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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

"The most valuable feature of Forescout Platform is that it has everything that Aruba has at significantly less cost."
"The initial setup is quite simple. It's not too complex or difficult to set up."
"We use the Forescout Platform for device visibility and control in our network. It's very helpful for tracking malicious or unusual activity. We use it to track which ports are open, which machines are running specific services, and to identify vulnerabilities. For example, there was a vulnerability related to SMB, and we could use the product to determine which machines inside our organization were allowing SMB traffic."
"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 802.1X compliance authentication feature of this solution is very good."
"The platform enables automated policy enforcement, allowing us to simulate and test policies before enforcement, streamlining our security operations."
"The interface is easy to use."
"ForeScout has given us the ability to block unwanted devices."
"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."
"From a security standpoint, it provides a comprehensive range of standard security features that align with our requirements."
"It is simple to use. We just need to enable features and then configure IoT policies."
"Palo Alto is valued for its GlobalProtect feature, which offers a range of security options, including user ID mapping and VPNs."
"I would recommend Palo Alto Networks IoT Security to any organization with automation plants or standard enterprise IT environments."
"Single-pass traffic processing enables very high throughput and low latency."
"I like the threat information, and we can share the logging data with Cortex Data Lake."
 

Cons

"I should be able to integrate my Forescout with any other third party security technology, to build that connected security strategy."
"It was not so easy to deploy in our environment, the learning curve for this solution is quite hard."
"In the next release of the solution, it could benefit from being more flexible to allow for more freedom."
"Forescout Platform could improve the vulnerability management as well as the control on the endpoint, which needs to be connected to my network."
"The solution's customer support is bad and should be improved."
"The logging of Forescout is horrible compared to other things that we've used."
"The product needs to improve its support. I know a case that dragged on for about one and a half years. They eventually suggested professional services and closed the ticket. We followed their advice, engaging the account manager and professional service team, only to discover that the issue was a bug. After reopening the case, it's been about six months, and the problem still hasn't been resolved."
"Can be expensive if it's only being used for one feature."
"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."
"The cost is still high and licensing is still complex."
"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."
"There can be more automation in terms of security and detection. It is already good."
"Palo Alto Networks IoT Security's reporting capabilities are less comprehensive and robust than those provided by Cisco."
"More application signatures are required."
"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

"The price of the Forescout Platform is expensive. I purchased it for approximately 94 lakhs."
"I would rate Forescout Platform's pricing as four out of five."
"The Forescout Platform's pricing is in the middle range, not too cheap or expensive."
"The ROI is priceless."
"The product's pricing is reasonable."
"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."
"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."
"It is expensive because you have to pay for their CSM, the customer's access manager, and their professional services on top of that, and they charge you roughly $400 per hour, which is overhead."
"While Palo Alto Networks IoT Security might cost more than some competitors, its features and effectiveness justify the price tag."
"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."
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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.
918,614 professionals have used our research since 2012.