Why is zscaler so bad

Content on WhatAnswers is provided "as is" for informational purposes. While we strive for accuracy, we make no guarantees. Content is AI-assisted and should not be used as professional advice.

Last updated: April 8, 2026

Quick Answer: Zscaler has faced criticism primarily for performance issues, with some users reporting latency increases of 20-30% when routing traffic through its cloud security platform. In 2022, a major service outage affected thousands of customers for over 6 hours, highlighting reliability concerns. Additionally, implementation complexity and high costs averaging $50-100 per user annually have drawn negative feedback from organizations with limited IT resources.

Key Facts

Founded in 2007 by Jay Chaudhry, Zscaler went public in 2018 with a $1.9 billion valuation
Zscaler processes over 200 billion transactions daily across 150+ data centers worldwide
In 2022, a significant outage affected thousands of customers for over 6 hours
Typical enterprise pricing ranges from $50-100 per user annually
Some users report latency increases of 20-30% when routing through Zscaler's platform

Overview

Zscaler is a cloud security company founded in 2007 by Jay Chaudhry that pioneered the Security Service Edge (SSE) model, moving security from on-premises appliances to the cloud. The company went public in March 2018 with a $1.9 billion valuation and has grown to serve over 6,000 enterprise customers globally. Zscaler's core offering replaces traditional VPNs and firewall appliances with a cloud-native platform that inspects all internet traffic regardless of user location. The company operates more than 150 data centers worldwide and processes over 200 billion transactions daily. While Zscaler has been recognized as a leader in Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Secure Web Gateways since 2016, it has faced consistent criticism regarding performance, reliability, and implementation challenges that have led some users to question its effectiveness.

How It Works

Zscaler operates through a global cloud platform that intercepts and inspects all internet traffic using a proxy architecture. When users attempt to access web resources, their traffic is routed through Zscaler's nearest data center where it undergoes multiple security checks including URL filtering, malware scanning, data loss prevention, and SSL inspection. The platform uses a zero-trust model that authenticates users and devices before granting access to applications, eliminating the traditional network perimeter. All traffic is encrypted using TLS 1.2/1.3 protocols and inspected in real-time through Zscaler's cloud infrastructure. The system applies security policies based on user identity, device type, location, and application being accessed, with decisions made at the cloud edge rather than through on-premises hardware. This architecture allows for consistent security enforcement regardless of where users connect from.

Why It Matters

Zscaler's approach matters because it addresses fundamental shifts in enterprise computing, particularly the move to cloud applications and remote work. Traditional security models that rely on backhauling traffic to corporate data centers create performance bottlenecks and poor user experiences. By moving security to the cloud edge, Zscaler enables direct-to-internet connections that can improve performance for cloud applications while maintaining security controls. However, when the platform experiences issues, the impact is widespread since all internet traffic flows through it. The 2022 outage demonstrated how dependent organizations become on this single point of control, with thousands of users unable to access critical business applications. For companies considering Zscaler, the trade-offs between security benefits and potential performance/reliability issues represent significant business decisions affecting productivity and operational continuity.