Is Neo or Zscaler better for AI endpoint control?

Neither is scored on this site. Neo describes 1 of four product control types and Zscaler 1 on the pages we read, and they differ on 10 recorded facts. Which fits depends on the AI tools people use, your devices, where the work happens and whether you block or guide; the finder checks those.

Which of the two decides on a tool call before it runs?

Neo: Matches. Zscaler: Not in our sources. Warn or ask: Neo Matches, Zscaler Not in our sources.

Do Neo or Zscaler publish prices?

Neo: Not published (demo request). Zscaler: Not published (demo request).

HEAD-TO-HEAD · FACTS ONLY

Neo vs Zscaler: AI endpoint control facts side by side

Short answer

Neo describes 1 of the four product control types on the pages we read and Zscaler describes 1; they differ on on-device control, browser extension and network or SSE proxy. On decisions, Neo decides on a tool call before it runs and Zscaler does not describe tool-call decisions on the pages we read. We do not score either; the right choice depends on the AI tools people use, your devices, your current stack and whether you block or guide.

By The Device Desk · Endpoint AI Finder · Published 2026-10-11

Desk research from public vendor pages read on 27 September and 11 October 2026. Profiles follow our published method; we did not run the products.

Vendor pages read September and October 2026 · updated 2026-10-13

Where do their controls sit?

Filled or hatched marker: Neo
Dashed teal ring: Zscaler, described

DEV Filled marker: described on the product pages we read
DEV Hatched marker: partly described (another component, a narrower scope, or method not detailed)
DEV Dashed marker: not in our sources (it may exist; we did not find it)

The map shows where each product's own pages describe a control, or where your answers point. It is not a measure of how well a product works.

What are the facts, side by side?

Neo and Zscaler Generative AI Security, from each product's own pages. Differs is computed from recorded statuses, not wording.
Fact	Neo	Zscaler
Owner	None	None
Positioning	Agentic Software Control from Neo Security, Inc. (neo.ai, not Pulumi Neo): a live inventory of agents, models, skills, MCP servers and extensions on every endpoint, and runtime control that intercepts agent actions and allows, blocks or holds them for approval. Launched 20 July 2026 with $100M from Andreessen Horowitz and Bessemer; HQ Boston.	Zscaler's controls for employee use of generative AI: prompt-level visibility, allow or block by app, DLP blocking across GenAI apps, browser isolation that disables cut, paste and download, and data security for Microsoft Copilot.
How it reaches devices	A lightweight endpoint sensor with no kernel module, no reboot and no OS hooks; analysis stays on the device. OS support is not listed on the pages we read; SACR (secondary) says it needs no MDM. Source: Neo: platform · Read 13 Oct 2026	Delivered with Zscaler's cloud security service in the network path; endpoint agents are not described on the page we read. Source: Zscaler: Secure the use of generative AI · Read 11 Oct 2026
On-device controlDiffers	DescribedA live inventory of agents, models, skills, MCP servers and extensions on every endpoint, with runtime control that intercepts agent actions. Source: Neo homepage · Read 13 Oct 2026	Not in our sourcesNot described on the pages we read.
Browser extensionDiffers	Partly described(secondary: SACR) user-mode endpoint and browser security. Source: SACR (secondary): CISO guide to endpoint control and prevention, July 2026 · Read 13 Oct 2026 · secondary source	Not in our sourcesNot described on the pages we read.
Network or SSE proxyDiffers	Not in our sourcesNot described on the pages we read.	DescribedSee all input prompts users send to apps, allow or block apps, block sensitive data with DLP across GenAI, and isolate the browser to disable cut, paste and download. Source: Zscaler: Secure the use of generative AI · Read 11 Oct 2026
AI or MCP gateway	Not in our sourcesNot described on the pages we read.	Not in our sourcesNot described on the pages we read.
Names the coding agents it coversDiffers	MatchesNames Claude Code, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenAI Codex; Cursor is not named. Source: Neo: platform · Read 13 Oct 2026	Not in our sources
Decides on a tool call before it runsDiffers	MatchesIntercepts agent actions at the endpoint and allows, blocks or holds them for approval. Source: Neo homepage · Read 13 Oct 2026	Not in our sources
Controls what goes into browser AIDiffers	Not in our sources	MatchesPrompt-level visibility, DLP blocking across GenAI apps, and browser isolation that disables cut, paste and download. Source: Zscaler: Secure the use of generative AI · Read 11 Oct 2026
Rolls out through EDR or device management you runDiffers	PartlyIts own lightweight sensor rather than a rollout through existing EDR or MDM. Source: Neo: platform · Read 13 Oct 2026	Not in our sources
Can warn or ask instead of only blockingDiffers	MatchesHold an action for verified human approval. Source: Neo: platform · Read 13 Oct 2026	Not in our sources
Can block an agent, tool or action	MatchesBlock is one of its runtime actions. Source: Neo: platform · Read 13 Oct 2026	MatchesAllow or block GenAI apps, and block sensitive data with DLP. Source: Zscaler: Secure the use of generative AI · Read 11 Oct 2026
Has a watch-only or simulation modeDiffers	MatchesAudit mode before enforcement. Source: Neo: platform · Read 13 Oct 2026	Not in our sources
Records who or what took each actionDiffers	MatchesEvery action tied to the human or agent that caused it, in an immutable audit chain. Source: Neo homepage · Read 13 Oct 2026	Not in our sources
Also covers SaaS, cloud or homegrown AI	PartlyNames SaaS and desktop AI such as Slack AI, Notion AI, Salesforce Agentforce and ChatGPT Desktop. Source: Neo: platform · Read 13 Oct 2026	PartlyData security for Microsoft Copilot, including misconfigurations. Source: Zscaler: Secure the use of generative AI · Read 11 Oct 2026
Has a public price or tiers (vendor site or marketplace)	Not in our sources	Not in our sources
Built into	None	None
Works with	None in our sources	None in our sources
Price	Not published (demo request). Source: Neo homepage · Read 13 Oct 2026	Not published (demo request). Source: Zscaler: Secure the use of generative AI · Read 11 Oct 2026

Where do they differ?

On-device control: Neo describes it; Zscaler is not in our sources.
Browser extension: Neo partly describes it; Zscaler is not in our sources.
Network or SSE proxy: Neo is not in our sources; Zscaler describes it.
Names the coding agents it covers: Neo matches; Zscaler is not in our sources.
Decides on a tool call before it runs: Neo matches; Zscaler is not in our sources.
Controls what goes into browser AI: Neo is not in our sources; Zscaler matches.
Rolls out through EDR or device management you run: Neo partly matches; Zscaler is not in our sources.
Can warn or ask instead of only blocking: Neo matches; Zscaler is not in our sources.
Has a watch-only or simulation mode: Neo matches; Zscaler is not in our sources.
Records who or what took each action: Neo matches; Zscaler is not in our sources.

Choose Neo if

You want to hold agent actions for human approval on the device
You want an audit mode before enforcing rules

Choose Zscaler if

You already route traffic through Zscaler and want GenAI controls there
Your main risk is sensitive data pasted or uploaded into GenAI web apps

Which limits should you check?

Neo

Uses its own sensor rather than the EDR or MDM you run, and OS support is not listed on the pages we read.
No price is published.

Zscaler

Coding agents, MCP servers and local agent actions are not described on the page we read.
Warn or ask responses are not described, and no pricing is published.

Line up Neo and Zscaler with others Run the finder