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Government · head to head

ArchiveSocial vs Zscaler Internet Access

ArchiveSocial logo

ArchiveSocial

Government

Social media archiving that captures public agency accounts as legally defensible open records

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Zscaler Internet Access logo

Zscaler Internet Access

Cybersecurity

Secure cloud-native internet and SaaS access

From
$100/year
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ArchiveSocial coverage depends entirely on third party platform APIs, so when a network restricts or reprices its API the archive's completeness changes for reasons the vendor does not control.; Zscaler Internet Access the pricing page names two base tiers, Essentials Platform and Zscaler Platform, plus modular add ons including three Digital Experience Monitoring tiers, but publishes no dollar figures anywhere and routes buyers to a demo request for cost
  • They diverge on capability: ArchiveSocial covers Continuous capture, Zscaler Internet Access covers Secure web gateway.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ArchiveSocial and Zscaler Internet Access actually diverge.

Attributes where ArchiveSocial and Zscaler Internet Access differ
AttributeArchiveSocialZscaler Internet Access
Starting priceOn request$100/year
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWebWeb, Desktop, Mobile
CategoryGovernmentCybersecurity
FoundedUnknown2007

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in ArchiveSocial

  • Continuous capture
  • Deletion and edit capture
  • Authenticated records
  • Records request search
  • Litigation hold export
  • Multi platform coverage

Only in Zscaler Internet Access

  • Secure web gateway
  • Cloud firewall
  • URL filtering
  • Advanced threat protection
  • Data loss prevention
  • Cloud sandbox
  • Browser isolation
  • CASB

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

ArchiveSocial

  • A city whose legal department has flagged deleted social media comments as a records liabilitynot Zscaler Internet Access
  • A police department that must produce social media records under an open records requestnot Zscaler Internet Access
  • An agency under litigation hold needing authenticated social media evidence rather than screenshotsnot Zscaler Internet Access
  • A communications team operating many accounts across departments with no consistent archivingnot Zscaler Internet Access

Zscaler Internet Access

  • Cloud Securitynot ArchiveSocial
  • Zero Trustnot ArchiveSocial
  • Web Securitynot ArchiveSocial

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

ArchiveSocial

  • Coverage depends entirely on third party platform APIs, so when a network restricts or reprices its API the archive's completeness changes for reasons the vendor does not control.
  • Pricing scales with the number of archived accounts, so an agency where every department runs its own page pays repeatedly for the same compliance obligation.
  • It archives rather than governs, so it will faithfully preserve a policy violation without preventing it, and agencies still need social media policy and training.
  • Since the 2021 CivicPlus acquisition the product is part of a municipal suite, so buyers avoiding that vendor for other reasons are still buying from them.
  • The value is entirely insurance shaped, which makes it a perennial target during budget cuts right up until the first records request it would have answered.

Zscaler Internet Access

  • The pricing page names two base tiers, Essentials Platform and Zscaler Platform, plus modular add ons including three Digital Experience Monitoring tiers, but publishes no dollar figures anywhere and routes buyers to a demo request for cost

Pricing, plan by plan

ArchiveSocial

On request
  • ArchiveSocial$undefined/year
    • Quoted annually, typically scaled by number of archived accounts
    • Additional accounts and platforms increase the subscription
    • Bundled pricing common for agencies already buying CivicPlus products

Zscaler Internet Access

$100/year
  • ZIA Business$100/year
    • Web security
    • URL filtering
    • Cloud firewall
  • ZIA Transformation$200/year
    • All Business features
    • Advanced threat protection
    • Cloud sandbox
  • ZIA Unlimited$350/year
    • All Transformation features
    • Cloud browser isolation
    • CASB

Which should you pick?

Choose ArchiveSocial if

  • You need continuous capture.
  • You also want deletion and edit capture.
ArchiveSocial review

Choose Zscaler Internet Access if

  • You need secure web gateway.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want cloud firewall.
Zscaler Internet Access review

Questions people ask

Is ArchiveSocial or Zscaler Internet Access better?
Neither clearly leads. ArchiveSocial starts at On request and Zscaler Internet Access at $100/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ArchiveSocial or Zscaler Internet Access?
ArchiveSocial starts at On request and Zscaler Internet Access at $100/year.
Does ArchiveSocial or Zscaler Internet Access run on more platforms?
ArchiveSocial runs on Web. Zscaler Internet Access runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
What is ArchiveSocial best used for?
ArchiveSocial is most often used for a city whose legal department has flagged deleted social media comments as a records liability, a police department that must produce social media records under an open records request, an agency under litigation hold needing authenticated social media evidence rather than screenshots, a communications team operating many accounts across departments with no consistent archiving. Of those, a city whose legal department has flagged deleted social media comments as a records liability and a police department that must produce social media records under an open records request are not what Zscaler Internet Access is typically brought in for.
What can ArchiveSocial do that Zscaler Internet Access cannot?
ArchiveSocial covers Continuous capture, Deletion and edit capture, Authenticated records, Records request search. Zscaler Internet Access covers Secure web gateway, Cloud firewall, URL filtering, Advanced threat protection.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ArchiveSocial: Why not just export data from the platforms?

Platform exports do not reliably capture deleted or edited content and carry no chain of custody, which is what makes an archive usable as evidence.

Zscaler Internet Access: How many pricing tiers does Zscaler Internet Access offer?

Zscaler Internet Access offers two main platform bundles: the Essentials Platform (entry-level) and the Zscaler Platform (comprehensive). Specific pricing is not published online.

Source
ArchiveSocial: Are public comments on our posts records?

In many United States jurisdictions yes, and deleted comments have been the subject of litigation against agencies.

Zscaler Internet Access: Are there optional add-on modules available?

Yes. Zscaler offers extensive optional capabilities in five categories including Inline Cyberthreat Protection, Private Access enhancements, Data Security, Security Operations, and Zero Trust Branch.

Source
ArchiveSocial: Who owns ArchiveSocial?

CivicPlus, which acquired it in 2021 and sells it alongside its municipal website and communications products.

Zscaler Internet Access: How is Zscaler Zero Trust Branch priced?

Zero Trust Branch is sized by encrypted throughput (200 Mbps to 10 Gbps) or endpoint count (200 to 5,000 endpoints), with pricing varying by configuration.

Source
ArchiveSocial: How is it priced?

By archived accounts, quoted rather than published. Comparable agency contracts are public records.

Zscaler Internet Access: How do I get Zscaler pricing?

Zscaler does not publish pricing online. You must request a demo or contact their sales team to receive a pricing quote.

Source
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