Kasm Workspaces vs Menlo Security (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Kasm Workspaces grades higher than Menlo Security: 2.2 against 1.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Kasm Workspaces grades higher on the free plan and platforms. Menlo Security grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money and features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Kasm Workspaces
Containerized desktops, apps and browsers streamed to a browser
Free plan
Which one is for you
Pick Kasm Workspaces if
- Fits if you want isolated browsers for your own non-commercial use
- Makes sense if your team already runs Docker or Kubernetes servers
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a price list, since paid editions are contact-sales
- Not for you if you use it commercially on the free tier: Community is for individuals, nonprofits and non-commercial use
- Tight if you need more than 5 concurrent sessions on Community
- Watch out: paid editions require a standard support subscription
- Too heavy if you do not run servers: self-hosting means installing on a Linux server you run
Pick Menlo Security if
- Fits if your company wants browser protection added to the browsers staff already use
- Makes sense if you have higher-risk users who need cloud-based protection
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a posted price: only a budget estimate and a sales quote exist
- Not for you if you want something free to try, as no plan or trial is listed
- Pricey if you add features: HEAT Shield AI and file sanitization cost extra
- Watch out: Protect, Secure and Manage are priced separately
- Too heavy for one person: it is sold to organizations by user license
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAKasm WorkspacesFair | 1.6GPAMenlo SecurityWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CCommunity is $0 but self-hosted on a server you run, which counts as a C. Basic, Essentials and Premier are contact-sales with no published price. | CNo price is published. Menlo quotes by the products deployed and the number of user licenses, and a pricing tool gives only a budget estimate. |
| Free plan and trial | BCommunity Edition is free for individuals, nonprofits and non-commercial use, with up to 5 concurrent sessions, which one person can live on. | FNothing is free, and no trial is listed. The way in is a self-service estimate or a sales quote. |
| Features | CBrowser isolation, desktops and apps, workspace images, admin controls and an API, though the paid editions need a support subscription. | CAn extension plus cloud isolation and AI agent security, but Protect, Secure and Manage are priced separately and add-ons cost extra. |
| Ease of use | DNo rating on record. You install it on a Linux server you run, with Docker and Kubernetes among the pieces. | CNo rating on record. It is rolled out by an organization and set up with admin controls. |
| Platforms and integrations | BReached from any web browser, with Docker, Kubernetes, OpenZiti, WireGuard and OpenVPN listed. No desktop or phone app. | CWeb and a browser extension only, with no apps and no integrations listed. |
| Best for | isolated browsers and desktops streamed from your servers | company browser security through an extension |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Kasm Workspaces and Menlo Security. How we grade
Where they differ
- Kasm Workspaces is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Kasm Workspaces also covers remote desktop.
- Menlo Security also covers malware protection.
In commonWebWeb browser
At a glance
| Kasm Workspaces | Menlo Security | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Paid |
| Starts at | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | Community Edition: free for individuals, nonprofits and non-commercial use, up to 5 concurrent sessions. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Kasm Technologies | Menlo Security |
| Price read from | kasm.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Kasm Workspaces
- No prices are published for the paid editions; Basic, Essentials and Premier are contact-sales.
- Community Edition is limited to 5 concurrent sessions and to individual, nonprofit or non-commercial use.
- Paid editions need a support subscription: the feature matrix marks standard support as required.
- Self-hosting means installing on a Linux server you run.
Menlo Security
- No prices are published: Menlo quotes by the products deployed and the number of user licenses.
- A self-service pricing tool gives a budget estimate, and a custom quote comes through sales.
- Products such as Protect, Secure and Manage are priced separately, and add-ons like HEAT Shield AI and file sanitization cost extra.
Key features
Kasm Workspaces
- Browser isolation
- Web isolation workspaces run browsing in a container away from the endpoint, with web content filtering.
- Desktops and apps
- Streams Linux desktops, Windows desktops and individual applications to the browser, with no client install needed.
- Workspace images
- A library of images including Chrome, Firefox, Brave, Edge, Chromium and Vivaldi browsers, development tools and OSINT tools.
- Admin controls
- User groups, single sign-on, two-factor authentication, DLP controls and an admin console with session history.
- Flexible hosting
- Single-server, multi-server and Kubernetes deployments, or hosted by Kasm in the cloud.
- Developer API
- A REST API is listed for building custom streaming apps on the Workspaces backend.
Menlo Security
- Hybrid architecture
- Menlo says it combines local in-browser controls with cloud-based protection, and admins can send high-risk locations or users to cloud-based protection.
- Menlo IRIS extension
- A browser extension adds data and file security, web governance and an inventory of installed extensions with risk scores to browsers already in use.
- Add-on threat protection
- Add-ons cover zero-day phishing protection (HEAT Shield AI) and file sanitization through content disarm and reconstruction.
- AI agent security
- The platform applies policies to AI agents browsing the web alongside human users and helps agents reach web applications that lack APIs.
- Secure enterprise browser
- Menlo lists a secure enterprise browser, remote browser isolation and secure extension among its products.
Plans
Kasm Workspaces
Community$0
Free for individuals, nonprofits and non-commercial use; up to 5 concurrent sessions, self-hosted, with community support.
BasicCustom
Browser-focused edition with unlimited concurrent sessions. Contact sales.
EssentialsCustom
Full workspace catalog with unlimited concurrent sessions. Contact sales.
PremierCustom
Everything included. Contact sales.
Menlo Security
Pricing could not be confirmed. See menlosecurity.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Kasm Workspaces or Menlo Security?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Kasm Workspaces publishes no starting price, and Menlo Security has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Kasm Workspaces or Menlo Security?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Kasm Workspaces has a free plan. Menlo Security does not.
Which platforms do Kasm Workspaces and Menlo Security run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Menlo Security lists a browser extension. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.