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Cisco Secure Email vs Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense comparison

Why PeerSpot?
Cisco Secure Email and Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense are both solutions in the Email Security category. Cisco Secure Email is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.3, while Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense is ranked #22 with an average rating of 7.3. Cisco Secure Email holds a 4.7% mindshare in Email Security, compared to Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense’s 1.1% mindshare. Additionally, 93% of Cisco Secure Email users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 93% of Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense users who would recommend it.
Cisco Secure Email
Read 63 Cisco Secure Email reviews
  • 14,503 Views
  • 12,763 Comparison Views
93% willing to recommend
Cisco Secure Email Threat D...
Read 16 Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense reviews
  • 2,890 Views
  • 2,890 Comparison Views
93% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 3, 2024

Cisco Secure Email and Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense provide advanced email security solutions. Cisco Secure Email is highlighted for its broad adaptability through numerous features, giving it a competitive edge in feature customization and management flexibility, whereas Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense excels in integrating with broader security ecosystems and offering advanced threat detection.

Features: Cisco Secure Email includes robust anti-spam measures, malware protection, and thorough integration with security protocols such as DKIM, DMARC, and AMP. It facilitates easy management and email customization, significantly reducing spam and improving filtering through Talos intelligence. Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense focuses on cloud-based threat intelligence and endpoint security integration with capabilities like Threat Grid and AMP that help identify and counteract malicious email threats proactively.

Room for Improvement: Cisco Secure Email requires better integration with third-party reporting tools and enhancements in CLI management. Users have noted challenges with rule-setting, desiring user interface improvements and better hardware reliability. Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense could enhance its collaboration with other tools, improve intuitive reporting, and develop a smarter search function. Both products would benefit from better phishing protection and additional sandboxing, along with cost reductions for broader accessibility.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Secure Email offers versatile deployment options, supporting on-premises, cloud, and hybrid configurations, with seamless setup praised by users alongside reliable technical support. Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense is optimized for private, hybrid, and public cloud deployments, which can limit on-premises flexibility. Both products are supported by strong service teams, but users appreciate Cisco Secure Email's flexible deployment and satisfaction with customer support.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco Secure Email's pricing reflects its comprehensive features with costs varying by user numbers, though customers consider it worthwhile for its significant ROI in security and reduced email issues. Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense is seen as high-priced due to its premium features and support but is also viewed as a worthwhile investment for security and business continuity benefits. Potential users should balance premium costs with the specific benefits needed.

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To learn more, read our detailed Cisco Secure Email vs. Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense Report (Updated: November 2026).
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Secure Email vs. Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense
November 2026
Download the complete report
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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 Secure Email
Ranking in Email Security
5th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
63
Ranking in other categories
Cisco Security Portfolio (6th)
Cisco Secure Email Threat D...
Ranking in Email Security
22nd
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
16
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the Email Security category, the mindshare of Cisco Secure Email is 4.7%, down from 5.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense is 1.1%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Email Security Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco Secure Email4.7%
Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense1.1%
Other94.2%
Email Security
 

Featured Reviews

KS
Karthik Sathivel
Technical Associate Network Security at Valuepoint Systems
Email security has protected financial data and provides clear tracking for every branch message
The areas of Cisco Secure Email that could be improved or enhanced are the slowness in the console. I don't think it was a database error or something, but we feel some slowness in configuring DLP and other content filters compared to other consoles. It may have been due to on-premises, but it was much noisy at some times while configuring DLP. When we tried to configure a DLP policy, the console became much slower. In that case, we cannot see what had happened in the mail which was blocked at that time. It may take nearly an hour to get back to normal while configuring policies. That is the major issue in the product.
Read full review
GC
Glenn-Camilien
Senior Cybersecurity Engineer at a financial services firm with 11-50 employees
Provides robust email security features but requires improved modernization and complexity management
Modernization is an area that could be improved for Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense, as some features have lagged behind newer competitors, potentially offering more advanced analysis capabilities. The initial setup is not straightforward and requires expertise and time to master configurations such as spoofing and DLP. More control over backend functionalities and simplifying rule management could enhance user experience. The product's complexity at times results in redundant rule sets that are difficult to untangle, highlighting the need for streamlined management systems and a more user-centric approach to system configuration. Furthermore, the pricing might deter new users who could opt for alternative, more cost-effective solutions.
Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"It is a user-friendly product."
"There were detailed logs available. That was a seriously good feature... It turns out these were actually spoof emails that came into our environment. I got to know about them from the log system."
"Cisco Secure Email is part of Cisco's extensive efforts and investments in technology, especially in the realm of cyber security. The product is one among many security solutions offered by Cisco."
"This solution provides some benefits, like comfortable access to TAC support. You get prompt support when working directly with Cisco."
"The product's initial setup phase was easy."
"Users were able to do a check by themselves on quarantined emails. They could check if a valid email had been stopped, if it matched up with the SPF certification."
"It does a great job of preventing spam, malware, and ransomware. I can only go by what people have told me and what I've seen, but I have not seen spam in a year and a half to two years in my own company mailbox. And there are not a lot of catches where it's catching something that should have gotten through, either."
"Cisco Secure Email Cloud Gateway has allowed our users to be able to concentrate on the emails that they do receive. Previously, our users had to deal with nine million additional emails across the organization, which is nearly 1,000 emails per user to have to deal with a month. That's a massive amount for our staff to deal with and probably several hours of their time. We have a lot of clinical staff, being a hospital. We want to make our staff as productive as possible. By removing a lot of that spam and phishing type emails, this allows them to do their job."
More Cisco Secure Email pros
"On ease of use, it rates very high. It's something that I was able to get into without really looking at any documentation. I wanted to see what it felt like before I started looking at any documentation on how to use it, and it was very easy to use. It works very smoothly. The user experience is very intuitive. They did an amazing job on that."
"It has an efficient email filtering feature."
"The advanced threat analytics and URL filtering in threat detection are good features that are working well."
"Currently, the ease of deployment is the low-hanging fruit for Cisco email security."
"Cisco's technical support is very good."
"I would say it's very comprehensive, with multiple antivirus OEMs, virus encrypt features, encryption, and more."
"Regarding stability, Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense is very stable."
"The product offers protection, email security, anti-spam, and antivirus."
More Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense pros
 

Cons

"I have some frustrations with the user experience in the interface, specifically with regard to making a list of people for whom I want to allow email access."
"The interface is dated. It has looked pretty much the same for 15 years or so."
"I would like to see sandboxing for email, where suspicious emails received by the system are analyzed through online services."
"Better dashboards and more interactive overviews would be nice, but the current functionality is sufficient."
"That's why I wouldn't give it anywhere near a perfect score, because the artificial intelligence just isn't there yet."
"Cisco Secure Email can be improved from the administrator's point of view. Usually, you have to work with different areas, and they can try to make it easy for the administrator to use different functions."
"The management features of the product are not up to date."
"The user interface could be updated."
More Cisco Secure Email cons
"I wouldn't recommend Cisco to others because I think Fortinet is better."
"The solution is a bit expensive. It could be cheaper."
"The tool gives false positives and it needs to be more accurate. I would like to see AI as a new feature."
"We encounter issues while searching for missing emails."
"Cisco Secure Email Cloud Mailbox can improve by adding advanced phishing, then the solution would become the best in the market. However, this could increase the price even more. Additionally, if CES with domain protection could be added it would be an even better solution."
"The physical appliance has been discontinued, although the platform still exists."
"The search area has room for improvement."
"This solution could be improved by integration with Sandbox."
More Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There were no other costs in addition to the standard licensing fees."
"I rate the product price as six on a scale of one to ten, where one means it is a very expensive tool."
"Cisco Secure Email is expensive, but we get what we pay for."
"I would rate the pricing a ten out of ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive."
"It is a reasonably priced solution."
"It is an expensive product. I rate its pricing an eight or nine."
"Licensing costs depend on how many users there are. It could range between $5 and $7 per month, per user."
"Cisco Secure Email is more expensive than other products. I rate it a five out of ten. There are no additional costs. You only need to pay the subscription amounts."
More Cisco Secure Email pricing and cost advice
"The feedback from vendors and customer is that it is expensive."
"Cisco Secure Email Cloud Mailbox does not have any competition with Sophos, Trend Micro, or other vendors of the world. However, there is a pricing premium for the solution. One has to look at it from that angle that while they are buying Cisco, there will be a premium, and Cisco justifies that premium value. That's why they're charging a high price."
"It is expensive compared to other vendors."
"The solution’s pricing is manageable."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
11%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Outsourcing Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Marketing Services Firm
11%
Outsourcing Company
9%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Healthcare Company
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business22
Midsize Enterprise18
Large Enterprise27
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business4
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise7
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Secure Email?
The pricing structure is good as it is user-based or email client-based, which is positive for clients.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Cisco Secure Email?
The areas of Cisco Secure Email that could be improved or enhanced are the slowness in the console. I don't think it was a database error or something, but we feel some slowness in configuring DLP ...
See all answers
What is your primary use case for Cisco Secure Email?
We are using Cisco Secure Email to monitor the outgoing and incoming mail traffic in our financial institute. We have nearly 900 branches all over India. We have an on-premises mail server in which...
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Secure Email Threat Defense?
Comparatively with other products, the pricing of Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense is normal. As a technical guide, I am not very aware of the pricing details.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Secure Email Threat Defense?
We have deployed Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense in two customer environments. It is still in development as a new product. Some customer requirements, such as sending logs to a Syslog server, ar...
See all answers
What is your primary use case for Secure Email Threat Defense?
We are working with Cloud Mail Gateway and on-premise mail gateways. We have worked with Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense.
See all answers
 

Comparisons

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Compared 33% of the time
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Check Point Anti-Spam and Email Security Software Blade vs Cisco Secure Email
Compared 6% of the time
Proofpoint Email Protection vs Cisco Secure Email Logo
Proofpoint Email Protection vs Cisco Secure Email
Compared 5% of the time
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs Cisco Secure Email Logo
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs Cisco Secure Email
Compared 4% of the time
Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) vs Cisco Secure Email Logo
Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) vs Cisco Secure Email
Compared 3% of the time
More Cisco Secure Email Competitors
Check Point Anti-Spam and Email Security Software Blade vs Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense Logo
Check Point Anti-Spam and Email Security Software Blade vs Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense
Compared 18% of the time
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense Logo
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense
Compared 14% of the time
Kiteworks vs Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense Logo
Kiteworks vs Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense
Compared 10% of the time
Comodo Secure Email Gateway vs Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense Logo
Comodo Secure Email Gateway vs Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense
Compared 8% of the time
Proofpoint Email Protection vs Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense Logo
Proofpoint Email Protection vs Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense
Compared 5% of the time
More Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Cisco Secure Email
November 2026
Cisco Secure Email reportDownload Cisco Secure Email product report
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense
November 2026
Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense reportDownload Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense product report
 

Also Known As

Cisco Email Security, IronPort, Cisco Email Security, ESA, Email Security Appliances
Cisco Secure Email Cloud Mailbox, Cisco CMD, Cisco Cloud Mailbox Defense
 

Overview

Cisco Secure Email safeguards email communications with advanced threat prevention, spam, and malware filtering empowered by Talos intelligence. It integrates seamlessly with Cisco products and offers diagnostic tools for efficient email management across on-premises, cloud, or hybrid environments.

Cisco Secure Email serves as a robust email gateway for both incoming and outgoing traffic, providing comprehensive protection against spam, phishing, and malware threats. With customizable policies and enhanced threat intelligence, it helps in managing email integrity while integrating efficiently with firewalls and Exchange Servers. Whether deployed on-premises, in the cloud, or as a hybrid, it maintains high-performance security without degrading system performance. Despite these strengths, improvements in user experience, integration with third-party tools, and better licensing terms are needed, alongside enhancements in tech support and documentation.

What are key features of Cisco Secure Email?
  • Talos-Powered Intelligence: Reputation filtering enhanced by Talos intelligence for accurate threat detection.
  • Customizable Policies: Flexible rule creation for tailored email security management.
  • Threat Prevention: Protects against phishing, ransomware, and spam with minimal impact on performance.
  • Integration Capabilities: Seamless integration with other Cisco solutions.
  • Diagnostics: Provides detailed logging for efficient troubleshooting.
What benefits should users consider in Cisco Secure Email?
  • Enhanced Security Posture: Improved email protection through advanced filtering and threat intelligence.
  • Efficient Management: Streamlined email handling and security policy management.
  • Integration Efficiency: Smooth compatibility with Cisco products and firewall integration.
  • Deployment Flexibility: Options for on-premises, cloud, or hybrid deployments.

Cisco Secure Email is widely implemented across industries to protect vital email communications. Financial institutions use it to secure sensitive client data, while healthcare organizations deploy it to maintain patient confidentiality. Educational institutions rely on its capability to avert phishing attacks and safeguard student and faculty information. In sectors like manufacturing, it ensures secure and uninterrupted communication flow across global operations.

Cisco

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense offers robust email security with features like east-west traffic visibility and seamless SaaS deployment. It enhances cloud email protection by integrating Threat Grid sandboxing and AMP for malware defense, supported by Cisco Talos threat intelligence.

Enhancing email security for Microsoft 365 and cloud emails, Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense acts as an email gateway, blocking phishing, malware, and business email compromise. Users benefit from a centralized management console, efficient graymail administration, and strong filtering capabilities. Despite its strengths, it requires improvements in integration, spam detection accuracy, and enhances phishing protection.

What are the most important features of Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense?
  • East-West Traffic Visibility: Offers insight into email tenant interactions.
  • SaaS Application Deployment: Simplifies deployment processes.
  • Threat Grid Sandboxing: Provides advanced malware protection.
  • AMP Integration: Enhances malware defense capabilities.
  • Anti-Spam and Antivirus: Powered by Cisco Talos threat intelligence.
  • Cloud Mailbox Features: Includes robust email filtering and management.
What benefits or ROI should be evaluated in reviews?
  • Enhanced Security: Provides protection against advanced threats.
  • Operational Efficiency: Reduces reliance on help desk services.
  • User-Friendly Management: Streamlines email administration tasks.
  • Improved Email Filtering: Ensures effective threat blocking.

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense is highly applicable in industries requiring stringent data protection, such as finance and healthcare. It serves cloud-based environments by closely monitoring email activity to prevent unauthorized access and breaches. Tailored deployment options cater to both on-premise and cloud architectures, allowing flexible integration in existing workflows.

Cisco
 

Sample Customers

SUNY Old Westbury, CoxHealth, City of Fullerton, Indra
Luiss University, Lone Star College, T-Systems, Magyar Telekom
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Secure Email vs. Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense
November 2026
Free Report: Cisco Secure Email vs. Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Secure Email vs. Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense and other solutions. Updated: November 2026.
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