Cisco IOS SSL VPN vs Ivanti Connect Secure comparison

Cisco and Ivanti are both solutions in the SSL VPN category. Cisco is ranked #4 with an average rating of 9.1, while Ivanti is ranked #1 with an average rating of 6.8. Cisco holds a 10.1% mindshare in SV, compared to Ivanti’s 16.6% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 79% of Ivanti users who would recommend it.

Cisco IOS SSL VPN

Read 50 Cisco IOS SSL VPN reviews

1,530 Views
887 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Ivanti Connect Secure

Read 29 Ivanti Connect Secure reviews

3,875 Views
1,356 Comparison Views

79% willing to recommend

Cisco IOS SSL VPN

Ivanti Connect Secure

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on May 21, 2025

Cisco IOS SSL VPN and Ivanti Connect Secure are prominent competitors in the VPN market. Users favor Cisco for user management and multifactor authentication, whereas Ivanti excels with its structured security compliance and VPN tunneling capabilities.

Features: Cisco IOS SSL VPN is recognized for its encryption support, versatile configuration, and scalability. It integrates effectively within Cisco's ecosystem, providing seamless connectivity and secure data access. Ivanti Connect Secure is praised for its robust VPN tunneling and compliance checks, ensuring secure remote access with a focus on ease of use.

Room for Improvement: Cisco IOS SSL VPN should improve integration capabilities and address pricing concerns. Enhancements in user interface flexibility and resolving connectivity issues are needed. Ivanti Connect Secure must focus on improving stability and connection speed, with attention to vulnerability management and timely security updates in line with Windows changes.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco IOS SSL VPN offers stable on-premises deployment with hybrid cloud support and is backed by robust customer service through its local partner network. Ivanti Connect Secure provides seamless deployment across public and private clouds with reliable technical support.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco IOS SSL VPN is considered relatively expensive, yet users often find it justifiable due to its security and stability. Demand exists for discounts and flexible pricing. Ivanti Connect Secure is noted for high license costs, though recognized for its effectiveness. Both solutions report high ROI; however, Cisco's perceived higher expense contrasts with its feature set, while Ivanti offers competitive licensing for diverse needs.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco IOS SSL VPN vs. Ivanti Connect Secure Report (Updated: January 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco IOS SSL VPN vs. Ivanti Connect Secure

January 2026

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Helped 881,757 peers since 2012

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 IOS SSL VPN

Ranking in SSL VPN

4th

Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

12th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Ivanti Connect Secure

Ranking in SSL VPN

1st

Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

8th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the SSL VPN category, the mindshare of Cisco IOS SSL VPN is 10.1%, up from 8.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Ivanti Connect Secure is 16.6%, down from 24.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

SSL VPN Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Ivanti Connect Secure	16.6%
Cisco IOS SSL VPN	10.1%
Other	73.3%

SSL VPN

Featured Reviews

Viktor Masnyy

student at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees

Cost efficiency and ease of setup define network management while potential improvements in complexity handling are noted

Optimizing and configuring for network segmentation is the biggest thing for helping with segmenting traffic management. Configuring QoS on Linksys is pretty easy, especially compared to Cisco QoS, which I am certified in, as it helps ensure that the bandwidth for voice or other applications doesn't bleed over into the data links. In the past, Linksys has been pretty good at network protection, segmenting off that protection for unauthorized access or cyber threats. Cost savings and ease of use are the benefits I've seen from Linksys. It's a little bit less complex to set up and configure compared to Cisco switching. I utilized the VLAN support feature in the Linksys switches. A lot of the networks I have were broken up by VLAN, and I definitely configured them for different VLANs. The best feature of Linksys in my opinion is cost, as they tend to be more cost-effective compared to larger switches or Cisco switches.

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Kaushlendra Singh

Manager - IT Infrastructure and Network at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Provides secure and simple remote access but needs improved reporting capabilities

Ivanti Connect Secure is simple and secure, making it valuable for our organization. Ivanti Connect Secure's access control feature provides global protect, which allows country-wise blocking. There are many access controls available, and policies can be created on a host basis and on the MAC address of assets that will connect. Firewall versions and OS versions can be defined, and only devices meeting these criteria can connect to the VPN. These features are effective, along with MFA. Ivanti Connect Secure is a client-based, agent-based solution, so if the agent is installed, users are able to connect to the network. Ivanti Connect Secure utilizes identity-based LDAP authentication. Ivanti Connect Secure is very effective for remote access for remote workers.

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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

"Cisco IOS SSL VPN is stable, and once we connect, we don't face any issues and can do our work."

"The user interface is user-friendly."

"The solution is very reliable."

"The valuable features of Cisco IOS SSL VPN are the ease of use and the speed; it is pretty fast and easy to use, definitely helps with our efficiency as it is one of our primary VPN solutions, and helps with maintaining security."

"I like to work with the CMD command line because it's easy and it doesn't take very long to configure."

"Cisco IOS SSL VPN provides fast connectivity and the option to connect through multiple servers."

"The solution is pretty fast."

"With Cisco IOS SSL VPN, you can access your corporate data safely and securely."

More Cisco IOS SSL VPN pros

"The most valuable features of the solution are reliability and uptime."

"The most valuable features of Pulse Connect Secure are multi-factor authentications, and VPNs and SSL VPNs we are using."

"Ivanti secures access to the corporate network from various devices and locations."

"Ivanti Connect Secure is simple and secure, making it valuable for our organization."

"Pulse Connect Secure is a stable solution."

"I like the host checker, which thoroughly checks the security posture of the machine before allowing access. I also like application-based access and its seamless operations."

"The initial setup is straightforward."

"The flexibility in their management is great."

More Ivanti Connect Secure pros

Cons

"Improvements could be made in terms of connectivity for applications."

"The configuration must be improved."

"Cisco IOS SSL VPN should improve its pricing."

"Cisco IOS SSL VPN should add a sensor that can authenticate with a fingerprint instead of having to type the username and password every time."

"I think the administration can be improved to include web interfaces."

"The product's RPA tools need enhancement for simplified business process automation."

"Cisco device management is quite difficult. They should work to simplify this."

"The graphical interface is old and needs to improve."

More Cisco IOS SSL VPN cons

"The reporting capabilities of Ivanti Connect Secure are not strong; the format is simple, and obtaining a detailed report is difficult and requires manual work."

"This solution normally works but at times, we have had trouble with connectivity."

"The product could use additional dashboards."

"An area for improvement in Pulse Connect Secure is the concurrent connections, particularly needing a license if you want to use Pulse Connect Secure with your Microsoft or Windows machine."

"The user experience has room for improvement."

"Setup is complex. A few users had some issues with it."

"We need to know how many live active users there are and we can't. We even updated the server, however, we still can't see the proper level of live connections. Right now, it's showing as 300 users and my customer does not have that many users in his organization."

"The stability could be better. There are sometimes bugs in the system."

More Ivanti Connect Secure cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"With Cisco, there is a free solution or a licensed version of the solution with a set of endpoint services."

"FortiGate does not charge the client a licensing fee, although Cisco charges clients a couple of dollars per year for each license."

"It is an expensive product."

"The licensing fee is expensive."

"Cisco IOS SSL VPN is more expensive than the Aruba VPN, but it is worth the money."

"It stands as the priciest solution available in the market."

"There are no pricing programs for non-profit organizations and the product is otherwise expensive by comparison."

"Price flexibility could be improved in comparison to other vendors."

More Cisco IOS SSL VPN pricing and cost advice

"The pricing is quite nominal. We pay on a yearly basis."

"I rate the product price a six to seven on a scale of one to ten, where one is a low price, and ten is a high price."

"The price of Pulse Connect Secure is expensive."

"The pricing for Pulse Connect Secure is not low and not high, so it's good. It's a six out of ten for me, price-wise."

"Pulse Connect Secure is relatively cost-effective."

"A license is required for you to use Pulse Connect Secure, but I'm not aware of how much it costs."

"The cost of the product is high, but worth it because of the utility and great product support."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

11%

Marketing Services Firm

10%

Healthcare Company

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	24
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	24

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	19

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Cisco IOS SSL VPN?

The solution is pretty fast.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco IOS SSL VPN?

I am not sure about the pricing of Cisco IOS SSL VPN.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco IOS SSL VPN?

I have not found any areas that could be improved so far. I am not sure how Cisco IOS SSL VPN can continue their improvements for the future, but I think it is a great product. To stay on top, they...

See all answers

What do you like most about Pulse Connect Secure?

From an end-user perspective, the setup phase is easy.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Pulse Connect Secure?

Ivanti has always been known to be pricey, making it a rather high-cost solution.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Pulse Connect Secure?

The reporting capabilities of Ivanti Connect Secure are not strong; the format is simple, and obtaining a detailed report is difficult and requires manual work. Regarding points for improvement, th...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 24% of the time

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Compared 10% of the time

Sangfor SSL VPN vs Cisco IOS SSL VPN

Compared 9% of the time

Array AG Series vs Cisco IOS SSL VPN

Compared 9% of the time

Zyxel VPN Client vs Cisco IOS SSL VPN

Compared 8% of the time

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OpenVPN Access Server vs Ivanti Connect Secure

Compared 14% of the time

Fortinet FortiClient vs Ivanti Connect Secure

Compared 10% of the time

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) vs Ivanti Connect Secure

Compared 8% of the time

Ivanti Secure Access vs Ivanti Connect Secure

Compared 8% of the time

Systancia Gate vs Ivanti Connect Secure

Compared 4% of the time

More Ivanti Connect Secure Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco IOS SSL VPN

February 2026

Download Cisco IOS SSL VPN product report

Buyer's Guide

Ivanti Connect Secure

January 2026

Download Ivanti Connect Secure product report

Also Known As

Cisco SSL VPN

Pulse Connect Secure

Overview

Cisco SSL VPN solutions help you easily and securely extend the network to users who have access to the Internet and a web browser. You can customize access and extend the reach of your corporate network to individuals based on their roles, including teleworker contractors and business partners.

Cisco

Ivanti Connect Secure provides a seamless, cost-effective SSL VPN solution for remote and mobile users from any web-enabled device to corporate resources— anytime, anywhere.

Ivanti

Sample Customers

MST Systems

Axcient, Baloise Group, Cygate, Catholic University of America, Datec Inc, Revlon, Santa Monica Networks, 7-Eleven

Buyer's Guide

Cisco IOS SSL VPN vs. Ivanti Connect Secure

January 2026

Free Report: Cisco IOS SSL VPN vs. Ivanti Connect Secure

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco IOS SSL VPN vs. Ivanti Connect Secure and other solutions. Updated: January 2026.

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