Varonis governs your data at rest.
Aona governs your AI usage on the endpoint.
Varonis discovers and classifies sensitive data across M365, Salesforce, Snowflake, AWS, and on-premise file shares, plus an AI module (Atlas) for sanctioned LLM gateways. Aona intercepts at the browser and native endpoint to govern how employees use AI tools. They cover different surfaces and most regulated organisations need both.
Public DSPM and data security platform with an enterprise AI module covering discovery, posture, runtime gateway, and AIDR.
Workforce AI Security platform purpose-built for the regulated mid-market, intercepting AI prompts and files at the human-AI surface (browser and native endpoint).
Keep Varonis for DSPM and data-at-rest security across SaaS, cloud, and on-premise. Add Aona for AI prompt DLP at the browser and native endpoint, framework templates out of the box, and AU residency. Complementary surfaces, not the same tool.
Jump to the decision matrixSOC 2 Type II · 90-day free trial · No credit card · Live in 1 hour
When to pick which
Five scenarios. The honest answer for each one.
Your DSPM mandate covers files at rest across M365, SaaS, cloud, and on-premise.
Varonis is purpose-built for that. Aona does not classify data at rest.
Federal or US-regulated buyer needing FedRAMP plus SIEM and SOAR connectors today.
Varonis ships these. Aona has SOC 2 Type II only and no native SIEM connectors.
AU-regulated mid-market firm wanting AI-prompt DLP live in days.
Self-serve browser plugin and native endpoint app, AU-only residency. Varonis is enterprise procurement with multi-month implementation.
You need to block prompts in ChatGPT desktop or Claude desktop on macOS.
Aona's native endpoint app intercepts at the process layer for desktop AI apps. Varonis Atlas focuses on the API gateway path for sanctioned LLMs.
You have data-at-rest exposure across SaaS plus an employee AI usage problem.
Different surfaces, no conflict. Varonis at rest; Aona at the prompt.
What each tool actually does
Three columns on the Aona side because the browser plugin and the native endpoint app cover different surfaces. Browser-only customers will see fewer green checks than customers with both.
| Capability | Aona browser plugin | Aona native app | Varonis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discover | |||
| Data-at-rest classification (files, SaaS, cloud) | Core capability | ||
| Shadow AI tool discovery on managed devices | Browser surface | Browser plus native AI apps | Atlas covers more SaaS surface |
| Native desktop AI app interception | ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude desktop | ||
| Govern | |||
| Out-of-the-box framework templates (EU AI Act, ISO 42001) | Atlas is AIDR, not framework templates | ||
| Posture management for sanctioned AI systems | Atlas AI-SPM is mature | ||
| Protect | |||
| Hard-block of prompts on the endpoint | Modal pauses, no override | Blocks via gateway, not endpoint | |
| File redaction with layout preservation (DOCX / Excel) | Length-matched entity replacement | ||
| Operations | |||
| SIEM and SOAR integration | Roadmap | Roadmap | |
| FedRAMP authorization | |||
| AU data residency | AU only | AU only | AU SaaS region available, multi-region |
Based on vendor documentation as of April 2026. Email trust@aona.ai if you find a factual error.
What it takes to ship each one
- Microsoft Intune (Windows MDM, only path shipped)
- Microsoft Entra (admin SSO + user/group sync)
- Active SaaS / cloud connectors
- Identity provider for SSO
Where each one falls short
From public docs and customer interviews. If you find a factual error, email trust@aona.ai.
- No data-store-side DSPM. Varonis discovers and classifies sensitive data at rest across M365, Salesforce, Snowflake, AWS, and on-premise. Aona inspects only what hits an AI surface.
- No FedRAMP, no native SIEM / SOAR connectors. Varonis ships these and is sold to federal and Fortune 500 buyers.
- Far smaller proof base. Varonis is public (NASDAQ: VRNS), thousands of customers, dedicated AU SaaS region. Aona is pre-revenue.
- Shallower posture and identity coverage. Varonis correlates AI exposure with permissions, blast radius, stale access, and insider-threat analytics.
- No endpoint coverage of unsanctioned and native AI apps. Atlas centres on a server-side gateway for sanctioned LLMs; native AI desktop apps are not in scope.
- Mid-market price point and self-serve trial are not the model. Annual contracts typically start in the tens of thousands.
- Framework templating is not a Varonis surface. AIDR is detection-and-response oriented.
- macOS at enterprise scale via API; no native endpoint app for the human-AI surface.
How Aona and Varonis work together
Run them at different surfaces. Varonis governs data at rest across your SaaS, cloud, and on-premise estate, plus a server-side AI Gateway for sanctioned LLMs. Aona governs the human-AI surface: the browser plugin and native endpoint app intercept on submit before content reaches any AI tool. Together you get end-to-end coverage from the data store to the prompt.
Data-at-rest layer
Varonis classifies files, identities, and access across M365, Salesforce, Snowflake, AWS, and on-premise.
Human-AI layer
Aona intercepts at the browser plus native AI apps. Hard-block DLP on prompts and file uploads.
End-to-end coverage
Sensitive data is governed from where it lives to where employees take it in AI tools.
Layer Aona on top of your Varonis stack
90-day free trial. Deploys via Intune and Entra in under an hour. No Varonis reconfiguration, no commitment.