamai
  • For cost optimization: Versa Networks

Understanding your current infrastructure, application behavior, and risk posture will guide the right decision.

Final Perspective

The cloud security market is maturing quickly. Zscaler remains a central player, but alternatives have grown more capable, more specialized, and in many cases more aligned with specific enterprise needs.