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FortiCNAPP vs Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 4, 2026

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
5.8
FortiCNAPP offers significant ROI through cost-effectiveness, automation, team optimization, and compelling security enhancements without additional staffing needs.
Sentiment score
7.2
Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange offers high ROI, enhancing security and productivity, reducing costs, and improving remote user experience significantly.
FortiCNAPP is a competitive and robust solution, the only one in the IT sphere that addresses all quadrants in the Gartner Quadrants.
Client Manager at MLL Telecom Ltd
When I see that I am trying to cut costs, for example, even when replacing Prisma, we have managed to save about over half a million dollars a year.
Cybersecurity Senior Program Manager at Dayforce
In terms of time savings, since users no longer manually connect to the VPN, access became seamless, improving user productivity, especially for remote users.
Team Lead, Technical Content Security at Valuepoint Systems
We don't have to purchase many components such as load balancers and proxy servers that were necessary in traditional setups.
Lead Engineer at FIS Global
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.9
FortiCNAPP's customer service is proactive, quick, and integrates well with DevOps tools, providing satisfactory and reliable support.
Sentiment score
4.9
Zscaler's customer service is professional and knowledgeable, but complex issues can cause delays, affecting global user ratings.
My technical teams do utilize integration with DevOps tools, as it performs significantly with automation regarding sophisticated challenges.
Client Manager at MLL Telecom Ltd
Fortinet's technical support is definitely helpful and responsive.
Owner at IT CARE
Technical support from Fortinet is good; I get feedback and responses quickly.
Software Engineer at a university with 5,001-10,000 employees
The support engineers are technically knowledgeable, particularly for Zscaler Private Access related issues, providing clear guidance and documentation for troubleshooting.
Team Lead, Technical Content Security at Valuepoint Systems
Sometimes, support takes time since the solution has some bugs that need fixing.
architect at Tata Consultancy
They have provided the numbers and contact supports, and it is almost immediate.
Cybersecurity Senior Program Manager at Dayforce
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
6.7
FortiCNAPP is scalable and performs well in complex environments, though some users note potential challenges under heavy traffic.
Sentiment score
7.7
Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform's cloud-native architecture enables scalable, efficient, and seamless expansion for diverse enterprises with minimal hardware changes.
For complex large customers, global deployments, or large public sector customers, the process can take longer.
Client Manager at MLL Telecom Ltd
The only limitation I was mentioning is that it was unable to identify the sources of vulnerability, which they are going to embed by the mid of this year.
Cybersecurity Senior Program Manager at Dayforce
Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform is highly scalable, primarily because it is built on a cloud-native, globally distributed architecture.
Team Lead, Technical Content Security at Valuepoint Systems
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.5
FortiCNAPP is stable and reliable, despite minor lags, with strong support but needs better detection and data accuracy.
Sentiment score
7.8
Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform offers high reliability and availability with minimal downtime, ensuring effective performance for enterprises.
They respond within the service level agreements and are proactive in their approach.
Client Manager at MLL Telecom Ltd
Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform is very stable, especially in enterprise environments.
Team Lead, Technical Content Security at Valuepoint Systems
Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform is very stable.
Cybersecurity Senior Program Manager at Dayforce
 

Room For Improvement

FortiCNAPP requires enhanced third-party integrations, user interface improvements, better policy implementation, scalability, and FedRAMP authorization for effective use.
Zscaler's Zero Trust Platform faces cost, latency, and control issues, with users seeking better integration, support, and scalability.
The vulnerability part is not systematically organized; it is all clumsy in the web UI, and it is not user-friendly.
Software Engineer at a university with 5,001-10,000 employees
The solution could be more user-friendly and intuitive.
Client Manager at MLL Telecom Ltd
Policy implementation is quite complex, and the stability will take more time for the solutions.
Owner at IT CARE
It would be beneficial to have more granular centralized visibility, allowing for quick end-to-end tracing of a user request from authentication to application access without switching between multiple views.
Team Lead, Technical Content Security at Valuepoint Systems
Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform probably needs to be more efficient because scanning takes a lot of time.
Cybersecurity Senior Program Manager at Dayforce
They might be able to identify if something is missing with Zscaler.
architect at Tata Consultancy
 

Setup Cost

FortiCNAPP is costly but competitive, improving in affordability and flexibility, especially for early adopters despite high fees.
Zscaler Zero Trust pricing varies, with flexible customization options and potential savings offsetting initial high costs for larger organizations.
The pricing is a mediator compared to other products; it is not that much higher and not much lower than other products, making it a very affordable price.
Owner at IT CARE
There is minimal setup cost since it is a cloud-delivered platform, eliminating the need to invest in additional hardware such as VPN gateways or maintain infrastructure.
Team Lead, Technical Content Security at Valuepoint Systems
Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform is much, much cheaper when comparing price.
Cybersecurity Senior Program Manager at Dayforce
 

Valuable Features

FortiCNAPP enhances cloud security with compliance reports, anomaly detection, and 24/7 monitoring, offering seamless SIEM integration and vulnerability management.
Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform enhances security and user experience with seamless connectivity, scalability, and robust control features.
It functions as a proactive tool, enabling me to identify threats quickly and automate responses.
Client Manager at MLL Telecom Ltd
The machine learning capability in Lacework FortiCNAPP is used for threat detection.
Software Engineer at a university with 5,001-10,000 employees
FortiCNAPP definitely brings time-saving benefits.
Owner at IT CARE
The solution is cloud-based with the latest inspection engines, which I find to be amazing.
architect at Tata Consultancy
We have excellent account management, smooth marketplace engagement, and processing in how my team or organization uses Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform.
Manager, Software Development at a outsourcing company with 201-500 employees
Since we started using Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform, it has auto-configuration, and wherever we have deployed the auto-configuration, we have not encountered any problem.
Cybersecurity Senior Program Manager at Dayforce
 

Categories and Ranking

FortiCNAPP
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
13
Ranking in other categories
Vulnerability Management (35th), Container Security (28th), Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP) (17th), Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) (23rd), Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP) (16th), Compliance Management (10th)
Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange...
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
67
Ranking in other categories
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) (6th), Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) (9th), Application Control (6th), ZTNA as a Service (1st), Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) (4th), Remote Browser Isolation (RBI) (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

While both are Security Software solutions, they serve different purposes. FortiCNAPP is designed for Vulnerability Management and holds a mindshare of 1.8%, up 1.3% compared to last year.
Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform, on the other hand, focuses on Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), holds 9.5% mindshare, down 11.7% since last year.
Vulnerability Management Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
FortiCNAPP1.8%
Wiz6.4%
Tenable Nessus4.9%
Other86.9%
Vulnerability Management
Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform9.5%
Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks11.8%
Cato SASE Cloud Platform9.8%
Other68.9%
Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)
 

Featured Reviews

Mark Freeborough - PeerSpot reviewer
Client Manager at MLL Telecom Ltd
Network segmentation has strengthened access control and now streamlines automated threat response
The most valuable features in FortiCNAPP include robust network segmentation and restricting access to network assets. It also supports security measures by leveraging security fabrics for better enforcement and policy enforcement. FortiCNAPP integrates with SIEM solutions, and we offer different SIEM options that work with Fortinet and AlienVault, among others, providing multiple scenarios.FortiCNAPP's automated policy recommendations significantly help improve security measures as part of an overall service wrap. When deploying a Fortinet SD-WAN or network, these tools provide greater visibility to vulnerabilities and enhanced security on the network. It functions as a proactive tool, enabling me to identify threats quickly and automate responses.
Vibin Thomas - PeerSpot reviewer
Team Lead, Technical Content Security at Valuepoint Systems
Zero trust access has transformed remote connectivity and now simplifies secure app usage
Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform, especially Zscaler Private Access, is very strong, though there are a few areas where improvements can be made. One challenge observed is around initial troubleshooting and visibility. While Zscaler Private Access provides logs, it can sometimes take time to pinpoint the exact cause of access issues, especially in complex environments with multiple policies and identity integration. Another area is the dependency on identity and connector health. Since Zscaler Private Access is heavily reliant on app connectors and identity providers, any issues with these components can impact user access, making proper monitoring critical. During the initial setup, policy configuration and application onboarding require careful planning, especially for larger environments with many applications. These challenges are manageable with proper design and monitoring. Overall, the platform delivers strong security and user experience. I would recommend a few improvements, especially around user interface, reporting, and troubleshooting experience. From a user interface perspective, while the platform is powerful, the policy configuration and navigation can feel complex, especially for new users. A more simplified and intuitive layout for policy mapping and application access would help reduce the learning curve. In terms of reporting, Zscaler Private Access provides logs, but having more built-in customizable dashboards and analytics would be very helpful. Better visibility into user access patterns, application performance, and real-time troubleshooting insights would improve operational efficiency. From a support and troubleshooting standpoint, it would be beneficial to have more granular centralized visibility, allowing for quick end-to-end tracing of a user request from authentication to application access without switching between multiple views. These improvements would make the platform even more efficient, especially for large-scale enterprise environments.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Construction Company
6%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Computer Software Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Insurance Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business6
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise4
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business16
Midsize Enterprise12
Large Enterprise44
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Lacework?
The pricing is a mediator compared to other products; it is not that much higher and not much lower than other products, making it a very affordable price.
What needs improvement with Lacework?
Policy implementation is quite complex, and the stability will take more time for the solutions. There is definitely room for improvement in policy implementation.
What is your primary use case for Lacework?
FortiCNAPP is mainly used from a security point of view. Some VPNs charge for their solutions, but Fortinet provides a free-of-cost VPN solution, making it more reliable and cost-effective for clie...
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 do you like most about Zscaler SASE?
The most valuable features of Zscaler Private Access are reliability, scalability, and availability.
What needs improvement with Zscaler SASE?
The solution needs to improve a lot of aspects.
 

Also Known As

Polygraph, FortiCNP, Lacework
Zscaler SASE, Zscaler DLP, Zscaler CASB, Zscaler CSPM, Zscaler Browser Isolation, Zscaler Posture Control
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

J.Crew, AdRoll, Snowflake, VMWare, Iterable, Pure Storage, TrueCar, NerdWallet, and more.
Siemens, AutoNation, GE, NOV
Find out what your peers are saying about FortiCNAPP vs. Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
885,667 professionals have used our research since 2012.