Top 10 Zscaler Alternatives in 2026

What Is Zscaler?

Zscaler is a cloud-delivered security platform that provides secure internet and private application access for users regardless of their location or device. It offers tools like secure web gateways (SWG), cloud firewall, zero trust network access (ZTNA), and cloud access security broker (CASB) capabilities. 

Top Zscaler alternatives include device enforcement solutions like Venn, Citrix, and Workspace ONE, ZTNA solutions like Palo Alto Prisma Access, Twingate, Ericom, and Forcepoint, and secure access service edge (SASE) solutions like Check Point Harmony, Cloudflare, and FortiSASE, offering similar cloud-delivered security for secure internet/app access.

Key Zscaler Limitations 

While Zscaler offers security and cloud-native architecture, users have reported several limitations that can affect deployment, usability, and day-to-day management. Below are limitations that were reported by users on the G2 platform:

• Troubleshooting complexity: Diagnosing issues can be difficult, especially when it’s unclear whether the problem lies in connectivity, policy configuration, or the Zscaler client itself. The troubleshooting flow often requires familiarity with the platform and may frustrate less experienced users.
• Unclear error notifications: Zscaler does not consistently notify users when connections fail or the service goes down. Users are often left to manually open the client to discover issues.
• Setup and policy configuration challenges: Initial setup can be complex, particularly for teams new to Zscaler or zero trust principles. Defining correct access policies and configuring connectors requires trial and error, and documentation does not always provide clear guidance.
• Performance issues: Users report inconsistent performance, such as occasional slowdowns, dropped connections, and delays when switching networks.
• Overly aggressive filtering: The platform sometimes blocks legitimate sites unnecessarily. Users have noted that this can interfere with normal workflows and that policy tuning is needed to reduce false positives.
• Authentication delays: When multiple integrations are in use, authentication can lag, causing access delays. This is especially noticeable in environments with complex identity provider setups.
• Password management friction: Resetting or changing passwords in ZPA can be cumbersome. The process may require intervention from support.
• High cost for smaller organizations: The pricing model may be a barrier for small to mid-sized businesses. For some, the cost of implementing and managing Zscaler does not align well with their budget or scale.
• Limited dashboard customization: While Zscaler provides reporting capabilities, users have noted that dashboard customization is limited. Deeper visibility into access logs and policy enforcement would improve operational control.
• Mobile app reliability: Mobile performance can be inconsistent. Some users have reported that apps fail to load properly.
• Support and migration difficulties: Customer support responsiveness could be improved, and some organizations have found the migration from legacy systems to ZPA difficult, particularly in mapping traditional network access to application-based access models.

Related content: Read our guide to Zscaler pricing

Notable Zscaler Alternatives and Competitors

BYOD and Device Enforcement Solutions

1. Venn

Zscaler delivers strong network security, and many organizations use it alongside Venn. But Zscaler was never built to secure business activity on BYOD laptops. It can’t separate work from personal use on an unmanaged device, and its controls touch the entire machine, creating user friction, slowing adoption, and often leading to shelfware. And once data leaves the Zscaler cloud perimeter (for example, copied from a local app), it’s no longer protected.

Venn’s Blue Border™ fills that gap. Similar to an MDM solution but designed for laptops, Venn creates a company-controlled secure enclave where all work data lives encrypted, access is managed, and business apps run locally with no latency. Everything inside the Blue Border is governed and compliant. Everything outside remains fully personal and private.

Key features include:

• Granular, customizable restrictions: IT teams can define restrictions for copy/paste, download, upload, screenshots, watermarks, and DLP per user.
• Secure Enclave technology: Encrypts and isolates work data on personal Mac or PC computers, both for browser-based and local applications.
• Zero trust architecture: Uses a zero trust approach to secure company data, limiting access based on validation of devices and users.
• Visual separation via Blue Border: Visual cue that distinguishes work vs. personal sessions for users.
• Supports turnkey compliance: Using Venn helps companies maintain compliance on unmanaged Macs with a range of regulatory mandates, including HIPAA, PCI, SOC, SEC, FINRA and more.

To see Venn in action, you can book a demo here.

2. Citrix Workspace

Citrix Workspace is a digital workspace platform that provides secure access to applications, desktops, and files from different devices. It integrates with an organization’s existing Citrix infrastructure and supports multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. The Workspace app acts as a client for delivering virtual desktops and apps.

Key features include:

• Device-agnostic access: Allows users to access apps and desktops from any supported device, including smartphones, tablets, and PCs
• Backward compatibility: Fully compatible with legacy Citrix infrastructure, replacing Citrix Receiver and older clients
• Centralized authentication: Supports browser-based login or direct server authentication using email or custom server addresses
• Seamless user experience: Delivers applications and desktops with minimal configuration via a unified app interface
• Admin and support integration: Relies on IT administrators for backend configuration and support, with integration into Citrix’s broader management and support tools

Source: Citrix

3. Workspace ONE

Workspace ONE is a unified endpoint management (UEM) and digital workspace platform to manage and secure devices, apps, and data across platforms. It enables zero trust access, remote onboarding, and lifecycle management of devices, making it suitable for BYOD, corporate-owned, and mission-critical device deployments. 

Key features include:

• Unified endpoint management: Supports mobile, desktop, shared, and specialty devices from a single platform
• Zero trust security: Grants or denies access based on compliance status, device posture, and behavioral anomalies
• IT orchestration and automation: Simplifies complex workflows using low-/no-code automation for routine IT tasks
• Remote provisioning: Enables zero-touch device onboarding and configuration from any location
• Role-based access control: Assigns access permissions by role, accommodating different worker types and security needs
• Multi-tenant support: Allows policy inheritance or overrides across organizational units for flexible governance

Source: Omnissa

ZTNA Solutions

4. Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access

Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access is a cloud-delivered security platform to protect users, applications, and data across locations. It combines ZTNA, SWG, CASB, FWaaS, and remote browser isolation into a single solution supported by Precision AI.

Key features include:

• True zero trust security (ZTNA): Enforces least-privileged access to apps without VPNs, reducing attack surface and preventing lateral movement
• Secure web gateway (SWG): Ensures real-time, AI-based protection against web threats
• Cloud access security broker (CASB): Offers visibility and control over SaaS usage, including API and inline protections
• Firewall as a service (FWaaS): Provides threat prevention, application control, and zero trust policies at the network level
• Remote browser isolation (RBI): Prevents malware and web threats by isolating browsing sessions in a secure environment

Source: Prisma Cloud

5. Twingate ZTNA

Twingate provides a zero trust network access solution to replace traditional VPNs with a faster, more secure, and scalable alternative. It enables direct, peer-to-peer remote access to internal resources without opening inbound network ports, reducing the attack surface while enforcing strong access controls. 

Key features include:

• Zero trust architecture: Eliminates network-level trust with resource-level access control, no open inbound ports, and no lateral traffic
• Fast, peer-to-peer access: Establishes encrypted connections directly between users and resources, minimizing latency
• Granular access policies: Enforces least-privilege access based on identity, group, device posture, and contextual factors like time and location
• Universal MFA: Adds MFA to all resources, including SSH and RDP, using TOTP, biometrics, and hardware keys
• Device posture enforcement: Verifies OS version, firewall status, biometrics, and EDR/MDM presence before granting access

Source: Twingate

6. Ericom ZTEdge

Ericom ZTEdge is a cloud-native secure service edge (SSE) platform to deliver simple, scalable, and cost-effective zero trust security for midsize enterprises. It replaces traditional perimeter-based security with integrated controls that protect against ransomware, phishing, credential theft, and other threats. 

Key features include:

• Zero trust network access (ZTNA): Provides secure, least-privilege access to internal and cloud applications without exposing networks
• Secure web gateway (SWG): Inspects and filters web traffic to block threats and enforce acceptable use policies
• Remote browser isolation (RBI): Runs web sessions in a remote container to prevent malware and phishing from reaching endpoints
• Microsegmentation: Limits lateral movement inside the network by tightly controlling resource-to-resource communications
• Identity and access management (IAM): Verifies user identity and applies role-based access controls across applications

7. Forcepoint ONE

Forcepoint ONE is a cloud-native security platform that delivers secure access and data protection across web, cloud, and private applications through a unified console. Intended for remote and hybrid workforces, it replaces legacy point solutions by integrating secure web gateway (SWG), cloud access security broker (CASB), and zero trust network access (ZTNA).

Key features include:

• Unified SASE platform: Combines SWG, CASB, and ZTNA into a single-agent, single-console architecture
• Zero trust network access: Provides access to private applications without VPNs; supports agentless access for HTTP/S apps
• Cloud access security broker (CASB): Secures SaaS and IaaS with access controls, malware scanning, and data-at-rest protection
• Secure web gateway (SWG): Controls access to web content, blocks malware, and prevents sensitive data uploads or downloads
• Data loss prevention (DLP): Scans all uploads/downloads with over 190 pre-built rules; integrates with Forcepoint Enterprise DLP 

SASE Solutions

8. Check Point Harmony SASE

Check Point Harmony SASE is a hybrid secure access service edge (SASE) solution that combines network security with high-performance access in a unified, cloud-delivered platform. Built for distributed enterprises, it offers full-mesh connectivity, zero trust private access, and secure internet access from any location or device. 

Key features include:

• High-performance zero trust access: Enables granular private access between users, sites, and resources with full-mesh connectivity
• Hybrid internet access: Secures direct-to-web connections using layered protections (on-device, in-browser, and cloud-based)
• Threat prevention: Blocks 99% of cyberattacks, as validated by independent testing in the 2025 Miercom Security Report
• Secure SD-WAN: Optimized for over 10,000 business apps, combining connectivity and protection enabled by ThreatCloud AI
• Unified management console: Centralized dashboard to manage users, access policies, and network configurations across environments

Source: Check Point Harmony

9. Cloudflare One

Cloudflare One is a cloud-native SASE platform that unifies zero trust security and enterprise networking across Cloudflare’s global infrastructure. It replaces legacy perimeter-based security with a single control plane that secures users, devices, applications, and data, regardless of where they reside. 

Key features include:

• Zero trust access control: Cloudflare Access verifies every user and device before granting access to applications, enabling identity-based, least-privileged access
• Cloudflare Tunnel: Connects internal apps to the internet securely without exposing public IPs, using outbound-only tunnels
• Secure web gateway (SWG): Filters DNS, HTTP, and network traffic to block threats and enforce acceptable use policies
• Cloud access security broker (CASB): Monitors SaaS apps and cloud environments for misconfigurations, data exposure, and insider threats
• Data loss prevention (DLP): Inspects traffic and SaaS content for sensitive data to prevent leaks and maintain compliance

Source: Cloudflare One

10. FortiSASE

FortiSASE is Fortinet’s cloud-delivered secure access service edge (SASE) platform that combines networking and security into an integrated solution for hybrid and distributed workforces. It unifies secure web, SaaS, and private application access with AI-driven threat protection and native SD-WAN integration. 

Key features include:

• Integrated networking and security: Combines SD-WAN with security service edge (SSE) capabilities like SWG, ZTNA, CASB, FWaaS, and RBI
• Unified platform: Single OS, single agent, and shared data lake for consistent security enforcement and centralized management
• AI-enabled threat intelligence: FortiGuard Labs delivers threat updates; FortiAI-Assist supports fast troubleshooting and configuration
• Flexible deployment: Supports remote users, microbranches, thin edges, and non-traditional devices like printers and ATMs via encrypted tunnels
• Secure access everywhere: Protects internet, SaaS, and internal applications with zero trust access and full security stack coverage

Source: FortiSASE

Conclusion

Secure access service edge (SASE) and zero trust network access (ZTNA) solutions continue to evolve, offering organizations new ways to consolidate security controls and enforce least-privilege access across distributed environments. As the demand for secure, cloud-native access grows, evaluating platforms based on architecture, performance, scalability, and ease of integration is essential. Success often depends on aligning technical requirements, such as identity-driven policy enforcement, visibility, and data protection, with operational needs, including deployment simplicity, support responsiveness, and total cost of ownership.