Cato Networks
What Cato Networks actually does
Cato Networks built a global private backbone (the Cato SASE Cloud) with over 80 PoPs worldwide. Sites connect via Cato Sockets (thin edge appliances), remote users connect via the Cato Client, and cloud resources connect via virtual Sockets or IPsec tunnels. All traffic flows through the Cato backbone where security is applied inline — FWaaS, IPS, anti-malware, CASB, DLP, SWG, and ZTNA.
The key architectural decision is convergence. Cato does not stitch together separate products. Networking and security are processed on the same cloud-native stack, managed through a single console (the Cato Management Application). This means one policy engine, one event store, and one management plane. For operations teams, this reduces tool sprawl significantly.
Cato was founded by Shlomo Kramer (co-founder of Check Point) and Gur Shatz. The company has been building this platform from scratch since 2015. That ground-up architecture is an advantage over vendors bolting acquisitions together, but it also means each individual security function (CASB, DLP, threat prevention) may not match a dedicated point product’s depth.
Who it’s best for
- Distributed enterprises with 20+ branch offices looking to eliminate MPLS and branch firewall appliances
- Mid-market companies (500-5,000 employees) that lack staff to manage multiple security and networking vendors
- Organizations migrating off legacy VPN and want ZTNA as part of a broader networking overhaul
- IT teams that want one console, one vendor, and one support call for networking and security
- Companies in regions where Cato’s PoP coverage aligns with their office locations
Pricing reality check
Cato prices per site and per user. A typical deployment runs $200-$500/month per site (depending on bandwidth) plus $10-$15/user/month for remote access. The total cost often compares favorably to the combined spend on MPLS circuits, branch firewalls (with subscriptions), VPN concentrators, and separate SWG or CASB products.
Where Cato becomes expensive is if you only need part of the platform. If you only need ZTNA and already have firewalls you are happy with, paying for the full SASE stack is overkill. Cato’s value case depends on replacing multiple existing tools. Contracts are typically annual or multi-year with discounts for longer commitments.
Alternatives to consider
Zscaler — Stronger SSE platform with deeper SWG, CASB, and ZTNA capabilities. Choose Zscaler if security depth matters more than SD-WAN convergence — but you will need a separate SD-WAN vendor.
Fortinet FortiSASE — Better if you have existing FortiGate firewalls and want SASE as an extension of your Fortinet deployment rather than a replacement.
Palo Alto Prisma Access — Broader security platform with stronger threat intelligence. Good for enterprises that want SASE plus deep integration with PA-Series firewalls and Prisma Cloud.
Aryaka — Competing managed SASE platform with stronger WAN optimization. Worth evaluating if application performance across global links is the primary concern.
The Charting Cyber take
Buy Cato Networks if you are a distributed enterprise ready to rip out branch firewalls, MPLS, and standalone VPN and replace them with a single cloud-native platform. The convergence story is real — one console, one policy engine, one vendor. Operational simplicity is Cato’s primary value proposition, and it delivers on that promise.
Skip it if you need best-of-breed security depth in any single category. Cato’s CASB is not Netskope. Cato’s threat prevention is not Palo Alto. Cato’s SWG is not Zscaler. If your security requirements demand the deepest possible inspection in one specific area, a point product will outperform Cato in that domain. Also skip it if you are a large enterprise (10,000+ employees) with complex security requirements — the platform’s simplicity can become a limitation at scale.