Aruba Remote Access Points vs Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) comparison

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Cisco are both solutions in the Enterprise Infrastructure VPN category. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.3, while Cisco is ranked #6 with an average rating of 8.0. Hewlett Packard Enterprise holds a 1.2% mindshare in EIV, compared to Cisco’s 6.2% mindshare. Additionally, 94% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 92% of Cisco users who would recommend it.

Aruba Remote Access Points

Read 20 Aruba Remote Access Points reviews

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869 Comparison Views

94% willing to recommend

Cisco Secure Client (includ...

Read 78 Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) reviews

5,785 Views
3,934 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

Aruba Remote Access Points

Cisco Secure Client (includ...

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 6, 2024

Aruba Remote Access Points and Cisco Secure Client are both powerful solutions in the networking and security space. User reviews show that Cisco Secure Client often edges out in features and capabilities but comes at a higher price.

Features: Aruba Remote Access Points are praised for their reliable connectivity, extensive network coverage, and ease of setup. Cisco Secure Client stands out for its robust security features, comprehensive integration capabilities, and advanced analytics.

Room for Improvement: Users suggest Aruba could improve on integration with third-party tools, user administration, and customer support responsiveness. Cisco users point out the setup process complexity, configuration options, and cost of deployment.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Aruba Remote Access Points are noted for their straightforward deployment process, though customer service could be more responsive. Cisco Secure Client takes longer to deploy due to its complexity, but benefits from superior customer support.

Pricing and ROI: Aruba Remote Access Points are generally seen as more cost-effective, with lower initial setup costs and quicker ROI. Cisco Secure Client, while more expensive, is considered worth the investment for its advanced features and security, delivering ROI over a longer period.

To learn more, read our detailed Aruba Remote Access Points vs. Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Remote Access Points vs. Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)

December 2025

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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

Aruba Remote Access Points

Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

9th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Cisco Secure Client (includ...

Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

6th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

SSL VPN (2nd), ZTNA as a Service (9th), Cisco Security Portfolio (5th)

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Enterprise Infrastructure VPN category, the mindshare of Aruba Remote Access Points is 1.2%, up from 0.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) is 6.2%, down from 7.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Enterprise Infrastructure VPN Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)	6.2%
Aruba Remote Access Points	1.2%
Other	92.6%

Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

Featured Reviews

Theesula Majuwanagamage

Head Of ELV and ICT at Intec Systems Solution Pvt Ltd

Efficient Setup and Strong Performance Highlight Versatile Capabilities

In terms of areas for improvement in Aruba Remote Access Points, when planning for the customer's end, you need to highlight the precautions against EMF emissions and environmental emissions, as well as power management limitations. If the user is in one direction and you're transmitting everywhere, that's not good power management. Currently, all access points provide the same power requirement to the client, but we should explore what extra mile we can go. We are facing energy crises and climate issues, along with GHG and SDGs protocols. If we highlight the alignment with these protocols, it can enhance the product quality as an environmentally friendly option. Apart from that, service-wise, every unit is the same. Users can only distinguish those requirements using spectrum analyzers; otherwise, minor data delays of one or two seconds do not matter, but for high-security or high-speed needs, it becomes significant.

Read full review

AJAY SARPAL

Manager - Projects at airtel

Offers work-from-anywhere flexibility but navigates occasional proxy confusion

The analytics I downloaded from your site as a free download did not carry the information that was actually required. I was looking at the market segmentation and market share, along with some USPs which differentiated them from each other. The free download had two issues: many things were repetitive, and it was designed to not release any relevant information. Only headers were present, so I was not able to determine whether the final report would be worthwhile. I have not worked with enterprise tools that I could share feedback on for website publication. I see benefits from using Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect). However, I would not recommend it because future adoptions will be towards Zscaler, as SSC is a better model than VPN. On a scale of 1-10, I rate this solution a 7.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Once configured and operational, they tend to function reliably, with few reported issues from clients or customers."

"It provides good Spectrum Analysis and troubleshooting."

"Once we got things set up properly, we just need to do updates, and it just runs."

"The stability and performance of Aruba Remote Access Points with minimal issues in an IT environment are worth a recommendation."

"Overall, I would rate Aruba Remote Access Points nine out of ten. I can definitely recommend them to other users."

"The tool's most valuable features are its ease of configuration and deployment."

"Aruba Remote Access Points provide a level of protection for our IPs."

"It’s very light."

More Aruba Remote Access Points pros

"I'd rate Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client at nine out of ten for scalability."

"It is reliable and easy to configure, and the Cisco Firewall can last for many years."

"The solution has good performance. It is a simple tool to use, once I turn on Windows it automatically starts to use the VPN."

"It's a very scalable solution. We are using the maximum licensing they offer, and it's very affordable given the value."

"The solution is a super product that works as designed."

"The security features are beneficial, and the whole idea of the app is that it should not be in the way."

"It is easy to scale."

"This solution gives you double security because it uses both hard and soft tokens."

More Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) pros

Cons

"I don't really have any critiques at this time."

"The product needs an increased level of security for the end user."

"There is room for improvement in terms of pricing. If they can be more competitive."

"The product is not user-friendly."

"They can add more graphical reporting systems so that network admins and system admins get more information about user usage, such as which user, what they use, and when they use it."

"In terms of areas for improvement in Aruba Remote Access Points, when planning for the customer's end, you need to highlight the precautions against EMF emissions and environmental emissions, as well as power management limitations."

"One thing that would be beneficial is for the Aruba Central mobile app to work more effectively. Currently, it does not function as expected when I really need it."

"Its scalability capabilities should be improved."

More Aruba Remote Access Points cons

"The solution should not rely on tokens from the mobile application for logins."

"Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) is somewhat expensive compared to others such as Fortinet or Palo Alto, which provide free VPN when the firewall is purchased."

"In the next release, Cisco should add a chat feature."

"Setting up Cisco Secure Client, especially when using certificates, is quite a job and complicated."

"Sometimes if we're always having some network issues, or maybe the client is having some network issues, we might get disconnected."

"Sometimes when you are on the VPN, it can be a little bit slow."

"The most valuable feature of the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client is its ease of use and simple interface. It's always available as long as I have a good network connection."

"This solution doesn't address the seal of trust as a concept for a traditional VPN clients. I think that it is a dying product."

More Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Price-wise, Aruba Remote Access Points is in the middle, so my rating for its pricing is three out of five."

"You require no separate licensing to convert an access point to RAP."

"The price of Aruba Remote Access Points could be better. It is a little expensive."

"Aruba pricing is not very high. They offer competitive pricing for what they provide."

"In terms of pricing, we've found Aruba's offerings to be very competitive."

"There are no other expenses than standard licenses for the product."

"Aruba Remote Access Points' pricing is good and affordable."

"We are in the North African region, and Cisco products are expensive for us. On a scale from one to ten with one being very affordable and ten being expensive, I'd rate the price at eight."

"My company has a three-year or a four-year license. In scenarios attached to a solution where the product may be reaching an end-of-support or end-of-life phase, Cisco provides OS support in such environments."

"We pay for an annual subscription. Additionally to the subscription, we thought in order to connect this solution to the Active Directory we had to purchase a Cisco ACS, Access Control System. It turns out we did not actually need it."

"It is not a free solution and the user needs to buy license."

"It costs around 80,000 Indian rupees for a hundred licenses, so approximately $1,020 USD."

"We have yearly licensing and it's very affordable."

"The licensing costs are reasonable."

"The solution is reasonably priced and costs $600 for a five-year license in our scenario."

More Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Healthcare Company

14%

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

10%

Computer Software Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	8
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	7

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	27
Midsize Enterprise	10
Large Enterprise	46

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Aruba Remote Access Points?

This solution is widely adopted and involves both technology and non-technical devices. It is robust, except in cases of significant power outages.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aruba Remote Access Points?

The pricing is adequate. It is available in every range, from medium range to high range and enterprise level. Thus, it is not an issue.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Aruba Remote Access Points?

See all answers

What do you like most about Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client?

The tool is user-friendly, robust and easy to use in any environment.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client?

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) is somewhat expensive compared to others such as Fortinet or Palo Alto, which provide free VPN when the firewall is purchased. Palo Alto and Fortinet prov...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client?

At times there is confusion regarding when to keep the proxy on or off, a problem faced by some users.

See all answers

Comparisons

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs Aruba Remote Access Points

Compared 19% of the time

Aruba VPN vs Aruba Remote Access Points

Compared 19% of the time

Zyxel VPN Client vs Aruba Remote Access Points

Compared 13% of the time

Hillstone E-Series vs Aruba Remote Access Points

Compared 11% of the time

OpenVPN Access Server vs Aruba Remote Access Points

Compared 10% of the time

More Aruba Remote Access Points Competitors

OpenVPN Access Server vs Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)

Compared 8% of the time

Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway vs Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)

Compared 7% of the time

Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform vs Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)

Compared 6% of the time

Ivanti Connect Secure vs Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)

Compared 6% of the time

Check Point Remote Access VPN vs Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)

Compared 5% of the time

More Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Remote Access Points

February 2026

Download Aruba Remote Access Points product report

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)

February 2026

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) report

Download Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) product report

Also Known As

Aruba RAP

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client

Overview

emote APs connect to a controllerusing Extended Authentication and Internet Protocol Security (XAuth/IPSec). AP control and 802.11 data traffic are carried through this tunnel. Secure Remote Access Point Service extends the corporate office to the remote site. Remote users can use the same features as corporate office users. For example, voice over IP (VoIP) applications can be extended to remote sites while the servers and the PBX remain secure in the corporate office.

Secure Remote Access Point Service can also be used to secure control traffic between an AP and the controllerin a corporate environment. In this case, both the AP and controllerare in the company’s private address space.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) delivers reliable, stable connectivity and seamless integration with Active Directory, ensuring secure remote access through a one-click VPN capability. It's lightweight, user-friendly, and supports major operating systems, enhancing remote work flexibility.

Cisco Secure Client, including AnyConnect, is designed for secure remote connectivity, offering multi-factor authentication, advanced malware protection, and automatic error diagnostics. Compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux, it provides an intuitive setup and a clean interface. While it excels in ease of use, issues such as the outdated Linux build and the need for modern UI enhancements persist. Users also face connectivity challenges with frequent updates and high prices, alongside the need for better endpoint security and system integration. Popular for remote work, it facilitates secure access to corporate networks, allowing seamless interactions with resources like emails, documents, and applications.

What key features does Cisco Secure Client offer?

Reliable Connectivity: Provides stable, dependable VPN access with a one-click connection.
Multi-Factor Authentication: Enhances security through additional user verification steps.
Advanced Malware Protection: Safeguards against threats with proactive protection measures.
Automatic Error Diagnostics: Identifies and fixes errors promptly.
Cross-Platform Support: Compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux for broad accessibility.

What benefits or ROI can users expect?

Increased Remote Work Efficiency: Facilitates secure, fast access to necessary resources.
Improved Network Security: Provides robust protection against external threats.
Ease of Use: Features simple setup and user-friendly interface for quick deployment.
Enhanced Data Protection: Keeps sensitive information secure through encryption and authentication.
Cost-Effectiveness: Offers a good balance of features against pricing, though further improvements could enhance value.

Cisco Secure Client is widely implemented across industries for secure remote connectivity, especially in sectors requiring constant access to servers, data centers, and research labs. It supports remote work by enabling employees in diverse fields to access internal resources efficiently, maintaining productivity and security.

Cisco

Sample Customers

Trafford Metropolitan Borough

MST, Molina Healthcare, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, Arup, New South Wales Rural FireService

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Remote Access Points vs. Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)

December 2025

Free Report: Aruba Remote Access Points vs. Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)

Find out what your peers are saying about Aruba Remote Access Points vs. Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.

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