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Cisco IOS SSL VPN vs Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 6, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
7.7
Cisco IOS SSL VPN offers strong security with high ROI, easy installation, minimal resource impact, and positive user feedback.
Sentiment score
7.7
Prisma Access enhances security and cost efficiency, eliminating breaches, infrastructure needs, and offering scalable management, despite ROI challenges.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.7
Cisco IOS SSL VPN is praised for its responsive, skilled customer support and clear documentation, reducing direct contact needs.
Sentiment score
6.9
Prisma Access support is friendly and knowledgeable, but response efficiency varies, with premium support offering quicker assistance.
When Cisco first took over, it was a bit more difficult to get support, but they now integrate it without differentiating the support for Linksys versus full-blown Cisco switches.
We contact support regularly, especially for deployments, and they are very responsive.
The product is reliable, making customer support less frequently needed.
We rarely need to contact support due to having a strong internal team and a robust product.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.8
Cisco IOS SSL VPN is scalable and integrates well with Cisco's ecosystem but may need improvements in pricing and licensing.
Sentiment score
7.8
Prisma Access scales easily with licensing, suits diverse companies, and supports global expansion, despite potential large-scale deployment limitations.
It integrates well with Cisco's ecosystem, providing flexibility and options to connect to diverse environments.
To scale, one would need to upgrade or acquire more hardware.
Prisma Access provides significant scalability, allowing integration of different systems.
Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is a cloud-based solution, and from my experience, there are no issues with scalability.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.0
Cisco IOS SSL VPN is highly rated for stability but can experience intermittent issues and requires frequent updates.
Sentiment score
8.1
Prisma Access is praised for stable performance, reliable connectivity, robustness on AWS/Google Cloud, and minimal downtime.
Linksys can be fairly stable for easy environments, but in more complex network environments, Cisco is definitely a lot more stable.
I think the stability of Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is excellent, and I would rate it ten out of ten.
GlobalProtect is a satisfying solution, and the product is robust without major stability issues.
Prisma Access is very stable.
 

Room For Improvement

Cisco IOS SSL VPN needs better integration, usability, compatibility, language support, and simplified licensing to enhance user experience.
Prisma Access needs improved integration, user interface, support, and scalability, addressing latency and compatibility issues for better user experience.
There have been issues with operating systems where newer updates cause problems with backward compatibility.
I believe Cisco could support easier configuration and having tools that allow for easier management and configuration.
There is a lack of integration with third-party solutions like CrowdStrike or SentinelOne in Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks.
Hosting it in the cloud can mitigate these issues by allowing connection through the nearest Palo Alto or Prisma Cloud regional hub.
 

Setup Cost

Cisco IOS SSL VPN is expensive but valued by enterprises; pricing is $60 per seat for over 100 users.
Prisma Access is costly but valued for its comprehensive security features, flexible licensing, and no hidden costs for enterprises.
For more than one hundred users, it costs about $60 per seat.
From my experience, Palo Alto is more expensive compared to solutions like Netskope and Triscale.
The pricing is on the higher side, rating it around eight to nine out of ten.
Pricing for Prisma Access and Prisma SD WAN is high due to the need for different hardware flavors like IONs.
 

Valuable Features

Cisco IOS SSL VPN offers strong encryption, reliable connectivity, seamless integration, multi-factor authentication, and practical management for secure remote access.
Prisma Access delivers robust, scalable security features with seamless integration, zero-trust, and user-friendly management for diverse network protection.
The solution is also very scalable, offering up to one hundred licenses for free, and can integrate well with Cisco's ecosystem, such as Cisco ISE and NAC.
Configuring QoS on Linksys is pretty easy, especially compared to Cisco QoS, which I am certified in, as it helps ensure that the bandwidth for voice or other applications doesn't bleed over into the data links.
These features are security-driven, providing robust protection against increasing cyber threats by integrating NG Firewalls, SD WAN, and CASB, all within a fully cloud-native solution.
One of the most valuable features of Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is the ability to manage on-premise firewalls.
GlobalProtect has been beneficial for its cloud security capabilities, which are vital as businesses seek hybrid options and need to support remote workers while addressing latency issues.
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco IOS SSL VPN
Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
9th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.8
Number of Reviews
49
Ranking in other categories
SSL VPN (3rd)
Prisma Access by Palo Alto ...
Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
5th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
63
Ranking in other categories
Secure Web Gateways (SWG) (4th), Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) (1st), ZTNA as a Service (2nd), Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Enterprise Infrastructure VPN category, the mindshare of Cisco IOS SSL VPN is 1.2%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is 6.6%, up from 5.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
 

Featured Reviews

Rupesh Kolhapurkar - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers easy setup phase but needs to improve connectivity
For our company's remote workforce connectivity, the tool was very useful during the COVID-19 situation. In general, the VPN functionality offered by the product was very useful during the COVID-19 situation. In terms of the product's ability to secure third-party access, the tool works very well. The most valuable feature of the product in terms of network security stems from the fact that the tool provides access to the whole network, and even if users give access to some special applications, it is still really helpful. The clientless access feature is not available for clients. My company installed the product for its clients. If the product offers a clientless access feature, then it is okay and can be very helpful for our company. I recommend the product to those who plan to use it. Cisco IOS SSL VPN is a reliable product. The product is very helpful for a work-from-home setup as the tool can be used to access our company's internal network, which Falls outside the network of our organization. I rate the tool a seven to eight out of ten.
Amar-Patil - PeerSpot reviewer
Enables seamless policy management and supports secure remote work
Our primary use case for Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is to control the internet and serve as an internet proxy. Additionally, we use it for secure remote work One of the most valuable features of Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is the ability to manage on-premise firewalls. We can…
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
23%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Healthcare Company
7%
Educational Organization
7%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Government
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco IOS SSL VPN?
The pricing for Cisco IOS SSL VPN is based on per user. For more than one hundred users, it costs about $60 per seat.
What needs improvement with Cisco IOS SSL VPN?
Compatibility can sometimes be a challenge. There have been issues with operating systems where newer updates cause problems with backward compatibility. For instance, Windows 11 ( /products/window...
What is the better solution - Prisma Access or Zscaler Private Access?
We looked into Prisma Access before choosing Zscaler Private Access (ZPA). Palo Alto’s Prisma Access is a secure access service edge (SASE) designed to deliver network security in a cloud-deliver...
What do you like most about Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks?
The most valuable features of the solution are in the areas of the secure remote access it provides while also being user-friendly.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks?
From my experience, Palo Alto is more expensive compared to solutions like Netskope and Triscale.
 

Also Known As

Cisco SSL VPN
Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access, Prisma Access, GlobalProtect, Palo Alto GlobalProtect Mobile Security Manager, Prisma SaaS by Palo Alto Networks, Prisma Access
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

MST Systems
Concord Hospital, State of Colorado, Essilor International, RheinLand Versicherungsgruppe, University of Westminster, Universidade Nove de Julho, SPAR Austria, CAME Group, ZipRealty, Greenhill & Co., IKT Agder, Aviva Stadium, Animal Logic, Management & Training Corporation, Brigham Young University Hawaii, School District of Chilliwack
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco IOS SSL VPN vs. Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
857,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.