No more typing reviews! Try our Samantha, our new voice AI agent.

Forescout Platform vs Palo Alto Networks IoT Security comparison

Why PeerSpot?
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 3, 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

Forescout Platform
Ranking in IoT Security
4th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
78
Ranking in other categories
Network Access Control (NAC) (6th), Endpoint Compliance (3rd), Extended Detection and Response (XDR) (28th)
Palo Alto Networks IoT Secu...
Ranking in IoT Security
3rd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
11
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2026, in the IoT Security category, the mindshare of Forescout Platform is 8.3%, down from 11.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Palo Alto Networks IoT Security is 5.3%, down from 7.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
IoT Security Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Palo Alto Networks IoT Security5.3%
Forescout Platform8.3%
Other86.4%
IoT Security
 

Featured Reviews

AshishKumar Rai - PeerSpot reviewer
Security Consultant at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Comprehensive visibility has strengthened endpoint control and automated threat response across networks
When it comes to improving Forescout Platform, I have faced some issues recently, particularly with the switch integration part. When integrating a switch, it asks for the vendor type, and often it does not match. For example, one series of HP switches may not be found in that vendor list. This leads to frustration because you have to check again with different HP models, and once you integrate a switch, you cannot edit the vendor list without removing it. Other issues are being worked on, particularly related to switch integration. I believe they will be fixed in the next upgrade or patch fix. There are no major issues, but the configuration changes needed for the switch model are necessary, and I think it would help if during integration, an admin user could check the password or credential used, as they currently cannot see the password after it is entered and saved.
reviewer2774463 - PeerSpot reviewer
Manager ERP (Insurance) at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
Have used it to manage device updates remotely and now see potential for improved centralized control
One of the favorite features is that they can plug in a device and update it without being on the network, so you can perform an offline update. If all the IoT devices in the field can provide a single pane of glass and management through that platform in a controlled fashion, that would be really beneficial.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The compliance aspects of the solution are excellent and one of the solution's best features."
"ForeScout has given us the ability to block unwanted devices."
"The visibility is the main benefit; we now know how many devices are connected, what the use for each device is, and what kind of devices we have in our environment."
"The most valuable feature of the Forescout Platform is the large capacity it can handle. Additionally, the interface of the platform is good."
"Vulnerability remediation is valuable. We can narrow down a system and its properties. We can go granular on the properties of each endpoint, such as which operating system you're using."
"The virtual firewall available on this solution is great and assists us in securing our servers, and the threat prevention feature provides complete visibility, making it very helpful in detecting, blocking, and monitoring heavy scanning on the system."
"The standout strength of this solution lies in its unique capability to effectively manage unmanaged switches."
"ForeScout provides some of the greatest visibility into network traffic, showing you exactly who is doing what, down to the port and protocol being used, capturing entire conversations between endpoints."
"I like the threat information, and we can share the logging data with Cortex Data Lake."
"I find Palo Alto Networks IoT Security to be highly responsive, and its separate management and data planes are a major advantage."
"This solution has been most valuable for establishing a VPN and implementing allow/deny rules. It has also enabled us to create security policies. It is an easy solution to customise when it comes to creating templates and pulling reports."
"I like the Cortex Data Lake integration with security automation."
"From a security standpoint, it provides a comprehensive range of standard security features that align with our requirements."
"Single-pass traffic processing enables very high throughput and low latency."
"The stability is pretty good; it's a very solid solution, so if customers are looking for an IoT/OT solution, they should consider Palo Alto Networks IoT Security."
"I would recommend Palo Alto Networks IoT Security to any organization with automation plants or standard enterprise IT environments."
 

Cons

"The reporting feature needs improvement."
"Forescout Platform could improve the costs of integrations."
"It was not so easy to deploy in our environment, the learning curve for this solution is quite hard."
"The solution's customer support is bad and should be improved."
"From the wireless standpoint, I would say that the reliability was somewhat poor, but CounterACT worked with us over a couple month period and did push out a patch."
"Custom integrations need to be better."
"This solution is not that easy to scale but this depends on a company's needs."
"It needs enhanced mobile support, but I have heard that this is coming."
"The support is in line with Palo Alto Networks services for other products but needs improvement."
"There can be more automation in terms of security and detection. It is already good."
"More application signatures are required."
"Palo Alto Networks IoT Security's reporting capabilities are less comprehensive and robust than those provided by Cisco."
"I had to call the support because there were some devices that were not showing up."
"While not overly complex, its usability could be enhanced, making it a more intuitive experience for everyone."
"It would be beneficial if Palo Alto IoT Security could integrate with Let's Encrypt for free SSL certificates."
"The cost is still high and licensing is still complex."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Forescout Platform is on the expensive side."
"They base the license on the number of devices, which is quite misleading."
"We have a very clear licensing model for business. I don't have to have a Ph.D. to be able to understand the licensing model as you might need for other solutions. If I know exactly what we want, it can tell you which license you need. The solution is easy for purchasing, ordering, and ease of deployment as well."
"The solution is not priced low. There are no hidden costs."
"We paid between $20,000 and $25,000 for a three-year license with maintenance."
"Devices with multiple IP's count multiple times against your license count."
"It's about $160,000, but I'm not sure how long that is for or what it includes. Because we were a test base, we were provided with servers, but now, Forescout wants us to buy servers because those servers are now end-of-life or end-of-service. For our lifecycle management program, in order to get a refresh on those servers, we would have to buy servers or use our own network resources to house Forescout. Forescout takes up about 13 or 14 virtual CPUs."
"The price of the solution is reasonable. We have paid for the license for five years. We have integration with Symantec AV for orchestration, and we have an additional license."
"The successful migration trend suggests that Palo Alto provides a superior cost-benefit ratio for firewall solutions."
"While Palo Alto Networks IoT Security might cost more than some competitors, its features and effectiveness justify the price tag."
"The initial investment is substantial, but the renewal costs make it financially unsustainable."
"The pricing for Palo Alto Networks IoT Security is a bit high."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which IoT Security solutions are best for your needs.
917,433 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Outsourcing Company
7%
Government
6%
Performing Arts
14%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Educational Organization
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business29
Midsize Enterprise10
Large Enterprise45
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business3
Large Enterprise7
 

Questions from the Community

What advice do you have for others considering Forescout Platform?
Forescout is a very powerful NAC product that does not rely on port level configuration. It can detect and block unauthorized devices very quickly. But it has a lot of capabilities and really would...
What advice do you have for others considering Forescout Platform?
I would rate the Forescout Device and Visibility Control Platform at a six out of ten.
What advice do you have for others considering Forescout Platform?
I recommend doing a compression demo. If people use it, they will buy it. So they have to see the product in place. That's the main recommendation is to do a proof of concept. If they do, they will...
What needs improvement with Palo Alto Networks IoT Security?
One thing I communicated to them is that they need to provide a managed update for their IoT devices.
What is your primary use case for Palo Alto Networks IoT Security?
I use it for one of my customers, and my role is to help my customer with the solution. They use it for their IoT devices in the field, and they have a lot of sensors out there for their heating eq...
What advice do you have for others considering Palo Alto Networks IoT Security?
The pricing is not that bad. I would rate this solution an 8 out of 10.
 

Also Known As

Forescout Platform, CounterACT for Endpoint Compliance, ForeScout CounterACT
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

RWJ Barnabas HealthEnbridge EnergyToyota MotorsSt. Luke's University Health NetworkGlobal Credit Union
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Forescout Platform vs. Palo Alto Networks IoT Security and other solutions. Updated: September 2026.
917,433 professionals have used our research since 2012.