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Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] comparison

Cisco and Citrix are both solutions in the Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions category. Additionally, 92% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of Citrix users who would recommend it.
Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN
Read 92 Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN reviews
  • 9,904 Views
  • 6,017 Comparison Views
92% willing to recommend
Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]
Read 22 Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] reviews
    90% willing to recommend
     

    Comparison Buyer's Guide

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    Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 30, 2025

    Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN and Citrix SD-WAN compete in the SD-WAN category. Citrix SD-WAN has the upper hand due to its customization, scalability, and cost-effectiveness compared to Cisco's premium pricing and complex licensing.

    Features: Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN is praised for its automation, application-level routing, and load balancing. Citrix SD-WAN is favored for easy customization, policy configuration manager, and hybrid networking capabilities allowing seamless connectivity between branches and reduced MPLS costs.

    Room for Improvement: Citrix SD-WAN needs improvements in pricing, reporting customization, and support for additional services. Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN is challenged by its complexity, high cost, and cumbersome licensing model, needing enhancements in security features.

    Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Citrix SD-WAN primarily on-premises deployment receives mixed reviews on customer support quality. Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN offers flexible deployment options but both solutions are criticized for requiring complex configurations and skilled resources.

    Pricing and ROI: Citrix SD-WAN is more affordable with favorable ROI due to lower subscription costs and MPLS savings, despite high initial setup expenses. Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN is premium priced, offering good ROI but higher license and hardware costs, prompting a need for more competitive pricing.

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    March 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

    Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN
    Average Rating
    8.0
    Reviews Sentiment
    7.0
    Number of Reviews
    92
    Ranking in other categories
    Network Management Applications (6th), Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions (2nd), WAN Edge (2nd)
    Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]
    Average Rating
    8.2
    Reviews Sentiment
    7.4
    Number of Reviews
    22
    Ranking in other categories
    No ranking in other categories
     

    Q&A Highlights

    OT
    May 08, 2020
    What is the biggest difference between Cisco SD-WAN and Citrix SD-WAN?
    Cisco is a traditional networking play and has successfully transformed from pure hardware to now software defined products. Many network engineers already use the product and makes a lot of sense for a company with Cisco history to go towards Cisco just like a company which uses citrix desktops will go for the Citrix ADC. Therefore, configuration of Cisco, while not being difficult, is more "formatted" for Engineers who have used the solution and already have deep understanding of the protocols As a relatively new comer, Citrix seems to have put more effort to make the implementation process easier in terms of GUI Now, citrix has one fourth the market share of cisco and this is crucial in terms of competency - as it is 4 times easier to get Cisco competency However, in terms of costs, I like Citrix Netscaler pooled licensing arrangement, It is a flexible licensing framework whereby there is a common pool of license regardless whether the customer performs the deployment as a physical hardware, virtual device or even a containerized solution already use the product. Therefore, Cisco has higher costs As for used cases, I have seen NetScalers used for Load Balancing, for external users to internal services and resources like XenDesktop and XenApp Finally, both Cisco and Citrix have resilient solutions and provide good support - also some dependency where you are located. As for recommendation, it depends on your specific scenario in light of above points.
    See all answers
     

    Featured Reviews

    Igor Van Den Ouden - PeerSpot reviewer
    Enables secure and flexible branch connectivity with application-aware routing
    The valuable features of Cisco SD-WAN include its security policies and zone-based firewall that are applied to every site, as well as application-aware routing. Security is standard compliant, eliminating config drift that was prevalent before manual configurations. Application-aware routing offers flexibility in using different lines for traffic, depending on the policy implemented.
    Read full review
    Rohit Ghorpade - PeerSpot reviewer
    A scalable solution for MCN controller but lacks technical supports, upgrades
    There are a few things that can be improved, are domain-based routing and the slowness of virtual parts, and it may be due to the wrong configuration, which we have been unable to find out. Previously, we faced some issues with the slowness part. Apart from that, feature like end gateway level antivirus. We are currently using a NetFlow proxy to establish a virtual position for the NetFlow. Our current environment has many use cases, but we are not using them on the Citrix SD-WAN. When I navigate the NCL part, it involves configuration. I want to highlight this disadvantage. Sometimes, when we push the configuration, it tries to push it to all branch locations. This process takes a lot of time, nearly 30 minutes, to push a single change from the NCL. Overall, I don't think Citrix meets our use cases what we have. This is based on my feedback after using it for the past year and working on this Citrix SD-WAN. However, from my experience, it is the worst solution I have seen. There's no domain-based routing, which is horrible. That's why we are moving to other products. We have checked our use case requirements with Fortinet, Palo Alto, and they meet them. I will consider the PoC or another OEM. There are many things in the area you need to be prompt, like the automation part. If any link or device goes down, alerting notification, etc. We need to perform and highlight so many things to your management. This should be improved.
    Read full review

    Quotes from Members

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

    Pros

    "The most valuable feature of Cisco SD-WAN is its compatibility and integration with the rest of the infrastructure."
    "The technical support is very responsive."
    "I like the feature that lets you transfer from old devices to new devices without changing the hardware and subscription."
    "It is very simple and easy to manage, compared to other methods."
    "SD-WAN provides a range of common benefits, including cost reduction, increased visibility, and scalability"
    "The solution has great scalability."
    "The segmented traffic it provides is the best in the industry right now."
    "If I have to give a neutral view of all the SD-WAN platforms that I have known so far, Cisco is good in routing."
    More Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN pros
    "The most valuable feature is its reliability."
    "The best feature is the backup capability, where all of the users' computers are tied into a central data repository."
    "The SD-WAN solution as it is already is quite feature-rich and the upgrade process is very simple."
    "The solution is brilliant, the way it calculates its paths and trails is great."
    "It allows us to use additional VPNs, offering more options compared to other VPN solutions."
    "The VPN and the load balancing are the most valuable features."
    "The most valuable feature is security, as it gives me the port bindings that cannot be accomplished using other solutions."
    "Downtime for branch offices is now almost zero. We have 100% real-time visibility into all of our lines. MPLS links have been replaced with lower-cost links, saving a larger percentage of line costs. Overall, I see SD-WAN as a must. And the Citrix SD-WAN product has delivered on expectations and exceeded them. (With later firmware updates we now have good firewall capabilities in the product too)."
    More Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] pros
     

    Cons

    "The solution could be a bit cheaper."
    "The initial setup is really complex."
    "The solution could be more secure. Security is always a priority for us."
    "The client portal needs to be improved in order to make the solution much better."
    "When you buy the equipment, they should already put it into your cloud account. It should already be set up so that we can manage with vBond. We came across an issue where it wasn't resolved in the DNS. We are using Umbrella, so we need to create a VPN IPSec tunnel to Umbrella to enable the users to browse. I would really like to see an internal built-in firewall so that we don't have to go to Umbrella. This functionality might already be there. We are quite new to this solution, and we are still learning about it."
    "The solution is a bit complicated."
    "Integration with other OEMs and the API part needs improvement to be more user-friendly, especially in terms of GUI."
    "The cost is too high for certain countries, for example, those in Africa. The solution needs to be more cost-effective."
    More Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN cons
    "The solution's licensing model could be improved."
    "I am happy with this product. If anything, its price can be reduced. It is a bit expensive."
    "Citrix SD-WAN's knowledge base has a few missing things, so you may need to seek help from support."
    "Overall, network security and next-generation firewall features are areas that they can improve on."
    "I would like to either see the price reduced or have it packaged with other products to give better value for the money."
    "The reports need to be improved. We need to have them customized but they don't have that right now. I would like for them to have better system predictions. We don't have that right now. My system may be working fine right now but after making some changes, that can change."
    "The price is the only thing that could be improved. Citrix is not a cheap solution."
    "The communication around the life cycle would have been really helpful. The main issue we have had is related to the life cycle because some of the things that we are using were discontinued. They were discontinued within a year after we had purchased it, which is a bit painful. If we had known that, we would've made some other decisions."
    More Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] cons
     

    Pricing and Cost Advice

    "I give the price a seven out of ten."
    "The pricing is fair, and it's on par with the market vendors. But based on the competition, Cisco could work on the pricing, go deep on discounts and provide more commercially viable solutions to customers."
    "The license consists of an annual fee."
    "In the Russian market where we operate, this solution is expensive."
    "The price of Cisco SD-WAN is expensive. We pay approximately $50 monthly for the use of the solution."
    "It is much cheaper than other solutions. Most of our clients are the top 500 companies, and they all have a corporate contract."
    "There is no license required for this solution."
    "You can get subscriptions for three or five years."
    More Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN pricing and cost advice
    "I'm not quite sure of the price ranges. Roughly, the hidden devices can scale up to $20K for one appliance. However, the branch CPs are USD $1,000 to $2,500."
    "It is a bit expensive. A cheaper product would be good, but everybody likes things to be cheaper. We bought the devices up front, and then we pay for the annual support."
    "It's a little bit on the high side compared to the other products."
    "I believe that Citrix SD-WAN is a good investment, but I do not have the information to be more specific."
    "Citrix SD-WAN is quite an affordable product."
    "The price of the subscription should be cheaper."
    "It would be helpful to have a demo license available for customers who want to prove the concept and conduct a proof of concept (POC) before committing to the solution. This is particularly important for customers in Egypt who often require a demonstration of the solution's features and compatibility with their needs before making any investment or incurring costs. Providing a demo license would allow customers to assess whether the solution would meet their needs or not."
    "It depends on the scale. In our case, it would have been better if we had known about the life cycling steps, but otherwise, it is worth the money."
    More Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] pricing and cost advice
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    Top Industries

    By visitors reading reviews
    Educational Organization
    45%
    Computer Software Company
    12%
    Financial Services Firm
    7%
    Manufacturing Company
    4%
    Computer Software Company
    26%
    Real Estate/Law Firm
    9%
    Financial Services Firm
    8%
    Energy/Utilities Company
    5%
     

    Company Size

    By reviewers
    Large Enterprise
    Midsize Enterprise
    Small Business
     

    Questions from the Community

    What do you like most about Cisco SD-WAN?
    When considering the most valuable features of Cisco SD-WAN, the decoupling of self-monitoring stands out significantly.
    See all answers
    What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco SD-WAN?
    The pricing for Cisco SD-WAN is rated eight out of ten, with some variability depending on the reseller discounts and the size of the enterprise. It is also relatively cost-effective for smaller bu...
    See all answers
    What needs improvement with Cisco SD-WAN?
    The main area for improvement in Cisco SD-WAN is the lack of documentation, which often lags behind the software releases. This is especially notable since Cisco acquired the solution and is still ...
    See all answers
    What do you like most about Citrix SD-WAN?
    It lowered our Internet costs and gave me the flexibility to choose providers based on each location's connectivity.
    See all answers
    What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Citrix SD-WAN?
    It is on the expensive side. I would give it an eight out of ten in terms of costliness. In my region, the approximate cost for the Citrix SD-WAN license is around $150 per user per year. However, ...
    See all answers
    What needs improvement with Citrix SD-WAN?
    The solution's licensing model could be improved. Citrix SD-WAN is a good product from a technical point of view. However, when you compare its licensing with the prices of competitors, you will se...
    See all answers
     

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    Compared 40% of the time
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    Compared 26% of the time
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    Product Reports

    Buyer's Guide
    Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN
    March 2025
    Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN reportDownload Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN product report
    Buyer's Guide
    Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]
    March 2025
    Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] reportDownload Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] product report
     

    Also Known As

    Cisco SD-WAN
    Citrix CloudBridge, WOC, NetScaler SD-WAN
     

    Overview

    Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN serves to connect remote offices, reduce MPLS costs, and facilitate cloud and internet access while providing secure connectivity and centralized management for hybrid networks.

    Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN is leveraged for secure connectivity, load balancing, VPN, centralized network management, and migrating from traditional networks to SD-WAN. It supports hybrid networks, enabling centralized management across branches and data centers, improving security, and optimizing bandwidth usage. Industries such as banking and retail benefit from its capabilities for secure and efficient network management.

    What are the main features of Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN?

    • Centralized Management: Simplifies network operations and administration.
    • Application-Level Routing: Enhances performance for critical applications.
    • Segmentation: Provides robust network segmentation for security.
    • Policy Configuration: Customizable policies for traffic management.
    • Real-Time Traffic Visibility: Enables monitoring for better insights.
    • Load Balancing: Distributes network traffic efficiently.
    • Hybrid Cloud Connectivity: Seamless integration with cloud services.
    • Deep Packet Inspection: Detailed traffic analysis for security.
    • High Security: Offers strong security protocols to protect the network.
    • Ease of Deployment: Features like zero-touch provisioning simplify setup.

    What benefits should be considered in reviews?

    • Cost Savings: Reduces operational expenses through efficient network management.
    • Reliability: Proven performance and uptime for critical operations.
    • Scalability: Grows with the organization's needs.
    • Integrated Health Monitoring: Proactively identifies and resolves issues.
    • Industry Trust: Cisco's reputation for quality and support.

    Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN's implementation in banking enhances secure transaction communication between branches and data centers. Retailers utilize it to ensure steady connectivity for point-of-sale systems and inventory management. Organizations benefit from centralized management, making it easier to handle networks across multiple locations.

    Cisco

    Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] enhances network stability, redundancy, and reliability, supporting connectivity between branches, optimizing internet access, and enabling secure, redundant networks, both on-premises and cloud-based.

    Corporations utilize Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] to improve network performance, minimize downtime, and ensure high availability. Combining communication methods and supporting interbranch internet routing, it assists businesses in transitioning from MPLS, centralizing monitoring, and optimizing bandwidth use. Its functionality includes secure connections, cost reductions, and effective management of internet access. The support for multiple communication methods, application reliability, and ease of implementation make it a valuable tool for modern network management.

    What key features does Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] offer?
    • Security: Enhanced protection to safeguard network data
    • IPv6 layering over IPv4: Ensures compatibility and future-proofing
    • Active-Active bandwidth use: Maximizes bandwidth utilization
    • Zero downtime failover: Maintains continuous operation during failures
    • Zero-touch deployment: Simplifies the installation process
    • Application reliability: Ensures high performance for critical applications
    • Cost-effectiveness: Reduces overall networking expenses
    • Central deployment: Facilitates easy configuration updates and management
    What benefits should users look for in Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] reviews?
    • Enhanced performance: Improved application and connectivity speed
    • Increased reliability: Minimized network downtime and interruptions
    • Centralized monitoring: Streamlined network oversight and control
    • Scalable security: Adaptable protection for evolving network needs
    • Cost savings: Lower operational costs compared to traditional MPLS
    • Flexibility: Ability to handle multiple network functions effectively

    Industries implement Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] to replace costly MPLS setups with more flexible VPN and NetScaler options, benefiting sectors like finance, healthcare, and retail that require robust, secure, and scalable network solutions. Organizations achieve better device management and efficient connectivity across multiple branches, enhancing their operational effectiveness.

    Citrix
     

    Sample Customers

    Doyle Research, Ashton Metzler & Associates
    AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Cornerstone Home Lending Inc., Dallara, ecVision, Essar, Eurofred, Groupe Promutuel, HMSHost Corporation, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Ltd, Royal Caribbean International
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    March 2025
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