Zscaler DLP Alternatives: The 2025 Buyer’s Guide

Zscaler delivers data protection primarily through its cloud-delivered security platform (Zero Trust Exchange) with SWG, CASB, ZTNA and DLP tied together. Over the last year, Zscaler also formalized Endpoint DLP (via the Client Connector), and Email DLP options—so it’s broader than “just a proxy,” but still opinionated around routing and platform adoption.

If you want the same or better protection with less routing complexity, deeper SaaS coverage, richer remediation, or stronger price–performance, you’ll want to compare Zscaler DLP alternatives below.

TL;DR — Zscaler DLP alternatives

1. When Zscaler fits: You’re already standardized on Zscaler SWG/CASB and want unified inline controls across web/SaaS—with optional endpoint/email add-ons.
2. Common friction: SSL inspection design, proxy routing, exceptions, and policy learning curves can add complexity; endpoint DLP still hinges on the Client Connector footprint.
3. Best alternative for SaaS + GenAI + rapid time-to-value: Strac—agentless DSPM + DLP across Slack/Drive/Teams/Salesforce/etc., with real-time remediation (redact/mask/block/label) and ML/OCR for unstructured data.
4. Other strong options: Netskope (unified cloud/web/email DLP, fingerprinting/OCR), Microsoft Purview (deep M365 & endpoint DLP with OCR), Symantec DLP (EDM/IDM depth), Forcepoint (risk-adaptive policies), Digital Guardian (endpoint-heavy IP protection).
5. How to decide: Start with your data flows (SaaS/chat/email/cloud storage/databases/GenAI), remediation needs (redact vs. block vs. label), and operating constraints (proxy vs. API, endpoint agent appetite, budget).

✨ Zscaler DLP alternatives: what Zscaler actually provides (and why buyers still compare)

What’s in the box today

• Inline inspection across web/SaaS via SWG/CASB on the Zero Trust Exchange.
• Endpoint DLP for data in use (USB/print/personal cloud) through the Client Connector and policy sync from ZIA.
• Email DLP for outbound controls.
• Document fingerprinting (IDM) as part of data protection.

Why teams still evaluate Zscaler DLP alternatives

• SaaS-first needs: Many organizations want API-level control in Slack/Google Drive/Teams/etc., and native remediation (e.g., redact, label) without forcing traffic through a proxy.
• Network design impact: Inline decryption/routing decisions, exception management, and multi-region UX require real planning.
• Agent footprint: Endpoint DLP coverage depends on Client Connector rollout and policy hygiene.

Zscaler DLP alternatives: evaluation framework

• Coverage: Web ✓ / SaaS ✓ / Email ✓ / Endpoints ✓ / IaaS (S3/Blob) ✓ / Databases ✓ / GenAI apps ✓
• Detection quality: ML + OCR + fingerprinting + EDM, tunable with context and proximity.
• Remediation: Redact vs. mask vs. block vs. encrypt vs. label; user justifications; auto-remediation.
• Deployment: Proxy vs. API connectors vs. agents; time-to-value; change-management.
• TCO: Licensing bundles, connectors, required endpoints, and ops time.
• Ecosystem fit: SIEM/SOAR handoff; hooks to ticketing; regulatory reporting.

✨ Zscaler DLP alternatives: why Strac is #1 for SaaS + GenAI + rapid outcomes

Modern data flows live in SaaS + chat + tickets + cloud storage + GenAI. Strac meets data where it sits and where it moves—inside the applications—so security actions are precise and reversible, and users don’t slam into hard blocks that slow the business.

Where Strac shines as a Zscaler DLP alternative

• Agentless breadth across Slack, Google Drive, Gmail, Teams/SharePoint/OneDrive, Salesforce, Zendesk, Intercom and more—ideal when you want controls inside the SaaS apps (not just at the proxy).
• Real-time remediation beyond “block”: redact/mask/label, revoke public links, remove externals, bulk remediate, and enforce access hygiene—crucial for limiting blast radius.
• ML + OCR for unstructured content (PDFs, images, screenshots) and context-aware detection to slash false positives compared to naive regex.
• DSPM + DLP in one: Discover risky data at rest and control exfiltration in motion across SaaS/Cloud/Endpoints, including GenAI prompts (ChatGPT/Copilot).
• Fast time-to-value: No hair-pinning traffic; connect apps, scan, remediate. See all Strac integrations.

Good fit if: You prioritize SaaS + GenAI control, need remediation inside apps, and want to avoid proxy/agent sprawl. Add endpoint coverage where it’s truly needed—without making it the only control plane.

Zscaler DLP alternatives: quick comparison table

✨ Zscaler DLP alternatives: remediation that actually fixes the exposure

What buyers miss when they only “block”

• Right-sized actions win: redact a message/file, label docs, revoke external links, or auto-remove externals—so users keep working and risk drops immediately. (See Strac integrations)
• Human-in-the-loop: Ask the user for justification, escalate if no response, auto-remediate on timeout.
• Evidence: Keep auditable trails to satisfy SOC2/ISO/HIPAA

Top Alternatives to Zscaler DLP
1) Strac (Best for SaaS, GenAI, and fast time-to-value)

Strac is a cloud-native DSPM + DLP platform that connects directly to SaaS apps, email, cloud storage, and GenAI tools. It emphasizes in-app remediation (not just “block”) and ships with ML/OCR for unstructured content.

• API-first coverage: Deep, agentless integrations for Slack, Google Drive, Gmail, Microsoft 365 (Teams/SharePoint/OneDrive/Exchange), Salesforce, Jira/Confluence, Zendesk/Intercom, GitHub, and more—so you can see and fix issues inside the apps people use.
• GenAI controls: Monitor and control sensitive prompts/outputs in tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and Claude; alert or block based on policy; redact snippets while preserving user workflow.
• Real-time remediation: Beyond block: redact/mask messages and files, revoke public links, remove external collaborators, apply sensitivity labels, or perform bulk remediation to clean up existing exposure.
• Smart detection: Context-aware ML + OCR for PDFs, screenshots, and images; proximity/context keywords to cut false positives; custom data elements/regex when you need precision.
• Optional endpoint & browser DLP: Add lightweight endpoint/browser protections (USB, file uploads, print) where needed—without making an agent the center of gravity.
• Fast rollout: No hair-pinning traffic through a proxy; connect, scan, and enforce in hours, not months.

2) Forcepoint DLP

Behavior-centric DLP spanning endpoint, web, email, and CASB.

• Risk-Adaptive Policies (RAP): Enforcement can escalate or relax based on the user’s risk score and behavior context. Forcepoint
• Trade-offs: Tends to be heavier to deploy and tune; risk models reward teams that invest time in policy hygiene and user risk baselining.

3) Symantec DLP (Broadcom)

A long-standing enterprise DLP with deep content analysis across endpoint and network.

• Fingerprinting & EDM/IDM: Mature Exact Data Matching and document fingerprinting for high-precision detection of specific datasets/forms. TechDocs
• Trade-offs: Complex, on-prem/hybrid architecture in many deployments; operational overhead and slower iteration cycles in some environments.

4) Trellix DLP (formerly McAfee)

DLP spanning endpoint and network, integrated into Trellix’s XDR ecosystem.

• ePO-driven operations: ePolicy Orchestrator ties agents, policies, and events together; familiar in shops standardized on Trellix. docs.trellix.com
• Trade-offs: UI/UX can feel dated; tuning to reduce false positives and cross-product integration overhead can take time.

5) Digital Guardian (Fortra)

Endpoint-focused DLP favored by IP-heavy orgs (engineering/design/manufacturing).

• Deep endpoint visibility: File flows, USB, print, clipboard/screen capture; works on/off network. Digital Guardian+1Fortra
• Trade-offs: Endpoint agent can be resource-intensive; best fit where rigorous on-device controls outweigh agent management costs.

15+ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is Zscaler DLP—at a glance?

A cloud DLP capability within the Zscaler platform that inspects routed web/SaaS/email traffic and enforces policy inline; optional Endpoint DLP extends controls to device channels via Client Connector.

2) Does Zscaler DLP cover endpoints when users are offline?

Endpoint controls require the Client Connector and policy sync; coverage for some actions can persist locally, but visibility is strongest when devices connect and traffic is governed by Zscaler services.

3) How does Zscaler handle email DLP?

Zscaler can be inserted as a smart host (SMTP relay next hop) to inspect and enforce actions like block, encrypt, or quarantine.

4) Can Zscaler scan data at rest in cloud storage?

Zscaler’s core is inline inspection; at-rest discovery typically relies on CASB/DSPM connectors or third-party tools. (Strac provides at-rest discovery and bulk remediation in SaaS/cloud.)

5) What sensitive data types can Zscaler detect out of the box?

Prebuilt dictionaries for PII/PHI/PCI and support for Indexed Document Matching (IDM) to fingerprint known forms/documents.

6) Does SSL inspection add latency?

Decrypt/re-encrypt can introduce overhead depending on scope and routing; design and exception catalogs matter for user experience. (Plan pilots accordingly.)

7) Is policy creation simple?

Basic policies are straightforward; advanced regex/fingerprinting and exception hygiene require experienced admins—true of most enterprise DLPs.

8) How does Zscaler compare to endpoint DLP?

Zscaler is strongest inline (web/SaaS/email). Endpoint DLP (Zscaler Endpoint DLP, Digital Guardian, Purview Endpoint, etc.) governs on-device channels like USB/print—even off-network. Many enterprises use both.

9) How are false positives handled?

You’ll tune dictionaries/regex, apply IDM/EDM, add exceptions, and review incidents to harden policies. (Strac reduces noise with context-aware ML + OCR and proximity keywords.)

10) Is Zscaler a fit for small businesses?

Often better aligned to mid-market/enterprise—especially where the org already runs Zscaler SWG/CASB and wants unified data controls.

11) How is Zscaler DLP licensed?

Commonly packaged within Zscaler’s data protection/SSE tiers; total cost depends on users, modules (email/endpoint), and SSL scope.

12) How does Zscaler handle GenAI (ChatGPT/Copilot/etc.)?

If AI traffic is routed via SWG, Zscaler can apply inline DLP policies. There’s no direct API-level integration with the GenAI tools themselves. (Strac adds in-app/API-level controls and remediation in GenAI surfaces.)

13) Can Zscaler integrate with SIEM/SOAR?

Yes—events/alerts can be exported to Splunk, QRadar, Sentinel, etc., for correlation and automation.

14) Can users bypass Zscaler?

Unmanaged devices or traffic not routed through Zscaler can evade inline inspection; organizations pair SWG with device management, forwarders, or endpoint DLP to reduce bypass paths.

15) Does Zscaler do document fingerprinting or OCR?

Zscaler supports IDM (document fingerprinting). OCR availability and depth vary by surface; if image/screenshot detection is critical, validate in a pilot.

16) Who benefits most from Zscaler DLP?

Enterprises already committed to Zscaler’s cloud security stack who want inline DLP across web/SaaS and optional endpoint/email modules—managed from one place.

17) How does Zscaler compare to a next-gen, API-first platform like Strac?

Zscaler focuses on inline inspection (great for broad web/SaaS flows). Strac works in-app via APIs and adds GenAI coverage and precise remediation (redact/mask/label/revoke). Many teams keep Zscaler for network security and add Strac for SaaS/GenAI depth.