Cisco Secure Endpoint vs Zscaler Client Connector comparison

Cisco Secure Endpoint vs. Zscaler Client Connector

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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

Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Net...

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) category, the mindshare of Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks is 3.5%, down from 4.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Secure Endpoint is 1.3%, down from 1.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Zscaler Client Connector is 0.7%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks	3.5%
Zscaler Client Connector	0.7%
Cisco Secure Endpoint	1.3%
Other	94.5%

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

Featured Reviews

ABHISHEK_SINGH

Senior Process Expert at A.P. Moller - Maersk

Gained full visibility and streamlined threat detection through behavior-based insights and AI integration

Initially, we got to have a lot of false positives when we onboarded, but nowadays it's quite smooth. We have fine-tuned our security policies and allowed different levels of policies to get rid of those false positives. Currently, we are getting a fairly good amount of incidents that are not false positives or benign, but actionable items. The process is streamlined. In the initial days, the operations used to get involved in a lot of benign and other activities, but now the process is streamlined. We are leveraging the auto-detection and remediation plans. The operations teams are now more involved in other business roles as well, not just looking into the logs and fetching out what's happening there. They have fixed a lot of things. Initially, they didn't have IAC code drift detection, cloud posture management, or security posture management, but they have those now. They purchased different vendors and did a merger with that. They have now Prisma Cloud that gets integrated and now they are working with Cortex Cloud. Everything that was negative has now been addressed, and the product altogether looks to be in a very better and mature shape now. Currently, it's more or less detecting the workloads with AI-based best practices. Since most organizations are consuming AI agents and other things, we are looking forward to seeing what other feature enhancements Palo Alto can support in that.

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JavedHashmi

Chief Technology Officer at Future Point Technologies

Reliable threat protection is achieved while integration and analysis capabilities need refinement

Cisco Secure Endpoint is very good in machine learning, which allows it to secure offline contents even if not connected to the internet. We haven't encountered a single breach after it's deployed. It controls USB devices and has a separate antivirus solution called Tetra, providing security even for real-time, day-zero attacks through its strong Talos threat intelligence platform.

Read full review

Dimitrios Arvanitakis

IT Support Admin at Kuehne & Nagel Inc.

Client activity has been monitored efficiently through in-depth log analysis and traffic filtering

I use the Zscaler speed test, and it is very nice. We use some logs from Zscaler Client Connector to collect data and see what is happening, such as if there is an interruption or something. There is a specific tunnel version that we have to use because, depending on the internet provider, some of them have lower speed, so we have some issues. This is because of the provider, not from Zscaler. We use Office 365 services and Office applications, and because some connections are slow and they do not have full coverage from the internet provider, we have some issues. If the speed is slow for Zscaler Client Connector connection, then we have issues because if the speed is not good, then Zscaler Client Connector goes down. This may be because they put some policy. Of course, if you use Office 365 services such as Outlook, the minimum bandwidth is 5 megabits and more, so this causes issues if the users do not have a good remote connection. This depends on the companies and the users, so they need to fix it. This is not from us or our company. It is very useful, and the logs are very helpful. When we go to logs, we understand what is happening.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Automation and playbooks have helped me significantly, as Cortex Xnor's playbooks predefine the workflow of the automation, such as response processes, alert triggering, and enriching the context, efficiently detecting and blocking malicious attacks with firewalls while eliminating workload and speeding responses for next-generation operations."

"It has a higher cost than other solutions, like CrowdStrike or Microsoft’s EDR tools, but it reduces the cost of our operations because it’s a new generation antivirus tool."

"Cortex XDR alerts us on the dashboard when there's a threat, which allows us to restrict that user and helps secure our infrastructure."

"The best feature of Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks is that it collects logs from different sections such as the endpoint, the network, and the cloud, making it easy to investigate alerts, collect some of the investigation packages related to the infected machines, and provide live response."

"Stability is a primary factor, and then there's the ease of distribution and policy management; Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks is very easy to work with, and we're quite happy with them."

"The solution allows control over the user and his machine through Cortex XDR security policies."

"Cortex XDR can integrate the firewalls and determine the tendencies of the attacks. It's a new generation antivirus, with protection endpoints and detection response. It is very easy to use and everybody can operate the solution."

"The tool is designed to scale for large enterprises and handle large volumes of data."

More Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks pros

"The best feature that we found most valuable, is actually the security product for the endpoint, formerly known as AMP. It has behavioral analytics, so you can be more proactive toward zero-day threats. I found that quite good."

"One of the best features of AMP is its cloud feature; it doesn't matter where the device is in regards to whether it's inside or outside of your network environment, especially right now when everybody's remote and taking their laptops home, because you don't have to be VPNed into the environment for AMP to work and AMP will work anywhere in the world as long as it has an Internet connection, giving you protection and reporting so no matter where the device is, AMP has still got coverage on it and is protecting it while you still have the ability to manage and remediate things, making the cloud feature the magic bullet and what makes the solution a valuable tool as far as I'm concerned."

"It doesn't impact the devices. It is an agent-based solution, and we see no performance knock on cell phones. That was a big thing for us, especially in the mobile world. We don't see battery degradation like you do with other solutions which really drain the battery, as they're constantly doing things. That can shorten the useful life of a device."

"I am really satisfied with the technical support."

"The product itself is pretty reliable. The security features that it has make it reliable."

"The console feature gives a centralized management of what's going on, and if something happens, it gives you an alert. So, that's the most important feature for me."

"The product's initial setup phase was very simple."

"The Cisco suite of security solutions definitely gives us a great deal of comfort that we are doing that."

More Cisco Secure Endpoint pros

"The solution operates in the background seamlessly without the user noticing."

"Zscaler Client Connector is quite scalable, and I would rate its scalability as nine or ten out of ten."

"The real-time analytics feature in Zscaler Client Connector is another valuable feature called Digital Experience, or ZDX, which can easily identify the root cause of issues accessing public or internal resources and provide good analysis so relevant teams can quickly resolve them, making it a very good tool that helps customers."

"The best features of Zscaler Client Connector are that it gives the client a much more transparent experience, as they don't have to worry about connecting to a VPN."

"It is very useful, and the logs are very helpful; when we go to logs, we understand what is happening."

"Zscaler Client Connector has eliminated VPN bottlenecks and outages, improved user productivity with instant secure access, and reduced help desk tickets related to VPN issues, overcoming 60% of VPN-related problems while allowing faster onboarding of remote users and better enforcement of zero-trust security policies."

"It is very important to see what is happening between the user and the applications that we have, and to filter the traffic from outbound traffic and inside traffic."

"I'd rate the solution nine out of ten."

Cons

"Basically, they don't provide customer support tools just to investigate the logs."

"It's not an ideal choice for smaller businesses, as you need a minimum of 200 endpoints to even use the solution at all."

"Additionally, I think the price is very high, and if it can be adjusted, I believe it will be a very good solution."

"The dashboard is the area that needs to improve so that we can have the ability to drill down without having to go elsewhere to verify results."

"The installation should be easier and the Palo Alto pre-sales and sales teams should have more information on the product because they don't know what they are selling."

"There are some default policies which sometimes affect our applications and cause them to run around."

"The solution eats memory of the computer, unlike anything I've ever seen."

"The downside to the solution is that there are a large number of false positives."

More Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks cons

"The product does not provide options like tunnel creation or virtual appliances."

"The reporting and the need for the documentation to be updated and current would be my two biggest areas of complaint."

"We have had some problems with updates not playing nice with our environment. This is important, because if there is a new version, we need to test it thoroughly before it goes into production. We cannot just say, "There's a new version. It's not going to give us any problems." With the complexity of the solution using multiple engines for multiple tasks, it can sometimes cause performance issues on our endpoints. Therefore, we need to test it before we deploy. That takes one to three days before we can be certain that the new version plays nice with our environment."

"Cisco Meraki could benefit from AI assistance or intelligent assistance features. Compared to competitors like Juniper, Cisco Meraki currently lacks a digital network assistant, which is an area Cisco is reportedly working on."

"The Linux agent is a simple offline classic agent, and it doesn't support Secure Boot, which is important to have on a Linux machine. The Linux agent has conflicts with other solutions, including the Exploit Prevention system found in Windows servers. We didn't find a fix during troubleshooting, and Cisco couldn't offer one either. Eventually, we had to shut down the Exploit Prevention system. We didn't like that as we always want a solution that can fit smoothly into the setup without causing problems, especially where security is concerned. The tool also caused CPU spikes on our production machine, and we were seriously considering moving to another product."

"Maybe there is room for improvement in some of the automated remediation. We have other tools in place that AMP feeds into that allow for that to happen, so I look at it as one seamless solution. But if you're buying AMP all by itself, I don't know if it can remove malicious software after the fact or if it requires the other tools that we use to do some of that."

"Cisco Secure Endpoint is an expensive solution."

"The Linux agent has conflicts with other solutions, including the Exploit Prevention system found in Windows servers, and we didn't find a fix during troubleshooting, and Cisco couldn't offer one either."

More Cisco Secure Endpoint cons

"Zscaler Client Connector is not low in cost; it is definitely on the higher side."

"There is a hard learning curve for Zscaler Client Connector; their support isn't the greatest all the time."

"There is room for improvement regarding the price of Zscaler Client Connector, as it is one of the most expensive solutions available."

"The stability of Zscaler Client Connector needs improvement, as it often disconnects and reconnects."

"I rate this product nine out of ten because I have seen some minor instability issues after updates and some room for UI improvement for deeper analytics, with instances of major issues after updating the GCC that required rollbacks."

"If the speed is slow for Zscaler Client Connector connection, then we have issues because if the speed is not good, then Zscaler Client Connector goes down."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is present, but when compared to other competitive products, I would say it is not less expensive; however, when all of the other added values are considered, the price is reasonable."

"The pricing seems fair, and I do like the licensing model. You use wherever they are, and it is elastic."

"Every customer has to pay for a license because it doesn't work with what you get from a managed services provider."

"The price of the product is not very economical."

"In terms of the cost Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks is very expensive because we are a Mexican company and when you translate dollars to pesos the cost is very high. The solution is very expensive for Mexican companies. I understand that they have international prices, but I do not think it offsets the price enough for many companies in countries, such as Mexico. The amount it is reduced is not a massive percentage."

"The price was fine."

"I did PoCs on products called Cylance and CrowdStrike. Although, I consider these products and they were also good, when it come to cost and budgetary factors, Traps has been proven to be better than the other two products. It is quite cost-effective and delivers all the entire solution which we require."

"Our license will require renewal in August, after which the maintenance will continue as usual."

More Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks pricing and cost advice

"The pricing and licensing fees are okay."

"Its price is fair for us."

"The price is very fair to the customer."

"I rate the pricing a five or six on a scale of one to ten, where one is expensive, and ten is cheap."

"We have a license for 3,000 users and if we get up to 3,100 users, it doesn't stop working, but on the next renewal date you're supposed to go in there and add that extra 100 licenses. It's really good that they let you grow and expand and then pay for it. Sometimes, with other products, you overuse a license and they just don't work."

"Cisco Secure Endpoint is not too expensive and it's not cheap. It's quite fair."

"The price is very good."

"There is also the Cisco annual subscription plus my management time in terms of what I do with the Cisco product. I spend a minimal amount of time on it though, just rolling out updates as they need them and monitoring the console a couple of times a day to ensure nothing is out of control. Cost-wise, we are quite happy with it."

More Cisco Secure Endpoint pricing and cost advice

Information not available

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Construction Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Government

Construction Company

Manufacturing Company

21%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Government

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	46
Midsize Enterprise	20
Large Enterprise	52

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	21
Midsize Enterprise	15
Large Enterprise	21

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	2
Large Enterprise	5

Questions from the Community

Cortex XDR by Palo Alto vs. Sentinel One

Cortex XDR by Palo Alto vs. SentinelOne SentinelOne offers very detailed specifics with regard to risks or attacks. ...

Comparing CrowdStrike Falcon to Cortex XDR (Palo Alto)

Cortex XDR by Palo Alto vs. CrowdStrike Falcon Both Cortex XDR and Crowd Strike Falcon offer cloud-based solutions th...

How is Cortex XDR compared with Microsoft Defender?

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a cloud-delivered endpoint security solution. The tool reduces the attack surface,...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Secure Endpoint?

Cisco is aggressive in pricing, making it competitive and sometimes even cheaper than other good products like CrowdS...

What needs improvement with Cisco Secure Endpoint?

Cisco Secure Endpoint lacks features like DLP which other vendors offer. XDR is new, so integration capabilities with...

What is your primary use case for Cisco Secure Endpoint?

We deployed Cisco Secure Endpoint for our customers two to three years back. The use case was to secure their endpoin...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Zscaler Client Connector?

My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing is that the pricing is fair, though it is a bit costly. It oper...

What needs improvement with Zscaler Client Connector?

For Zscaler Client Connector, I would appreciate more granular control over the client update rollout and slightly fa...

What is your primary use case for Zscaler Client Connector?

My main use case of Zscaler Client Connector is to provide secure, seamless access to the internet and internal appli...

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks

Comparisons

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SentinelOne Singularity Endpoint vs Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks

Compared 5% of the time

CrowdStrike Falcon vs Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks

Compared 4% of the time

Cortex XSIAM vs Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks

Compared 3% of the time

Symantec Endpoint Security vs Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks

Compared 3% of the time

More Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks Competitors

CrowdStrike Falcon vs Cisco Secure Endpoint

Compared 6% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Cisco Secure Endpoint

Compared 5% of the time

SentinelOne Singularity Endpoint vs Cisco Secure Endpoint

Compared 5% of the time

VMware Carbon Black Workload vs Cisco Secure Endpoint

Compared 3% of the time

Cisco Umbrella vs Cisco Secure Endpoint

Compared 3% of the time

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Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Zscaler Client Connector

Compared 12% of the time

Huntress Managed EDR vs Zscaler Client Connector

Compared 11% of the time

SentinelOne Singularity Endpoint vs Zscaler Client Connector

Compared 7% of the time

Tanium vs Zscaler Client Connector

Compared 6% of the time

OpenText Endpoint Response vs Zscaler Client Connector

Compared 5% of the time

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Product Reports

Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks

Download Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks product report

Cisco Secure Endpoint

Download Cisco Secure Endpoint product report

Download Zscaler Client Connector product report

Zscaler Client Connector

May 2026

Also Known As

Cyvera, Cortex XDR, Palo Alto Networks Traps

Cisco AMP for Endpoints

No data available

Overview

Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks provides advanced threat detection with AI-driven endpoint protection and seamless integration, ensuring multi-layered security and automatic threat response.

Cortex XDR is designed to safeguard endpoints against malware and suspicious activities. It offers advanced threat detection and response capabilities using behavioral analysis, AI, and machine learning. It seamlessly integrates with security infrastructures, providing endpoint security, firewall integration, and enhanced visibility in both cloud-based and on-premises environments.

What are the key features of Cortex XDR?

Advanced Threat Detection: Uses AI and machine learning for proactive threat identification.
Multi-layered Security: Combines various security measures for comprehensive protection.
Endpoint Protection: Safeguards against malware and exploits.
Behavioral Analysis: Monitors suspicious activity for early detection.
Automatic Threat Response: Automates responses to neutralize threats.

What benefits should users expect?

Ease of Use: Simplifies security management with intuitive design.
Resource Efficiency: Minimizes impact on system resources.
Integration Capabilities: Works well with existing security setups.
Reduced Analyst Workload: Automates processes to decrease manual intervention.

Organizations in diverse sectors deploy Cortex XDR to protect against malware, leveraging its advanced threat detection capabilities. Its integration with existing security infrastructures appeals to those seeking comprehensive protection in both cloud and on-premises environments, providing enhanced visibility and threat intelligence.

Palo Alto Networks

Cisco Secure Endpoint offers robust endpoint security with real-time threat prevention and cloud-based management. It is designed for seamless integration with Cisco products, delivering comprehensive protection and ease of use.

Cisco Secure Endpoint provides real-time threat detection, analytics, and rapid response capabilities. Its ease of use, integrated features like sandboxing and Device and File Trajectory, and its incorporation with Talos make it effective for threat hunting and endpoint protection. With strong machine learning and seamless integration with other tools, it addresses threat prevention and network visibility. However, there is room for improvement in AI features, SIEM API integration, user interface simplification, and cost reduction. Enhanced dashboards, reporting, and support are also areas for potential enhancement.

What are the primary features of Cisco Secure Endpoint?

Integration with Cisco Products: Seamlessly connects with Cisco's offerings like Umbrella and Firepower, providing extended security measures.
Real-Time Threat Prevention: Delivers live threat detection and rapid response, ensuring immediate protection against threats.
Cloud-Based Management: Offers ease of deployment and management through cloud infrastructure, enhancing accessibility and efficiency.
Sandboxing: Provides an isolated environment to safely execute and monitor untrusted applications, preventing potential threats.
Device and File Trajectory: Tracks the actions of devices and files over time, offering valuable insight into their behavior and impact.
Talos Integration: Leverages intelligence from Cisco Talos for enhanced threat intelligence and response capabilities.

What benefits are highlighted in reviews of Cisco Secure Endpoint?

Improved Threat Detection: Users highlight its powerful analytics for identifying and neutralizing threats promptly.
Enhanced Network Visibility: Allows for comprehensive monitoring of network activities, benefiting security operations.
User-Friendly Interface: Valued for its intuitive navigation and ease of use, streamlining security management.
Scalable Integration: Reviews emphasize the ease of integrating with existing tools and platforms, providing flexibility.
Rapid Threat Response: Known for its quick reaction to threats, minimizing potential damage and downtime.

In industries such as finance, healthcare, and manufacturing, Cisco Secure Endpoint is vital for maintaining endpoint security and malware protection. Organizations use it within managed security services, integrating with tools like Umbrella for DNS security. It provides visibility into malware activities and supports threat hunting for devices beyond corporate networks. Deployed on workstations, servers, and laptops, it efficiently logs and blocks malicious actions, ensuring a secure environment.

Cisco

Zscaler Client Connector enhances network security by providing seamless access to applications, ensuring a safe and efficient digital experience. It is designed for businesses needing comprehensive protection and optimized resource access within a unified platform.

Organizations deploy Zscaler Client Connector to securely connect users to applications while maintaining robust data protection standards. It eliminates the need for traditional gateways by offering direct-to-cloud security, which enhances performance and reduces complexity. This solution is ideal for remote work environments where secure and efficient application access is required. It simplifies IT infrastructures, allowing businesses to scale without compromising security.

What are the key features of Zscaler Client Connector?

Zero Trust Access: Provides secure connectivity by validating user identities and context.
Cloud Firewall: Ensures robust protection by inspecting all traffic for potential threats.
Bandwidth Control: Manages network resources to optimize application performance.
Seamless User Experience: Integrates smoothly into existing environments with minimal disruption.
Comprehensive Visibility: Offers detailed analytics and reporting for informed decision-making.

What are the benefits users should expect?

Improved Security Posture: Strengthens defenses against cyber threats with advanced protocols.
Cost Efficiency: Reduces operational costs by streamlining IT management and reducing hardware dependencies.
Scalability: Easily adapts to organizational growth or changes in IT requirements.
Enhanced Productivity: Increases workflow efficiency by ensuring secure and rapid access to necessary applications.
Reduced Latency: Direct-to-cloud connectivity minimizes lag and improves user experience.

Zscaler Client Connector is widely adopted across industries such as finance, healthcare, and retail, where secure data transmission and compliance are critical. In finance, it supports secure transactions and data protection. For healthcare, it ensures HIPAA compliance, and in retail, it simplifies secure customer-facing services. Each industry benefits from tailored implementations that address specific security and connectivity challenges.

Zscaler

Sample Customers

CBI Health Group, University Honda, VakifBank

Heritage Bank, Mobile County Schools, NHL University, Thunder Bay Regional, Yokogawa Electric, Sam Houston State University, First Financial Bank

Information Not Available

Cisco Secure Endpoint vs. Zscaler Client Connector