Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks vs Sentra comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Palo Alto Networks and Sentra are both solutions in the Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) category. Palo Alto Networks is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.7, while Sentra is ranked #14 with an average rating of 10.0. Additionally, 98% of Palo Alto Networks users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Sentra users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 1, 2026

Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks and Sentra compete in the cloud security solutions category. Prisma Cloud tends to have an upper hand due to its pricing and support, while Sentra is favored for its feature set.

Features: Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks offers comprehensive security policies, advanced threat detection, and a broad spectrum of integrations. Sentra features advanced data protection capabilities, exceptional integration with DevOps processes, and focuses on data-centric security strategies.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks provides a streamlined deployment process with comprehensive documentation and extensive support options. Sentra offers flexible deployment models that emphasize fast initialization, appealing to tech-savvy teams needing quick adaptation.

Pricing and ROI: Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks is known for competitive pricing and significant ROI potential because of its extensive features leading to cost savings in security management. Sentra's higher initial setup cost is balanced by its specialized data protection and efficiency, delivering high ROI for organizations prioritizing data-specific protection.

To learn more, read our detailed Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) Report (Updated: September 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Data Security Posture Management (DSPM)

September 2026

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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

Qualys TotalCloud

Featured Reviews

reviewer2859021

Sr Security Engineer at a tech vendor with 5,001-10,000 employees

Risk-based triage has transformed container security and now prioritizes high-impact threats

The best features Qualys TotalCloud offers currently include managing cloud infrastructure and container security while facing major challenges such as alert fatigue. Traditional vulnerability scanners flag hundreds of CVEs on short-lived Kubernetes containers, some of which have no internet exposure or are gone before we can even triage them. I leverage Qualys TotalCloud to move beyond static CVSS. I use it to implement runtime exposure, correlation risk reprioritization, and shift-left integration. This notifies developers to fix a base image upstream rather than patching live ephemeral instances. In my work with cloud and container security, the biggest operational hurdle was alert fatigue. I use Qualys to shift left from static CVSS severity to context-aware risk prioritization. I correlated raw vulnerability data with real-time risk factors such as public network exposure, active runtime execution, or overly permissive IAM roles. This allows us to immediately drop the priority of isolated containers and escalate lower-severity CVEs that sit on an exposed, high-risk path. We can map these findings directly back to our CI/CD pipelines so developers can patch the root base images upstream. We have drastically cut down the signal-to-noise ratio, saved a lot of manual hours doing triage work, and ensured engineering effort goes directly towards high-impact risk reduction.

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reviewer2776578

Cyber Security Architect at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees

Image scanning has supported consistent security practices during cloud deployment

On a scale of ten, we would say people are happy with Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks for the part we use. People are okay with it. We probably would give an eight. We don't give ten because if we don't use the other parts of Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks, it's because it was difficult to implement from an operational point of view. We could have deployed the runtime monitoring with Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks, but within our organization at our company, it was very difficult to find who would be the owner for the alerts. People have other tools and in the end, we don't use the full capabilities of a product that we pay for. It's partially related to the difficulty to integrate Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks runtime in our company's support process. We don't use the real-time monitoring part of Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks. We don't know about the automated remediation feature of Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks.

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reviewer2795433

Cloud Ops Lead at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

Cloud audits have become smoother and data risks are reduced through automated discovery

I cannot think of any improvements, really. Sentra does what it's meant to do, finding shadow data. If the data classification feature was improved ever so slightly, maybe a little bit quicker to use, that would be good, but that's the type of thing where it's never going to be perfect anyway, so there are no real improvements that I can see with Sentra, no big ones anyway. The only area where I see potential for improvement is making it quicker to use the data classification section. Other than that, I haven't seen any areas where I'd want it to be improved.

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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

"I appreciate Qualys TotalCloud's ability to onboard any type of device with ease, including containers."

"The scalability is good as well. I would rate it ten out of ten."

"The platform's unified view of the organization proves particularly valuable for leadership team meetings."

"Qualys TotalCloud fulfills all these needs."

"I highly recommend Qualys TotalCloud to other users."

"I appreciate TotalCloud's real-time protection and remediation features. The remediation options include automated one-click remedies and custom changes that help manage vulnerabilities efficiently."

"By integrating TotalCloud, we have significantly reduced vulnerabilities in our deployment pipeline."

"If someone were to ask me to review Qualys TotalCloud, I would summarize it as an end-to-end solution for cloud security with visibility and governance-grade controls without needing to manage multiple disconnected tools."

More Qualys TotalCloud pros

"It is a very specific product and it is amazingly good at what it does."

"Integrating with a CI/CD pipeline and incorporating a vulnerability assessment process are highly effective features, especially when combined with runtime protection."

"This positively affected our confidence in your security and compliance. No matter how complex the environment is, the the seamless integration from the top layer itself give us the immediate visibility on the number of services."

"The most valuable feature of Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks is the CSPM, which we use the most. Additionally, the investigation and alerts are useful, and the creation of queries."

"Engineering is thinking it's easy to integrate because we use many Red Hat products."

"What I found most valuable in Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks is the VAS, such as the web application and API security. I feel that VAS adds a lot of value, mainly because it gives visibility through the application layer and threat detection features."

"My impression of Prisma Cloud was pretty good; it's an amazing tool that gives the whole view of your container environment and connection with multiple platforms, such as Splunk, and it is a good solution."

"One of the things that we have been able to do with Prisma Cloud is that we have been able to generate real-time alerts and share them with our technology team, and the turnaround time between us identifying a security gap and then closing it has gone down drastically, as we have reduced the timeline by 30%."

More Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks pros

"Sentra has increased the security of our cloud estate."

Cons

"In a future release, I suggest that zero-day vulnerabilities should be predicted in advance using AI technologies. The system is not 100% secure yet, so proactive threat hunting could be enhanced to be more proactive than the current system."

"The support process is inefficient due to the excessive number of replies required when submitting tickets."

"From a downside perspective, the UI is not user-friendly and feels dated compared to other tools like Prisma Cloud."

"TotalCloud could improve its scanning of niche devices like Wi-Fi dongles and USB modems because they are often untested. It covers everything else, like laptops, mobile devices, and Bluetooth IoT devices. They can improve on the small IoT devices because hackers and testers use these."

"The vulnerability part is good, but the policy compliance module needs improvement because it involves a lot of manual work. Specifically, the remediation part of the controls requires enhancements."

"It is already perfect, but they can bring some newer dashboards and customization options for the dashboard. It would be great to be able to include on-prem assets on the dashboard."

"TotalCloud could improve the classification of vulnerabilities. Specifically, it could enhance the categorization of what aspects fall under patches resolved by OS or software updates and what pertains to configuration adjustments."

"To be honest, I would move out from this tool because it does not give a full view of vulnerability."

More Qualys TotalCloud cons

"We have discovered that Prisma is not functioning properly with GCP."

"It provides all the cloud details but is not entirely linked to the compute model."

"I would like Prisma Cloud to improve its mapping feature to increase usability."

"They are missing some compatibility details in their documentation."

"The dashboard can be created at the user level instead of the cloud account level, which will help save time."

"Prisma could improve the data quality. One challenge is that when an application is deployed on multiple virtual machines, we get an alert for each machine, but the biggest challenge is container flapping. When containers go up and down, we get 100 alerts on one day, but it reports 20 the next day. The numbers keep changing, and the app owners tell us, "You reported a hundred vulnerabilities from my app, and today, you report 20. I haven't made any changes in production, so is your data correct or not?""

"To see the full picture, at least when I last used it in April or May, you needed to switch between the modules. To see the cloud infrastructure and pipeline configuration, you need to switch to that module. To see the code security part, you need to switch to the Code Security module. It is the same story with CSPM. Two competitors of Prisma Cloud do it in a better way. They show the full view of a risk. Prisma Cloud unfortunately lacks in that area, but they are catching up."

"I would like to see the inclusion of automated counter-attack, although this is probably illegal."

More Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks cons

"If the data classification feature was improved ever so slightly, maybe a little bit quicker to use, that would be good, but that's the type of thing where it's never going to be perfect anyway, so there are no real improvements that I can see with Sentra, no big ones anyway."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The cost is high, but it meets our organizational needs."

"Qualys TotalCloud offers good pricing that is affordable and competitive with the market. Our partnership also provides us with additional benefits."

"Its price seems higher compared to other tools, but it is worth it. If they could adjust the pricing and make it comparable with other tools, that would be great."

"TotalCloud's price is about right where I would expect it to be."

"Although Qualys TotalCloud is relatively expensive due to its unique automation features, its cost-effectiveness is rated an eight out of ten, with ten being the most costly."

"The pricing for TotalCloud is attractive and competitive in the market. Given the features, especially the dashboard, I have no concerns regarding pricing."

"The pricing is comparable. It is built into our other product, so I cannot piecemeal it. It is a part of our subscription."

"Qualys TotalCloud offers cost-effective licensing flexibility."

More Qualys TotalCloud pricing and cost advice

"The pricing is competitive. From what I have seen in the past, it is on par with the others."

"The price is high. In the future, when there are more competitors at the same level with different clouds, maybe the position will be different."

"The pricing for Prisma Cloud is high. Providing a pay-as-you-go model or pricing options tailored for medium and small enterprises could help attract more clients."

"Prisma Cloud is more expensive than Check Point CloudGuard."

"If a competitor came along and said, "We'll give you half the price," that doesn't necessarily mean that's the right answer, at all. We wouldn't necessarily entertain it that way. Does it do what we need it to do? Does it work with the things that we want it to work with? That is the important part for us. Pricing wasn't the big consideration it might be in some organizations. We spend millions on public cloud. In that context, it would not make sense to worry about the small price differences that you get between the products."

"The pricing of the solution is fair."

"The cost depends on the pricing model. Compared to other solutions, the cost isn't that bad."

"One thing we're very pleased about is how the licensing model for Prisma is based on work resources. You buy a certain amount of work resources and then, as they enable new capabilities within Prisma, it just takes those work resource units and applies them to new features. This enables us to test and use the new features without having to go back and ask for and procure a whole new product, which could require going through weeks, and maybe months, of a procurement process."

More Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks pricing and cost advice

Information not available

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Comms Service Provider

16%

Outsourcing Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Financial Services Firm

13%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Outsourcing Company

Financial Services Firm

19%

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	14
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	34

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	37
Midsize Enterprise	21
Large Enterprise	58

No data available

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Qualys TotalCloud?

The price is very expensive, actually.

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What needs improvement with Qualys TotalCloud?

In terms of improvement, remediation still belongs to the cloud team, which is one of the issues we faced with Qualys...

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What is your primary use case for Qualys TotalCloud?

My main use case for Qualys TotalCloud is regarding the cloud visibility that we were not having previously. Previous...

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What is your primary use case for Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks?

Prisma Cloud helps support DevSecOps methodologies, making those responsibilities easier to manage.

See all answers

What Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform do you recommend?

We like Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks, since it offers us incredible visibility into our entire cloud system. We...

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What do you think of Aqua Security vs Prisma Cloud?

Aqua Security is easy to use and very manageable. Its main focus is on Kubernetes and Docker. Security is a very valu...

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What needs improvement with Sentra?

I cannot think of any improvements, really. Sentra does what it's meant to do, finding shadow data. If the data class...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Sentra?

My main use case for Sentra is agentless data discovery. Sentra offers the ability to identify across the entire clou...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Sentra?

I would say that audits could be anywhere from 10 to 20% smoother from using a tool such as this, because if data is ...

See all answers

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Qualys TotalCloud

September 2026

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Buyer's Guide

Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks

September 2026

Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks report

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Buyer's Guide

Data Security Platforms (DSP)

September 2026

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Also Known As

Qualys TotalCloud with FlexScan

Prisma Public Cloud, RedLock Cloud 360, RedLock, Twistlock, Aporeto

No data available

Overview

Qualys TotalCloud enhances security posture across cloud environments with continuous monitoring, vulnerability management, and risk visualization, ensuring efficient threat assessment and automated remediation for improved cyber risk reduction.

Qualys TotalCloud offers a robust suite of security tools essential for organizations managing multi-cloud infrastructures. By integrating cloud accounts and automating workflows, it supports AWS, Azure, and GCP, offering comprehensive vulnerability management and zero-day detection. The platform's user-friendly design, combined with its extensive risk management and unified threat assessment capabilities, enables organizations to prioritize and remediate vulnerabilities effectively. TruRisk Insights provides clear insights on cyber risks, while the automation options streamline patch management and scanning processes. API integration across IaaS and SaaS environments further enhances resource allocation efficiency and saves time, addressing misconfigurations across cloud environments.

What are the most important features of Qualys TotalCloud?

Accurate Vulnerability Reports: Delivers precise and actionable insights for risk mitigation.
Zero-Day Detection: Identifies and addresses zero-day vulnerabilities proactively.
Unified Threat Assessment: Offers comprehensive evaluation of threats across the environment.
Extensive Risk Management: Manages risks effectively with advanced insights and prioritization.
Continuous Monitoring: Provides non-stop surveillance for vulnerabilities and threats.
Cloud-Native Automation: Streamlines processes and reduces manual efforts using automation.
FlexScan for Internet-Facing VMs: Scans external VMs efficiently to detect vulnerabilities.
Dashboard Risk Visualization: Clear visualization helps prioritize vulnerabilities.

What benefits and ROI should users look for?

Improved Security Posture: Enhances threat detection and response across clouds.
Time Savings: Automation reduces time spent on manual vulnerability management.
Resource Efficiency: Better allocation of resources through streamlined workflows.
Enhanced Risk Prioritization: Focus on critical vulnerabilities for effective mitigation.
Integrated Cloud Accounts: Facilitates seamless cloud management and security.

Qualys TotalCloud is deployed in sectors needing rigorous vulnerability management, such as finance and healthcare. Companies utilize it to secure multi-cloud environments like AWS, Azure, and GCP, focus on compliance, and integrate security into CI/CD pipelines to detect and remedy threats pre-deployment.

Qualys

Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks provides comprehensive cloud-native security solutions. It covers dynamic workload identity, automated forensics, and multi-cloud protection, ensuring robust security across diverse cloud platforms.

Prisma Cloud delivers advanced capabilities for managing cloud security across AWS, Azure, and GCP platforms. It offers dynamic workload identity creation, real-time monitoring, and seamless integration into CI/CD pipelines. With automation, centralized dashboards, and enhanced visibility, users effectively manage security misconfigurations and vulnerabilities. While optimizing cloud environments through runtime protection and compliance, Prisma Cloud faces challenges with its navigation, pricing, and limited automation capabilities. Users seek improvements in API security, role-based access controls, and documentation quality, emphasizing the need for enhanced customization and reporting features.

What are the important features of Prisma Cloud?

Dynamic Workload Identity: Enables unique workload identities for security purposes.
Automated Forensics: Offers detailed insights into threats and incidents automatically.
Runtime Protection: Provides ongoing detection and blocking of suspicious activities.
Multi-Cloud Security: Protects environments on AWS, Azure, and GCP simultaneously.
Compliance Management: Assists in meeting regulatory standards across cloud platforms.

What benefits or ROI should users consider in reviews?

Enhanced Security Posture: Strengthens cloud defense lines with proactive monitoring.
Centralized Dashboard: Offers unified oversight of multiple cloud environments.
Efficient Misconfiguration Handling: Quickly identifies and addresses security lapses.
Seamless CI/CD Integration: Integrates security within development workflows.
Improved Visibility: Provides transparent insights into security operations and alerts.

Industries like finance and telecom rely on Prisma Cloud for managing cloud security posture and container security. Teams utilize its capabilities across hybrid and multi-cloud settings to ensure compliance and robust threat protection. Features like misconfiguration detection and runtime monitoring are critical in promoting security objectives in these sectors.

Palo Alto Networks

Sentra is a dynamic platform offering innovative solutions for businesses, designed to optimize processes and enhance strategic decision-making capabilities through advanced analytics and seamless integration.

Sentra offers a robust framework tailored for tech-driven environments, providing businesses with actionable insights and a comprehensive understanding of data streams. With a focus on adaptability and efficiency, Sentra empowers organizations to streamline operations and align resources effectively. It is known for its user-friendly interface that allows for customization to suit specific business needs, ensuring that companies can leverage its full potential without unnecessary complexities. Sentra's capabilities in real-time data processing and integration with existing systems make it an indispensable tool in the tech landscape.

What are Sentra's most important features?

Data Integration: Seamlessly connects with existing infrastructures for fluid information exchange.
Advanced Analytics: Provides deep insights and predictive analytics for enhanced decision-making.
Customizable Dashboard: Offers a user-friendly interface with customization options for tailored user experiences.
Real-Time Processing: Delivers up-to-the-minute data processing for timely insights and responses.

What benefits and ROI should users look for in reviews?

Increased Efficiency: Optimizes resource allocation and reduces processing time.
Scalable Solutions: Adapts to business growth and changing demands effortlessly.
Cost Reduction: Minimizes operational costs through automation and streamlined workflows.
Enhanced Decision-Making: Empowers informed strategic choices with comprehensive analytics.

Sentra is particularly effective across industries like finance, healthcare, and retail, allowing these sectors to harness data-driven strategies to elevate their operations. In finance, Sentra facilitates compliance and risk management through comprehensive data insights. Within healthcare, it streamlines patient data management and improves treatment protocols. Retailers benefit from Sentra’s capability in inventory optimization and customer behavior analysis, enabling personalized marketing strategies and efficient stock management. These industry-specific applications demonstrate Sentra’s versatility and its ability to drive growth and innovation.

Sentra

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Amgen, Genpact, Western Asset, Zipongo, Proofpoint, NerdWallet, Axfood, 21st Century Fox, Veeva Systems, Reinsurance Group of America

Information Not Available

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Data Security Posture Management (DSPM)

September 2026

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