Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs VMware SASE comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Palo Alto Networks and Broadcom are both solutions in the Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) category. Palo Alto Networks is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.4, while Broadcom is ranked #22. Palo Alto Networks holds a 10.1% mindshare in SASE, compared to Broadcom’s 1.4% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Palo Alto Networks users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Broadcom users who would recommend it.

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks and VMware SASE based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Palo Alto Networks, Zscaler, Cisco and others in Secure Access Service Edge (SASE).

To learn more, read our detailed Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Report (Updated: September 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)

September 2026

Download the complete report

Helped 917,403 peers since 2012

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

iboss

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2026, in the Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) category, the mindshare of iboss is 3.2%, up from 2.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is 10.1%, down from 15.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of VMware SASE is 1.4%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks	10.1%
iboss	3.2%
VMware SASE	1.4%
Other	85.3%

Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)

Featured Reviews

Ashok Ananthula

Senior Consultant Proxy Engineering at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

Cloud gateway has strengthened remote web security and now needs better Mac and ISP support

The problem our organization had is that iboss failed for the Mac devices. It is not able to give a successful agent for the Mac agents. That is where in 2025, we had to migrate to the Palo Alto-based platform. If your use case is for just Windows laptops,you can consider this platform as an option One issue is the data center resiliency part. In India especially, they are not tied up with the Tier 1 ISPs like Tata or Airtel; they were having Tier 2 ISPs and encountered many issues reaching few major sites that my organization depends on, and they were having problems that they could not fix quickly. They also lack a mechanism to route that traffic within their data center; rather, they ask customers to make a pac file change to route it to Singapore explicitly. It would be better if they route from their backend , i mean even if I send it to India DC, they should be able to route it internally to make that work; however, they fail to do that and ask the customer to route it in the pac file. Another suggestion is that in China, they do not have the proper setup; they used to have numerous problems with slowness and lack of premium circuits in China as well. That leads to multiple sites working slowly with latency-related issues. So the main issue is the ISP-related problems that need to be solved.

Read full review

IgorPinter

Director at PULSEC

Zero-trust access has improved remote security and now simplifies cloud-based firewall management

Regarding the integration part for Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks, the integration with identity providers is pretty much good. It is basically firewall as a service, so it performs well. I completed the integration without any issues. What Palo Alto Networks can do better for Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is probably to have the point of presence available in more locations. The point of presence from the Serbia region has the nearest POP in Frankfurt, which is an issue since it is your gateway—when you start browsing the internet, you go through a commercial connection in Germany. They definitely need to spread the service in other countries.

Read full review

Murat-Alici

System Executive at Huawei

A stable solution that can be deployed in less than an hour

The solution's technical support is not good enough. The support offered by VMware for end customers is not enough. Support from VMware should be made available to our company with just one email or call since VMware currently has a very complex website. I rate the technical support an eight out of ten.

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

"This product is solid, fairly easy to use, and reliable."

"I would rate the technical support of iboss a solid 10 without a shadow of a doubt."

"iboss is definitely very good in terms of service."

"I recommend iboss for organizations looking for strong cloud-based web security and centralized access control."

"The iboss solution gives me the ability to scan the traffic through all the ports, through all the 131,000 PCP and UDP ports, and with this ability, we have the granularity also for consults over social media and applications on mobile, and this is an advantage that the customers are looking for right now."

"Our primary use case for this product is DLP,"

"We chose iboss for both zero trust and proxy (SWG) because their SWG was superior."

"iboss is easy to use despite its complexity. Multiple engineers manage it, but it's significantly more straightforward to administer than traditional VPNs and web proxies."

More iboss pros

"The solution is not very complex and is easy to manage for people who may or may not have knowledge about Palo Alto Networks."

"Its hands-off security and the fact that we don't have to maintain it are the most valuable features."

"They told us that this was the best thing we'd ever used."

"The tool's consolidation is pretty quick."

"Prisma helped us build a moat around our production systems. It's now impossible to log into our production from a non-MDM laptop. Prisma Access provides decent security overall."

"The most valuable feature of Prisma Access is its ability to provide enterprise-class security for both Internet and internal application access."

"The most valuable features of the solution stem from the fact that it offers stability and scalability while being a very secure product."

"We had a very good experience with their solutions, especially with their endpoint protections and the next-generation firewalls."

More Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks pros

"It is a stable solution."

Cons

"The dashboards for local use could be better."

"File integrity monitoring would be very advantageous as an additional feature."

"I'd like to see them accelerate development on the security side, particularly around data loss prevention."

"I have heard they are doing DDoS filtering, but I am not certain if they are implementing it correctly."

"Sometimes the agent stops working in iboss, and we have to reinstall the agent."

"iboss can be improved because the integration could be better; you need to import all the sites that you access today, and there are a few problems whenever you import thousands of websites, making the integration process messy for the users."

"Iboss is growing so fast that it is often hard for them to keep up with the challenges."

"To scale up, a new iboss Node Blade Chassis must be purchased."

More iboss cons

"The Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks interface is more difficult than FortiGate."

"The licensing model isn't flexible enough. It's an all-or-nothing model. Other providers in the market allow you to buy modules or add-ons separately. With Prisma Access, you have to purchase the same module for all users."

"The one thing that I've been a little bit disappointed with is when we have had to open cases with Palo Alto about Prisma Access issues."

"It's not really Prisma's fault, but when you try to create exceptions you don't really have those abilities. You cannot say, on the management platform, "Hey, for these users I want to create these exceptions." That is one thing that I have gotten some complaints about, and we have faced some challenges there."

"Better integration with the MDM solution would be useful."

"My clients would like to see a more feature-rich product."

"When we deploy firewall rules via Panorama, we find it's a little bit slow. We have a global environment and might have 100 gateways or VPNs in the cloud. When we deploy something, it tries to deploy it one-by-one, and that can be slow."

"The frequency of updates could be reduced."

More Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks cons

"The upgrade feature of the product is an area of concern where improvements are required."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is expensive compared to one of its competitors."

"We had the cost of purchasing a new appliance along with the implementation and licensing costs. However, the following year, the cost of just licensing was similar to what was paid the previous year for a new appliance along with the implementation and licensing costs."

"The overall pricing for iboss is very competitive and transparent."

"It is not expensive, and it is also not cheap. iboss is priced right in the sweet spot for the number of features it offers."

"We have not priced the solution recently, but they were competitive with other vendors in the past."

"It is probably in line with other solutions, but I do not deal with the financial side."

"The pricing for this solution is on the higher end."

"It is pretty expensive. We have to balance the cost of some features. They need to work on some of the services and products, price-wise."

"I'm still comparing, but the solution is quite expensive."

"The initial prices of Prisma Access were okay. But as soon as you start deploying Palo Alto gear, the support prices and the recurring prices, which are the major operational costs, tend to increase over time."

"Actually the solution is very expensive. I don't know the particulars since the purchasing team dealt with it."

"It's pricey, it's not cheap. But you get what you pay for."

"Based on what I have heard from others, it is a pricey solution as compared to its peers, but I am not sure. However, considering the features that it offers, it is a break-even point. You get whatever they are promising."

"It is a little expensive. Because it is one of the best in the market, it is a little bit more expensive than other vendors."

More Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks pricing and cost advice

Information not available

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

917,403 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

Construction Company

Manufacturing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Outsourcing Company

Computer Software Company

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	14
Midsize Enterprise	8
Large Enterprise	14

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	26
Midsize Enterprise	20
Large Enterprise	27

No data available

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with iboss?

I think iboss could be improved by emphasizing the modular function even more during sales presentations and demonstr...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for iboss?

iboss is primarily used for content filtering within school districts and public K-12 school districts, and it can al...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for iboss?

My experience with iboss's pricing structure, setup cost, and licensing model has been positive, straightforward, and...

See all answers

What is the better solution - Prisma Access or Zscaler Private Access?

We looked into Prisma Access before choosing Zscaler Private Access (ZPA). Palo Alto’s Prisma Access is a secure ac...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks?

From my experience, Palo Alto is more expensive compared to solutions like Netskope and Triscale.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks?

Regarding the integration part for Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks, the integration with identity providers is pr...

See all answers

Ask a question

Earn 20 points

Comparisons

Netskope vs iboss

Compared 8% of the time

Fortinet FortiGate vs iboss

Compared 7% of the time

Cisco Umbrella vs iboss

Compared 6% of the time

FortiSASE vs iboss

Compared 6% of the time

Zscaler Internet Access vs iboss

Compared 5% of the time

More iboss Competitors

Netskope vs Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks

Compared 12% of the time

FortiSASE vs Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks

Compared 5% of the time

Check Point Harmony SASE (formerly Perimeter 81) vs Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks

Compared 4% of the time

Cato SASE Cloud Platform vs Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks

Compared 4% of the time

Fortinet FortiGate vs Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks

Compared 2% of the time

More Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks Competitors

Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform vs VMware SASE

Compared 24% of the time

Aruba ESP vs VMware SASE

Compared 18% of the time

Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform vs VMware SASE

Compared 6% of the time

FortiSASE vs VMware SASE

Compared 6% of the time

Cato SASE Cloud Platform vs VMware SASE

Compared 3% of the time

More VMware SASE Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

iboss

October 2026

Download iboss product report

Buyer's Guide

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks

October 2026

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks report

Download Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks product report

Buyer's Guide

Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)

September 2026

Download VMware SASE product report

Also Known As

iBoss Cloud Platform

Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access, Prisma Access, GlobalProtect, Palo Alto GlobalProtect Mobile Security Manager, Prisma SaaS by Palo Alto Networks, Prisma Access

No data available

Overview

iboss is the Zero Trust SASE platform that gives organizations complete visibility and governance over their AI, data, and applications through one unified platform, one console, one policy engine, and one data lake.

Your endpoints may already stop malware. Your data and application activity can still be invisible. iboss decrypts and understands every connection, then turns that signal into answers security leaders can act on.

The platform leads with three capabilities in this order: AI Security and Visibility, Data Security and Visibility, and App Visibility and Control. Zero Trust Network Access, VPN replacement, and SD-WAN sit underneath as the access fabric that carries those three. Trusted by global enterprises and government agencies.

What are the most important features of Iboss?

- AI Security and Visibility: conversation capture, shadow-AI discovery, AI DLP, and agent governance across Claude, Co-Work, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok, and emerging services.

- Data Security and Visibility: full SSL/TLS decryption, deep content inspection, MIP label compliance, and one-click compliance reporting.

- App Visibility and Control: signatureless CASB, dual risk scoring, in-app controls, and SSPM for major SaaS.

- Containerized Zero Trust SASE: dedicated containers, isolated SSL keys, one console, one policy engine, one data lake.

- Access fabric: ZTNA, VPN replacement, and SD-WAN under the same platform.

What benefits should users consider in reviews?

- Complete visibility over AI, data, and applications from one platform instead of separate point tools.

- Encrypted traffic is inspected by default so data decisions use content and context together.

- Shadow SaaS and new web tools appear as they are used, with enforceable controls in one console.

- Native data sovereignty through dedicated containers, in-region inspection, and per-customer SSL key custody.

- Scale proven in published materials: 10M+ users, 100+ countries, 150B+ transactions, 2.5B+ threats blocked.

Economic buyers are CISOs, CIOs, and VPs of Security. Champions include security architects, network and infrastructure leaders, SecOps, and GRC. Primary segments: enterprise and business, financial services, government (including FedRAMP Gov Cloud), healthcare, manufacturing, legal and professional services, retail and hospitality, and MSP/MSSP partners. Education, including K-12, is one vertical among these.

iboss

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks delivers robust security features including secure remote access across apps and traffic monitoring. It integrates smoothly with cloud environments to provide advanced threat protection and visibility into network traffic.

Prisma Access offers a comprehensive suite of security tools designed to protect cloud environments and remote workforces. With its focus on real-time risk identification and threat prevention, Prisma Access provides encrypted tunnels and centralized management for seamless connectivity and enhanced data security. Designed to scale across platforms like AWS, Azure, and GCP, it optimizes traffic and connectivity while offering extensive visibility into vulnerabilities. However, integration with third-party products, usability, and support services are areas for development, as users report interface challenges and desire improved scalability and geographic coverage, especially in regions like China and South America.

What are the key features of Prisma Access?

Real-Time Risk Identification: Detects and manages potential threats instantly.
Secure Remote Access: Ensures secure connectivity to applications from anywhere.
Traffic Monitoring: Provides comprehensive oversight of network traffic.
Seamless Integration: Works well with platforms like AWS, Azure, and GCP.
Firewall Capabilities: Blocks unauthorized access and threats.
Scalability: Adapts to various cloud environments to meet growing demands.

What benefits should users expect when evaluating Prisma Access?

Reduced Data Breach Risk: Protects sensitive information through encrypted connections.
User-Friendly Interface: Simplifies management and configuration tasks.
Centralized Management: Offers a single view for managing all security policies.
Advanced Threat Protection: Regular updates guard against new threats.

Prisma Access is effectively used in industries requiring secure remote access and stringent data protection, such as finance and healthcare. Organizations leverage it to enforce Zero Trust policies, optimize network performance with SD-WAN, and ensure security compliance across multiple platforms.

Palo Alto Networks

VMware SASE seamlessly integrates networking and security in a cloud-based framework, ensuring efficient and secure connectivity for modern enterprises.

VMware SASE caters to distributed businesses by combining SD-WAN capabilities with robust security protocols. As organizations evolve, maintaining secure and reliable network connectivity becomes critical. VMware SASE addresses this with its intelligent use of cloud-native solutions, supporting uninterrupted connection while reducing complexities.

What are the most important features of VMware SASE?

SD-WAN Integration: Offers flexible and reliable network access through smart SD-WAN technologies.
Zero Trust Security: Implements a stringent security approach, verifying users and devices before granting access.
Cloud Access Security Broker: Ensures safe cloud application usage by monitoring and controlling security policies.
Edge Network Intelligence: Provides insights into network performance and helps optimize resource allocation.

What benefits and ROI should be considered?

Cost Efficiency: Reduces total cost of ownership by consolidating networking and security services.
Improved Connectivity: Enhances network performance leading to a better user experience.
Enhanced Security: Proactively protects against threats, minimizing risk exposure.
Scalability: Adapts to changing demands, allowing seamless growth.

In industries such as finance and healthcare, VMware SASE has been implemented to ensure compliance with strict data security regulations while maintaining high-speed connectivity. Retail sectors leverage it to boost customer experience by ensuring secure and reliable connections across branches.

Broadcom

Sample Customers

Trusted by global enterprises and government agencies.

Concord Hospital, State of Colorado, Essilor International, RheinLand Versicherungsgruppe, University of Westminster, Universidade Nove de Julho, SPAR Austria, CAME Group, ZipRealty, Greenhill & Co., IKT Agder, Aviva Stadium, Animal Logic, Management & Training Corporation, Brigham Young University Hawaii, School District of Chilliwack

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)

September 2026

Download Free Report

Find out what your peers are saying about Palo Alto Networks, Zscaler, Cisco and others in Secure Access Service Edge (SASE). Updated: September 2026.

DOWNLOAD NOW

917,403 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our list of best Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) vendors.

We monitor all Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) 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.