ZTNA solutions: zero trust network access tools compared

What a ZTNA solution does that a corporate VPN doesn't

A traditional corporate VPN drops your device onto the network segment and then trusts everything you touch. One phished password later, an attacker is reading file shares and probing unpatched servers. ZTNA flips the model to per-application access with default deny: each app opens only to people the policy names, which caps lateral movement after a stolen credential. The NIST SP 800-207 publication is the reference architecture most vendors map to, and our ZTNA glossary entry explains the mechanics in plain language.

How this list of 98 ZTNA tools is ordered

Ordering starts with three business checks: does the vendor's published data confirm SSO support, an admin panel and a zero-trust access model? Grouping follows how many checks the data confirms: 37 confirm all (places 1–37), 55 confirm two (38–92), six prove only the zero-trust model (93–98). Within a tier, the overall VPNRadarLab score decides, weighted privacy 30%, security 20%, censorship bypass 15%, price and terms 15%, network 10%, platforms and support 10%. That's why Firezone, whose 1.93 beats the runner-up's score, still lands at #38: its data confirms only two checks.

Top 3 ZTNA solutions compared

OpenVPN takes #1 on breadth: a self-hosted server plus a managed cloud with posture checks, micro-segmentation and audited certifications (SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001). Defguard enforces MFA on every tunnel, which security teams love and users occasionally curse. Netmaker suits router-heavy estates, though its free Community edition omits SSO, SCIM, audit logs and posture checks.

Cloud-delivered, self-hosted or mesh: what is on the list

The catalogue mixes managed access platforms with SASE offerings; roughly a fifth of the 98 fall into the mesh or self-hosted camp, and 28 publish open-source apps. Fifty-four vendors register in the USA. When gateways on your own hardware matter more than a managed dashboard, the self-hosted VPN ranking goes deeper.

ZTNA pricing: per seat, per connection or "contact sales"

Per-connection and per-seat billing diverge sharply for staff carrying a laptop plus a phone, so tally the device count before comparing quotes. The floor here is €0.86 monthly, the median €5.16.

Why every score here looks low

No tool listed here reaches the consumer ranking we run. Privacy carries the heaviest pillar weight, and logging is usually part of a business product for audit trails; OpenVPN, for example, lists session, access and DNS logs as features, which drags the pillar down. None of the 98 holds a no-logs audit. Treat the score as a tiebreaker within a tier.

How to shortlist a ZTNA vendor for your company

1. Match your identity provider first. No Okta/Entra integration means no rollout.
2. If turnover is high, demand SCIM so a disabled IdP account kills access instantly.
3. Inventory legacy apps (RDP, SSH, thick clients); each needs a connector or gateway nearby.
4. Decide agent versus browser access: agents enable posture checks on managed laptops, browser access covers contractors, mostly web apps only.

FAQ

Short answer: which ZTNA tools to test first

Pick OpenVPN for compliance paperwork and a managed option, Defguard for an EU-registered open-source stack, Netmaker for a WireGuard mesh across router fleets. Large suites fall down this list whenever their public pages miss any of the three business checks, brand recognition notwithstanding.