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Cisco IOS SSL VPN vs Surfshark One comparison

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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
3rd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
50
Ranking in other categories
Enterprise Infrastructure VPN (14th)
Surfshark One
Ranking in SSL VPN
12th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of November 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 Surfshark One is 3.6%, up from 2.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
SSL VPN Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco IOS SSL VPN10.6%
Surfshark One3.6%
Other85.8%
SSL VPN
 

Featured Reviews

VM
student at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees
Cost efficiency and ease of setup define network management while potential improvements in complexity handling are noted
Optimizing and configuring for network segmentation is the biggest thing for helping with segmenting traffic management. 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. In the past, Linksys has been pretty good at network protection, segmenting off that protection for unauthorized access or cyber threats. Cost savings and ease of use are the benefits I've seen from Linksys. It's a little bit less complex to set up and configure compared to Cisco switching. I utilized the VLAN support feature in the Linksys switches. A lot of the networks I have were broken up by VLAN, and I definitely configured them for different VLANs. The best feature of Linksys in my opinion is cost, as they tend to be more cost-effective compared to larger switches or Cisco switches.
WK
Head of Information Security at K2 Baseline Sdn Bhd
Offers ease of use and has an initial setup phase that is straightforward
The tool's performance is quite good till now, so I have no complaints about it. The tool still blocks IP addresses for certain websites, making it an area of concern that requires improvements. This may be because some websites don't accept VPN connections from non-VPN servers, so sometimes, users are blocked from accessing certain sites.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The best feature of Linksys in my opinion is cost, as they tend to be more cost-effective compared to larger switches or Cisco switches."
"Cisco IOS SSL VPN provides fast connectivity and the option to connect through multiple servers."
"A reliable and stable solution for remote network access."
"It is very simple to use, and it allows me to get into the university's network from my home, which is very useful for me."
"The split panel functionality is much better in the Cisco IOS SSL VPN than in the Aruba VPN."
"Cisco IOS SSL VPN is stable, and once we connect, we don't face any issues and can do our work."
"It is highly scalable, speedy, and reliable."
"We primarily use this solution as browser and I like that you don't need a username or password to browse."
"The solution's most valuable feature is its ease of use."
"It did what I needed it to do. It was easy to use."
 

Cons

"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."
"The company sets the policies for the default location, and destination, which the VPN connects. If there is a problem with one of those locations, which happens sometimes when I travel I need to have an option to select a different available location. Currently, I am unable to see that from a user's point of view."
"I would like Cisco IOS SSL VPN to provide a faster connection."
"Cisco device management is quite difficult. They should work to simplify this."
"The configuration is critical and complex."
"Sometimes the connection drops, and we don't like that. I'm not sure the reason, but sometimes it will take time to connect or it will disconnect fast."
"The solution's graphical user interface is not very user-friendly."
"It would be helpful if Cisco IOS SSL VPN could help us set up devices on our iPads and phones."
"The tool still blocks IP addresses for certain websites, making it an area of concern that requires improvements."
"There is room for improvement in stability."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is an expensive product."
"Cisco IOS SSL VPN is more expensive than the Aruba VPN, but it is worth the money."
"It stands as the priciest solution available in the market."
"With Cisco, there is a free solution or a licensed version of the solution with a set of endpoint services."
"The product costs less."
"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 comes with a cost-effective subscription."
"Price flexibility could be improved in comparison to other vendors."
"There is a need to pay towards the licensing charges attached to the product. The product is reasonably priced."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Construction Company
18%
Outsourcing Company
10%
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.
Ask a question
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Also Known As

Cisco SSL VPN
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Overview

 

Sample Customers

MST Systems
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco IOS SSL VPN vs. Surfshark One and other solutions. Updated: November 2026.
920,939 professionals have used our research since 2012.