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Cybersecurity · head to head

Milestone XProtect vs Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud

Milestone XProtect logo

Milestone XProtect

Cybersecurity

Open platform video management software with perpetual per-device licences

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud logo

Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud

Cybersecurity

Cloud-native application protection platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Milestone XProtect has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Milestone XProtect care Plus is presented as optional but is not in practice: without it, perpetual licences stop receiving version upgrades and eventually you cannot add a current camera because your frozen version does not support it.; Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud listed on UK G-Cloud at £147.54 per unit for Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud, via reseller Phoenix Software Limited, with the billing period not stated on the listing
  • They diverge on capability: Milestone XProtect covers Open device support, Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud covers Cloud Security Posture Management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Milestone XProtect and Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud actually diverge.

Attributes where Milestone XProtect and Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud differ
AttributeMilestone XProtectPalo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOne-time purchase per device licence, plus annual Care Plussubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Web, iOS, AndroidWeb, Api
FoundedUnknown2005

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

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 Milestone XProtect

  • Open device support
  • Perpetual device licences
  • Federated architecture
  • Failover recording
  • Evidence export
  • Smart Map
  • Integration platform
  • Video summarisation

Only in Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud

  • Cloud Security Posture Management
  • Cloud Workload Protection
  • Cloud Network Security
  • Cloud Identity Security
  • Code Security
  • API Security
  • Data Security
  • Microsegmentation

What people use each for

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

Milestone XProtect

  • A city or transport operator running tens of thousands of cameras across federated sitesnot Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud
  • An enterprise with mixed legacy camera brands that refuses to standardise on one manufacturernot Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud
  • A critical infrastructure site needing failover recording servers and tamper-evident evidence exportnot Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud
  • An integrator building a bespoke security application on top of an open VMS platformnot Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud

Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud

  • Cloud Securitynot Milestone XProtect
  • Cspmnot Milestone XProtect
  • Cwppnot Milestone XProtect

Where each one falls short

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

Milestone XProtect

  • Care Plus is presented as optional but is not in practice: without it, perpetual licences stop receiving version upgrades and eventually you cannot add a current camera because your frozen version does not support it.
  • Per-device licensing means multi-sensor and multi-imager cameras consume several licences each, so a headline camera count badly understates the true licence cost of a modern design.
  • It is Windows only for servers and needs a properly designed server and storage architecture, so the software price is a fraction of a project that also needs recording servers, storage and an integrator.
  • Complexity requires trained staff or a certified integrator; organisations that install it without either end up running a large deployment on default settings and never using the features they paid for.
  • Milestone retired Kite from its portfolio in favour of Arcules from January 2025, which stranded buyers who had standardised on Kite and is a reminder that the cloud side of the portfolio has changed direction more than once.

Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud

  • Listed on UK G-Cloud at £147.54 per unit for Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud, via reseller Phoenix Software Limited, with the billing period not stated on the listing

Pricing, plan by plan

Milestone XProtect

Free
  • XProtect Essential+Free
    • Free for up to 8 cameras
    • No recording time limit
    • No vendor support included
  • XProtect Express+$109/one-time
    • Perpetual device licence, distributor list price
    • Single site, single server
    • Care Plus purchased separately per device per year
  • XProtect Professional+$177/one-time
    • Perpetual device licence, distributor list price
    • Multiple recording servers
    • Edge storage retrieval
  • XProtect Expert$282/one-time
    • Perpetual device licence, distributor list price
    • Failover recording servers
    • Advanced video wall and evidence handling

Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud

On request
  • Cloud SecurityFree
    • CSPM
    • CWPP
    • CIEM
  • Code SecurityFree
    • IaC security
    • SCA
    • Secrets scanning
  • Prisma Cloud EnterpriseFree
    • Full platform
    • API security
    • Data security

Which should you pick?

Choose Milestone XProtect if

  • You need open device support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want perpetual device licences.
Milestone XProtect review

Choose Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud if

  • You need cloud security posture management.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want cloud workload protection.
Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud review

Questions people ask

Is Milestone XProtect or Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud better?
Neither clearly leads. Milestone XProtect starts at Free and Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Milestone XProtect or Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud?
Milestone XProtect has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Milestone XProtect and On request for Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud.
Does Milestone XProtect or Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud run on more platforms?
Milestone XProtect runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android. Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud runs on Web, Api.
Can I use Milestone XProtect for free?
Yes. Milestone XProtect has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud starts at On request.
What is Milestone XProtect best used for?
Milestone XProtect is most often used for a city or transport operator running tens of thousands of cameras across federated sites, an enterprise with mixed legacy camera brands that refuses to standardise on one manufacturer, a critical infrastructure site needing failover recording servers and tamper-evident evidence export, an integrator building a bespoke security application on top of an open vms platform. Of those, a city or transport operator running tens of thousands of cameras across federated sites and an enterprise with mixed legacy camera brands that refuses to standardise on one manufacturer are not what Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud is typically brought in for.
What can Milestone XProtect do that Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud cannot?
Milestone XProtect covers Open device support, Perpetual device licences, Federated architecture, Failover recording. Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud covers Cloud Security Posture Management, Cloud Workload Protection, Cloud Network Security, Cloud Identity Security.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Milestone XProtect: Is XProtect really free for small sites?

Essential+ is free for up to eight cameras with no recording time limit, but it comes with no vendor support and no multi-server capability.

Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud: How much does Prisma Cloud cost?

Prisma Cloud pricing is not published publicly. Pricing is provided through the sales team via a custom quote based on your deployment scope and requirements.

Source
Milestone XProtect: Are licences perpetual or annual?

Device licences are perpetual. The annual cost is Care Plus, the support and software update contract, which you need to stay on current versions.

Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud: Is there a free trial for Prisma Cloud?

No free trial is available without contacting the sales team. The company offers a demo through the product demo center or by requesting a demo through their sales process.

Source
Milestone XProtect: What happens if I do not renew Care Plus?

The system keeps recording, but you stop getting version upgrades, and over a few years that blocks you from adding newer cameras.

Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud: What do I need to do to get Prisma Cloud pricing and start a trial?

You must contact the sales team via the Contact Us link or request a demo. Pricing details are provided only through direct sales engagement.

Source
Milestone XProtect: Who owns Milestone?

Canon. The portfolio also includes BriefCam analytics and Arcules cloud video, with Arcules replacing Milestone Kite from January 2025.

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