Check Point Harmony Browse vs Cisco Umbrella comparison

Check Point Software Technologies and Cisco are both solutions in the Secure Web Gateways (SWG) category. Check Point Software Technologies is ranked #8 with an average rating of 8.9, while Cisco is ranked #1 with an average rating of 9.2. Check Point Software Technologies holds a 0.7% mindshare in WSG, compared to Cisco’s 15.8% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Check Point Software Technologies users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 97% of Cisco users who would recommend it.

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 28, 2025

Cisco Umbrella and Check Point Harmony Browse compete in the web security category. Cisco Umbrella has the upper hand in DNS-layer protection and integration, while Check Point Harmony Browse stands out with advanced threat protection and browser isolation capabilities.

Features: Cisco Umbrella provides comprehensive DNS layer security, efficient web content filtering, and botnet protection. Users appreciate its ease of integration and user-friendly management interface. Check Point Harmony Browse offers advanced threat protection, including zero-day protection and threat emulation, alongside robust browser isolation that enhances security in various web environments.

Room for Improvement: Cisco Umbrella could enhance its malware protection features and improve integration with other security tools. Users also seek more advanced analytics and reporting as well as better data center availability. Check Point Harmony Browse could refine its user interface, reduce false positives, and expand browser support while offering more threat reporting customization options.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Umbrella is easily deployed, especially in cloud and hybrid settings, and is praised for responsive and knowledgeable customer service. Check Point Harmony Browse similarly provides efficient deployment and benefits from strong centralized management with proactive support catering to integration needs.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco Umbrella's pricing is considered moderate but justified by its security enhancements, returning a positive ROI through threat prevention. However, its pricing may present challenges for budget-constrained organizations. Check Point Harmony Browse is viewed as cost-effective given its sophisticated security features. It offers favorable ROI through competitive pricing and comprehensive protection, though potentially pricey for smaller projects.

To learn more, read our detailed Check Point Harmony Browse vs. Cisco Umbrella Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Check Point Harmony Browse vs. Cisco Umbrella

December 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 879,310 peers since 2012

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 December 2025, 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 Check Point Harmony Browse is 0.7%, up from 0.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Umbrella is 15.8%, down from 19.4% 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	15.8%
iboss	2.4%
Check Point Harmony Browse	0.7%
Other	81.1%

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.

Read full review

AndreiBo

Security Solution Architect at TD SYNNEX

Real-time threat intelligence enhances security and user confidence

At this point, I do not have any suggestions for improvements to Check Point Harmony Browse because I haven't encountered anything that would need changing. If a solution is installed correctly, it usually won't fail. It's hard to suggest new features for Check Point Harmony Browse because it's a sub-component of a larger Harmony Endpoint Security solution, which is handled separately under specific situations, and while it has many options, it already scans and delivers files efficiently. Regarding the scanning of large files in Check Point Harmony Browse, the process typically involves sending the file to Check Point cloud for scanning and returning the clean file to the user, which is inherently complex and I do not see how it could be optimized to be faster.

Read full review

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.

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

"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 console is cloud-based, which is something I really appreciate."

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

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

"Technical support is pretty sharp and very responsive."

"Granular setup, which was able to set different levels of filters using the OUs in the AD."

"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."

"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

"All the features of Harmony Browse improve the security of an organization."

"Since Check Point Harmony Browse is currently our primary browser for the organization, I feel secure because we have changed all Chrome users to Check Point Harmony Browse, and fewer people are clicking on suspicious emails or links."

"It provides end-to-end encryption for the communication between the user's device and the remote browser, which helps to protect against eavesdropping and other forms of man-in-the-middle attacks."

"Its content filtering is great."

"Check Point Harmony Browse has positively impacted my organization by providing great enterprise-class security to our customers."

"Its Nano Agent, which integrates with the browser, is incredibly invisible to the user and the computer since it does not require much performance."

"Since deploying Check Point Harmony Browse, we have seen a 40-50% drop in browser-based security incidents, especially phishing attempts and drive-by download attacks."

"This solution has improved my organization by providing enhanced web security."

More Check Point Harmony Browse pros

"I also think that the dashboard view is really helpful. Whenever sites get blocked, we get the details and the users who are connecting to them."

"The Secure Internet Gateway benefits my company because now our whole traffic goes to the Umbrella Cloud and it gets checked there, so nothing malicious is coming into our network."

"It offers good visibility for the Administrator. The administrator has full visibility of what is blocked or has the knowledge of where users go when they are surfing the internet."

"The single-pane-of-glass management is very important. We have a very small team. We can't spend a lot of time going from product to product to product to either investigate or set up policy. We need to have one place that we can go to and set everything up."

"The most valuable feature is the website protection capabilities because it prevents end-users from entering bad sites that potentially have malware or could be used for phishing."

"Some clients only want DNS security, while others want more of the advanced features that it has available."

"It has helped reduce my unit's security events."

"My overall rating for Cisco Umbrella is ten out of ten."

More Cisco Umbrella pros

Cons

"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 reporting feature needs improvement. It doesn't give you the expected results. It is quite difficult to get the specific reports needed, and it is not as intuitive as the rest of the platform."

"Sometimes the agent stops working in iboss, and we have to reinstall the agent."

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

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

"The solution could be stronger on the integration side and offer more cloud applications like G Suite or Oracle."

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

"File integrity monitoring would be very advantageous as an additional feature."

More iboss cons

"It seems to us that the performance in some opportunities of Check Point Infinity and the administration web portal is slow."

"One suggestion for improvement is if the Check Point Browse team can add more plugins to support more third-party browsers such as Opera and Safari."

"security solution for users Devices and Access" What is our primary use case? The application is good as its lightweight and its functions are really similar to a browser extension. It offers real-time protection for internet users by addressing active concerns. Moreover, it incorporates a reputation feature to ensure swift access to websites within a second. The effectiveness of Harmony Browse’s capabilities is really an advantage. What is most valuable? The installation process is simple. Once initiated, the process is quite straightforward and seamless, making it easy to complete. What needs improvement? Regarding the Harmony Browse, I call it "Kuna" which is accurate. The quantum product serves as my primary focus due to its project cost, and I aim to introduce support in this area. This is because firewall implementation holds significant importance for organizations. I want to improve more on the quantum losses. There's a concept I'd like to include in Harmony Browse, known as automatic catching. This mechanism comes into play when an individual closes their browser while possessing sensitive information, like monetary data. To counteract potential risks, we employ a browser cache-clearing process to minimize the cache's accumulation. This action ensures that malicious entities can't exploit the cached data for attacks. To enhance this further, there's potential for the implementation of a self-cleaning technology. For instance, when a user exits the browser, an automatic action could be initiated to clear the browser cache, serving as an additional layer of security. This can be helpful if added."

"They should focus on new areas of product. In the last year, they have not released any updates with improvements or extra options."

"In terms of improvements for Check Point Harmony Browse, we felt that it could have more customizable integration, especially with non-Check Point products, because in some environments, they are not 100% Check Point."

"Check Point Harmony Browse could improve by offering more details, alerts, and reports so users can better understand threats."

"The ease of handling should be improved, as it is currently intrusive and some users don't like it."

"More focus and emphasis is required on customization and real-time notification and alert system."

More Check Point Harmony Browse cons

"Overall, I'm quite happy with Cisco products, but there could be one place where you can check what's going on. There could be one place where you get all the information about these products so that you don't need to look around. You get the status, information about what lately happened, and if there was anything on the machine in one single place."

"I'd like to see this solution more closely integrate with other products Cisco has in its portfolio."

"It's easier for us to have support features with companies who are Cisco representatives, but sometimes, it's hard for us to get the help we need without having to use our contacts within Cisco."

"If we're trying to deploy it to a Mac through Meraki, it's impossible. The method of deployment for a Mac, and the features available in Meraki, are not compatible at all."

"Its DNS service does not support IPv6 query."

"The solution could be faster as the process is very slow."

"The solution is very expensive in Brazil."

"I would like for them to continue building on IPS and IDS functionalities."

More Cisco Umbrella cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."

"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 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."

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

"The product has a reasonable pricing."

"The price is not very expensive for our organisation, but for others, it might be a little expensive."

"Cisco uses subscription models for the pricing and there are three subscription plans."

"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."

"The price could be lower."

"You get what you pay for."

"The price depends on the use case, and it's a bit linear. But it depends on the customer's strategy and how Cisco plans to optimize the costs."

"The licensing fee is paid on a yearly basis."

"Licensing with Cisco can be a little complex, but I think it's comparable with that of other similar products. It's always hard to put a price on security, but the price is fair for the value it provides."

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

More Cisco Umbrella pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Secure Web Gateways (SWG) solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

879,310 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

11%

Computer Software Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

20%

Security Firm

15%

Outsourcing Company

Educational Organization

Computer Software Company

14%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Healthcare 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	18
Midsize Enterprise	17
Large Enterprise	6

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

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...

See all answers

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...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Check Point Harmony Browse?

The browsing speed of Check Point Harmony Browse can be improved. The user interface and compatibility are good, but ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Check Point Harmony Browse?

Check Point Harmony Browse serves as our primary browser. Since browsers are the first point of contact for any issue...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Check Point Harmony Browse?

The pricing and setup cost of Check Point Harmony Browse are affordable for my organization.

See all answers

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...

See all answers

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...

See all answers

What do you like most about Cisco Umbrella?

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

See all answers

Comparisons

Netskope vs iboss

Compared 14% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs iboss

Compared 11% of the time

Zscaler Internet Access vs iboss

Compared 10% of the time

Cloudflare One vs iboss

Compared 7% of the time

Check Point Harmony SASE (formerly Perimeter 81) vs iboss

Compared 7% of the time

More iboss Competitors

Zscaler Internet Access vs Check Point Harmony Browse

Compared 30% of the time

Prisma Access Browser vs Check Point Harmony Browse

Compared 21% of the time

Check Point Harmony SASE (formerly Perimeter 81) vs Check Point Harmony Browse

Compared 13% of the time

More Check Point Harmony Browse 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 6% 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

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

iboss

December 2025

Download iboss product report

Buyer's Guide

Check Point Harmony Browse

December 2025

Download Check Point Harmony Browse product report

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Umbrella

December 2025

Download Cisco Umbrella product report

Also Known As

iBoss Cloud Platform

No data available

OpenDNS

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

Check Point Harmony Browse is a secure web browsing solution that provides users with a safe and seamless browsing experience. It is designed to protect users from web-based threats such as malware, phishing, and other cyber attacks. Harmony Browse uses advanced threat prevention technologies to detect and block malicious websites and downloads in real-time. It also provides users with a secure connection to the internet, ensuring that their online activities are not intercepted or monitored by cybercriminals.

Harmony Browse is easy to deploy and manage, with a simple and intuitive user interface that allows administrators to set policies and monitor user activity. With Harmony Browse, organizations can ensure that their employees are protected from web-based threats, while also maintaining productivity and compliance.

Check Point Harmony Browse Benefits:

Provides secure web browsing
Protects against malware and phishing attacks
Offers granular control over user access and policies
Easy to use
Integrates with other Check Point security products

Check Point Harmony Browse Features:

Web Threat Prevention: Harmony Browse includes real-time web threat prevention capabilities to protect against various web-based attacks, such as malware, ransomware, phishing, and drive-by downloads.
URL Filtering: The solution provides URL filtering capabilities to enforce policies for web access control.
Anti-Bot Protection: Harmony Browse helps prevent bot-driven attacks and botnet infections by identifying and blocking communication between infected endpoints and command-and-control (C&C) servers.
Advanced Threat Intelligence: The solution integrates with Check Point's threat intelligence services, which provide real-time updates about emerging threats and malicious URLs.
Secure Web Gateway: Harmony Browse can function as a secure web gateway, offering secure access to web resources for organizations.
User and Policy Management: The solution enables organizations to define and enforce web usage policies based on user roles, groups, or specific criteria.

Reviews from Real Users

Below are some reviews and helpful feedback written by Check Point Harmony Browse users.

Shrinkhala Jain, Project Consultant at a consultancy, states that "The software is easy to install and deploy across any business environment and it is becoming a game changer for us."

Anuj Kumar, Senior Manager at IRMA Anand, writes that "It completely restricts and blocks phishing attacks and any threat entry into the system and keeps the work pace fast and secure without showing any signs of lag or latency."

Javier Aguado Benito, Coordinador at OESIA, says that"This solution has multiple protections that are generally very simple to configure and work quickly with little intrusiveness for the user."

Check Point Software Technologies

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

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.

Information Not Available

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

Buyer's Guide

Check Point Harmony Browse vs. Cisco Umbrella

December 2025

Free Report: Check Point Harmony Browse vs. Cisco Umbrella

Find out what your peers are saying about Check Point Harmony Browse vs. Cisco Umbrella and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.

DOWNLOAD NOW

879,310 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our Check Point Harmony Browse vs. Cisco Umbrella report.

See our list of best Secure Web Gateways (SWG) vendors.

We monitor all Secure Web Gateways (SWG) reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.