Pi-hole vs Zscaler

Struggling to choose between Pi-hole and Zscaler? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Pi-hole is a Network & Admin solution with tags like ad-blocking, privacy, dns, network-level-blocking.

It boasts features such as Network-wide ad blocking, Blocks ads for all devices on your network, Lightweight and designed to run on a Raspberry Pi, Uses DNS filtering to block unwanted domains, Can block ads in non-browser applications, Provides a local DNS server for your network, Web interface for managing blocklists and whitelists, Can view stats on ads and queries blocked, Open source software and pros including Blocks ads without needing client software, Easy to set up and configure, Low resource usage, Can improve page load speeds, Blocks ads on all devices and applications, Constantly updated blocklists, Active open source community.

On the other hand, Zscaler is a Security & Privacy product tagged with cloud, web-filtering, zero-trust, sandboxing, firewall.

Its standout features include Cloud-delivered security, Real-time threat protection, Access control, Data protection, Cloud firewall, Sandboxing, Secure web gateway, Zero trust network access, Cloud DLP, Browser isolation, and it shines with pros like Effective at blocking threats, Simple and fast deployment, Works across all devices, Provides visibility into threats, Integrates with existing infrastructure, Scales easily.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Pi-hole

Pi-hole

Pi-hole is an open source DNS sinkhole and ad blocker that works at the network level. It allows users to block ads and trackers on all devices on their home network by redirecting traffic from ad-serving domains to a black hole.

Categories:
ad-blocking privacy dns network-level-blocking

Pi-hole Features

  1. Network-wide ad blocking
  2. Blocks ads for all devices on your network
  3. Lightweight and designed to run on a Raspberry Pi
  4. Uses DNS filtering to block unwanted domains
  5. Can block ads in non-browser applications
  6. Provides a local DNS server for your network
  7. Web interface for managing blocklists and whitelists
  8. Can view stats on ads and queries blocked
  9. Open source software

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Blocks ads without needing client software

Easy to set up and configure

Low resource usage

Can improve page load speeds

Blocks ads on all devices and applications

Constantly updated blocklists

Active open source community

Cons

Requires a dedicated device to run on

Can break some web sites

Requires technical knowledge to configure

Does not work when away from home network

Does not block all ads and trackers


Zscaler

Zscaler

Zscaler is a cloud-based web security platform that provides secure internet access through its global network. It offers web security, DNS security, cloud firewalls, sandboxing, and more to protect organizations from cyberthreats.

Categories:
cloud web-filtering zero-trust sandboxing firewall

Zscaler Features

  1. Cloud-delivered security
  2. Real-time threat protection
  3. Access control
  4. Data protection
  5. Cloud firewall
  6. Sandboxing
  7. Secure web gateway
  8. Zero trust network access
  9. Cloud DLP
  10. Browser isolation

Pricing

  • Subscription-Based

Pros

Effective at blocking threats

Simple and fast deployment

Works across all devices

Provides visibility into threats

Integrates with existing infrastructure

Scales easily

Cons

Can be complex to configure fully

Requires routing all traffic through Zscaler

Extra costs for advanced features

Can impact performance if not sized correctly

Lacks on-premise deployment option