Appgate SDP vs Portnox comparison

Appgate and Portnox Security are both solutions in the ZTNA category. Appgate is ranked #8 with an average rating of 9.0, while Portnox Security is ranked #9 with an average rating of 7.9. Additionally, 100% of Appgate users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 94% of Portnox Security users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 28, 2025

Portnox and Appgate SDP compete in network security, focusing on access control and security management. While Portnox excels in pricing and customer support, Appgate SDP is more robust in functionality and features.

Features: Portnox offers robust network visibility, endpoint compliance, and seamless integration with existing systems. Appgate SDP provides a software-defined perimeter, zero-trust network access, and micro-segmentation, enhancing security protocols in complex environments.

Room for Improvement: Portnox could benefit from an expanded feature set to match the complexity of modern network demands and improve scalability. Appgate SDP needs to streamline deployment and simplify its user interface for easier adoption and management.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Portnox offers an intuitive deployment process with highly regarded customer support, enabling fast implementation. Appgate SDP requires more setup time due to its sophisticated deployment model, but it offers a tailored solution for complex structures.

Pricing and ROI: Portnox is appealing to cost-conscious organizations with its cost-effective setup and favorable ROI. Appgate SDP, although costlier initially, promises substantial long-term value with its advanced security features.

To learn more, read our detailed Appgate SDP vs. Portnox Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Appgate SDP vs. Portnox

December 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

iboss

Featured Reviews

reviewer2701851

Managing Director

Enhances web security with a single pane of glass and flexible deployment

I don't see any need for improvement; one of the really good things about iboss as a company is that they listen to customer feedback. I have suggested enhancements, and they are responsive, making changes for the better, and they do a lot of testing. To improve iboss, although we haven't used it, we considered the VPN solution that comes with the highest tier licensing, which includes DLP and various other add-ons. We prefer using another product which automatically logs you back onto your network when turning on your PC. With iboss, the connection is manual, which doesn't meet our needs. Additionally, sizing can be tricky because, although the initial recommendations may seem adequate, actual usage may require more gateways than anticipated.

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IgnitiusMolepo

Senior IP Network Defense at MTN

Helps us manage traffic-related issues and streamlines access management for the network

Appgate SDP has significantly streamlined our access management, providing a notably efficient solution compared to traditional VPNs. The simplicity of the SDP platform is a standout feature; instead of navigating through intricate details, users can seamlessly connect to the company's network or switch to the internet with minimal effort, unlike VPNs which often involve waiting for connection handling and unblocking. Recognizing the robustness of SDP, we made strategic decisions to minimize reliance on VPNs, reserving only two for administrative purposes. In a scenario where Appgate SDP significantly improved our network security posture, the platform played a crucial role in fortifying defenses against major threats. The encryption algorithms utilized by SDP provide a high level of security to our network architecture. Compared to Cisco, SDP proves to be most critical in protecting resources with the help of role-based policies. It only provides selective access to the application. The dynamic policy engine significantly enhances our access control mechanisms. It has single sign-on and multifactor authentication features. It makes processes faster and easier. It has helped our IT team to manage the workload with ease. It gives an intelligent solution whenever they face traffic-related problems. I rate it a nine out of ten.

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reviewer9216065

Sr. Cloud Security Architect at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

Centralized access control has simplified operations but still needs more flexible on‑prem options

Portnox has design considerations that limit its applicability. If you are in a highly regulated industry with mandates requiring the solution to be completely on-premises, Portnox does not work at all. I do not think they position their products for those industries. Even for non-heavily regulated industries, if you want a self-sufficient system within your own premises, there are design constraints because at some point you must reach out to Portnox infrastructure in the cloud, and if that is unavailable, it suffers. For example, on deep-sea oil rigs without proper connectivity, it struggles. I am not sure they want to enter that particular business segment, as it may not align with their value proposition. I cannot blindly select this product and deploy it everywhere; I must make deliberate decisions first. Portnox could improve by reducing its heavy reliance on the cloud. While I do not think they want to eliminate this aspect, a complete solution for regulated entities would include some on-premises setup that is self-sufficient and does not depend on the cloud. This is the most important improvement. Second, Portnox already has a robust integration ecosystem with many vendors, but not all. Even when integration exists, the extent varies, particularly regarding vendor-specific attributes. I have never faced challenges because my security tools and stack have been standard: Cisco, Aruba access points, Cisco switches, and UniFi, all of which work well with them. However, there is room for deeper integration when compared to tools like Cisco ISE and Aruba ClearPass. Their offerings are clear, easy to onboard, and their day zero and day one onboarding activities are streamlined and straightforward. They share best practice checklists that make configuration simple.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Because of iboss, I did not have to assign web filtering tasks to my techs on a daily basis."

"Granular setup, which was able to set different levels of filters using the OUs in the AD."

"iboss is among the few products providing inline filtering where no application is needed on the device. It operates on the network side and is not device-based. This feature was one of the main reasons why we stayed with them for so long."

"Our primary use case for this product is DLP,"

"Content filtering is the most useful feature of iboss."

"I would rate the technical support of iboss a solid 10 without a shadow of a doubt."

"iboss is easy to use despite its complexity. Multiple engineers manage it, but it's significantly more straightforward to administer than traditional VPNs and web proxies."

"iboss has significantly lowered the number of security incidents. It is crazy how much it blocks and how much it is aware of the outside danger."

More iboss pros

"The interface is really friendly. It's simple to understand."

"One of the most important features is stopping lateral movement across our network."

"It is pretty stable."

"The flexibility of the tool is valuable. It is very robust. It has a very robust configuration capability."

"It is a scalable solution...The support answers your questions very fast."

"The simplicity of the SDP platform is a standout feature; instead of navigating through intricate details, users can seamlessly connect to the company's network or switch to the internet with minimal effort."

"The technical support is top-notch."

"It's agentless, and it's scalable."

"The product is a valuable solution within zero-trust architecture, enhancing network security and visibility."

"It's so easy to set up, you don't need outside assistance."

"The cloud-based feature of Portnox is excellent."

"This is a self-sufficient network monitoring and security product that saves time and employee resources."

"I like the fact that you can take your device anywhere and still have that visibility from anywhere because it's agent-based."

More Portnox pros

Cons

"If they could implement an extra security layer preventing access to iboss from the open internet, it would be great."

"The solution could be stronger on the integration side and offer more cloud applications like G Suite or Oracle."

"The dashboards for local use could be better."

"The reporting feature needs improvement."

"Its pricing could be better."

"Sometimes when you call in support, you get someone who is just following a sheet. It feels like a runaround. You feel that you are running into that support wall."

"Sometimes, obviously, there are bugs."

"I am currently doing a PoC of the zero trust aspect of it. Compared to other similar solutions, it is hard to get around each feature. It takes a while to get used to it."

More iboss cons

"It would be better to connect to an application portal from any device. Documentation and support could be better."

"One limitation is that it's harder to provide access to multiple applications in the company with Appgate, but that's probably because of poor management."

"The user interface should be improved as it is not very easy to work with the updates."

"On the cloud, when you make some changes, it may be difficult."

"They could provide a single-box solution to manage tools for 4000 users. Additionally, they could add extra features to enhance remote micro connection."

"One thing that kind of sticks out to me is the ability to do a proper non-split tunnel. VPN tunnel-wise, it is not really a true unsplit tunnel, but I think that's just because of the way it's designed. A split VPN basically allows your system to talk to other systems without being forced down the tunnel. A VPN running in a non-split tunnel mode forces all the traffic down the tunnel to wherever you're VPNing to. It forces the traffic down so that the traffic is subject to the firewall and rules that you have in your corporate environment and such. It helps to prevent remote malicious folks that may be talking directly to that box from piggybacking into the corporate environment through it. They do it partially, but it would be nice to see more of an enterprise-level solution there."

"In terms of operational efficiency, things are more complicated now. It takes more time to get devices on the network, but we increased security quite a bit."

"Their filtering system tends to lag quite a bit, so when I'm doing filtering at times, it doesn't filter the items properly."

"I believe there is a lot of room for improvement in terms of integration."

"We have seen instances where the older version stops working properly, and we have to update each system individually."

"Ideally, we should be able to search for any MAC address in the database, regardless of its authentication status, to see all its associated groups and potential conflicts."

"It would be good to integrate Portnox CORE with CLEAR."

"The solution did have some stability issues, however, all I had to do was restart it."

"However, problems arise when the same MAC address is requested for a different project. Our current system only finds authenticated MAC addresses, making it difficult to troubleshoot when the same device is used for multiple purposes."

More Portnox cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We had the cost of purchasing a new appliance along with the implementation and licensing costs. However, the following year, the cost of just licensing was similar to what was paid the previous year for a new appliance along with the implementation and licensing costs."

"It is not expensive, and it is also not cheap. iboss is priced right in the sweet spot for the number of features it offers."

"It is expensive compared to one of its competitors."

"We have not priced the solution recently, but they were competitive with other vendors in the past."

"The overall pricing for iboss is very competitive and transparent."

"It is probably in line with other solutions, but I do not deal with the financial side."

"We pay $100 per user per month. One license for the site is around $17."

"The pricing is according to the market price. It is not a very cheap solution. They have some very aggressive promotions to sell the product in the market."

"It is a pretty expensive tool. It is maybe about $20,000 per year for a hundred users or so."

"The solution is very expensive and I would rate it 10 out of 10."

"The tool is more expensive than Fortinet."

"The cost of Portnox Clear is reasonable."

"The licensing module should be reviewed to count the number of devices instead of port numbers of total switches. There is a case for this where not all ports for a switch are used by devices. Unused ports are calculated in the license, then the customer pays for license for those unused ports."

"The pricing is a bit high, possibly due to the cloud features and running instances across regions like the US, Asia, and Europe."

"We pay for port licensing and support on a yearly basis, and it's not cheap."

"Portnox CORE's pricing is adequate and cheaper compared to other complex solutions. Its licensing costs are yearly and include support. Cost is calculated per device."

"Pricing is quite reasonable."

More Portnox pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

11%

Computer Software Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

Government

Manufacturing Company

16%

Financial Services Firm

Healthcare Company

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	5

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	3

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	13
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	8

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with iboss?

For zero trust implementation, we encountered complexity issues, especially with a large infrastructure company Exxon...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for iboss?

Previously when I used iboss, we did the POC for iboss for ExxonMobil. Four or five people wanted to move from our ol...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for iboss?

Regarding pricing, setup costs, and licensing, iboss is not cheap, and that's my only concern. There are cheaper alte...

See all answers

What do you like most about Appgate SDP?

The simplicity of the SDP platform is a standout feature; instead of navigating through intricate details, users can ...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Appgate SDP?

They could provide a single-box solution to manage tools for 4000 users. Additionally, they could add extra features ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Appgate SDP?

We use Appgate SDP as a substitute for traditional VPN.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Portnox Clear?

I know that IT solutions are expensive. You are charged according to the number of users. For now, the organisation c...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Portnox Clear?

The area Portnox needs to organise more training for its partners. They are doing well, but areas of knowledge gaps a...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Portnox Clear?

My use case for Portnox is access control, specifically focused on access control.

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 12% of the time

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Compared 10% of the time

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Compared 7% of the time

Cisco Umbrella vs iboss

Compared 7% of the time

VMware SASE vs iboss

Compared 2% of the time

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Compared 8% of the time

Fortinet FortiGate vs Appgate SDP

Compared 8% of the time

Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform vs Appgate SDP

Compared 6% of the time

Zscaler Internet Access vs Appgate SDP

Compared 5% of the time

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs Appgate SDP

Compared 4% of the time

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Aruba ClearPass vs Portnox

Compared 15% of the time

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs Portnox

Compared 15% of the time

Fortinet FortiNAC vs Portnox

Compared 14% of the time

Forescout Platform vs Portnox

Compared 10% of the time

Symantec Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) vs Portnox

Compared 7% of the time

More Portnox Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

iboss

January 2026

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Buyer's Guide

ZTNA

January 2026

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Buyer's Guide

Portnox

January 2026

Download Portnox product report

Also Known As

iBoss Cloud Platform

No data available

Access Layers Portnox, Portnox CLEAR

Interactive Demo

Demo not available

iboss

Demo not available

Appgate

Portnox Security

Overview

Iboss offers a comprehensive cloud-based security platform valued for its scalability and autonomous features, ensuring robust security with easy deployment and management capabilities.

Renowned for its robust security architecture, Iboss integrates seamlessly within diverse networks, delivering efficient granular filtering and advanced content categorization. Its single pane of glass console provides ease of management, allowing rapid scalability suitable for rapidly deploying environments. Operates in BYOD setups due to inline filtering without device installation. Integration with cloud-based applications enhances user control, and features like SASE, SSL inspection, and ChatGPT risk protection stand as highlights. Despite its strengths, users have pointed out areas for enhancement like direct navigation in reports, SSL decryption, and better cloud integration while having room to improve data loss prevention.

What are the most important features of Iboss?

Scalability: Supports rapid deployment across diverse networks.
SASE: A consolidated approach to secure access.
SSL Inspection: Ensures safe data transmission.
Granular Filtering: Detailed control over accessible content.
Single Pane Management: Unifies control through a centralized console.

What benefits should users consider in reviews?

Cost-effectiveness: Offers competitive pricing with robust features.
Autonomous Operation: Reduces management overhead.
Responsive Support: Provides assistance when needed.
Flexible Deployment: Available for both cloud and on-premises environments.

The usage of Iboss spans educational institutions, specifically K-12, to enforce internet policies, protect data, and support remote work environments. It provides web filtering and security frameworks to ensure safe browsing. Its platform-as-a-service model offers flexibility for both cloud-based and on-premises requirements, integrating seamlessly to deliver enhanced security features suitable for various deployment needs including zero trust, CASB, and network security for work-from-home setups.

iboss

Appgate SDP is a network access control tool for local and remote access, multifactor authentication, and micro-segmentation. It is a flexible, robust, and configurable tool with good documentation, interface improvements, and ease of deployment.

It helps organizations prevent lateral movement across networks and servers and provides a more granular access control structure than traditional VPNs. Appgate SDP's valuable features include the ability to hide servers, good support, stability, scalability, and stopping lateral movement. It is currently being used as the main VPN solution for many companies.

Appgate

Portnox provides advanced network visibility and proactive security without complexity, ensuring easy setup and scalability. Its agentless nature and intuitive design enable seamless device management and system integration, promoting efficient network operations and endpoint security.

Portnox is known for offering comprehensive network access control, providing firms with vital tools for managing authentication and securing endpoint devices. It's praised for ease of use in integrating with systems such as RADIUS servers and offering detailed analytical capabilities to ensure compliance and control unauthorized access. While users appreciate the intuitive interface and device management, improvements have been suggested in the areas of better GUI, integration with firewalls, and enhanced configuration methods. Portnox aids in handling dynamic VLAN assignments and securing access in both wired and wireless networks, proving particularly valuable for on-premises and remote environments.

What are the key features of Portnox?

Network Visibility: Offers comprehensive oversight of network activities.
Agentless Setup: Ensures easy implementation with minimal disruption.
Compliance Checks: Provides tools for compliance verification and incident reporting.
Integration: Seamlessly connects with existing IT systems for efficient management.

What benefits should users look for?

Enhanced Security: Prioritizes proactive measures to secure endpoints.
Easy Management: Facilitates straightforward device handling and network control.
Efficiency: Streamlines network operations for better performance.
Scalability: Adapts to organizational growth without complexities.

In industries where network security is paramount, such as finance and healthcare, Portnox is implemented to fortify access control and manage endpoint connections effectively. Its ability to secure both on-premises and remote environments makes it a versatile choice across sectors that require stringent access management, particularly where unauthorized device connections pose significant risks.

Portnox Security

Sample Customers

More than 4,000 global enterprises trust the iboss Cloud Platform to support their modern workforces, including a large number of Fortune 50 companies.

United States Air Force FINRA Weight Watchers Rackspace DataDog SageNet Verdant Norwegian Cruise Line VoiceBase The Third Floor

Data Realty, Royal London, Wales Millennium Centre, McLaren Construction Group, EL AL Israeli Airlines,

Buyer's Guide

Appgate SDP vs. Portnox

December 2025

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