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Forescout Platform vs Palo Alto Networks IoT Security comparison

 

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
5th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
79
Ranking in other categories
Network Access Control (NAC) (6th), Endpoint Compliance (2nd), Extended Detection and Response (XDR) (35th)
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 July 2026, in the IoT Security category, the mindshare of Forescout Platform is 8.3%, down from 12.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Palo Alto Networks IoT Security is 5.9%, down from 6.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
IoT Security Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Palo Alto Networks IoT Security5.9%
Forescout Platform8.3%
Other85.8%
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 is a powerful network access control tool that has some features found in insider threat solutions, though it is not exactly made for that."
"Customer Service: It's excellent! Technical Support: It's excellent!"
"As a result of using Forescout, we had a better overview of all the devices, known and unknown, that were connected to our network; it was a real advantage."
"The plugins are very robust -- the ability scanner, patch management system, and SQL integrator."
"Overall, the stability of the product has been very good."
"It gives us a clear initial and secondary view of what's happening on our network to determine its health."
"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."
"Forescout has a feature that blocks the endpoint at the point of collection. It sets preconditions and will block the system if those aren't met."
"I would recommend Palo Alto Networks IoT Security to any organization with automation plants or standard enterprise IT environments."
"I like the threat information, and we can share the logging data with Cortex Data Lake."
"The key strength of Palo Alto firewalls lies in their application-based approach, offering a much finer level of control compared to traditional firewalls."
"Single-pass traffic processing enables very high throughput and low latency."
"From a security standpoint, it provides a comprehensive range of standard security features that align with our requirements."
"I like the Cortex Data Lake integration with security automation."
"It is simple to use. We just need to enable features and then configure IoT policies."
"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."
 

Cons

"The biggest disadvantage is the pricing."
"The configuration of the rules is both a blessing and a curse. While it is almost infinitely configurable, knowing how to get the product to do what you want it to do can be difficult, especially at first."
"Better integration with third-party vendors is needed because as it is now, the list of third-party solutions that we can integrate and automate is quite limited."
"We have found that the agent-based authentication, available within this solution could be improved."
"Although Forescout manages endpoints and network devices, there is no capability for user management."
"For improvements, I think technical support could be enhanced. The time zone difference makes remote support difficult - I'm in Indonesia, and they're in the US. Maybe the Forescout Platform could provide engineers from Asia Pacific."
"The initial setup was complex."
"Regarding pricing, there is room for improvement to enhance competitiveness with other vendors and solutions."
"Essentially, this solution focuses on data analysis and cannot perform any physical actions."
"I had to call the support because there were some devices that were not showing up."
"There can be more automation in terms of security and detection. It is already good."
"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."
"More application signatures are required."
"While not overly complex, its usability could be enhanced, making it a more intuitive experience for everyone."
"The support is in line with Palo Alto Networks services for other products but needs improvement."
"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."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It might not be the cheapest solution, but you get what you pay for."
"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 pricing structure should be enhanced."
"We paid between $20,000 and $25,000 for a three-year license with maintenance."
"Forescout is more expensive than Cisco because Cisco gives high discounts."
"They base the license on the number of devices, which is quite misleading."
"Forescout Platform is too expensive, so the price should be reduced."
"The pricing for Palo Alto Networks IoT Security is a bit high."
"The successful migration trend suggests that Palo Alto provides a superior cost-benefit ratio for firewall solutions."
"The initial investment is substantial, but the renewal costs make it financially unsustainable."
"While Palo Alto Networks IoT Security might cost more than some competitors, its features and effectiveness justify the price tag."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Government
7%
Construction Company
6%
Performing Arts
13%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Educational Organization
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business30
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

NHS Sussex, SAP, SEGA, Vistaprint, Miami Children's Hospital, Pioneer Investments, New York Law School, OmnicomGroup, Meritrust
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Forescout Platform vs. Palo Alto Networks IoT Security and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.
907,731 professionals have used our research since 2012.