Zscaler does not publish prices. Its plans page lists features, and you get a number by asking for a quote. For a small business there is a simpler route: Network Essentials provides Zscaler as a managed service, billed month-to-month, starting at $8 per user per month. This guide explains how Zscaler is sold, what moves the price, and what to ask before you sign anything.
The short answer
- List price: not published. Zscaler’s own pricing and plans page shows two platform bundles and a long list of add-ons, with no dollar figures (checked October 2026).
- How it is charged: as a subscription, per user.
- What you will find online: third-party estimates that disagree with each other, because every deal is a quote.
- Through Network Essentials: a managed service from $8 per user per month, month-to-month, with the exact figure in writing after a short scoping call.
How Zscaler is sold
Zscaler groups its products into two platform bundles, which it calls the Essentials Platform and the Zscaler Platform. Both cover secure internet access. The larger bundle adds full private access to your internal apps and inline data security. On top of either bundle sits a menu of paid add-ons: advanced sandboxing, an advanced firewall, browser isolation, data loss prevention for email and endpoints, and more. Several products, including Zscaler Private Access, can also be bought on their own.
The plans page is written for large organizations. A number of the included features on it only apply to customers with more than 500 users. A 25-person firm can use Zscaler perfectly well, but it has to work out which parts of that table matter to it, and then get a quote.
What moves the price
- How many users. It is priced per user, so headcount is the first number anyone will ask for.
- Which products. Protecting web and internet traffic is one thing. Replacing your VPN with private access to internal apps is another. Many firms need both; some need one.
- Which add-ons. Data loss prevention, browser isolation and advanced threat features each add to the bill. Most small firms need fewer of these than a sales conversation suggests.
- The term. A longer commitment usually buys a lower rate and removes your ability to change course.
- Who runs it. The license is only part of the cost. Someone has to design the policies, roll out the client to every device, and watch the alerts. If that is nobody’s job, the product protects less than you paid for.
Zscaler as a service, month-to-month
You do not need an enterprise contract to get Zscaler. Network Essentials provides it as a managed service, on its own or alongside managed IT.
- Price: starts at $8 per user per month. The figure depends on which Zscaler products you need.
- Term: month-to-month from day one. No annual contract.
- To cancel: 30 days’ written notice, for any reason, with no termination fee. See how our agreement works.
- Team size: it suits teams of about 10 users and up.
- What we do: scope it, deploy it, write the policies and monitor it 24/7. Our security practice is CISSP-led.
- Do you need to be a managed IT client? No. We sell it on its own.
The details of the service are on our Zscaler page. If you are still deciding whether it fits a firm your size, read Zscaler for small business and why the core firewall is no longer enough.
Six questions to ask before you buy Zscaler from anyone
- Is the price per user per month or per user per year, and what is the total for my headcount?
- How long is the term, and what happens if I add or remove users during it?
- Which products and add-ons are in the quote, and which did you leave out?
- Who deploys it to every device, and is that included or billed separately?
- Who writes and maintains the policies after go-live?
- Who watches the alerts, and what happens when one fires at night?
Our answer to the last one: monitoring runs 24/7. Our help desk is staffed Monday to Friday, 6 am to 6 pm, with after-hours emergency support for clients.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Zscaler cost per user?
Zscaler does not publish a list price, so the honest answer is that it depends on the quote. Through Network Essentials, Zscaler as a managed service starts at $8 per user per month, and the exact figure depends on which products you need.
Can a small business buy Zscaler?
Yes. Zscaler’s plans are written with large organizations in mind, but the product works for small teams. Network Essentials provides it as a managed service for teams of about 10 users and up.
Do I have to sign an annual contract?
Not with Network Essentials. Our Zscaler service is month-to-month from day one. You can cancel with 30 days’ written notice, for any reason, with no termination fee.
Do I need to be a managed IT client to get it?
No. We provide Zscaler on its own or alongside managed IT.
Does Zscaler replace my VPN and firewall?
Private access can replace a traditional VPN for reaching internal apps, and internet access inspects web traffic wherever your people work. Whether you can retire a specific firewall depends on what else it does at your office, which is one of the things we check when we scope the work.
Get a number in writing
Tell us how many people you have and how they connect today. We will tell you which Zscaler products you need, which you do not, and what it costs per month. Call (704) 206-8900 or request a free consultation.
Zscaler is a trademark of Zscaler, Inc. Network Essentials deploys and manages Zscaler for its clients. Product and plan names are taken from Zscaler’s public plans page as of October 2026 and may change.
