Forescout Platform vs Sophos Network Access Control comparison

Forescout and Sophos are both solutions in the Network Access Control (NAC) category. Forescout is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.2, while Sophos is ranked #6 with an average rating of 8.3. Forescout holds a 13.9% mindshare in NAC, compared to Sophos’s 1.3% mindshare. Additionally, 88% of Forescout users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 94% of Sophos users who would recommend it.

Forescout Platform

Read 75 Forescout Platform reviews

9,036 Views
5,269 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

Sophos Network Access Control

Read 20 Sophos Network Access Control reviews

1,357 Views
683 Comparison Views

94% willing to recommend

Forescout Platform

Sophos Network Access Control

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 5, 2024

Sophos Network Access Control and Forescout Platform are competitive solutions within the network security category. Forescout generally has an edge due to its comprehensive features, while Sophos wins on pricing and support, making it ideal for budget-conscious buyers.

Features: Sophos offers straightforward policy management, threat isolation, and robust security. Forescout provides extensive device visibility, automated responses, and advanced integration capabilities with other IT systems.

Room for Improvement: Sophos could better enhance its device visibility and automation features. Additionally, its integration capabilities with third-party systems could be expanded. Forescout may improve by simplifying its user interface and reducing the complexity of its initial setup. The solution would benefit from streamlined network configuration processes.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Sophos has a simpler deployment process with efficient, accessible customer service. Forescout requires a more intricate setup but offers personalized support, which may require additional resources.

Pricing and ROI: Sophos is praised for its lower initial setup costs, appealing to small to medium enterprises. Forescout, with higher initial costs, tends to provide superior ROI through scalability and feature set, attracting larger enterprises seeking long-term value.

To learn more, read our detailed Forescout Platform vs. Sophos Network Access Control Report (Updated: December 2024).

Buyer's Guide

Forescout Platform vs. Sophos Network Access Control

December 2024

Download the complete report

Helped 824,053 peers since 2012

Categories and Ranking

Forescout Platform

Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)

4th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

IoT Security (1st), Endpoint Compliance (6th), Extended Detection and Response (XDR) (16th)

Sophos Network Access Control

Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)

6th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2024, in the Network Access Control (NAC) category, the mindshare of Forescout Platform is 13.9%, up from 12.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Sophos Network Access Control is 1.3%, down from 2.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Access Control (NAC)

Featured Reviews

Odai Halawani

Sr. Security Engineer at Topvision

It's an easy and effective solution, especially for device profiling without agents

Forescout Platform's most valuable aspect is its excellent device profiling for devices without agents, which is crucial for our work due to challenges with agent-based devices. Its isolation and blocking actions are particularly effective for network security. The device compliance feature helps us ensure device compliance through immediate actions like updating antivirus software. We have already integrated Forescout with antivirus and vulnerability assessment tools, allowing it to monitor vulnerability scores and automatically isolate devices if critical vulnerabilities are detected.

Read full review

Marco-VIVALDELLI

CEO at MARVIV SRLS

Reliable with good security capabilities and an easy setup

The user interface, in terms of managing the product, could be better. For example, having some sort of configuration scanner could be useful. I need some sort of base solution that I can provide to the company to set up a first level of service for the company. That way, I can install the product and set up a first level of security. After that, we can run some analysis with the company, with the key manager, and so on, and then customize the product to better suit their needs. It would help us create more tailored policies. That said, we need to have some base configuration that we can use as a kickoff in terms of saying, "Okay, this is a first-level configuration; that is enough to guarantee a correct level of protection from your point of view." And in this way, there is the possibility in the weeks to follow to customize the product better and more effectively over time to introduce a second level of features more specific to a single company. What could be an improvement, and what more competitors are doing, is introducing more advanced features in terms of artificial intelligence. This product needs more AI. It's useful to introduce systems to help prevent problems and better identify issues. The product needs to centralize information from devices and work to create a common database where an AI algorithm could have access to all of the information worldwide and therefore become better at predicting issues and finding problems. They need to widen their vision in the way competitors are to provide a higher level of security going forward.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"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."

"When users don't have the required updates, security patches, and antivirus, the tool blocks them from our network."

"The product is very easy to work with and easy to deploy."

"We really like that we get full visibility of devices in the local network."

"The user interface is quite simple."

"The most valuable features are remote access and administration scripts."

"The plugins are very robust -- the ability scanner, patch management system, and SQL integrator."

"The most valuable features of the Forescout Platform are ease of management and outstanding visibility. The visibility is simple to obtain."

More Forescout Platform pros

"The user interface makes it easy to configure and use."

"Sophos Network Access Control has a useful interface, and I like its dashboard, which is very useful for us to check everything."

"The wifi control is fantastic and makes it very easy to administer."

"There is really good visibility for the appliance."

"What Sophos has done is integrate almost the entire OSI layer infrastructure. It gives me visibility across my infrastructure. It gives me visibility into all the mobile devices that are on my network and into the security I have on those mobile devices."

"Sophos Network Access Control saves our clients time and money."

"Web protection, URL filtering, and application filtering are the most valuable features of Sophos Network Access Control."

"The solution offers very good visibility."

More Sophos Network Access Control pros

Cons

"The reporting feature needs improvement."

"We have found that the agent-based authentication, available within this solution could be improved."

"As a user, if I am using a laptop that is Wi-Fi connected, Forescout identifies my port connectivity as one user license, and if I take that same laptop with the same username to a wired network, which is also the same network that is used for the Wi-Fi connection, Forescout detects it as a separate license."

"Search - needs boolean functionality (or pseudo operand now working)."

"Multitenancy should be included in the next version so it could be used as a managed service provider."

"The ability to block external devices in Mac is lacking and needs to be added."

"This solution is not that easy to scale but this depends on a company's needs."

"The licensing costs are quite high. With the amount of hardware we have, we need too many licenses to make the product effective and it's ultimately just too costly."

More Forescout Platform cons

"The solution could offer more useful documentation."

"I would like more details on the incoming connection, like what is the download speed and how it fluctuates. If Sophos can give that information, it would be really good."

"What needs to be improved on is the fact that Sophos consumes a lot of processor resources and, once it starts scanning, the RAM utilization is very high."

"The solution could increase the integration with other platforms or other systems. This would be very useful."

"An area that could be improved is the information about licensing, which is fairly confusing at present."

"The solution can improve the for applying policies. They can be complex depending don't the group they are applied to."

"Sophos Network Access Control needs improvement regarding its slow interface, loading time, and reporting."

"Sophos Network Access Control requires a lot of resources to work, which is an area for improvement. Pricing could also be improved because it's costly."

More Sophos Network Access Control cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It might not be the cheapest solution, but you get what you pay for."

"The product's pricing is reasonable."

"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."

"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."

"Time savings in finding rogue devices as well as identifying potentially unwanted devices on the network has saved the organization time and money."

"You can have a flexible license depending on your environment."

"I would rate Forescout Platform's pricing as four out of five."

"We paid between $20,000 and $25,000 for a three-year license with maintenance."

More Forescout Platform pricing and cost advice

"Sophos Network Access Control is very cheap compared to other solutions like Cisco, Barracuda, and Palo Alto."

"Sophos Network Access Control is costly but has a similar price range as CrowdStrike and Check Point. The product can get more market share if Sophos can play around with Sophos Network Access Control pricing and improve it."

"I rate the price of Sophos Network Access Control a five out of ten."

"Sophos Network Access Control is an expensive solution."

"It is quite expensive."

"It provides a moderate pricing option for all of its features and benefits."

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Network Access Control (NAC) solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

824,053 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

32%

Computer Software Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Government

Computer Software Company

14%

Government

10%

Financial Services Firm

Educational Organization

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

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...

See all answers

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.

See all answers

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...

See all answers

What do you like most about Sophos Network Access Control?

Sophos Network Access Control has a useful interface, and I like its dashboard, which is very useful for us to check everything.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Sophos Network Access Control?

I am not able to say much on the financial specifics as it pertains to the sales unit.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Sophos Network Access Control?

For now, I may not be able to say exactly what needs improvement. However, continuous development in specific areas might be required.

See all answers

Comparisons

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs Forescout Platform

Compared 30% of the time

Aruba ClearPass vs Forescout Platform

Compared 20% of the time

Fortinet FortiNAC vs Forescout Platform

Compared 14% of the time

Nozomi Networks vs Forescout Platform

Compared 6% of the time

Armis vs Forescout Platform

Compared 3% of the time

More Forescout Platform Competitors

Aruba ClearPass vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 33% of the time

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 28% of the time

Fortinet FortiNAC vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 18% of the time

Twingate vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 11% of the time

More Sophos Network Access Control Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Forescout Platform

December 2024

Download Forescout Platform product report

Buyer's Guide

Sophos Network Access Control

November 2024

Download Sophos Network Access Control product report

Also Known As

Forescout Platform, CounterACT for Endpoint Compliance, ForeScout CounterACT

No data available

Learn More

Forescout

Sophos

Overview

Forescout Platform provides today’s busy enterprise organizations with policy and protocol management, workflow coordination, streamlining, and complete device and infrastructure visibility to improve overall network security. The solution also provides concise real-time intelligence of all devices and users on the network. Policy and protocols are delineated using gathered intelligence to facilitate the appropriate levels of remediation, compliance, network access, and all service operations. Forescout Platform is very flexible, integrates well with most of today’s leading network security products, and is a very cost-effective solution.

Forescout Platform Features

Real-time complete visibility: With Forescout eyeSight, each and every device is classified when any attempt to access your network has been made. This includes - but is not limited to - desktops, laptops, android devices, virtual machines, switches, VoIP phones, USB memory sticks, webcams, IoT devices, and more.
Policy-based and manual controls: In today’s busy robust environment, networks are continually changing; there are different types and amounts of devices connected, various software applications, network compliance requirements, and the constant potential for risk make managing an IT network a very daunting challenge. The Forescout Console is used to simplify the administration and management of important alerts, remediation, and access controls to keep the network secure.
Intuitive real-time dashboards: Forescout Dashboards, a component of Forescout WebClient, is a comprehensive web-based intelligence center that gives full visibility and real-time insight of the complete network using both out-of-the-box and user-created widgets. The dashboards are very intuitive and deliver robust, easy-to-understand information about device visibility, compliance, health monitoring, and more.
Advanced reporting capabilities: The Forescout Reports Plugin will generate numerous valuable reports indicating real-time and overall status information about endpoint compliance, device details, networks guests, protocols, and more. The reports help to ensure IT administrators, executives, security teams, and other important shareholders stay well-informed about all network activity at all times.
Comprehensive third-party overview: Forescout eyeExtend facilitates seamless information sharing with third-party vendors, networks, and IT management solutions supporting improved automated workflows, productivity, cost-effectiveness, and overall security.

Real User Reviews

An important main feature of Forescout is the visibility the solution offers.

One reviewer who is a Consultant at a tech services company, says, "Within three or four days, you can have complete visibility of your infrastructure on the network. Compared to other solutions, the deployment of the solution is easier and we can close the project quickly."

Users also appreciate that the user interface is clear and easy to understand.

An Instructor at a tech services company, shares, "The most valuable feature of the Forescout Platform is the large capacity it can handle. Additionally, the interface of the platform is good."

Sophos NAC Provides comprehensive, easy-to-deploy network access control that protects enterprise networks from the threats posed by non-compliant, compromised, or misconfigured endpoint computers. The software solution is vendor-neutral and works with existing network infrastructure and security applications. Computers are permitted or denied access to the network, based on a centrally defined, policy-driven assessment - and isolated, quarantined for remediation, automatically remediated, or sent alerts. Administrators can define and manage policies uniquely for managed and guest computers, including checking their security status and ensuring that no unwanted applications are run.

Sample Customers

NHS Sussex, SAP, SEGA, Vistaprint, Miami Children's Hospital, Pioneer Investments, New York Law School, OmnicomGroup, Meritrust

Rushmoor Borough Council

Buyer's Guide

Forescout Platform vs. Sophos Network Access Control

December 2024

Free Report: Forescout Platform vs. Sophos Network Access Control

Find out what your peers are saying about Forescout Platform vs. Sophos Network Access Control and other solutions. Updated: December 2024.

DOWNLOAD NOW

824,053 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our Forescout Platform vs. Sophos Network Access Control report.

See our list of best Network Access Control (NAC) vendors.

We monitor all Network Access Control (NAC) reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.