Cisco Secure Access vs Prisma SD-WAN comparison

Cisco and Palo Alto Networks are both solutions in the Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) category. Cisco is ranked #10 with an average rating of 8.4, while Palo Alto Networks is ranked #7 with an average rating of 8.4. Cisco holds a 3.1% mindshare in SASE, compared to Palo Alto Networks’s 2.7% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of Palo Alto Networks users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 6, 2024

Prisma SD-WAN and Cisco Secure Access are prominent in network management and security. Prisma SD-WAN seems to have an advantage in pricing and simplicity, while Cisco Secure Access excels in comprehensive features and security.

Features: Prisma SD-WAN is praised for its intuitive setup, scalability, and user-friendly interface, which is particularly effective for businesses with changing network needs. Cisco Secure Access offers advanced security features, extensive integration capabilities, and a broad feature set, making it suitable for enterprises focused on robust security solutions.

Room for Improvement: Prisma SD-WAN could enhance its advanced security features, improve its threat protection, and expand reporting capabilities. Cisco Secure Access users suggest simplifying configurations, improving ease of use, and refining the management of complex network setups to enhance user experience.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Prisma SD-WAN is noted for its straightforward deployment and responsive support, beneficial for organizations with limited IT resources. Cisco Secure Access, while offering structured deployment models for complex networking, requires more initial setup effort but benefits from robust support mechanisms.

Pricing and ROI: Prisma SD-WAN is recognized for an accessible pricing structure, delivering favorable ROI to mid-sized businesses. Cisco Secure Access involves higher costs but offers substantial security and feature benefits, often seen as worth the investment by larger organizations prioritizing security and compliance.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco Secure Access vs. Prisma SD-WAN Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Secure Access vs. Prisma SD-WAN

September 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

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) category, the mindshare of iboss is 2.1%, up from 1.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Secure Access is 3.1%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Prisma SD-WAN is 2.7%, up from 2.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Prisma SD-WAN	2.7%
iboss	2.1%
Cisco Secure Access	3.1%
Other	92.1%

Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)

Featured Reviews

Matt Crockford

Head of Cybersecurity at SES Water

It's easy to roll out, and their understanding of our business made it seamless

One aspect we value about iboss is its simplicity. Their customer service is brilliant, and they are super responsive and knowledgeable. It's easy to roll out, and their understanding of our business made it seamless. We were impressed by the solution's mental health function, which can detect if someone needs help. It scans what users are browsing and flags warning signs so we can check to see if they are okay. We've had to use it a couple of times. The user interface is highly intuitive. Our IT team picked it up with minimal training. It's arranged so that it's easy to find where things are. Another advantage is the single pane of glass console, which gives you visibility into what's happening. We're not fully there yet because we haven't implemented zero trust, but we're excited about the possibilities from the demos we've seen. We launched a POC of iboss' ChatGPT Risk Protection feature two weeks ago. AI is a great tool, but you need to be careful what you put into it. My biggest fear is employees inputting sensitive corporate information or customer PII data into one of these chatbots. I was impressed by our trial of the feature. It's exactly what we wanted. Now, when a user goes to ChatGPT, there's a banner warning them not to share information, and we can block conversations containing customer data like bank details and email addresses. I don't want to stop people from using it, but we need visibility. We've only tried it on a test group of 15 people. You can configure it to look for specific keywords or integrate it with your DLP policy if you have that configured

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Vasil Blagov

Manager, Network at Duracell International, Inc.

Easy management and security ensure reliable 24/7 connectivity

Zero Trust Network Access has helped my organization in securing standard applications because it's mandated to have it. It provides peace of mind knowing that we have that deployed in our network. Cisco Secure Access's ability to provide secure access via standard HTTP2, and optionally, QUIC protocol is good. It complies with the new standards. The impact of Cisco Secure Access on protecting my organization from phishing and ransomware threats has been good so far. We've been doing well with no threats.

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Engineerinfosec67

Presale Engineer at Westcon-Comstor

Centralized management streamlines global network traffic control

Prisma SD-WAN requires a more seamless integration with other Palo Alto solutions, like Prisma Access. Although there has been improvement, further steps can be taken. Additionally, it would be beneficial if the solution integrated the SD-WAN features of Prisma SD-WAN with the security features of Palo Alto's next-generation firewalls, as they currently do not align.

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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

"It was a very easy product to install. It can be deployed very fast."

"iboss is among the few products providing inline filtering where no application is needed on the device."

"The security aspect of the solution, particularly the malware behind it, is excellent. That's something that really helped us out. It's not just a simple proxy that just blocks the insights of potential threats that come on behind it. They do malware detection and that helps us a lot."

"Technical support is pretty sharp and very responsive."

"The iboss system is highly reliable. The false positive rates are small compared to some other systems we've experienced through other partner agencies who use competing solutions."

"From a use-case scenario, what I like the most is the plug-in. I like the fact that we can do the filtering of these devices offsite independent of the network they are connected to, and we do not have to have traffic coming back inside our network."

"Iboss is a solution that prevents advanced persistent threats, and has a zero tolerance for attacks."

"Valuable features: Within the filter: Controls (Web categories, applications, and Allow/Block list) and Network (local Subnets). Within the reporter: Logs (Event Log) and Reports."

More iboss pros

"I would rate the scalability a ten out of ten."

"The impact Cisco Secure Access has on protecting my company from threats such as phishing and ransomware is significant."

"The most valuable feature of Cisco Secure Access is the level of security it provides."

"Cisco Secure Access has had a positive impact on protecting our organization from threats such as phishing and ransomware."

"They've protected us from threats like phishing and ransomware."

"It works well. It hasn't broken. While I don't know enough about all the features yet, it hasn't caused us any problems."

"We have a dedicated account team, so we've got all the people we need to engage with if there's an issue."

"I find the posture checking feature of Cisco Secure Access the most valuable."

More Cisco Secure Access pros

"Prisma SD-WAN offers capabilities such as path selection based on Layer 7 attributes and application quality of service at the application level."

"If the MPLS goes down, there is a really smooth transition for a branch site to take traffic over the Internet. It will advertise the routes of that site in a jiffy."

"The solution's most valuable feature is the visibility of the logs."

"From the main controller, we can administer the customer's devices, QoS, network, and traffic. We can monitor it and we can change and create policies as well as upgrade the software. We can totally control a customer's network from one site, the Prisma SD-WAN portal."

"The implementation of the solution is easy."

"Centralized management improves network visibility because if I want to configure multiple branches and firewalls, it could be quite complicated, but when I have the centralized system, it's easier for users to access branches and manage all the firewalls in the branches."

"Prisma SD-WAN is recommended due to its comprehensive capabilities."

"It is flexible to use the internet connection via local breakouts without going to data centers."

More Prisma SD-WAN pros

Cons

"Regarding pricing, setup costs, and licensing, iboss is not cheap, and that's my only concern."

"Sometimes, obviously, there are bugs."

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

"To scale up, a new iboss Node Blade Chassis must be purchased."

"Our biggest problem with their service was it did not recognize the device and filtering did not always work correctly."

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

"The dashboards for local use could be better."

"SSL decryption: We had issues with learners using apps instead of using web browsers. This type of encryption is tough for any appliance in a BYOD environment."

More iboss cons

"Having been associated with Cisco for more than fifteen to twenty years, I find it increasingly difficult to get tech support these days. Although Cisco is reliable, the process to raise a support ticket has become more complex, requiring specific user accounts and access to specialized platforms."

"Throughout my experience with Cisco Secure Access, I have had some stability and reliability issues, including lagging when accessing the portal."

"From a licensing perspective, Cisco can improve."

"In my opinion, Cisco Secure Access could be improved by potentially incorporating features that other brands have been using. I see benefits from features offered by competitors, which could enhance the Cisco experience if adapted thoughtfully."

"If the FTD devices themselves, the Firepower Threat Detection system, those are the firewalls themselves, the individual appliances, weren't so tightly coupled to FMC, I'd probably appreciate them as a product more."

"This is my first time in healthcare after being in commercial space for a long time. It's always a challenge because we can't just turn stuff off as we could in the commercial space, since it may interfere with patient care. It takes longer to understand what's going on, so anything that could help give us a faster understanding of what's happening, why it's there, and if it's a risk to us would be helpful."

"The main issue with pricing is that it is higher compared to other competitors, making it challenging to work with customers unless they specifically request Cisco."

"It is expensive."

More Cisco Secure Access cons

"If Palo Alto could open the platform to manage other SD-WANs, it would be beneficial."

"The documentation tends to be outdated, often directing us to resources that are no longer accurate or available, and this is one of the reasons we are potentially looking at alternatives."

"It is widely known that Palo Alto is quite expensive. The licensing model is pretty expensive, which would be the only downside to Palo Alto, but regarding the features of the box, it does what it needs to do."

"If Palo Alto could open the platform to manage other SD-WANs, it would be beneficial."

"The setup isn't completely straightforward, but it's manageable when you have proper knowledge."

"We are incorporating their zone-based firewalls. Prisma SD-WAN has limited documentation on how it manipulates traffic, e.g., how it is interacting with TCP and UDP. We recently had some traffic that was black holing. We literally had to do packet captures to see that the new zone-based firewall, which runs on top of Prisma SD-WAN, was causing issues."

"The pricing model could be improved to make it more affordable for smaller companies."

"They could add more advanced security features to the product."

More Prisma SD-WAN cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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 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."

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

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

"It is confusing. When you look at the prices, you have different licensing and years of licensing that you have to purchase. Additionally, it's unclear what service you get from those licenses regarding end-user support. We have a representative who has to walk me through it every time."

"For what you get, it's a fair price in comparison to other products."

"The pricing, setup costs, and licensing for Cisco Secure Access have been very competitive compared to other platforms. I believe that if Cisco continues to improve costs or offers something similar to a Cisco credit, it would attract more customers."

"On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."

"This solution stood out because it cost considerably less than the other SD-WAN solutions out there from Cisco."

"If you're already invested in a Palo Alto product, it would be logical to use this solution. If not, there might be some other solutions that are more viable in terms of pricing."

"Prisma SD-WAN is a pretty expensive solution."

"It is more expensive than Fortinet."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

11%

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Computer Software Company

13%

Manufacturing Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

Construction Company

Financial Services Firm

13%

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Legal Firm

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	6
Large Enterprise	7

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	13

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...

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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...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Secure Access?

Price-wise, we get a significant discount with Cisco. I actually prefer Juniper products. From a professional perspec...

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What is your primary use case for Cisco Secure Access?

I support the US government. From a customer perspective, the use cases tend to be where we are guarding edge devices...

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What advice do you have for others considering Cisco Secure Access?

Because we operate with what could only be called a skeleton crew, a monitoring solution to the extent possible is de...

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What do you like most about Prisma SD-WAN?

The product's initial setup phase is straightforward.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Prisma SD-WAN?

Regarding whether Prisma SD-WAN is an expensive solution, I would say the price is competitively high. Everything dep...

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What needs improvement with Prisma SD-WAN?

I am still working on what should be improved in Prisma SD-WAN to make this product better, and I cannot give any upd...

See all answers

Comparisons

Zscaler Internet Access vs iboss

Compared 14% of the time

Netskope vs iboss

Compared 14% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs iboss

Compared 14% of the time

Cisco Umbrella vs iboss

Compared 13% of the time

Check Point Harmony SASE (formerly Perimeter 81) vs iboss

Compared 8% of the time

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Cisco Umbrella vs Cisco Secure Access

Compared 50% of the time

Netskope vs Cisco Secure Access

Compared 13% of the time

FortiSASE vs Cisco Secure Access

Compared 12% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs Cisco Secure Access

Compared 8% of the time

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Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs Prisma SD-WAN

Compared 19% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs Prisma SD-WAN

Compared 17% of the time

Fortinet FortiGate vs Prisma SD-WAN

Compared 16% of the time

Meraki SD-WAN vs Prisma SD-WAN

Compared 10% of the time

Juniper Session Smart Router vs Prisma SD-WAN

Compared 2% of the time

More Prisma SD-WAN Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

iboss

September 2025

Download iboss product report

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Secure Access

September 2025

Download Cisco Secure Access product report

Buyer's Guide

Prisma SD-WAN

September 2025

Download Prisma SD-WAN product report

Also Known As

iBoss Cloud Platform

No data available

CloudGenix

Overview

iboss offers a comprehensive security platform designed for diverse use cases such as web filtering, data loss protection, corporate proxy services, and URL filtering.

iboss integrates advanced features to address dynamic security needs, leveraging its strength in SASE, ZTNA, AI initiatives, and cloud integration, while ensuring seamless operations for remote work. It excels in historical forensics, malware protection, and flexible cloud deployments. Users benefit from comprehensive traffic scanning, robust malware detection, and PaaS capabilities that reduce hardware management. An intuitive admin console ensures efficient management with content filtering and low false positives. SSL decryption enhances security, while DLP protects data in AI conversations. Deployment is rapid and scalable, allowing effortless integration with emerging technologies.

What features does iboss offer?

Granular Web Filtering: Provides precise control over web content access.
Traffic Scanning: Monitors data through multiple ports for security breaches.
Malware Detection: Ensures superior protection against malware threats.
PaaS Capabilities: Eliminates need for hardware management.
SSL Decryption: Enhances data protection by decrypting secure connections.
DLP Capabilities: Safeguards data during AI interactions.

What benefits and ROI should users consider?

Scalability: Adapts quickly to growing demands and emerging tech integration.
Rapid Deployment: Reduces time to implement security measures.
User-Friendly Admin Console: Facilitates efficient operations management.
Low False Positives: Increases accuracy of threat detection systems.

iboss finds significant application in sectors such as education, where web filtering for K-12 is crucial, and in corporate environments requiring robust proxy services and URL filtering for network security. Its adaptability is essential in scenarios demanding flexible, decentralized security frameworks, particularly for remote work setups.

iboss

Cisco Secure Access is a comprehensive solution that ensures secure access to networks and protects against unauthorized access. It is used for network authentication, enforcing access policies, managing user identities, securing remote access, and providing secure connectivity for devices. Users have praised its robust security measures, seamless integration with existing systems, user-friendly interface, and reliable network performance.

Cisco

Simplify management, enable app-defined SD-WAN policies and deliver a secure, cloud-delivered branch today with the Industry’s first next-generation SD-WAN.

Palo Alto Networks

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.

1. IBM 2. Microsoft 3. Amazon 4. Google 5. Apple 6. Cisco Systems 7. Oracle 8. Intel 9. HP Inc. 10. Dell Technologies 11. Verizon Communications 12. AT&T 13. Comcast 14. T-Mobile 15. Sprint 16. Vodafone 17. Orange 18. BT Group 19. Deutsche Telekom 20. Telefonica 21. Nokia 22. Ericsson 23. Samsung Electronics 24. Sony 25. Panasonic 26. LG Electronics 27. Siemens 28. General Electric 29. Ford Motor Company 30. General Motors 31. Toyota Motor Corporation 32. Volkswagen Group

Open Networking User Group, Columbia Sportswear Company, Coca Cola

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Secure Access vs. Prisma SD-WAN

September 2025

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