Top 10 Netskope Alternatives and Competitors

Netskope is a well-established leader in the Security Service Edge (SSE) space, and a key player in the broader Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) market. The company has built its reputation around these core pillars, and has expanded its capabilities into CASB, ZTNA, and DLP. 

While SSE remains its strongest foundation, Netskope has made significant investments to deepen its presence in CASB and data protection over the past few years.

Netskope’s SSE offering is strong, and its agent-based CASB approach provides robust visibility and control. 

However, as the market shifts toward API-based CASB and DLP within Cloud and SaaS environments, Netskope’s reliance on agents can sometimes introduce performance trade-offs compared to lighter, API-driven approaches.

That said, no single competitor fully replaces Netskope. Its breadth and depth across multiple security domains make it a compelling choice for enterprises with diverse requirements. 

Organizations operating in highly regulated or controlled environments may prefer Netskope’s strong agent-based model, whereas businesses seeking agility may lean toward more flexible API-based solutions.

Ultimately, selecting a provider that's right for you comes down to one thing: identifying your organization's  priorities, and determining where various tools fit best  into the overall security strategy.

This article breaks down the pros and cons of the different approaches, helping organizations align solution choice with their security and business needs.

1.DoControl

Focus Areas: CASB, Data Access, DLP, Shadow IT, Insider Risk, Misconfigurations

Key Customers: Colgate-Palmolive, Snap Inc., Databricks, Sanmina, Datadog

Pros:

• Scalable API event-driven architecture that reacts in real-time
• Deep contextualized user data for accurate detection
• AI classification and lineage engine to accurately detect sensitive content 
• Flexible policies that are easy to align to existing business processes
• Ability to build in approval processes to scalable engine 
• Ability to remediate historical data exposure on top of automated workflows 
• Coverage across SaaS and Generative AI Apps

Cons:

• No agent to take action on the endpoint 
• CASB / DLP focus, limited in SASE and ZTNA 

2. Zscaler 

Focus Areas: SSE, SASE, ZTNA

Key Customers: Protegrity, MGM Resorts International, Micron Technology, Amplifon

Pros:

• Very strong end to end SSE/SASE solution
• Best-in class ZTNA engine
• Strong sandboxing, Cloud firewall, and RBI capabilities

Cons:

• CASB / DLP capabilities are limited, and produce an extremely high rate of false-positives 
• Very limited coverage across Cloud and SaaS 
• Agent-based, long deployment, and heavy lift / resources needed

3. Palo Alto Networks  

Focus Areas: SSE, SASE, ZTNA, RBI, DLP

Key Customers: TIME, Salesforce, NBC Universal, Chipotle, NHL

Pros:

• Strong SASE solution combined with firewall capabilities 
• Solid Cloud security capabilities with Prisma Cloud 
• Wide security set that covers SASE, ZTNA, DLP, CASB, RBI, etc. 

Cons:

• DLP / CASB capabilities are weak and produce high rate of false-positives
• Coverage across SaaS is very limited
• Heavy agent capabilities which often lead to long implementation periods 

4. Forcepoint

Focus Areas: DLP

Key Customers: Mariner Finance, Medicover Group, Gebauer & Griller 

Pros:

• Agent-based and coverage across endpoint, Cloud, SaaS, and Email 
• Advanced content inspection and classifier engine that be customized to specific industries
• Integrate seamless into the Forcepoint ecosystem

Cons:

• Limited to no SSE, SASE, or ZTNA capabilities
• Heavy-weight agent that has a long, and complex deployment
• High-false positive rate that blocks business workflows and hinders user productivity

5. Code42  

Focus Areas: CASB

Key Customers: Banked, Lyft, Okta, Snowflake

Pros:

• Broad DLP capabilities across Email, Cloud, and Network 
• Strong on Endpoint with some capabilities via an API 
• Strong risk prioritization and insider risk analysis

Cons:

• Limited to no SSE, SASE, or ZTNA capabilities 
• API capabilities are limited – struggling to effectively remediate and protect SaaS
• User feedback suggests that the solution is very difficult to implement 

6. Cisco

Focus Areas: SASE, DNS, Firewall, Access (Duo)

Key Customers: United Airlines, Workday, Washington Trust Bank

Pros:

• Very strong SASE solution for end to end network security 
• Coverage across DNS, CASB, Firewall, and Access (Duo)
• Large presence in the enterprise segment 

Cons:

• High cost of ownership as it’s very difficult to setup and maintain - fully agent based
• Cloud and SaaS capabilities are extremely weak - limited CASB / DLP
• Development and innovation is extremely slow because of their scale 

7. Proofpoint

Focus Areas: Email 

Key Customers: Ethan Allen, Guardian, Carestream, Perrigo

Pros:

• Trusted branded through their strong Email security offering
• Consolidate Email, CASB, DLP into one solution
• Strong insider threat capabilities  

Cons:

• No ZTNA or SASE capabilities 
• CASB and DLP capabilities are very weak - poor coverage for Cloud & SaaS apps

8. Symantec  

Focus Areas: DLP 

Key Customers: GoDaddy, EPAM Systems, SAP, Accenture, and Cognizant

Pros:

• Mature DLP platform that has advanced content inspection with complementary CASB capabilities 
• Strong for organizations with regulatory needs - HIPAA, FEDRAMP
• Coverage across endpoint, Cloud, Email, and some SaaS

Cons:

• No ZTNA or SASE capabilities
• Limited SaaS and Cloud abilities and almost no remediation - high-false positive rate 
• Fully agent-based with very complex deployment and maintenance

9. Nudge Security 

Focus Areas: CASB, DLP 

Key Customers: Karma Check, Glaad, Stravito, GridX

Pros:

• Strong CASB and DLP capabilities across Cloud and SaaS
• Fully API-based, relatively easy to deploy
• Complimentary Misconfiguration and Shadow IT capabilities  

Cons:

• No SASE and ZTNA capabilities
• DLP has seen high false-positive rates because of limited context in engine 

10. BetterCloud 

Focus Areas: CASB, DLP, User Management 

Key Customers: Bullhorn, Sprout Social, Bark, Classpass

Pros:

• Well known brand for overall SaaS Security
• Strong user management capabilities
• Unify CASB, DLP, and SaaS Management into one platform 

Cons:

• No SASE and ZTNA capabilities
• DLP engine is known to have inaccurate data - in some cases missing more than 30%
• Very limited remediation capabilities  

Summary

While Netskope has its strongsuits, there are definitely limitations - which is to be expected and by default. One solution can’t solve for every single specific niche need or gap within an organizations’ broader security strategy.

There’s not a single ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution for data security, but rather, each vendor brings different strengths to the table, and each solution has its own nuances and methodologies. 

That’s why many organizations take a layered approach, combining multiple solutions to achieve unified coverage and minimize gaps. 

When evaluating providers, organizations need a vendor who is specialized in what they need while also preparing and innovating for the rapidly changing world of SaaS security. 

DoControl represents this forward‑thinking approach to SaaS security - truly believing in a best of breed approach, and offering modern capabilities designed for both today’s demands and tomorrow’s threats. 

Want to Learn More?

• DoControl vs. Netskope – click here
• DoControl vs. Bettercloud – click here 
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