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
5th
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) (30th)
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 November 2026, in the IoT Security category, the mindshare of Forescout Platform is 8.5%, down from 9.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Palo Alto Networks IoT Security is 5.3%, down from 7.5% 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 Platform8.5%
Other86.2%
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.
Alex De Miranda - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Network Engineer at Murdoch Webster
Offers a range of security options, including user ID mapping and VPNs
The product could improve by offering more comprehensive network visibility and expanding beyond IoT-specific activities to provide a holistic view of the entire network. This would allow administrators to better contextualize IoT device behaviour within overall network traffic. Additionally, while the next-generation firewall's role as a sensor is beneficial, addressing its limitations in handling all security layers would enhance its effectiveness and reliability for broader security needs. In future releases, incorporating advanced analytics for proactive threat detection, automated response mechanisms for IoT-related incidents, and improved scalability for managing diverse and growing IoT ecosystems would significantly enhance the product. Enhanced integration with third-party platforms and tools could also improve interoperability and streamline security management across complex environments. It would be beneficial if Palo Alto IoT Security could integrate with Let's Encrypt for free SSL certificates.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"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."
"It gives us a clear initial and secondary view of what's happening on our network to determine its health."
"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."
"Obtaining visibility into the network and connected devices is very simple with this tool. It takes me three minutes to do a base deployment when all the parameters are available."
"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."
"Without access specific numbers, we now have the ability to instantly shut down internal malicious hosts or traffic, refuse or restrict access to non-compliant hosts, discover risks on the network we didn't know were there, and automate the remediation of a multitude of security risks."
"Customer Service: It's excellent! Technical Support: It's excellent!"
"Forescout Platform is stable, it is great."
"From a security standpoint, it provides a comprehensive range of standard security features that align with our requirements."
"Palo Alto is valued for its GlobalProtect feature, which offers a range of security options, including user ID mapping and VPNs."
"I find Palo Alto Networks IoT Security to be highly responsive, and its separate management and data planes are a major advantage."
"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."
"Single-pass traffic processing enables very high throughput and low latency."
"The key strength of Palo Alto firewalls lies in their application-based approach, offering a much finer level of control compared to traditional firewalls."
"It is simple to use. We just need to enable features and then configure IoT policies."
 

Cons

"The initial setup was complex."
"We only looked at it in terms of discovery modes and I think it's too expensive to use for that purpose alone."
"Forescout Platform sometimes returns false positives, so there's some fine-tuning to be done there."
"I believe that the overall user experience has not always been preferable."
"In terms of technical support, their engineering team is very rigid."
"For the user, the policy that they have implemented sometimes needs adjustments. Sometimes the features that the customer asks for aren't involved in the main installation, and I need to bolt an add-on in. However, I never know if this policy is the right one when I do this."
"Regarding pricing, there is room for improvement to enhance competitiveness with other vendors and solutions."
"Battled with the use of SNMP v1 instead of v2c Direct web interface rather than installation of a client."
"It would be beneficial if Palo Alto IoT Security could integrate with Let's Encrypt for free SSL certificates."
"Essentially, this solution focuses on data analysis and cannot perform any physical actions."
"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."
"I had to call the support because there were some devices that were not showing up."
"The cost is still high and licensing is still complex."
"There can be more automation in terms of security and detection. It is already good."
"More application signatures are required."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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 tool's pricing is expensive but reasonable."
"Forescout's pricing is noted for its attractiveness, with potential discounts depending on partnership levels."
"The product's pricing is reasonable."
"Devices with multiple IP's count multiple times against your license count."
"The Forescout Platform's pricing is in the middle range, not too cheap or expensive."
"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."
"Licenses are perpetual but can come with renewable support."
"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."
"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."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which IoT Security solutions are best for your needs.
920,929 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Outsourcing Company
8%
Construction Company
6%
Performing Arts
14%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
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: November 2026.
920,929 professionals have used our research since 2012.