Use Zscaler ZPA when
Your private-access requirements include non-web protocols, ZPA's service-edge and connector model, or its broader security capabilities and integrations.
Zscaler ZPA Alternative
Zscaler Private Access Alternative: Simpler Zero Trust for Web Apps
Bring identity verification, granular access policies, and visibility to your web-application portfolio. Datawiza Access Proxy provides an application-focused zero trust access layer for modern, custom, and legacy web apps, with enforcement deployed in your environment and centralized management.
Best-fit comparison
Choose the access model your applications need
Use Datawiza when
You want an application-focused zero trust approach across HTTP/HTTPS apps: identity integration, granular policies, session controls, and access visibility, without adopting a wider security suite solely for that project.
Scope the migration
Choose by requirements, not project size. Datawiza can support broader web-access rollouts across teams and environments. Assess non-web connectivity, traffic inspection, and other platform capabilities separately.
Datawiza approach
Zero trust application access. More than a sign-in gate.
MFA is one control in the access layer. Datawiza combines authentication, authorization, policy administration, and visibility so you can manage who reaches protected applications and resources—not just how users sign in.
Enforce access at the application boundary
Apply policies to application paths and HTTP methods using available identity and request context. Proxy controls complement the application's own business and record-level permissions.
Fit the identity model to your users
Use a supported IdP for SSO and MFA, or retain existing application credentials with Datawiza built-in MFA. Account mapping and available policy attributes depend on the selected integration.
Place enforcement where your apps run
Deploy proxies in your on-premises or cloud environment while managing policy centrally. Browser access does not require a Datawiza endpoint agent; plan routing, capacity, and availability for the portfolio.
Make application access visible
Use access activity and policy information to investigate allowed and denied requests across protected apps. Configure log handling and exports to match your operational and retention requirements.
Comparison
Datawiza vs. Zscaler ZPA
Compare the access modes, authentication workflows, policies, and deployment responsibilities you actually need. Product scope and operational fit matter more than a generic feature checklist.
| Criteria | Datawiza Access Proxy | Zscaler Private Access |
|---|---|---|
| Application scope | Application-focused zero trust access for HTTP/HTTPS portfolios: modern and custom apps, enterprise platforms, internal tools, and external-facing portals. | Private access for web and non-web applications; supported protocols and capabilities depend on the selected services and access mode. |
| Identity integration | Supported IdP SSO/MFA and application identity handoff, or existing app credentials with built-in MFA. | IdP integration; Authentication Service also supports hosted users with Zscaler MFA. Validate the target application's own sign-in requirements. |
| Access policies | Application paths, HTTP methods, available user attributes, IP context, and access times, with centrally managed allow/deny rules. | Application-segment policies using identity, device, network, and other criteria, depending on access mode and enabled capabilities. |
| Browser access | Protected web apps without a Datawiza endpoint agent; validate compatibility and the authentication flow. | Browser Access is available without Zscaler Client Connector, including third-party web-app access. |
| Application traffic path | Browser through a customer-hosted proxy to the web app; no Datawiza-hosted application relay is required for that deployment. | Public or customer-hosted Private Service Edges with App Connectors. Private-edge placement and connectivity affect the actual traffic path. |
| Sessions and visibility | Session validation and access activity for protected apps. Test logout, expiration, policy changes, and application-session behavior together. | Authentication and idle-timeout policies, session visibility, and log streaming. Behavior depends on policy and access mode. |
| Security scope | Identity-aware application access, not a substitute for patching, application authorization, WAF inspection, or every SASE capability. | Broader options include AppProtection, browser protection/isolation, and DLP; licensing, integration, and deployment requirements apply. |
| Rollout evaluation | Validate app integrations, policy coverage, origin restrictions, proxy placement, availability, and operational ownership. | Validate access modes, service edges, App Connectors, identity, policy, and any additional security services required. |
Architecture and evaluation
Validate application enforcement and operations
Compare the actual enforcement path and responsibilities. ZPA supports browser access, Private Service Edges, granular policies, and broader licensed security capabilities. Customer-hosted Datawiza separates application enforcement from cloud management; management, logging, and selected identity integrations still require connectivity. Restrict direct origin access, protect trusted identity headers, and test permitted and denied requests. To protect pre-login endpoints, enforce access before requests reach them. No-code integration does not eliminate configuration: application identity handoff, certificates, routing, and logout may need application-specific work. Continue patching and measure performance, availability, and recovery with representative applications. Deployment location alone does not establish speed or security.
Documentation: ZPA Browser Access; ZPA Private Service Edges; ZPA architecture; ZPA access policies; ZPA timeout policies; ZPA application capabilities; Zscaler Authentication Service; Datawiza access rules; Datawiza deployment prerequisites.
Confirm account mapping and the attributes available in your selected integration. Proxy policies complement the application's business and record-level permissions. Built-in MFA alone does not create SSO across unrelated application accounts.
For the detailed architecture and rollout discussion, read our Zscaler ZPA alternative evaluation guide.
Use cases
A common access approach across your applications
Standardize access across your web portfolio
Bring modern and custom apps, internal tools, and enterprise platforms under a common identity-aware access model.
Limit access to sensitive application paths
Apply least-privilege rules to administrative and other protected routes using available identity and request attributes.
Support employees, partners, and customers
Choose the appropriate identity integration and access policy for each user population while protecting the same application boundary.
Roll out private web access in stages
Pilot representative apps, test deny rules and workflows, and expand across environments while retaining services needed by other workloads.
FAQ
Zscaler ZPA Alternative Questions
Is Datawiza only an MFA alternative to ZPA?
No. Datawiza Access Proxy provides an application-focused zero trust access layer: authentication, granular access policy, session validation, centralized management, and visibility for protected web apps. MFA is one supporting capability, alongside IdP integration and application identity handoff.
Can Datawiza support a broader private-access project?
Yes, across HTTP/HTTPS application portfolios, teams, and environments—not only legacy applications or a small MFA retrofit. Validate compatibility, capacity, availability, identity integrations, and policy coverage. Evaluate non-web connectivity and other security-platform requirements separately.
How do ZTNA and zero trust application access fit together?
An identity-aware proxy can implement application-focused ZTNA. Zero trust application access, or ZTAA, emphasizes enforcement at the application boundary; the terms are not mutually exclusive product categories. Neither label alone establishes a complete zero trust architecture or full SASE replacement.
Does all ZPA application traffic go through Zscaler's public cloud?
No. ZPA supports Public Service Edges and customer-hosted Private Service Edges. Private edges can keep application traffic local when configured and reachable. Compare actual placement, connectivity, fallback, and service dependencies rather than assuming a universal public-cloud traffic path.
Does ZPA always require an endpoint client?
No. ZPA Browser Access supports web applications without Zscaler Client Connector. Datawiza also supports browser access without an endpoint agent. Compare identity integration, application compatibility, policy coverage, and operational fit; clientless access is not exclusive to either vendor.
Can Datawiza work with existing app credentials or our identity provider?
Yes. Connect a supported provider such as Entra ID, Okta, or Cisco Duo for SSO/MFA, or retain existing application credentials and add Datawiza built-in MFA without requiring AD, LDAP, or an external IdP. Validate account mapping, recovery, sessions, and available policy attributes. Built-in MFA alone does not create SSO across unrelated app accounts.