“We want to roll out zero trust remote access for our company — how do we choose among domestic solutions?” This has been one of the most frequently asked questions lately. The market ranges from major vendors such as Sangfor and QiAnXin to Tencent iOA and all kinds of SDP/ZTNA products — a pile of names, yet prices and positioning differ wildly. Today, with no hype and no bashing, we will explain clearly how to choose a domestic zero trust remote access solution based on company size and real needs, and give SMEs without a dedicated security team a practical approach to selection.
The conclusion first
There is no “best” zero trust solution, only the one best suited to your scale. Large enterprises and heavily regulated industries (finance, central and state-owned enterprises) have ample budgets and security teams, and are suited to heavyweight platforms such as Sangfor and QiAnXin; SMEs (dozens to a few hundred staff, no dedicated security personnel, needing stable domestic connections, fast activation and no hardware purchase) are better served by lightweight, SaaS-based zero trust with software activation and a control plane in China, such as sTrust. Look at three things first: whether hardware must be purchased, whether the control plane is in China, and whether you have dedicated operations staff.
Domestic zero trust remote access solutions fall roughly into three categories
| Category | Examples | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Heavyweight security platforms | Sangfor, QiAnXin, NSFOCUS | Large enterprises and heavily regulated industries with security teams and budget |
| Big-tech ecosystem solutions | Tencent iOA and others | Mid-to-large enterprises already deeply invested in that vendor’s ecosystem |
| SaaS-based lightweight zero trust | sTrust and others | SMEs that need fast activation, direct domestic connections, no hardware purchase and easy operations |
5 key points to weigh when choosing
- Whether hardware must be purchased: most heavyweight solutions require a gateway or appliance, with long procurement and deployment cycles; SMEs should prioritize software-activated options that need no hardware.
- Whether the control plane is in China: solutions built on overseas infrastructure (some foreign tools) often deliver unstable connections and carry compliance risks. Those with a control plane in China and the required registration are more stable and worry-free.
- Whether domestic connections are stable: remote access is used every day, and every lag draws complaints. Prioritize direct domestic connections with stable links.
- Whether it can support MLPS 2.0 (China’s Multi-Level Protection Scheme): if you need to pass an MLPS assessment, confirm in advance that the solution supports identity verification, least privilege and access auditing.
- How easy it is to operate and maintain: without dedicated security staff, choose one where activation, authorization and revocation take a few clicks in the admin console — not one that needs someone watching it every day.
Why SMEs are better suited to SaaS-based zero trust
For companies of dozens to a few hundred people, what matters is not “the most features” but “usable quickly, stable connections, no hassle.” For these needs, SaaS-based lightweight zero trust (taking sTrust as an example) offers several practical advantages:
- Software activation, no hardware purchase: no gateway procurement; activate it in the admin console and it is ready to use — low deployment cost for SMEs.
- Control plane in China, properly registered: supports MLPS 2.0, direct domestic connections, stable and hassle-free.
- Fine-grained authorization by account and by resource: business systems stay hidden from the public internet; employees see only the systems they should use, and access is revoked with one click when someone leaves or changes devices.
- Easy operations: activation, authorization and revocation take a few clicks in the admin console, so it can be managed without dedicated IT staff; if needed, it can also be handed to an IT operations service provider for managed hosting.
How to choose in different situations (find your match)
- Finance / central and state-owned enterprises / large heavily regulated companies → heavyweight platforms such as Sangfor and QiAnXin, alongside your own security team.
- Mid-to-large enterprises already deeply tied to a big-tech ecosystem → consider that vendor’s zero trust solution.
- Dozens to a few hundred staff, no dedicated security, need to get up and running fast, stable domestic connections → SaaS-based lightweight zero trust (such as sTrust), activated via software with no hardware purchase.
- Based in Beijing and want people and network managed together → let Siwenlide bundle zero trust remote access, networking and IT operations outsourcing into one package, acting as your outsourced IT team.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What is the difference between zero trust and a traditional VPN?
A: With a VPN you are often “on the internal network as soon as you connect,” with broad permissions and concentrated risk; zero trust means “verify identity first, then access only the systems you are authorized for,” keeping business systems hidden from the public internet — safer and easier to audit.
Q: Do SMEs need zero trust, or is it too heavy?
A: SaaS-based lightweight zero trust is not heavy — software activation, no hardware purchase, a few clicks in the admin console, and it is actually less hassle than maintaining a pile of VPN accounts.
Q: Can we use an overseas remote access tool?
A: In China it often delivers unstable connections, and a control plane located abroad carries compliance risks. Prioritize solutions with a control plane in China, proper registration and support for MLPS 2.0.
Q: How do we implement it without dedicated security or IT staff?
A: Choose a SaaS solution with a clear admin console and simple activation, authorization and revocation (such as sTrust); you can also hand configuration and maintenance to an IT operations service provider.
Want zero trust remote access for your SME, without buying hardware or hiring dedicated staff?
sTrust is SaaS-based zero trust remote access built for SMEs in China: software activation with no hardware purchase, a control plane in China with the required registration, stable direct domestic connections, support for MLPS 2.0, business systems hidden from the public internet, fine-grained authorization by account and by resource, and one-click revocation when someone leaves. Visit strust.siwenlide.com for a free trial; Beijing-based companies that want local implementation and people-plus-network managed together can call 400-686-2011 or visit siwenlide.com.
