Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Check Point IPS vs Cisco IOS Security comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 19, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
6.7
Users value Check Point IPS for enhancing security, reducing costs, increasing profitability, and providing peace of mind and ROI.
Sentiment score
7.4
Cisco IOS Security delivered significant ROI through improved routing, security, stability, and cost-efficiency, despite competitive vendor pressures.
We have seen a return on investment with Check Point IPS because we have not seen any security events, malicious activities, or any device compromised, so we are secure now, and money has been saved.
Network Security Engineer at Digitaltrack
I have seen a return on investment as it results in money saved and time saved because the security tool is very complete and modern.
Networking Admin at a tech company with 51-200 employees
I have seen a return on investment more in the risk saved since it catches a lot of stuff security-wise that is good to catch.
Network Cyber Security Specialist at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
The return on investment is satisfactory with Cisco products as they have long lifespans, and our customers are satisfied with them.
Head of Cyber Defense Department and Network Technologies Department at Verso Altima
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.0
Check Point IPS support is responsive and expert, with mixed reviews on resolution speed and effectiveness, ratings ranging 6-10.
Sentiment score
6.7
Cisco IOS Security support is generally praised for speed and skill, though some report delays and complexity in access.
Our technical teams have personal relationships with our account executives and direct support people.
Department Head - Security & IT Risk Management at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
The customer support for Check Point IPS is very helpful, as they are able to resolve complex issues.
Server Security Analyst and Solution at Digitaltrack Solutions Pvt Ltd
I reached out to customer support a couple of times, and the response has been very good.
Security Engineer at GlobeSecure Technologies Pvt Ltd
My impression is that the support quality has deteriorated over time.
Head of Cyber Defense Department and Network Technologies Department at Verso Altima
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.1
Check Point IPS efficiently scales for large networks, excelling in flexibility and cloud deployment, despite setup-dependent challenges.
Sentiment score
7.4
Cisco IOS Security offers scalable, enterprise-level solutions but may increase costs and limit universality due to required hardware.
We have moved to a hyper-scale master environment, allowing us to scale by adding additional gateways to the clusters.
Department Head - Security & IT Risk Management at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
The scalability of Check Point IPS is on point.
Security Engineer at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees
The scalability of Check Point IPS is great because when I deploy gateways in the cloud, I create a cluster, which offers a very scalable option.
IT Cloud Learder at a security firm with 51-200 employees
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.9
Check Point IPS is highly reliable and stable, with users appreciating its performance despite occasional high CPU utilization.
Sentiment score
7.6
Cisco IOS Security is generally reliable with occasional issues, frequently updated for stability, scoring 7-10 in satisfaction.
Check Point IPS provides a very stable and reliable environment.
Department Head - Security & IT Risk Management at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
Check Point IPS is very stable.
Technique at Digitaltrack
Check Point IPS is very stable with no problems regarding this solution.
Support at a security firm with 51-200 employees
We find Cisco products stable and thoroughly tested before new software or firmware versions are released.
Head of Cyber Defense Department and Network Technologies Department at Verso Altima
I find Cisco IOS Security to be a very stable product.
Partner/Owner and Director of Human Resources at Up arrow Systems
 

Room For Improvement

Check Point IPS needs better detection, reporting, automation, and efficiency while reducing costs and false positives for improved performance.
Cisco IOS Security struggles with integration, usability, cost, lacking features, complex licensing, performance, and requires enhancement and support.
Automated attack path correlation in SmartEvent to improve situational awareness.
Technical Specialist at Softcell Technologies Limited
At least 60% of all the alarms generated by the IPS are false positives or something that's not important to look at, and this generates a significant workload for my team.
Network Cyber Security Specialist at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
More granular policy customization for Check Point IPS would allow protection to be tailored more precisely to specific applications or services, which would reduce unnecessary overhead and improve accuracy.
Support at a security firm with 51-200 employees
Cisco changes their licensing policy quite frequently, which is becoming confusing and complicated.
Head of Cyber Defense Department and Network Technologies Department at Verso Altima
 

Setup Cost

Check Point IPS's competitive pricing is offset by high setup fees, yet its quality and bundled deals offer good value.
Cisco IOS Security is costly, favoring medium to large enterprises with longer-term savings over SMB challenges.
Comparisons with Fortinet show that Check Point IPS is relatively more expensive, but we found it cheaper to retain it rather than switch.
Department Head - Security & IT Risk Management at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Check Point IPS is good; it's baked into the firewall licensing, so that's very good.
Network Cyber Security Specialist at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Check Point IPS is great, and I have no problem with the price.
Networking Admin at a tech company with 51-200 employees
The cost of Cisco IOS Security for customers is on the higher end of pricing compared to the competition, depending on the targeted customers.
Head of Cyber Defense Department and Network Technologies Department at Verso Altima
 

Valuable Features

Check Point IPS is valued for ease of use, real-time prevention, customizable policies, and effective threat management with low false positives.
Cisco IOS Security offers scalable, stable solutions with VPN, AAA, firewall integration, and user-friendly management for high-demand environments.
The integration with Check Point ThreatCloud ensures the IPS engine is updated with the latest attack signatures.
Technical Specialist at Softcell Technologies Limited
The solution employs behavioral heuristic analysis to block zero-day attacks using AI-powered engines.
Technical Specialist at Softcell Technologies Limited
Whenever any zero-day attack is detected, it downloads that signature into the firewall and prevents that threat.
Network Security Engineer at Digitaltrack
This solution, called Network Access Controller, handles authentication, authorization, and accounting for devices accessing the network.
Partner/Owner and Director of Human Resources at Up arrow Systems
The best features of Cisco IOS Security are its integration with software management tools such as Cisco DNA Center and Cisco ICE, which provide centralized policy and network access control.
Head of Cyber Defense Department and Network Technologies Department at Verso Altima
 

Categories and Ranking

Check Point IPS
Ranking in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
3rd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
72
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Cisco IOS Security
Ranking in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
17th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
49
Ranking in other categories
Firewalls (29th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) category, the mindshare of Check Point IPS is 3.9%, down from 4.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco IOS Security is 2.1%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Check Point IPS3.9%
Cisco IOS Security2.1%
Other94.0%
Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
 

Featured Reviews

GR
Support at a security firm with 51-200 employees
Real-Time Blocking Improves Response and Reduces Manual Logs
The best feature in my experience with Check Point IPS is the real-time prevention because it uses thousands of preventive protections based on both known exploit signatures and behavioral analysis to detect and block threats before they reach vulnerable systems. I find the behavioral analysis feature of Check Point IPS to be a most valuable feature because it can detect sophisticated threats that do not match known signatures. For example, when I need to view anomaly detections, instead of relying solely on known attack patterns, Check Point IPS monitors network traffic for unusual behavior such as unexpected protocol use, abnormal data flows, or suspicious command sequences. Check Point IPS impacts my organization positively because it has had a strong positive impact by strengthening our network defense, reducing manual work, and improving our incident response times.
Danijel Cerovecki - PeerSpot reviewer
Head of Cyber Defense Department and Network Technologies Department at Verso Altima
Have faced challenges in keeping licensing clear and consistent while ensuring reliable network protection
We are a Gold Partner with Cisco. Our customers come from various industries, including service providers, and we target service providers and enterprise customers.We do not extensively use Zone-Based Firewalls in Cisco IOS Security, instead typically deploying standalone firewalls such as Cisco FTDs or Cisco ASA devices. For threat analytics and vulnerability scanning, we utilize third-party vendors with dedicated devices and software. We use products such as Tenable from Nessus for this type of analysis. We have implemented Secure Access Control Server in Cisco IOS Security, which combines multiple security mechanisms including AAA, 802.1X for network access control with Cisco ICE, TrustSec for identity-based segmentation, and Cisco DNA Center. Cisco IOS Security's VPN support is comprehensive and increasingly important in daily communication, from basic site-to-site tunnels to remote access VPNs and SD-WAN secure VPNs. Protecting and encrypting communication is essential in modern networks. The challenges with Cisco IOS Security are more operational than product-related. There is an understaffing issue, making automation and orchestration capabilities particularly valuable. For the products themselves, we only encounter routine operational matters such as addressing new vulnerabilities and patching. For those considering Cisco IOS Security, it is important to understand that Cisco offers a complete ecosystem. When embracing the Cisco ecosystem fully, customers receive excellent products and comprehensive solutions. On a scale of 1-10, I rate Cisco IOS Security a 9.
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) solutions are best for your needs.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Outsourcing Company
14%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Computer Software Company
23%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
8%
Outsourcing Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business50
Midsize Enterprise22
Large Enterprise23
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business20
Midsize Enterprise14
Large Enterprise18
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Check Point IPS?
The most valuable feature of the solution is called tunneling. Tunneling is one of the major security features that hackers cannot penetrate through.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Check Point IPS?
I have saved around two or three hours a week since I started using Check Point IPS. My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Check Point IPS is great, and I have no problem with t...
What needs improvement with Check Point IPS?
Check Point IPS is working well for our organization. In the future, more automated and more AI-based intelligence could be fed into Check Point IPS, and that would be helpful for us.
What do you like most about Cisco IOS Security?
Cisco IOS Security is a mature product with extensive capabilities, serving as the base for the defense layer. It offers good network visibility, which helps in rapid response through the Rapid Thr...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco IOS Security?
The cost of Cisco IOS Security for customers is on the higher end of pricing compared to the competition, depending on the targeted customers.This can be a major issue as enterprise customers are o...
What needs improvement with Cisco IOS Security?
Regarding improvements in Cisco IOS Security, what consistently confuses me is the inability of Cisco to maintain a clear licensing policy.This is an issue that I have observed for years now. Cisco...
 

Also Known As

Check Point Intrusion Prevention System
IOS Security
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Morton Salt, Medical Advocacy and Outreach, BH Telecom, Lightbeam Health Solutions, X by Orange, Cadence, Nihondentsu, Datastream Connexion, Good Sam, Omnyway, FIASA, Pacific Life, Banco del Pacifico, Control Southern, Xero, Centrify
Arup Group, Brunel University London, City of Biel, Gobierno de Castilla-La Mancha, K&L Gates , New South Wales Rural Fire Service, Offshore Northern Seas, Transplace
Find out what your peers are saying about Check Point IPS vs. Cisco IOS Security and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.