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Forescout Platform vs Palo Alto Networks IoT Security comparison

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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

"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."
"The Forescout Platform's most valuable features include its agentless configuration, which allows for easy integration with switches, and its broad customizability of rules and conditions for policy configuration. By leveraging its Network Access Control capabilities, the tool controls network access, allowing administrators to enforce policies tailored to the organization's needs."
"ForeScout is a powerful network access control tool that has some features found in insider threat solutions, though it is not exactly made for that."
"I help customers use the Forescout Platform for compliance enforcement. We can specify what needs to be installed on devices connecting to the network, like antivirus, updates, and security software."
"Forescout Platform is a very good NAC solution."
"The solution is stable, very reliable, and scalable, with great technical support that is knowledgeable and responsive."
"This is clearly the best product for the NAC use cases in this field for Forescout."
"It's one of the tools that has given the federal government visibility into network devices and everything."
"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 find Palo Alto Networks IoT Security to be highly responsive, and its separate management and data planes are a major advantage."
"The key strength of Palo Alto firewalls lies in their application-based approach, offering a much finer level of control compared to traditional firewalls."
"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 like the Cortex Data Lake integration with security automation."
"I like the threat information, and we can share the logging data with Cortex Data Lake."
"Single-pass traffic processing enables very high throughput and low latency."
"Palo Alto is valued for its GlobalProtect feature, which offers a range of security options, including user ID mapping and VPNs."
 

Cons

"Forescout Platform needs to improve how the device works in preventing rogue servers."
"This solution is not that easy to scale but this depends on a company's needs."
"JAVA memory management - leaving the app running for multiple days requires relaunch."
"The solution does have a bit of complexity, and there's some complexity in the deployment. Users need to be trained before undertaking an initial setup."
"The system controls could be better."
"If you want to deploy a new solution to block, you can't do it by yourself."
"The initial setup was complex."
"We have found that the agent-based authentication, available within this solution could be improved."
"It would be beneficial to have a more centralized and user-friendly platform that could consolidate all the necessary information, which proved challenging during the initial POC phase."
"While not overly complex, its usability could be enhanced, making it a more intuitive experience for everyone."
"The reporting for this solution could be improved. The logs we receive are only saved for one week. We would like to have the database timeframe increased to a month or two for historical reporting as well as increased storage capabilities to support this data and reporting."
"More application signatures are required."
"There can be more automation in terms of security and detection. It is already good."
"The support is in line with Palo Alto Networks services for other products but needs improvement."
"I had to call the support because there were some devices that were not showing up."
"Palo Alto Networks IoT Security's reporting capabilities are less comprehensive and robust than those provided by Cisco."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The cost of licensing for this product is quite high, but this cost covers all the features of the solution so it is a single payment for the term that has been selected."
"We might have paid in the ballpark of $20,000 yearly for our licenses. I do not recall there being other fees over and above the standard licensing fee."
"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 Forescout Platform's pricing is in the middle range, not too cheap or expensive."
"Devices with multiple IP's count multiple times against your license count."
"The fact that we were allowed to spin up as many servers as we had need of to support our geographic requirements while paying for licensing as an enterprise truly set Forescout apart from the crowd and improved the way we could design our access."
"I would rate Forescout Platform's pricing as four out of five."
"We need to pay for integration for each integration that we want to do and there is an additional license fee. This adds more costs. It is not something that anyone can afford. If you want to integrate this with a lot of other tools, it can be costly."
"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 successful migration trend suggests that Palo Alto provides a superior cost-benefit ratio for firewall solutions."
"The pricing for Palo Alto Networks IoT Security is a bit high."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Outsourcing Company
8%
Government
7%
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.
916,956 professionals have used our research since 2012.