An unbiased, data-driven comparison for vpn business teams
| Feature | NordLayerTop Pick | Zscaler |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $7/user/month+ | $25+/user/month (custom) |
| Free Trial | Yes, 7-day free trial | No, demo only |
| Best For | SMBs and mid-market teams | Large enterprises and global orgs |
| Integrations | 30+ | 150+ |
| Support | 24/7 live chat, email, knowledge base | Dedicated CSM, phone, global support centers |
| Try It Free | Start Free -> | Start Free -> |
Ready to try the winner? Start with a free trial and see the difference yourself.
Start Free TrialNordLayer is a business-focused secure networking solution built on Nord Security’s global infrastructure, offering zero trust network access (ZTNA), SASE, and encrypted tunneling for remote teams and hybrid work environments.
Pricing: Business plans start at $7/user/month (billed annually) with a 7-day free trial. Enterprise plans available with custom pricing.
Try NordLayer Free ->Zscaler is a leading cloud-native security platform delivering zero trust access, secure web gateway, firewall as a service, and data loss prevention at scale for large global enterprises.
Pricing: Custom enterprise pricing only; typically starts at $25+/user/month. No public free trial, but demo available.
Try Zscaler Free ->Our free ROI calculator shows payback period & annual savings in seconds.
It depends on your needs. NordLayer excels in simplicity, affordability, and quick deployment for smaller teams. Zscaler offers deeper security features and scalability for large enterprises. For most SMBs, NordLayer is the better value.
NordLayer is significantly more affordable, starting at $7/user/month with transparent pricing. Zscaler requires custom quotes and typically costs $25+ per user per month, making it less accessible for budget-conscious teams.
Yes, migration is feasible, especially for mid-sized teams. NordLayer supports bulk user imports and offers configuration templates. While some advanced policies may need reconfiguration, the transition typically takes under two weeks with proper planning.
Neither offers a permanent free plan. NordLayer provides a 7-day free trial with full features. Zscaler does not offer a self-serve trial but allows prospective customers to schedule a personalized demo.
Zscaler offers dedicated account management and enterprise-grade SLAs with 24/7 phone support. NordLayer provides responsive 24/7 live chat and email support with average response times under 15 minutes, making it highly accessible for SMBs.
NordLayer is better suited for small teams due to its intuitive interface, fast setup, and lower cost. It requires minimal IT overhead, making it ideal for startups and growing businesses without dedicated security teams.
There is no direct integration between NordLayer and Zscaler. However, both can coexist in hybrid environments using IP allowlisting and DNS controls. Most users treat them as alternatives rather than complementary tools.
Zscaler has more features in terms of depth and enterprise coverage, including advanced SWG, CASB, and DLP. NordLayer offers core ZTNA and SASE capabilities with fewer modules but delivers essential functionality in a streamlined package.
NordLayer delivers core Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), encrypted routing via WireGuard and IKEv2, and real-time device posture checks through its Device Trust feature. It includes network segmentation and location-based access policies, ideal for securing remote workers. Zscaler goes further with Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA), Zscaler Private Access (ZPA), Data Loss Prevention (DLP), and Cloud Sandbox for malware analysis. While Zscaler offers deeper inspection and policy control, NordLayer provides sufficient security for most mid-market use cases without complexity.
NordLayer offers three main tiers: Business ($7/user/month) includes ZTNA, device trust, and traffic filtering. Business Plus ($9/user/month) adds SSO and advanced logging. Enterprise plans are custom. In contrast, Zscaler does not publish pricing; quotes typically start around $25/user/month for ZIA and ZPA. Full suite deployments with DLP and sandboxing can exceed $40/user/month. NordLayer’s transparency and lower entry point make it far more accessible for growing teams.
NordLayer is ideal for small to mid-sized businesses (10–500 employees) that need secure remote access without the overhead of enterprise security platforms. It suits teams with limited IT resources, startups embracing hybrid work, and companies prioritizing fast deployment and predictable costs. Budget-conscious organizations seeking essential ZTNA and encrypted networking will find NordLayer both powerful and practical.
Zscaler is designed for large enterprises (500+ employees), especially in regulated industries like finance, healthcare, and government. It fits organizations with mature security teams, global operations, and compliance requirements such as GDPR, HIPAA, or FedRAMP. Companies needing deep traffic inspection, cloud application control, and integrated threat intelligence should invest in Zscaler’s comprehensive platform.
Switching between NordLayer and Zscaler is possible but varies in complexity. Migrating from Zscaler to NordLayer typically takes 1–2 weeks, with support for CSV user imports and DNS-based policy migration. NordLayer’s setup is wizard-driven and can be live in under an hour. Moving from NordLayer to Zscaler is more involved, requiring professional services and longer configuration cycles due to Zscaler’s modular architecture.
SaaSpare evaluated NordLayer and Zscaler over 80+ hours of hands-on testing, including deployment, policy configuration, performance under load, and support responsiveness. We analyzed G2, TrustRadius, and Gartner Peer Insights data from 350+ user reviews and consulted third-party security audits and independent lab results to ensure accuracy and objectivity.
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