Features, pricing, ratings, and pros & cons — compared head-to-head.
Akamai Enterprise Application Access is a commercial zero trust network access tool by Akamai. Bowtie Zero Trust Network Access is a commercial zero trust network access tool by Bowtie. Compare features, ratings, integrations, and community reviews side by side to find the best zero trust network access fit for your security stack.
Based on our analysis of NIST CSF 2.0 coverage, core features, integrations, company size fit, here is our conclusion:
Akamai Enterprise Application Access
Mid-market and enterprise teams replacing legacy VPNs with zero trust will get the most from Akamai Enterprise Application Access because it handles both web and non-web application access without forcing you to choose between clientless simplicity and client-based control. Device posture assessment gates access in real time based on identity and context, not just credentials, and the local point of presence deployment keeps latency predictable for distributed workforces. Skip this if you need SIEM integration as a primary requirement; the logging story exists but isn't the differentiator, and you'd get more value from a vendor that baked auditability into the core product rather than bolting it on.
Bowtie Zero Trust Network Access
Security teams managing distributed workforces across multiple cloud regions should prioritize Bowtie Zero Trust Network Access for its refusal to backhaul traffic through centralized gateways, which eliminates the bottleneck that tanks performance in traditional ZTNA deployments. The distributed control plane runs entirely on your infrastructure, not Bowtie's, and WireGuard encryption keeps private keys out of vendor hands, addressing the NIST PR.AA identity and access control requirement without trust dependency. This isn't for buyers seeking integrated secure web gateway capabilities from a single vendor; Bowtie's on-device SWG component is functional but plays second fiddle to its network access core.
ZTNA solution providing identity-based access to private apps
ZTNA platform with direct device-to-resource encrypted access via WireGuard.
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Common questions about comparing Akamai Enterprise Application Access vs Bowtie Zero Trust Network Access for your zero trust network access needs.
Akamai Enterprise Application Access: ZTNA solution providing identity-based access to private apps. built by Akamai. Core capabilities include Zero Trust Network Access as a service, Device posture assessment for adaptive access, Clientless web application access..
Bowtie Zero Trust Network Access: ZTNA platform with direct device-to-resource encrypted access via WireGuard. built by Bowtie. Core capabilities include Direct device-to-resource encrypted tunneling without backhauling through middleman networks, On-device policy enforcement for authentication, encryption, and access control, Distributed Secure Web Gateway (SWG) with on-device web filtering..
Both serve the Zero Trust Network Access market but differ in approach, feature depth, and target audience.
Akamai Enterprise Application Access differentiates with Zero Trust Network Access as a service, Device posture assessment for adaptive access, Clientless web application access. Bowtie Zero Trust Network Access differentiates with Direct device-to-resource encrypted tunneling without backhauling through middleman networks, On-device policy enforcement for authentication, encryption, and access control, Distributed Secure Web Gateway (SWG) with on-device web filtering.
Akamai Enterprise Application Access is developed by Akamai. Bowtie Zero Trust Network Access is developed by Bowtie. Vendor maturity, funding stage, and team size can be important factors when evaluating long-term viability and support quality.
Akamai Enterprise Application Access and Bowtie Zero Trust Network Access serve similar Zero Trust Network Access use cases: both are Zero Trust Network Access tools, both cover ZTNA. Review the feature comparison above to determine which fits your requirements.
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