Zscaler Private Access Alternative: No-Code MFA for Web Apps

Datawiza Access Proxy is a Zscaler Private Access alternative for organizations that need no-code MFA, SSO, and access control for web applications. You can deploy the proxy in your environment, keep existing application credentials with Datawiza's built-in MFA, or integrate with your preferred identity provider.

If you are evaluating a ZPA alternative, focus on three decisions: where application traffic travels, how users authenticate, and what infrastructure your team operates.

This guide compares those choices for HTTP/HTTPS applications, from one application to a broader rollout across teams and environments. Evaluate non-web access and other ZPA-specific capabilities separately rather than assuming full product equivalence.

When Datawiza is a good ZPA alternative

Your immediate requirement might be straightforward:

• Add MFA to a customer or partner portal without replacing its user database.
• Protect an internal business application while keeping its existing login.
• Keep the application data path within infrastructure you control.
• Use Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, or Cisco Duo when centralized identity is preferred.

Datawiza can address these requirements across a web-application portfolio, using centrally managed policies and proxies deployed where the applications run.

Datawiza separates authentication and access policy from application code. Its reverse proxy sits in front of web applications, allowing teams to introduce security controls without building them into each application. That applies to existing, custom-built, and packaged web apps—not only legacy systems. Datawiza Access Proxy overview.

Does ZPA route all traffic through the Zscaler cloud?

Not in every deployment. It is important to distinguish Zscaler Public Service Edges from customer-hosted Private Service Edges.

In a public-edge deployment, the application data path includes a Zscaler cloud service edge between the user and an App Connector near the application. ZPA forwards application traffic according to its configuration; this does not mean every internet request travels through ZPA. ZPA architecture and forwarding policies.

Private Service Edges provide another option. They can keep application traffic local when the deployment and connectivity support that path. Zscaler documents this architecture specifically for scenarios where sending nearby users' application traffic to a public cloud edge would create a network detour. Zscaler Private Service Edge reference architecture.

The simplified application data paths look like this:

These are conceptual paths, not complete network diagrams. Load balancers, firewalls, identity services, and management connections may also be involved.

The distinction is therefore not “ZPA always uses the public cloud, while Datawiza never does.” It is the components, placement, and operating model required for your chosen deployment.

Could a public cloud traffic path affect performance?

Yes—but the outcome depends on the network and application.

If users and an application are in the same location, a path through a remote service edge can add distance. A different topology may suit that workload better. For geographically distributed users, however, the relevant routes and network conditions may be different.

A customer-hosted Datawiza proxy can sit close to the application, without requiring the application payload to pass through a Datawiza-hosted cloud relay. That gives you control over proxy placement; it does not establish that Datawiza will be faster in every environment. Datawiza deployment architecture.

Run a proof of concept using actual user locations and workflows. Compare sign-in time, page-load latency, uploads, downloads, error rates, and behavior under expected concurrent usage. Include both typical performance and slower responses, such as the 95th percentile.

A measured result is more useful than a blanket claim that cloud routing is slow.

Add MFA while keeping existing application credentials

For many teams, identity fit is a stronger reason to consider a ZPA alternative than network routing alone.

Your application may already manage usernames and passwords. Moving those users to another directory can turn an MFA project into an identity migration project.

With Datawiza's built-in MFA approach, users can retain their existing application credentials while Datawiza adds a second-factor requirement. You do not need to introduce Active Directory, LDAP, or an external identity provider solely to enable this deployment model. MFA enrollment and access-policy configuration still need to be planned. MFA with existing application credentials.

If your organization prefers centralized identity, Datawiza also supports integrations with providers including Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, and Cisco Duo. Choose the authentication model that fits your users and applications. Datawiza Access Proxy.

Zscaler also offers hosted users and Zscaler MFA through its Authentication Service, including enrollment into ZPA. The question is whether your selected solution supports the existing application-login experience you want to preserve. Zscaler Authentication Service documentation.

Security: evaluate trust boundaries, not just cloud versus on-premises

Routing through a cloud service is not, by itself, evidence of a security weakness. ZPA documents encrypted transport and additional encryption options. ZPA encryption documentation.

The useful security discussion is specific:

• Where does application payload travel, and where is TLS terminated?
• Which identity attributes, configuration data, and logs leave your environment?
• Who can administer policies and inspect operational data?
• What happens if a vendor service or identity provider is unavailable?
• Who owns patching, certificates, capacity, and high availability?

Keeping Datawiza's application data plane in your environment gives you control over that traffic path. It does not make the deployment automatically air-gapped: Datawiza Cloud Management Console provides centralized management, and documented outbound connections include management and logging services. External identity integrations introduce their own dependencies. Datawiza network prerequisites.

Customer-operated ingress also brings responsibilities. Prevent users from bypassing the proxy and reaching a protected application's origin directly. Plan secure network exposure, monitoring, and redundancy. Datawiza documents upstream restrictions for this purpose. Protecting the upstream application.

When ZPA may remain the better fit

Keep ZPA on your shortlist when your requirements include its non-web access methods or other ZPA-specific capabilities. Compare those needs separately from a broader HTTP/HTTPS rollout, which Datawiza can also support.

Also, clientless access is not unique to Datawiza. ZPA Browser Access supports HTTP and HTTPS applications without requiring Zscaler Client Connector or a browser plugin. ZPA Browser Access.

A company already operating ZPA may find its existing deployment suitable. Another may use Datawiza for selected web applications while retaining its broader access platform. Compare the configuration you would actually deploy—not a simplified version of the competing product.

How to evaluate Datawiza as your ZPA alternative

Start with one representative application and a written acceptance checklist:

1. Authentication: Confirm whether you will retain application credentials with built-in MFA or use an external identity provider. Test enrollment, sign-in, recovery, and logout.
2. Application behavior: Check redirects, session cookies, APIs used by the browser, file transfers, and any long-lived connections your app depends on.
3. Traffic path: Document normal routing and failover. Confirm that users cannot reach the origin directly and bypass the access layer.
4. Operations: Identify ownership of logs, alerts, certificates, updates, availability, and capacity.

For the broader product comparison, compare Datawiza and Zscaler Private Access. If you are also evaluating Microsoft's approach, see our Entra App Proxy alternative guide; its product-specific limitations should be evaluated separately from ZPA.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Zscaler Private Access alternative for web applications?

Datawiza Access Proxy is an option when the requirement is application-level MFA, SSO, and access control for web apps. Evaluate broader ZPA capabilities separately if your project includes non-web private access.

Can I add MFA without moving users to Entra ID or Active Directory?

Yes. Datawiza's built-in MFA deployment can work with existing application credentials without requiring an external identity provider. Validate your application's login and session behavior during the evaluation.

Is Datawiza always faster than ZPA?

No universal performance claim is appropriate. Proxy placement, user geography, application behavior, and deployment configuration all matter. Compare the relevant ZPA public- or private-edge configuration with your proposed Datawiza deployment.

Find the right access model for your web apps

Evaluate Datawiza for a common authentication and policy layer across your web applications: existing credentials with built-in MFA, or identity-provider SSO/MFA, plus granular access control and customer-hosted enforcement. Choose the operating model that fits your application portfolio and access requirements.

Book a demo to discuss your application, authentication requirements, and deployment options.