

Find out in this report how the two ZTNA solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.
At Amazon, we knew exactly how much it would cost if a fulfillment center was down for an hour.
The AI features further contribute by expediting threat detection and incident response, ensuring tangible returns through operational savings.
It is one of those tools that needs to work right out of the box, and thankfully, it does; it is reliable, and the setup time was quick and straightforward.
Previously, networks with FortiGate were used, and that forced us to spend on hardware. With Tailscale, that type of investment is not necessary.
We have seen clear return on investment since implementing Tailscale by eliminating VPN server infrastructure costs.
With Tailscale, I set it up and forget it because it just works, allowing me to avoid worrying about the whole VPN aspect of my home network architecture.
Cisco TAC is very competent.
With our established point of contact within Cisco, our experience has greatly improved; we no longer log all issues through technical cases, as we can go directly to our account managers or customer service team, which expedites resolution.
I would rate the technical support ten out of ten. Hands down.
Tailscale is that reliable, and their documentation answers any questions I have.
The user interface, documentation, and support for Tailscale are fabulous.
I would give it a ten out of ten.
We turn the traffic to the Cisco Secure Access cloud, and we can manage and apply the policies that are necessary, making it very easy to scale the solution.
Cisco has a great benefit in that you can integrate with other solutions in an easy way because it has a lot of protocols to integrate with others and sophisticated steps that we can apply for integration.
Performance has remained consistent, usage has increased, and we have not experienced scalability-related limitations.
I would say it is really scalable, and I do not think I have ever experienced any downtime with Tailscale.
As a free-tier user, I have tested my limits, connecting the maximum amount of devices, and everything performed great.
We have over 300 to 400 devices that use Tailscale that we connect with and utilize on a daily basis.
Cisco is renowned for their reliability, and their products perform well under high data usage.
The service consistently provides secure connectivity for remote users, contractors, and hybrid environments with minimal disruption.
I rate the stability of Cisco Secure Access as ten out of ten.
Tailscale is a SaaS platform, so Tailscale scales it themselves.
Tailscale is stable; it has never given me downtime on their side.
For what we use it for—interconnection and networks—it is very stable.
Modernization is needed, specifically in the enhancement of security features and functionality.
It was challenging to learn because it has a significant learning curve and requires considerable training to become proficient.
The granular access issue is coming from the product limitation at the moment, as it does not offer us the option to tell it that a particular role can only manage websites, allowed sites, and blocked sites.
Tailscale could be improved with more advanced network visibility and monitoring tools, cleaner pricing tiers for scaling teams, and enhanced built-in reporting for device posture and controls for enterprise environments.
At my apartment, I can do 2-gig networking, but when I connect via the exit node, and I'm wired in somewhere else, and that place also has 2-gig networking, I'm at max getting half of my speed.
I would like Tailscale to provide more censorship-resistant options, such as Shadowsocks or VLESS, as fallback protocols.
The solution is cheaper than premium options such as Palo Alto, existing Cisco licenses facilitate replacing previous solutions with Cisco Secure Access smoothly and affordably.
It is good because you want to push Cisco Secure Access, and regarding the price, it is very much below other products.
Improvement on the pricing will help in expanding the market for Cisco Secure Access and then it can be affordable to much more number of companies than what it is right now.
Tailscale has definitely made it so I don't have to incur additional costs.
The setup has been straightforward and predictable with the per-user subscription model and no infrastructure or hardware setup cost, making the initial deployment inexpensive.
I never used a license. I never purchased or bought anything more than the basic free license.
It eliminates the hassle of switching on VPNs and provides a direct connection to resources via Cisco Secure Access.
They are sending the traffic encrypted and categorizing the traffic based on the type, whether web traffic or internet traffic, and doing the security mechanism that is needed for the traffic type.
Using ZTNA in Cisco Secure Access has positively affected my transition and my clients' transition to Zero Trust and least privilege principles, reinforcing the security posture.
The security is valuable, as there are many providers available, but Tailscale fulfills the requirements that we had, allowing us to access and expose internal apps without exposing them to the general internet.
The most valuable features are the Zero Trust architecture, peer-to-peer connectivity using WireGuard, easy deployment and setup, access control for granular permissions, single sign-on, subnet and routing, exit nodes, and cross-platform support.
Tailscale's security is fabulous, especially the access control features and the ability to use existing OAuth accounts for access.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Tailscale | 6.6% |
| Cisco Secure Access | 2.9% |
| Other | 90.5% |

| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 29 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 13 |
| Large Enterprise | 36 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 16 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 4 |
| Large Enterprise | 4 |
Cisco Secure Access is a comprehensive Security Service Edge (SSE) solution (a key component of a SASE solution) that addresses the complexities of securing a hybrid enterprise. Cloud-delivered and grounded in zero trust, it delivers a unique blend of user simplicity and IT efficiency for frictionless, secure access to all applications—SaaS (with gen AI), private apps, and the internet—regardless of user location or device. Secure Access protects users, data, and devices against relentless, sophisticated, and constantly evolving threats including AI-driven attacks and identity breaches.
Provides all core SSE components (ZTNA, SWG, CASB, and FWaaS) plus extended capabilities.
Includes VPN-as-a-Service (VPNaaS), data loss prevention (DLP), AI Assistant, visibility/control/guardrails for generative AI use, digital experience monitoring (DEM), reserved IP, remote browser isolation (RBI), DNS-layer security, flexible security enforcement (in cloud or on-premises), policy verification, and more.
Protects users as they seamlessly access resources and apps with no extra steps needed, regardless of protocol, port, or level of customization
Simplifies IT operations through a single client, single dashboard, single license, and unified policies.
Lowers risk with least privilege, granular controls backed with unmatched threat intelligence of Cisco Talos.
Eases interoperability with other products from Cisco and third-party vendors with common administrative controls, data structures, and policy management.
Robust integrations
Integrates with Cisco Identity Intelligence to protect against the startling increase in identity-based attacks.
Integrates with many SAML Identity Providers (IDPs) such as AD, Azure AD, Okta, Ping, etc.
Integrates with Cisco offerings including SD-WAN, Splunk, XDR, Thousand Eyes, third party technologies such as Menlo RBI, Chrome Enterprise Browser, and AppOmni for SSPM.
Tailscale offers secure, remote network access without complex VPN setups, using Zero Trust architecture and WireGuard. It suits enterprises and personal use by simplifying connections across platforms and improving workflows.
Tailscale enhances remote access by providing seamless integration across devices. It supports connectivity for subnet routers and exit nodes and integrates with GitHub Actions to streamline workflows. Its Zero Trust and WireGuard-based security architecture ensures safe, reliable access while reducing the complexity of traditional VPNs. Users appreciate the ability to manage resources, connect server clusters, and access internal systems with ease. Documentation is robust, aiding in the swift setup and management of network deployments.
What are Tailscale's standout features?In industries requiring secure, remote network access, Tailscale is employed to connect teams and maintain resource accessibility without compromising security. It's utilized in mesh networking, server management, and granting intranet-only access, enhancing collaboration by allowing safe internal connectivity while preventing external threats.
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