Is HCP Terraform or Zscaler Internet Access better?

Neither clearly leads. HCP Terraform starts at Free 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, HCP Terraform or Zscaler Internet Access?

HCP Terraform has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for HCP Terraform and $100/year for Zscaler Internet Access.

Does HCP Terraform or Zscaler Internet Access run on more platforms?

HCP Terraform runs on Web. Zscaler Internet Access runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.

Can I use HCP Terraform for free?

Yes. HCP Terraform has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zscaler Internet Access starts at $100/year.

What is HCP Terraform best used for?

HCP Terraform is most often used for infrastructure as code management, cloud resource provisioning. Of those, infrastructure as code management and cloud resource provisioning are not what Zscaler Internet Access is typically brought in for.

What can HCP Terraform do that Zscaler Internet Access cannot?

Zscaler Internet Access covers Secure web gateway, Cloud firewall, URL filtering, Advanced threat protection.

Developer Tools · head to head

HCP Terraform vs Zscaler Internet Access

HCP Terraform

Developer Tools

Infrastructure as code provisioning and management, formerly Terraform Cloud

From: Free
Free plan: Yes

Full review Website

Zscaler Internet Access

Cybersecurity

Secure cloud-native internet and SaaS access

From: $100/year
Free plan: No

Full review Website

The short version

Only HCP Terraform has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
Each has a real cost: HCP Terraform legacy free version deprecated; no current freemium tier; 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
Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where HCP Terraform and Zscaler Internet Access differ
Attribute	HCP Terraform	Zscaler Internet Access
Starting price	Free	$100/year
Pricing model	usage-based	subscription
Free tier	Yes	No
Platforms	Web	Web, Desktop, Mobile
Category	Developer Tools	Cybersecurity
Founded	Unknown	2007

Identical on both: 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 HCP Terraform

Nothing recorded that Zscaler Internet Access does not also cover.

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.

HCP Terraform

Infrastructure as Code managementnot Zscaler Internet Access
Cloud resource provisioningnot Zscaler Internet Access

Zscaler Internet Access

Cloud Securitynot HCP Terraform
Zero Trustnot HCP Terraform
Web Securitynot HCP Terraform

Where each one falls short

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

HCP Terraform

Legacy free version deprecated; no current freemium tier
New users receive $500 credit but still require usage to continue service
Terraform Enterprise requires custom pricing

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

HCP Terraform

Free

Essentials$0.1/month
- Per resource pricing
- Remote state storage
- VCS connection
Standard$0.47/month
- Per resource pricing
- Essentials features plus unlimited modules
- Module deprecation
Premium$0.99/month
- Per resource pricing
- Standard features plus module revocation
- Waypoint actions

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 HCP Terraform if

You want to start without paying.

HCP Terraform 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 HCP Terraform or Zscaler Internet Access better?: Neither clearly leads. HCP Terraform starts at Free 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, HCP Terraform or Zscaler Internet Access?: HCP Terraform has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for HCP Terraform and $100/year for Zscaler Internet Access.
Does HCP Terraform or Zscaler Internet Access run on more platforms?: HCP Terraform runs on Web. Zscaler Internet Access runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
Can I use HCP Terraform for free?: Yes. HCP Terraform has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zscaler Internet Access starts at $100/year.
What is HCP Terraform best used for?: HCP Terraform is most often used for infrastructure as code management, cloud resource provisioning. Of those, infrastructure as code management and cloud resource provisioning are not what Zscaler Internet Access is typically brought in for.
What can HCP Terraform do that Zscaler Internet Access cannot?: Zscaler Internet Access covers Secure web gateway, Cloud firewall, URL filtering, Advanced threat protection.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

HCP Terraform: How much does HCP Terraform cost?

HCP Terraform uses per-resource pricing starting at $0.10/month/resource for Essentials, $0.47/month/resource for Standard, and $0.99/month/resource for Premium.

Source

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

HCP Terraform: Does HCP Terraform offer a free tier?

No, the legacy free version has been deprecated. However, new users receive $500 credit to try the service.

Source

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

HCP Terraform: What does the Standard plan include?

Standard plan at $0.47/month/resource includes unlimited modules, module deprecation, team notifications, no-code provisioning, and Waypoint templates.

Source

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

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

HCP Terraform vs Zscaler Internet Access

HCP Terraform

Zscaler Internet Access

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in HCP Terraform

Only in Zscaler Internet Access

What people use each for

HCP Terraform

Zscaler Internet Access

Where each one falls short

HCP Terraform

Zscaler Internet Access

Pricing, plan by plan

HCP Terraform

Zscaler Internet Access

Which should you pick?

Choose HCP Terraform if

Choose Zscaler Internet Access if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on HCP Terraform

More on Zscaler Internet Access

Keep looking

Other head to heads