No more typing reviews! Try our Samantha, our new voice AI agent.

Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway vs Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 4, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
5.3
Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway provides significant ROI, enhancing security while reducing hardware and staffing needs for organizations.
Sentiment score
7.0
Prisma Access enhances cybersecurity, offers cost-effective scalability, and streamlines services, providing financial benefits and operational efficiency.
There is a net positive return on investment
Network and Cybersecurity Consultant at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.2
Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway's support varies in responsiveness and expertise, with premium options offering quicker service but higher costs.
Sentiment score
6.7
Prisma Access support is praised for expertise but needs improvements in response time, support continuity, and language options.
There are instances where both the response time and technical support quality need improvement.
I usually need to raise the alarm and contact a couple of people within Palo Alto Networks to just respond quicker, so technical support should be much better.
Director at PULSEC
The product is reliable, making customer support less frequently needed.
Senior DevOps Expert at Telenor
The service and technical support quality varies depending on the personnel.
Network and Cybersecurity Consultant at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.1
Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway is scalable and flexible but may require adjustments for optimal performance in larger implementations.
Sentiment score
7.4
Prisma Access is scalable for diverse companies but may face challenges in pricing and international deployment complexities.
Prisma Access provides significant scalability, allowing integration of different systems.
Senior DevOps Expert at Telenor
To scale, one would need to upgrade or acquire more hardware.
Senior Manager for Infrastructure at a computer software company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is a cloud-based solution, and from my experience, there are no issues with scalability.
Security Engineer at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.1
Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway is stable with high ratings, minor latency, and occasional outages affecting stability perceptions.
Sentiment score
7.9
Prisma Access is highly rated for stability, offering reliable performance with minimal issues and seamless scalability, despite minor delays.
Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks works efficiently during peak usage times.
CyberSecurity Specialist at Aiuken
I think the stability of Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is excellent, and I would rate it ten out of ten.
Security Engineer at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
GlobalProtect is a satisfying solution, and the product is robust without major stability issues.
Senior Manager for Infrastructure at a computer software company with 5,001-10,000 employees
 

Room For Improvement

Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway requires improvements in authentication, malware filtering, feature integration, support, and new technology adoption.
Prisma Access needs better UI, integration, custom application support, pricing, documentation, global presence, and technical support enhancements.
Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway is not endpoint security.
PS & Technical Manager at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
They need to enhance their CASB solutions since currently, the cloud index support is low compared to competitors.
What Palo Alto Networks can do better for Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is probably to have the point of presence available in more locations.
Director at PULSEC
Sometimes a third-party outage could impact the whole operability.
Network and Cybersecurity Consultant at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
There is a lack of integration with third-party solutions like CrowdStrike or SentinelOne in Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks.
Security Engineer at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
 

Setup Cost

Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway is competitively priced, yet some find it less affordable than alternatives due to feature costs.
Prisma Access is costly but valued for its comprehensive security, with room for pricing and licensing flexibility improvement.
It's really expensive.
Systems Engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
The pricing is on the higher side, rating it around eight to nine out of ten.
Senior DevOps Expert at Telenor
From my experience, Palo Alto is more expensive compared to solutions like Netskope and Triscale.
Security Engineer at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Pricing for Prisma Access and Prisma SD WAN is high due to the need for different hardware flavors like IONs.
Senior Manager for Infrastructure at a computer software company with 5,001-10,000 employees
 

Valuable Features

Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway provides robust security with easy setup, customization, and centralized management for secure web access and monitoring.
Prisma Access provides scalable, secure cloud-based VPN access, real-time threat prevention, and integrates seamlessly with existing infrastructures.
If you have the complete Forcepoint solution, it can integrate with other Forcepoint products, such as DLP solution and email gateway.
PS & Technical Manager at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
As organizations move away from legacy applications and data centers, the SASE architecture and ZTNA-based operations become essential.
These features are security-driven, providing robust protection against increasing cyber threats by integrating NG Firewalls, SD WAN, and CASB, all within a fully cloud-native solution.
Senior DevOps Expert at Telenor
The HIP Check is the most valuable feature of Prisma Access, which is the feature usually used from GlobalProtect.
Director at PULSEC
One of the most valuable features of Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is the ability to manage on-premise firewalls.
Security Engineer at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
 

Categories and Ranking

Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway
Ranking in Secure Web Gateways (SWG)
11th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
56
Ranking in other categories
Internet Security (4th), Web Content Filtering (4th)
Prisma Access by Palo Alto ...
Ranking in Secure Web Gateways (SWG)
5th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
65
Ranking in other categories
Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) (1st), Enterprise Infrastructure VPN (5th), ZTNA as a Service (4th), Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Secure Web Gateways (SWG) category, the mindshare of Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway is 2.8%, down from 4.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is 7.3%, down from 10.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Secure Web Gateways (SWG) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks7.3%
Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway2.8%
Other89.9%
Secure Web Gateways (SWG)
 

Featured Reviews

reviewer1047669 - PeerSpot reviewer
PS & Technical Manager at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Has faced usability challenges while managing integrated components
We are working with web gateway and full endpoint security. URL filter is a notable feature. While it is not specifically related to Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway alone, if you have the complete Forcepoint solution, it can integrate with other Forcepoint products, such as DLP solution and email gateway. The URL filter of Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway is good for web gateway. Clients and consumers do not prefer it because the interface is not good. When using FSM with DLP, web gateway, and email gateway, upgrades cannot be performed simultaneously since Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway might need an upgrade while email gateway does not, despite having the same manager controlling them. Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway works well with banking and small companies. Email gateway is less needed as everything is moving to the cloud.
IgorPinter - PeerSpot reviewer
Director at PULSEC
Zero-trust access has improved remote security and now simplifies cloud-based firewall management
Regarding the integration part for Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks, the integration with identity providers is pretty much good. It is basically firewall as a service, so it performs well. I completed the integration without any issues. What Palo Alto Networks can do better for Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is probably to have the point of presence available in more locations. The point of presence from the Serbia region has the nearest POP in Frankfurt, which is an issue since it is your gateway—when you start browsing the internet, you go through a commercial connection in Germany. They definitely need to spread the service in other countries.
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Secure Web Gateways (SWG) solutions are best for your needs.
909,701 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
10%
Construction Company
9%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
8%
Outsourcing Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business23
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise29
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business26
Midsize Enterprise20
Large Enterprise27
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway?
I would rate pricing for Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway a two out of ten. It's really expensive.
What needs improvement with Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway?
Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway is not endpoint security. If we have a chance to change, we would change it because it is not user-friendly. The setup process is complex. You need to install FSM, whi...
What is your primary use case for Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway?
We have no big project, but we are trying to sell it in the market here. We are working with Forcepoint because there is no vendor working with this technology. If we have another vendor working wi...
What is the better solution - Prisma Access or Zscaler Private Access?
We looked into Prisma Access before choosing Zscaler Private Access (ZPA). Palo Alto’s Prisma Access is a secure access service edge (SASE) designed to deliver network security in a cloud-deliver...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks?
From my experience, Palo Alto is more expensive compared to solutions like Netskope and Triscale.
What needs improvement with Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks?
Regarding the integration part for Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks, the integration with identity providers is pretty much good. It is basically firewall as a service, so it performs well. I co...
 

Also Known As

Forcepoint SWG, Websense Web Security, Forcepoint TRITON
Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access, Prisma Access, GlobalProtect, Palo Alto GlobalProtect Mobile Security Manager, Prisma SaaS by Palo Alto Networks, Prisma Access
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Adventist Health, Alphawest, Amadori, Anoka County, Compartamos Banco, Davies Turner, EverBank, iGATE, Karlstad Municipality, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Scavolini, Smurfit Kappa, Toyota
Concord Hospital, State of Colorado, Essilor International, RheinLand Versicherungsgruppe, University of Westminster, Universidade Nove de Julho, SPAR Austria, CAME Group, ZipRealty, Greenhill & Co., IKT Agder, Aviva Stadium, Animal Logic, Management & Training Corporation, Brigham Young University Hawaii, School District of Chilliwack
Find out what your peers are saying about Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway vs. Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks and other solutions. Updated: August 2026.
909,701 professionals have used our research since 2012.