Best Zscaler Cloud Firewall Alternatives in 2026
The top Zscaler Cloud Firewall alternatives are Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall, FortiGate and Check Point Quantum Security Gateway: 15 network firewall software our editors would look at instead of Zscaler Cloud Firewall, in our ranking order.
Zscaler Cloud Firewall: A cloud-native firewall for distributed teams that need centralized inspection and policy control. Where it falls short: pricing requires contacting sales.
Switching from Zscaler Cloud Firewall? For most network firewall software buyers the best Zscaler Cloud Firewall alternative is Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall, built for enterprises needing advanced threat prevention. Arista NG Firewall has a free plan. AWS Network Firewall offers the most firewall throughput (100 Gbps).
Why People Look for a Zscaler Cloud Firewall Alternative
- Pricing requires contacting sales
- May not fit teams requiring site-to-site VPN support
- Cloud deployment may not suit appliance-first environments
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallPalo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall9.4
Enterprises needing advanced threat prevention
Visit Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall - Best free optionArista NG Firewall9.0
Has a free plan
Visit Arista NG Firewall - Most firewall throughputAWS Network Firewall9.0
100 Gbps
Visit AWS Network Firewall
All 15 Zscaler Cloud Firewall Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
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Best forEnterprises needing advanced threat prevention
- Better than Zscaler Cloud Firewall:
- Editor score 9.4 vs 9.0
An enterprise firewall family combining application control, threat prevention and centralized management.
- SSL inspection
- Site-to-site VPN
- Intrusion prevention
9.4/10★★★★★Visit site -
Best forHybrid enterprises needing broad security integration
- Better than Zscaler Cloud Firewall:
- Editor score 9.3 vs 9.0
A broad hybrid firewall platform for enterprises that need integrated network security and automation.
- SSL inspection
- Site-to-site VPN
- Intrusion prevention
9.3/10★★★★★Visit FortiGate -
Best forMature enterprises needing clustered firewalls
- Better than Zscaler Cloud Firewall:
- Editor score 9.2 vs 9.0
A broad network security platform for enterprises that need clustered, policy-driven gateways.
- SSL inspection
- Site-to-site VPN
- Intrusion prevention
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Check Point -
Best forDistributed teams using cloud-managed appliances
- Better than Zscaler Cloud Firewall:
- Editor score 9.1 vs 9.0
A broad hybrid firewall family for distributed teams that need centralized cloud management.
- SSL inspection
- Site-to-site VPN
- Intrusion prevention
9.1/10★★★★★Visit WatchGuard -
Best forHybrid networks needing SD-WAN and sandboxing
A broad firewall platform for hybrid networks that need SD-WAN, VPN, and sandboxing.
- SSL inspection
- Site-to-site VPN
- Intrusion prevention
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Barracuda -
Best forHybrid enterprises needing SD-WAN and sandboxing
A hybrid NGFW for enterprises that need SD-WAN, inspection, VPN, and sandboxing.
- SSL inspection
- Site-to-site VPN
- Intrusion prevention
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Forcepoint -
Best forBudget-conscious teams needing a full NGFW
A flexible NGFW with a free tier and broad controls for small and midsize organizations.
- SSL inspection
- Site-to-site VPN
- Intrusion prevention
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forOrganizations wanting a free, extensible firewall
A free, extensible firewall with VPN, IPS, high availability, and centralized management.
- SSL inspection
- Site-to-site VPN
- Intrusion prevention
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit OPNsense -
Best forFree firewalling with broad VPN options
A free, open-source firewall with routing, three VPN technologies, and optional IPS packages.
- Site-to-site VPN
- Intrusion prevention
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit pfSense -
Best forAWS-native network security at elastic scale
A cloud-managed firewall for inspecting and filtering traffic across Amazon VPC environments.
- SSL inspection
- Site-to-site VPN
- Intrusion prevention
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit AWS Firewall -
Best forAzure environments needing premium inspection
Premium Azure inspection with TLS filtering, IPS, and centralized management.
- SSL inspection
- Intrusion prevention
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Azure Firewall -
Best forHybrid networks needing HA and SD-WAN
A broad hybrid firewall platform for segmented networks, VPN, SD-WAN, and high availability.
- SSL inspection
- Site-to-site VPN
- Intrusion prevention
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Stormshield -
Best forCloud-native L3/L4 perimeter filtering
A focused cloud firewall for global L3/L4 filtering, automation, and analytics.
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Cloudflare -
Best forTeams managing Juniper firewall policies centrally
A centralized policy and operations layer for teams managing Juniper SRX firewalls.
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Juniper -
Best forEnterprises needing deep traffic inspection and response
Deep inspection and centralized response for distributed enterprise networks.
- SSL inspection
- Intrusion prevention
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Forcepoint
Zscaler Cloud Firewall Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Zscaler Cloud Firewall?
Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall: #1 in our Network Firewall Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. An enterprise firewall family combining application control, threat prevention and centralized management.
Is there a free alternative to Zscaler Cloud Firewall?
Yes. Arista NG Firewall, OPNsense and pfSense have a free plan or a free tier.
Why do people look for Zscaler Cloud Firewall alternatives?
Pricing requires contacting sales; May not fit teams requiring site-to-site VPN support; Cloud deployment may not suit appliance-first environments.
Which Zscaler Cloud Firewall alternative has the most firewall throughput?
AWS Network Firewall, with 100 Gbps.
How do I switch from Zscaler Cloud Firewall?
Export your data from Zscaler Cloud Firewall (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Zscaler Cloud Firewall.
How to Switch from Zscaler Cloud Firewall
- Export your data from Zscaler Cloud Firewall (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Zscaler Cloud Firewall.
Zscaler Cloud Firewall vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Deployment model | Intrusion prevention | SSL inspection | Site-to-site VPN | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Zscaler Cloud Firewall | Cloud | Yes | Yes | 9.0 | |||
| 1 | Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.4 | ||
| 2 | FortiGate | No | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.3 | |
| 3 | Check Point Quantum Security Gateway | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.2 | ||
| 4 | WatchGuard Firebox | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.1 | ||
| 5 | Barracuda CloudGen Firewall | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.0 | ||
| 6 | Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.0 | ||
| 7 | Arista NG Firewall | Yes | $270/yr | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.0 |
| 8 | OPNsense | Yes | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.0 | |
| 9 | pfSense | Yes | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | 9.0 | ||
| 10 | AWS Network Firewall | No | $0.07/GB usage-based | Cloud | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.0 |
| 11 | Azure Firewall Premium | No | Cloud | Yes | Yes | No | 9.0 | |
| 12 | Stormshield Network Security | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.9 | ||
| 13 | Cloudflare Magic Firewall | No | Cloud | 8.9 | ||||
| 14 | Juniper Security Director | Hybrid | 8.9 | |||||
| 15 | Forcepoint Network Security Platform | No | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | 8.9 |
Head-to-Head
- Zscaler Cloud Firewall vs Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall
- Zscaler Cloud Firewall vs FortiGate
- Zscaler Cloud Firewall vs Check Point Quantum Security Gateway
- Zscaler Cloud Firewall vs WatchGuard Firebox
- Zscaler Cloud Firewall vs Barracuda CloudGen Firewall
- Zscaler Cloud Firewall vs Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update