Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps vs Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) comparison

Microsoft and Zscaler are both solutions in the Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) category. Microsoft is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.5, while Zscaler is ranked #8 with an average rating of 8.9. Microsoft holds a 6.9% mindshare in CASB, compared to Zscaler’s 1.8% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Zscaler users who would recommend it.

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps and Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps vs. Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps vs. Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)

December 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

iboss

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) category, the mindshare of iboss is 2.5%, up from 1.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is 6.9%, down from 10.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is 1.8%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps	6.9%
iboss	2.5%
Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)	1.8%
Other	88.8%

Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB)

Featured Reviews

reviewer2701851

Managing Director

Enhances web security with a single pane of glass and flexible deployment

I don't see any need for improvement; one of the really good things about iboss as a company is that they listen to customer feedback. I have suggested enhancements, and they are responsive, making changes for the better, and they do a lot of testing. To improve iboss, although we haven't used it, we considered the VPN solution that comes with the highest tier licensing, which includes DLP and various other add-ons. We prefer using another product which automatically logs you back onto your network when turning on your PC. With iboss, the connection is manual, which doesn't meet our needs. Additionally, sizing can be tricky because, although the initial recommendations may seem adequate, actual usage may require more gateways than anticipated.

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Frank Van Der Spek

Security and Continuity Manager at Rolinco NV

Deployment has been seamless with insightful data categorization and enhanced control

The features of Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps that I have found most valuable include the overall portal view, with bubble graphs which give us insight into what goes where in the categorization, nowadays with Generative AI but all kinds of categorization, collaboration, etc. That central view of the portal is very useful for us. The impact of Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps on our organization's ability to assess and manage app related risks has been significant because we have more visibility. Therefore, we can add more control, and we have already done so. This was not possible in the old solution, in the old CASB solution with Netskope. We now can see on the spot, and we do that almost weekly, what the end users are utilizing, which cloud providers or cloud apps they're using. The visibility into OAuth apps provided by Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is very good. The visibility into risk and risk management of our organization's Generative AI apps is very nice, as you can choose the category Generative AI and then see exactly what traffic has been going to and from Generative AI in the cloud. This makes us very insightful on what is used within the company. We have some policies on blocking specific Generative AI, and we use within our company one particular AI part, which is CoPilot of Microsoft. In this way, we can see what the end users are using other than CoPilot, and that makes us more in control. The effectiveness of the integration of Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps with Defender XDR and defending against SaaS attacks is very intuitive. It works immediately if we create a new policy or in Purview or in Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps, or when we make an app unsanctioned by blocking it, then it is almost immediately, or at least within a couple of hours, effective on all the endpoints where the EDR is running. This gives us much better control over things than before.

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Martin Partridge

Solutions Architect at Direct Line Group

User access is simplified and secured through central core functionalities

The simplicity and logical structure of Zscaler make it easy to use and administer. It allows grouping, enabling en masse access conveniently. Unlike the BlueCoat proxy, which was more prescriptive and individual-focused, Zscaler offers group access. Additionally, Zscaler's modern tools enhance the network architecture by passing everything through a central core of security, ensuring everything is secure before accessing the internet.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The iboss system is highly reliable. The false positive rates are small compared to some other systems we've experienced through other partner agencies who use competing solutions."

"Our primary use case for this product is DLP,"

"iboss is easy to use despite its complexity. Multiple engineers manage it, but it's significantly more straightforward to administer than traditional VPNs and web proxies."

"iboss is among the few products providing inline filtering where no application is needed on the device."

"iboss has significantly lowered the number of security incidents. It is crazy how much it blocks and how much it is aware of the outside danger."

"Granular setup, which was able to set different levels of filters using the OUs in the AD."

"I would rate the technical support of iboss a solid 10 without a shadow of a doubt."

"iboss is among the few products providing inline filtering where no application is needed on the device. It operates on the network side and is not device-based. This feature was one of the main reasons why we stayed with them for so long."

More iboss pros

"The solution does not affect a user's workflow."

"The most valuable feature is the ease of management. It's important."

"It's very easy to install and it includes the Intune portal from Microsoft where I can control all the devices from one place."

"Defender for Cloud Apps has given us good visibility regarding what we've allowed in our environment until now. It helps us to know our inventory, understand what our customers are using, and steer them toward safer practices."

"The feature that helps us in detecting the sensitive information being shared has been very useful. In addition, the feature that allows MCAS to apply policies with SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive is being used predominantly."

"Threat detection is its key feature, and that's why we use this tool. It gives an alert if a PC is attacked or there is any kind of anomaly, such as there is a spike in sending emails or we see an unauthorized website being accessed. So, it keeps us on our toes. We get to know that there is something wrong, and we can isolate the user and find any issues with it. So, threat detection is very robust in this tool."

"The ability to sanction unsanctioned apps using Secure Score benchmarking, included in Cloud, is also beneficial."

"The general usability of the solution is very straightforward."

More Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps pros

"Zscaler Private Access helps by resolving network choke issues, allowing application access from public networks without needing to integrate with internal networks."

"Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is a mature, enterprise-grade Zero Trust solution that delivers security and operational benefits."

"Zscaler Private Access helps by resolving network choke issues, allowing application access from public networks without needing to integrate with internal networks."

"It provides security and has a great service user experience."

"The features I appreciate the most about Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) are that it is very easy to use, and we have Terraform for it, which makes it even easier and very straightforward."

"Zscaler ZPA is easy to administer and is organized in a straightforward and logical manner."

"Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is the most mature compared to other vendors in terms of features and stability."

"The best advantage of the product is that it is always on as a VPN, which gives us much more functionality."

More Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) pros

Cons

"I'd like to see them accelerate development on the security side, particularly around data loss prevention."

"Their on-premise hardware's network interface is capped at one gigabit, which is sort of a problem. If you stand a filter up where all traffic flows through that, according to them, in order to go above a gigabit, you have to have multiple devices, which in today's IT seems a little bit silly. They could easily put in an SFP port into their device that could accommodate 10 gigs or at least offer a box."

"Sometimes the agent stops working in iboss, and we have to reinstall the agent."

"Its pricing could be better."

"Regarding pricing, setup costs, and licensing, iboss is not cheap, and that's my only concern."

"I am currently doing a PoC of the zero trust aspect of it. Compared to other similar solutions, it is hard to get around each feature. It takes a while to get used to it."

"Our biggest problem with their service was it did not recognize the device and filtering did not always work correctly."

More iboss cons

"Licensing cost is a significant concern. With Defender Plan 1, Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps comes with a pay-per-use model."

"There are certain areas where the product could improve, such as some functionalities that did not work as expected."

"There are some features, such as user navigation content filtering, that are disabled by default, and it probably makes sense to enable them by default."

"The insights could be improved, especially in reporting. While it is possible for me to see the usage from different cloud apps, determining if critical data has been uploaded or if it is just normal transport data is difficult."

"I would like to see them include more features in the older licenses. There are some features that are not available, such as preventing or analyzing cloud attacks."

"A significant improvement I would like to see is the integration into a single pane of glass, which would allow me to view everything in one place rather than having to switch between different areas."

"Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps' initial setup was quite technical but we were prepared. The time of the implementation depends on the job and how many users are being set up."

"There are challenges with detection and there are challenges with false-positive rates."

More Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps cons

"The solution is not scalable; we deploy it in a high-availability environment, but it's not automated."

"Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) can be improved by expanding integrations."

"Sometimes connection errors occur when users are unable to connect to the particular cloud."

"The price is a concern as it increases every year and becomes more expensive, driving customers and other vendors to look for alternatives."

"The lack of control over the 700+ external IPs through which traffic exits Zscaler is problematic."

"One area for improvement is setting posture profiles for vendor machines."

"Zscaler restricts customization to a maximum of 256 customizable rules, which can be a limitation for us."

"The rollout process could be much easier, and the configuration of identity providers like Azure is more complicated than with other zero trust network providers. This can be a pain point."

More Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is probably in line with other solutions, but I do not deal with the financial side."

"It is not expensive, and it is also not cheap. iboss is priced right in the sweet spot for the number of features it offers."

"It is expensive compared to one of its competitors."

"We had the cost of purchasing a new appliance along with the implementation and licensing costs. However, the following year, the cost of just licensing was similar to what was paid the previous year for a new appliance along with the implementation and licensing costs."

"We have not priced the solution recently, but they were competitive with other vendors in the past."

"The overall pricing for iboss is very competitive and transparent."

"The product's pricing seems fair."

"The pricing is fair."

"It is a little bit expensive. When you want to have the complete package with Office 365, Defender, and everything else, it is expensive."

"Our clients normally use the Microsoft E1 licensing, which is renewed yearly."

"The E5 license offers everything bundled. People are moving to Microsoft because you buy one license and it gives you everything."

"We are an MST and we do not pay for the solution. However, the price of the solution could be better."

"The price could be better and should be reconsidered."

"It has pretty good pricing."

More Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps pricing and cost advice

Information not available

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

No data available

Financial Services Firm

11%

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Financial Services Firm

13%

Insurance Company

12%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	5

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	15
Midsize Enterprise	10
Large Enterprise	19

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	2
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	7

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with iboss?

For zero trust implementation, we encountered complexity issues, especially with a large infrastructure company Exxon...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for iboss?

Previously when I used iboss, we did the POC for iboss for ExxonMobil. Four or five people wanted to move from our ol...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for iboss?

Regarding pricing, setup costs, and licensing, iboss is not cheap, and that's my only concern. There are cheaper alte...

See all answers

Which is the better security solution - Cisco Umbrella or Microsoft Cloud App Security?

Cisco Umbrella is an integral component of the Cisco SASE architecture. It integrates security in a single, cloud-nat...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Cloud App Security?

At the time of implementation, when the size of our organization was small, it was a more affordable product. Since a...

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What needs improvement with Microsoft Cloud App Security?

The fidelity of the signal in Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps has been a challenge in some areas. There have been i...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)?

Prices for Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) are higher than traditional solutions, but it provides enhanced security.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)?

Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) can be improved by expanding integrations. While they integrate with standard vendors su...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)?

Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is a Zero Trust Network Access solution. When replacing traditional remote access VPN te...

See all answers

Comparisons

Netskope vs iboss

Compared 13% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs iboss

Compared 10% of the time

Cisco Umbrella vs iboss

Compared 9% of the time

Zscaler Internet Access vs iboss

Compared 8% of the time

FortiSASE vs iboss

Compared 7% of the time

More iboss Competitors

Zscaler Internet Access vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

Compared 14% of the time

Cisco Umbrella vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

Compared 13% of the time

Netskope vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

Compared 10% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

Compared 7% of the time

Skyhigh Security vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

Compared 5% of the time

More Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps Competitors

Netskope vs Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)

Compared 65% of the time

Cloudflare One vs Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)

Compared 18% of the time

Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform vs Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)

Compared 8% of the time

CyberArk Secure Cloud Access vs Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)

Compared 8% of the time

More Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

iboss

January 2026

Download iboss product report

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

January 2026

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps report

Download Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps product report

Buyer's Guide

Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)

January 2026

Download Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) product report

Also Known As

iBoss Cloud Platform

MS Cloud App Security, Microsoft Cloud App Security

No data available

Overview

Iboss offers a comprehensive cloud-based security platform valued for its scalability and autonomous features, ensuring robust security with easy deployment and management capabilities.

Renowned for its robust security architecture, Iboss integrates seamlessly within diverse networks, delivering efficient granular filtering and advanced content categorization. Its single pane of glass console provides ease of management, allowing rapid scalability suitable for rapidly deploying environments. Operates in BYOD setups due to inline filtering without device installation. Integration with cloud-based applications enhances user control, and features like SASE, SSL inspection, and ChatGPT risk protection stand as highlights. Despite its strengths, users have pointed out areas for enhancement like direct navigation in reports, SSL decryption, and better cloud integration while having room to improve data loss prevention.

What are the most important features of Iboss?

Scalability: Supports rapid deployment across diverse networks.
SASE: A consolidated approach to secure access.
SSL Inspection: Ensures safe data transmission.
Granular Filtering: Detailed control over accessible content.
Single Pane Management: Unifies control through a centralized console.

What benefits should users consider in reviews?

Cost-effectiveness: Offers competitive pricing with robust features.
Autonomous Operation: Reduces management overhead.
Responsive Support: Provides assistance when needed.
Flexible Deployment: Available for both cloud and on-premises environments.

The usage of Iboss spans educational institutions, specifically K-12, to enforce internet policies, protect data, and support remote work environments. It provides web filtering and security frameworks to ensure safe browsing. Its platform-as-a-service model offers flexibility for both cloud-based and on-premises requirements, integrating seamlessly to deliver enhanced security features suitable for various deployment needs including zero trust, CASB, and network security for work-from-home setups.

iboss

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is a comprehensive security solution that provides protection for cloud-based applications and services. It offers real-time threat detection and response, as well as advanced analytics and reporting capabilities. With Defender for Cloud Apps, organizations can ensure the security of their cloud environments and safeguard against cyber threats. Whether you're running SaaS applications, IaaS workloads, or PaaS services, Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps can help you secure your cloud environment and protect your business from cyber threats.

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps Benefits:

Provides comprehensive security for cloud applications
Integrates with other Microsoft security tools
Easy to use and deploy
Provides real-time threat detection and response
Strong protection against phishing attacks and other common threats
Highly customizable to meet specific needs of different organizations

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps Use Cases:

Governance, authentication, security, and compliance.
Detects shadow IT and anomalous user behavior
Controls access to applications
Provides auditing and filtering setups
Used for end-user compute devices, file monitoring, user investigation, and activity
Used for data governance, threat detection, and getting visibility over cloud applications
Used to identify information about applications beyond organizational boundaries
Prevent exfiltration and data filtration of corporate data
Used to deal with spam emails and detect shadow IT

Reviews from Real Users

Ram-Krish, Cloud Security & Governance at a financial services firm, says that Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps "Integrates well and helps us in protecting sensitive information, but takes time to scan and apply the policies and cannot detect everything we need".

PeerSpot user, Senior Cloud & Security Consultant at a tech services, writes that Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps "Great for monitoring user activity and protecting data while integrating well with other applications".

Simon Burgess,Infrastructure Engineer at SBITSC, states that Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is "A fluid, intelligent product for great visibility, centralized management, and increased uptime".

Microsoft

Zscaler Private Access enhances security by enabling access to specific applications without exposing entire networks. It is designed for scalability and flexibility, making it particularly suitable for cloud transitions and remote work environments.

Zscaler Private Access offers a comprehensive solution for modern security needs by ensuring secure remote application access. This is achieved through its advanced features such as micro-segmentation and AI capabilities. Organizations can integrate ZPA with existing security infrastructure, providing seamless operation during cloud transitions. Users benefit from policy-based access management and dashboards that enhance visibility and control. However, ZPA faces some challenges, including bugs, configuration difficulties with identity providers, and a limited rule customization capacity. Delayed support responses and annual price increases are also concerns that need addressing.

What are the key features of Zscaler Private Access?

Micro-segmentation: Restricts application access to improve security.
AI Capabilities: Enhances operational efficiency through intelligent actions.
Group Access: Allows secure access management for different user groups.
Policy-based Access: Ensures control and oversight with customized policies.
Integration Support: Seamlessly incorporates existing security tools.

What benefits should users expect when evaluating Zscaler Private Access?

Scalability: Supports growing demands without compromising service.
Ease of Use: Simplifies operations for remote access and cloud integration.
Visibility and Control: Comprehensive oversight through dashboards and policy management.
Operational Flexibility: Allows adjustments to meet user requirements effectively.

Zscaler Private Access is widely adopted across industries transitioning from traditional VPNs to more secure remote access solutions. Companies leverage it for secure network communication, accessing cloud resources like AWS and Azure, and integrating with internal systems. Local, customer, and cloud networks extensively use ZPA for secure internet access and as a modern replacement for older proxy technologies.

Zscaler

Sample Customers

More than 4,000 global enterprises trust the iboss Cloud Platform to support their modern workforces, including a large number of Fortune 50 companies.

Customers for Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps include Accenture, St. Luke’s University Health Network, Ansell, and Nakilat.

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps vs. Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)

December 2025

Free Report: Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps vs. Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)

Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps vs. Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.

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