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Google Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy vs Portnox comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 15, 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
6.7
Google Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy enhances collaboration and security for Google apps, with ROI varying based on utilization strategies.
Sentiment score
4.8
Portnox CORE improved network visibility, security, and efficiency, reducing costs and enhancing decision-making through detailed analytics and automated features.
If you were moving from a traditional on-premise NAC that was 100% managed by the IT department, there would be great savings in going to a cloud-based NAC with Portnox.
IT Infrastructure Manager at a tech vendor with 501-1,000 employees
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.5
Google Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy support varies; some find it excellent while others face inefficiencies, affecting direct Google interaction.
Sentiment score
6.7
Portnox customer service is responsive, but needs improvement in local support, ticketing, and technical training for better service.
The main area needing improvement is the technical knowledge of support staff.
Senior Network Engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
I was seeing weird things, and they were able to explain things to me and help me quickly find a resolution.
IT Infrastructure Manager at a tech vendor with 501-1,000 employees
They resolved issues quickly and provided clear explanations.
President at TrackerSoft
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.6
Google Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy is praised for effective scalability and ease of management despite potential cost concerns.
Sentiment score
7.5
Portnox is highly scalable and flexible, efficiently supporting many endpoints with its adaptable cloud-based licensing model.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.1
Google Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy is praised for its reliability and stability, with minor issues mainly in virtual machines.
Sentiment score
7.5
Portnox is stable but CORE faces issues; improved communication and support are needed, especially during updates and for older versions.
In the four years that I used Portnox, if it crashed or the server crashed, that would not have been more than once.
Information Technology System Administrator at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees
If there is a version one and another version, the communication between the organization using it and Portnox should be firm so they can coordinate effectively.
Windows Server Administrator/ IT Support Officer at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees
The product itself is available and its uptime is 100%.
Systems Analyst at a construction company with 1,001-5,000 employees
 

Room For Improvement

Google Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy needs better user-friendliness, integration, security, support, and cost-effectiveness for enhanced performance and usability.
Portnox should optimize licensing, integration, UI, partner training, support hours, Wi-Fi integration, and resolve cloud authentication delays.
Ideally, we should be able to search for any MAC address in the database, regardless of its authentication status, to see all its associated groups and potential conflicts.
President at TrackerSoft
It was a seamless integration, but we did experience some difficulties initially where mobile phones were being locked out until we figured out how to set footprints for mobile phones that would be able to connect using Portnox to access the Wi-Fi in the environment.
Information Technology System Administrator at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees
This authentication issue with Portnox needs to be addressed.
Windows Server Administrator/ IT Support Officer at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees
 

Setup Cost

Google Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy offers competitive pricing, with mixed reviews on cost-effectiveness compared to AWS and Oracle alternatives.
Portnox pricing is considered balanced, offering scalable licenses, with mixed reactions to subscription-only plans and varying regional costs.
You are charged according to the number of users.
Senior Network Engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
The pricing is a bit high, possibly due to the cloud features and running instances across regions like the US, Asia, and Europe.
President at TrackerSoft
If you compare Portnox with all other well-known standard products, it is the cheapest.
IT Network Engineer at a tech vendor with 5,001-10,000 employees
 

Valuable Features

Google Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy provides scalable security, user-friendly access management, real-time collaboration, and seamless integration with minimal expertise needed.
Portnox offers scalable, intuitive network management with seamless integration and security compliance for efficient endpoint management and visibility.
It is a very robust application because three teams use that part: the network team, the security team, and the support people.
Windows Server Administrator/ IT Support Officer at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees
It's notable how Portnox has improved operational efficiency.
IT Network Engineer at a tech vendor with 5,001-10,000 employees
You can see a PC connected to it, and you can tell which user the PC is using and which version of the OS it's running.
Information Technology System Administrator at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees
 

Categories and Ranking

Google Cloud Identity-Aware...
Ranking in ZTNA
10th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
45
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Portnox
Ranking in ZTNA
11th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
24
Ranking in other categories
Network Access Control (NAC) (6th), Passwordless Authentication (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the ZTNA category, the mindshare of Google Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy is 2.5%, down from 2.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Portnox is 2.3%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
ZTNA Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy2.5%
Portnox2.3%
Other95.2%
ZTNA
 

Featured Reviews

Nobuaki Kitamura - PeerSpot reviewer
managing director of IT Department at Nara OA System Inc
Google Cloud Platform works better with Google Workspace, stable product but a bit complicated, especially the networking
We used Google Workspace, so all my employees have Google Workspace accounts. I initially wanted to use Google Cloud Platform for subscription compatibility. Google Cloud Platform works better with Google Workspace, but unfortunately, it's a bit complicated, especially the networking. Oracle Cloud's virtual network system is much easier and more flexible. Also, Oracle was cheaper. That's the main reason we chose Oracle Cloud.
Scott Kerr - PeerSpot reviewer
President at TrackerSoft
It is seamless and integrates well with our Azure setup
We use devices like PLCs and controllers, and when we receive a request to allow one on the network, we bypass typical authentication, associate it with a group account, and push it to a firewalled VLAN. However, problems arise when the same MAC address is requested for a different project. Our current system only finds authenticated MAC addresses, making it difficult to troubleshoot when the same device is used for multiple purposes. Ideally, we should be able to search for any MAC address in the database, regardless of its authentication status, to see all its associated groups and potential conflicts.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
15%
Comms Service Provider
13%
Performing Arts
10%
Computer Software Company
7%
Manufacturing Company
15%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Healthcare Company
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business17
Midsize Enterprise12
Large Enterprise19
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business12
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise7
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy?
I can access the information whenever I want. It's integration is easy. The tool's GUI is easy to use with an IT background. The value benefits of using it include the ability to avoid storing data...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy?
There are different pricing plans depending on data volumes and services, but it's comparable to other providers. The value and benefits depend on what we're developing and the specific use case.
What needs improvement with Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy?
Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy should improve stability.
What do you like most about Portnox CORE?
It's easy to manage and troubleshoot thanks to the lightweight components.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Portnox CORE?
It's not cheap. It's not expensive. It's in the middle, so I'll probably give it a seven out of ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive.
What needs improvement with Portnox CORE?
We have been having some issues with it. That's why we're considering migrating to Portnox Clear due to some limitations with CORE. At the end of the day, Portnox Clear's capabilities are much more...
 

Also Known As

GCP Cloud IAP, Google Cloud Platform Cloud IAP, Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy
Access Layers Portnox, Portnox CLEAR
 

Interactive Demo

Demo not available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Data Realty, Royal London, Wales Millennium Centre, McLaren Construction Group, EL AL Israeli Airlines, 
Find out what your peers are saying about Google Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy vs. Portnox and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
880,315 professionals have used our research since 2012.