NEWJoin 2M+ software buyers|Get Weekly Insights, Trends & Expert PicksSubscribe free →

Spotsaas logo
Last updated:

Top 6 Free Symantec DLP Alternatives, Compared (2026)

Explore 6 alternatives to Symantec DLP — vetted by our editors with real user reviews, pricing, and feature comparisons.

Top free Symantec DLP alternatives, compared at a glance

Quick answer

The Symantec DLP alternatives buyers shortlist most are Nightfall, McAfee DLP and Forcepoint DLP. Nightfall ranks first with a SpotScore of 9.1 and a 4.88★ rating. Compare all 6 on score, rating, and pricing below.

There's no single best tool for everyone, so if Symantec DLP falls short on cost, features, or ease of use, look here. These 6 data loss prevention (dlp) software free alternatives lead the field, ranked by SpotScore (a blend of real-user satisfaction and market presence), ratings, and pricing. Compare them quickly in the table, then read each profile.

ProductSpotScoreRatingPricingBest for
NightfallProtect sensitive data and stay compliant with ease.9.1★★★★★ 4.88(12)FreeFree Trial · Freemium · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
McAfee DLPProtect Your Data, Secure Your Business.8.7★★★★☆ 4.33(20)FreeFree Trial · Quotation Basedmid-size & enterprise teams
Forcepoint DLPProtect your data from all threats.8★★★★☆ 4.17(3)FreeFree Trial · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
Proofpoint Email DLPEnhancing email security, one message at a time.7.9★★★★★ 4.5(1)FreeFree Trial · Quotation Basedmid-size & enterprise teams
McAfee Complete Data ProtectionProtect your data and devices effortlessly.7.7★★★★☆ 3.85(13)FreeFree Trial · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
Check Point DLPSecuring your data, no matter where it goes.7.5★★★★★ 4.67(3)FreeFree Trial · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes

9.1

SpotScore

Nightfall - Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Software

Nightfall

Protect sensitive data and stay compliant with ease.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.9

12 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Nightfall?

Nightfall Data Loss Prevention (DLP) software. Designed for small to large organizations, it provides a single solution for unlimited, affordable data loss protection and monitoring. Nightfall offers built-in control, with adaptive behavioral detection that identifies threats by analyzing user ...

Read more about Nightfall
Free Trial

8.7

SpotScore

McAfee DLP - Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Software

McAfee DLP

Protect Your Data, Secure Your Business.

Best for: Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.3

20 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is McAfee DLP?

McAfee DLP software uses a transaction-based approach to Data Loss Prevention (DLP). Every communication is constantly scrutinized and all potentially sensitive information is filtered out before it is stored or transmitted. This powerful, innovative and secure solution provides an outstanding ...

Read more about McAfee DLP
Free Trial·

McAfee DLP offers custom pricing plan

Spotsaas Ads

Want your product up here? Put it in front of buyers the moment they're comparing your category.

Reach in-market buyersRank above rivals2M+ buyers a year
Advertise your product

8.0

SpotScore

Forcepoint DLP - Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Software

Forcepoint DLP

Protect your data from all threats.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.2

3 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Forcepoint DLP?

Forcepoint DLP is flexible design fully integrates with technology to lock out attackers and proactively protect data from multiple internal and external threats. It prevents sensitive information from being transferred outside a network, used where it shouldn't be, or copied by untrusted ...

Read more about Forcepoint DLP
Free Trial·

Forcepoint DLP offers custom pricing plan

7.9

SpotScore

Proofpoint Email DLP - Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Software

Proofpoint Email DLP

Enhancing email security, one message at a time.

Best for: Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.5

1 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Proofpoint Email DLP?

Proofpoint DLP is an add-on web security application that can be installed onto an existing email server, and then used to screen inbound and outbound email. It works by logging each computer’s outgoing emails, and then identifying the sender of each message as well as any suspicious content. ...

Read more about Proofpoint Email DLP
Free Trial·

Proofpoint Email DLP offers custom pricing plan

7.7

SpotScore

McAfee Complete Data Protection - Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Software

McAfee Complete Data Protection

Protect your data and devices effortlessly.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

3.9

13 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is McAfee Complete Data Protection?

McAfee Complete Data Protection is a simple, easy-to-use and cost-effective way to discover and investigate data security threats. It includes powerful data loss prevention and mobile device management capabilities, with reporting capabilities at the user, department, policy and domain levels. ...

Read more about McAfee Complete Data Protection
Free Trial·

McAfee Complete Data Protection offers custom pricing plan

7.5

SpotScore

Check Point DLP - Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Software

Check Point DLP

Securing your data, no matter where it goes.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.7

3 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Check Point DLP?

Check Point DLP is a solution that can block every known kind of data exfiltration, including cloud access and data at rest. Check Point DLP can protect against all of these threats because it sees everything and controls everything – network traffic, cloud data, apps, databases and all ...

Read more about Check Point DLP
Free Trial·

Check Point DLP offers custom pricing plan

Why these Symantec DLP alternatives stand out

Nightfall9.1Best for teams of all sizes

Affordable data protection

Watch for: Limited advanced features

McAfee DLP8.7Best for mid-size & enterprise teams

Transaction-based monitoring

Watch for: Limited third-party integrations

Forcepoint DLP8Best for teams of all sizes

Flexible design

Watch for: May require customization

Proofpoint Email DLP7.9Best for mid-size & enterprise teams

Email screening capabilities

Watch for: Limited to email communication

McAfee Complete Data Protection7.7Best for teams of all sizes

Easy to use

Watch for: Limited advanced features

Check Point DLP7.5Best for teams of all sizes

Comprehensive data visibility

Watch for: Complex deployment

Why teams look for a Symantec DLP alternative

Before comparing options, it helps to name why teams leave Symantec DLP in the first place:

  • Complex setup process
  • Can be resource-intensive
  • May require extensive training

What a good Symantec DLP alternative should have

Here's the data-driven picture across all 6 data loss prevention (dlp) software free alternatives: 6 offer a free tier; and Nightfall is the highest rated at 4.88★ across 12 reviews.

Our ranking criteria.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Stuck on something? We're here to help with all the questions and answers in one place.

The top-rated alternatives to Symantec DLP are Nightfall (4.9★), Check Point DLP (4.7★), Proofpoint Email DLP (4.5★). Compare all 6 alternatives side-by-side above.

When evaluating alternatives to Symantec DLP, prioritize: Threat Protection, Policy Management, Incident Management, Sensitive Data Identification, Blacklisting, transparent pricing, free trial availability, and integrations with your existing tools. Use the filters above to compare by feature, budget, and team size.

Migration difficulty depends on how deeply Symantec DLP is integrated into your workflows. Most alternatives offer data export/import tools and dedicated onboarding support. We recommend shortlisting 2–3 options, running a free trial, and checking each vendor's migration guides before committing.

Which Symantec DLP alternative should make your shortlist?

  • On a budget / just exploring: start with a free tier — Nightfall, McAfee DLP and Forcepoint DLP let you evaluate without paying upfront.
  • If real-user ratings matter most: Nightfall has the strongest star rating (4.88★) among the options with verified reviews.
  • Want the safest pick: Nightfall has the highest Spotsaas Score (9.1) in this list — a strong default if you're unsure.

How to leave Symantec DLP behind

Switching away from Symantec DLP is safest in stages. Export your data, verify the new tool can import it, and confirm the features you depend on. Run a pilot first, then migrate fully, keeping Symantec DLP running until you've validated the fit. Free trials above help.

Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].