Data Security & Governance: 10 Tools compared
Data security and governance platforms for discovering, classifying, and protecting sensitive data across your organization. Compare enterprise DLP, cloud data security, and data discovery solutions.
Quick comparison
All data security & governance tools side by side, alphabetical.
| Tool | Deployment | Pricing model | Open source | Standards / certs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BigID | Cloud + Self-hosted | Subscription (per data source or volume) | — | SOC 2 Type IIISO 27001PCI DSS |
| Cyera | Cloud | Subscription (based on data scope) | — | ISO 27001SOC 2 Type II |
| Digital Guardian | Cloud + Self-hosted | Per-endpoint or per-user subscription | — | SOC 2 Type II |
| Forcepoint DLP | Cloud + Self-hosted | Per-user subscription | — | — |
| Lepide Data Security Platform | Self-hosted | Quote-based (per user, per year, by platform) | — | — |
| Microsoft Purview | Cloud | Per-user subscription (bundled with M365 E5) | — | — |
| Netwrix | Cloud + Self-hosted | Per-user subscription | — | — |
| Securiti | Cloud | Modular subscription | — | SOC 2 Type IIISO 27001ISO 27701 |
| Spirion | Cloud + Self-hosted | Subscription (per data volume or endpoints) | — | — |
| Varonis | Cloud | Subscription (per-user or per-TB) | — | ISO 27001SOC 2 Type II |
BigID
Data Discovery & ClassificationData-forward organizations needing ML-powered data intelligence for privacy, security, and governance across diverse data landscapes
BigID is a data intelligence platform that uses advanced machine learning and deep learning to discover, classify, catalog, and manage sensitive data across the enterprise. BigID goes beyond traditional pattern matching to identify data relationships, correlate data across sources, and provide actionable intelligence for privacy, security, and governance use cases. Its data intelligence approach helps organizations understand not just what data they have, but how it relates, who owns it, and what risk it presents.
Cyera
Cloud Data SecurityCloud-forward enterprises needing agentless, AI-powered data security with rapid deployment and instant visibility into data risk
Cyera is an AI-powered data security platform that provides instant visibility into an organization's data landscape, automatically discovering, classifying, and assessing risk across cloud, SaaS, on-premises, and IaaS environments. Cyera's platform uses large language models and AI to understand data context beyond simple pattern matching, enabling organizations to see their data the way an attacker would. Identifying exposure, access risks, and compliance gaps without agents or complex deployment.
Digital Guardian
Enterprise DLPEnterprises needing deep endpoint-level data visibility and DLP enforcement with a managed service option for teams with limited security staff
Digital Guardian (now part of Fortra) is a data-centric security platform that provides enterprise data loss prevention with deep endpoint visibility. It combines endpoint DLP, network DLP, and cloud DLP with granular visibility into data usage, movement, and user activity. Digital Guardian's data-centric approach focuses on protecting the data itself rather than securing the perimeter, tracking how sensitive data is created, accessed, modified, and transmitted across the organization.
Forcepoint DLP
Enterprise DLPLarge enterprises needing comprehensive DLP enforcement across endpoints, network, cloud, and email with risk-adaptive policy controls
Forcepoint DLP is an enterprise data loss prevention platform that protects sensitive data across endpoints, networks, cloud applications, and email. It combines content inspection, contextual analysis, and user behavior risk scoring to prevent data exfiltration through all channels. Forcepoint's Risk-Adaptive Protection dynamically adjusts DLP policies based on real-time user behavior risk, enabling organizations to enforce strict policies for high-risk users while maintaining productivity for trusted employees.
Lepide Data Security Platform
Data Security & GovernanceOrganisations wanting unstructured-data security, access governance and auditing across AD, Microsoft 365 and file servers, as a per-user alternative to Varonis or Netwrix
The Lepide Data Security Platform is a unified data security and governance solution that gives organisations visibility and control over unstructured data and identities across Active Directory, Entra ID, Windows file servers, Microsoft 365, SharePoint, Exchange and SQL Server. It combines data discovery and classification, permissions and access governance, auditing and change monitoring, threat detection and response, and Data Security Posture Management (DSPM), with pre-built dashboards and compliance reporting.
Microsoft Purview
Cloud Data SecurityMicrosoft-centric organizations wanting integrated data governance, DLP, and compliance across their M365 and Azure environment
Microsoft Purview is a unified data governance and compliance platform that combines the former Azure Purview data governance capabilities with Microsoft 365 compliance solutions. It provides data classification, data loss prevention, information protection, insider risk management, and compliance management across Microsoft 365, Azure, and multi-cloud environments. Purview leverages Microsoft's deep integration with its productivity and cloud ecosystem to provide data security at scale.
Netwrix
Data Security & AuditingMid-market organizations needing data auditing, change tracking, and compliance reporting at a lower price point than enterprise platforms
Netwrix is a data security and auditing platform that provides visibility into user behavior, data access, and IT infrastructure changes. Its Netwrix Auditor product tracks changes across Active Directory, file servers, SharePoint, Exchange, and cloud environments, helping organizations detect threats, prove compliance, and reduce the attack surface. Netwrix focuses on change auditing and data classification as core capabilities for security and compliance teams.
Securiti
Cloud Data SecurityOrganizations needing a unified platform for data security posture management, privacy compliance, and multi-cloud data governance with AI automation
Securiti is an AI-powered data security and governance platform that provides unified data intelligence, privacy automation, data security posture management (DSPM), and consent management. Its DataControls Cloud platform uses AI to discover, classify, and protect sensitive data across multi-cloud, SaaS, and on-premises environments. Securiti is particularly strong in privacy compliance automation, offering DSAR fulfillment, consent management, and data mapping capabilities alongside data security posture management.
Spirion
Enterprise DLPOrganizations in regulated industries that need the most accurate sensitive data discovery and classification for PII, PHI, and PCI compliance
Spirion is a sensitive data discovery and classification platform that specializes in finding, classifying, and remediating sensitive data across structured and unstructured data stores. Spirion's Sensitive Data Platform uses a combination of pattern matching, machine learning, and contextual analysis to accurately identify PII, PHI, PCI, and other regulated data types with precision. It is particularly strong in healthcare and financial services where accurate sensitive data discovery is critical for compliance.
Varonis
Data Security & GovernanceData security and governance platform for access visibility, insider threat detection, and sensitive data protection
Varonis is a data security and governance platform that protects enterprise data by providing deep visibility into who accesses data, how it is used, and where sensitive content resides. Varonis monitors file systems, email, cloud applications, and Active Directory to detect insider threats, enforce least privilege, and automate data protection policies. Its DatAdvantage and Data Classification Engine products map data access permissions, classify sensitive data at scale, and alert on abnormal user behavior that could indicate a breach or insider threat.
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Data Security & Governance tools, listed alphabetically and compared on public information. How we work →