When comparing SSE solutions, check for a high-performance architecture that protects users as they seamlessly access all applications and simplifies IT operations for more efficient security.
Comparison table updated March 2025.
Feature
|
Cisco product: Cisco Secure Access
|
Zscaler products: Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA) Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)
|
Palo Alto Networks product: Prisma Access
|
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Feature
|
Cisco product: Cisco Secure Access
|
Zscaler products: Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA) Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)
|
Palo Alto Networks product: Prisma Access
|
---|---|---|---|
Unified client with intelligent routing (internet, private, VPNaaS, DEM, posture)
|
Unified client with intelligent routing (internet, private, VPNaaS, DEM, posture)
Available
|
Unified client with intelligent routing (internet, private, VPNaaS, DEM, posture)
Limited
|
Unified client with intelligent routing (internet, private, VPNaaS, DEM, posture)
Available
|
Coverage for all apps, all ports, and all protocols
|
Coverage for all apps, all ports, and all protocols
Available
|
Coverage for all apps, all ports, and all protocols
Limited
|
Coverage for all apps, all ports, and all protocols
Available
|
Digital Experience Monitoring (DEM)
|
Digital Experience Monitoring (DEM)
Available
|
Digital Experience Monitoring (DEM)
Available
|
Digital Experience Monitoring (DEM)
Available
|
High-performance zero trust access from mobile devices
|
High-performance zero trust access from mobile devices
Available
|
High-performance zero trust access from mobile devices
Not Available
|
High-performance zero trust access from mobile devices
Not Available
|
Unified console (Internet Access, Private Access, DEM)
|
Unified console (Internet Access, Private Access, DEM)
Available
|
Unified console (Internet Access, Private Access, DEM)
Not Available
|
Unified console (Internet Access, Private Access, DEM)
Limited
|
Unified policy management (internet and private apps)
|
Unified policy management (internet and private apps)
Available
|
Unified policy management (internet and private apps)
Not Available
|
Unified policy management (internet and private apps)
Available
|
Automated policy creation through AI Assistant
|
Automated policy creation through AI Assistant
Available
|
Automated policy creation through AI Assistant
Not Available
|
Automated policy creation through AI Assistant
Available
|
Unified client (internet, private, VPNaaS, DEM)
|
Unified client (internet, private, VPNaaS, DEM)
Available
A single client with multiple functions reduces the effort in user onboarding and ongoing maintenance. It also simplifies the journey to ZTNA, and includes:
|
Unified client (internet, private, VPNaaS, DEM)
Not Available
|
Unified client (internet, private, VPNaaS, DEM)
Available
|
API Flexibility
|
API Flexibility
Available
|
API Flexibility
Limited
|
API Flexibility
Available
|
Zero Trust Network Access (client-based and clientless)
|
Zero Trust Network Access (client-based and clientless)
Available
|
Zero Trust Network Access (client-based and clientless)
Available
|
Zero Trust Network Access (client-based and clientless)
Available
|
VPN as a Service (VPNaaS)
|
VPN as a Service (VPNaaS)
Available
|
VPN as a Service (VPNaaS)
Not Available
|
VPN as a Service (VPNaaS)
Available
|
Threat intelligence
|
Threat intelligence
Available
|
Threat intelligence
Limited
|
Threat intelligence
Limited
|
Secure Web Gateway (SWG)
|
Secure Web Gateway (SWG)
Available
|
Secure Web Gateway (SWG)
Available
|
Secure Web Gateway (SWG)
Available
|
Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)
|
Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)
Available
|
Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)
Available
|
Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)
Available
|
Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
|
Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
Available
|
Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
Available
|
Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
Available
|
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) for generative AI
|
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) for generative AI
Available
|
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) for generative AI
Limited
|
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) for generative AI
Available
|
Firewall as a Service (FWaaS)
|
Firewall as a Service (FWaaS)
Available
|
Firewall as a Service (FWaaS)
Available
|
Firewall as a Service (FWaaS)
Available
|
IDS/IPS for SWG and private apps
|
IDS/IPS for SWG and private apps
Available
|
IDS/IPS for SWG and private apps
Available
|
IDS/IPS for SWG and private apps
Available
|
Remote Browser Isolation (RBI)
|
Remote Browser Isolation (RBI)
Available
|
Remote Browser Isolation (RBI)
Available
|
Remote Browser Isolation (RBI)
Available
|
Domain Name System (DNS) security
|
Domain Name System (DNS) security
Available
|
Domain Name System (DNS) security
Available
|
Domain Name System (DNS) security
Available
|
Transport Layer Security (TLS)
|
Transport Layer Security (TLS)
Available
|
Transport Layer Security (TLS)
Available
|
Transport Layer Security (TLS)
Available
|
Modern protocols
|
Modern protocols
Available
|
Modern protocols
Not Available
|
Modern protocols
Not Available
|
Single-pass pipeline
|
Single-pass pipeline
Available
|
Single-pass pipeline
Limited
|
Single-pass pipeline
Available
|
Endpoint optimization
|
Endpoint optimization
Available
|
Endpoint optimization
Limited
|
Endpoint optimization
Available
|
Single-vendor SASE (SD-WAN and SSE)
|
Single-vendor SASE (SD-WAN and SSE)
Available
|
Single-vendor SASE (SD-WAN and SSE)
Limited
|
Single-vendor SASE (SD-WAN and SSE)
Limited
|
Dual-vendor SASE (SD-WAN and SSE from different vendors)
|
Dual-vendor SASE (SD-WAN and SSE from different vendors)
Available
|
Dual-vendor SASE (SD-WAN and SSE from different vendors)
Available
|
Dual-vendor SASE (SD-WAN and SSE from different vendors)
Available
|
Logging
|
Logging
Available
|
Logging
Available
|
Logging
Limited
|
Americas Headquarters
Cisco Systems, Inc.
San Jose, CA
Asia Pacific Headquarters
Cisco Systems (USA) Pte. Ltd.
Singapore
Europe Headquarters
Cisco Systems International BV Amsterdam,
The Netherlands
Netherlands