Aruba VPN vs Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) comparison

Aruba VPN vs. Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)

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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 VPN

Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

31st

Average Rating

5.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Cisco Secure Client (includ...

Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

3rd

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

SSL VPN (1st), ZTNA as a Service (10th), Cisco Security Portfolio (5th)

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Enterprise Infrastructure VPN category, the mindshare of Aruba VPN is 0.3%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) is 7.1%, down from 8.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

Featured Reviews

Zoltán Nagy

Information Technology Infrastructure Manager at Provident Pénzügyi Zrt.

The appliance would crash because of the large number of connections, but its stability was fine

We purchased a relatively small Aruba VPN appliance. Unfortunately, it was not a well-designed VPN appliance product. I think the vendor did not provide us with the best solution. At that time, the world and our company faced the first COVID lockdown, and everybody had to work from home. During this time, the small VPN appliance was overwhelmed by the number of connections, and we experienced many issues. Firstly, it turned out that the firmware was buggy. When around 100 to 300 users tried to connect at the beginning of the day, the appliance would crash, and the users would not be able to connect. We had to escalate the issue to the manufacturer, and they had to release new firmware to resolve the problem, which took around one week. As you can imagine, during the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone had to work from home, and we were struggling to connect to the VPN because of the firmware bug. It took Aruba at least one week to resolve the issue. Another major pain point we faced was with the VPN client. At the time, we were using the Windows 7 operating system on the client machines. Unfortunately, we could not identify the precise circumstances in which the Aruba VPN client could not establish a connection. This was very, very disappointing for us and caused a lot of problems for our department. We had around 500 to 600 users who wanted to connect, and at least 50 to 60 users, or about 10% of the users, were unable to connect each day due to this anomaly. We were not able to identify the root cause of the problem. We collected and provided all the logs that the local support partner requested. Unfortunately, neither the Hungarian local support partner nor the Aruba headquarters could identify the root cause of how and why the Aruba VPN client could not establish a connection. So, it felt like a bad spot. Each day, users were praying to connect over the VPN and to be able to work that day. Aruba VPN sometimes worked, and sometimes it didn't. We were very disappointed and had to switch to a different supplier as soon as possible. We switched to a Cisco product and were very satisfied with the Cisco VPN.

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Wouter Beer

Technical Manager at Gannexion BV

Generates revenue through service offering while needing additional safety features

The primary use case for Cisco Secure Client, including AnyConnect, is as a VPN for remote access I use AnyConnect because I have Cisco infrastructure. It utilizes certificates, which allows for automatic setup. The security features are beneficial, and the whole idea of the app is that it should…

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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

"What I like the most about Aruba VPN is that it's great for companies with diverse network needs."

"The initial setup was straightforward."

"Aruba VPN’s stability was okay."

"Aruba VPN is lighter on machines, and users don't feel any difference in having these items installed on their PCs or laptops."

"The most useful feature of Cisco Secure Client is the capability for any kind of VPN, facilitating remote connections in the network."

"Some of the main features of the solution are it has the ability to integrate with our Active Directory to allow each user to have one less password to have to remember and it has great functionality."

"The dashboard and interface are fine."

"It does not slow down anything, unlike other solutions."

"Technical support is always helpful."

"The solution is very stable."

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

"It is easy to scale."

More Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) pros

Cons

"When around 100 to 300 users tried to connect at the beginning of the day, the appliance would crash, and the users would not be able to connect."

"They could release product updates more frequently."

"There is room for improvement from the solution's security point of view."

"It should address issues that are vital to maintaining the company's reputation."

"I have been working with the same interface for the last ten years. I would say that it needs some improvements made."

"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."

"It should implement something like a kill switch."

"We'd like the product to be cheaper."

"All Cisco equipment tends to be expensive compared to newer options from other vendors."

"The security of the product has certain shortcomings, making it an area where improvements are required."

"There are some issues with connectivity and latency that should be improved."

"Frequency of updates could be reduced."

More Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We do not have to purchase a separate license for Aruba VPN; it is included in the ClearPass package."

"Customers need to buy a VPN client license."

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

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

"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."

"I am using a paid version of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client."

"The solution is based on an annual licensing model and is expensive."

"I would rate the pricing for the license of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client around four to five out of ten. It's not the cheapest option, but it's also not overly expensive."

"Sometimes there is a problem with the number of licenses for the end-user. The number of concurrent users is limited due to a valid license."

"The price is okay."

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

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Enterprise Infrastructure VPN solutions are best for your needs.

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859,129 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

No data available

Computer Software Company

27%

Educational Organization

23%

Financial Services Firm

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Aruba VPN?

The initial setup was straightforward.

What needs improvement with Aruba VPN?

They could release product updates more frequently. The lack of updates is one reason we plan to switch to another solution.

What advice do you have for others considering Aruba VPN?

Aruba VPN can be valuable for supporting network work within the company, particularly for ensuring connectivity in various signal conditions. However, occasional issues may arise, such as intermit...

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

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

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...

What needs improvement with Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client?

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) is sufficient now after the update to version five or later, and I believe there's nothing to improve. I would prefer the cost to be reduced by about 20% ...

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Product Reports

Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

Download Aruba VPN product report

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)

Download Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) product report

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) report

Also Known As

No data available

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client

Overview

Aruba VPN provides secure remote access for employees working from home or remote locations. Users appreciate its ease of deployment, strong security features, and reliable connectivity, adaptable to different devices and operating systems with high performance and minimal downtime.

Aruba VPN is known for its strong security protocols and user-friendly interface, reliable performance, and seamless remote access capabilities. It integrates easily with existing systems and offers scalability and efficient technical support. Notably, it supports a large number of concurrent connections efficiently. Issues were noted during the COVID lockdown with firmware causing connection problems and compatibility problems with Windows 7, which remain under focus for improvement.

What are the most important features?

Strong Security Protocols: Ensures data integrity and protection.
User-friendly Interface: Simplifies deployment and usage for all employees.
Reliable Performance: Provides consistent connectivity with minimal downtime.
Easy Integration: Seamlessly integrates with existing infrastructure.
High Scalability: Supports a large number of concurrent connections.
Efficient Technical Support: Resolves issues promptly and effectively.

What benefits and ROI should users look for in reviews?

Secure Remote Access: Allows employees to work securely from any location.
High Performance: Ensures a smooth and reliable user experience.
Cost Efficiency: Reduces the need for additional hardware or extensive IT resources.
Scalability: Adjusts to the growing needs without compromising performance.
Device Compatibility: Works across different devices and operating systems.

Aruba VPN is utilized across industries such as corporate sectors where secure remote access is critical, education institutions needing to provide students and faculty with reliable connections, and healthcare organizations requiring secure data transmission. Its adaptability and strong security make it a favored choice for dynamic and security-sensitive environments.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Cisco Secure Client, including AnyConnect, provides secure remote access, enabling employees to connect to company networks from different locations. It offers reliable connections, strong encryption, and multi-platform support, making it suitable for secure and efficient remote work.

Cisco Secure Client, including AnyConnect, is crucial for organizations seeking secure remote access. Its reliable connectivity, combined with robust encryption and multi-platform support, ensures employees can access company resources seamlessly. Users benefit from its easy-to-use interface, seamless integration with existing infrastructure, and enhanced security features like endpoint protection and network visibility. This client helps maintain operational efficiency and safeguards sensitive data, making it highly valued in diverse professional settings. Despite its benefits, some users report disconnection issues, a complex configuration process, and high resource consumption.

What are the most important features?

Reliable Connectivity: Ensures stable remote access with minimal disruptions.
Robust Security: Strong encryption and endpoint protection enhance data safety.
Multi-Platform Support: Compatible with various devices for seamless access.
Easy Deployment: Intuitive setup process simplifies installation.
Efficient VPN Capabilities: Provides secure and efficient virtual private networking.
Integration with Cisco Products: Works well with other Cisco solutions for unified management.
Customizable Policies: Allows detailed administrative control over access settings.
Minimal Disruption: Stability during updates prevents workflow interruptions.

What benefits and ROI should users expect?

Enhanced Security: Protects sensitive data with powerful encryption and endpoint security.
Operational Efficiency: Improves productivity with reliable remote access.
Flexibility: Supports multiple devices, facilitating remote work.
Cost-Effective: Reduces the need for additional security tools through comprehensive features.

Cisco Secure Client, including AnyConnect, is widely adopted across industries such as healthcare, finance, and education for its secure remote access capabilities. Healthcare organizations use it to protect patient data while providing remote care. Financial institutions rely on its encryption standards to secure sensitive transactions. Educational institutions integrate it to provide secure access to online learning resources, ensuring data privacy for students and staff.

Cisco

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

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

Aruba VPN vs. Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)