Cisco Umbrella vs Forcepoint ONE comparison

Cisco and Forcepoint are both solutions in the Secure Web Gateways (SWG) category. Cisco is ranked #1 with an average rating of 9.2, while Forcepoint is ranked #10 with an average rating of 7.7. Cisco holds a 15.1% mindshare in WSG, compared to Forcepoint’s 1.5% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Forcepoint users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 28, 2025

Cisco Umbrella and Forcepoint ONE are two prominent players in the cybersecurity industry, focusing on different aspects of network security. Based on a comparison of their features, Cisco Umbrella takes the lead with its DNS security, thanks to extensive content filtering and integration capabilities, while Forcepoint ONE stands out for cloud access security with innovative solutions like Zero Trust Network Access and RBI.

Features: Cisco Umbrella is recognized for its powerful DNS-based protection, content filtering, and seamless integration capability, offering robust deployments across varying network environments. In contrast, Forcepoint ONE highlights cloud access security, integrating features like Zero Trust Network Access to ensure significant protection for cloud applications and Data Loss Prevention to maintain security compliance across diverse platforms.

Room for Improvement: Cisco Umbrella can enhance its features with improvements in reporting, malware protection, and better third-party integrations. Localization and price adjustments are other areas needing attention. Meanwhile, Forcepoint ONE could simplify deployment in hybrid environments, refine its reporting, and improve interface usability to enhance overall user experience and efficiency.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Umbrella offers a flexible deployment with limitations in pricing adjustments and third-party integrations. Most users appreciate their customer service, although response times can vary. Forcepoint ONE excels with smoother cloud deployments, benefiting from highly effective support and guidance from sales engineers during setups.

Pricing and ROI: While Cisco Umbrella is perceived as costly, particularly outside the U.S., its comprehensive packages provide notable ROI by reducing hardware costs and boosting threat protection. Forcepoint ONE is competitively priced, delivering excellent value particularly in cloud security, making it appealing to financial constraints while emphasizing practical ROI in cloud protection investments.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco Umbrella vs. Forcepoint ONE Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Umbrella vs. Forcepoint ONE

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

iboss

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Secure Web Gateways (SWG) category, the mindshare of iboss is 2.4%, up from 1.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Umbrella is 15.1%, down from 19.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Forcepoint ONE is 1.5%, up from 1.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Secure Web Gateways (SWG) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Cisco Umbrella	15.1%
iboss	2.4%
Forcepoint ONE	1.5%
Other	81.0%

Secure Web Gateways (SWG)

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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Emilio Montoya

CTO at PROA

Ensures internet navigation safety and boosts productivity

The features of Cisco Umbrella I prefer most are DNS protection and traffic redirect. With Cisco Talos's threat intelligence, we reduce the impact of malware traffic in our network, and we currently see the behavior of equipment and choose the correct sites. Cisco Talos has helped us reduce the impact of malware traffic. We can see the behavior and choose the correct sites. We're currently testing secure access with Umbrella in order to secure access to core applications. It's a product that the user doesn't even know is there, even though it is protecting them. It's not hard on the equipment. And, for us, it centralizes everything, which improves productivity. With the Experience Insights feature of Cisco Secure Access, we've seen impacts on the management of user connectivity by allowing us to deliver safe connectivity. We are testing the Secure Access product with Cisco Umbrella to improve our connectivity with our users in order to secure access to the corporate applications. Cisco Umbrella is in the cloud, which is nice.

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Ose Umunna

Presales engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

Strong data protection has secured remote work and now prevents risky web and cloud access

The best features that Forcepoint ONE offers include DLP, Zero Trust Network Access, Secure Web Gateway, CASB, Cloud Access Broker, and real-time threat protection. I really enjoy these features for enabling secure, policy-driven access to cloud and web resources anywhere. The DLP feature stands out in Forcepoint ONE because it actively monitors and protects sensitive data across cloud apps, email, and web traffic. It prevents accidental and intentional leaks, enforces policies consistently, and ensures compliance with regulations, all without disrupting user productivity. It is very important because it hardly interferes with user productivity due to its silent operation; even alerts to users are gentle reminders that a policy was breached, so overall, it does not impact productivity. Forcepoint ONE has positively impacted my organization by securing data, strengthening our security posture, preventing data leaks, blocking risky web activity, and controlling access to cloud apps. It has also reduced security incidents, ensured regulatory compliance, and allowed users to work safely from anywhere, both remote and on-premises.

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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

"First of all, the security policies are essential. I do not have to rely solely on Active Directory for our users."

"Our primary use case for this product is DLP,"

"We chose iboss for both zero trust and proxy (SWG) because their SWG was superior."

"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."

"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."

"It was a very easy product to install. It can be deployed very fast."

"iboss is pretty scalable. They provide good support. The case managers you work with to coordinate what you need are pretty good."

More iboss pros

"I like the DNS layer security."

"Improves security through DNS visibility, which can block malware, phishing, C&C, etc."

"Meraki features and cloud-based functionality are advanced and easy to manage centrally."

"Cisco's technical support is pretty good. When a solution is available, they will find it. On a scale from one to ten with ten being the best, I'd rate Cisco's technical support at nine."

"The integration features within, for example, the Cisco VPN product and the Umbrella module are valuable."

"We like Cisco Umbrella because of DNS security. It's one step ahead of whatever we are using for regular web filtering. In that way, it's more secure than other web filtering products."

"It blocks malicious DNS queries daily which is very beneficial."

"We are very new users of the solution and are still in the exploration stages, but we are happy with the product thus far."

More Cisco Umbrella pros

"Forcepoint ONE is okay for me, and I find it a very good solution. Its most valuable feature is monitoring. Its monitoring is very good, and it can communicate with a SIEM system. I also find the DLP feature of Forcepoint ONE good."

"The initial setup was straightforward, which was a huge win. That mostly goes to the fact that they are agentless. We didn't have to sit there deploying thousands of agents and all the things that go along with that type of deployment. We were up and running very quickly."

"The platform's feature that has been most beneficial for our web security is its capability to replicate rules."

"We are able to verify what is getting saved out onto the cloud. It allows us to have some DLP rules, since we have to be HIPAA compliant. If some personal health information has been uploaded to Office 365, then we are able to detect that sort of thing and account for it. We have set up rules to prevent people from doing that."

"The most valuable feature was the website blocking capability, which allowed me to quickly block any dodgy websites."

"I have seen a return on investment, and the improvement is very good, with evident money saved because the license for Forcepoint ONE is a bundled package and noticeable time saved because more incidents are handled and reviewed in a short period of time with fewer employees since Forcepoint ONE does the work that I used to rely on a team of engineers to previously detect."

"Forcepoint ONE has positively impacted our organization by providing visibility through CASB, caching user activities, and preventing threats by guiding users to the correct cloud services like Office 365 instead of blocking access to more vulnerable services."

"Forcepoint ONE has positively impacted my organization by securing data, strengthening our security posture, preventing data leaks, blocking risky web activity, and controlling access to cloud apps."

More Forcepoint ONE pros

Cons

"Regarding pricing, setup costs, and licensing, iboss is not cheap, and that's my only concern."

"Our biggest problem with their service was it did not recognize the device and filtering did not always work correctly."

"Our iboss subscription access should be more secure with an OTP or VPN etc. It is easy to gain access if, for example, hackers obtain my username and password."

"The dashboards for local use could be better."

"Its pricing could be better."

"The area I would like to see improvement in is the ability with in the reporter to navigate directly to the content the user is traversing. It is kind of there, but it's not perfect. Quite frequently, I receive links that lead me to pages with error messages."

"I am currently doing a PoC of the zero trust aspect of it. Compared to other similar solutions, it is hard to get around each feature. It takes a while to get used to it."

"I'd like to see them accelerate development on the security side, particularly around data loss prevention."

More iboss cons

"It would be good if the more complex versions of Umbrella are simplified so that we can offer them in a more standardized way. We, as a telco, do not operate the same as a traditional integration partner would, who can sell all its services. We try to have a standardized approach as much as we can so that we can sell the solution with as many services added to it as possible. If you look at the structure of businesses in Switzerland, 95% of them have 10 persons or less, and they do not have a security specialist. Therefore, the higher the automated and standardized features, the better it is for them."

"Cisco Umbrella should introduce an on-premises device."

"I am unsure if Cisco Umbrella offers a Windows option for running the server."

"Data reporting could be improved."

"We faced an issue regarding virtual appliances (VAs) during deployment. They could improve the quality and management of the virtual appliances offered right now. You can't see much because it is a Linux machine, and they have customized it. You don't have any route access to the machine, only seeing limited things in it. When we opened a ticket, they didn't know much about VAs themselves. So, that is where it is lacking right now. I know this will improve in the long run."

"They can maybe simplify the configuration. For example, sometimes, the proxy part is quite difficult, and that's why we didn't deploy that."

"They need to improve analytics so they report on more of the specifics of user activity."

"They should provide more integrations and bring things together so that there is a more standard feel to their platform. We also use Cisco ISE, and it has a very different feel from Cisco Umbrella."

More Cisco Umbrella cons

"Forcepoint ONE can be improved if the admin interface is more streamlined for faster policy management, the reporting dashboard is enhanced for deeper insights, integration with additional cloud apps is expanded, and deployment and monitoring is simplified."

"Forcepoint ONE can be improved in scalability to handle more hybrid environments."

"Overall, Forcepoint ONE performs well, but I think the dashboard could be made more intuitive, and the policy synchronization between cloud and on-prem components could also be faster and more transparent, alongside having more flexible reporting and alert customization to tailor insights for different clients and compliance needs."

"One area for improvement in Forcepoint ONE is that you'll need more training to install the solution yourself. I practiced in a laboratory and I needed more technical information to do the installation."

"Integration into different multi-factor authentication tools. On their page, they tout Duo, but I don't use Duo. I use another vendor. Not that they don't interact, but it takes a little bit more doing. Any amount of efficiencies here would help."

"Forcepoint ONE could be improved."

"Their new SASE (secure access service edge) product would have been the one thing I would have requested. Now that they have that platform, I'd like to see it as integrated and seamless as possible with the core product. That's what they're working towards and that's where we're seeing the advancements."

More Forcepoint ONE cons

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."

"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."

"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."

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

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

"We have a security Enterprise Agreement with Cisco, so the pricing is good."

"The solution’s pricing is reasonable."

"Licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis."

"The price could be lower."

"The pricing is pretty fair. It's good."

"It was a little bit expensive on a per seat basis, but the company I was running was only a midsize Australian company, and it was a reasonable budget per computer for that system. It started off being a free product, and then Cisco bought it, and it went to a reasonable price. I was using Cisco AMP as well. So, my per computer cost was reasonably high, but for a small company, it was within an acceptable level."

"You get what you pay for."

"The licensing part for Umbrella is really flexible."

More Cisco Umbrella pricing and cost advice

"The product is reasonably priced compared to other vendors. I rate the pricing a two or three."

"The licensing cost for Forcepoint ONE would depend on the features, but the pricing is very competitive here in Brazil. The solution offers a good price, and I would rate it a three or a four in terms of pricing. I don't have information on whether there are additional costs apart from the standard licensing fees for Forcepoint ONE."

"When considering only the cost, the solution may appear to be costly; however, when evaluated in terms of commercial value, Bitglass is not expensive."

"There is training involved. If you're going to add more people to it, such as cross train more of your group, there's a cost. Other than that, that's it. We have paid exactly what the invoices have said. We signed a three-year contract and not gone above it."

"We have our pricing by user. We do our pricing agreements annually. There are also additional costs for maintenance."

"Typically, the longer you price forward, the better off you're going to be. They have been very willing to work with us on pricing."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

11%

Computer Software Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

14%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Healthcare Company

Computer Software Company

14%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Government

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	5

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	49
Midsize Enterprise	30
Large Enterprise	51

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	10
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	12

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with iboss?

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

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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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Which is the better security solution - Cisco Umbrella or Zscaler?

Cisco Umbrella and Zscaler Internet Access are two broad-spectrum Internet security solutions that I have tried. Zs...

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Which is the better security solution - Cisco Umbrella or Microsoft Cloud App Security?

Cisco Umbrella is an integral component of the Cisco SASE architecture. It integrates security in a single, cloud-nat...

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What do you like most about Cisco Umbrella?

Cisco Umbrella is easy to monitor, manage, and deploy.

See all answers

What do you like most about Forcepoint ONE?

The platform's feature that has been most beneficial for our web security is its capability to replicate rules.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Forcepoint ONE?

My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing is positive; the pricing is better than all, and the setup cost...

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What needs improvement with Forcepoint ONE?

Forcepoint ONE could be improved in terms of scalability to better support hybrid environments, as many organizations...

See all answers

Comparisons

Netskope vs iboss

Compared 14% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs iboss

Compared 12% of the time

Zscaler Internet Access vs iboss

Compared 11% of the time

Check Point Harmony SASE (formerly Perimeter 81) vs iboss

Compared 7% of the time

Cloudflare One vs iboss

Compared 7% of the time

More iboss Competitors

Zscaler Internet Access vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 17% of the time

Cisco Secure Access vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 10% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 5% of the time

Infoblox Advanced DNS Protection vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 5% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 5% of the time

More Cisco Umbrella Competitors

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps vs Forcepoint ONE

Compared 12% of the time

Netskope vs Forcepoint ONE

Compared 12% of the time

Zscaler Internet Access vs Forcepoint ONE

Compared 11% of the time

Skyhigh Security vs Forcepoint ONE

Compared 7% of the time

Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway vs Forcepoint ONE

Compared 5% of the time

More Forcepoint ONE Competitors

Product Reports

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iboss

December 2025

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Buyer's Guide

Cisco Umbrella

December 2025

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Buyer's Guide

Forcepoint ONE

December 2025

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Also Known As

iBoss Cloud Platform

OpenDNS

Bitglass

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

Cisco Umbrella provides fast-deploying DNS-layer security with powerful threat protection capabilities. Trusted by over 30,000 entities, it ranks highly in DNS security and effectively supports secure remote work environments.

Cisco Umbrella offers comprehensive DNS security, web filtering, and ease of use, enhancing network security through robust threat protection and malware prevention. It processes over 600 billion requests daily, making it a leader in its field. The seamless integration with existing infrastructures and cloud-based nature makes it suitable for remote and distributed work environments, ensuring consistent security throughout. Management is streamlined with a single-pane interface that simplifies administration, while in-depth reporting capabilities provide valuable insights for continuous monitoring.

What are the key features of Cisco Umbrella?

DNS Security: Provides leading protection by managing DNS queries and blocking malicious sites.
Web Filtering: Offers granular control over web content to safeguard internet usage.
Ease of Integration: Fits well into existing infrastructures, simplifying deployment and use.
Intuitive Management: Single-pane management streamlines administration and enhances usability.
Cloud-Based Flexibility: Supports secure remote work environments.

What benefits can users expect from using Cisco Umbrella?

Superior Threat Protection: Reduces risk by effectively detecting and preventing cyber threats.
Consistent Security: Provides uniform protection across network environments.
Efficiency and Visibility: Leverages comprehensive reporting for better security insights.
Easy Deployment: Quick and straightforward setup with minimal disruption.

Cisco Umbrella is widely adopted in industries requiring advanced DNS-level security to counteract malware, phishing, and cyber threats. Its ability to monitor and protect remote and roaming employees makes it an attractive option for sectors highly dependent on cloud services. By managing DNS queries and blocking harmful sites, Cisco Umbrella enhances cybersecurity across networks, providing an added layer of protection for businesses worldwide.

Cisco

Forcepoint ONE is a comprehensive cybersecurity platform that provides organizations with a unified approach to protecting their critical data and assets. It offers a range of solutions that cover everything from network security and cloud security to data protection and insider threat prevention.

With Forcepoint ONE, organizations can gain complete visibility into their security posture, identify potential threats, and take proactive measures to mitigate risks.

One of the key features of Forcepoint ONE is its ability to provide real-time visibility into user behavior across all endpoints, networks, and cloud environments. This allows organizations to quickly identify and respond to potential threats, such as insider threats or malicious activity from external actors. Additionally, Forcepoint ONE offers advanced threat intelligence capabilities that leverage machine learning and AI to detect and respond to emerging threats. Another important aspect of Forcepoint ONE is its data protection capabilities.

The platform offers a range of solutions for protecting sensitive data, including data loss prevention (DLP), encryption, and secure web gateways. These solutions help organizations ensure that their critical data is protected both at rest and in transit, regardless of where it is stored or accessed.

Forcepoint ONE is a powerful cybersecurity platform that offers a comprehensive set of solutions for protecting organizations against a wide range of threats. With its advanced threat intelligence capabilities, real-time visibility into user behavior, and robust data protection features, Forcepoint ONE is an ideal choice for organizations looking to take a proactive approach to cybersecurity.

Forcepoint

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.

Chart Industries, City of Aspen, Eastern Mountain Sports, FLEXcon, George Washington University, Jackson Municipal Airport Authority, Ohio Public Library Information Network, PTC, Richland Community College, Smart Motors, Tulane University, VeriClaim

UNC-Charlotte

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Umbrella vs. Forcepoint ONE

December 2025

Free Report: Cisco Umbrella vs. Forcepoint ONE

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