CISO Tribune

Vendor comparison · 2 companies

Sophos vs Zscaler

Sophos sells security solutions managed through Sophos Fusion, a single cloud-based platform for IT security protection. Zscaler sells a unified cybersecurity platform built on the Zero Trust Exchange. CISO Tribune files both under Firewalls and NGFW. This page sets the two records side by side: what each sells, where it is based, who owns and funds it, the customers it names and its recent news, each fact numbered to its source.

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Up to four companies side by side.

  • Sophos
  • Zscaler
Sophos vs Zscaler: Products, Customers and Funding Compared
SophosSophos sells security solutions managed through Sophos Fusion, a single cloud-based platform for IT security protection.sophos.comZscalerZscaler sells a unified cybersecurity platform built on the Zero Trust Exchange.zscaler.com
What it sells
  • Sophos Fusion[6][7][10]Sophos Fusion is a single cloud-based platform for managing IT security protection.
  • Sophos Firewall[1][10]Sophos Firewall includes features for higher education, K-12, and primary and secondary institutions.
  • Sophos Managed Detection and Response[7]Sophos describes fully managed, 24/7 detection and response.
  • Zscaler Zero Trust Browser[5]Extends Zero Trust to the browser.
  • Zscaler Deception[6]Zscaler Deception is used to detect machine-speed attacker behavior.
  • Zscaler AppProtection[4]Protects private apps from web- and identity-based attacks.
  • AI Guard[8]Provides an overview of the users and AI applications that AI Guard manages.
  • Zscaler Cloud Sandbox[7]Provides protection from threats not detectable using traditional security techniques.
  • Zscaler China Premium Access[4]Delivers secure connectivity for China-based employees.
Categories
Headquarters
Oxford, United Kingdom[2]Not stated on its pages
Founded
Not stated on its pages2007[1]
Ownership and funding
Owned by Thoma Bravo since 2020[3][7][8][9]Public (NASDAQ: ZS)[2][4][13][14]
Named customers
  • Jotun[4]
  • National 9/11 Memorial & Museum[4]
  • London South Bank University[4]
  • Town of Gilbert[4]
  • DFS Group[4]
Not stated on its pages
Recent news
  • October 1, 2026Sophos launched CISO Advantage, an agentic AI service that links security operations to security strategy, rolling out across North America, the UK and Europe.[5]
  • July 15, 2026Sophos announced Sophos Fusion, a defense system combining its endpoint, network, email, cloud, identity and security operations products in one architecture.[6]
  • May 21, 2026Zscaler announced its intent to acquire Symmetry Systems, a company that maps identities and data access for AI security.[12]
  • February 5, 2026Zscaler announced it has acquired SquareX to extend its Zero Trust capabilities into the browser.[13]
G2 and Gartner Peer Insights
  • G2: listed, seen November 4, 2026[8]
  • Gartner Peer Insights: Not stated on its pages
  • G2: listed, seen November 10, 2026[14]
  • Gartner Peer Insights: Not stated on its pages
Who it fits
From its own pages, Sophos sells mainly to distributed and growing enterprises with complex networks, which its XGS 2U firewalls target. Sophos also sells firewalls for SMB and branch offices, and plug-and-play security for smaller branch offices and remote sites. Sophos Firewall includes features tailored to higher education, K-12, and primary and secondary institutions.From its own pages, Zscaler sells to organisations that need secure remote access to business applications for a hybrid workforce. Zscaler extends zero trust access to private applications for users in headquarters and branch offices. Zscaler addresses government and federal cybersecurity. Zscaler addresses state and local government operations. Zscaler offers solutions for UK healthcare organisations such as the NHS. Zscaler offers a SaaS-delivered solution for China-based employees.
Last verified
September 27, 2026November 5, 2026

Where they overlap

  • Sophos and Zscaler are both filed under Firewalls and NGFW.

Where they differ, field by field

  • Sophos's primary category is EDR and XDR; Zscaler's is SASE and SSE.
  • Sophos is also filed under MDR and managed SOC. Zscaler is also filed under Zero trust network access and Remote browser isolation.
  • Sophos lists Sophos Fusion, Sophos Firewall and Sophos Managed Detection and Response. Zscaler lists Zscaler Zero Trust Browser, Zscaler Deception, Zscaler AppProtection, AI Guard, Zscaler Cloud Sandbox and 1 more.
  • Sophos is headquartered in Oxford, United Kingdom.
  • Zscaler was founded in 2007.
  • Sophos is owned by Thoma Bravo, since 2020. Zscaler is a public company listed on NASDAQ as ZS.
  • Sophos publicly names Jotun, National 9/11 Memorial & Museum, London South Bank University, Town of Gilbert and DFS Group.

What it sells: Sophos

What Sophos Fusion does[6][7][10]
Sophos Fusion integrates natively with Sophos solutions and 500+ third-party technologies. The Sophos Fusion dashboard consolidates all alerts. Fusion AI is the intelligence layer within Sophos Fusion.
What Sophos Firewall does[1][10]
Sophos Firewall includes built-in policies for CIPA and predefined activities. Sophos Firewall includes features like SafeSearch, YouTube restrictions, and keyword filtering. Sophos Firewall uses dynamic firewall rules and lateral movement protection to isolate a compromised host.
What Sophos Managed Detection and Response does[7]
Sophos quotes simple per-user and per-server pricing with no hidden extras. Sophos describes three Response Modes.

What it sells: Zscaler

What Zscaler Zero Trust Browser does[5]
Zscaler combines AI-based isolation of web threats with Browser Detection and Response (BDR) capabilities. Zscaler provides cloud-delivered and in-browser data loss prevention, including screenshot and keystroke logger protection. Zscaler enforces browser security through an extension, an enterprise browser, or cloud browser isolation.
What Zscaler AppProtection does[4]
Zscaler AppProtection streamlines private access management. Zscaler AppProtection is a key part of ZPA.
What Zscaler Cloud Sandbox does[7]
GHD uses Zscaler Cloud Sandbox to provide further protection from threats not detectable using traditional security techniques. A Zscaler dashboard widget shows the flow and dispensation of files sent to the sandbox.
What Zscaler China Premium Access does[4]
Zscaler China Premium Access is a SaaS-delivered solution. Zscaler China Premium Access delivers secure connectivity for China-based employees as a SaaS-delivered solution.

Questions about Sophos and Zscaler

What do Sophos and Zscaler sell?
Sophos sells Sophos Fusion, Sophos Firewall and Sophos Managed Detection and Response. Zscaler sells Zscaler Zero Trust Browser, Zscaler Deception, Zscaler AppProtection, AI Guard, Zscaler Cloud Sandbox and 1 more.
Are Sophos and Zscaler in the same category?
They share Firewalls and NGFW. Sophos's primary category is EDR and XDR and Zscaler's is SASE and SSE.
Where are Sophos and Zscaler headquartered?
Sophos is headquartered in Oxford, United Kingdom.
When were Sophos and Zscaler founded?
Zscaler was founded in 2007.
Who owns Sophos and Zscaler?
Sophos is owned by Thoma Bravo, since 2020. Zscaler is a public company listed on NASDAQ as ZS.
Which customers do Sophos and Zscaler name?
Sophos publicly names Jotun, National 9/11 Memorial & Museum, London South Bank University, Town of Gilbert and DFS Group.
Who are Sophos and Zscaler sold to?
From its own pages, Sophos sells mainly to distributed and growing enterprises with complex networks, which its XGS 2U firewalls target. From its own pages, Zscaler sells to organisations that need secure remote access to business applications for a hybrid workforce.
What have Sophos and Zscaler announced recently?
October 1, 2026: Sophos launched CISO Advantage, an agentic AI service that links security operations to security strategy, rolling out across North America, the UK and Europe. May 21, 2026: Zscaler announced its intent to acquire Symmetry Systems, a company that maps identities and data access for AI security.

About Sophos

Sophos sells security solutions managed through Sophos Fusion, a single cloud-based platform for IT security protection. Sophos describes Sophos Fusion as a system that sees everything, connects everything and enables defenses to respond as one. Sophos Fusion is accessible from anywhere, on any device, at any time, with nothing extra to deploy or pay for. Sophos Fusion integrates natively with Sophos solutions and 500+ third-party technologies.[1][10]

Fusion AI is the intelligence layer within Sophos Fusion, and Sophos says human experts remain accountable. Sophos says every new threat seen across the 625,000+ organizations it defends elevates protection for all, automatically. Sophos says its solutions stop AI- and human-led threats before they can impact a business. Sophos takes a prevention-first approach, blocking ransomware, phishing and credential-based attacks before they spread. Sophos describes capabilities to discover and manage AI usage across an organization and reduce AI-driven risk.

On the network side, Sophos says its next-gen firewalls serve distributed and growing enterprises with the most complex networks. Sophos Xstream Flow processors in XGS 2U appliances provide dedicated hardware acceleration. All 2U rackmount models are powered by a high-speed CPU plus an Xstream Flow processor for traffic acceleration. All 2U appliances come with two standard Flexi Port expansion bays plus one or two bays for larger high-density modules. Maximum port density is 48 on the XGS 5500, 68 on the XGS 6500, or 70 on the XGS 7500/8500 using optional modules. Sophos says Flexi Port modules let customers adapt an appliance rather than purchase new hardware mid-term. Sophos describes sufficient headroom for key threat protection features such as TLS inspection, sandboxing, and AI-driven threat analysis. All 2U rackmount appliances are supplied with rackmount sliding rails.[11]

Sophos Firewall includes features tailored to the IT needs of higher education, K-12, and primary and secondary institutions. Sophos Firewall includes built-in policies for CIPA and predefined activities. Sophos Firewall includes features like SafeSearch, YouTube restrictions, and keyword filtering to enable child safety online. Sophos Firewall lets administrators add Chromebook users to its authentication options for user-based policy and reporting. Xstream TLS inspection in Sophos Firewall addresses encrypted traffic passing through firewalls unchecked.[10]

Sophos Firewall and Sophos Endpoint work together to share health information over Sophos Security Heartbeat. Sophos Endpoint shares the application path and executable with Sophos Firewall over Sophos Security Heartbeat. Sophos Firewall uses dynamic firewall rules and lateral movement protection to isolate a compromised host. The Sophos Fusion dashboard consolidates all alerts.[10]

Sophos also sells 2.5 and 10 GE multi-gigabit switches. The 200 Series models are equipped with 2.5 GE and 1 GE ports, and 8, 24 and 48-port models are available. The 1000 series currently consists of a single 8-port model with 10 GE ports plus SFP+. The multi-gigabit switches include Power over Ethernet on all models, with PoE++ support on some. Sophos sells a cloud-managed Wi-Fi solution that supports the Wi-Fi 6/6E AP6 Series. Sophos offers integration with Sophos MDR/XDR or third-party solutions via API to block compromised hosts.[12]

For managed services, Sophos describes fully managed, 24/7 detection and response. A customer quote says Sophos Managed Detection and Response helps look at every single endpoint and activities and spot something potentially malicious. Sophos quotes simple per-user and per-server pricing with no hidden extras. Sophos describes cloud-based delivery with no big upfront infrastructure costs and no maintenance fees. Sophos describes three Response Modes for flexible deployment.[1][11][13]

Sophos on the record

Sources

Sophos full record

  1. [1]ProductsSophos · sophos.com · undated page, accessed September 27, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]Sophos completes secureworks acquisitionSophos · sophos.com · published February 3, 2025 · Tier A
  3. [3]Sophos announces completion of take private acquisition by thoma bravoSophos · sophos.com · published March 2, 2020 · Tier A
  4. [4]Case studiesSophos · sophos.com · undated page, accessed October 10, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]Sophos launches ciso advantage bringing ciso level security strategy within reach of every organizationSophos · sophos.com · published October 1, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]Sophos fusion ai native cybersecurity defense systemSophos · sophos.com · published July 15, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]Sophos: Cyber Resilience for the Agentic AI EraSophos · undated page, accessed October 28, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]Sophos Firewall Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2G2 · undated page, accessed October 28, 2026 · Tier C
  9. [9]Sophos Reviews, Ratings & Features 2026 | Gartner Peer InsightsGartner Peer Insights · undated page, accessed October 28, 2026 · Tier C
  10. [10]School Protection | SophosSophos · undated page, accessed November 4, 2026 · Tier A
  11. [11]XGS Series Firewalls - Distributed Edge - Enterprise & Campus - 2U ModelsSophos · undated page, accessed November 4, 2026 · Tier A
  12. [12]Compare 200 and 1000 Series Sophos Switches - Multi-gigabit ModelsSophos · undated page, accessed November 4, 2026 · Tier A
  13. [13]Free Quote: Sophos MDR for Microsoft DefenderSophos · undated page, accessed November 4, 2026 · Tier A

Zscaler full record

  1. [1]About zscalerZscaler · zscaler.com · undated page, accessed November 5, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]zscaler.comZscaler · zscaler.com · undated page, accessed November 5, 2026 · Tier A
  3. [3]Leading Cloud Enterprise Security Provider for Zero TrustZscaler · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]Products & Solutions | ZscalerZscaler · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]Zscaler Zero Trust BrowserZscaler · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]Stop Frontier AI with Deception | Zscaler CybersecurityZscaler · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]GHD Case Study | Customer Stories | ZscalerZscaler · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]About AI Guard Dashboard | ZscalerZscaler · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  9. [9]Viewing the Cybersecurity Dashboard | ZscalerZscaler · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  10. [10]About Custom Dashboards | ZscalerZscaler · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  11. [11]About Alerts | ZscalerZscaler · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  12. [12]Zscaler to Acquire Symmetry Systems, Combining Zero Trust and Access Graph Technology to Map and Secure AI Agent Communication | Zscaler, Inc.Zscaler, Inc. · published May 21, 2026 · Tier A
  13. [13]Zscaler Acquires SquareX to Advance Zero Trust Browser Security for the AI Era | ZscalerZscaler · published February 5, 2026 · Tier A
  14. [14]Zscaler Internet Access Reviews & Product DetailsG2 · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier C

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