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Cortex Cloud by Palo Alto Networks vs CyberArk Secure Cloud Access comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Cortex Cloud by Palo Alto N...
Ranking in Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM)
6th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
5.7
Number of Reviews
11
Ranking in other categories
Vulnerability Management (25th), Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP) (12th), Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) (17th), Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP) (12th), Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) (12th), Software Supply Chain Security (7th), Application Security Posture Management (ASPM) (6th), Cloud Detection and Response (CDR) (4th)
CyberArk Secure Cloud Access
Ranking in Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM)
7th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
5.7
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) (16th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM) category, the mindshare of Cortex Cloud by Palo Alto Networks is 5.8%. The mindshare of CyberArk Secure Cloud Access is 3.9%. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cortex Cloud by Palo Alto Networks5.8%
CyberArk Secure Cloud Access3.9%
Other90.3%
Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM)
 

Featured Reviews

SJ
Technical Solutions Architect at IBM
Cloud security has improved as AI-driven runtime protection detects threats and reduces incidents
In my opinion, Cortex Cloud by Palo Alto Networks could be improved or enhanced in various ways. I don't have an idea about that yet because for that you actually need to use two or three different other tools to make a basic comparison. If you ask me how good the tool is, I would fairly rate it quite high. The tool is very popular, and customers can already see that it is one of the cloud leaders in the security space. The platform had a very good feature which provides documentation links about how to use a specific feature on the UI. It takes you to the proper documentation page where it suggests what to do and tells you about the steps that need to be done for a resource deployment. My thoughts about improving the product which I believe could greatly aid vendors is that it used to be a very user-friendly tool, but now they have incorporated everything under one umbrella. It has XDR, XSOAR, and Cortex Cloud by Palo Alto Networks. Before, we used to have separate modules and separate environments for each of these capabilities or features. Right now, it is a little complex and users would take their own time to know the tool better. This is something that would have been way better, but I would say there would be different opinions on this. Talking about user-friendliness, it has decreased now.
Manojkumar Reddy - PeerSpot reviewer
Associate Technology Consultant at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Centralized cloud access has strengthened identity control and simplified keyless logins
The best feature of CyberArk Secure Cloud Access is that private keys can be configured once and users can log in using CyberArk credentials. Instead of providing the private key every time into the system, it is not needed. With CyberArk, we do not require it and can directly use CyberArk credentials to access the virtual machines or run the pipelines. Using CyberArk credentials instead of private keys has made things easier for our team because previously every user had to remember the private key and store it somewhere else and insert it whenever they attempted to log into the server. This was cumbersome. Instead, organizations use CyberArk to configure the private keys, which helps because it is no longer required for users to store it on their system or somewhere else to maintain security. This additionally prevents users without access to the server from logging in. This feature of CyberArk Secure Cloud Access also reduces time and dependency on other people. Once a user is given access, they can be tracked anytime and anywhere. Access is revocable whenever people leave the organization. CyberArk Secure Cloud Access has positively impacted our organization because we have observed many changes. One significant impact is that since implementing it, the dependency on people has drastically been reduced. Additionally, we do not need to log in or store the private keys every time as they can be automatically configured.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The AI and automation features in detecting and responding to high-risk threats are impressive; it's one of the best tools regarding AI technology and unifies security in one platform in real-time, improving vulnerability analysis, incident response, and compliance reporting."
"I have seen several benefits from using Cortex Cloud by Palo Alto Networks: It was easy to use and easy to migrate from the IBM platform."
"I have absolutely seen improvements in our incident close rates, with mean time to detect and respond reduced significantly, sometimes by at least forty to fifty percent."
"Previously with Cortex Cloud by Palo Alto Networks, I deployed this product for one of my customers, and after three to four months, they said that previously they had around four hours of MTTR, and now it has reduced to just 15 to 20 minutes."
"The most beneficial aspect of Cortex Cloud by Palo Alto Networks and Palo Alto in general is that there is a single platform for all cloud providers for securitization."
"Cortex Cloud by Palo Alto Networks' cloud runtime security in terms of stopping attacks in real time is impressive."
"From a technical standpoint or pricing, Cortex Cloud by Palo Alto Networks is a stronger solution in the market at the moment compared to other products from ConnectWise or Symantec."
"The capabilities of Cortex Cloud by Palo Alto Networks are valuable because it is the best product in the market."
"Their presence in the European market and the cloud-based SaaS consumption model is the most exciting aspect for customers."
"CyberArk Secure Cloud Access offers unmatched security features, essential for critical sectors like finance and banking."
"We were partners and a Tier 1 partner with CyberArk Secure Cloud Access, so the support was very high."
"My advice to others looking into using CyberArk Secure Cloud Access is that it is a must-go product if they want to have a secure platform and secure product, and integrate it with the different products that the organization is using or virtual machines."
"My advice to others looking into using CyberArk Secure Cloud Access is that it is a must-go product if they want to have a secure platform and secure product, and integrate it with the different products that the organization is using or virtual machines."
"CyberArk Secure Cloud Access is a good product that is well positioned in the market as an enhancement that provides new possibilities beyond the classical PAM solution, for which CyberArk is most recognizable with its classical on-premises PAM."
"The use of dynamic role-based access controls enhances our organization's cloud security as it is part of the controls that we require to meet our TFL obligations."
 

Cons

"The pricing is high, making ROI challenging to justify, especially during transitions between solutions."
"Some aspects of the GUI can be confusing and make it difficult for me to find certain options or navigate where needed."
"Cortex Cloud by Palo Alto Networks is creating some confusion in terms of names because this is recent."
"The negative aspects or areas for improvement in the product include the fact that the cost might be a bit high, which challenges commercials, but not technically."
"In my opinion, Cortex Cloud by Palo Alto Networks can be improved by addressing forensic information collection and storage, although I cannot suggest specific things right now, based on what customers might need."
"As per my experience with Cortex Cloud by Palo Alto Networks, the UI could be simpler."
"Overall, I rate Cortex Cloud by Palo Alto Networks as an eight out of ten. I think that it could improve on price, as I know that the Google solution has the best price, and this is one of the conditions."
"My thoughts about improving the product which I believe could greatly aid vendors is that it used to be a very user-friendly tool, but now they have incorporated everything under one umbrella."
"CyberArk Secure Cloud Access has limitations in support for on-premise teams. When issues arise with the VPN portal or the frontend, the admin team must directly engage the vendor, which can be time-consuming."
"The efficacy of the solution is more or less specific to particular use cases rather than generic use cases."
"CyberArk Secure Cloud Access involves substantial effort when performing on-premises deployments."
"The customization of CyberArk Secure Cloud Access could be improved because I found scenarios where I could not provide the correct configuration due to insufficient options available."
"I find the pricing definitely expensive, and it is something that we are debating as to whether we will continue longer term with CyberArk, but at the moment, it is the platform that is there and it is being rolled out to meet our TFL obligations, so it will continue, but there is significant discussion around the cost of the licenses."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Construction Company
7%
Performing Arts
7%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business7
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise4
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business4
Large Enterprise3
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cortex Cloud by Palo Alto Networks?
The solution is costly, with high-end capabilities suitable for enterprises. It is less affordable for startups or small-scale vendors.
What needs improvement with Cortex Cloud by Palo Alto Networks?
As per my experience with Cortex Cloud by Palo Alto Networks, the UI could be simpler. There are few features which are very hidden, such as those in software bill of materials and compliance polic...
What is your primary use case for Cortex Cloud by Palo Alto Networks?
My use case for Cortex Cloud by Palo Alto Networks is for CSPM, application security, and IAM. I use it for checking on the asset inventory, policies, and standards like GDPR, NIST, and SOC 2 compl...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for CyberArk Secure Cloud Access?
The experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for CyberArk Secure Cloud Access is that the setup cost initially will be higher as it needs to be integrated with different applications that...
What needs improvement with CyberArk Secure Cloud Access?
The customization of CyberArk Secure Cloud Access could be improved because I found scenarios where I could not provide the correct configuration due to insufficient options available. I understand...
What is your primary use case for CyberArk Secure Cloud Access?
As a distributor, I sell CyberArk Secure Cloud Access to partners and then to customers. I don't have the products deployed in production. I maintain a lab that I use for presentations and demos. I...
 

Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about Cortex Cloud by Palo Alto Networks vs. CyberArk Secure Cloud Access and other solutions. Updated: February 2026.
885,311 professionals have used our research since 2012.