Modern businesses are operating in a very different environment than they did a few years ago. Employees work from home, offices, and public locations, while applications and data are increasingly hosted across cloud platforms and hybrid infrastructure. At the same time, companies often provide access to contractors, vendors, and other third parties.
These changes have made traditional network security models more difficult to manage. A conventional VPN can provide remote connectivity, but it may also give authenticated users broader access to a network than they actually need.
Zero Trust Network Access, or ZTNA, offers a different approach. Instead of automatically trusting a user after they connect to a network, Zero Trust evaluates identity, device security, context, and access policies before allowing access to specific applications or resources.
For modern organizations, ZTNA can help reduce unnecessary network exposure, support remote work, and enforce the principle of least privilege. Below are six Zero Trust Network Access solutions that businesses can consider.
1. Zscaler Private Access
Zscaler Private Access is a cloud-based Zero Trust Network Access solution designed for organizations that want to modernize remote application access and reduce their dependence on traditional VPNs.
The platform focuses on connecting authorized users with specific private applications rather than placing them directly on the corporate network. This application-level approach can help reduce the attack surface and limit unnecessary access.
One of the major strengths of Zscaler Private Access is its scalability. Large organizations often have employees working from multiple locations and accessing applications hosted across data centers and cloud environments. A centralized Zero Trust architecture can make it easier to apply consistent access policies across these environments.
Zscaler Private Access can also work with identity and security controls to determine whether a user should receive access to a particular application.
For enterprises with complex environments, extensive remote workforces, and broader security requirements, Zscaler Private Access can be a strong option.
Best for: Large enterprises looking for scalable Zero Trust access and a modern alternative to traditional VPN infrastructure.
2. Cloudflare Access
Cloudflare Access provides identity-based access to applications and internal resources through a cloud-based security platform.
Instead of simply allowing a user onto a private network after authentication, Cloudflare Access can apply policies to determine which applications that user is allowed to access.
This approach can be useful for businesses with remote employees and distributed teams because users can securely access approved resources without receiving unnecessary network permissions.
Another advantage is its integration with identity providers. Organizations can connect their existing authentication systems and use identity information when creating access policies.
Cloudflare Access can also be attractive to organizations that already use other Cloudflare services. Having multiple security and networking capabilities within the same ecosystem can simplify management for some IT teams.
The platform is suitable for organizations that want to introduce Zero Trust access without building a complicated collection of network security systems.
Best for: Small and mid-sized businesses, distributed teams, and organizations looking for flexible cloud-based access control.
3. Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access
Prisma Access is a cloud-delivered security platform from Palo Alto Networks that includes Zero Trust Network Access capabilities as part of a broader security architecture.
The platform is designed to provide secure access for users working from offices, homes, branch locations, and other environments. Organizations can use centralized security policies to control how users connect to private applications and resources.
One of the biggest advantages of Prisma Access is its broader security ecosystem. Businesses that already use Palo Alto Networks technologies may find it easier to integrate the platform into their existing security architecture.
Prisma Access can also support organizations moving toward a Secure Access Service Edge strategy, where multiple networking and security capabilities are delivered through cloud infrastructure.
For larger businesses, combining Zero Trust access with other security controls can reduce the need to manage multiple disconnected platforms.
Best for: Enterprises that want Zero Trust Network Access as part of a broader SASE or cloud security strategy.
4. Microsoft Entra Private Access
Microsoft Entra Private Access is designed for organizations that rely heavily on Microsoft’s identity and security ecosystem.
The solution provides identity-driven access to private applications and resources. Instead of treating network location as the primary security boundary, organizations can use identity, device information, and access policies to determine whether a user should be allowed to reach a particular resource.
This approach can be especially useful for companies already using Microsoft Entra ID and Microsoft 365. Existing identity infrastructure can play an important role in implementing Zero Trust policies.
Microsoft Entra Private Access can also help organizations move away from traditional network-based remote access. Rather than connecting employees to an entire internal network, businesses can provide access to the specific resources employees need.
For Microsoft-focused IT teams, this can make the transition toward Zero Trust more familiar and manageable.
Best for: Organizations already invested in Microsoft 365, Microsoft Entra, and related identity technologies.
5. Twingate
Twingate is a software-based remote access platform designed around Zero Trust principles. It provides an alternative to traditional VPN architecture by allowing organizations to control access to specific resources.
Instead of giving a remote employee broad access to a corporate network, administrators can define which internal applications, servers, or resources that employee is allowed to use.
This resource-based approach can help organizations follow the principle of least privilege.
Twingate can also be useful for companies with remote and distributed teams. Because the platform uses software-based components rather than requiring organizations to rely entirely on traditional VPN infrastructure, deployment can be relatively straightforward.
Another advantage is that businesses can gradually introduce modern access controls without necessarily replacing their entire network architecture at once.
Twingate can therefore be a practical choice for organizations looking for a simpler approach to secure remote access.
Best for: Small and mid-sized businesses that want a straightforward Zero Trust alternative to traditional VPNs.
6. Netskope One Private Access
Netskope One Private Access provides Zero Trust access capabilities as part of the broader Netskope security platform.
The solution is designed to provide secure access to private applications while applying identity and security policies to user connections. It can be particularly useful for organizations that want to combine application access controls with broader data and cloud security capabilities.
One of its notable strengths is its focus on data security. Modern businesses often need to protect not only applications but also sensitive information moving between users, devices, cloud services, and private environments.
By combining Zero Trust access with broader security controls, organizations can build a more unified security strategy.
Netskope can be especially relevant to businesses that are already adopting a Security Service Edge approach and want Zero Trust Network Access to work alongside other cloud security capabilities.
Best for: Enterprises that prioritize data protection and want ZTNA integrated into a broader security platform.
Why Businesses Are Adopting ZTNA
The growth of remote work and cloud computing has changed the way organizations think about network security.
Traditional VPNs generally focus on creating a secure connection between a user and a private network. While this can be useful, it may result in users receiving more network access than they actually require.
ZTNA changes this model by focusing on specific applications and resources.
A user may be authenticated successfully but still be denied access to a particular application if they do not meet the organization’s security requirements. Policies can consider identity, device security, location, authentication status, and other contextual information.
This can reduce unnecessary access and make it harder for compromised accounts to move across an organization’s environment.
Important Features to Consider
Businesses should carefully evaluate the capabilities of a ZTNA platform before choosing a solution.
Identity-based access control should be a core feature. The platform should be able to use user identity as part of its access decisions.
Multi-factor authentication can provide additional protection by requiring users to verify their identity through more than just a password.
Device posture assessment is also important. Organizations may want to prevent access from devices that do not meet specific security requirements.
Least-privilege access ensures that users receive only the permissions required for their responsibilities.
Application-level segmentation can prevent users from automatically gaining access to unrelated internal systems.
Centralized monitoring and reporting can give security teams greater visibility into access activity and potential security issues.
How to Choose the Right ZTNA Solution
The best ZTNA solution depends on an organization’s specific requirements.
Large enterprises may prioritize scalability, advanced policy controls, and integration with broader security platforms. Zscaler Private Access and Prisma Access may be suitable for organizations with complex environments and extensive security requirements.
Businesses already using Microsoft technologies may find Microsoft Entra Private Access easier to integrate into their existing identity infrastructure.
Organizations looking for a flexible cloud-based approach may consider Cloudflare Access, while smaller teams looking for straightforward remote access may prefer Twingate.
Companies with strong data security requirements may find Netskope One Private Access particularly relevant.
Before making a decision, businesses should evaluate their existing identity infrastructure, application environment, device security requirements, compliance needs, IT resources, and long-term security strategy.
Final Thoughts
Zero Trust Network Access is becoming an important part of modern business security. As employees work from different locations and organizations increasingly depend on cloud and hybrid infrastructure, traditional network-based access models may no longer provide the flexibility and control businesses need.
Zscaler Private Access, Cloudflare Access, Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access, Microsoft Entra Private Access, Twingate, and Netskope One Private Access each offer different approaches to implementing Zero Trust access.
The right solution depends on the organization’s size, existing technology environment, security goals, and operational requirements. Rather than choosing a platform simply because it replaces a VPN, businesses should focus on how effectively it can enforce identity-based access, least privilege, device security, application segmentation, and continuous policy enforcement.
A well-designed Zero Trust strategy can help organizations provide employees with secure access to the resources they need while reducing unnecessary exposure across the corporate environment.
