Perimeter 81 Review 2026: Cloud SASE/ZTNA platform, now Check Point Harmony SASE
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Perimeter 81
Pros
- Full SASE stack in one console: ZTNA, SWG, FWaaS, SD-WAN and SaaS security, now backed by Check Point ThreatCloud AI
- Quick deployment with cross-platform agents (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android) across 80+ global PoPs
- Transparent legacy tier pricing from $8/user/mo that undercut most enterprise SASE incumbents
- 24/7 support including phone, plus dedicated gateways with static IPs for allow-listing
Cons
- Public pricing was removed after the Check Point rebrand; new buyers must request a custom quote
- $40/mo per-gateway fees plus a 10-user minimum inflate the real cost for small teams
- Two rebrands in ~2 years (Perimeter 81 to Harmony SASE to Check Point SASE) caused console/branding churn
- Best value requires an annual commitment; monthly billing costs roughly 20% more
Best for: SMBs and mid-market teams wanting one console for VPN, ZTNA and web security, Existing Check Point shops consolidating on ThreatCloud AI threat prevention, Distributed/remote workforces needing fast agent rollout across OSes.
What is Perimeter 81?
Perimeter 81 is a cloud-delivered network security platform built around secure access service edge principles and zero trust network access. Rather than hauling remote staff through a hardware VPN concentrator, it places a software-defined perimeter between people and the systems they need, whether those sit in a data center or a cloud account. The perimeter81.com address now returns a 301 redirect to sase.checkpoint.com, where the offering is presented as Check Point SASE and the page title still reads "Check Point SASE - Perimeter 81".
The live site organizes the platform into three product groups: Private Access for connectivity to company resources, Internet Access for protection against internet-borne threats, and SD-WAN for improving network performance at business sites. Private Access is described as applying an identity-centric zero trust access policy that accommodates any employee, third party or branch office, so entitlement follows the user rather than whichever network segment they land on.
Zero trust access as a VPN replacement
VPN replacement is the workflow Perimeter 81 leads with, and the product line reflects it. The Private Access menu lists ZTNA and Agentless ZTNA as separate entries, and the suite is described as accommodating any employee, third party or branch office. Enterprise Browser is listed alongside them in the same Private Access menu. Underneath, Private Access is described as delivering high performance with a full mesh global private backbone, and a separate statistic on the page claims 85+ points of presence for low-latency connection to remote employees and branches.
Internet Access, SWG and SaaS visibility
The Internet Access half of Perimeter 81 bundles a Hybrid SWG, SaaS Security with CASB controls, Browser Security, Mobile Security and Automatic WiFi Security. The vendor credits on-device inspection for its 10x faster browsing claim, and highlights shadow SaaS discovery for teams that have lost track of which tools staff signed up for. AI-based anomaly detection is described as cutting off access automatically when a session looks malicious.
Branch networking and SD-WAN
For companies with physical sites, the Check Point SASE suite adds SD-WAN and FWaaS. The site points to auto-steering based on link health, sub-second failover to any WAN link, and zero-touch provisioning with branch-level security included, which is the combination a retail chain or clinic group usually needs when nobody technical is on site to rack equipment. Pairing that with Private Access puts the branch and the laptop under one policy set rather than two.
Administration, compliance and partners
Perimeter 81 built its reputation on setup speed, and the current site keeps that emphasis with claims of seamless deployment and intuitive administration. The vendor reports 5,000+ customers secured, a 99.8% threat block rate that the page attributes to independent testing by Miercom in 2026, 250+ IT hours saved and a 60% reported TCO reduction; only the block rate carries a third-party citation, so treat the remainder as vendor marketing figures.
More checkable are the certifications listed on the page, covering SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001, GDPR and CCPA, with further references to HIPAA and CIS Controls. Integrations shown include Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Salesforce and Heroku, and a dedicated MSP and MSSP program with a partner portal serves resellers.
Who should choose Perimeter 81
Perimeter 81 suits mid-market and distributed organizations retiring a legacy VPN that want access control, web filtering and branch connectivity from a single console, and it is an obvious shortlist entry for teams already invested in Check Point. Security leads under compliance pressure will appreciate the certification list and the identity-centric policy model.
It is not ideal for very small teams that simply need a shared tunnel for a handful of laptops, or for buyers who insist on transparent self-serve pricing: the public site no longer publishes plan figures and routes every evaluation through a demo or estimate request, so budgeting starts with a sales conversation.
Key features
| Feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| ZTNA / Private Access | Identity-based, least-privilege access to internal apps with full-mesh private connectivity, replacing legacy full-tunnel VPN. |
| Secure Web Gateway | Internet Access with on-device inspection, web/DNS filtering and malware protection for outbound traffic. |
| Firewall as a Service (FWaaS) | Cloud-delivered segmentation and network firewall policies applied per user, group and resource. |
| SD-WAN | Optimized routing for 10,000+ apps with auto-steering and sub-second failover. |
| SaaS Security & DLP | Inline/API enforcement, application control, DLP, threat prevention and shadow-SaaS discovery. |
| Dedicated gateways & global PoPs | Deployable gateways with static IPs across 80+ points of presence for allow-listing and low latency. |
Perimeter 81 pricing
| Plan | Price | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Essentials | Not published by vendor | Annual, 10-user min; core ZTNA + business VPN, limited apps/gateways |
| PremiumPOPULAR | Not published by vendor | Annual; adds Secure Web Gateway, more integrations, policies & DNS filtering |
| Premium Plus | Not published by vendor | Annual; advanced ZTNA, higher app/integration limits, priority support |
| Enterprise | Custom quote | Volume pricing, SD-WAN, SLA & dedicated support; contact sales |
| Gateway add-on | Not published by vendor | Per deployed gateway/PoP with static IP; all plans except Enterprise |
How Perimeter 81 compares
| Alternative | How it differs |
|---|---|
| Twingate | Leaner developer-friendly ZTNA with a free tier and ~$10/user Business plan; simpler and cheaper to start, but narrower than a full SASE suite. |
| NordLayer | SMB-focused business VPN/SASE at ~$7-11/user/month; comparable audience, often cheaper per seat with no separate gateway surcharge. |
| Zscaler | Enterprise SSE/SASE incumbent with deeper scale and inspection; pricier and heavier, aimed at large orgs rather than SMBs. |
Perimeter 81 ratings on other platforms
Independent user ratings from third-party review sites, linked here for transparency. These are not our editorial score, are captured on the date shown, and may have changed since.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Perimeter 81?
Perimeter 81's last-published rates were Essentials $8, Premium $12 and Premium Plus $16 per user/month (billed annually, 10-user minimum), plus about $40/month per gateway. Enterprise is custom-quoted. Since the Check Point acquisition and rebrand to Harmony SASE, public pricing was removed and the site now directs buyers to sales for a quote.
Is Perimeter 81 a VPN or ZTNA?
Both. Perimeter 81 began as a cloud business VPN and grew into a full SASE/ZTNA platform. It delivers Zero Trust Network Access (identity-based, least-privilege private access), a Secure Web Gateway, FWaaS, SD-WAN and SaaS security. You can still run encrypted tunnels, but modern deployments favor agent-based Zero Trust access over legacy full-tunnel VPN.
Perimeter 81 vs Twingate: which is better?
Twingate is a leaner, developer-friendly ZTNA with a free tier and a Business plan near $10/user/month, cheaper to start and agentless-friendly. Perimeter 81 (now Check Point Harmony SASE) is a broader SASE suite adding SWG, FWaaS, SD-WAN and ThreatCloud AI, but adds ~$40/month gateway fees and a 10-user minimum. Pick Twingate for simple access, Perimeter 81 for consolidated security.
Did Check Point acquire Perimeter 81?
Yes. Check Point acquired Perimeter 81 in 2023 (a deal reported around $490 million) and rebranded it as Check Point Harmony SASE, now folded into the Check Point SASE Platform. The technology and the app.perimeter81.com console continue, gaining Check Point's ThreatCloud AI. Existing accounts still work; new buyers are quoted under the Check Point SASE brand.
Does Perimeter 81 charge extra for gateways?
Yes. Beyond the per-user subscription, each dedicated gateway (a deployed network location with a static IP) costs about $40/month on every plan except Enterprise. For example, a 10-user Premium team ($12/user) with two gateways runs roughly $200/month. Some listings also cite an annual per-tenant platform fee, so confirm current line items directly with Check Point sales.
Verdict
Buy Perimeter 81 (Check Point Harmony SASE) if you're an SMB or mid-market team wanting one console for ZTNA, secure web access and threat prevention, especially if you already run Check Point. Skip it if you need a free tier or dead-simple developer ZTNA (Twingate), the cheapest per-seat cost (NordLayer), or dislike that gateway fees, a 10-user minimum and now quote-only pricing make budgeting harder. Check Point backing strengthens security, but price transparency regressed after the rebrand.
Facts verified against: www.checkpoint.com, sase.checkpoint.com, www.checkpoint.com, www.techradar.com, www.perimeter81.com, sase.checkpoint.com, sase.checkpoint.com (as of July 2026).
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