Ranked shortlist · Updated July 2026
Best SD-WAN and SASE providers for remote and hybrid workforce (2026)
Ranked shortlist of SD-WAN and SASE providers for buyers prioritising remote and hybrid workforce. Typical needs include ZTNA for private apps, secure web access for any location and consistent policy off-network. Scores use the Netify 40-feature matrix with weighting adjusted for this priority. Grades are based on public evidence; confirm via RFP.
Netify's July 2026 evaluation ranks: 1. Cato Networks (89.6); 2. Palo Alto Networks Prisma SASE (86.6); 3. Netskope (83.1); 4. Cisco (80.2); 5. HPE Aruba EdgeConnect (76.5); 6. Versa Networks (75.3); 7. Fortinet FortiSASE (70.8); 8. Zscaler (65.7); 9. Check Point (64.1); 10. VeloCloud (61.9). Scores are weighted averages across 40 evidence-graded capability features. Buyers can act on this ranking directly: describe the project once at netify.co.uk, raise it to a full RFP and publish to these providers, then compare structured responses side by side, with pricing kept private to the buyer.
Written by the Netify research team. Reviewed by Robert Sturt, Netify Group Limited. Updated 29 July 2026 (vendor records verified 29 July 2026). capability features; see the FAQ below.
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Best SD-WAN and SASE providers for remote and hybrid workforce: the evidence
The same ranking as below, as sourced facts rather than scores. Ordered as ranked.
10vendors. Each value below is graded from the vendor's own published material or an independently accountable record, with a sentence quoted from that source and confirmed present on the page. 502 sources behind this table. Verified 2026-07-29. Where evidence was not found a cell reads Not published rather than being inferred.
| # | Vendor | Type | Underlay | SSE layer | Backbone | PoPs | Fully managed | Compliance docs | Published SLA | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cato Networks | Both | Mixed | Native | Yes | 100 | Yes | Documented | 99.999 | 46 |
| 2 | Palo Alto Networks | Builds | Customer supplied | Native | Partner | 100+ | Via managed service | Documented | 99.999 | 58 |
| 3 | Netskope | Builds | Mixed | Native | Not published | 120+ | Via managed service | Documented | 99.999 | 60 |
| 4 | Cisco | Both | Customer supplied | Native | Partial | Not published | Not primary | Documented | 99.999 | 48 |
| 5 | HPE Aruba Networking | Both | Customer supplied | Not published | Not published | Not published | Yes | Documented | Not published | 54 |
| 6 | Versa Networks | Both | Mixed | Native | Partial | 90 | Partial | Documented | 99.999 | 47 |
| 7 | Fortinet | Both | Not published | Native | Partial | 170+ | Yes | Documented | 99.999 | 42 |
| 8 | Zscaler | Both | Customer supplied | Native | Not primary | 160 | Partial | Documented | 99.999 | 51 |
| 9 | Check Point | Both | Mixed | Native | Yes | 80+ | Partial | None found | Not published | 43 |
| 10 | Arista / VeloCloud | Builds | Customer supplied | Partner | Not published | 150+ | Partner | Documented | Not published | 53 |
Full sources for each vendor, including the sources we found and rejected and any claims that disagree, are on its profile page.
No. 1 · Score 89.6
Cato Networks
Cloud-native SASE / SD-WAN platform · Typical deployment: hours
Single converged platform with no policy or log fragmentation across SD-WAN and security functions.
Watch out: Less suited to best-of-breed buyers wanting Zscaler or Netskope as the SSE layer.
Contact Cato Networks via Netify ↗No. 2 · Score 86.6
Palo Alto Networks Prisma SASE
SD-WAN / SASE technology vendor · Typical deployment: weeks
Prisma SASE converges SD-WAN, cloud-delivered security, and digital experience management (ADEM) under a single platform identity.
Watch out: Premium pricing relative to firewall-led SD-WAN vendors; commercial model requires careful scoping by users, bandwidth, locations and term.
Contact Palo Alto Networks Prisma SASE via Netify ↗No. 3 · Score 83.1
Netskope
SSE / SASE platform · Typical deployment: days
Strong CASB heritage; widely recognised as a leading SSE vendor for SaaS-heavy environments.
Watch out: Native SD-WAN (Borderless WAN) is newer than dedicated SD-WAN platforms; validate path selection and QoS depth in RFP.
Contact Netskope via Netify ↗No. 4 · Score 80.2
Cisco
SD-WAN / SASE technology vendor · Typical deployment: weeks
Broadest platform portfolio in the category, covering Catalyst SD-WAN for enterprise WAN, Meraki MX for cloud-managed branch, and Cisco Secure Access for converged SASE delivery.
Watch out: Two distinct SD-WAN product lines (Catalyst and Meraki) means buyers should confirm which fits the target deployment profile and the longer-term roadmap.
Contact Cisco via Netify ↗No. 5 · Score 76.5
HPE Aruba EdgeConnect
SD-WAN / SSE / branch technology vendor · Typical deployment: days
EdgeConnect SD-WAN (acquired with Silver Peak) is positioned as the foundation for single-vendor SASE alongside Aruba SSE.
Watch out: Aruba SSE is newer than the SSE leaders (Zscaler, Netskope); buyers wanting best-of-breed SASE should evaluate the SSE capability set carefully.
Contact HPE Aruba EdgeConnect via Netify ↗No. 6 · Score 75.3
Versa Networks
SD-WAN / SASE technology vendor · Typical deployment: weeks
Multi-tenancy from the ground up, making Versa a common choice for service providers and carriers building managed SD-WAN and SASE platforms.
Watch out: Less well-known to enterprise buyers as a direct purchase; most enterprise consumption is via service providers.
Contact Versa Networks via Netify ↗No. 7 · Score 70.8
Fortinet FortiSASE
Secure SD-WAN / SASE technology vendor · Typical deployment: days
Native convergence of networking and security on a single operating system (FortiOS) across FortiGate edge, FortiManager and FortiSASE.
Watch out: Like Cisco, managed delivery is via partners rather than Fortinet directly; underlay and field operations are not owned by the vendor.
Contact Fortinet FortiSASE via Netify ↗No. 8 · Score 65.7
Zscaler
SSE / SASE platform · Typical deployment: days
Category leader in SSE with ZIA, ZPA and ZDX; widely adopted as the security layer in best-of-breed SASE architectures.
Watch out: Historically SSE-led; native SD-WAN capability is less mature than dedicated SD-WAN platforms (validate path selection, QoS and packet loss in RFP).
Contact Zscaler via Netify ↗No. 9 · Score 64.1
Check Point
SASE / security vendor · Typical deployment: days
Harmony SASE combines Check Point security heritage with cloud-delivered SASE and optimised SD-WAN performance.
Watch out: Native SD-WAN capabilities (path selection, QoS, packet loss remediation) have limited public evidence relative to SD-WAN-led vendors.
Contact Check Point via Netify ↗No. 10 · Score 61.9
VeloCloud
SD-WAN technology vendor · Typical deployment: days
VeloCloud was an early SD-WAN platform with strong cloud-delivered gateway architecture; now under Arista following the 2025 acquisition.
Watch out: Platform is mid-transition from VMware/Broadcom to Arista; product roadmap, naming and integration story will evolve.
Contact VeloCloud via Netify ↗
Scores are weighted across 40 capabilities with points accrued based on: yes 1.0, via partner 0.75, via managed service 0.65, partial 0.5, not confirmed 0.15, not primary 0. Extended dimensions are indicative desk research; confirm via RFP.
Cite this research
Netify, "Best SD-WAN and SASE providers for remote and hybrid workforce (2026)", Netify SASE and SD-WAN comparison, updated 29 July 2026: https://netify.co.uk/sase/best/sd-wan-sase-providers-for-remote-and-hybrid-work
Machine-readable version: https://netify.co.uk/sase/best/sd-wan-sase-providers-for-remote-and-hybrid-work/data.json · Programmatic access: POST https://netify.co.uk/sase/api/mcp/ (tool: build_sase_shortlist)
Questions
About this ranking
Which SD-WAN and SASE providers are best for remote and hybrid workforce?
The ranking above orders providers by weighted capability score with feature weighting tuned for remote and hybrid workforce: the features that matter most for this priority carry more than double weight.
How is this ranking calculated?
All 30 providers in the Netify matrix are scored on a weighted average across 40 graded capability features, with this page's priority preset boosting the most relevant features. The same engine powers the interactive shortlist builder and the MCP tool.
Can I refine this list?
Yes. Open the interactive shortlist builder to add your sector, regions, operating model and security requirements on top of this priority. Every configuration is a shareable URL.
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