Is Onyx or Zscaler better for AI endpoint control?

Neither is scored on this site. Onyx describes 3 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?

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

Do Onyx or Zscaler publish prices?

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

HEAD-TO-HEAD · FACTS ONLY

Onyx vs Zscaler: AI endpoint control facts side by side

Short answer

Onyx describes 3 of the four product control types on the pages we read and Zscaler describes 1; they differ on on-device control, browser extension, network or SSE proxy and AI or MCP gateway. On decisions, Onyx 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: Onyx
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?

Onyx Security and Zscaler Generative AI Security, from each product's own pages. Differs is computed from recorded statuses, not wording.
Fact	Onyx	Zscaler
Owner	None	None
Positioning	"The Secure AI Control Plane for the Agentic Era": inline inspection of prompts, tool calls and model responses across browser AI, coding assistants, desktop AI agents, cloud workloads and MCP servers. Based in Tel Aviv and New York.	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	Endpoint agents, browser extensions, APIs and gateways. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 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	DescribedEndpoint agents cover coding assistants and desktop AI agents. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 2026	Not in our sourcesNot described on the pages we read.
Browser extensionDiffers	DescribedBrowser extensions cover browser AI. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 2026	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 gatewayDiffers	DescribedGateways and APIs inspect traffic inline. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 2026	Not in our sourcesNot described on the pages we read.
Names the coding agents it coversDiffers	PartlyCovers coding assistants; specific tools are not named on the pages we read. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 2026	Not in our sources
Decides on a tool call before it runsDiffers	MatchesInspects every prompt, tool call and model response inline. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 2026	Not in our sources
Controls what goes into browser AI	MatchesCan mask data in browser AI as well as block it. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 2026	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 run	Not in our sources	Not in our sources
Can warn or ask instead of only blockingDiffers	MatchesFive actions: alert, block, mask, steer or ask. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 2026	Not in our sources
Can block an agent, tool or action	MatchesBlock is one of five actions. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 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	PartlyAlert is one of five actions; a simulation mode is not described. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 2026	Not in our sources
Records who or what took each actionDiffers	PartlyIntegrates with Okta, Entra and Splunk; separating a person from an agent is not described. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 2026	Not in our sources
Also covers SaaS, cloud or homegrown AIDiffers	MatchesCloud workloads and MCP servers as well as devices. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 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	Lists CrowdStrike among its integrations. Source: Onyx Security: AI security platform · Read 27 Sep 2026	None in our sources
Price	Not published. Source: Onyx Security homepage · Read 27 Sep 2026	Not published (demo request). Source: Zscaler: Secure the use of generative AI · Read 11 Oct 2026

Where do they differ?

On-device control: Onyx describes it; Zscaler is not in our sources.
Browser extension: Onyx describes it; Zscaler is not in our sources.
Network or SSE proxy: Onyx is not in our sources; Zscaler describes it.
AI or MCP gateway: Onyx describes it; Zscaler is not in our sources.
Names the coding agents it covers: Onyx partly matches; Zscaler is not in our sources.
Decides on a tool call before it runs: Onyx matches; Zscaler is not in our sources.
Can warn or ask instead of only blocking: Onyx matches; Zscaler is not in our sources.
Has a watch-only or simulation mode: Onyx partly matches; Zscaler is not in our sources.
Records who or what took each action: Onyx partly matches; Zscaler is not in our sources.
Also covers SaaS, cloud or homegrown AI: Onyx matches; Zscaler partly matches.

Choose Onyx if

You want masking or steering rather than only allow or block
AI use spans the browser, desktop apps, coding tools and cloud workloads

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?

Onyx

Uses its own endpoint agents and browser extensions, so there is something new to roll out to devices.
No pricing published, and specific coding agents are not named on the pages we read.

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 Onyx and Zscaler with others Run the finder