Forescout Platform vs Palo Alto Networks IoT Security comparison

Forescout and Palo Alto Networks are both solutions in the IoT Security category. Forescout is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.4, while Palo Alto Networks is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.3. Forescout holds a 12.2% mindshare in IS, compared to Palo Alto Networks’s 7.1% mindshare. Additionally, 88% of Forescout users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Palo Alto Networks users who would recommend it.

Forescout Platform

Read 77 Forescout Platform reviews

8,266 Views
909 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

Palo Alto Networks IoT Secu...

Read 10 Palo Alto Networks IoT Security reviews

1,435 Views
1,435 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Forescout Platform

Palo Alto Networks IoT Secu...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 3, 2025

Forescout Platform and Palo Alto Networks IoT Security compete in the network visibility and security solutions category. Forescout appears to hold an edge in device interaction and endpoint visibility while Palo Alto Networks excels with its next-gen firewall technology and integration capabilities.

Features: Forescout Platform offers comprehensive visibility of all devices on the network, integration with third-party security tools, and robust endpoint security without relying on 802.1x. Palo Alto Networks IoT Security utilizes next-gen firewall technology for risk assessment, aligns with zero-trust architecture, and provides detailed asset management features.

Room for Improvement: Forescout struggles with switch management data accuracy, high licensing costs, and requires better reporting. Palo Alto Networks IoT Security's user interface is complicated, integration capabilities can be enhanced, and reporting features lack depth.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Forescout supports on-premises, hybrid, and cloud deployments, with varied technical support satisfaction. Palo Alto Networks offers cloud and on-premises deployment options, with high customer service satisfaction but room for improvement in partner support.

Pricing and ROI: Forescout provides a flexible yet expensive licensing model, reflecting substantial total costs. Palo Alto Networks, also costly, justifies its price with robust features, though costs are a barrier for small organizations.

To learn more, read our detailed Forescout Platform vs. Palo Alto Networks IoT Security Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Forescout Platform vs. Palo Alto Networks IoT Security

July 2025

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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

Forescout Platform

Ranking in IoT Security

3rd

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Network Access Control (NAC) (4th), Endpoint Compliance (4th), Extended Detection and Response (XDR) (15th)

Palo Alto Networks IoT Secu...

Ranking in IoT Security

4th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the IoT Security category, the mindshare of Forescout Platform is 12.2%, down from 17.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Palo Alto Networks IoT Security is 7.1%, down from 7.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

IoT Security

Featured Reviews

Odai Halawani

Sr. Security Engineer at Topvision

It's an easy and effective solution, especially for device profiling without agents

Forescout Platform's most valuable aspect is its excellent device profiling for devices without agents, which is crucial for our work due to challenges with agent-based devices. Its isolation and blocking actions are particularly effective for network security. The device compliance feature helps us ensure device compliance through immediate actions like updating antivirus software. We have already integrated Forescout with antivirus and vulnerability assessment tools, allowing it to monitor vulnerability scores and automatically isolate devices if critical vulnerabilities are detected.

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Muhammad Ahsan Riaz

Chief Information Security Officer at Packages Group

Responsive system enhances network management but integration needs refinement

I find Palo Alto Networks IoT Security to be highly responsive, and its separate management and data planes are a major advantage. As an insurance company in the financial sector, we must meet strict regulatory requirements, and Palo Alto has proven to be an excellent solution. Its management is straightforward, the dashboards and reporting are comprehensive, and most importantly, it functions exactly as described in the documentation. For example, when we needed to block YouTube on our network, Palo Alto successfully blocked access while our Cisco firewall failed to block access on iPhones. This highlights the inconsistency we've experienced with different firewalls, whereas Palo Alto has consistently performed as expected.

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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

"Forescout Platform is stable, it is great."

"We use the Forescout Platform for device visibility and control in our network. It's very helpful for tracking malicious or unusual activity. We use it to track which ports are open, which machines are running specific services, and to identify vulnerabilities. For example, there was a vulnerability related to SMB, and we could use the product to determine which machines inside our organization were allowing SMB traffic."

"The interface is easy to use."

"The most valuable feature is the blocking of USB devices."

"Forescout Platform has made it possible to block people working near our construction sites who should not have access to our network."

"Automated policy enforcement is particularly valuable as it significantly reduces the need for manual intervention, thus enhancing efficiency and security."

"You can quickly filter your view of devices and zero in on the ones you want using a variety of tools, such as what subnet it is on or what it has been classified as."

"The stability is amazing for the Forescout Platform. We have been using Forescout for four years, and no one complained about the stability."

More Forescout Platform pros

"This solution has been most valuable for establishing a VPN and implementing allow/deny rules. It has also enabled us to create security policies. It is an easy solution to customise when it comes to creating templates and pulling reports."

"It is simple to use. We just need to enable features and then configure IoT policies."

"I like the threat information, and we can share the logging data with Cortex Data Lake."

"Palo Alto is valued for its GlobalProtect feature, which offers a range of security options, including user ID mapping and VPNs."

"Single-pass traffic processing enables very high throughput and low latency."

"I find Palo Alto Networks IoT Security to be highly responsive, and its separate management and data planes are a major advantage."

"I would recommend Palo Alto Networks IoT Security to any organization with automation plants or standard enterprise IT environments."

"From a security standpoint, it provides a comprehensive range of standard security features that align with our requirements."

More Palo Alto Networks IoT Security pros

Cons

"The solution should include integration with other firewalls."

"Two things can be improved in the Forescout Platform. First of all, the support for some certain proprietary protocols from other vendors, but they are very widely used. If the TechEx from Cisco, was added to Forescout, then it will be a full solution for me."

"It does not support the TACACS+ protocol."

"Although Forescout manages endpoints and network devices, there is no capability for user management."

"Forescout Platform would benefit from using AI. Everything has to be set up manually, but AI can learn and suggest rules over time. It also lacks visualization, and some interface configurations need improvement. The visualization seems a couple of years behind compared to other products."

"The installation is not secure because it takes high admin privileges."

"If older network devices are used there can be some compatibility issues while using the Forescout Platform. Additionally, if the switches that are deployed in your infrastructure are not captured properly to the endpoints there might be some difficulties with Forescout Platform trying to monitor the network traffic. Traffic management is an area the vendor should work on."

"The solution does have a bit of complexity, and there's some complexity in the deployment. Users need to be trained before undertaking an initial setup."

More Forescout Platform cons

"The cost is still high and licensing is still complex."

"Palo Alto Networks IoT Security's reporting capabilities are less comprehensive and robust than those provided by Cisco."

"There can be more automation in terms of security and detection. It is already good."

"It would be beneficial to have a more centralized and user-friendly platform that could consolidate all the necessary information, which proved challenging during the initial POC phase."

"The support is in line with Palo Alto Networks services for other products but needs improvement."

"It would be beneficial if Palo Alto IoT Security could integrate with Let's Encrypt for free SSL certificates."

"Essentially, this solution focuses on data analysis and cannot perform any physical actions."

"More application signatures are required."

More Palo Alto Networks IoT Security cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There are no additional costs that I am aware of."

"I would rate Forescout Platform's pricing as four out of five."

"We paid between $20,000 and $25,000 for a three-year license with maintenance."

"The pricing structure should be enhanced."

"For one license, we pay around 3,000 Indian rupees."

"The price of the Forescout Platform is expensive. I purchased it for approximately 94 lakhs."

"We have a very clear licensing model for business. I don't have to have a Ph.D. to be able to understand the licensing model as you might need for other solutions. If I know exactly what we want, it can tell you which license you need. The solution is easy for purchasing, ordering, and ease of deployment as well."

"They base the license on the number of devices, which is quite misleading."

More Forescout Platform pricing and cost advice

"The successful migration trend suggests that Palo Alto provides a superior cost-benefit ratio for firewall solutions."

"While Palo Alto Networks IoT Security might cost more than some competitors, its features and effectiveness justify the price tag."

"The initial investment is substantial, but the renewal costs make it financially unsustainable."

"The pricing for Palo Alto Networks IoT Security is a bit high."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

14%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Government

Manufacturing Company

16%

Computer Software Company

14%

Performing Arts

11%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What advice do you have for others considering Forescout Platform?

Forescout is a very powerful NAC product that does not rely on port level configuration. It can detect and block unauthorized devices very quickly. But it has a lot of capabilities and really would...

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What advice do you have for others considering Forescout Platform?

I would rate the Forescout Device and Visibility Control Platform at a six out of ten.

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Forescout Platform?

I recommend doing a compression demo. If people use it, they will buy it. So they have to see the product in place. That's the main recommendation is to do a proof of concept. If they do, they will...

See all answers

What do you like most about Palo Alto Networks IoT Security?

From a security standpoint, it provides a comprehensive range of standard security features that align with our requirements.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Palo Alto Networks IoT Security?

The major challenge is the integration with existing complex production lines. These architectures were developed with a focus on automation functionalities, not security. Finding the right integra...

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What is your primary use case for Palo Alto Networks IoT Security?

I use Palo Alto Networks IoT Security ( /products/palo-alto-networks-iot-security-reviews ) for discovering automation devices and detecting various types of data traffic on automation infrastructu...

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Comparisons

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Compared 4% of the time

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Compared 30% of the time

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Compared 22% of the time

Azure Sphere vs Palo Alto Networks IoT Security

Compared 17% of the time

Phosphorus Cybersecurity vs Palo Alto Networks IoT Security

Compared 14% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Forescout Platform

August 2025

Download Forescout Platform product report

Buyer's Guide

Palo Alto Networks IoT Security

August 2025

Download Palo Alto Networks IoT Security product report

Also Known As

Forescout Platform, CounterACT for Endpoint Compliance, ForeScout CounterACT

No data available

Overview

Forescout Platform provides today’s busy enterprise organizations with policy and protocol management, workflow coordination, streamlining, and complete device and infrastructure visibility to improve overall network security. The solution also provides concise real-time intelligence of all devices and users on the network. Policy and protocols are delineated using gathered intelligence to facilitate the appropriate levels of remediation, compliance, network access, and all service operations. Forescout Platform is very flexible, integrates well with most of today’s leading network security products, and is a very cost-effective solution.

Forescout Platform Features

Real-time complete visibility: With Forescout eyeSight, each and every device is classified when any attempt to access your network has been made. This includes - but is not limited to - desktops, laptops, android devices, virtual machines, switches, VoIP phones, USB memory sticks, webcams, IoT devices, and more.
Policy-based and manual controls: In today’s busy robust environment, networks are continually changing; there are different types and amounts of devices connected, various software applications, network compliance requirements, and the constant potential for risk make managing an IT network a very daunting challenge. The Forescout Console is used to simplify the administration and management of important alerts, remediation, and access controls to keep the network secure.
Intuitive real-time dashboards: Forescout Dashboards, a component of Forescout WebClient, is a comprehensive web-based intelligence center that gives full visibility and real-time insight of the complete network using both out-of-the-box and user-created widgets. The dashboards are very intuitive and deliver robust, easy-to-understand information about device visibility, compliance, health monitoring, and more.
Advanced reporting capabilities: The Forescout Reports Plugin will generate numerous valuable reports indicating real-time and overall status information about endpoint compliance, device details, networks guests, protocols, and more. The reports help to ensure IT administrators, executives, security teams, and other important shareholders stay well-informed about all network activity at all times.
Comprehensive third-party overview: Forescout eyeExtend facilitates seamless information sharing with third-party vendors, networks, and IT management solutions supporting improved automated workflows, productivity, cost-effectiveness, and overall security.

Real User Reviews

An important main feature of Forescout is the visibility the solution offers.

One reviewer who is a Consultant at a tech services company, says, "Within three or four days, you can have complete visibility of your infrastructure on the network. Compared to other solutions, the deployment of the solution is easier and we can close the project quickly."

Users also appreciate that the user interface is clear and easy to understand.

An Instructor at a tech services company, shares, "The most valuable feature of the Forescout Platform is the large capacity it can handle. Additionally, the interface of the platform is good."

Forescout

Introducing comprehensive IoT Security solutions tailored for enterprises, healthcare, and industrial operations. Safeguard every device, visible or unseen, with Zero Trust security protocols, ensuring protection against known and unknown threats. With rapid 15X faster deployment times, Enterprise IoT Security, Medical IoT Security, and Industrial OT Security streamline operations, allowing teams to prioritize security over setup. Seamlessly integrate with Palo Alto Networks ML-Powered NGFWs or Prisma Access for swift implementation, making your infrastructure IoT-aware within minutes. Eliminate blind spots across existing IT and security solutions with playbook-driven, built-in integrations, and simplify cloud delivery for deployment across any architecture without the need for multiple sensors or network redesign. Protect your assets and ensure uninterrupted operations with our comprehensive IoT security solutions.

Palo Alto Networks

Sample Customers

NHS Sussex, SAP, SEGA, Vistaprint, Miami Children's Hospital, Pioneer Investments, New York Law School, OmnicomGroup, Meritrust

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

Forescout Platform vs. Palo Alto Networks IoT Security

July 2025

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