Akamai Guardicore Segmentation vs Appgate SDP comparison

Akamai and Appgate are both solutions in the Microsegmentation Software category. Akamai is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.3, while Appgate is ranked #10. Additionally, 89% of Akamai users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Appgate users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 4, 2024

Appgate SDP and Akamai Guardicore Segmentation are competing in the network security market, with each product having its unique strengths. Appgate SDP stands out for its ease of deployment and superior customer service, while Akamai Guardicore Segmentation has the upper hand in pricing and ROI due to its advanced features justifying the investment.

Features: Appgate SDP offers software-defined perimeter capabilities with adaptive, identity-centric access control and dynamic network segmentation. Akamai Guardicore Segmentation provides granular micro-segmentation, visibility into network traffic, and centralized policy enforcement.

Room for Improvement: Appgate SDP could enhance its pricing structure to appeal to cost-conscious buyers and improve documentation accessibility. There is also potential for more comprehensive integration options. Akamai Guardicore Segmentation could simplify its initial deployment process and optimize its user interface for ease of use. Additionally, expanding its customer support capabilities in various regions would be beneficial.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Appgate SDP is noted for a straightforward deployment process and robust customer support, ensuring smooth integration for enterprises. Akamai Guardicore Segmentation, while efficient, involves a more complex deployment but offers extensive documentation and support to alleviate setup challenges.

Pricing and ROI: Appgate SDP tends to have higher setup costs, but its ROI is seen as justified through efficiency in reducing security risks. Akamai Guardicore Segmentation offers a competitive pricing model and promises high ROI through its advanced features, despite a more significant initial investment required for deployment.

To learn more, read our detailed Akamai Guardicore Segmentation vs. Appgate SDP Report (Updated: March 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Akamai Guardicore Segmentation vs. Appgate SDP

March 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

iboss

Featured Reviews

reviewer2701851

Managing Director

Enhances web security with a single pane of glass and flexible deployment

I don't see any need for improvement; one of the really good things about iboss as a company is that they listen to customer feedback. I have suggested enhancements, and they are responsive, making changes for the better, and they do a lot of testing. To improve iboss, although we haven't used it, we considered the VPN solution that comes with the highest tier licensing, which includes DLP and various other add-ons. We prefer using another product which automatically logs you back onto your network when turning on your PC. With iboss, the connection is manual, which doesn't meet our needs. Additionally, sizing can be tricky because, although the initial recommendations may seem adequate, actual usage may require more gateways than anticipated.

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Ken Bauer

Senior Security Analyst at a retailer with 5,001-10,000 employees

Segmentation of legacy systems has protected outdated endpoints and reduces network risk

The best features Akamai Guardicore Segmentation offers make it simple to see all of the connections that are being made to each of the endpoints, and they can be controlled by process and port. The ability to control by process and port helps my team day-to-day because, since there are hundreds of thousands of connections to some of these endpoints, looking at the Reveal Map makes it simple to audit and create rules for what we want to allow. Akamai Guardicore Segmentation has impacted my organization positively because we find it difficult to remove the legacy systems, so it was very important to segment them from the rest of the network to protect them and protect the rest of our network.

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IgnitiusMolepo

Senior IP Network Defense at MTN

Helps us manage traffic-related issues and streamlines access management for the network

Appgate SDP has significantly streamlined our access management, providing a notably efficient solution compared to traditional VPNs. The simplicity of the SDP platform is a standout feature; instead of navigating through intricate details, users can seamlessly connect to the company's network or switch to the internet with minimal effort, unlike VPNs which often involve waiting for connection handling and unblocking. Recognizing the robustness of SDP, we made strategic decisions to minimize reliance on VPNs, reserving only two for administrative purposes. In a scenario where Appgate SDP significantly improved our network security posture, the platform played a crucial role in fortifying defenses against major threats. The encryption algorithms utilized by SDP provide a high level of security to our network architecture. Compared to Cisco, SDP proves to be most critical in protecting resources with the help of role-based policies. It only provides selective access to the application. The dynamic policy engine significantly enhances our access control mechanisms. It has single sign-on and multifactor authentication features. It makes processes faster and easier. It has helped our IT team to manage the workload with ease. It gives an intelligent solution whenever they face traffic-related problems. I rate it a nine out of ten.

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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

"Technical support is pretty sharp and very responsive."

"The iboss solution gives me the ability to scan the traffic through all the ports, through all the 131,000 PCP and UDP ports, and with this ability, we have the granularity also for consults over social media and applications on mobile, and this is an advantage that the customers are looking for right now."

"Valuable features: Within the filter: Controls (Web categories, applications, and Allow/Block list) and Network (local Subnets). Within the reporter: Logs (Event Log) and Reports."

"The solution has massively improved our security posture, giving us full visibility into what our staff does online."

"We were impressed by the solution's mental health function, which can detect if someone needs help. It scans what users are browsing and flags warning signs so we can check to see if they are okay. We've had to use it a couple of times."

"The iboss system is highly reliable. The false positive rates are small compared to some other systems we've experienced through other partner agencies who use competing solutions."

"Because of iboss, I did not have to assign web filtering tasks to my techs on a daily basis."

"Content filtering is the most useful feature of iboss."

More iboss pros

"Akamai Guardicore Segmentation offers us large visibility in all our environments and helps us to understand network segmentation and traffic."

"Initially, I liked the telemetry part. But later, we used the microsegmentation features that we were able to deploy and found that they really stood out from other vendors. It allows us to see microsegmentation as distributed services."

"We like the centralized management of the firewalls. Until we installed Guardicore Centra, we managed all our firewalls individually, so making changes was complicated, difficult, and time-consuming."

"The interface and dashboard are amazing."

"Guardicore makes its own rule set automatically, so we can work fast when creating a rule set."

"Guardicore Centra offers the best coverage specifically in backward compatibility with legacy operating systems."

"Its deception features are great, providing a rich telemetry of lured origins, and are a great resource for any active defense strategy."

"The tool's most valuable feature is its visibility."

More Akamai Guardicore Segmentation pros

"It is a scalable solution...The support answers your questions very fast."

"The flexibility of the tool is valuable. It is very robust. It has a very robust configuration capability."

"The interface is really friendly. It's simple to understand."

"It is pretty stable."

"The simplicity of the SDP platform is a standout feature; instead of navigating through intricate details, users can seamlessly connect to the company's network or switch to the internet with minimal effort."

"One of the most important features is stopping lateral movement across our network."

Cons

"SSL decryption: We had issues with learners using apps instead of using web browsers. This type of encryption is tough for any appliance in a BYOD environment."

"SSL decryption: We had issues with learners using apps instead of using web browsers."

"It is stable, but due to growth, it can sometimes be less stable than wanted."

"Sometimes when you call in support, you get someone who is just following a sheet. It feels like a runaround. You feel that you are running into that support wall."

"The dashboards for local use could be better."

"Sometimes, obviously, there are bugs."

"To scale up, a new iboss Node Blade Chassis must be purchased."

"One thing I would like to see differently with their Zero Trust platform is that some of the AI aspects related to high-risk activities have more false positives."

More iboss cons

"In our version, when using the terminal server, we cannot exclude user tasks for each session."

"The cost of licensing is the biggest issue for clients with GuardiCore."

"I would rate the stability a six out of ten, where one is low and ten is high stability."

"It would be very helpful for beginners if the solution had more windows to help with the terms inside instead of going to the documentation."

"Customers would want to see the cost improved."

"Incident tagging could be improved. Other vendors offer semi-automatic tagging, which Guardicore doesn't yet have."

"Kubernetes is not installed in the way we need it."

"Akamai Guardicore Segmentation can be improved because keeping it up to date is difficult since it is SaaS-based and updates are not on a regular schedule; I have to reach out to my contact to ask them to update to a newer version, and it would be helpful if updates were on a regular cadence so that I would not have to remember to ask them."

More Akamai Guardicore Segmentation cons

"They could provide a single-box solution to manage tools for 4000 users. Additionally, they could add extra features to enhance remote micro connection."

"The user interface should be improved as it is not very easy to work with the updates."

"One limitation is that it's harder to provide access to multiple applications in the company with Appgate, but that's probably because of poor management."

"It would be better to connect to an application portal from any device. Documentation and support could be better."

"One thing that kind of sticks out to me is the ability to do a proper non-split tunnel. VPN tunnel-wise, it is not really a true unsplit tunnel, but I think that's just because of the way it's designed. A split VPN basically allows your system to talk to other systems without being forced down the tunnel. A VPN running in a non-split tunnel mode forces all the traffic down the tunnel to wherever you're VPNing to. It forces the traffic down so that the traffic is subject to the firewall and rules that you have in your corporate environment and such. It helps to prevent remote malicious folks that may be talking directly to that box from piggybacking into the corporate environment through it. They do it partially, but it would be nice to see more of an enterprise-level solution there."

"On the cloud, when you make some changes, it may be difficult."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is expensive compared to one of its competitors."

"It is probably in line with other solutions, but I do not deal with the financial side."

"We have not priced the solution recently, but they were competitive with other vendors in the past."

"We had the cost of purchasing a new appliance along with the implementation and licensing costs. However, the following year, the cost of just licensing was similar to what was paid the previous year for a new appliance along with the implementation and licensing costs."

"It is not expensive, and it is also not cheap. iboss is priced right in the sweet spot for the number of features it offers."

"The overall pricing for iboss is very competitive and transparent."

"Compared to the pricing we were seeing from both Illumio and Edgewise, Guardicore was very competitive."

"The solution is reasonably priced and I would rate it a six out of ten. The tool's licensing costs are yearly."

"The customer would complain about the cost."

"The pricing is too high."

"The price is the same as other products in the market. There's no price argument to choose one or the other product, it will cost the customer approximately the same."

"Akamai Guardicore Segmentation is expensive."

"This is not a cheap solution but you have to consider the bigger picture, which is what it is giving you."

"GuardiCore has made some new changes to the license now. We've seen monthly and annual licenses based on a subscription. We have a few clients that pay anywhere from $25,000 a year."

More Akamai Guardicore Segmentation pricing and cost advice

"It is a pretty expensive tool. It is maybe about $20,000 per year for a hundred users or so."

"The pricing is according to the market price. It is not a very cheap solution. They have some very aggressive promotions to sell the product in the market."

"We pay $100 per user per month. One license for the site is around $17."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

11%

Computer Software Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

18%

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

Insurance Company

Manufacturing Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	6

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	7
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	11

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	3

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with iboss?

For zero trust implementation, we encountered complexity issues, especially with a large infrastructure company Exxon...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for iboss?

Previously when I used iboss, we did the POC for iboss for ExxonMobil. Four or five people wanted to move from our ol...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for iboss?

Regarding pricing, setup costs, and licensing, iboss is not cheap, and that's my only concern. There are cheaper alte...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Guardicore Centra?

My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing is that overall everything worked out really well. The pricing ...

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What needs improvement with Guardicore Infection Monkey?

I think the pricing is very high. It is a big cost. The price of Akamai Guardicore Segmentation is very expensive, bu...

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What is your primary use case for Guardicore Infection Monkey?

I use Akamai Guardicore Segmentation to block lateral movement of malicious software like ransomware. This is very im...

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

iboss

March 2026

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Buyer's Guide

Akamai Guardicore Segmentation

March 2026

Download Akamai Guardicore Segmentation product report

Buyer's Guide

ZTNA

February 2026

Download Appgate SDP product report

Also Known As

iBoss Cloud Platform

Guardicore Centra, GuardiCore

No data available

Overview

Iboss offers a comprehensive cloud-based security platform valued for its scalability and autonomous features, ensuring robust security with easy deployment and management capabilities.

Renowned for its robust security architecture, Iboss integrates seamlessly within diverse networks, delivering efficient granular filtering and advanced content categorization. Its single pane of glass console provides ease of management, allowing rapid scalability suitable for rapidly deploying environments. Operates in BYOD setups due to inline filtering without device installation. Integration with cloud-based applications enhances user control, and features like SASE, SSL inspection, and ChatGPT risk protection stand as highlights. Despite its strengths, users have pointed out areas for enhancement like direct navigation in reports, SSL decryption, and better cloud integration while having room to improve data loss prevention.

What are the most important features of Iboss?

Scalability: Supports rapid deployment across diverse networks.
SASE: A consolidated approach to secure access.
SSL Inspection: Ensures safe data transmission.
Granular Filtering: Detailed control over accessible content.
Single Pane Management: Unifies control through a centralized console.

What benefits should users consider in reviews?

Cost-effectiveness: Offers competitive pricing with robust features.
Autonomous Operation: Reduces management overhead.
Responsive Support: Provides assistance when needed.
Flexible Deployment: Available for both cloud and on-premises environments.

The usage of Iboss spans educational institutions, specifically K-12, to enforce internet policies, protect data, and support remote work environments. It provides web filtering and security frameworks to ensure safe browsing. Its platform-as-a-service model offers flexibility for both cloud-based and on-premises requirements, integrating seamlessly to deliver enhanced security features suitable for various deployment needs including zero trust, CASB, and network security for work-from-home setups.

iboss

Akamai Guardicore Segmentation is a software-based microsegmentation solution that provides the simplest, fastest, and most intuitive way to enforce Zero Trust principles. It enables you to prevent malicious lateral movement in your network through precise segmentation policies, visuals of activity within your IT environment, and network security alerts. Akamai Guardicore Segmentation works across your data centers, multicloud environments, and endpoints. It is faster to deploy than infrastructure segmentation approaches and provides you with unparalleled visibility and control of your network.

Akamai

Appgate SDP is a network access control tool for local and remote access, multifactor authentication, and micro-segmentation. It is a flexible, robust, and configurable tool with good documentation, interface improvements, and ease of deployment.

It helps organizations prevent lateral movement across networks and servers and provides a more granular access control structure than traditional VPNs. Appgate SDP's valuable features include the ability to hide servers, good support, stability, scalability, and stopping lateral movement. It is currently being used as the main VPN solution for many companies.

Appgate

Sample Customers

More than 4,000 global enterprises trust the iboss Cloud Platform to support their modern workforces, including a large number of Fortune 50 companies.

Santander, Frontier Airlines, OpenLink, Intermountain Healthcare, Cellcom, BancoBASE

United States Air Force FINRA Weight Watchers Rackspace DataDog SageNet Verdant Norwegian Cruise Line VoiceBase The Third Floor

Buyer's Guide

Akamai Guardicore Segmentation vs. Appgate SDP

March 2026

Free Report: Akamai Guardicore Segmentation vs. Appgate SDP

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