Digital Guardian vs Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform comparison

Fortra and Zscaler are both solutions in the Data Loss Prevention (DLP) category. Fortra is ranked #15 with an average rating of 8.0, while Zscaler is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.5. Fortra holds a 2.7% mindshare in DLP, compared to Zscaler’s 4.2% mindshare. Additionally, 81% of Fortra users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 98% of Zscaler users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 8, 2026

Digital Guardian and Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform are major players in the cybersecurity market. While Digital Guardian is valued for its data protection strengths, Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform outshines with its extensive security features and network visibility, influencing many to opt for it despite any cost and support concerns.

Features: Digital Guardian is known for data loss prevention, endpoint protection, and built-in endpoint detection and response. Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform excels with its zero trust architecture, robust malware scanning, and web filtering capabilities.

Room for Improvement: Digital Guardian can enhance its ease of deployment and user interface intuitiveness. It could also benefit from more advanced threat detection features. Zscaler could improve by offering more straightforward integration with legacy systems, enhanced client support for initial setup, and reduced solution complexity.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Digital Guardian offers a straightforward on-premises deployment with knowledgeable support. Zscaler, with its cloud-based model, simplifies deployment and management, making it scalable and accessible, coupled with efficient customer service.

Pricing and ROI: Digital Guardian's setup costs are higher due to its data protection features but offers strong ROI in data-secure environments. Zscaler might be more expensive initially, yet it often justifies its cost through enhanced network security ROI, especially in broader security frameworks.

To learn more, read our detailed Digital Guardian vs. Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform Report (Updated: April 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Digital Guardian vs. Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform

April 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

Cloudflare One

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Data Loss Prevention (DLP) category, the mindshare of Cloudflare One is 2.1%, up from 1.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Digital Guardian is 2.7%, down from 3.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform is 4.2%, down from 6.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform	4.2%
Digital Guardian	2.7%
Cloudflare One	2.1%
Other	91.0%

Data Loss Prevention (DLP)

Featured Reviews

Cobe Van Coller

Network Architect at IP Dimension

Cloud security has improved remote access and has reduced costs for smaller client sites

I have used Cloudflare One's Identity-Aware Proxy, and it is quite straightforward from what I have seen so far. The app registration on the Azure side integrates fully into Cloudflare, and I am very satisfied with that part because it is easy to set up. The integration of Cloudflare One's Secure Web Gateway and Zero Trust Network Access works without any issues. That part is pretty automatic, and if you complete the rest of the setup, it comes together by itself with no issues from my side. What makes it nice is that we can actually start replacing on-site firewalls at this stage for the smaller clients because it does not matter if they go to a coffee shop or work from home; they are still secured by the same connection. The hops get shorter and you get better latency. We have done testing to see if it is better. One thing that we did notice with our proof of concept with our current client is that they have people connecting from the UK. When they used their previous VPN solution, uploading CAD drawings and other files to the server took a long time. They mentioned that it is much quicker on Cloudflare One's solution. I definitely believe that is part of the improved performance, and I am satisfied with that as well. What is nice about Cloudflare One is that it makes the setup easier and also easier to train technicians to maintain it. Compared to legacy systems, we do not need to get fancy firewalls in place that are costly. That is definitely also a cost-saver with Cloudflare One.

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Syed Mubeen

Cyber Security Researcher at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

Enterprise data protection has supported regulatory compliance and integrates with classification tools

In terms of functionality, many features are valuable in Digital Guardian, as the first thing for most customers is that they are using solutions such as Boldon James and Titus, which fall under the classification side, and Digital Guardian can easily integrate with this data classification solution and has a very granular level of configuration and policy tuning. Digital Guardian's data protection policies are indeed useful for my clients. Regarding Digital Guardian, I find it to be a very good solution, and in fact, it is an enterprise-level solution that has very tight integration with most of the products, with Fortra but also with others.

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Vibin Thomas

Team Lead, Technical Content Security at Valuepoint Systems

Zero trust access has transformed remote connectivity and now simplifies secure app usage

Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform, especially Zscaler Private Access, is very strong, though there are a few areas where improvements can be made. One challenge observed is around initial troubleshooting and visibility. While Zscaler Private Access provides logs, it can sometimes take time to pinpoint the exact cause of access issues, especially in complex environments with multiple policies and identity integration. Another area is the dependency on identity and connector health. Since Zscaler Private Access is heavily reliant on app connectors and identity providers, any issues with these components can impact user access, making proper monitoring critical. During the initial setup, policy configuration and application onboarding require careful planning, especially for larger environments with many applications. These challenges are manageable with proper design and monitoring. Overall, the platform delivers strong security and user experience. I would recommend a few improvements, especially around user interface, reporting, and troubleshooting experience. From a user interface perspective, while the platform is powerful, the policy configuration and navigation can feel complex, especially for new users. A more simplified and intuitive layout for policy mapping and application access would help reduce the learning curve. In terms of reporting, Zscaler Private Access provides logs, but having more built-in customizable dashboards and analytics would be very helpful. Better visibility into user access patterns, application performance, and real-time troubleshooting insights would improve operational efficiency. From a support and troubleshooting standpoint, it would be beneficial to have more granular centralized visibility, allowing for quick end-to-end tracing of a user request from authentication to application access without switching between multiple views. These improvements would make the platform even more efficient, especially for large-scale enterprise environments.

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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'm very satisfied with the environment and the dashboard."

"Cloudflare Access is a stable solution."

"Enables me to work from two locations."

"For Cloudflare Access, I am using the free plan...The most valuable feature is their protection."

"It will take the blow rather than our applications should an attack occur."

"Cloudflare is simple to use."

"Clover is the best product globally."

"What makes it nice is that we can actually start replacing on-site firewalls at this stage for the smaller clients because it does not matter if they go to a coffee shop or work from home; they are still secured by the same connection."

More Cloudflare One pros

"Digital Guardian has cloud correlation servers which give you visibility, work like EDR, and the correlation servers are like a perfect instrument for security analysts."

"There is a built-in endpoint detection response that helps save money."

"The most valuable feature of Digital Guardian is its reputation. They have scored high on the Gartner Magic Quadrant."

"Data security is now one of the most important aspects for any organization."

"The feature we call desktop recording is the most valuable aspect of the solution. Not only can we collect data from the user's usage, but we also capture his screenshots when he is trying to steal the data."

"I like the solution's adaptive inspection and container inspection."

"The strong impact of Digital Guardian on my organization is in preventing sensitive data leaks to USB, email, and cloud, and in blocking unauthorized access in real time."

"Regarding Digital Guardian, I find it to be a very good solution, and in fact, it is an enterprise-level solution that has very tight integration with most of the products, with Fortra but also with others."

More Digital Guardian pros

"The most valuable features of Zscaler Private Access are reliability, scalability, and availability."

"The Live Logs are a cool feature. We can directly identify issues and divert user traffic."

"The solution is cloud-based with the latest inspection engines, which I find to be amazing."

"The product’s most valuable features are inbound and outbound scanning and API control."

"On DLP terms, Zscaler Cloud DLP ensures that data doesn't go outside of the organization. So on the network level, Zscaler does a pretty good job."

"This is a very good and stable solution that has all the requirements for your security solutions."

"It's one of the easier products on the market as far as set-ups and deployments. Even across their whole product suite, they've made it pretty simple."

"Users get direct secure access to applications over the internet."

More Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform pros

Cons

"Operating and tuning the product is difficult."

"They don't have a person to provide support for customers using the solution under their free plan."

"Our customers no longer use Cloudflare because its service is subpar."

"The software has automated alerts, but the automated alerts are not available in the mobile app."

"The onboarding process can be improved a little bit."

"I would like them to include a VPN feature to provide a secure connection to the data center."

"Cloudflare Zero Trust Platform needs to improve its documentation. It took time to do the implementation."

"The free plan has limitations. For example, I can only set up three rules, and the application firewall is unavailable."

More Cloudflare One cons

"The room for improvement with Digital Guardian is that it will be better with the Linux agent because it is the only DLP solution for Linux workstations."

"Technical support could be better."

"I think the whole system needs improvement, even though it works fine the way they designed it."

"I would like to see the workflow, to get all the rules and policies set up, be less complicated."

"When considering potential areas for improvement, it may be beneficial for Digital Guardian to optimize its processes and reduce the computational demands on the system, particularly with regard to high CPU usage. Although Digital Guardian offers numerous benefits, it can consume a substantial amount of RAM and CPU power."

"It would be helpful if there was an on-premise version of the solution for companies that cannot use the cloud, such as government sectors."

"My biggest lesson learned from dealing with this product is that they commit to something but they don't deliver it."

"The solution has complexities around policy creation and deployment."

More Digital Guardian cons

"There could be more DLP-related features. Additionally, there needs to be flexibility for integrating ISP features."

"While Zscaler supports client-initiated connections, it does not support server-initiated connections. This is a feature that Zscaler may consider adding in the future."

"Sometimes, support takes time since the solution has some bugs that need fixing."

"The product must allow users to check logs for an entire year in the local console."

"The only issue with Zscaler Cloud DLP is that it only gives you DLP protection from web traffic, which is flowing out, while a full-blown DLP solution such as Forcepoint or Symantec gives you DLP coverage for multiple channels. Zscaler Cloud DLP doesn't give you coverage for email, fax, and USB channels, and this is the only challenge or room for improvement in the solution. It's just an extension on top of what you're buying on the proxy, so it's just an added layer, and it doesn't cover DLP on a very broad level. I'm unsure if Zcaler is in the business of competing with a full-blown DLP solution, and if there's a plan to expand the features of Zscaler Cloud DLP beyond the web channel because you'll have to deploy a full-blown agent for it. I'm unsure if this is on the cards because the solution is just an added layer that you get with your proxy. I've asked the Zcaler team whether there's a plan to go full DLP in the future, but I didn't get a positive response. There isn't any feature I'd like added to Zscaler Cloud DLP currently, because anything you could think of that should be in cloud or SaaS solutions is already there, except for machine learning, as it's the only functionality that seems to be lacking in the solution. Machine learning is an additional policy available in other DLP solutions in the market, but my team didn't find it in Zscaler Cloud DLP."

"Occasionally, there are certain delays in report generation."

"We would like to extend the SASE applications for Zscaler."

"The interface needs a bit of work."

More Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Cloudflare Zero Trust Platform's pricing is good."

"The price tag is no longer $200,000, but rather $300,000 to $400,000. It's twice."

"The prices are slightly expensive."

"My company has to make yearly payments towards the licensing costs attached to the solution. There are no hidden charges apart from the licensing costs of the solution."

"The solution is not that expensive."

"The pricing is somewhere in the middle. I would rate the pricing a seven out of ten."

"The pricing of the solution is cheap. The licensing cost is also very low. I rate the cost and pricing a three out of ten."

"The solution's pricing lacks transparency."

"The cost was around $300,000."

"The price of Digital Guardian is on the higher end compared to other vendors."

"I rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten because Digital Guardian is expensive."

"If I compare Digital Guardian with Symantec, the license cost is lower, but McAfee can be cheaper than Digital Guardian. It depends on how many licenses you plan to buy and how big the project is. The cost is not so high as Symantec, but not as cheap as McAfee. They can easily sell the solution for price."

"Digital Guardian has both, subscription and perpetual licenses, but I think when everything (all technologies) will go to the cloud they will only offer subscriptions."

"The price of Digital Guardian is expensive."

"The product is a bit expensive."

"Zscaler Private Access is extremely expensive."

"The price is competitive."

"It is an auto-renewal subscription service."

"It's an affordable solution"

"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."

"The cost is expensive. It depends on the number of users."

"It's expensive currently. But when purchasing for a large number of users, there's room to negotiate. It's really up to the procurement team."

More Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Construction Company

20%

Comms Service Provider

11%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

13%

Computer Software Company

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

12%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Computer Software Company

Insurance Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	10
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	12

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	11
Large Enterprise	4

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	16
Midsize Enterprise	12
Large Enterprise	45

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Cloudflare Access?

Cloudflare Access has strong integration with Microsoft, among other platforms. However, when it comes to Kaspersky, ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Cloudflare Access?

Cloudflare Access provides secure access to internal applications for employees, external members of the organization...

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What advice do you have for others considering Cloudflare Access?

Cloudflare Access is one of the best integrations available. While about two hundred vendors offer similar services, ...

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What needs improvement with Digital Guardian?

Regarding points for improvement, from a technical aspect, I do not see any suggestions that have come to my notice, ...

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What is your primary use case for Digital Guardian?

The main use case for Digital Guardian is for endpoint DLP, as it is the product for endpoint-level DLP and is one of...

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What advice do you have for others considering Digital Guardian?

I would recommend Digital Guardian to other users, as I mentioned, we have to see the client's existing environment, ...

See all answers

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 ac...

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What needs improvement with Zscaler SASE?

The solution needs to improve a lot of aspects.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Zscaler SASE?

We are using Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange for its Zscaler Internet Access service. It provides web security, DLP, data...

See all answers

Comparisons

Cato SASE Cloud Platform vs Cloudflare One

Compared 5% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs Cloudflare One

Compared 3% of the time

FortiSASE vs Cloudflare One

Compared 3% of the time

Twingate vs Cloudflare One

Compared 3% of the time

Fortinet FortiGate vs Cloudflare One

Compared 3% of the time

More Cloudflare One Competitors

Mimecast Insider Risk Management and Data Protection vs Digital Guardian

Compared 6% of the time

Dtex Systems vs Digital Guardian

Compared 6% of the time

Forcepoint Data Loss Prevention vs Digital Guardian

Compared 5% of the time

SecureTrust Data Loss Prevention vs Digital Guardian

Compared 5% of the time

Symantec Data Loss Prevention vs Digital Guardian

Compared 4% of the time

More Digital Guardian Competitors

Cato SASE Cloud Platform vs Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform

Compared 6% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform

Compared 4% of the time

FortiSASE vs Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform

Compared 4% of the time

Check Point Harmony SASE (formerly Perimeter 81) vs Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform

Compared 4% of the time

Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention vs Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform

Compared 3% of the time

More Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cloudflare One

May 2026

Download Cloudflare One product report

Buyer's Guide

Digital Guardian

May 2026

Download Digital Guardian product report

Buyer's Guide

Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform

April 2026

Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform report

Download Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform product report

Also Known As

Cloudflare Area 1 Email Security, Cloudflare Bot Management, Cloudflare Gateway, Cloudflare Zero Trust Platform, Cloudflare DDoS, Cloudflare SASE & SSE Platform

No data available

Zscaler SASE, Zscaler DLP, Zscaler CASB, Zscaler CSPM, Zscaler Browser Isolation, Zscaler Posture Control

Overview

Cloudflare One is a comprehensive platform for security, performance, and connectivity. It provides features like rate limiting, DDoS protection, and application access, tailored to enhance user experience while securing internet access and accelerating communications.

Designed to integrate security measures with ease of use and scalability, Cloudflare One offers a secure web gateway and zero trust network access. These features ensure seamless setup and operation, making connectivity reliable and protected. Users appreciate its integrated console, intuitive interface, and the ability to manage risk effectively. It offers straightforward deployment, improves latency, and boasts cost-effectiveness. While its onboarding process and documentation need enhancement, its value in content delivery and application shielding is notable. Despite challenges in integrating Cloudflare Access with existing VPNs and the need for better automation and support, it remains vital for DNS and infrastructure protection.

What features make Cloudflare One stand out?

Rate Limiting: Controls the traffic rate to prevent abuse.
DDoS Protection: Shields applications from distributed denial-of-service attacks.
Secure Web Gateway: Provides secure internet access with seamless operation.
Zero Trust Network Access: Ensures secure, application-based connectivity without relying on traditional VPNs.
Access for Connectivity: Facilitates access to internal applications securely.

What benefits should users look for in reviews?

Security: Robust measures for DNS and browsing protection.
Performance: Enhanced site accessibility and communication speed.
Cost-Effectiveness: Offers competitive pricing for its features.
Ease of Deployment: Straightforward and efficient setup process.

In industries like finance, retail, and technology, Cloudflare One is crucial for enabling secure remote access and protecting web applications against dynamic threats. It supports compliance access policies and enhances content delivery, playing a key role in safeguarding digital infrastructure.

Cloudflare

Digital Guardian is renowned for its advanced capabilities in data loss prevention and protection of confidential information. Key features enhance data security through proactive monitoring and adaptive policies, catering to businesses across multiple environments.

Digital Guardian provides comprehensive data security by offering features like data classification, endpoint DLP monitoring, and user activity tracking. It integrates seamlessly with tools such as Boldon James and Titus, allowing detailed policy configuration. With security-enhancing cloud correlation servers, it reduces insider threats and enables monitoring across diverse vectors. However, challenges include the need for improved integration between endpoint and network features, enhanced Mac and Linux functionality, and more efficient policy management. Stability and performance issues are also noted, with users seeking improved web email monitoring and better compatibility across different operating systems. Despite these, it remains a solid choice for data protection, particularly in sectors like finance, insurance, and manufacturing.

What are the key features of Digital Guardian?

Data Loss Prevention: Guards against unauthorized data transfers and leaks.
Forensic Analysis: Offers deep insights for improved threat response.
Adaptive Inspection: Tailors security measures to dynamic threats.
Data Classification: Segments data for targeted policy application.
User Activity Tracking: Monitors user interactions for anomalies.

What benefits should users expect?

Enhanced Security Visibility: Better monitoring across multiple vectors reduces risks.
Improved Threat Response: Advanced analytics ensure timely responses to threats.
Regulatory Compliance: Helps meet sector-specific requirements like those in finance.
Scalable Deployment: Supports cloud and on-premise environments for flexibility.

In industries such as finance, insurance, and manufacturing, Digital Guardian is crucial for preventing data breaches and protecting intellectual property. Its focus on compliance and ability to monitor data transfers across endpoints, networks, and emails provide essential safeguards against insider threats and unauthorized information dissemination.

Fortra

Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange enhances security with seamless cloud-based connectivity and VPN-less operation, offering integration with multiple identity providers and advanced security features, suitable for remote work environments.

Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange provides secure, adaptive connectivity without traditional VPNs, allowing organizations to replace legacy systems and bolster remote work security. The platform offers cloud-based protection, single sign-on, dynamic URL categorization, and scalable solutions. While advanced security features like DLP and threat protection enhance data protection, users may face issues with speed, connectivity, and some customization options. Integration challenges, latency due to multi-tenant hosting, reporting delays, and licensing costs require consideration. It supports secure internet access and private application security, ensuring traffic control and data compliance.

What are the key features of Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange?

VPN-less Connectivity: Enables secure remote access without traditional VPNs.
Cloud-based Security: Offers scalable protection utilizing cloud infrastructure.
Single Sign-On: Integrates with multiple identity providers for streamlined access.
Dynamic URL Categorization: Provides real-time URL filtering to enhance security.
Advanced Threat Protection: Detects and mitigates sophisticated threats effectively.
Customizable Policies: Allows tailored security protocols to fit unique requirements.
Comprehensive DLP: Protects sensitive data through robust data loss prevention.
Integration Capabilities: Connects seamlessly with cloud services and applications.

What are the benefits of using Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange?

Enhanced Security: Delivers consistent protection regardless of user location.
Improved Compliance: Ensures adherence to data protection regulations.
Streamlined Access: Simplifies connectivity to private and cloud applications.
Scalability: Supports expanding organizational demands with cloud scalability.
Real-time Visibility: Provides instant insights into security incidents and network traffic.

Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange is deployed across industries to secure remote access and enforce zero trust principles. Organizations in finance, healthcare, and technology sectors utilize it for secure internet access and visibility into cloud applications, enhancing performance and compliance in dynamic environments.

Zscaler

Sample Customers

23andMe

The Fifth Avenue Theatre, Jabil Circuit

Siemens, AutoNation, GE, NOV

Buyer's Guide

Digital Guardian vs. Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform

April 2026

Free Report: Digital Guardian vs. Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform

Find out what your peers are saying about Digital Guardian vs. Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform and other solutions. Updated: April 2026.

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