A10 Networks Lightning ADC vs NetScaler comparison

A10 Networks Lightning ADC

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 17, 2024

NetScaler and A10 Networks Lightning ADC are competing in the application delivery controller market. A10 Networks Lightning ADC holds an advantage with its cloud-native architecture, offering superior scalability and integration.

Features: NetScaler provides application performance optimization, load balancing, and security which are beneficial for complex IT environments. A10 Networks Lightning ADC is notable for its cloud-native design, integrated security functions, and high scalability. The focus on cloud integration distinguishes A10 Networks, especially for cloud-driven businesses.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: NetScaler's deployment is direct, supported by solid customer support aiding initial setups. A10 Networks Lightning ADC offers an intuitive cloud-native deployment model, shortening onboarding times. While both have reliable customer service, NetScaler's is slightly more recognized for responsiveness.

Pricing and ROI: NetScaler's pricing model offers long-term value, making it cost-effective across different deployment sizes. A10 Networks Lightning ADC, though possibly costlier initially, provides value for cloud-native environments with enhanced scalability and performance, ensuring higher ROI for cloud-focused organizations.

To learn more, read our detailed A10 Networks Lightning ADC vs. NetScaler Report (Updated: April 2025).

A10 Networks Lightning ADC vs. NetScaler

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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

A10 Networks Lightning ADC

Ranking in Application Delivery Controllers (ADC)

17th

Average Rating

7.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

NetScaler

Ranking in Application Delivery Controllers (ADC)

1st

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

107

Ranking in other categories

Network Management Applications (3rd), Web Application Firewall (WAF) (12th)

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) category, the mindshare of A10 Networks Lightning ADC is 0.3%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of NetScaler is 14.8%, down from 15.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Application Delivery Controllers (ADC)

Featured Reviews

RONALDO DE MELO

Sales Account Executive at l8

Efficient application security while optimizing connections

The initial setup is simple; it is not complex. The configuration itself is simple and can be done in a couple of hours. However, the migration of the system to A10 Networks takes longer due to critical applications. Clients prefer to move them one by one, which is why it takes a significant amount of time. The configuration itself is simple, especially for this application.

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DEMİRHAN ÇAVUŞOĞLU

Cloud Consultant at Migros Ticaret A.Ş.

A tool for centralized management including inventory and sales tracking

Citrix ADM has the ability to implement policies to tighten security. For instance, you can restrict access to your network from outsiders or lack necessary security measures such as antivirus programs. Additionally, there's the Delivery Controller, which allows for comprehensive monitoring and management tasks such as remote restarts, maintenance, and registration. Another essential component is the Director, which provides detailed insights into sessions, including identifying session failures, connection issues, user lockouts, etc. It presents a list of problems to address, enabling you to click on them and resolve them efficiently.

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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

"It allows you to secure the application while balancing the connections for many other customers, reducing CPU usage and server load."

"What I like about Lightning ADC, is that instead of having a big appliance sitting in front of the Kubernetes cluster, Lightning can pretty much go inside of Kubernetes."

"Our clients appreciate that this is a security enabled solution."

"Citrix Director has been great. It gives us one pane of glass to be able to monitor what's going on with the user sessions as well as to keep on top of the virtual desktops, any servers that may be offline or behaving suspiciously, or any troublesome spots like disconnections. We also use Citrix Studio for maintaining the actual servers that are hosting these applications. We use it for delivery groups in case we need to modify delivery groups in regards to which groups have access to which applications. It has been very helpful."

"Load Balancing and SSL offloading are key features."

"Provides resiliency for applications that reside on servers, as well as connectivity to remote applications."

"Citrix Netscaler makes it easy to provide services to end users, offering better visibility into user sessions compared to VMware. However, instability in network or machine can cause headaches as it's hard to pinpoint issues. SSL offload feature enhances security posture by providing secure connectivity between end users and backend systems. We use additional Azure remote security solutions for comprehensive protection."

"Compared to other solutions, Citrix ADC is much more robust in terms of the native integration to cloud platforms. It is far more robust from an operational point of view as well."

"Available on any device and can be accessed on a wide area network."

"If you need PCI-compliance and have high security requirements, WAF is the most valuable feature. If you need to monitor your load-balancing services with complex types of monitoring, make sure everything is alright, and load balancing is important, Content Switching and Monitoring features are the keys to your needs. If you want to provide a lot of static images or data, the Caching feature works best for you."

"We like the periodic upgrades and backups, also made via ADMs, and it makes our environment much more robust and reliable."

More NetScaler pros

Cons

"We would like to see some improvement in the rapidity with which we can customize security facts within the solution."

"A10 documentation is not as open and accessible as AWS and Azure documentation is."

"The support from A10 should be improved."

"Technical support sometimes takes a little longer because of the multilevel ticket priority."

"The solution is a bit more expensive than some of the available solutions in this region. One solution in particular that I noticed was cheaper was Kemp."

"Citrix ADC is a complex product, and it takes time to understand these things. But the documentation is poor, and the deployment is difficult. Integration could also be better because what I find is that you cannot easily integrate the panel in the second sector. What I have found is that in the last index, there is a limitation when getting validated. Technical support could also be better."

"Citrix should offer a demo or free-trial version of NetScaler. Several other vendors do, but Citrix does not. Pricing should also be more readily available."

"The user interface could be more friendly. Some wizards and other documentation for administrators, as well as some use cases, helps us to understand the solution."

"Their upgrades are not very backward compatible, and sometimes they mess up."

"Overall the price of Citrix ADC could be more competitive."

"Improvements are needed to address the issue of machines becoming unregistered, ensuring stability for end users. Troubleshooting with Citrix support can be challenging, so clearer diagnostics would be beneficial. As for global server load balancing, it works well on-premises, depending on user volume and service stability. Overall, it's satisfactory for us."

More NetScaler cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available

"Citrix Web App and API Protection are in the middle when we talk about pricing and licensing"

"After deployment, Citrix Netscaler shifted to a subscription-based license scheme for support, which is slightly more expensive."

"Citrix NetScaler VPX is not the cheapest solution out there, but you get what you pay for."

"We have a yearly licencing fee, and there are no additional costs."

"It is an enterprise solution. Thus, its costs are reasonable."

"I rate the pricing an eight out of ten since it is expensive."

"You get the value for your money. There aren't any hidden fees."

"Our licensing fees including technical support are approximately $3,500 USD."

More NetScaler pricing and cost advice

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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) solutions are best for your needs.

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

No data available

Computer Software Company

15%

Educational Organization

13%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about A10 Networks Lightning ADC?

It allows you to secure the application while balancing the connections for many other customers, reducing CPU usage and server load.

What needs improvement with A10 Networks Lightning ADC?

There is room for improvement in the customer service and support team. The support from A10 should be improved.

What is your primary use case for A10 Networks Lightning ADC?

We sell a couple of boxes to Comodo Federal and Bank of Brazil, which are the biggest banks here in Brazil. They also have a F5 tool.

What do you like most about Citrix ADC?

The most valuable feature for us is the application firewalling in Citrix NetScaler, ensuring only valid traffic enters our environment.

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Citrix ADC?

After deployment, Citrix Netscaler shifted to a subscription-based license scheme for support, which is slightly more expensive.

What needs improvement with Citrix ADC?

Citrix NetScaler is a robust product, but mastering it requires significant learning and training due to its complexity. While it could be easier to manage, it is like transitioning from driving a ...

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Product Reports

Application Delivery Controllers (ADC)

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Also Known As

Lightning ADS

Citrix ADC, Citrix NetScaler VPX, NetScaler Console, NetScaler Web Application Firewall

Overview

A cloud-native, software-defined solution that provides integrated advanced load-balancing, performance optimization, application security and per-application analytics to increase operational agility and application performance.

A10 Networks

One platform for a consistent application delivery and security experience because nobody has time to learn multiple systems to manage ADC deployments. NetScaler is built with a single code base using a software-based architecture, so no matter which ADC form factor you choose — hardware, virtual machine, bare metal, or container — the behavior will be the same.

Sample Customers

Handle Financial

ABB Schweiz, Aer Lingus, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Amnet Technology Solutions, Aramex International, Ascenty, Atos, Autodesk

A10 Networks Lightning ADC vs. NetScaler