The Best DLP Software in 2026: Compare Costs and Features

Data Loss Prevention (DLP) software used to be a "nice to have" for regulated teams. In 2026 it is a budget line that ties directly to breach impact, compliance exposure and GenAI risk.

IBM's 2025 Cost of a Data Breach report pegs the global average breach cost at $4.4M. Market analysts also expect DLP demand to keep climbing as sensitive data sprawls across SaaS, endpoints and hybrid infrastructure. In fact, Mordor Intelligence forecasts the DLP market growing from $35.38B (2025) to $42.87B (2026) and reaching $111.98B by 2031.

This guide is designed for buyers who want quick clarity:

• Which DLP tools fit your environment (cloud-first, hybrid, endpoint-heavy)
• What pricing signals you can verify publicly vs quote-based models
• What differentiators matter in practice, not on paper

DLP Software Comparison Table

How to read pricing: some vendors publish list prices, many do not. Where a vendor does not publish DLP pricing, the table reflects "quote-based" and cites the closest official pricing or "request pricing" page.

DLP Vendor Snapshots

Forcepoint DLP

Best fit when you need unified policy control across channels and flexible deployment options. Forcepoint positions pricing as customized based on environment and scope.

Symantec DLP (Broadcom)

Best fit for large enterprises with mature security operations that require deep, highly granular policy controls and established workflows. Symantec is often selected by organizations standardizing on legacy enterprise security stacks. Pricing is typically quote-based through partners or Broadcom sales, with no simple public list pricing.

Trellix DLP

Best fit for endpoint-heavy environments that prioritize agent-based control and classic DLP enforcement models. Trellix appeals to organizations that want strong device governance and on-prem alignment. Pricing is not publicly listed and generally follows a sales-led, quote-based model.

Proofpoint Enterprise DLP

Best fit for email and collaboration-centric environments that want DLP tightly aligned with threat intelligence and user context. Proofpoint positions DLP as part of a broader people-centric security strategy. Pricing is not publicly published and is typically bundled within broader Proofpoint platform agreements.

Fortra DLP (Digital Guardian)

Best fit for organizations prioritizing endpoint visibility and tiered packages. Fortra emphasizes packaged DLP tiers but still routes to request-based pricing.

Microsoft Purview DLP

Best fit for Microsoft 365-centric organizations that want native DLP coverage across collaboration and content services. Pricing is easiest to understand when anchored to licensing: Purview Suite starts at $12/user/month and Microsoft 365 E5 is listed at $57/user/month with annual commitment.

Palo Alto, Netskope and Zscaler

Best fit when your organization is standardizing on an SSE or SASE platform and you want DLP as a platform capability. Pricing is generally quote-based and often bundle-driven, so buyers should validate what is included vs add-on.

Nightfall AI

Best fit for SaaS-first teams that want API-based deployment across collaboration and developer tools. Nightfall’s own pricing page does not present simple list pricing, so published “starts at” figures should be treated as third-party estimates.

CoSoSys Endpoint Protector

Best fit for organizations focused on device control, removable media governance and cross-platform endpoint coverage including Windows, macOS and Linux. Endpoint Protector is often evaluated for its strong peripheral and USB controls. Pricing is request-based, with no standard list pricing published.

How Much Does DLP Software Cost?

DLP pricing is difficult to compare because packaging varies: some tools price per user, some per endpoint, many bundle into platform suites, and professional services can materially change total cost.

Here's a practical way to think about pricing:

• Entry-level or SMB modular DLP: roughly $12–$15/user/month for published modular DLP pricing
• Suite licensing effects: DLP is often “included” inside a broader license. Microsoft 365 E5 is listed at $57/user/month and is commonly used as a baseline when buyers evaluate Purview DLP inside the Microsoft stack.
• Enterprise DLP suites: often quote-based, especially when the deployment includes hybrid coverage, legacy repositories, complex policy workflows and multiple enforcement channels. Forcepoint explicitly positions DLP pricing as customized.

How To Choose the Right DLP Software

Use these filters to avoid “feature matrix paralysis”:

1. Map your real leak paths

• SaaS sharing and collaboration
• Email exfiltration
• Endpoint copy/paste, USB, print, screenshot
• Web uploads and browser-based transfers

2. Decide your operating model

• Do you have a dedicated DLP admin team?
• Do you need managed services?
• Do you need incident workflows that integrate with SIEM or SOAR?

3. Validate deployment constraints

• If you have meaningful on-prem workloads, require hybrid support
• If you are cloud-first, prioritize API coverage and time-to-value

4. Pressure test false positives

• Ask for a proof-of-value that includes tuning effort, not just detection demos

Frequently Asked Questions About DLP Software

Is DLP software required for GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI-DSS compliance?

Regulations rarely mandate “buy DLP,” but they do require controls that DLP commonly supports: limiting unauthorized disclosure, monitoring access and enforcing handling rules for regulated data.

How does AI improve DLP accuracy?

AI can improve detection for unstructured data, reduce brittle pattern matching and help prioritize incidents by context. Buyers should still require explainability and tuning workflows.

How long does DLP implementation take?

It depends on scope. SaaS-first deployments can move faster, while enterprise hybrid rollouts typically take longer due to endpoint agents, policy design, exception handling and workflow integration.

What is the difference between DLP and CASB?

CASB focuses on governing cloud service usage and access. DLP focuses on identifying sensitive data and enforcing handling policies across channels. Many cloud platforms combine both under SSE.

Can DLP software work in hybrid cloud environments?

Yes, but this is where product differences matter most. Validate coverage across endpoints, SaaS, email and on-prem repositories before selecting a vendor.

Turn DLP Into Real Risk Reduction

DLP is not a feature checklist. It is a strategic control over how data moves across cloud, endpoints and AI. The right platform aligns to your actual data flows, reduces operational drag and delivers measurable risk reduction.

If your current approach only generates alerts, it is time to reassess. Evaluate DLP based on outcomes, not promises. Talk to an expert about your data security challenges to see how Forcepoint DLP can help.