Do I need to replace my VPN to implement ZTNA?

Not immediately. Most organizations run ZTNA alongside VPN during a transition period, moving application by application. Some tools like Endian support both SSL/IPsec VPN and ZTNA simultaneously, which helps if you have legacy systems that can't be migrated quickly.

How does device posture checking work in practice?

The ZTNA client or browser extension queries the device for specific properties: OS version, patch level, disk encryption status, AV presence, firewall state. That data gets evaluated against your policy before access is granted. If the device fails a check, access is blocked or the user is prompted to remediate.

Which ZTNA tools work best for IoT and OT environments?

ANGOKA ZTM is the most purpose-built option for machine identity and IoT device management. Endian also supports IoT protocols and edge computing, making it relevant for industrial environments. Most other tools on this list are designed around human user access.

Can ZTNA tools handle contractor and third-party access without MDM enrollment?

Some can. 1Password Device Trust uses a browser extension to enforce posture on unmanaged devices without requiring MDM. Accops HySecure offers an agentless access mode for the same scenario. If third-party access is a major use case, verify agentless support before committing.

How do I evaluate ZTNA tools if I'm already deep in AWS?

AWS Verified Access is the obvious starting point since it integrates natively with your existing IAM, VPC, and CloudTrail setup. The tradeoff is that it only covers AWS-hosted applications. If you have apps outside AWS, you'll need a separate solution or a tool like Alkira that handles multi-cloud environments.

Zero Trust Network Access Tools Worth Evaluating in 2026

Q: Compare ZTNA Tools Side by Side

[Compare ZTNA Tools Side by Side](/compare)

Q: Build Your Zero Trust Stack

[Build Your Zero Trust Stack](/stacks)

Introduction

Zero Trust Network Access is no longer a buzzword. It's the architecture you reach for when VPNs keep getting you burned. SolarWinds, Pulse Secure, Fortinet. The pattern is clear: perimeter-based access is a liability.

ZTNA flips the model. No implicit trust. Every user, device, and connection gets verified before it touches anything. Identity, device posture, context. All of it checked, continuously. Not just at login.

The market is crowded now. Some tools are purpose-built for ZTNA. Others bolt it onto an existing product and call it a day. This list covers seven tools worth a serious look in 2026, from cloud-native platforms to on-prem appliances to device-trust specialists. Different use cases. Different tradeoffs. Pick the one that fits your actual environment.

Compare ZTNA Tools Side by Side

1. Alkira Zero Trust Network Access

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Alkira ZTNA is a cloud-delivered platform that handles user-to-app, app-to-app, and user-to-internet access under a single policy engine. It consolidates network and security functions so you're not stitching together five different tools to cover the same ground. If you're running hybrid or multi-cloud and tired of managing separate stacks for each environment, this is worth a look.

Key Highlights

Continuous authentication and authorization, not just session-start checks
Least privilege enforcement with centralized policy management across hybrid and multi-cloud
Real-time user behavior monitoring for detecting lateral movement post-authentication
Covers all three access patterns: user-to-app, app-to-app, and user-to-internet
Cloud-native deployment, no hardware to rack

Learn more about Alkira Zero Trust Network Access and find alternatives

2. Endian Secure Digital Platform

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Endian is an on-premises platform that combines ZTNA with firewall, IPS, VPN, and IoT protocol support in one appliance. It's built for environments where cloud delivery isn't an option, think OT networks, air-gapped segments, or regulated industries with strict data residency requirements. The IoT and edge computing support makes it relevant for industrial and manufacturing environments that most ZTNA vendors ignore.

Key Highlights

On-premises deployment for environments where cloud is off the table
Native IoT protocol support for OT and industrial network segments

3. 1Password Device Trust

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1Password Device Trust focuses specifically on device posture as the access control gate. Before a user reaches an SSO-protected app, their device gets checked against your defined policies. It supports BYOD and unmanaged devices, which is where most ZTNA tools fall apart in practice.

Key Highlights

100+ pre-built security policy checks covering OS patch level, disk encryption, AV status, and more
Custom check editor for writing your own posture policies without vendor lock-in

4. ANGOKA Zero Trust Management (ZTM)

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ANGOKA ZTM is built around machine identity, not human identity. It creates Device Private Networks for microsegmentation and uses distributed ledgers to track machine identity status across your infrastructure. If you're dealing with large fleets of IoT devices, connected vehicles, or industrial controllers where there's no human in the loop, this addresses a gap that most ZTNA tools don't touch.

Key Highlights

Machine identity management as the primary trust anchor, not user credentials
Device Private Networks for microsegmentation without traditional VLAN complexity

5. AWS Verified Access

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AWS Verified Access is Amazon's native ZTNA offering, built to provide secure access to applications running in AWS without a VPN. It evaluates trust context on every request using identity and device signals. If your workloads are already in AWS and you want ZTNA that doesn't require a third-party agent or separate control plane, this is the path of least resistance.

Key Highlights

Native AWS integration means no additional control plane to manage for AWS-hosted apps
Per-request trust evaluation using identity provider and device posture signals

6. Absolute Core

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Absolute Core is a ZTNA client with a self-healing architecture. The agent repairs and reinstalls itself automatically if it gets disabled or corrupted, which matters when you're dealing with endpoints that users or malware have tampered with. The Network Resilience feature maintains sessions through network disruptions, which is useful for field workers or unreliable connections.

Key Highlights

Self-healing Windows client that automatically repairs or reinstalls if tampered with
Network Resilience for persistent sessions during connectivity interruptions

7. Accops HySecure

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Accops HySecure is a ZTNA platform with broad application protocol support, covering web, SaaS, RDP, SSH, VNC, and client-server apps. It offers both agent-based and agentless access modes, which gives you flexibility for contractor and third-party access scenarios. The geolocation-based threat detection with heat maps is a practical addition for spotting impossible travel and account compromise.

Key Highlights

Agent-based and agentless modes for managed and unmanaged device scenarios
Multi-application support including RDP, SSH, VNC, and client-server apps, not just web

How to Choose the Right Tool

ZTNA tools are not interchangeable. The right choice depends on your deployment model, your device landscape, and what you're actually trying to protect. Here are the questions that matter before you sign a contract.

Cloud vs. on-premises deployment: If you're in a regulated industry with data residency requirements, or you're protecting OT and industrial networks, cloud-delivered ZTNA may not be an option. Endian is built for on-prem. Alkira and AWS Verified Access are cloud-native. Absolute Core and ANGOKA support hybrid. Know your constraint before you start evaluating.
Human identity vs. machine identity: Most ZTNA tools are built around user authentication. If your environment includes large IoT fleets, industrial controllers, or connected devices with no human operator, you need machine identity management. ANGOKA ZTM is purpose-built for this. The others are not.
Device posture depth: There's a big difference between checking 'is the device enrolled in MDM' and checking 'is disk encryption on, is the AV signature current, is the OS patched to this specific build.' 1Password Device Trust gives you 100+ policy checks and a custom editor. Accops HySecure checks AV, firewall, and Windows update status. Understand what posture signals you actually need.
BYOD and unmanaged device support: If you have contractors, partners, or a BYOD policy, you need a tool that can enforce posture on devices you don't manage. 1Password Device Trust handles this via browser extension without MDM enrollment. Accops HySecure offers agentless access. Not every tool on this list handles unmanaged devices gracefully.
Application protocol coverage: If you only need to protect web and SaaS apps, almost any tool works. If you need to cover RDP, SSH, VNC, or legacy client-server applications, your options narrow. Accops HySecure explicitly supports all of these. Verify protocol support before assuming.
Existing cloud provider lock-in: If you're all-in on AWS, Verified Access removes a layer of complexity. You're already in the IAM and VPC ecosystem. Adding a third-party ZTNA tool means another control plane, another agent, another vendor relationship. That tradeoff cuts both ways depending on your multi-cloud strategy.
Team size and operational overhead: A three-person security team cannot manage a ZTNA platform that requires constant tuning. Look at how policies are managed, how alerts are surfaced, and whether end users can self-remediate device issues. 1Password Device Trust's guided remediation reduces helpdesk load. Centralized policy management in Alkira reduces per-app configuration overhead.
Integration with your existing SIEM and IdP: ZTNA generates a lot of access logs and posture events. If those don't flow into your SIEM, you're flying blind on post-authentication behavior. Check for native SIEM integration and webhook support. Also verify IdP compatibility with your existing Okta, Azure AD, or Ping deployment before you get to the POC stage.

Frequently Asked Questions

A VPN grants network-level access once authenticated. ZTNA grants access to specific applications based on identity, device posture, and context, and re-evaluates that trust continuously. With a VPN, a compromised credential gives an attacker broad network access. With ZTNA, the blast radius is much smaller.

Conclusion

ZTNA is not a single product you buy and deploy. It's an architecture you build, piece by piece, around your actual environment. The tools here cover a real range: cloud-native platforms, on-prem appliances, device posture specialists, and machine identity systems. None of them is the right answer for every organization. The right answer depends on your deployment model, your device landscape, your team size, and what you're protecting. Start with the constraint that eliminates the most options, then evaluate what's left. That's faster than running a five-vendor POC on tools that were never going to fit.

Build Your Zero Trust Stack

Zero Trust Network Access Tools Worth Evaluating in 2026

Introduction

1. Alkira Zero Trust Network Access

Key Highlights

2. Endian Secure Digital Platform

Key Highlights

3. 1Password Device Trust

Key Highlights

4. ANGOKA Zero Trust Management (ZTM)

Key Highlights

5. AWS Verified Access

Key Highlights

6. Absolute Core

Key Highlights

7. Accops HySecure

Key Highlights

How to Choose the Right Tool

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

DISCOVER

SERVICES