Check Point Harmony Browse vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) comparison

Check Point Software Technologies and F5 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 F5 is ranked #15 with an average rating of 8.3. Check Point Software Technologies holds a 0.7% mindshare in WSG, compared to F5’s 1.4% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Check Point Software Technologies users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 88% of F5 users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 4, 2024

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager and Check Point Harmony Browse are two products competing in the domain of network security and remote access solutions. F5 BIG-IP APM appears to have an edge in scalability and robustness for large enterprises, while Check Point Harmony Browse is favored for its innovative security features and ease of use.

Features: F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager is suitable for large enterprises due to its stability and features like SSL VPN and virtual IP creation, enhancing remote access and load balancing. It boasts extensive configuration options and integrates with various authentication vendors. The customization capabilities enable tailored solutions within the GUI. Check Point Harmony Browse stands out with its zero-day phishing protection and lightweight Nano Agent. Its centralized management via Check Point Infinity simplifies deployment and management. The solution emphasizes secure browsing and threat detection, enhancing privacy and data protection.

Room for Improvement: F5 BIG-IP APM could benefit from enhancements in cloud services and simplified reporting. There's feedback for improved integration with other products and a better management interface. Initial setup complexity and cost are also noted. Check Point Harmony Browse could improve URL filtering and documentation clarity. Users have suggested faster support and better customization, alert systems, and pricing visibility to cater to various markets and technologies.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: F5 BIG-IP APM is often deployed on-premises, offering satisfactory support though response times may need improvement. Deployment complexity is offset by strong configuration options. Check Point Harmony Browse provides flexible hybrid and cloud deployment options, praised for ease of implementation and robust support. Its simplicity in deployment and centralized management through its platform is well-received by users.

Pricing and ROI: F5 BIG-IP APM is perceived as expensive, with pricing complexity deterring some despite recognized ROI. Customers find value in its features, but pricing challenges are noted, especially against alternatives like Citrix NetScaler. Check Point Harmony Browse is commended for affordability and simplified licensing. It provides cost-effective solutions with trial versions, offering comprehensive features. Users appreciate its reasonable pricing and the ROI benefits received.

To learn more, read our detailed Check Point Harmony Browse vs. F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Check Point Harmony Browse vs. F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

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 Check Point Harmony Browse is 0.7%, up from 0.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is 1.4%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Secure Web Gateways (SWG) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
iboss	2.4%
Check Point Harmony Browse	0.7%
F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)	1.4%
Other	95.5%

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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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.

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SÜ

SalihUcpinar

Senior Cyber Security Consultant at KoçSistem

Has provided reliable policy controls and secure web access for large enterprises

I consider Cloudflare when evaluating centralized access control features; Cloudflare utilizes multi-factor authentication and full API support, while F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) needs to enhance its API support. I recommend F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) for large companies such as Tüpraş and Ford. Tüpraş is one of the biggest companies in Turkey, along with other customers such as Tofaş, Euroko, Koç Holding, and more. For on-premises deployment, I would rate it a 10. For cloud deployment, I would rate it a seven. I primarily use it on-premises. I rate F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) eight 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

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

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

"Its initial setup was straightforward."

"Iboss is a solution that prevents advanced persistent threats, and has a zero tolerance for attacks."

"iboss is easy to use despite its complexity. Multiple engineers manage it, but it's significantly more straightforward to administer than traditional VPNs and web proxies."

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

"iboss has significantly lowered the number of security incidents. It is crazy how much it blocks and how much it is aware of the outside danger."

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

More iboss pros

"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."

"Its content filtering is great."

"It has content filtering, which has helped us a lot in being able to apply the necessary filtering policies where we can allow or block websites."

"Check Point Harmony Browse has a feature that allows users to check the extensions installed in their browser. This feature is valuable because hackers may install malicious extensions on a target computer without the user's knowledge. When browsing, users are often less aware of the extensions installed in their browsers, making it easier for malicious extensions to go unnoticed. By providing visibility into installed extensions, Check Point Harmony Browse enhances security by allowing users to identify and remove potentially harmful extensions."

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

"The real-time Threat Intelligence feature powered by Check Point's ThreatCloud is impressive because ThreatCloud integrates and correlates all malicious data from Check Point installations globally, collecting and analyzing this data with AI and machine learning to help prevent zero-day attacks effectively."

"The initial setup process for Check Point Harmony Browse was really smooth; that was the main advantage."

"The product enforces the privacy of the users, which is good."

More Check Point Harmony Browse pros

"We have seen a return on investment from F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager. It provided access at a time when we didn't have it."

"Our customers have never complained about the stability"

"F5 BIG-IP APM is relatively easy to use."

"On a scale from one to ten for stability, I would rate F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) a ten."

"The product allows us to create customized portals for your users."

"F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) provides excellent WAF and bot defense solutions."

"A lot of features are useful to me, including mostly the authentication, SAML, or SSO, with no sign-on."

"I rate the overall solution nine out of ten."

More F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) pros

Cons

"The dashboards for local use could be better."

"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."

"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."

"Iboss is growing so fast that it is often hard for them to keep up with the challenges."

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

"Sometimes, obviously, there are bugs."

"The reporting feature needs improvement."

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

More iboss cons

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

"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."

"The pricing for Check Point Harmony Browse can be a bit pricey sometimes, depending on the project."

"Support must be faster in solving problems."

"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."

"The browsing speed of Check Point Harmony Browse can be improved."

"The initial policy setup can feel a bit complex, particularly when trying to customize controls for different user groups."

"A slight reduction in the cost subscription model can prove to be a game changer."

More Check Point Harmony Browse cons

"F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) does not have a direction for SaaS."

"F5 BIG-IP APM disconnects when you leave it for long enough, but that is natural for IT solutions to do. That's a little bit frustrating."

"If I could copy and paste objects instead of picking and configuring them from scratch each time, it would be great."

"The solution’s GUI looks very old."

"In my opinion, the GUI side needs some improvement based on my usage. Sometimes, it doesn't work as efficiently as the CLI side."

"The price of this product can be improved."

"The initial setup was complex."

"F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager has room for improvement in integration with other products."

More F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

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

"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."

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

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

"The product has a reasonable pricing."

"I rate the tool's pricing an eight out of ten."

"The product is very expensive."

"The tool is a little bit expensive."

"Recently, they have simplified the licensing"

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

No data available

Computer Software Company

19%

Security Firm

15%

Outsourcing Company

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

14%

Manufacturing Company

12%

Government

Computer Software 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	9
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	9

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...

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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 ...

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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...

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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

What do you like most about F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)?

In my opinion, the GUI is perfect with the configuration options provided. F5 BIG-IP has given customization options ...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)?

F5 products are more expensive than other solutions but are valued for their quality and reliability, akin to purchas...

See all answers

What needs improvement with F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)?

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is not user-friendly and operates slowly. Additional features for architecture ...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 13% of the time

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Compared 8% of the time

FortiSASE vs iboss

Compared 7% of the time

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Compared 35% of the time

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Compared 27% of the time

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Compared 24% of the time

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

Compared 14% of the time

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Compared 6% of the time

CyberArk Privileged Access Manager vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Compared 5% of the time

Fortinet FortiGate vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Compared 5% of the time

Citrix Gateway vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Compared 5% of the time

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Compared 4% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

iboss

January 2026

Download iboss product report

Buyer's Guide

Check Point Harmony Browse

January 2026

Download Check Point Harmony Browse product report

Buyer's Guide

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

January 2026

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) report

Download F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) product report

Also Known As

iBoss Cloud Platform

No data available

F5 Access Policy Manager

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

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is an access management proxy solution for managing global access to the enterprise networks, cloud providers, applications, and application programming interfaces (APIs). Through a single management interface, BIG-IP APM consolidates remote, mobile, network, virtual, and web access.

BIG-IP APM can also serve as a bridge between modern and classic authentication and authorization protocols and methods. For applications which are unable to support modern authentication and authorization protocols, like SAML and OAuth with OIDC, but which do support classic authentication methods, BIG-IP APM converts user credentials to the appropriate authentication standard supported by the application.

BIG-IP APM Benefits:

Ease of use
Flexibility
Ability to integrate with other systems
Security features
Granular access control
Responsive and helpful support team

BIG-IP APM Features:

Support for Identity Aware Proxy (IAP) enabling Zero Trust application access
Context-based authorization with dynamic L4/L7 ACLs
Integration with third-party MFA solutions
DTLS 2.0 mode for delivering and securing applications
SAML 2.0 identity federation support
Support for OAuth 2.0 authorization protocol
SSO support for classic authentication (Kerberos, header- based, etc.), credential caching, OAuth 2.0, SAML 2.0, and FIDO2 (U2F)
AAA server authentication and high-availability
Integration with leading IAM vendor products (Microsoft, Okta, Ping Identity)
BIG IP Edge Client and F5 Access integrate with VMware Horizon ONE (AirWatch), Microsoft Intune and IBM MaaS360
Risk-based access leveraging third-party UEBA and risk engines (HTTP Connector)

Reviews from Real Users

Below are some reviews and helpful feedback written by BIG-IP APM users.

Mahmmoud Rabie, Senior Site Reliability Engineer, writes that BIG-IP APM is "A highly stable solution for load balancing, but the initial setup is complex."

Clyde Livingston, Senior Process Specialist at Telstra, says that BIG-IP APM is "Easy to use, useful access remotely, but lacking stability."

Chris Lam, Senior Solution Consultant at Macroview Telecom Limited, states that BIG-IP APM is "Useful for remote access VPN and VPI integration with VMware.

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

City Bank, Ricacorp Properties, Miele, American Systems, Bangladesh Post Office

Buyer's Guide

Check Point Harmony Browse vs. F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

December 2025

Free Report: Check Point Harmony Browse vs. F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Find out what your peers are saying about Check Point Harmony Browse vs. F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.

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