Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud vs Proofpoint

Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud logo

Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud

Cybersecurity

Cloud-native application protection platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Proofpoint logo

Proofpoint

Cybersecurity

Email security and data protection suite from a private company owned by Thoma Bravo, licensed per user with modules sold separately.

From
$6/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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; Proofpoint licensing is per user per year with each capability as a separate stock item, so the platform shown in a proof of concept is normally several products, and adding awareness training, data loss prevention or insider threat monitoring later is a fresh negotiation rather than enabling a feature.
  • They diverge on capability: Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud covers Cloud Security Posture Management, Proofpoint covers Inline secure email gateway.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud and Proofpoint differ
AttributePalo Alto Networks Prisma CloudProofpoint
Starting priceOn request$6/month
PlatformsWeb, ApiEmail, Cloud, Web
Founded20052002

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 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

Only in Proofpoint

  • Inline secure email gateway
  • Attachment sandboxing
  • URL rewriting and click-time analysis
  • Threat Response Auto-Pull
  • Email Fraud Defense
  • Security awareness training
  • Insider Threat Management
  • Enterprise DLP

What people use each for

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

Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud

  • Cloud Securitynot Proofpoint
  • Cspmnot Proofpoint
  • Cwppnot Proofpoint

Proofpoint

  • A regulated organisation that needs a filtering layer, DMARC enforcement and archiving with an auditable trail across all threenot Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud
  • An organisation that suffered a business email compromise and must show its board a control that stops delivery rather than remediating afterwardsnot Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud
  • Concentrating stronger controls and training on the specific individuals who actually receive targeted attacks rather than applying uniform policynot Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud
  • Retracting a phishing message from thousands of mailboxes after the verdict changes, including copies that were forwarded internallynot Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud

Where each one falls short

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

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

Proofpoint

  • Licensing is per user per year with each capability as a separate stock item, so the platform shown in a proof of concept is normally several products, and adding awareness training, data loss prevention or insider threat monitoring later is a fresh negotiation rather than enabling a feature.
  • It sits inline with MX records pointed at it, so any service degradation is a mail outage for the entire organisation, and both migrating on and migrating off are cutovers with queueing, rollback planning and a real risk of message loss.
  • Most customers on Microsoft 365 E5 or Google Workspace Enterprise are already paying for native filtering, so Proofpoint is a second licence layered over a capability the organisation owns, and that comparison is raised by finance at every single renewal.
  • The administration console carries a decade of acquisitions: the classic gateway policy routes and filters do not share a model with the newer module interfaces, rule evaluation is order-sensitive in ways that surprise untrained administrators, and mistakes there silently change what is delivered.
  • Quarantine management is a standing helpdesk workload because legitimate bulk mail, invoices and supplier notifications are held, and unless end-user digests are configured and users are taught to use them, the security team becomes the mail release desk.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Proofpoint

$6/month
  • Email Protection$6/month
    • Per user
    • Advanced threat detection
    • Data loss prevention
  • Compliance$8/month
    • All Email Protection
    • Archive & search
    • eDiscovery
  • Advanced Threat$10/month
    • All Compliance features
    • Targeted attack detection
    • Behavior analytics

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Proofpoint if

  • You need inline secure email gateway.
  • You work on Email, Cloud, Web.
  • You also want attachment sandboxing.
Proofpoint review

Questions people ask

Is Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud or Proofpoint better?
Neither clearly leads. Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud starts at On request and Proofpoint at $6/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud or Proofpoint?
Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud starts at On request and Proofpoint at $6/month.
Does Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud or Proofpoint run on more platforms?
Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud runs on Web, Api. Proofpoint runs on Email, Cloud, Web.
What is Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud best used for?
Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud is most often used for cloud security, cspm, cwpp. Of those, cloud security and cspm are not what Proofpoint is typically brought in for.
What can Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud do that Proofpoint cannot?
Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud covers Cloud Security Posture Management, Cloud Workload Protection, Cloud Network Security, Cloud Identity Security. Proofpoint covers Inline secure email gateway, Attachment sandboxing, URL rewriting and click-time analysis, Threat Response Auto-Pull.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Proofpoint: Does it replace Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

Functionally it overlaps heavily, and running both means paying twice for filtering. Most Proofpoint customers on Microsoft 365 keep Defender licensed because it is bundled in E5 and use Proofpoint as the inline gateway. Expect to justify that duplication annually.

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
Proofpoint: Who owns Proofpoint?

Thoma Bravo, a private equity firm, which took the company private in 2021. It has continued to acquire since, including Tessian, Normalyze and Hornetsecurity, which is why the portfolio spans so many adjacent categories.

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
Proofpoint: Do I have to change my MX records?

For the gateway, yes. That is what makes it inline and able to block before delivery. Some newer capabilities integrate through the mailbox API instead, but the core protection model is MX-level.

Proofpoint: Is security awareness training included?

No, it is a separate subscription. It integrates well with the threat data, so training can target the users actually being attacked, but it is a distinct line item on the quote.

Proofpoint: What does Threat Response Auto-Pull actually do?

It removes messages from mailboxes after delivery when the verdict changes, including copies that users forwarded internally. It is the answer to the case where a link was clean at delivery and weaponised an hour later.

Share

Related pages

More on Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud

More on Proofpoint

Keep looking

Other head to heads