Cisco Umbrella vs F5 BIG-IP DNS comparison

Cisco and F5 are both solutions in the Domain Name System (DNS) Security category. Cisco is ranked #1 with an average rating of 9.2, while F5 is ranked #6 with an average rating of 9.0. Cisco holds a 20.5% mindshare in DS, compared to F5’s 4.5% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of F5 users who would recommend it.

Cisco Umbrella

Read 123 Cisco Umbrella reviews

20,182 Views
6,458 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

F5 BIG-IP DNS

Read 22 F5 BIG-IP DNS reviews

1,623 Views
1,623 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Cisco Umbrella

F5 BIG-IP DNS

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 28, 2025

Cisco Umbrella and F5 BIG-IP DNS are prominent in the field of DNS security and traffic management. Cisco Umbrella is favored for its ease of use and comprehensive DNS-layer security, while F5 BIG-IP DNS shines with its robust traffic management features and global DNS resolution efficiency.

Features: Cisco Umbrella provides DNS-layer security with web content filtering, malware protection, and ease of compliance. F5 BIG-IP DNS offers global traffic management, DNS security, and load balancing across data centers.

Room for Improvement: Cisco Umbrella users desire better integration capabilities, more flexible reporting, and advanced features like deep packet inspection. F5 BIG-IP DNS users report setup complexity and suggest improvements in pricing structures.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Umbrella is notable for its seamless deployment in cloud environments and strong customer service. F5 BIG-IP DNS supports on-premises and hybrid setups, praised for technical support amidst setup challenges.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco Umbrella is considered pricey but offers good ROI due to its security features. F5 BIG-IP DNS is recognized for its advanced features, yet requires careful cost-effectiveness analysis considering competitor pricing.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco Umbrella vs. F5 BIG-IP DNS Report (Updated: March 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Umbrella vs. F5 BIG-IP DNS

March 2026

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Helped 884,933 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

Cisco Umbrella

Ranking in Domain Name System (DNS) Security

1st

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.3

Number of Reviews

123

Ranking in other categories

Secure Web Gateways (SWG) (1st), Internet Security (1st), Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) (2nd), Cisco Security Portfolio (2nd)

F5 BIG-IP DNS

Ranking in Domain Name System (DNS) Security

6th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

8.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Domain Name System (DNS) Security category, the mindshare of Cisco Umbrella is 20.5%, down from 25.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of F5 BIG-IP DNS is 4.5%, down from 5.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Domain Name System (DNS) Security Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Cisco Umbrella	20.5%
F5 BIG-IP DNS	4.5%
Other	75.0%

Domain Name System (DNS) Security

Featured Reviews

Bryan Bettencourt

Senior Network Engineer at Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.

Ensures comprehensive protection with seamless threat logging and efficient policy management

My favorite feature of Cisco Umbrella is probably just the DNS and the fact that when a security threat happens, all of that gets logged in their Umbrella portal, and it's very easy to find who's been accessing the site and how many people have accessed it, so that we can go to them and make sure they're not compromised. The features of Cisco Umbrella benefit my company by providing less time to search for things through logs, to look for what we need. It's just one place to go, and we just search for it, and we find it really fast. The fact that there's a virtual database that has all that information is great on our portal.

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Rajeevkumar Rai

Associate Consultant at HCLSoftware

Global load balancing has ensured continuous availability and optimized user response times

While F5 BIG-IP DNS is a very powerful solution, some improvements could enhance the overall experience. For example, the user interface could be more modern and simplified. The reporting and analytics features can be improved. Simplified deployment for cloud-native environments could be improved. Overall, F5 BIG-IP DNS is a robust and reliable solution for global traffic management and application availability. With its advanced traffic steering capability, we are definitely getting great benefits from that. However, the user interface is the major thing I think can be improved. The cost also can be reduced. Those are the two or three points that need to be improved. There is some scope for improvement, including the user interface and pricing. That is why I gave it a nine.

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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

"What we like most is security and how easy it is to integrate with other appliances."

"I have found the malware protection feature valuable. It is helpful and deliverable and is able to protect my entire organization from getting compromised. It also prevents us from visiting any malicious sites which are not visible to the users."

"Cisco is a very efficient and on-point solution that controls the whole network and settings on one page. We can monitor the entire network."

"The most valuable feature is that it secures our network against blacklisted or malicious websites."

"The integration features within, for example, the Cisco VPN product and the Umbrella module are valuable."

"By using OpenDNS, we block sites that are looked at as malicious and cut down on incoming threats."

"Its simplicity is most valuable. I can install it and get it up and running, and it can be pervasive across my business within a business day. It is pretty simple and straightforward to install and configure. Its remit is reasonably clearly defined. When you look at solutions like Darktrace and Carbon Black, the mission objective isn't as clearly defined. Cisco Umbrella, Sophos Central, or some of the other solutions have a more standardized approach to antivirus, which includes enhanced response from the machine learning or deep learning perspective."

"The best possible thing is that it is very easy to deploy, easy to configure, and very fast to get onboarded with a customer because this is a cloud-based service."

More Cisco Umbrella pros

"The solution is easy to configure and deploy. It is scalable and works without any downtime. F5 BIG-IP DNS is a flexible solution."

"Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten...Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."

"The GTM feature is very good, It's very useful, especially if we have multiple data centers. If we want to load balance traffic from multiple data centers, the GTM feature is very useful."

"BIG-IP DNS's best feature is the Global Traffic Manager (GTM)."

"It is easy to administer."

"F5 BIG-IP DNS is useful, depending on how you use it."

"The main features valued in F5 BIG-IP include high availability, scalability, and protection of applications from attacks."

"The configuration process is straightforward, making it easy to set up wide IPs and distribute traffic across local US sites and data centers via VPN."

More F5 BIG-IP DNS pros

Cons

"User interface could be a little smoother and more intuitive."

"Its DNS service does not support IPv6 query."

"For us, as an MSP, the initial licensing changes were a roadblock, and they still could be a lot clearer. Specifically, it's an honor-based licensing system. We'd like it to be more specific to our traffic or our users so that we can make sure that the customer is paying for all their licensing."

"It has happened in the past that Cisco Umbrella has denied us access to secure websites."

"It needs better integration with external threat feeds to improve scoring."

"There are cheaper solutions in the market"

"The solution is very expensive in Brazil."

"They should provide more integrations and bring things together so that there is a more standard feel to their platform. We also use Cisco ISE, and it has a very different feel from Cisco Umbrella."

More Cisco Umbrella cons

"It would be great to see a F5 BIG-IP DNS cloud version. What we within the Australian government are looking at doing is utilizing a secured DNS service much the same as the English GCHQ version of their protected DNS service."

"F5's technical support responds a little slowly."

"I would like to see the login facilities improved, as well as more troubleshooting."

"The solution's initial setup is complex compared to Fortinet."

"I would like to see deeper integration with VMware in the sense that F5 compliments VMware, in the context of application availability."

"When it comes to denial of service or DNS security, F5 is not the best vendor as dedicated vendors such as Arbor for denial of service and Infoblox for DNS security offer more comprehensive solutions."

"CNC (control and command) communication would be beneficial. We would like to have control and command blocking to prevent visiting malicious websites."

"The monitoring capabilities of F5 BIG-IP DNS could be improved."

More F5 BIG-IP DNS cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing is fair."

"It has a reasonable price. It is certainly not as expensive as it used to be. It is in line with other offerings on the market. There are a number of different flavors of Umbrella. They could bring Umbrella SIG down a bit because its price is a little bit high for what it does, but I also understand why its price is high."

"You get what you pay for."

"The price should be slightly lower than the current price because if you look at the whole solution, it is simply a threat intelligence solution to block blacklisted things. The price should be lower looking at the features provided by the solution. The price isn't too high either, but it could be lower."

"The pricing is great and very competitive with the rest of the market."

"The licensing fee is paid on a yearly basis."

"In terms of licensing, we're not able to be extremely clear with the customer because it's based on their reporting. It's not based on the actual traffic. If they say they have 50 users but they have 80, we'll just buy for 50 users. That's something where we'd like to have more flexibility."

"Licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis."

More Cisco Umbrella pricing and cost advice

"In some cases, it is expensive."

"They are competitively priced."

"BIG-IP DNS is more expensive than its competitors like Citrix, but it gives good value for money."

"You cannot do much around DDoS protection without an additional license from F5."

"This product is quite pricey but if you compare the feature set and its compatibility with similar products on the market, you would understand why it's that price."

"The on-prem version is only available on a yearly license, but the cloud version can be paid for on a day-by-day basis."

"I would rate the pricing a three out of ten, with ten being a low price."

"Cost is a factor. It is really costly."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

14%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

11%

Computer Software Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

Retailer

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	50
Midsize Enterprise	30
Large Enterprise	51

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	8
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	10

Questions from the Community

Which is the better security solution - Cisco Umbrella or Zscaler?

Cisco Umbrella and Zscaler Internet Access are two broad-spectrum Internet security solutions that I have tried. Zscaler Internet Access is a good option for carrying out multiple security functi...

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Which is the better security solution - Cisco Umbrella or Microsoft Cloud App Security?

Cisco Umbrella is an integral component of the Cisco SASE architecture. It integrates security in a single, cloud-native solution, unifying multiple features like DNS-layer security, threat intelli...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Umbrella?

The pricing for Cisco Umbrella is fair compared to other platforms out there for DNS security. We acquired it as a bundle with other Cisco purchases.

See all answers

What do you like most about F5 BIG-IP DNS?

For one of our clients, F5 improved global server load balancing with an active-active site configuration for Disaster Recovery.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for F5 BIG-IP DNS?

In terms of pricing, F5 BIG-IP is not cheaper compared to other solutions like Fortinet or Citrix. The cost can be high due to its comprehensive modules.

See all answers

What needs improvement with F5 BIG-IP DNS?

When it comes to denial of service or DNS security, F5 is not the best vendor as dedicated vendors such as Arbor for denial of service and Infoblox for DNS security offer more comprehensive solutio...

See all answers

Comparisons

Zscaler Internet Access vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 18% of the time

Cisco Secure Access vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 8% of the time

Palo Alto Networks DNS Security vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 7% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 4% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 3% of the time

More Cisco Umbrella Competitors

Infoblox Advanced DNS Protection vs F5 BIG-IP DNS

Compared 33% of the time

Infoblox BloxOne Threat Defense vs F5 BIG-IP DNS

Compared 9% of the time

EfficientIP DNS Guardian vs F5 BIG-IP DNS

Compared 9% of the time

BlueCat Edge vs F5 BIG-IP DNS

Compared 8% of the time

CIRA Anycast DNS vs F5 BIG-IP DNS

Compared 8% of the time

More F5 BIG-IP DNS Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Umbrella

March 2026

Download Cisco Umbrella product report

Buyer's Guide

F5 BIG-IP DNS

March 2026

Download F5 BIG-IP DNS product report

Also Known As

OpenDNS

F5 BIG-IP DNS, F5 DNS Delivery

Overview

Cisco Umbrella provides fast-deploying DNS-layer security with powerful threat protection capabilities. Trusted by over 30,000 entities, it ranks highly in DNS security and effectively supports secure remote work environments.

Cisco Umbrella offers comprehensive DNS security, web filtering, and ease of use, enhancing network security through robust threat protection and malware prevention. It processes over 600 billion requests daily, making it a leader in its field. The seamless integration with existing infrastructures and cloud-based nature makes it suitable for remote and distributed work environments, ensuring consistent security throughout. Management is streamlined with a single-pane interface that simplifies administration, while in-depth reporting capabilities provide valuable insights for continuous monitoring.

What are the key features of Cisco Umbrella?

DNS Security: Provides leading protection by managing DNS queries and blocking malicious sites.
Web Filtering: Offers granular control over web content to safeguard internet usage.
Ease of Integration: Fits well into existing infrastructures, simplifying deployment and use.
Intuitive Management: Single-pane management streamlines administration and enhances usability.
Cloud-Based Flexibility: Supports secure remote work environments.

What benefits can users expect from using Cisco Umbrella?

Superior Threat Protection: Reduces risk by effectively detecting and preventing cyber threats.
Consistent Security: Provides uniform protection across network environments.
Efficiency and Visibility: Leverages comprehensive reporting for better security insights.
Easy Deployment: Quick and straightforward setup with minimal disruption.

Cisco Umbrella is widely adopted in industries requiring advanced DNS-level security to counteract malware, phishing, and cyber threats. Its ability to monitor and protect remote and roaming employees makes it an attractive option for sectors highly dependent on cloud services. By managing DNS queries and blocking harmful sites, Cisco Umbrella enhances cybersecurity across networks, providing an added layer of protection for businesses worldwide.

Cisco

F5® BIG-IP® DNS distributes DNS and user application requests based on business policies, data center and cloud service conditions, user location, and application performance. BIG-IP DNS is commonly configured as a full proxy to provide global server load balancing (GSLB) for applications and DNS across architectures, and across the globe.

The BIG-IP platform delivers DNS services with visibility, reporting, and analysis; scales and secures DNS responses geographically to survive increased traffic or threats; delivers a real-time DNSSEC solution; designed to provide availability of global applications in all cloud environments.

Sample Customers

Chart Industries, City of Aspen, Eastern Mountain Sports, FLEXcon, George Washington University, Jackson Municipal Airport Authority, Ohio Public Library Information Network, PTC, Richland Community College, Smart Motors, Tulane University, VeriClaim

Ricacorp Properties, Bangladesh Post Office, Shawbrook Bank, Shinsegae Internet Duty Free

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Umbrella vs. F5 BIG-IP DNS

March 2026

Free Report: Cisco Umbrella vs. F5 BIG-IP DNS

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