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 9.2, while Ivanti is ranked #3 with an average rating of 7.3. Cisco holds a 10.3% mindshare in SV, compared to Ivanti’s 16.5% 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

1,730 Views
1,003 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Ivanti Connect Secure

Read 29 Ivanti Connect Secure reviews

3,911 Views
1,447 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: March 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco IOS SSL VPN vs. Ivanti Connect Secure

March 2026

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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 IOS SSL VPN

Ranking in SSL VPN

4th

Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

10th

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

3rd

Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

13th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the SSL VPN category, the mindshare of Cisco IOS SSL VPN is 10.3%, up from 8.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Ivanti Connect Secure is 16.5%, down from 24.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

SSL VPN Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Ivanti Connect Secure	16.5%
Cisco IOS SSL VPN	10.3%
Other	73.2%

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

"The solution is very easy to work with; this is its most valuable feature, and they also did a good job surrounding how you configure the devices."

"The product's setup phase was easy."

"Cisco IOS SSL VPN is an easy-to-use and straightforward solution."

"It's a very stable solution and I'd say it works perfectly."

"The solution is quite transparent."

"It is very effective and I am satisfied with how it works and with its performance."

"The most valuable features are that it's reliable, convenient, and easy."

"A reliable and stable solution for remote network access."

More Cisco IOS SSL VPN pros

"It's quite stable."

"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 flexibility in their management is great."

"We can now provide remote access to home users."

"Ivanti Connect Secure provides the feature to check and ensure that employee devices are compliant before allowing them to access the VPN."

"The best feature of Pulse Connect Secure is the good security it provides. It gives a secure connection to your network."

"The solution helps with principal decisions. It also helps with the security and configuration of many technologies."

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

More Ivanti Connect Secure pros

Cons

"It would be nice if we could use this not just on mobile, but on laptops and desktops as well."

"The solution's graphical user interface is not very user-friendly."

"Cisco IOS SSL VPN should improve its pricing."

"Multi-factor authentication in Cisco IOS SSL VPN has certain shortcomings that need improvement."

"The Secure Plus Connect product could be improved with many enhancements in any price license, especially for licensing. Cisco could simplify the licensing; it could make it easier to order and use the features."

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

"In addition to Cisco, we work with other solutions on behalf of our customers, such as Fortinet for FortiGate, but this latter solution can achieve the same results at a lower price."

"The configuration is critical and complex."

More Cisco IOS SSL VPN cons

"I would like the solution to be more secure and compatible. It also needs to improve integration with other systems."

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

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

"From our side, there is an issue when Windows updates. The security mechanisms of Ivanti Connect Secure are very slow to update."

"Connection-wise, Pulse Connect Secure could be faster, and this is its area for improvement."

"The user experience has room for improvement."

"Ivanti Connect Secure needs to have faster connections. It also needs to improve the stability."

"I don't have any downsides to report about the product at this time."

More Ivanti Connect Secure cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Users have to pay a yearly licensing fee for Cisco IOS SSL VPN."

"It is an expensive product."

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

"The tool is expensive."

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

"The licensing cost of the solution is on a yearly basis, and it is expensive compared to other solutions in the market."

"Cisco IOS SSL VPN comes with a cost-effective subscription."

"My company makes payments on a quarterly basis to the vendor to cover the licensing costs attached to the product. Cisco IOS SSL VPN is an expensive product. There are no additional costs apart from the licensing costs attached to the product."

More Cisco IOS SSL VPN pricing and cost advice

"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."

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

"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."

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

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

"Pulse Connect Secure is relatively cost-effective."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Marketing Services Firm

10%

Computer Software Company

Healthcare Company

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	23
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	25

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 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

What is your primary use case for Pulse Connect Secure?

Ivanti Connect Secure is used for both applications and for the RDP of our server.

See all answers

Comparisons

OpenVPN Access Server vs Cisco IOS SSL VPN

Compared 20% of the time

Sangfor SSL VPN vs Cisco IOS SSL VPN

Compared 9% of the time

Citrix Gateway vs Cisco IOS SSL VPN

Compared 8% of the time

Array AG Series vs Cisco IOS SSL VPN

Compared 8% of the time

Hillstone E-Series vs Cisco IOS SSL VPN

Compared 7% of the time

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OpenVPN Access Server vs Ivanti Connect Secure

Compared 13% of the time

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) vs Ivanti Connect Secure

Compared 8% of the time

Fortinet FortiClient vs Ivanti Connect Secure

Compared 8% of the time

Ivanti Secure Access vs Ivanti Connect Secure

Compared 7% of the time

Norton Small Business vs Ivanti Connect Secure

Compared 3% of the time

More Ivanti Connect Secure Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco IOS SSL VPN

March 2026

Download Cisco IOS SSL VPN product report

Buyer's Guide

Ivanti Connect Secure

March 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

March 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: March 2026.

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