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IBM Security Guardium Data Protection vs Protegrity’s Data Protection Platform comparison

IBM and Protegrity are both solutions in the Database Security category. IBM is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.7, while Protegrity is ranked #5 with an average rating of 10.0. IBM holds a 29.3% mindshare in DS, compared to Protegrity’s 1.5% mindshare. Additionally, 85% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Protegrity users who would recommend it.
IBM Security Guardium Data ...
Read 79 IBM Security Guardium Data Protection reviews
  • 4,782 Views
  • 3,969 Comparison Views
85% willing to recommend
Protegrity’s Data Protectio...
Read 3 Protegrity’s Data Protection Platform reviews
  • 1,109 Views
  • 122 Comparison Views
100% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 21, 2025

Protegrity's Data Protection Platform and IBM Security Guardium Data Protection compete in data security. IBM seems to have the upper hand with a more extensive feature set, though Protegrity is preferred for pricing and customer support.

Features: Protegrity provides advanced data-centric encryption, tokenization, and anonymization, emphasizing ease of integration and regulatory compliance. IBM Security Guardium offers comprehensive activity monitoring, real-time data protection, and sophisticated analytics enhancing its security posture.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Protegrity is noted for straightforward deployment and competent support, ensuring smooth integration. IBM, while more customizable, requires more involved setup, relying on documentation and support.

Pricing and ROI: Protegrity is competitively priced with faster initial setup, leading to rapid ROI. IBM Security Guardium, despite a higher initial cost, offers substantial ROI over time, especially for organizations needing scalable security solutions.

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To learn more, read our detailed IBM Security Guardium Data Protection vs. Protegrity’s Data Protection Platform Report (Updated: September 2025).
Buyer's Guide
IBM Security Guardium Data Protection vs. Protegrity’s Data Protection Platform
September 2025
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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

IBM Security Guardium Data ...
Ranking in Database Security
1st
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
79
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Protegrity’s Data Protectio...
Ranking in Database Security
5th
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
3
Ranking in other categories
Data Governance (18th), Data Masking (4th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Database Security category, the mindshare of IBM Security Guardium Data Protection is 29.3%, down from 33.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Protegrity’s Data Protection Platform is 1.5%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Database Security Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
IBM Security Guardium Data Protection29.3%
Protegrity’s Data Protection Platform1.5%
Other69.2%
Database Security
 

Featured Reviews

Marylennis Franco - PeerSpot reviewer
Has improved data visibility and streamlined compliance reporting across multiple database platforms
The best feature is how many databases we can protect with one solution because it has compatibility with different databases, including Oracle, SQL, and DB2. The data activity monitoring feature is very good because we can check the PDS and have the information for that. We can schedule the reporting and receive it by email, which provides very important information for different areas of the company. We don't need to have a seat and a case or access to the portal, we just receive the report. The user-friendly interface is very good.
Read full review
Vinoth Raj Prabhakaran - PeerSpot reviewer
Beneficial data security, good support, and straightforward initial setup
The initial setup of Protegrity Data Security was straightforward. However, we had a few problems, it's not multi-tenanted. It does not have a hierarchy of roles and differential priorities. To have the initial sandbox version of Protegrity Data Security up and running, took approximately one week. However, it needed to be set up in a resilient way because if it fails, then it is going to be a challenge bringing back the lost information. We have to be particular in terms of architecting it correctly which is taking us a bit of time. We are anticipating anywhere between four to six weeks to be finished.
Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It tests security to support SOX compliance."
"Supports security initiatives and ensures compliance policies."
"We are using it to do a lot of data discovery from a data classification for structured data."
"The purpose of EBM Guardium is to monitor database activity and who is accessing it. This is the most valuable feature."
"The platform provides data protection from internal and external threats."
"Audit Process Builder – Workflow generator to enhance audit tasks and compliance workflows."
"The reporting side is also very, very good, especially its flexibility which allows you to tailor the reports to whatever information you want."
"Our main focus for IBM Guardium is to support security initiatives and compliance policies within our organization. We use the DPD product for monitoring, especially for GDPR, SOX regulations and, of course, the vulnerability assessment that we use to make sure we're keeping up with our patches, making sure things are configured, making sure we're following the best practices."
More IBM Security Guardium Data Protection pros
"The most valuable feature of Protegrity Data Security is the reduction of information being exposed."
"The solution’s pricing is moderate."
"The product is stable."
"Its technical support team is helpful."
 

Cons

"Could be more user friendly; deployment is a little complex."
"I would like to be able to upgrade appliances within major versions without needing to rebuild the appliance."
"Guardium's storage capabilities could use some improvement. I'd also like to have some better integration using digital technology or a connector."
"​It will not go as fast as you want. ​"
"Setup can be complex. The documentation is in so many different locations, and a lot of times we have to leverage support and higher level resources to figure out the right steps to take."
"Can't be used for a NoSQL database, which is limiting."
"Right now, we're in the development phase for IBM Guardium Data Protection, so I don't have any recommendations about additional features and room for improvement in the solution. We're very excited to work on IBM Guardium Data Protection because we are new to the solution, and we're still exploring product features. We're very excited about integrations and use case creation, and it's only after six to eight months that I'll be able to share my recommendations in terms of additional features the solution should have. We did find some difficulty in deploying IBM Guardium Data Protection here in Pakistan because of the lack of resources."
"Since we are resellers we do not have enough information about the technical aspects and the areas of improvement. However, one consistent report that we receive from our customers is that IBM does not offer timely support due to the size of the organisation. It would be great if they could improve their response time."
More IBM Security Guardium Data Protection cons
"Protegrity is using a different OS which has some bugs. Sometimes it's causing an initialization error."
"Protegrity Data Security could improve by having more integration."
"The solution's UI could be better."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis."
"IBM solutions have fair price strategy, and operates on a yearly basis. If it's a SaaS solution, then you can opt for yearly basis."
"The product's pricing is reasonable and affordable. It is in the moderate range."
"Its cost is good. With the new metric of licensing, such as PDO not being available now, customers are expecting a good price for the solution."
"I would suggest to review the type of data, need for security, and if the organizational structure needs the options IBM Guardium provides."
"For IBM Guardium, licensing is very simple and straightforward. There are no issues I can speak of."
"The biggest challenge is the cost associated with the product, and the cost of maintaining. Everything is not translated directly to the benefits we see. There are benefits, yes, but if I were writing the check, would I buy Guardium? No."
"The price of the solution could be better."
More IBM Security Guardium Data Protection pricing and cost advice
"We pay for a few additional services apart from its licenses."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
27%
Computer Software Company
9%
Manufacturing Company
6%
Insurance Company
6%
Financial Services Firm
36%
Computer Software Company
10%
Insurance Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business28
Midsize Enterprise15
Large Enterprise45
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

How does IBM Guardium Data Protection compare with Imperva SecureSphere Database Security?
IBM Security Guardium Data Protection is a solution for database security from IBM that gives complete visibility, control, and analysis to secure sensitive data and comply with regulations. IBM S...
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM Guardium Data Protection?
I don't remember the exact prices, but Guardium is an expensive tool because it is targeted towards corporate enterprises.
See all answers
What do you like most about IBM Security Guardium Data Protection?
The features I like are the robust policies, which allow us to create customized monitoring based on specific activities.
See all answers
What do you like most about Protegrity Data Security?
The product is stable.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Protegrity Data Security?
Protegrity is using a different OS, which has some bugs. Sometimes, it's causing an initialization error.
See all answers
What is your primary use case for Protegrity Data Security?
We use the solution to encrypt sensitive data like PII data. Any unauthorized person cannot find the exact sensitive value in case of data issues. We are using that tool to protect sensitive data.
See all answers
 

Comparisons

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Compared 5% of the time
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Compared 3% of the time
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Compared 2% of the time
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Compared 15% of the time
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Compared 12% of the time
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More Protegrity’s Data Protection Platform Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
IBM Security Guardium Data Protection
October 2025
IBM Security Guardium Data Protection reportDownload IBM Security Guardium Data Protection product report
Buyer's Guide
Database Security
October 2025
Protegrity’s Data Protection Platform reportDownload Protegrity’s Data Protection Platform product report
 

Also Known As

InfoSphere Guardium, Guardium, IBM Guardium
Protegrity Data Security
 

Overview

IBM Security Guardium Data Protection automatically discovers and classifies sensitive data from across the enterprise, providing real-time data activity monitoring and advanced user behavior analytics to help discover unusual activity around sensitive data.

Deploy the solution to help discover regulated data in your data stores and use pre-built templates for regulations such as PCI, SOX, HIPAA, CCPA and many more, to streamline and automate compliance workflows.

IBM

Protegrity’s Data Protection Platform offers robust data security solutions tailored for enterprises seeking advanced data protection measures.

Designed for businesses needing comprehensive data protection, Protegrity’s Data Protection Platform provides encryption, anonymization, and monitoring to secure sensitive data across multiple environments. Its adaptability allows organizations to handle complex data privacy regulations.

What are the key features of Protegrity’s Data Protection Platform?
  • Encryption: Safeguards data both at rest and in transit with sophisticated encryption technologies.
  • Anonymization: Ensures compliance and privacy by anonymizing personal data.
  • Monitoring: Continuous data activity monitoring helps in detecting suspicious activities and preventing breaches.
What benefits and ROI should users consider?
  • Regulatory Compliance: Meets standards like GDPR and CCPA, reducing legal risks.
  • Cost Efficiency: Minimizes data breach costs through effective data protection.
  • Scalability: Supports growing data needs without compromising security.

Protegrity’s Data Protection Platform is particularly beneficial in sectors such as finance, healthcare, and retail, providing tailored security measures that protect sensitive customer data and foster trust. Its industry-specific solutions enhance data integrity and privacy, supporting organizations in maintaining competitive advantages.

Protegrity
 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
A $4 billion retail conglomerate and holding company
Buyer's Guide
IBM Security Guardium Data Protection vs. Protegrity’s Data Protection Platform
September 2025
Free Report: IBM Security Guardium Data Protection vs. Protegrity’s Data Protection Platform
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