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Cisco IOS SSL VPN vs SonicWall Global VPN Client comparison

Why PeerSpot?
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on May 21, 2025

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 IOS SSL VPN
Ranking in SSL VPN
4th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
50
Ranking in other categories
Enterprise Infrastructure VPN (14th)
SonicWall Global VPN Client
Ranking in SSL VPN
8th
Average Rating
10.0
Reviews Sentiment
4.8
Number of Reviews
3
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2026, in the SSL VPN category, the mindshare of Cisco IOS SSL VPN is 10.6%, up from 9.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SonicWall Global VPN Client is 3.0%, up from 2.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
SSL VPN Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco IOS SSL VPN10.6%
SonicWall Global VPN Client3.0%
Other86.4%
SSL VPN
 

Featured Reviews

VM
student at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees
Ease and speed of connectivity impress and recommend
I have not found any areas that could be improved so far. I am not sure how Cisco IOS SSL VPN can continue their improvements for the future, but I think it is a great product. To stay on top, they probably need updates to this product. I do not know what kind of improvements these updates are offering. It is a great product so far.
Winsley De Oliveira - PeerSpot reviewer
Owner at ANOC
Reliable and efficient remote access boosts our network management capabilities
The SonicWall Global VPN Client is a very good product. Once I was connected for four days in a row with no faults or interruptions. It's fast, stable, and works. It's simple and effective. We use robust encryption protocols with the SonicWall Global VPN Client. These protocols help with maintaining confidentiality and security of the network data across our organization. Today it's a fact that you have to cryptograph your servers, hard disks, desktops, everything. The VPN is just part of that. The experience with the setup process and user interface of the SonicWall Global VPN Client is very easy. With the SonicWall Global VPN Client, you create a connection to the firewall, set up the cryptographic settings, keys, and passwords. Then download, create a download file, import in the client, enter username and password, and it's done. It is absolutely very simple.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The feature I find most valuable, is the management portal."
"Cisco IOS SSL VPN is integrated with domain controller, SSO and MFA."
"It is highly scalable, speedy, and reliable."
"Cisco is a well known brand which provides good service and many people have familiarity with it, including businesses."
"It's been stable for as long as I've been using it."
"While we know that SSL VPN is an advanced technological step towards achieving a more secured network against ever growing multiple networking threats, Cisco's SSL VPN device is definitely a wise choice to pick."
"The solution is very easy to use, very robust and durable, stable, scalable, and supported by great technical support."
"We primarily use this solution as browser and I like that you don't need a username or password to browse."
"This VPN has a secure tunnel created between the end user and the standard machine. This secure connection facilitates the transfer of data without compromising on security or speed."
"It simplifies connecting remote clients to secure networks without extensive configuration."
"The switch to SonicWall Global VPN was driven by its superior ease of use and more straightforward setup than previous solutions."
 

Cons

"The only issue with Cisco IOS SSL VPN is on the price point. Price is an area of the solution where improvements are required."
"The pricing needs to be better because you need a license for every device."
"The servers should be more user-friendly."
"It would be nice if we could use this not just on mobile, but on laptops and desktops as well."
"The solution's graphical user interface is not very user-friendly."
"In terms of what needs improvement, it should have better integration. Although, it might have already been taken care of."
"The product’s dashboard is not good enough."
"I think the management of the design of the console or portal needs to improve because when you compare it to other vendors, you find that the graphical interface is old."
"There is always a delay in response when I try to work on the VPN."
"When it comes to the Windows VPN client, I find security to be a significant concern. It's not secure and it's very unstable."
"The product's integration process needs improvement with certain regional network configurations, especially in locations where ISP practices can affect performance."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is an expensive product."
"FortiGate does not charge the client a licensing fee, although Cisco charges clients a couple of dollars per year for each license."
"The solution is reasonably priced, and we have around 50% to 60% discounts from Cisco."
"The licensing cost of the solution is on a yearly basis, and it is expensive compared to other solutions in the market."
"Cisco IOS SSL VPN is more expensive than the Aruba VPN, but it is worth the money."
"There are no pricing programs for non-profit organizations and the product is otherwise expensive by comparison."
"Users have to pay a yearly licensing fee for Cisco IOS SSL VPN."
"The platform is expensive."
"It is a cost-effective product."
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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which SSL VPN solutions are best for your needs.
915,341 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Construction Company
19%
Outsourcing Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
9%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business23
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise26
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Cisco IOS SSL VPN?
I have not found any areas that could be improved so far. I am not sure how Cisco IOS SSL VPN can continue their improvements for the future, but I think it is a great product. To stay on top, they...
What is your primary use case for Cisco IOS SSL VPN?
Currently, I use Cisco IOS SSL VPN to VPN in, but not with high frequency. We use Cisco IOS SSL VPN as our VPN client to connect to our network. This is for health.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SonicWall Global VPN Client?
In terms of pricing, normally a firewall box or appliance comes with some licenses. When we develop a solution for a company with a hundred users, normally 10% of that has remote access. So 10 VPN ...
What needs improvement with SonicWall Global VPN Client?
The only thing that we don't really appreciate about SonicWall, not specifically SonicWall but in general, is the SSL VPNs. We're still using GVC, the SonicWall Global VPN Client. The SonicWall Glo...
What is your primary use case for SonicWall Global VPN Client?
I have been using the SonicWall Global VPN Client for thirty years. We have a company here in Brazil that has extensive access to our customers' networks, all through site-to-site VPNs for managing...
 

Also Known As

Cisco SSL VPN
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

MST Systems
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco IOS SSL VPN vs. SonicWall Global VPN Client and other solutions. Updated: September 2026.
915,341 professionals have used our research since 2012.