Overview

Cato SASE Platform is a cloud-delivered networking, security, and access service for organizations that want to manage those capabilities through a shared policy and console. It is best suited to teams consolidating branch connectivity and private application access with security controls; custom pricing makes it less straightforward for buyers comparing costs upfront.

A cloud-native backbone supports global connectivity, segmentation, and multi-cloud access. Cato Networks was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel.

For a category-wide comparison, see Secure Access Service Edge Software.

Key features

Shared network and security controls

Cato combines networking and security around one policy engine and console, with single-pass inspection. That can give teams a common operating model for connectivity and protection rather than separate policy surfaces. The security stack includes firewall-as-a-service, secure web gateway, intrusion prevention, malware prevention, DNS security, and remote browser isolation. SD-WAN, CASB, DLP, XDR, endpoint protection, digital experience monitoring, and a platform API broaden its scope, but the breadth also means buyers should confirm which capabilities and licenses their deployment requires.

Private application access

Users can reach private applications through a ZTNA client, Enterprise Browser, or clientless portal. Browser access also supports hosted applications and RDP or SSH resources without installing the Cato Client, a useful route for users or devices where a client install is impractical. The Cato Client supports Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android; availability depends on operating-system and client versions.

Integrations and assurance

Cato’s Integration Hub covers 100 integrations across areas such as authentication, asset management, EDR, ITSM, SaaS security, and SIEM. Some third-party integrations are included with the default account license, while others require a separate license, so integration fit should be checked against the intended account. Cato’s Trust Center lists SOC 2 Type II, PCI, ISO 27001:2022, ISO 27701, GDPR, HIPAA, and other compliance badges.

Pricing

Cato SASE Platform

The platform uses paid, custom pricing: contact sales for a tailored discussion. There is no published entry price or free plan to benchmark against, so teams need a sales conversation to assess fit and cost. The plan covers the platform’s cloud delivery and stated branch connectivity, secure web gateway, CASB, and data loss prevention capabilities. Confirm how the required capabilities and any separately licensed integrations affect the proposed package.

Platforms

The platform lists Android, API, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows support. The Cato Client is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, subject to operating-system and client-version support. Browser-based remote access can reach hosted applications and RDP or SSH resources without the client. Delivery is cloud-based.

Who it's for

Cato is a strong fit for organizations seeking a cloud-delivered combination of branch connectivity, multi-cloud access, security controls, and private application access under a shared policy model. Its multiple remote-access routes and wide security scope suit teams trying to align network and security operations. It is a weaker fit for buyers who need transparent pricing before engaging sales, or who want to assume every third-party integration is covered by the base license.

Pros and cons

Pros

Unified policy and console: networking and security share a management model, which can reduce the need to coordinate separate control planes.
Flexible private access: client, Enterprise Browser, and clientless options support different user and device situations; browser access includes RDP and SSH resources.
Broad security and integration scope: listed controls span web, firewall, threat prevention, data protection, and endpoint capabilities, alongside 100 integrations.
Multiple compliance badges: the Trust Center lists widely used security and privacy standards, including SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001:2022, and HIPAA.

Cons

Custom pricing: buyers cannot compare a published price or free tier before contacting sales.
Integration licensing varies: some third-party integrations require a license beyond the default account license.
Client support is version-dependent: operating-system and client versions affect availability, so endpoint compatibility needs checking.

Alternatives

Cloudflare One is worth considering if a free plan matters: it offers a $0 forever tier capped at 50 users, with community forums and Discord support and up to 24 hours of standard log retention.

Pangolin is another freemium option; its Basic plan is free and caps usage at five users, five sites, five domains, 15 public resources, 15 private resources, and five machine clients.

Fortinet Unified SASE is a paid alternative with Standard and Advanced plans, including a stated limit of up to three devices per user on the Standard plan.

WatchGuard FireCloud is a paid option with a free trial; its FireCloud Internet Access plan for 1–50 licenses costs 97.75 USD per year.

Arista NG Firewall is a freemium alternative with a free plan for basic security and connectivity capabilities.

COSGrid Z3 SASE is an enterprise SASE alternative with custom pricing and a demo request.

Samsung Cloud Platform Container Registry is a paid option centered on usage-based registry billing.

Huawei HiSecEngine USG6800G is another paid alternative with pricing requested from sales.

For adjacent categories, compare Network Firewall Software and Business VPN Software.

Verdict

Choose Cato SASE Platform if your team wants cloud-delivered networking, security, and private access governed through a shared policy model, with client and browser-based routes for users. Its strongest case is breadth under one operating model; its main drawback is that custom pricing and variable integration licensing require a sales discussion before you can judge total fit and cost.

	Cato SASE Platform	Octelium
Free plan	No	Yes
Free trial	No	No
Paid from	—	Free
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Android, api, iOS, Linux, macOS, Web, Windows	api, Linux, self-hosted, Web
Free plan	—	Yes

Cato SASE Platform vs Octelium

Cato SASE Platform

Octelium