Our take
What our shortlists say about each one.
- Check Point CloudGuard
Best for: Check Point shops wanting CNAPP, WAF and cloud network security together
The fit is clearest for organizations already running Check Point firewalls on premises. The trade-off is breadth versus depth. If you only need posture management, a pure CNAPP is simpler to run. Price is not published. Ask which parts are licensed separately, because the three components can be bought on their own.
From Best Cloud Security Solutions for Business, Fall 2026
- Palo Alto Networks Cortex Cloud Runtime Security
Best for: Mid-market and enterprise teams prioritizing runtime workload defense
The platform is sized for mid-market and enterprise. The lightweight agent requirement means you need a deployment process, which adds overhead compared to agentless alternatives. If your primary concern is compliance reporting or posture visibility, this is more solution than you need. But if you are running sensitive workloads in Kubernetes or serverless environments and you need runtime blocking, not just detection, Cortex Cloud Runtime Security is one of the strongest options in this list.
From Best Cloud Security Solutions for Business, Fall 2026
Reviewed by Nika (Nikoloz) Kokhreidze.
