Softwr

Government · head to head

Bonfire vs Zscaler Internet Access

Bonfire logo

Bonfire

Government

Public sector sourcing and bid evaluation software with scored, auditable award decisions

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: Bonfire it is a sourcing and evaluation tool rather than full procure to pay, so requisitions, purchase orders and invoicing stay in the finance system and the join between them is the agency's problem.; 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: Bonfire covers Solicitation posting, 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 Bonfire and Zscaler Internet Access actually diverge.

Attributes where Bonfire and Zscaler Internet Access differ
AttributeBonfireZscaler 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 Bonfire

  • Solicitation posting
  • Sealed submission intake
  • Scored evaluation workspace
  • Audit trail
  • Supplier portal
  • Requirement matrices

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.

Bonfire

  • An agency that has lost or nearly lost a bid protest and needs a defensible evaluation recordnot Zscaler Internet Access
  • A procurement team running scoring committees currently held together by spreadsheets and emailnot Zscaler Internet Access
  • A university or health system applying public procurement rules without a public procurement systemnot Zscaler Internet Access
  • An agency wanting suppliers to self register and receive addenda automatically rather than by mailing listnot Zscaler Internet Access

Zscaler Internet Access

  • Cloud Securitynot Bonfire
  • Zero Trustnot Bonfire
  • Web Securitynot Bonfire

Where each one falls short

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

Bonfire

  • It is a sourcing and evaluation tool rather than full procure to pay, so requisitions, purchase orders and invoicing stay in the finance system and the join between them is the agency's problem.
  • Since the acquisition path from GTY to GI Partners to Euna Solutions, Bonfire sits in a portfolio alongside products it once competed with, which narrows a shortlist that appears independent.
  • Suppliers must register on the portal to bid, and small local vendors reliably complain about the extra account, which can reduce responses on low value solicitations.
  • Pricing is quoted rather than published and scales with solicitation volume, so an agency with a few very large procurements pays a model designed around throughput.
  • Contract management after award is thin compared with dedicated contract lifecycle products, so agencies often buy a second system for the obligations the award created.

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

Bonfire

On request
  • Bonfire$undefined/year
    • Quoted by agency size and annual solicitation volume
    • Supplier side registration is free, which is how the vendor network grows
    • Implementation and training quoted separately from subscription

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 Bonfire if

  • You need solicitation posting.
  • You also want sealed submission intake.
Bonfire 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 Bonfire or Zscaler Internet Access better?
Neither clearly leads. Bonfire 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, Bonfire or Zscaler Internet Access?
Bonfire starts at On request and Zscaler Internet Access at $100/year.
Does Bonfire or Zscaler Internet Access run on more platforms?
Bonfire runs on Web. Zscaler Internet Access runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
What is Bonfire best used for?
Bonfire is most often used for an agency that has lost or nearly lost a bid protest and needs a defensible evaluation record, a procurement team running scoring committees currently held together by spreadsheets and email, a university or health system applying public procurement rules without a public procurement system, an agency wanting suppliers to self register and receive addenda automatically rather than by mailing list. Of those, an agency that has lost or nearly lost a bid protest and needs a defensible evaluation record and a procurement team running scoring committees currently held together by spreadsheets and email are not what Zscaler Internet Access is typically brought in for.
What can Bonfire do that Zscaler Internet Access cannot?
Bonfire covers Solicitation posting, Sealed submission intake, Scored evaluation workspace, Audit trail. Zscaler Internet Access covers Secure web gateway, Cloud firewall, URL filtering, Advanced threat protection.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bonfire: Who owns Bonfire?

Euna Solutions. Bonfire was acquired by GTY Technology in 2019, GTY was taken private by GI Partners in 2022, and the portfolio was rebranded Euna Solutions in 2023.

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
Bonfire: Is it full procure to pay?

No. It covers sourcing and evaluation through award. Purchase orders and invoicing remain in the finance system.

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
Bonfire: What is the real value?

A defensible, time stamped evaluation record when an award is protested, which is the expensive failure mode in public procurement.

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
Bonfire: Can we see what other agencies pay?

Yes. These contracts are public records. Read several comparable awards before negotiating.

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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