Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) vs Netskope Private Access comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Cisco and Netskope are both solutions in the ZTNA as a Service category. Cisco is ranked #12 with an average rating of 8.1, while Netskope is ranked #15 with an average rating of 8.5. Cisco holds a 2.7% mindshare in ZaaS, compared to Netskope’s 2.3% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Netskope users who would recommend it.

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) and Netskope Private Access based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two ZTNA as a Service solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) vs. Netskope Private Access Report (Updated: September 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) vs. Netskope Private Access

September 2026

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Helped 920,929 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

iboss

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the ZTNA as a Service category, the mindshare of iboss is 3.4%, up from 2.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) is 2.7%, down from 4.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Netskope Private Access is 2.3%, down from 4.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

ZTNA as a Service Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
iboss	3.4%
Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)	2.7%
Netskope Private Access	2.3%
Other	91.6%

ZTNA as a Service

Featured Reviews

Ashok Ananthula

Senior Consultant Proxy Engineering at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

Cloud gateway has strengthened remote web security and now needs better Mac and ISP support

The problem our organization had is that iboss failed for the Mac devices. It is not able to give a successful agent for the Mac agents. That is where in 2025, we had to migrate to the Palo Alto-based platform. If your use case is for just Windows laptops,you can consider this platform as an option One issue is the data center resiliency part. In India especially, they are not tied up with the Tier 1 ISPs like Tata or Airtel; they were having Tier 2 ISPs and encountered many issues reaching few major sites that my organization depends on, and they were having problems that they could not fix quickly. They also lack a mechanism to route that traffic within their data center; rather, they ask customers to make a pac file change to route it to Singapore explicitly. It would be better if they route from their backend , i mean even if I send it to India DC, they should be able to route it internally to make that work; however, they fail to do that and ask the customer to route it in the pac file. Another suggestion is that in China, they do not have the proper setup; they used to have numerous problems with slowness and lack of premium circuits in China as well. That leads to multiple sites working slowly with latency-related issues. So the main issue is the ISP-related problems that need to be solved.

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AJAY SARPAL

Manager - Projects at airtel

Offers work-from-anywhere flexibility but navigates occasional proxy confusion

The analytics I downloaded from your site as a free download did not carry the information that was actually required. I was looking at the market segmentation and market share, along with some USPs which differentiated them from each other. The free download had two issues: many things were repetitive, and it was designed to not release any relevant information. Only headers were present, so I was not able to determine whether the final report would be worthwhile. I have not worked with enterprise tools that I could share feedback on for website publication. I see benefits from using Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect). However, I would not recommend it because future adoptions will be towards Zscaler, as SSC is a better model than VPN. On a scale of 1-10, I rate this solution a 7.

Read full review

Prathamesh Samant

Presales Manager at a manufacturing company with 201-500 employees

Has ensured secure remote access through real-time device checks and policy controls

There is a mixed review on the integration part of Netskope Private Access. Wherever they have out-of-the-box support, it is quite easy to integrate. Wherever customization is needed, it depends on the openness of the application being integrated with. If the other application has an open architecture where you have easy API integrations, then it becomes easier. However, in some cases, it is a tedious task to do the integration where the application is not that open or it is not supported out-of-the-box from Netskope. They can introduce the DLP feature for Netskope Private Access. Zscaler has that DLP feature. It is in their roadmap, but currently, they don't have it. If they have data protection or data loss prevention within their NPA, that would be a significant advantage.

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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

"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."

"Content filtering is the most useful feature of iboss."

"The console is cloud-based, which is something I really appreciate."

"Our primary use case for this product is DLP,"

"I would rate the technical support of iboss a solid 10 without a shadow of a doubt."

"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."

"iboss has significantly lowered the number of security incidents. It is crazy how much it blocks and how much it is aware of the outside danger."

"I recommend iboss for organizations looking for strong cloud-based web security and centralized access control."

More iboss pros

"The security AnyConnect offers is excellent. It disconnects automatically if someone isn't using it on a private network and doesn't allow you to work, ensuring the data within the system is secure."

"For our company's needs, AnyConnect is sufficient and very easy to use."

"The initial setup is straightforward."

"The solution is stable and reliable; there are no bugs or glitches, and it doesn't crash or freeze."

"The most valuable feature is the connection feature."

"It does not slow down anything, unlike other solutions."

"Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client is good for securing our connection. It is very easy to use, I click to use it and it works."

"You don't have to think about it very much. It just works."

More Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) pros

"In the VPN scenario, what was happening, the user would get back to the complete source. But in NPA, the application will go to the user. There is an outbound connection. There is no inbound. Storage providers are also not there. It's the best feature because it is the replacement of the VPN."

"It is a stable solution."

"The initial setup of Netskope Private Access is pretty simple and straightforward."

"We can block and alert the ports and allow the public traffic software in our environment."

"The most valuable feature is being able to see who is accessing the application, whether it is a managed device or a bring-your-own-device published by Netskope."

"Netskope Private Access covers a wide range of use cases with solutions for client-server and server-to-client connectivity patterns."

"Netskope enables users to securely access private applications remotely without a VPN."

"The main benefit for users from Netskope Private Access would be secure access from anywhere; they can easily access their systems or applications in their office premises or on-premises environment in a very secure way and the organization can also be assured knowing that whatever access they have been providing to their remote users goes through proper checks and balances before access is provided."

More Netskope Private Access pros

Cons

"iboss can be improved because the integration could be better; you need to import all the sites that you access today, and there are a few problems whenever you import thousands of websites, making the integration process messy for the users."

"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."

"The easiest device I have set up was the Barracuda line of products."

"Sometimes when you call in support, you get someone who is just following a sheet. It feels like a runaround. You feel that you are running into that support wall."

"Their on-premise hardware's network interface is capped at one gigabit, which is sort of a problem. If you stand a filter up where all traffic flows through that, according to them, in order to go above a gigabit, you have to have multiple devices, which in today's IT seems a little bit silly. They could easily put in an SFP port into their device that could accommodate 10 gigs or at least offer a box."

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

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

"The reporting feature needs improvement. It doesn't give you the expected results. It is quite difficult to get the specific reports needed, and it is not as intuitive as the rest of the platform."

More iboss cons

"Frequency of updates could be reduced."

"We were going to use the Cisco AnyConnect with hardware tokens. However, right now, it's very complicated in terms of delivering the hardware token to the customer. That's why we are looking for a software token right now."

"The only problem is that if you want to download it somewhere else, you cannot; you cannot download it unless you have a valid Cisco account."

"We have faced some connectivity issues."

"The GUI really needs to be upgraded."

"Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client is a stable solution. However, there have been times it has not worked and I needed to call our IT department. It could be more stable."

"They should do more updates regularly."

"In general, it's always a good idea to improve scalability and stability."

More Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) cons

"The product is not easy to use."

"The solution needs to develop faster features. Its interoperability feature is not working. It takes six months to one year for any product to implement the improvements. However, the process should be faster to implement the changes quickly."

"Netskope Private Access could improve by enhancing visibility of user performance and application performance. It should also integrate wider DLP and inspection engines on private access traffic."

"Netskope needs to provide some kind of data protection strategy as well because, currently, if you connect through private access, we don't have any data protection policies or implementation."

"I would rate the stability around seven out of ten. Sometimes, we face some difficulty, but it depends upon the complexity of the environment."

"If we compare it with Zscaler, Netskope Private Access requires more configuration for setup of the overall solution."

"The ability to provide more security around agentless access has room for improvement."

"Netskope detects certain data or contents, but there are some limitations on how we can customize those policies for DLP."

More Netskope Private Access 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."

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

"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 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."

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

"The solution is based on an annual licensing model and is expensive."

"I am using a paid version of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client."

"One thing I've noticed is the price in comparison to other VPNs."

"It is not a free solution and the user needs to buy license."

"My company has a three-year or a four-year license. In scenarios attached to a solution where the product may be reaching an end-of-support or end-of-life phase, Cisco provides OS support in such environments."

"We are in the North African region, and Cisco products are expensive for us. On a scale from one to ten with one being very affordable and ten being expensive, I'd rate the price at eight."

"The licensing costs are reasonable."

"There is a license needed to use this solution. There are different licensing models available, such as a three-year license."

More Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) pricing and cost advice

"The pricing of the solution is cheap."

"When it comes to pricing, Netskope Private Access is relatively cheap compared to other solutions."

"It is significantly cost-effective compared to its contenders."

"It is not the most expensive option, being more affordable than Zscaler, but it's also not the most budget-friendly choice available."

"The tool's price is normal. It is not very cheap but good compared to the competitors."

"I believe that the price for Netskope Private Access is included in the features or functionality my company purchased from NetSkope."

"Netskope Private Access is more inexpensive than other products."

"There was about 60% ROI, just in terms of savings. We had 40% to 60% reduction in monthly operational costs by using Netskope."

More Netskope Private Access pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

Construction Company

Financial Services Firm

13%

Manufacturing Company

Outsourcing Company

Comms Service Provider

Outsourcing Company

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Insurance Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	15
Midsize Enterprise	8
Large Enterprise	15

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	28
Midsize Enterprise	10
Large Enterprise	49

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	9

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with iboss?

iboss could be improved by making the dashboard more user-friendly, providing more detailed real-time alerts, and imp...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for iboss?

iboss is primarily used for cloud security, helping to protect users when they access websites and cloud applications...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for iboss?

The pricing and licensing for iboss were reasonable for the security features. The setup costs were manageable, thoug...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client?

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) is somewhat expensive compared to others such as Fortinet or Palo Alto, wh...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client?

There are no features that I wish Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) had that it does not currently provide. ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client?

I primarily use Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) for VPN connections and network-related activities. We hav...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Netskope Private Access?

There is a mixed review on the integration part of Netskope Private Access. Wherever they have out-of-the-box support...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Netskope Private Access?

For secure remote access for people who are working out of the office, remotely, or traveling, my clients mostly use ...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Netskope Private Access?

I work with a system integrator, and nowadays, we have all these solutions in our portfolio for our customers. At tha...

See all answers

Comparisons

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs iboss

Compared 10% of the time

Netskope vs iboss

Compared 8% of the time

Fortinet FortiGate vs iboss

Compared 7% of the time

Cisco Umbrella vs iboss

Compared 6% of the time

FortiSASE vs iboss

Compared 5% of the time

More iboss Competitors

OpenVPN Access Server vs Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)

Compared 6% of the time

Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform vs Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)

Compared 4% of the time

Tailscale vs Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)

Compared 4% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)

Compared 4% of the time

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)

Compared 4% of the time

More Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) Competitors

Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform vs Netskope Private Access

Compared 14% of the time

Cato SASE Cloud Platform vs Netskope Private Access

Compared 11% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs Netskope Private Access

Compared 9% of the time

Appgate SDP vs Netskope Private Access

Compared 7% of the time

JumpCloud vs Netskope Private Access

Compared 4% of the time

More Netskope Private Access Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

iboss

October 2026

Download iboss product report

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)

November 2026

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) report

Download Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) product report

Buyer's Guide

Netskope Private Access

October 2026

Download Netskope Private Access product report

Also Known As

iBoss Cloud Platform

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client

No data available

Overview

iboss is the Zero Trust SASE platform that gives organizations complete visibility and governance over their AI, data, and applications through one unified platform, one console, one policy engine, and one data lake.

Your endpoints may already stop malware. Your data and application activity can still be invisible. iboss decrypts and understands every connection, then turns that signal into answers security leaders can act on.

The platform leads with three capabilities in this order: AI Security and Visibility, Data Security and Visibility, and App Visibility and Control. Zero Trust Network Access, VPN replacement, and SD-WAN sit underneath as the access fabric that carries those three. Trusted by global enterprises and government agencies.

What are the most important features of Iboss?

- AI Security and Visibility: conversation capture, shadow-AI discovery, AI DLP, and agent governance across Claude, Co-Work, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok, and emerging services.

- Data Security and Visibility: full SSL/TLS decryption, deep content inspection, MIP label compliance, and one-click compliance reporting.

- App Visibility and Control: signatureless CASB, dual risk scoring, in-app controls, and SSPM for major SaaS.

- Containerized Zero Trust SASE: dedicated containers, isolated SSL keys, one console, one policy engine, one data lake.

- Access fabric: ZTNA, VPN replacement, and SD-WAN under the same platform.

What benefits should users consider in reviews?

- Complete visibility over AI, data, and applications from one platform instead of separate point tools.

- Encrypted traffic is inspected by default so data decisions use content and context together.

- Shadow SaaS and new web tools appear as they are used, with enforceable controls in one console.

- Native data sovereignty through dedicated containers, in-region inspection, and per-customer SSL key custody.

- Scale proven in published materials: 10M+ users, 100+ countries, 150B+ transactions, 2.5B+ threats blocked.

Economic buyers are CISOs, CIOs, and VPs of Security. Champions include security architects, network and infrastructure leaders, SecOps, and GRC. Primary segments: enterprise and business, financial services, government (including FedRAMP Gov Cloud), healthcare, manufacturing, legal and professional services, retail and hospitality, and MSP/MSSP partners. Education, including K-12, is one vertical among these.

iboss

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) delivers reliable, stable connectivity and seamless integration with Active Directory, ensuring secure remote access through a one-click VPN capability. It's lightweight, user-friendly, and supports major operating systems, enhancing remote work flexibility.

Cisco Secure Client, including AnyConnect, is designed for secure remote connectivity, offering multi-factor authentication, advanced malware protection, and automatic error diagnostics. Compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux, it provides an intuitive setup and a clean interface. While it excels in ease of use, issues such as the outdated Linux build and the need for modern UI enhancements persist. Users also face connectivity challenges with frequent updates and high prices, alongside the need for better endpoint security and system integration. Popular for remote work, it facilitates secure access to corporate networks, allowing seamless interactions with resources like emails, documents, and applications.

What key features does Cisco Secure Client offer?

Reliable Connectivity: Provides stable, dependable VPN access with a one-click connection.
Multi-Factor Authentication: Enhances security through additional user verification steps.
Advanced Malware Protection: Safeguards against threats with proactive protection measures.
Automatic Error Diagnostics: Identifies and fixes errors promptly.
Cross-Platform Support: Compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux for broad accessibility.

What benefits or ROI can users expect?

Increased Remote Work Efficiency: Facilitates secure, fast access to necessary resources.
Improved Network Security: Provides robust protection against external threats.
Ease of Use: Features simple setup and user-friendly interface for quick deployment.
Enhanced Data Protection: Keeps sensitive information secure through encryption and authentication.
Cost-Effectiveness: Offers a good balance of features against pricing, though further improvements could enhance value.

Cisco Secure Client is widely implemented across industries for secure remote connectivity, especially in sectors requiring constant access to servers, data centers, and research labs. It supports remote work by enabling employees in diverse fields to access internal resources efficiently, maintaining productivity and security.

Cisco

Netskope Private Access is innovatively designed to offer secure remote access by eliminating inbound connectivity risks and requiring minimal maintenance, focusing on specific access controls and real-time adaptive policies.

Netskope Private Access stands out for its approach to securing connectivity without using conventional VPNs. It grants granular application access, implements adaptive policies, and ensures low latency with unrestricted bandwidth. Enhanced security features like device checks, Data Loss Protection, and content filtering align with its standard pricing. Meanwhile, its integration capabilities, although complex, facilitate secure connections to internal resources such as Active Directory, supporting compliance standards while migrating from legacy VPN solutions.

What are the key features of Netskope Private Access?

No Inbound Connectivity: Eliminates risks of unauthorized access.
Granular Application Access: Provides specific and detailed access control.
Adaptive Policies: Real-time policy adjustments based on user and device context.
Device Checks: Enhances security with thorough verification measures.
Data Loss Protection & Content Filtering: Protects sensitive data and monitors traffic content.

What benefits should users consider in reviews?

Secure Remote Access: Ensures safe connectivity for remote workforces.
Performance Optimization: Offers seamless, low-latency connectivity.
Scalability and Flexibility: Adapts easily to growing remote access demands.
Simplified Management: Streamlines management without traditional VPN issues.

In sectors like finance and healthcare, organizations deploy Netskope Private Access to enable secure remote access while maintaining compliance. These industries benefit by facilitating remote connections to critical internal applications, reducing downtime and inefficiencies typically associated with VPNs. Industries also leverage adaptive policies to ensure compliance with security protocols and real-time monitoring of remote access.

Netskope

Sample Customers

Trusted by global enterprises and government agencies.

MST, Molina Healthcare, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, Arup, New South Wales Rural FireService

Evalueserve, Stroock, Apria, Ather Energy

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) vs. Netskope Private Access

September 2026

Free Report: Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) vs. Netskope Private Access

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) vs. Netskope Private Access and other solutions. Updated: September 2026.

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