Looking to replace Zscaler? Here's how a Fly-Direct, on-device secure web gateway compares, and what changes when you stop backhauling traffic.

What is the best Zscaler alternative?

The strongest Zscaler alternative for most companies is dope.security, an on-device secure web gateway that inspects traffic locally instead of backhauling it through data centers. It covers the same ground as Zscaler, including SSL inspection, URL filtering, Cloud Application Control, and DLP, but runs as a lightweight agent on each device. That removes the network detour and runs up to 4x faster than legacy proxy SWGs.

Why do companies look for a Zscaler alternative?

Companies look for a Zscaler alternative mainly over latency, complexity, and cost. Zscaler was built for an office era and works by routing traffic through its data centers, which adds delay for remote and traveling users and creates failure points. Teams switching usually want on-device inspection, faster deployment, and simpler pricing without the backhaul detour.

Is dope.security a Zscaler competitor?

Yes. dope.security competes directly with Zscaler in the Security Service Edge (SSE) category. The difference is architecture: Zscaler backhauls traffic to its data centers to inspect it, while dope.security inspects on the device and lets traffic fly direct to its destination. Same security functions, different path, which is where the speed and privacy gains come from.

How does dope.security compare to Zscaler on speed?

dope.security is faster because it removes the network detour. A cloud proxy adds roughly 40 to 80 milliseconds of latency near a point of presence, and 150 to 400 milliseconds when users are far from one. Because dope.security inspects on the device, it adds no network detour at all, which is how it delivers up to 4x the performance of legacy proxy SWGs.

Can dope.security replace Zscaler for a remote workforce?

Yes, and remote workforces are where the difference shows most. Policy follows the user rather than the network, so protection is identical in the office, at home, or on the road, with no traffic backhauled to a data center. The City of Visalia switched for exactly this reason: its perimeter-based policies stopped protecting employees once they went mobile.

How hard is it to migrate from Zscaler to dope.security?

The migration is fast because dope.security is an agent, not an appliance. You push it silently through your existing MDM, confirm policies, and you're live. A Fortune 100 company scaled a rollout from 900 to more than 18,000 devices in a matter of weeks, deployed silently via Intune with no manual configuration, and converted its free trial straight to production with no reconfiguration.

Is there a Zscaler alternative that works well in China?

Yes. dope.security works in China and other restricted geographies where backhaul-based gateways like Zscaler tend to struggle. Because inspection runs on the device instead of routing through distant data centers and the Great Firewall, traffic flies direct and stays fast. dope.security operates in 83+ countries.

See it fly direct

Inspect on the device, skip the backhaul, deploy in minutes. Try dope.security free or book a 20-minute demo at dope.security.