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Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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
7.0
Prisma Access enhances cybersecurity, offers cost-effective scalability, and streamlines services, providing financial benefits and operational efficiency.
Sentiment score
6.2
Zscaler Private Access improves cloud migration flexibility and reduces costs, with enterprises seeing up to 289% ROI over three years.
There is a net positive return on investment
Network and Cybersecurity Consultant at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
The ROI is often cited around 289% over the three years of typical enterprises.
System engineer at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
I have found Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) to be very effective at providing operational flexibility during my organization's transition to cloud environments.
DevOps at My Heritage
Since we have a very small team, the ROI is around 20% to 30%.
Senior IT Specialist Network and Security at a marketing services firm with 201-500 employees
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.7
Prisma Access support is praised for expertise but needs improvements in response time, support continuity, and language options.
Sentiment score
6.5
Zscaler Private Access support varies in quality, with mixed reviews on availability, response times, and communication challenges.
The product is reliable, making customer support less frequently needed.
Senior DevOps Expert at Telenor
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
We rarely need to contact support due to having a strong internal team and a robust product.
Senior Manager for Infrastructure at a computer software company with 5,001-10,000 employees
The technical support for ZPA is excellent, rated ten out of ten.
Technical management of Network Security - Network Hub at a comms service provider with 5,001-10,000 employees
We had regular calls, and the team was open and willing to assist us whenever required.
Solutions Architect at Direct Line Group
We lack specific root causes, and it's tough to relay information to users, considering multiple contributors such as phone numbers and internet service providers.
Senior IT Specialist Network and Security at a marketing services firm with 201-500 employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.4
Prisma Access is scalable for diverse companies but may face challenges in pricing and international deployment complexities.
Sentiment score
6.6
Zscaler Private Access offers scalability and efficiency via cloud-based capabilities, benefiting organizations with rapid onboarding and no hardware upgrades.
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 provides significant scalability, allowing integration of different systems.
Senior DevOps Expert at Telenor
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
Zscaler ZPA has excellent scalability.
Solutions Architect at Direct Line Group
I rate the scalability of ZPA as ten out of ten because it's a cloud service and can scale as needed.
Technical management of Network Security - Network Hub at a comms service provider with 5,001-10,000 employees
We need to deploy it and ensure it will be available in two different Availability Zones, but it's not something that can be done with automation, such as auto-scaling.
DevOps Team Member at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.9
Prisma Access is highly rated for stability, offering reliable performance with minimal issues and seamless scalability, despite minor delays.
Sentiment score
7.4
Zscaler Private Access is praised for stability and resilience, though minor bugs and post-rollout issues are noted by users.
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
Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks works efficiently during peak usage times.
CyberSecurity Specialist at Aiuken
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
Even during peak usage or mass remote access events, performance remains consistent, which is critical for an enterprise environment handling business-critical applications.
Senior Network Engineer at Anthology
The architecture uses a global mesh of service edges with built-in fault tolerance and redundancy, providing an always-on experience.
System engineer at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
We implemented a resilient solution with load balance to ensure stability, which has proven effective thus far.
Solutions Architect at Direct Line Group
 

Room For Improvement

Prisma Access needs better UI, integration, custom application support, pricing, documentation, global presence, and technical support enhancements.
Zscaler Private Access needs scalability, flexible rules, better pricing, ease of configuration, vendor integration, and intuitive troubleshooting.
Hosting it in the cloud can mitigate these issues by allowing connection through the nearest Palo Alto or Prisma Cloud regional hub.
Senior Manager for Infrastructure at a computer software company with 5,001-10,000 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
Sometimes a third-party outage could impact the whole operability.
Network and Cybersecurity Consultant at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
It complicates whitelisting, as we cannot determine which IP will be used, posing a challenge when needing to integrate with third parties.
Solutions Architect at Direct Line Group
I would appreciate seeing dynamic scaling implemented because it would be beneficial if an instance goes down to automatically start another one.
DevOps Team Member at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
While Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) wants users to utilize their infrastructure for scale benefits, regulated environments such as government and investment banks need on-premises processing for regulations and low latency requirements.
Principle Cloud Architect at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
 

Setup Cost

Prisma Access is costly but valued for its comprehensive security, with room for pricing and licensing flexibility improvement.
Zscaler Private Access offers premium, per-user pricing, justified by security features and cost-effectiveness within an 11-month payback period.
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
It is expensive.
architect at Tata Consultancy
Although the solution is costly, its features justify the price for securing the organization from various access types.
Consultant at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
While it is a premium investment, the short payback period of about 11 months and consolidation of multiple point products make it very cost-effective in the long run.
System engineer at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
 

Valuable Features

Prisma Access provides scalable, secure cloud-based VPN access, real-time threat prevention, and integrates seamlessly with existing infrastructures.
Zscaler Private Access offers secure, scalable app access with Zero Trust, enhancing security and flexibility, especially in cloud environments.
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
GlobalProtect has been beneficial for its cloud security capabilities, which are vital as businesses seek hybrid options and need to support remote workers while addressing latency issues.
Senior Manager for Infrastructure at a computer software company with 5,001-10,000 employees
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
Zscaler pre-tests websites and authorizes safe access, giving us a layer of security that we rely on.
Solutions Architect at Direct Line Group
Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is much more secure than VPN because users are only allowed to access specific applications rather than the whole network.
Technical management of Network Security - Network Hub at a comms service provider with 5,001-10,000 employees
Zscaler has allowed an easy, secure way for us to access our internal resources from outside.
DevOps Team Member at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
 

Categories and Ranking

Prisma Access by Palo Alto ...
Ranking in Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB)
1st
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
65
Ranking in other categories
Secure Web Gateways (SWG) (5th), Enterprise Infrastructure VPN (5th), ZTNA as a Service (4th), Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) (1st)
Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)
Ranking in Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB)
9th
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
13
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) category, the mindshare of Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is 12.6%, down from 16.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is 2.0%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks12.6%
Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)2.0%
Other85.4%
Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB)
 

Featured Reviews

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.
BasilJiji - PeerSpot reviewer
System engineer at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
Zero trust access has secured hybrid work and now provides seamless app connectivity
Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) has significantly reduced our attack surface by making our internal apps invisible to the internet. It effectively eliminates lateral movement as users are only connected to the specific application they are authorized to use rather than the entire network segment. Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is highly stable. The architecture uses a global mesh of service edges with built-in fault tolerance and redundancy, providing an always-on experience that is far more reliable than our old hardware-based VPN concentrator. Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is elastically scalable because it is a software-defined perimeter and not an appliance-based solution. I can instantly scale to support thousands of additional users without needing to upgrade any physical hardware.
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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) solutions are best for your needs.
909,725 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
12%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
8%
Outsourcing Company
6%
Outsourcing Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Insurance Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business26
Midsize Enterprise20
Large Enterprise27
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business2
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise7
 

Questions from the Community

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...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)?
Regarding pricing, setup costs, and licensing for Zscaler Private Access (ZPA), while it is not the cheapest solution, when you factor in the reduced VPN infrastructure, hardware maintenance, and o...
What needs improvement with Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)?
After deploying Zscaler Private Access (ZPA), I notice a reduction in VPN-related support tickets, particularly during peak hours, and audits become smoother because access is clearly defined per a...
What is your primary use case for Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)?
My primary use case for Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is securing application-level access to internal applications without exposing the network to the public network. Previously, VPN gave users bro...
 

Also Known As

Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access, Prisma Access, GlobalProtect, Palo Alto GlobalProtect Mobile Security Manager, Prisma SaaS by Palo Alto Networks, Prisma Access
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

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
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs. Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) and other solutions. Updated: August 2026.
909,725 professionals have used our research since 2012.