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Nutanix Flow Network Security vs VMware NSX comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 3, 2026

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

Nutanix Flow Network Security
Ranking in Microsegmentation Software
5th
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.0
Number of Reviews
11
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
VMware NSX
Ranking in Microsegmentation Software
2nd
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
107
Ranking in other categories
Network Virtualization (1st), Cloud and Data Center Security (6th), Network Traffic Analysis (NTA) (6th), Network Detection and Response (NDR) (10th), Network Automation (4th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Microsegmentation Software category, the mindshare of Nutanix Flow Network Security is 6.8%, up from 6.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of VMware NSX is 14.7%, down from 16.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Microsegmentation Software Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
VMware NSX14.7%
Nutanix Flow Network Security6.8%
Other78.5%
Microsegmentation Software
 

Featured Reviews

Vishnu Mohan - PeerSpot reviewer
Service Delivery Manager Cloud And Datacenter Operations at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees
Cloud-style segmentation has improved hybrid security but integration with on-prem tags still needs work
I would like to see better micro-segmentation capabilities in Nutanix Flow Network Security. It has to work with our Cisco on-premises tooling. We use something called tagging on-premises, so if the same tags could be used in Nutanix Flow Network Security, then that would make life easier. The Cisco part was a challenge in terms of how it integrates with third-party vendors and tools, so we have kept it for the next release.
TAIYAB HASAN - PeerSpot reviewer
Windows Redhat Linux Vmware & Azure & Cloud & Nutanix Ahv-Vmware & Backup Senior System Administrator at AlDawaa Medical Services
Has improved network visibility and security through micro-segmentation and SDN capabilities
This feature gives us flexibility and allows us to manage everything under one pane. We can see everything on one console, including network operations and behavior. Monitoring and security are among the best features for VMware NSX. For micro-segmentation, it's integrated with our endpoint security. If there are any issues with servers or VMs, it notifies us so we can isolate the servers and investigate. It provides distributed security features such as firewall and intrusion, IDS, IPS. The security level with IPS and IDS in VMware NSX is excellent. It also provides logical switching and routing which gives an extra layer for Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching requirements. The solution provides flexibility, automation, and self-service capabilities, resulting in cost savings as extensive expertise isn't required. Once automation and self-service are implemented, many tasks can be completed automatically. Load balancing is another excellent feature. Multiple servers can run on load balancing features, which is particularly useful since we have many application servers running. Sharing loads between servers provides the best performance.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It allows for policies that enable complete visibility and traffic control."
"We appreciate the fact that this solution allows us to segregate two virtual machines that are in the same cluster."
"The micro-segmentation feature helps to manage network security effectively because it helps the virtual machines that are already on the cluster and the applications inside the cluster itself, protects them and helps them communicate with each other without needing a complex external or internal firewall in this use case."
"Flow Network Security's most valuable features are user-friendliness, the console, and policy creation."
"They also introduced that they develop API first and the rest follows."
"What I like about Nutanix Flow Network Security is that it features cloud-like segmentation, which is available in a hybrid environment for us."
"It is a very stable solution. Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."
"Nutanix Flow has a lot of data protection features. It's also valuable for operations and management. It's a big solution that works well with different solutions and is suitable for most business cases."
"The feedback we're getting from the labs is that the stability is rich and that we haven't had any trouble with it."
"From my experience, VMware on a private cloud is a good choice."
"VMware NSX is a great product for network virtualization, and it's great for enhancing security at the virtual machine level."
"VMware NSX offers some of the best features for security, such as micro-segmentation."
"The most valuable features for us at this early stage are the interface and the integration with existing VMware solutions."
"It does have capabilities of micro-segmenting a network, being able to create smaller segments of various types of applications separated by various tiers."
"The dashboard is comprehensive and easy to use."
"The solution is very stable; there are no bugs or glitches, it doesn't crash or freeze, and it's reliable."
 

Cons

"I would like to see better micro-segmentation capabilities in Nutanix Flow Network Security."
"We would like the reporting functionality of this solution to be improved."
"For customers who are running Nutanix Flow and AHV, the largest area for improvement is in the disaster recovery environments."
"I would rate Flow Network Security's stability seven out of ten - it could be improved."
"The solution’s pricing could be improved."
"Last time I used it, it was not handy to see or to analyze traffic logs."
"While the graphical interface of Nutanix Flow Network Security could have been improved, and some of the reporting features needed extra work, the product's features were similar to VMware's NSX. The difference lay more in the presentation and user interface."
"For customers who are running Nutanix Flow and AHV, the largest area for improvement is in the disaster recovery environments. To automate the populate of rules from one side to the other side in case of disaster you report everything on the disaster recovery site, and you have all the rules automatically applied. This was something that was being built when I left Nutanix. It might already be available. Additionally, the usability of the rules editor could improve."
"The technical support could use some improvement."
"I have no complaints regarding the user interface or any technical issues."
"Migrating from V to T is very tricky, complicated, and there are a lot of parameters to account for."
"The network-extending capabilities for the physical environment need improvement."
"The first time setting it up was difficult."
"VMware NSX could improve by having more compatibility with other none Window-based operating systems."
"The scalability is not perfect."
"We have done three installations and we have not had any critical issues. The time it took for the installation was approximately two days. However, they should provide better documentation."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There is an annual subscription to use this solution. There is a 60-day trial to use the solution, it gives you time to decide if you want to continue using the solution."
"On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing a seven out of ten."
"There are different licensing models."
"In comparison to other options available in the market, I would rate their pricing as very competitive, probably a two or three out of ten for cost."
"The product is available for free use."
"This model is very accessible to implement."
"Flow Network Security is available on a three-year license, with annual renewals of the maintenance fee."
"There is a license required for this solution and there is also a support license available. The price of the solution could be better."
"The price is pretty high."
"We are using the free version of the solution."
"You can scale NSX if you have the resources, but it's usually expensive and complex to scale up."
"The solution is reasonable at the local level."
"The cost of the solution is a bit high."
"The solution is very expensive."
"I would rate the pricing of VMware NSX as seven out of ten"
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Healthcare Company
12%
Computer Software Company
9%
Government
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business4
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise5
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business34
Midsize Enterprise23
Large Enterprise69
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Nutanix Flow?
There are different models like Nutanix AOS Pro or Ultimate license. The prices are different, but it's not in the same price range as Cisco ACI, for example.
What needs improvement with Nutanix Flow?
I would like to see better micro-segmentation capabilities in Nutanix Flow Network Security. It has to work with our Cisco on-premises tooling. We use something called tagging on-premises, so if th...
What advice do you have for others considering Nutanix Flow?
I cannot think of any weak sides, drawbacks, or something to improve. We have not implemented the impact on Nutanix Flow Network Security's zero-trust security model on our threat control processes...
What are the biggest differences between Cisco ACI and VMware NSX?
There are some very major differences between both the Products and to name a few. -Cisco ACI have physical network gear (9K Switches) where the Code runs in ACI Policy Mode & the UCS server wh...
What are the biggest differences between Cisco ACI and VMware NSX?
Once you know your way around the Cisco ecosystem, using Cisco ACI is not so difficult. It is a global product, so when you change one interface, changes are automatically reflected on every switch...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for VMware NSX?
When measuring complexity and costs for our organization, we consider some parameters for effectiveness. In terms of effectiveness in reducing operational complexity, I measure it to be high on the...
 

Also Known As

Nutanix Flow Microsegmentation
VMware Nicira, Lastline Defender
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

JetBlue, International Speedway Corporation, Volkswagen SAIC, Brighton and Hove City Council, Foresters Financial, Janus International Group, Cloud Comrade, Serco
City of Avondale, Lumeta, Kroll Ontrack, Heartland Payment Systems, Baystate Heallth, Exostar, Tribune Media, iGATE, NTT Communications, Synergent, California Natural Resources Agency, Bloomington Public Schools, Columbia Sportswear, Join Experience S.A, Schuberg Philis
Find out what your peers are saying about Nutanix Flow Network Security vs. VMware NSX and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.
908,800 professionals have used our research since 2012.