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Switching guide

Palo Alto Networks alternatives: SASE platforms compared for 2026

Short answer

The highest-scoring alternatives to Palo Alto Networks on our weights are Cato Networks, Netskope and Fortinet. Palo Alto Networks scores 7.05 and ranks 4 of 6. A SASE migration usually runs site by site, so the right alternative depends on which criteria matter most to you.

By The Transit Desk · Best SASE Platforms · Published

Desk research from each vendor's own public pages.

Why do teams look beyond Palo Alto Networks?

  • Single-pass wording is not used on its SASE or Prisma Access pages, and SASE is presented as a family of named products.
  • No PoP or location count and no CVE response record on the pages we read.
  • MCP-specific controls are not named on the AI pages we read.

Which alternatives score highest?

  1. 1.

    Cato Networks

    Cato Networks total 8.70 / 10
    Cato Networks SASE ring: lists 8 of 8 components.8/88 of 8

    Cato SASE Platform: SD-WAN, SSE, ZTNA and AI security on one global cloud

    Scores higher than Palo Alto Networks on: converged architecture, global network, as the vendor states it, unified management and policy, vulnerability response transparency, AI security inside the platform and deployment options.

    Palo Alto Networks scores higher on: published compliance certifications.

    Pairing

  2. 2.

    Netskope

    Netskope total 8.00 / 10
    Netskope SASE ring: lists 8 of 8 components.8/88 of 8

    Netskope One: SSE, SD-WAN and AI security on the NewEdge network

    Scores higher than Palo Alto Networks on: converged architecture, global network, as the vendor states it, published compliance certifications and AI security inside the platform.

    Pairing

  3. 3.

    Fortinet

    Fortinet total 7.10 / 10
    Fortinet SASE ring: lists 6 of 8 components.6/86 of 8

    FortiSASE and Fortinet Unified SASE (FortiSASE with Secure SD-WAN on FortiOS)

    Scores higher than Palo Alto Networks on: converged architecture, unified management and policy, vulnerability response transparency and deployment options.

    Palo Alto Networks scores higher on: component coverage, published compliance certifications and AI security inside the platform.

    Pairing

  4. 4.

    Zscaler

    Zscaler total 6.00 / 10
    Zscaler SASE ring: lists 6 of 8 components.6/86 of 8

    Zero Trust Exchange: ZIA, ZPA, Zero Trust Branch and Zero Trust SD-WAN

    Scores higher than Palo Alto Networks on: converged architecture and AI security inside the platform.

    Palo Alto Networks scores higher on: global network, as the vendor states it, component coverage, unified management and policy and published compliance certifications.

    Pairing

  5. 5.

    Cisco

    Cisco total 5.30 / 10
    Cisco SASE ring: lists 4 of 8 components.4/84 of 8

    Cisco Secure Access (SSE) paired with Cisco SD-WAN or Cisco Meraki SD-WAN

    Scores higher than Palo Alto Networks on: deployment options.

    Palo Alto Networks scores higher on: converged architecture, global network, as the vendor states it, component coverage, unified management and policy, published compliance certifications and AI security inside the platform.

    Pairing

When does staying with Palo Alto Networks make sense?

Staying with Palo Alto Networks makes sense if your network security already runs on its firewalls and Strata Cloud Manager, if you need the FedRAMP and StateRAMP listings on its trust center, or if Prisma AIRS is part of your AI security plan.

What should a migration plan cover?

Separate the Prisma products you use (Prisma Access, Prisma SD-WAN, Prisma Browser, AI Access Security) and plan each move on its own timeline. Map security profiles to the target platform, compare mobile user licensing terms in writing, and test AI and DLP policies on a pilot group first.

Frequently asked questions

What is the top-scoring alternative to Palo Alto Networks?

Cato Networks at 8.70 on our default weights. It scores higher than Palo Alto Networks on converged architecture, global network, as the vendor states it, unified management and policy, vulnerability response transparency, AI security inside the platform and deployment options.

Which Palo Alto Networks alternatives list FedRAMP?

Netskope and Cisco, on the pages we read.

Which Palo Alto Networks alternatives list all eight SASE components?

Cato Networks and Netskope.

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