Overview

ZPA brokers a separate connection between an authorized user and each specific app, rather than placing that user on the corporate network or exposing the app publicly. That is a meaningful security boundary for organizations with distributed users and private systems: access can be narrowed to the app, not the surrounding network.

The same approach extends to workload communications in hybrid and multicloud environments, including AWS and Azure. This breadth makes ZPA more compelling as an enterprise access platform than as a simple remote-access tool, but it also means its value depends on a need for these layered controls.

Key features

App segmentation: AI-powered discovery identifies applications and recommends segments and policies. This can help teams structure access controls across many apps, though recommendations still need to fit the organization’s own policy choices.
Workload segmentation: Controls for cloud workload-to-workload communication address traffic across hybrid and multicloud environments, rather than only user-to-app access.
Privileged access: Clientless access to sensitive RDP, SSH, and VNC production systems supports remote workers and third parties without requiring a client for those sessions.
Threat and data protection: Inline inspection is described as protecting against ransomware, zero-day threats, and unknown malware. Web Data Loss Prevention inspects data in motion and includes Exact Data Match, Indexed Data Match, and machine learning, making the package relevant where access controls also need to address sensitive data.
Continuity and integration: Business Continuity is designed to preserve policy-enforced access to mission-critical apps during connectivity outages. When configured with Zscaler Internet & SaaS Sandbox, the Sandbox integration can inspect files transferred through privileged consoles.

ZPA also includes controls and monitoring across endpoints, networks, and cloud apps, with activity logs, analytics, audit and reporting, threat detection, and remediation workflows. Data retention is two days, a short window that organizations should weigh if they need longer-term records for investigations or analysis.

Pricing

ZPA is paid software with custom pricing and no free plan. Organizations must request pricing, so it is difficult to assess cost before engaging with the vendor; buyers should clarify the scope and commercial terms before comparing it with narrower tools.

ZPA Standard (Essentials Platform): Custom pricing; intended for limited private access covering 5% of users. That makes it a constrained option for organizations piloting or serving a smaller subset, not a full-user deployment.
ZPA Platform: Custom pricing; available as a standalone product or as part of the Zscaler Platform bundle. The bundle may suit buyers evaluating a broader platform, while standalone is the direct option for those focused on ZPA.

Neither plan has a published price or a free tier, and the Standard plan’s 5% user scope is the clearest stated limit. Teams should confirm how users are counted and which capabilities are included in their proposed configuration.

Platforms

ZPA supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows, with desktop and mobile coverage. Supported operating systems also include Android on ChromeOS. This range is useful for mixed-device organizations, though platform breadth alone does not establish identical controls on every device.

Who it's for

ZPA is a strong fit for organizations that need to give remote users or third parties narrowly scoped access to private apps and production systems, and for teams securing communication between cloud workloads. Its inline inspection, DLP, segmentation, and continuity capabilities matter most when access security is part of a wider security program.

It is less suitable for small teams looking for a free or transparently priced remote-access service, or for buyers who do not need workload segmentation and the surrounding security controls. The short two-day data retention period may also be a drawback for teams that require longer log histories.

Pros and cons

Pro: One-to-one app connections avoid granting broad corporate-network access, supporting a narrower access model.
Pro: User access, workload segmentation, privileged sessions, inline threat protection, and DLP sit within one product offering.
Pro: Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows support covers a broad mix of user environments.
Con: There is no free plan, and custom pricing means buyers cannot judge cost from a published price.
Con: The Standard plan is limited to private access for 5% of users, which may not cover organization-wide needs.
Con: Two-day data retention limits how far back teams can use retained data for review.

Alternatives

For broader digital-experience monitoring rather than private app access, compare Riverbed Aternity, an enterprise offering with custom pricing and support across desktop, mobile, web, and self-hosted environments.

TeamViewer RMM is worth considering when device monitoring and asset management are the priority: its plan starts at five endpoint devices and it offers a free trial.

FlexxClient is another paid option with pricing upon request and support for Android, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows.

Almaden Collective IQ may suit buyers comparing digital experience tools that offer 13 months of data retention, with visibility periods that differ by edition.

TeamDynamix DEX is a paid alternative for teams evaluating digital experience management, with pricing by inquiry and no free plan.

ControlUp ONE offers a unified platform license and a free trial, making it an option for buyers who want to evaluate a paid platform before requesting pricing.

ManageEngine DEX Manager Plus is a freemium alternative with a free trial and device-based Professional plans; compare its available editions if a lower-entry DEX tool is the goal.

Lakeside SysTrack is another paid alternative to consider.

Readers comparing adjacent categories can also browse Digital Experience Monitoring Software, Data Security Posture Management Software, Data Loss Prevention Software, Cloud Access Security Broker Software, SaaS Security Posture Management Software, and Enterprise Browsers.

Verdict

Choose ZPA if your organization needs tightly scoped access to private apps and production systems, especially alongside workload segmentation and inline security controls. Its central advantage is treating access as app-specific rather than network-wide; look elsewhere if a free entry point, transparent pricing, or longer data retention is essential.

	Sophos Central Firewall Management	Zscaler Private Access
Free plan	No	No
Free trial	No	No
Paid from	—	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	—	Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Web, Windows

Sophos Central Firewall Management vs Zscaler Private Access

Sophos Central Firewall Management

Zscaler Private Access