ExtremeCloud IQ vs Sophos Network Access Control comparison

Extreme Networks and Sophos are both solutions in the Network Access Control (NAC) category. Extreme Networks is ranked #10 with an average rating of 9.0, while Sophos is ranked #9 with an average rating of 7.5. Extreme Networks holds a 1.7% mindshare in NAC, compared to Sophos’s 2.3% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of Extreme Networks users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of Sophos users who would recommend it.

ExtremeCloud IQ

Read 77 ExtremeCloud IQ reviews

3,064 Views
490 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

Sophos Network Access Control

Read 24 Sophos Network Access Control reviews

1,172 Views
1,149 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

ExtremeCloud IQ

Sophos Network Access Control

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 5, 2024

Sophos Network Access Control and ExtremeCloud IQ are network management and security solutions. Sophos offers robust security features, while ExtremeCloud IQ excels in cloud capabilities, making it more suitable for cloud-centric environments.

Features: Sophos Network Access Control provides excellent device authentication, threat response, and compliance management, ensuring a secure network. ExtremeCloud IQ offers advanced cloud management, AI-driven insights, and exceptional scalability, catering to complex cloud environments.

Room for Improvement: Sophos could enhance cloud integration, simplify its deployment process, and improve scalability for larger networks. ExtremeCloud IQ may benefit from more comprehensive on-premise support, improved user interface customization, and expanded reporting capabilities.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Sophos Network Access Control offers complex on-premise deployment, but benefits from comprehensive support. ExtremeCloud IQ's cloud-based model ensures easier deployment with ongoing support options, providing more flexibility in customer service.

Pricing and ROI: Sophos Network Access Control has higher initial setup costs but delivers strong ROI for security-focused enterprises. ExtremeCloud IQ offers competitive pricing and higher ROI in cloud environments, due to its scalability and advanced features, resulting in better long-term value for cloud integration.

To learn more, read our detailed ExtremeCloud IQ vs. Sophos Network Access Control Report (Updated: February 2026).

Buyer's Guide

ExtremeCloud IQ vs. Sophos Network Access Control

February 2026

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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

ExtremeCloud IQ

Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)

10th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Network Management Applications (14th), Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) (18th)

Sophos Network Access Control

Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)

9th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Network Access Control (NAC) category, the mindshare of ExtremeCloud IQ is 1.7%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Sophos Network Access Control is 2.3%, up from 1.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Access Control (NAC) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Sophos Network Access Control	2.3%
ExtremeCloud IQ	1.7%
Other	96.0%

Network Access Control (NAC)

Featured Reviews

Ufuk KINDAP

Technical Coordinator at Yildiz Technical University

Cloud-based deployment eases IT workload and supports network management

I struggled with the documentation. I expected comprehensive documentation and videos but found them to be too simple. I needed deep details and more thorough resources. Although there were costly courses available, the lack of budget was a hindrance. Improving documentation with more detailed videos and resources would be beneficial.

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HirenPatel2

Manager at rspl

Have faced delays in support despite strong multi-layer policy configuration

I have observed some disadvantages as we have experienced one particular problem. We were facing an issue of synchronization of the endpoint with our firewall with help on a cloud for heartbeat syncing. However, it was not syncing as per our requirement. The user has to connect our firewall with the help of VPN. We were supposed to assume a solution on a cloud, which has good synchronization on a cloud with Sophos Central. It will sync with our firewall as well with the help of Sophos Central. Endpoint and firewall synchronization is not as smooth as we are expecting from Sophos Network Access Control. We have to connect with VPN. We are expecting that if we have already installed an endpoint on our system and it is connected to the internet, then it must be synchronized on a cloud with Sophos Central. Through Sophos Central, it must connect with our firewall. If the endpoint is configured on Sophos Central and the firewall is also configured in Sophos Central, then there should be no need to connect to VPN.

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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

"a true controller-less approach, where each Access Point is 100% independent from the management system."

"ExtremeCloud offers features that not a lot of other vendors do like their data storage and the ability to swap licenses."

"The cloud-based controller through HiveManager is its most valuable feature. I can manage and configure changes to my access points from anywhere."

"The Client 360 feature provides a comprehensive view of your clients and their activities, including the devices they use. Additionally, a feature called Network 360 offers a 360-degree view of the network, like data usage (in GB), the status of ports and AP, and other details. You can drill down on granular-level drills to gain insights into specific applications and usage patterns like application level and fee, where your data is being wasted or what your clients are doing with the Internet data, what kind of applications they are using, etc."

"App and firewall security at the AP."

"ExtremeCloud IQ is integrated with the Ekahau tool so that you can log in to the ExtremeCloud IQ portal, upload the cloud plans, draw all the interiors, and plan the APs with the real-time AP position."

"The deployment made my life very easy."

"It is more cost effective and gives more flexibility."

More ExtremeCloud IQ pros

"The installation is very straightforward."

"What Sophos has done is integrate almost the entire OSI layer infrastructure. It gives me visibility across my infrastructure. It gives me visibility into all the mobile devices that are on my network and into the security I have on those mobile devices."

"The biggest advantage of Sophos Network Access Control is that it is very synchronized with the security on both the endpoint and the firewall on a single platform, and it is easy to maintain."

"The solution offers very good visibility."

"The initial setup is very easy."

"Sophos Network Access Control has many valuable features: for access controls, MAC binding is available, the authentication page is useful, and continuous device assessments have a positive impact on our network security management."

"The scalability of the system and the performance of the system and the solution's most valuable features."

"There is really good visibility for the appliance."

More Sophos Network Access Control pros

Cons

"For me, the only issue is the potential delay in the tool statistics updating in real time after making changes."

"I would like to see a remote phone application for monitoring APs when on the road."

"Their firewall configuration gets funky and it can be difficult to understand."

"A mobile app would be awesome."

"I know a school district, a big school district of mine, ripped out Extreme due to inefficiencies. It was the guest network that can be a struggle. They tried to differentiate between their primary network, and then offer a secondary."

"Pricing could be improved. It could be lower."

"An area for improvement in ExtremeCloud IQ is its technical support. Support could be better, especially when you need help concerning ExtremeCloud IQ and WinG."

"The solution's performance needs to be enhanced because of a very high delay."

More ExtremeCloud IQ cons

"The solution can improve the for applying policies. They can be complex depending don't the group they are applied to."

"What needs to be improved on is the fact that Sophos consumes a lot of processor resources and, once it starts scanning, the RAM utilization is very high."

"The difficult thing was finding the metrics."

"I would like more details on the incoming connection, like what is the download speed and how it fluctuates. If Sophos can give that information, it would be really good."

"Sophos Network Access Control needs improvement regarding its slow interface, loading time, and reporting."

"Continuous development in specific areas might be required."

"Users are not controlled by role-based access; it's basically device-based control. The definition of role-based control is a little vague here because on the cloud level, it regulates access rather than tasks."

"The solution could increase the integration with other platforms or other systems. This would be very useful."

More Sophos Network Access Control cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is costly as compared to Meraki, Aruba, Juniper, and Cisco. Cloud IQ is an enterprise solution, whereas Meraki is specifically a single solution."

"Buy near the end of Q4 in order to get a deal."

"I would advise that you be sure to compare apples with apples. Many customers just look at the price per AP and licences, and compare that against other solutions. But, they do not look at the complete picture such as: TCO - how much the equipment will cost you over, say, seven years? Will the customer need to change complete infrastructure when they want to buy the newest hardware? Does support include a lifetime warranty and RMA?"

"I am not involved in the price, but I am sure that it is not cheap."

"This solution offers annual licensing that is middle of the range in terms of cost."

"ExtremeCloud IQ's pricing is high."

"Previously, ExtremeCloudIQ provided free licensing for all the basic requirements of their customers. An advanced cloud user had to purchase advanced licenses for automation and advanced country features at the enterprise level. They have restricted the licensing, allowing only up to ten units for testing, which is challenging. This limitation becomes problematic, especially in countries like Sri Lanka or other Asian countries, where customers face economic challenges and have limited budgets. The previous free option was beneficial, but it has become tougher to manage with these new changes. They should revise their pricing structure, offering the basic features free of charge for up to 50 AP. Larger entities with more than 50 APs have the budget to support them. Still, it becomes more difficult for small and medium-sized businesses with less than 50 APs to allocate a significant budget for control and management features."

"There are probably cheaper solutions but we invest for stability and performance for the longer haul."

More ExtremeCloud IQ pricing and cost advice

"It is quite expensive."

"It provides a moderate pricing option for all of its features and benefits."

"I rate the price of Sophos Network Access Control a five out of ten."

"Sophos Network Access Control is costly but has a similar price range as CrowdStrike and Check Point. The product can get more market share if Sophos can play around with Sophos Network Access Control pricing and improve it."

"Sophos Network Access Control is an expensive solution."

"Sophos Network Access Control is very cheap compared to other solutions like Cisco, Barracuda, and Palo Alto."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

10%

Educational Organization

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

Government

10%

Computer Software Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	45
Midsize Enterprise	14
Large Enterprise	24

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	16
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	3

Questions from the Community

What are pros and cons of Aruba 515 Series AP vs. Cisco Meraki or Extreme Networks?

Depends. I have personally used both Cisco and Aruba so I am familiar with them. Extreme I am not, so unless they have some feature that I need or want, I wouldn't consider them. Do you have expe...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ExtremeCloud IQ?

The licensing was a challenge due to budget constraints, and I used ExtremeCloud IQ without a license for a period. The documentation and training courses were also costly, impacting how easily I c...

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What advice do you have for others considering ExtremeCloud IQ?

I use ExtremeCloud IQ's real-time analytics. In the cloud solution, I get reports, and it works together with machine learning and artificial intelligence for those reports. This tool permits the c...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Sophos Network Access Control?

The pricing of Sophos Network Access Control is good, but it is somewhat high.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Sophos Network Access Control?

In my opinion, one feature that should be added is the ability to trace emails from individuals who change their IP address or send misbehaving emails from alternative networks. If someone sends a ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Sophos Network Access Control?

Sophos Network Access Control serves primary use cases for both networking purposes and security purposes.

See all answers

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Compared 6% of the time

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Compared 27% of the time

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Compared 18% of the time

Portnox vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 13% of the time

Twingate vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 12% of the time

Fortinet FortiNAC vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 11% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

ExtremeCloud IQ

February 2026

Download ExtremeCloud IQ product report

Buyer's Guide

Sophos Network Access Control

January 2026

Download Sophos Network Access Control product report

Also Known As

Aerohive Networks, Aerohive HiveManager, HiveManager, ExtremeCloud , ExtremeSecurity

No data available

Overview

ExtremeCloud is a resilient and scalable cloud-based network management solution offered by Extreme Networks as a subscription service.

The network is your platform of engagement for clients and staff. We have designed ExtremeCloud to provide superior user experience by empowering you and the applications that drive your business. The combination of Extreme Networks’ smart wired and wireless edges and the elasticity, resilience and scalability provided via state-of-the-art datacenters distributed strategically for worldwide availability allows you to respond to the changing needs of your business, at the speed of cloud, through a simple, multi-site aware user interface.

Extreme Networks

Sophos NAC Provides comprehensive, easy-to-deploy network access control that protects enterprise networks from the threats posed by non-compliant, compromised, or misconfigured endpoint computers. The software solution is vendor-neutral and works with existing network infrastructure and security applications. Computers are permitted or denied access to the network, based on a centrally defined, policy-driven assessment - and isolated, quarantined for remediation, automatically remediated, or sent alerts. Administrators can define and manage policies uniquely for managed and guest computers, including checking their security status and ensuring that no unwanted applications are run.

Sophos

Sample Customers

Henry Ford Health System, Baltimore Ravens, Brandili, Federal University of Alagoas, CEDAE, Caxias do Sul, UNISC Concurrency, CenturyLink Field, Louisiana College, Cricket Tasmania Stadium, Moscow Internet Exchange

Rushmoor Borough Council

Buyer's Guide

ExtremeCloud IQ vs. Sophos Network Access Control

February 2026

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