Per-user shadow AI discovery across 10,000+ AI tools
Aona browser pluginDetection catalog; policy enforcement on the top-tier assistants
Aona native appSupported
Nightfall AIBrowser extension and endpoint agent signal; catalog breadth not published
Workforce AI Security · Why Aona
Aona
Nightfall AI
Aona vs Nightfall AI
Choose Aona for employee AI security.
See what sets Aona apart, compare the details, and try it on your own devices.
30-day free trialSOC 2 Type II
The verdict
The Aona advantage
Aona is built for employee AI security. Its offer includes a guided 30-day trial, hard block on prompts and file uploads with no user override, layout-preserving DOCX, XLSX and PDF redaction, native coverage of the ChatGPT, Copilot and Claude desktop apps, real-time coaching and seven Aona-managed hosting regions, with a first signal during the agreed evaluation. Nightfall is for data at rest in SaaS: its API connectors scan Slack, M365, Drive and Salesforce, its browser extension and MDM-installed agents reach the endpoint with block, sanitise or coach options, and its databases are hosted in the United States, with evaluation through a proof of value rather than a self-serve trial.
About this comparison
Aona secures employee AI use on the device: hard block on prompts and uploads with no user override, layout-preserving DOCX, XLSX and PDF redaction, real-time coaching and native coverage of the ChatGPT, Copilot and Claude desktop apps, with a 30-day guided trial. Nightfall is a DLP platform whose control point is content in SaaS: API connectors for Slack, M365, Drive and Salesforce, plus a browser extension, MDM-installed endpoint agents and an MCP gateway in early access. This page shows where each one enforces and why a Nightfall customer adds Aona for the prompt.
The Workforce AI Security platform for any company adopting generative AI, with broader endpoint coverage than the incumbents, a simpler trial, and one of the few that ships hard-block DLP for AI prompts and files.
Nightfall AI: AI-native DLP platform with SaaS API connectors, a browser extension, macOS and Windows endpoint agents and an MCP gateway in early access.
Decision matrix
When to pick Aona
Five buyer scenarios, answered for employee AI use.
01Employees paste customer or patient data into ChatGPT, Copilot or Claude.
Aona
Nightfall's extension and endpoint agents can block, sanitise or coach in the browser and on the endpoint, with the outcome set per policy, and prompt interception inside the AI desktop apps is not stated. Aona hard-blocks the prompt at submit with no user override, in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari and in the ChatGPT, Copilot and Claude desktop apps, and coaches the employee on that prompt.
02The upload itself has to be made safe: a DOCX or XLSX with personal data in it.
Aona
Nightfall's redaction is entity substitution in text, and layout fidelity for formatted documents is not documented. Aona redacts DOCX, XLSX and PDF uploads with length-matched replacement so the document keeps its layout and the rest of the file still goes through.
03You need in-region hosting outside the United States.
Aona
Nightfall's security page states that all databases are hosted in the United States. Aona offers seven Aona-managed hosting regions (Australia, France, the UK, Germany, the US, Singapore and Hong Kong), plus customer-cloud and on-premises backend hosting; confirm prompt processing and retention for the supported configuration.
04You want a live pilot this month, without a sales-led proof of value.
Aona
Nightfall's evaluation runs through a proof of value in place of a self-serve trial (as of September 2026). Aona's 30-day guided trial deploys with IT's existing tooling, with the first signal during the agreed evaluation.
05Your top requirement is SaaS DLP across Slack, M365, Drive, and Salesforce.
Nightfall AI
Data at rest in SaaS is Nightfall's own category: its API connectors scan and remediate content inside those tools, and Aona has no SaaS connectors. Verify what those connectors do at the moment an employee pastes that content into an AI tool, because that is the point where Aona's hard block and redaction apply.
Capability matrix
What each tool actually does
Choose a priority. Compare Aona’s browser plugin and native app with the other product.
| Capability | Aona browser plugin | Aona native app | Nightfall AI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discover | |||
| Per-user shadow AI discovery across 10,000+ AI tools | Detection catalog; policy enforcement on the top-tier assistants | Supported | Browser extension and endpoint agent signal; catalog breadth not published |
| Prompt inspection at submit, before the prompt reaches the AI provider | Supported | Supported | Browser extension; coverage extends to Arc, Brave, Vivaldi and Comet |
| Native desktop AI app interception (ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude desktop) | The browser plugin covers the browser only | Supported | MDM-installed agents; prompt interception in AI desktop apps not stated |
| AI agent and MCP inspection on the endpoint | Not included | Limited rollout, not general availability | MCP Gateway in early access: Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code |
| SaaS data-at-rest scanning via API connectors (Slack, M365, Drive, Salesforce) | Not included | Not included | Core surface |
| Govern | |||
| Real-time employee coaching at the moment of a risky prompt | Supported | Supported | Block, sanitise or coach options set per policy |
| AI policy templates: EU AI Act, ISO 42001, SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR | Supported | Supported | Detection rule templates for PCI, HIPAA, GDPR; no AI-framework policy templates |
| Per-team policy violation trends and AI adoption analytics | Supported | Supported | Incident and violation reporting; per-team AI adoption trends not documented |
| Protect | |||
| Hard block on prompts and file uploads with no user override | Supported | Supported | Block available per policy; user override behaviour not documented |
| Layout-preserving DOCX, XLSX and PDF redaction on upload | Supported | Supported | Text entity substitution; layout fidelity for DOCX, XLSX, PDF not documented |
| Operations | |||
| Choice of seven Aona-managed hosting regions | Supported | Supported | All databases hosted in the United States |
| SIEM export: Microsoft Sentinel via OCSF, REST API and webhooks | Supported | Supported | Webhook and SIEM integrations are publicly documented |
| Free 30-day guided trial | Supported | Supported | Proof of value, not a self-serve trial |
| Time to first signal | Agree during scoping | Agree during scoping | Days |
Discover
Prompt inspection at submit, before the prompt reaches the AI provider
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Nightfall AIBrowser extension; coverage extends to Arc, Brave, Vivaldi and Comet
Native desktop AI app interception (ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude desktop)
Aona browser pluginThe browser plugin covers the browser only
Aona native appSupported
Nightfall AIMDM-installed agents; prompt interception in AI desktop apps not stated
AI agent and MCP inspection on the endpoint
Aona browser pluginNot included
Aona native appLimited rollout, not general availability
Nightfall AIMCP Gateway in early access: Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code
SaaS data-at-rest scanning via API connectors (Slack, M365, Drive, Salesforce)
Aona browser pluginNot included
Aona native appNot included
Nightfall AICore surface
Govern
Real-time employee coaching at the moment of a risky prompt
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Nightfall AIBlock, sanitise or coach options set per policy
AI policy templates: EU AI Act, ISO 42001, SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Nightfall AIDetection rule templates for PCI, HIPAA, GDPR; no AI-framework policy templates
Per-team policy violation trends and AI adoption analytics
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Nightfall AIIncident and violation reporting; per-team AI adoption trends not documented
Protect
Hard block on prompts and file uploads with no user override
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Nightfall AIBlock available per policy; user override behaviour not documented
Layout-preserving DOCX, XLSX and PDF redaction on upload
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Nightfall AIText entity substitution; layout fidelity for DOCX, XLSX, PDF not documented
Operations
Choice of seven Aona-managed hosting regions
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Nightfall AIAll databases hosted in the United States
SIEM export: Microsoft Sentinel via OCSF, REST API and webhooks
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Nightfall AIWebhook and SIEM integrations are publicly documented
Free 30-day guided trial
Aona browser pluginSupported
Aona native appSupported
Nightfall AIProof of value, not a self-serve trial
Time to first signal
Aona browser pluginAgree during scoping
Aona native appAgree during scoping
Nightfall AIDays
Based on vendor documentation as of September 2026. Email trust@aona.ai if you find a factual error.
Deployment
From evaluation to rollout.
Aona
- Shape
- Browser plugin for Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari plus a native endpoint app for Windows and macOS, deployed by IT with its existing software deployment tools (Intune is one option). No network routing or DNS changes.
- Time to first signal
- Agree during scoping
- What IT must change
- Push the plugin and the endpoint app with your usual deployment tooling and connect Microsoft Entra for admin SSO and user or group sync. Nothing changes on the network, in the SSE or in Microsoft 365.
- Prerequisites
- A software deployment tool for managed devices (Intune, Jamf or equivalent)
- Microsoft Entra for admin SSO and user or group sync; general OIDC or SAML also works
Nightfall AI
- Shape
- SaaS console plus OAuth-connected SaaS apps, a browser extension (Chromium browsers including Arc, Brave, Vivaldi and Comet) and macOS and Windows endpoint agents installed via MDM. MCP Gateway in early access.
- Time to first signal
- Days
- What IT must change
- OAuth consent for SaaS apps, MDM push for endpoint agents, browser extension rollout.
- Prerequisites
- Identity provider for SSO (Okta or Entra)
- MDM for the endpoint agents and browser extension
Scope, stated plainly
Know the scope. Plan with confidence.
Aona
- Aona has no API connectors for Slack, Drive, M365 or Salesforce content at rest. Its control point is the AI prompt and upload.
- Coverage needs the Aona plugin or endpoint app on the device. There is no agentless or network-only mode, so personal and unmanaged devices are out of scope.
- No iOS or Android coverage: AI use on phones is out of scope.
- Microsoft Entra is the production identity path, with general OIDC and SAML. No native Okta connector or SCIM provisioning today.
- Aona has a SOC 2 Type II examination report. No FedRAMP, IRAP or ISO 27001 today.
Nightfall AI
- All databases are hosted in the United States, per Nightfall's security page; no in-region hosting outside the US is published. As of September 2026.
- Prompt interception inside the ChatGPT, Copilot and Claude desktop apps is not documented. The endpoint agents install via MDM, and the MCP Gateway, in early access, covers discovery across Claude Desktop, Cursor and VS Code with auto-redaction of secrets and PII. As of September 2026.
- Redaction is entity substitution in text; layout-preserving DOCX, XLSX and PDF redaction is not documented. As of September 2026.
- Evaluation runs through a proof of value rather than a self-serve trial. A developer free plan (3 GB per month) appears only in the docs. As of September 2026.
- SOC 2 Type 2 is the stated certification; ISO 27001 is not stated. As of September 2026.
Security review facts
Ready for your security review.
Certifications, data handling, and residency for both vendors, answered up front so your GRC and legal review can start from this page.
Certifications
Aona
SOC 2 Type II (observation period to January 2026, report issued March 2026; trust center at trust.aona.ai). No FedRAMP or IRAP today.
Nightfall AI
SOC 2 Type 2. ISO 27001 and FedRAMP not stated. As of September 2026.
Trial
Aona
Free for 30 days. Start with a scoping conversation; access is arranged after deployment requirements are confirmed.
Nightfall AI
Proof of value in place of a self-serve trial; developer free plan (3 GB per month) in the docs only. As of September 2026.
Where prompts are processed
Aona
Choose backend hosting separately from Aona prompt processing. Host the backend in your cloud, on your premises or on Aona-managed servers. Process prompts on the user device/on-edge, in your cloud or on-premises, or on Aona-managed servers. Confirm the supported configuration, retention, telemetry and integrations for your rollout; these choices do not change a third-party AI provider's data handling.
Nightfall AI
Content is classified by Nightfall's cloud detection engine (LLM-based classifiers); all databases are hosted in the United States. As of September 2026.
Data residency
Aona
Aona-managed backend hosting has seven regions: Australia, France, UK, Germany, US, Singapore and Hong Kong. Select prompt processing separately; confirm storage, retention, telemetry and any cross-region transfers for the supported configuration. Third-party AI providers have their own data handling.
Nightfall AI
All databases hosted in the United States, per the security page; no in-region option published. As of September 2026.
DPA and security docs
Aona
DPA available on request. Trust center at trust.aona.ai, security overview at aona.ai/security. SOC 2 report under NDA.
Nightfall AI
Not publicly documented (as of July 2026)
Competitor facts come from public documentation and pricing pages. Where a vendor does not publish a fact, we say so rather than guess. Corrections: trust@aona.ai.
How they layer
How Aona and Nightfall AI work together
Aona takes the prompt and the upload; Nightfall takes content at rest in SaaS. Aona hard-blocks, redacts and coaches on the device, in the browser and in the ChatGPT, Copilot and Claude desktop apps, before anything reaches an AI tool. Nightfall's API connectors keep scanning Slack, M365, Drive and Salesforce. Together you get DLP coverage from collaboration tools to AI tools without overlap.
AI prompt layer
Aona intercepts at the browser plus native AI apps. Hard-block DLP on prompts and file uploads.
SaaS layer
Nightfall's API connectors scan content moving through Slack, M365, Drive, and other SaaS apps.
End-to-end DLP coverage
SaaS data is governed by Nightfall; AI prompts and files are governed by Aona.
Sources & review notes ↗Page updated:
Aona publishes these comparisons to explain its fit for employee AI use. Competitor facts come from public documentation, are dated, and are stated as mechanisms you can verify. Corrections: trust@aona.ai.
- Nightfall data loss prevention
Product reference: The vendor's DLP platform scope and evaluation entry point. This overview is not independent test evidence for every granular comparison claim.
- Aona coverage and deployment scope
Aona's client and action boundaries; validate the configuration and actual policy result during your Aona pilot.
Get started
Layer Aona on top of your Nightfall deployment
Free for 30 days. Start with a scoping conversation; access is arranged after deployment requirements are confirmed.
FAQ
Common questions from Nightfall AI customers
Do we need Aona if we already have Nightfall AI?
Yes. Aona enforces on the device at the moment an employee submits a prompt or uploads a file: hard block with no user override, layout-preserving DOCX, XLSX and PDF redaction and real-time coaching, in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari and in the ChatGPT, Copilot and Claude desktop apps. Nightfall AI's control point is content in SaaS through API connectors; its extension and MDM-installed agents can block, sanitise or coach per policy, but prompt interception inside the AI desktop apps and layout-preserving file redaction are not documented, and all of its databases are hosted in the United States. The two run side by side with no SaaS reconfiguration.
Is Aona an alternative to Nightfall AI or a complement?
For employee AI use, Aona provides dedicated protection: hard block with no user override, layout-preserving file redaction, native desktop app coverage, real-time coaching and a 30-day guided trial. Nightfall AI's own category is data at rest in SaaS, reached through API connectors for Slack, M365, Drive and Salesforce, which Aona does not cover. Organisations with both requirements run both: Nightfall AI for SaaS content, Aona for the prompt and the upload on the endpoint.
How does Aona's trial compare to Nightfall AI's evaluation path?
Aona starts with a 30-day guided free trial: IT deploys the plugin and the endpoint app with its existing tooling, you pick a hosting region at signup, and the first prompt and upload decisions arrive during the agreed evaluation. Nightfall AI evaluates through a proof of value rather than a self-serve trial; a developer free plan (3 GB per month) appears only in the docs. As of September 2026.
Is Aona's data residency stronger than Nightfall AI's for buyers outside the United States?
Aona offers managed backend hosting in seven regions: Australia, France, the UK, Germany, the US, Singapore and Hong Kong. Customer-cloud and on-premises backend hosting are also options. Select prompt processing separately and confirm the supported data flow, storage, retention and telemetry. Nightfall AI's security page states that all databases are hosted in the United States, and no in-region option is published. A hosting region alone does not establish in-country handling for every data category or downstream AI provider.
Does Nightfall AI cover native desktop AI apps and MCP the way Aona does?
Aona's native endpoint app intercepts prompts and uploads in the ChatGPT, Copilot and Claude desktop apps in production, and its AI agent and MCP inspection is in limited rollout. Nightfall AI installs macOS and Windows endpoint agents via MDM, but prompt interception inside those AI desktop apps is not documented; its MCP Gateway, in early access as of September 2026, covers discovery across Claude Desktop, Cursor and VS Code with auto-redaction of secrets and PII. Verify each against your own list of AI apps during the Aona trial.