Most employees rely on the internet throughout the workday, whether they’re looking up information, communicating with colleagues, or accessing cloud-based tools. That convenience comes with a downside. The same open access also exposes users to phishing pages, malware, risky downloads, and sites that quietly eat into work hours.
Traditional security models were built for a time when work happened inside an office network. That reality no longer exists. Employees now connect from home Wi-Fi, personal laptops, mobile phones, and public networks, often in the same week. In fact, 65% of employees admit to bypassing cybersecurity protections like firewalls or security policies to get their work done, increasing risk exposure for networks and data.
As a result, URL filtering has shifted from a “nice to have” control to a basic requirement for enterprise security. URL filtering tools go beyond blocking a short list of inappropriate websites. In practice, they’re used to manage everyday web access, reduce exposure to malicious content, and keep usage aligned with internal policies.
The sections below look at 10 URL filtering solutions for 2026, with a focus on how they perform in real work environments rather than ideal setups.
Table of contents
1. Scalefusion Veltar
Scalefusion Veltar is designed for organizations that need consistent web controls across many types of devices. It works particularly well in environments where employees use a mix of corporate and personal devices, or where teams are spread across locations.
What sets Veltar apart is how closely web filtering ties into device management. Web filtering isn’t managed in isolation. Admins can apply browsing rules alongside device compliance settings, which simplifies how policies are enforced in everyday workflows.
Veltar focuses on clarity. IT teams can see what categories are being accessed, which policies are triggering blocks, and where risks are emerging, without digging through overwhelming reports.
Key features:
- Built-on MDM/UEM platform: Veltar is built-on Scalefusion’s device management platforms, allowing admins to enforce internet rules based on device type, ownership (BYOD vs corporate), and user role. This brings maximum control with minimal effort.
- Real-time filtering engine: Web requests are checked the moment a user tries to access a site. If something looks suspicious, it’s blocked before the page even loads, helping stop phishing links, malware, and drive-by attacks early.
- Granular access controls: Policies can be applied at a very specific level. Teams don’t need the same access, and Veltar reflects that. HR might need social platforms for hiring, while customer support usually doesn’t.
- Category-based website controls: Sites are organized into clear categories like adult content, gambling, social media, and streaming. Blocking an entire category takes seconds, which makes policy changes easy to manage.
- Pattern-based domain blocking: Instead of relying only on known bad URLs, Veltar can block entire domains that match suspicious patterns. This helps catch new or fast-changing threats that haven’t been flagged yet.
- Cloud-scalable architecture: The platform is built to grow with you. Whether you’re managing a few dozen devices or tens of thousands, scaling doesn’t require new hardware or extra setup.
Why it stands out: Veltar fits best where web filtering is expected to work alongside device security, not as a separate layer that IT teams have to manage on its own.
2. Cisco Umbrella
Cisco Umbrella is a familiar name in large enterprise environments. Its DNS-layer approach blocks risky domains early, before a connection is fully established.
For organizations with multiple locations or remote teams, this keeps protection effective without adding unnecessary complexity. Policies can be applied globally and updated quickly without complex deployments.
Umbrella benefits heavily from Cisco’s threat intelligence network, which helps it respond quickly to newly discovered malicious domains.
Key features:
- DNS-layer security: Stops malicious and inappropriate domains before a connection is established.
- Predefined content categories: Allows quick policy setup using ready-made website classifications.
- Cloud-native deployment: Runs entirely in the cloud, so users stay protected wherever they connect, without relying on on-prem infrastructure
- Centralized policy management: Policies are managed from a central point, which keeps filtering rules consistent across office networks and remote teams.
Why it stands out: Cisco Umbrella is commonly chosen by enterprises that value stability, scale, and early threat prevention more than deep customization.
3. Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA)
Zscaler Internet Access is built for organizations that no longer want security tied to physical locations. Instead of routing traffic through office firewalls, ZIA secures web access directly from the cloud. This makes a noticeable difference for enterprises with remote teams, multiple branches, or heavy SaaS usage.
One of Zscaler’s strongest capabilities is how it handles encrypted traffic at scale. Most modern websites and most attacks run over HTTPS, so visibility into SSL traffic isn’t optional anymore. ZIA manages this without slowing users down, largely because of its globally distributed infrastructure.
Another key difference is how policies are applied. With Zscaler, rules follow the user rather than the network. Whether someone signs in from home, a hotel, or a regional office, the same browsing controls stay in place. For large, distributed organizations, that consistency matters.
Key features:
- SSL inspection: Encrypted traffic is inspected after SSL decryption, which helps uncover threats that would otherwise remain hidden inside HTTPS traffic
- Global data centers: Traffic is routed through nearby global data centers, so inspection happens without creating noticeable performance slowdowns
- Cloud-native architecture: The platform scales natively in the cloud, removing the need to add hardware as usage grows
- Granular policy controls: Access rules can be adjusted by user, application, or location, instead of being tied to a fixed network boundary
Why it stands out: Zscaler works well for enterprises that want strong web security without tying protection to traditional network boundaries.
4. Barracuda Web Security Gateway
Barracuda Web Security Gateway goes beyond basic URL filtering by combining content controls with broader web threat protection. It scans traffic for malware, suspicious downloads, and risky scripts while enforcing browsing policies in parallel.
This setup works well for organizations that prefer fewer tools in their security stack. From a single console, administrators can manage filtering rules, review threat activity, and apply protections across devices.
Barracuda is especially useful when visibility matters. Its reporting helps security teams see not only which sites were blocked, but the underlying reason behind each decision.
Key features:
- Encrypted traffic inspection: HTTPS traffic is scanned to uncover malware and risky content.
- Malware detection: Malicious downloads are blocked before reaching user devices.
Centralized reporting: Browsing activity and threat data are presented clearly in one place. - Multi-device enforcement: The same web policies can be applied across different endpoints.
Why it stands out: Barracuda suits teams that want URL filtering and malware protection to work together, without managing separate tools.
5. Forcepoint Web Security
Forcepoint Web Security tends to show up in environments where data exposure and insider activity are ongoing concerns, not edge cases. Instead of depending only on fixed rules, it looks at behavior patterns to surface activity that may warrant closer attention.
That approach becomes relevant in organizations dealing with sensitive information, whether that’s financial data, intellectual property, or customer records. Rather than focusing only on where users browse, Forcepoint pays attention to how they interact with web content and data.
It’s not the lightest tool in this category, and that’s usually intentional. Teams that use Forcepoint often value context over simplicity, especially when incidents need to be investigated and explained clearly.
Key features:
- Behavior analytics: Surface unusual or higher-risk browsing activity
- Data loss prevention: Reduce the chance of sensitive data leaving the organization
- Real-time content scanning: Real-time inspection of web requests as traffic flows
- Flexible deployment: Deployment options that work in both cloud-based and on-prem environments
Why it stands out: Forcepoint fits organizations that prioritize compliance, insider threat awareness, and data governance.
6. Symantec WebFilter
Symantec Web Filter is typically used in environments where web access needs to be tightly defined rather than loosely guided. Instead of relying on ad-hoc rules, access is controlled through categories, applications, and specific URLs, which keeps policies predictable.
Visibility is a big part of why teams stick with it. Security and IT teams can look back at browsing patterns, investigate specific incidents, and pull reports when audits or compliance checks come up. That kind of traceability tends to matter more in regulated settings.
Because of this structure, Symantec is most often seen in organizations where consistency and documentation are just as important as blocking threats.
Key features:
- AI-powered threat intelligence: Uses machine learning to identify malicious websites as they appear
- Dynamic URL categorization: Automatic URL categorization to keep filtering accurate without constant manual updates.
- Web traffic visibility: Detailed traffic logs that support monitoring, audits, and compliance reviews
- Cloud deployment: Avoids on-prem hardware
- Advanced reporting: Reporting tools that show how policies are applied and enforced over time
Why it stands out: Symantec WebFilter fits organizations that need web controls to be consistent, explainable, and easy to defend during audits.
7. Perimeter81
Perimeter81 is usually brought up in conversations around cloud-first security, especially by teams trying to move away from managing on-prem appliances. For organizations that don’t want hardware in the mix, that approach is often the main draw.
From an operational standpoint, policies are handled centrally. That means IT teams don’t have to rethink browsing rules every time someone works remotely or switches networks. For remote-first setups, this reduces day-to-day overhead more than anything else.
Perimeter81 tends to sit in the middle ground between strict security and usability. Policies can be enforced without feeling heavy-handed, which helps when user experience is a concern.
Key features:
- Cloud-native design: Avoids physical appliances and speeds up deployment
- Dynamic URL filtering: Blocks phishing sites and harmful domains as they appear
- Centralized management: Apply and manage policies from a single dashboard
- Threat intelligence feeds: Update protection as new threats emerge
- Detailed reporting: Review browsing activity and compliance over time
Why it stands out: Perimeter81 is often a good fit for distributed teams that want web filtering to be easy to roll out and straightforward to manage.
8. Fortinet FortiGuard URL Filtering
FortiGuard URL Filtering sits inside Fortinet’s wider security ecosystem, which is often the deciding factor for organizations already running FortiGate firewalls. In those setups, web filtering doesn’t feel like an add-on but it becomes part of how network security is handled day to day.
The service pulls from a large, frequently updated database of categorized websites. It also uses machine learning to spot new or fast-changing threats, including malicious URLs that haven’t yet been widely reported.
This combination is why FortiGuard is commonly deployed in environments where web filtering and network security are expected to work together, rather than being managed separately.
Key features:
- Extensive URL database: An extensive URL database that covers a wide range of website categories
- AI-driven detection: Identify new and zero-day malicious domains
- TLS and SSL inspection: Scan encrypted traffic without affecting performance
- Security integration: Tight integration with Fortinet firewalls and analytics tools through the security fabric
Why it stands out: FortiGuard is best suited for organizations already invested in the Fortinet security stack.
9. DNSFilter
DNSFilter uses a DNS-level approach to block threats early in the browsing process. Harmful domains are stopped before a connection is made, reducing exposure from the start.
The platform is designed for speed and ease of deployment. IT teams can roll it out quickly without major changes to existing infrastructure. DNSFilter is also widely used by MSPs due to its multi-tenant capabilities.
Reporting tools provide insight into both blocked threats and general browsing activity.
Key features:
- Real-time threat blocking: Malicious domains are blocked before users connect.
- Content filtering controls: Websites can be filtered by category, domain, or keyword.
- Flexible policy management: Supports per-user and per-network rules.
- Directory and SIEM integrations: Helps automate policy assignment and reporting.
- Detailed DNS reporting: Offers visibility into queries and blocked domains.
Why it stands out: DNSFilter is a practical choice for teams that want fast protection with minimal complexity.
10. WebTitan
WebTitan is used in setups where teams want flexibility around deployment. Some run it in the cloud, others keep it on-prem, depending on existing infrastructure.
It blocks unwanted content and malicious domains at the DNS level. Reporting is mainly used to review access patterns and make small policy adjustments over time.
WebTitan is commonly seen in managed service provider environments, where customization and white-label support are practical requirements.
Key features:
- Scalable DNS filtering: Handles high traffic volumes without performance issues.
- Real-time URL categorization: Uses live threat feeds to guide filtering decisions.
- Flexible deployment options: Supports cloud, virtual appliance, and on-prem setups.
- White-label support: Allows MSPs to rebrand block pages and the platform.
- Detailed reporting and alerts: Helps fine-tune browsing policies using usage data.
Why it stands out: WebTitan fits organizations that want effective filtering without heavy configuration.
Choosing the Right URL Filtering Software in 2026
In 2026, URL filtering isn’t just about stopping access to a few inappropriate websites. It’s increasingly used to manage risk in environments where employees work from different locations and depend on a growing number of online tools.
The right solution depends on:
- The size of your organization
- The type of devices you manage
- Compliance requirements
- Remote or hybrid work needs
- Budget and operational complexity
Some URL filtering tools are designed to stay out of the way, while others are built for closer inspection and tighter control. Neither approach is universally better. The right choice depends on how people in your organization actually work day to day.
For many teams, web access is now spread across home networks, mobile devices, and cloud applications. In that kind of setup, URL filtering has become a basic part of keeping systems secure and employees focused.
