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WatchGuard Application Control vs Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 20, 2025

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

WatchGuard Application Control
Ranking in Application Control
8th
Average Rating
8.6
Number of Reviews
9
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange...
Ranking in Application Control
3rd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
63
Ranking in other categories
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) (3rd), Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) (3rd), ZTNA as a Service (1st), Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) (2nd), Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) (13th), Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP) (10th), Remote Browser Isolation (RBI) (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Application Control category, the mindshare of WatchGuard Application Control is 2.9%, down from 4.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform is 7.6%, down from 7.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Application Control
 

Featured Reviews

ScottEastman - PeerSpot reviewer
Reliable with good blocking capabilities for enhanced security
We like the blocking capabilities on offer. I like the brand, and I know the product really well, which is what keeps me using it. I have a good knowledge of the solution. It is stable and reliable. The solution can scale well. Technical support has been helpful. We have witnessed an ROI as it has helped with security measures.
Sumit Bhanwala - PeerSpot reviewer
Cloud-based platform simplifies device and data center management
I find it to be good. The solution is cloud-based with the latest inspection engines, which I find to be amazing. We are less dependent on data centers and device management, which reduces our efforts significantly. It improves our device management, data center management, and updating devices. We need fewer engineers for this management, and it reduces time and efforts for data center management, device upgrades, and IT support.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I found several features valuable in WatchGuard Application Control such as the HTTP Proxy, DNSWatch, VPN, and HTTPS Content Inspection."
"Zero-trust and threat-hunting services are most valuable."
"It does the job of what it says it does. We set it to what we want it to block and then it blocks it."
"The most valuable feature is the category control."
"Centralization is a crucial feature for me as it allows me to have all sites and customers accessible under a single click, not limited to just one."
"We have witnessed an ROI as it has helped with security measures."
"It's user-friendly. And if you are using a WatchGuard device and you want to test that side of the software, it's quite easy to get the license to test it."
"The solution is very stable. We've never had any problems with stability. Once a year we do a reboot just as a precaution. The solution never stops running otherwise."
"The solution is cloud-based with the latest inspection engines, which I find to be amazing."
"The initial setup is easy."
"The scalability of the solution is great."
"The tool's scalability is good."
"The in-line DLP feature is one of the most vital features"
"The most valuable features of Zscaler Private Access are reliability, scalability, and availability."
"The product’s most valuable features are data discovery, activity control, and zero trust exchange."
"This secure connection allows users to connect to the Zscaler VPN and access the resources on the office network, making it a highly valuable component of our system."
 

Cons

"They could expand the amount of applications that are on the list, but it's pretty intensive anyway, so it's pretty good."
"The time they take to classify an application once they find that it is unknown can be better."
"I believe there is room for improvement in policies, with the potential to enhance the margins further."
"What could be improved in WatchGuard Application Control is its price. It could be cheaper. You always want the best price for any solution, but for security products, pricing is usually on the higher side."
"The control software is currently only available for Windows, which can be a little annoying for Linux users."
"The solution needs to improve the interface. I'm not able to easily find things using it."
"There should be more reports available on different subjects."
"There is no message displayed for the user on the desktop informing them that access to a web page has been blocked by Application Control."
"Zscaler Cloud DLP needs to improve its compatibility with other security tools."
"We would like to extend the SASE applications for Zscaler."
"Zscaler Private Access needs to improve its collaboration with applications without compromising security."
"It needs to offer SSO, single sign-on, and items of that nature."
"Price-wise, it is a costly product and it should be reduced."
"We have issues with the tool's maintenance and networking. It should be able to work in offline mode as well."
"Sometimes applications crash on some machines, and we’d like Zscaler to give us some information as to why that may have happened. We’d like more detailed reports."
"The area that requires improvement is their support. The current support is lacking."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Its cost is okay. It is not too expensive, not too low. I would rate it a nine out of ten in terms of pricing."
"Over the years, the costs have increased, especially since I cater to very small businesses."
"The licensing model for WatchGuard Application Control is based on the number of users. WatchGuard Application Control also has licensing models with several features."
"It is an auto-renewal subscription service."
"The product has reasonable pricing."
"The product is a bit expensive."
"The product is a little more expensive than other tools."
"Pricing for Zscaler Private Access is moderate. It's acceptable, though I can't give you the exact price currently. It's not too expensive, and on a scale of one to five, I would rate it a four out of five in terms of pricing."
"As per industry leads, Zscaler CASB is an expensive solution."
"It has been relatively reasonable for what it does. Some of the additional license costs based on the advanced next-generation firewall functions are quite high, and they should have certain features ready and available as a baseline rather than having to purchase additional licenses for it. Overall, the cost seems reasonable."
"In terms of market positioning, I would describe Zscaler Private Access as offering optimal pricing. Based on our experience, Cato Networks tends to be slightly more expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
No data available
Computer Software Company
16%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Insurance Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about WatchGuard Application Control?
Centralization is a crucial feature for me as it allows me to have all sites and customers accessible under a single click, not limited to just one.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for WatchGuard Application Control?
Over the years, the costs have increased, especially since I cater to very small businesses. While they comprehend the necessity of investing in network protection, these features have become relat...
What needs improvement with WatchGuard Application Control?
I believe there is room for improvement in policies, with the potential to enhance the margins further.
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 do you like most about Zscaler SASE?
The most valuable features of Zscaler Private Access are reliability, scalability, and availability.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Zscaler SASE?
Zscaler SASE is quite expensive compared to other solutions. The price is not fixed and it does not include all of the features, so my advice for organizations would be to evaluate their specific n...
 

Also Known As

No data available
Zscaler SASE, Zscaler DLP, Zscaler CASB, Zscaler CSPM, Zscaler Browser Isolation, Zscaler Posture Control
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Chester School District, Kensington Close Hotel
Siemens, AutoNation, GE, NOV
Find out what your peers are saying about WatchGuard Application Control vs. Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
850,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.