Home›Business VPN›Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)
Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)

Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)

Fast, secure, and reliable private app access for all users from any device or location.

Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is a zero trust network access (ZTNA) solution that provides secure remote access to private applications. It connects authorized users directly to specific apps — never exposing the corporate network, reducing the attack surface, and preventing lateral movement.

Business VPNEnterprise VPN
Visit websiteAlternatives →
Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) image
Description

Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is the world's most deployed ZTNA solution, providing seamless zero trust connectivity for all users from any device or location. Built on the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange platform, ZPA brokers direct, one-to-one connections between authorized users and specific applications — users never access the corporate network and apps are never exposed to the public internet, eliminating lateral movement risks.

Key capabilities:

  • AI-Powered App Segmentation — Automatically discover applications and use AI-generated recommendations on app segments and policies
  • Workload-to-Workload Segmentation — Secure cloud workload communications across hybrid and multicloud environments
  • Privileged Remote Access — Clientless remote access to sensitive RDP, SSH, and VNC production systems
  • Browser Access — Seamless user-to-app connections using lightweight, infrastructure-agnostic software
  • Digital Experience Monitoring — Rapidly detect and resolve app, network, and device issues

Use cases:

  • Deploy ZTNA as a complete VPN alternative
  • Enable ZTNA for hybrid work and business continuity
  • Secure BYOD and third-party access for suppliers and contractors
  • Replace legacy VDI with faster, smoother experiences
  • Secure OT connectivity for industrial IoT/OT devices
Highlights

Pros

  • Cloud-native SaaS architecture deploys in hours without any VPN concentrators, appliances, or hardware to rack.
  • Privileged Remote Access offers clientless browser-based access to RDP, SSH, and VNC systems for contractors and BYOD users.
  • Elastically scales to support thousands of additional users instantly without upgrading any physical hardware.
  • AI-powered app segmentation automatically discovers applications and generates policy recommendations to reduce attack surface.
  • Apps are never exposed to the internet and users connect only to specific authorized applications, eliminating lateral movement risks.
  • Integrates with major identity providers (Azure AD, Okta, Ping) and endpoint security platforms (CrowdStrike, SentinelOne) for context-aware access policies.

Cons

  • Configuration of identity providers like Azure AD is more complicated than with other ZTNA providers, according to multiple user reviews.
  • Deployment requires multiple components — App Connector VMs, Client Connector agents, and separate consoles for ZIA, ZPA, and Client Connector management.
  • Performance can be worse than traditional VPNs, as ZPA is available from only ~50 of Zscaler's 150 PoPs and relies on AWS VMs without dedicated infrastructure.
  • No activate/commit workflow for policy changes — reordering policies requires separate API calls, and tagging lacks Boolean logic.
  • Customization is capped at 256 rules, which large enterprises find restrictive for complex policy environments.
  • User-reported persistent bugs and connection errors remain unresolved, with mobile device troubleshooting described as unintuitive.