Best ZTNA for Mid-Market 2026
Mid-market organizations face unique Zero Trust Network Access challenges: they need enterprise-grade security without enterprise IT resources or budgets. Traditional VPN infrastructure creates security gaps through flat network access, while modern ZTNA implements least-privilege access with per-application segmentation. For companies with 100-1,000 employees, the ideal ZTNA platform balances comprehensive security with straightforward deployment, transparent pricing, and management by IT generalists.
The mid-market ZTNA landscape offers solutions from $8-25 per user monthly, with total costs spanning $10,000-$300,000 annually for 500 employees depending on features. Cloud-native platforms like Banyan Security and Axis Security prioritize rapid deployment (1-2 weeks) and operational simplicity, while comprehensive platforms like Zscaler Private Access and Akamai EAA deliver enterprise capabilities at higher price points. Implementation costs add $10,000-$50,000, though vendors increasingly include guided onboarding.
The best ZTNA for mid-market companies in 2026 is Banyan Security because it delivers Zero Trust as a Service purpose-built for organizations without dedicated security teams, with rapid deployment (1-2 weeks), intuitive management by IT generalists, and transparent pricing ($10-18 per user/month) including guided onboarding. For mid-market organizations needing flexible deployment options or hybrid cloud/on-premise architectures, Appgate SDP offers robust security at $12-20 per user monthly with comprehensive documentation. Organizations prioritizing cloud-native simplicity should consider Axis Security at $8-15 per user monthly.
Our Rankings
Banyan Security
Banyan Security delivers Zero Trust as a Service purpose-built for mid-market without dedicated security teams. Flat-rate pricing $10-18 per user monthly provides budget predictability, with rapid deployment typically under two weeks including guided onboarding.
- Rapid 1-2 week deployment with guided onboarding
- IT generalist-friendly interface
- Transparent $10-18 per user/month pricing
- Strong IdP integration
- Smaller integration ecosystem
- Less extensive global coverage
Appgate SDP
Appgate SDP offers maximum deployment flexibility with cloud, on-premise, and hybrid architectures at $12-20 per user monthly. Transparent per-user pricing eliminates surprise costs while accommodating regulatory requirements.
- Flexible cloud/on-prem/hybrid deployment
- Transparent $12-20/month per-user pricing
- Comprehensive documentation
- Fine-grained access controls
- Requires more technical expertise
- Benefits from security resources
Axis Security
Axis Security (HPE Aruba Fabric Connect) provides cloud-native ZTNA with operational simplicity at $8-15 per user monthly. Agentless access reduces deployment friction by eliminating endpoint software requirements.
- Competitive $8-15 per user/month pricing
- Agentless access options
- HPE ecosystem integration
- No on-premise hardware
- Less comprehensive feature set
- Best within HPE infrastructure
Akamai Enterprise Application Access
Akamai Enterprise Application Access leverages 4,000+ points of presence for ultra-low latency global access at $18-30 per user monthly (minimum commitments apply). Best for mid-market with international offices.
- Global 4,000+ PoPs infrastructure
- Enterprise-grade security
- Strong web application protection
- Excellent reliability
- Complex pricing with minimums
- Requires more technical expertise
- Best with annual commitments
Zscaler Private Access
Zscaler Private Access delivers market-leading ZTNA with comprehensive SASE integration at $20-35 per user monthly. Ideal for mid-market planning rapid growth or with compliance requirements justifying premium pricing.
- Most comprehensive ZTNA platform
- Deep SASE integration
- Extensive integrations (500+ partnerships)
- Strong compliance certifications
- Premium $20-35 per user/month pricing
- Minimum commitments $50,000-$100,000
- Advanced features may be underutilized
Evaluation Criteria
- Pricing transparency and predictability for mid market budgets
- Deployment speed and time to value (under 30 days preferred)
- Ease of administration without dedicated security teams
- Integration with common identity providers (Okta, Azure AD, Google Workspace)
- Scalability to support growth from 100 to 1000+ users
- Quality of vendor support and onboarding assistance
How We Picked These
We evaluated 7 products (last researched 2026-01-30).
Frequently Asked Questions
01 What's the typical cost for mid-market ZTNA?
Mid-market ZTNA ranges $8-25 per user per month. For 250 users, expect $24,000-75,000 annually for licensing. Banyan Security and Axis Security trend lower ($8-18/user/month) with transparent pricing, while Zscaler ZPA and Akamai EAA require custom quotes. Factor in implementation costs $10,000-50,000, though vendors like Banyan include guided onboarding.
02 How long does ZTNA deployment take for mid-market?
Deployment varies 1-8 weeks. Banyan Security and Axis Security deploy in 1-2 weeks for straightforward environments. Appgate SDP requires 3-4 weeks for proper policies. Zscaler ZPA and Akamai EAA may need 6-8 weeks for complex application portfolios. Cloud-native solutions deploy faster than hybrid architectures.
03 Do mid-market companies need dedicated security staff?
Not necessarily. Banyan Security and Axis Security are designed for IT generalists with minimal security specialization. Appgate SDP requires moderate security knowledge. Zscaler ZPA and Akamai EAA benefit from dedicated security resources or MSP partnerships. Most vendors offer managed services options, typically adding 20-30% to licensing costs.
04 Can ZTNA scale as mid-market companies grow?
Yes, all platforms scale from hundreds to thousands of users. Banyan, Appgate, and Axis offer flexible licensing growing with your organization. Zscaler ZPA and Akamai EAA provide enterprise scalability from the start. Consider future needs: if planning growth beyond 1,000 users or international expansion, platforms with global infrastructure may offer better long-term value despite higher initial costs.
05 How does ZTNA pricing compare to VPN?
ZTNA costs 2-3x more per user than VPN licensing ($8-25/user/month versus $3-8/user/month), but often reduces total cost of ownership. Savings come from eliminated VPN hardware refresh cycles, reduced help desk tickets (60-80% fewer), decreased security incident costs, and lower network complexity. For 250-user mid-market, ZTNA may add $15,000-40,000 annually but save $30,000-60,000 in operational and security costs.
06 What identity providers integrate with mid-market ZTNA?
All major ZTNA platforms integrate with Okta, Microsoft Azure AD (Entra ID), Google Workspace, Ping Identity, OneLogin, and Auth0 using SAML 2.0 or OIDC protocols. Banyan Security offers particularly strong integration with modern cloud identity providers. Organizations using on-premise Active Directory can integrate via Azure AD Connect or Okta AD Agent.
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