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Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs Juniper Mist Edge comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 16, 2024

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

Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN
Ranking in WAN Edge
2nd
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
96
Ranking in other categories
Network Management Applications (4th), Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions (2nd)
Juniper Mist Edge
Ranking in WAN Edge
15th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
4
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the WAN Edge category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN is 14.0%, down from 19.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Juniper Mist Edge is 1.2%, down from 1.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
WAN Edge
 

Featured Reviews

Henry Rosenstiehl - PeerSpot reviewer
Comprehensive support and ease of implementation enhance operational efficiency
With Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN, I have centralized orchestration and management. The transport independence of MPLS or connectivity and internet connectivity is another excellent feature. End-to-end segmentation is also provided. I use the application-aware routing feature. Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN supports dynamic police-based routing decisions based on application type or different performance metrics such as jitter or latency. The benefit of that feature is that it improves user experience. The principal benefit of application-aware routing is that critical applications are prioritized or routed over the best performing paths to reduce outages and service degradation. There is full visibility of applications. Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN has integrated security features which include base firewall, URL filtering, IPS, and secure segmentation, and it supports integration with other Cisco products such as Umbrella or Snort. This feature is beneficial for the client because the information is secure. It is important that Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN supports cloud, on-premises, and hybrid environments for my organization because it allows for scalability and faster deployment in the cloud. It reduces operational needs because I don't need to manage physical controller hardware, and updates and maintenance can be centralized and automated. The zero-touch provisioning feature is very important for the speed of deploying new branch locations. I can deliver the device to the branch, and it is important because simplified deployment makes the implementation start more easily since devices are auto-configured and authenticate without manual intervention.
Raihan Hossain - PeerSpot reviewer
The AI-driven solution has enhanced connectivity with seamless remote management
I primarily use Juniper Wi-Fi because I need a smooth Wi-Fi solution. I address my needs by opting for Juniper, which is a reliable product. I often require a dependable product, and this is why I choose Juniper. It is worth noting that the price of Juniper is quite high. However, for a single…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The most valuable feature is the ease of central management."
"I have found the solution's main features are its ability to be customized, network traffic classification, and has a wide range of features that can be set."
"It is very simple to deploy. It's a point-and-click type of deployment, so it's fairly simple."
"It's a scalable solution."
"I like the feature that lets you transfer from old devices to new devices without changing the hardware and subscription."
"This solution comes with comprehensive technical support."
"The integration of Layer 3 and application routing is great."
"Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN supports cloud, on-premises, and hybrid environments for my organization because it allows for scalability and faster deployment in the cloud."
"Juniper Mist Edge provides better support for medium-sized businesses."
"Juniper is a remote and AI-enhanced product."
"Juniper Mist Edge is valuable for its ability to troubleshoot and configure more things compared to Meraki."
"The visibility of the information that's available about APs through their cloud portal and some of the AI features are most valuable."
"Juniper's technical support is highly responsive."
"The most valuable aspect of Mist Edge lies in its ability to provide comprehensive visibility into all network packets."
 

Cons

"Cisco SD-WAN's clustering mechanism needs to be improved. If there are more than five milliseconds of latency time between installations of the VM manager, the cluster automatically breaks down."
"The Cisco way of thinking is to create umbrella-like solutions. I would prefer it if this solution was separate from the entire monstrous Cisco portfolio."
"We recently found some bugs."
"Cisco SD-WAN doesn't have automation capabilities, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and isn't IOT-based."
"The process of onboarding the vSmart, vBond, and vManage should be improved to make it easier to manage in general."
"Technical support could be more helpful and responsive."
"Integration with other OEMs and the API part needs improvement to be more user-friendly, especially in terms of GUI."
"There should be more security features in the hybrid and on-premise deployments of Cisco SD-WAN. The cloud has most of the security features."
"Juniper Mist Edge can sometimes have a delay in information updating."
"The product needs an update, particularly in price, as it deters many customers, including myself, from using it despite its convenience and effectiveness."
"I would like to see improvements in ensuring government compliance for Mist Edge."
"I experience a lot of stability issues, so the rating is eight out of ten."
"The one area that we're specifically looking into is their outdoor APs. The development of their outdoor APs is lagging as compared to their internal APs."
"Juniper Mist Edge can sometimes have a delay in information updating, which could be improved."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Cisco is more expensive than FortiGate."
"The price of Cisco SD-WAN is expensive. We pay approximately $50 monthly for the use of the solution."
"We can only buy three-year licenses, not monthly. The cost seems high for us, especially since we're in Vietnam, which isn't a rich country. But we still like the product because it is good."
"When purchasing, there are so many features available that it's quite confusing deciding which to choose. And some of the devices force you to buy licenses you don't want."
"The price is high."
"You can get subscriptions for three or five years."
"Cisco SD-WAN is more expensive than its competitors."
"The product is not too expensive."
"I believe we're getting some good discounts. We're paying less than $500 per AP. I don't know the annual maintenance cost."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Comms Service Provider
6%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Retailer
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Cisco SD-WAN?
When considering the most valuable features of Cisco SD-WAN, the decoupling of self-monitoring stands out significantly.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco SD-WAN?
The pricing of Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN is rated between eight and nine out of ten, where ten is the most expensive.
What needs improvement with Cisco SD-WAN?
Cisco can improve Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN by simplifying licensing and platform integration with other Cisco products such as Catalyst Center or solutions with Meraki. A license needs to be permanent...
What do you like most about Juniper Mist Edge?
The most valuable aspect of Mist Edge lies in its ability to provide comprehensive visibility into all network packets.
What needs improvement with Juniper Mist Edge?
The product needs an update, particularly in price, as it deters many customers, including myself, from using it despite its convenience and effectiveness. Due to the high cost, not all customers c...
 

Also Known As

Cisco SD-WAN
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Doyle Research, Ashton Metzler & Associates
One Energy, UST Global, i3D.net, Hyland
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs. Juniper Mist Edge and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
865,164 professionals have used our research since 2012.