Microsoft 365 vs. Zscaler Internet Access

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Microsoft 365
Score 8.6 out of 10
N/A
Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) is a Microsoft Cloud subscription service that includes Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher, and Access). The software can be installed across multiple devices and ensures that users always have the most up-to-date version of the included Office applications.
$5
Per User Per Month
Zscaler Internet Access
Score 8.8 out of 10
N/A
Zscaler Internet Access™ (ZIA) is a secure web gateway (SWG), delivering cloud native cyberthreat protection and zero trust access to the internet and SaaS apps.N/A
Pricing
Microsoft 365Zscaler Internet Access
Editions & Modules
Business Basic
$5.00
Per User Per Month
Individual
$5.84
*Per Month
Business - Apps
$8.25
Per User Per Month
Enterprise - F3
$10.00
Per User Per Month
Business Standard
$12.50
Per User Per Month
Business Premium
$20.00
Per User Per Month
Enterprise - E3
$32.00
Per User Per Month
Enterprise - E5
$57.00
Per User Per Month
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Microsoft 365Zscaler Internet Access
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoYes
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details*When billed annually.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Microsoft 365Zscaler Internet Access
Considered Both Products
Microsoft 365

No answer on this topic

Zscaler Internet Access
Chose Zscaler Internet Access
Zscaler Internet Access ease of use is much simpler
Chose Zscaler Internet Access
We were looking to move away from CheckPoint due to its mediocre performance and support.
Chose Zscaler Internet Access
I have not really had a lot of other interaction as the vetting process set the bar pretty high and with Zscaler, we achieve our goals.
Chose Zscaler Internet Access
Our organization chose Zscaler Internet Access because We liked the features Zscaler Internet Access provided us.
Chose Zscaler Internet Access
Haven't used other SASE/ZTNA platforms
Chose Zscaler Internet Access
In terms of features, Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA) is way ahead.
Chose Zscaler Internet Access
I would say that Zscaler thrives in configurability and ease of use compared to Cisco products
Features
Microsoft 365Zscaler Internet Access
Identity Management
Comparison of Identity Management features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft 365
-
Ratings
Zscaler Internet Access
5.0
2 Ratings
56% below category average
Multi-Factor Authentication00 Ratings5.02 Ratings
Endpoint Security
Comparison of Endpoint Security features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft 365
-
Ratings
Zscaler Internet Access
10.0
2 Ratings
11% above category average
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)00 Ratings10.02 Ratings
Threat Intelligence
Comparison of Threat Intelligence features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft 365
-
Ratings
Zscaler Internet Access
8.4
216 Ratings
9% above category average
Network Analytics00 Ratings8.6213 Ratings
Threat Recognition00 Ratings8.2210 Ratings
Vulnerability Classification00 Ratings8.4187 Ratings
Automated Alerts and Reporting00 Ratings8.1201 Ratings
Threat Analysis00 Ratings8.7199 Ratings
Threat Intelligence Reporting00 Ratings8.5195 Ratings
Automated Threat Identification00 Ratings8.4188 Ratings
Zero Trust Security
Comparison of Zero Trust Security features of Product A and Product B
Microsoft 365
-
Ratings
Zscaler Internet Access
8.8
262 Ratings
3% above category average
Continuous Verification00 Ratings8.6240 Ratings
Secure Web Gateways00 Ratings9.0231 Ratings
Network Flow Control00 Ratings8.1212 Ratings
Network Traffic Analysis00 Ratings8.8215 Ratings
Segmentation Leveraging00 Ratings8.5190 Ratings
Admin Access Control00 Ratings9.0226 Ratings
Network Data Encryption00 Ratings8.8203 Ratings
Network Topology Mapping00 Ratings10.02 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Microsoft 365Zscaler Internet Access
Small Businesses
Google Workspace
Google Workspace
Score 9.1 out of 10
ThreatLocker
ThreatLocker
Score 9.2 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Google Workspace
Google Workspace
Score 9.1 out of 10
Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access
Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access
Score 8.6 out of 10
Enterprises
Microsoft 365 Business Premium
Microsoft 365 Business Premium
Score 8.9 out of 10
Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access
Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access
Score 8.6 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Microsoft 365Zscaler Internet Access
Likelihood to Recommend
8.8
(259 ratings)
9.0
(290 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
9.5
(6 ratings)
8.4
(6 ratings)
Usability
8.7
(29 ratings)
8.7
(274 ratings)
Availability
-
(0 ratings)
7.3
(1 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
5.5
(1 ratings)
Support Rating
8.9
(54 ratings)
7.2
(10 ratings)
Online Training
-
(0 ratings)
7.3
(1 ratings)
Implementation Rating
9.0
(2 ratings)
8.3
(2 ratings)
Configurability
-
(0 ratings)
8.3
(2 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
7.3
(1 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
-
(0 ratings)
8.3
(3 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
-
(0 ratings)
7.3
(2 ratings)
User Testimonials
Microsoft 365Zscaler Internet Access
Likelihood to Recommend
Microsoft
Microsoft 365 would be well suited for medium to large enterprises. This is where there are several hundreds or thousands of people. Since most everyone has used one of the applications the learning curve would be reduced. Another reason would be the ability to implement security measures to prevent access to sensitive data. This could justify the cost of an Enterprise license.
Read full review
Zscaler
I feel the product is very good to set up basic standards and go beyond that in many aspects. However, due to being sometimes too simple, it limits the ability to do some other complex changes. Having the ability to do both would be ideal for some, if not all, of the products within Zscaler Internet Access. A simple setup to have it stand-up, and more advanced settings for those more experienced.
Read full review
Pros
Microsoft
  • Chat with teams and the integrations with the other apps, and many more smaller ones, like to-dos, news, and the recent Outlook integration.
  • Easy embedding on SharePoint to broadcast all the content created in the different tools.
  • The office package is still robust with the good things from the past and new additions.
Read full review
Zscaler
  • Provides a secure VPN connection point for endpoint connectivity.
  • Provides the VPN connectivity in a fast and reliable connection state.
  • Very dependable, once connected the connection stays up and there's no fuss.
  • Very good at letting you know when you are not authenticated.
  • Very easy to authenticate and regain access when your session times out.
Read full review
Cons
Microsoft
  • Slack is 1000x better than teams. Why put a 250 limit on a chat? Our company hasn't moved fully to channels and it's making us lose transparency. Plus, the teams channels we do have nobody is going to. 90% loss in visibility and engagement.
  • Teams for web meetings. I think the UI/UX should match Zoom which is the standard for all our customers. They don't like it when we use Teams.
  • Chats and Channels need to somehow be on one screen automatically without having to choose that view because majority of our company hasn't opened Teams Channels and only stays in chats.
Read full review
Zscaler
  • ZS CLI support to turn off ZIA and ZDX service specifically on mac.
  • Better visibility into failed posture devices, including a timeline and the reason the posture failed (This is about the Zscaler mobile portal: Enrolled devices --> Failed posture devices).
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
Microsoft
There are many features of Office that we cannot replicate in any other tool. Plus people know it already. It's not going away anytime soon.
Read full review
Zscaler
While Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA) delivers critical value in cloud security and RBI compliance, I rate renewal likelihood 7/10 due to evolving needs versus platform limitations. Below is my rationale:
Key Gaps:
1. Advanced Threat Costs:
ZIA’s add-ons (e.g., Advanced DLP, Sandboxing) incur 35%+ cost premiums – straining budgets as transaction volumes (UPI/iMobile) grow 50% YoY.
2. API Banking Scalability:
ZIA’s API rate limits throttle real-time policy sync during UPI peaks (10K+ TPS), forcing workarounds for finacle integrations.
3. RBI Future-Proofing:
Limited native support for upcoming digital rupee (CBDC) security rules requires custom development, increasing compliance overhead.
Read full review
Usability
Microsoft
Microsoft 365 is the gold standard for performing project tasks in a professional environment, enabling the quick transfer and exchange of files and ideas for team members who work locally and remotely. Its suite of tools is familiar and has evolved to being cloud based, allowing for files to be updated in real time from near and far.
Read full review
Zscaler
Getting started was pretty straightforward. We can tell the product is way more robust than we are using it. It started as a replacement for previous DNS-blocking content filtering, but we're exploring how this will add value with an upcoming DLP redesign and with traffic optimization at some of our remote sites with severe bandwidth limits.
Read full review
Performance
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Zscaler
There are often performance issues reported
Read full review
Support Rating
Microsoft
Over the past 8 years of using Microsoft 365, I have noticed that they change vendors often. This always leads to a poor experience in the beginning, then levels out after some time for the company to get things worked out. As a customer, it is really frustrating because I don't have time when something isn't working to have them "look into my issue" and get back with me. They have even closed a ticket I specifically told them to keep open. Your applications are only as good as the support.
Read full review
Zscaler
Zscaler's ZIA support is quick and knowledgable. They respond within 1-2 hours of you submitting your ticket. They are very thorough and are typically ready to jump on a live troubleshooting session. Our ZIA platform and how we use is it unique so at times tickets can be open for weeks but we alway get quality support compared to other unrelated product support in our enterprise
Read full review
Implementation Rating
Microsoft
Everything works and I use it all the time.
Read full review
Zscaler
good the engineer give excellent support and eplanation
Read full review
Alternatives Considered
Microsoft
Its very user-friendly, collaborative and efficient that boosts productivity using cloud tools. their security is strong and it provides data protection. There are regular updates that shields us from attackers too. It offers a wealth of learning resources, including tutorials, help articles and video guide to help users make the most of the application and personally upgrade their skills.
Read full review
Zscaler
The overall user community and scope of supportability outweighed the others on our short list. Netskope was a close second, but the risk, though small, was greater than that of bringing Zscaler aboard. We were looking for a mature, well-supported, highly functional, and fine-grained solution that met all our user and information security requirements.
Read full review
Return on Investment
Microsoft
  • We have a lot of nonprofit users, so they have a good ROI.
  • I like the constant updates without having to purchase the software repeatedly.
  • I used to purchase each Office (insert year here) often, so the software was up to date and had the newest options and connectors. I think my return on investment would have been much better if Microsoft had updated those versions to keep them current; after all, we did pay for them.
  • Microsoft 365's offering a monthly fee or a discount for a year helps, and you can look at it as a free backup if you have everything set to back up to One Drive. (Cloud-based document filing you can access anywhere ( with an internet connection)—you Can't beat that!)
Read full review
Zscaler
  • I would say it has a very good ROI, as whenever someone can't access something, they submit a ticket to our network engineer, and within minutes, the site is safely added to ZIA with best-practice configurations. After seeing a little of the UI from the Zenith event, it seems very user-friendly to control these policies.
Read full review
ScreenShots

Zscaler Internet Access Screenshots

Screenshot of an overview of Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA), a cloud native security service edge (SSE) solution that builds on a decade of secure web gateway leadership. Offered as a scalable SaaS platform through Zscaler's security cloud, it replaces legacy network security solutions, preventing advanced attacks and data loss with a comprehensive zero trust approach. ZIA is integrated into the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange™ to provide superior defense-in-depth, secure connectivity, end user experience, and administrative visibility and control.