Cisco Secure Access vs Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy comparison

Cisco and Google are both solutions in the ZTNA category. Cisco is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.4, while Google is ranked #7 with an average rating of 8.5. Cisco holds a 1.3% mindshare in Z, compared to Google’s 2.3% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 93% of Google users who would recommend it.

Cisco Secure Access

Read 13 Cisco Secure Access reviews

1,840 Views
92 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Google Cloud Platform Cloud...

Read 45 Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy reviews

790 Views
427 Comparison Views

93% willing to recommend

Cisco Secure Access

Google Cloud Platform Cloud...

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Cisco Secure Access and Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two ZTNA solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco Secure Access vs. Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Secure Access vs. Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy

September 2025

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Helped 872,922 peers since 2012

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 Secure Access

Ranking in ZTNA

9th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Secure Web Gateways (SWG) (9th), Firewalls (17th), Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) (8th), Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) (9th), Domain Name System (DNS) Security (4th)

Google Cloud Platform Cloud...

Ranking in ZTNA

7th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2025, in the ZTNA category, the mindshare of Cisco Secure Access is 1.3%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy is 2.3%, down from 2.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

ZTNA Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy	2.3%
Cisco Secure Access	1.3%
Other	96.4%

ZTNA

Featured Reviews

Vasil Blagov

Manager, Network at Duracell International, Inc.

Easy management and security ensure reliable 24/7 connectivity

Zero Trust Network Access has helped my organization in securing standard applications because it's mandated to have it. It provides peace of mind knowing that we have that deployed in our network. Cisco Secure Access's ability to provide secure access via standard HTTP2, and optionally, QUIC protocol is good. It complies with the new standards. The impact of Cisco Secure Access on protecting my organization from phishing and ransomware threats has been good so far. We've been doing well with no threats.

Read full review

Nobuaki Kitamura

managing director of IT Department at Nara OA System Inc

Google Cloud Platform works better with Google Workspace, stable product but a bit complicated, especially the networking

We used Google Workspace, so all my employees have Google Workspace accounts. I initially wanted to use Google Cloud Platform for subscription compatibility. Google Cloud Platform works better with Google Workspace, but unfortunately, it's a bit complicated, especially the networking. Oracle Cloud's virtual network system is much easier and more flexible. Also, Oracle was cheaper. That's the main reason we chose Oracle Cloud.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I rate the stability of Cisco Secure Access as ten out of ten."

"Cisco Secure Access has protected our company against threats such as phishing or ransomware, as we have seen it successfully address various cybersecurity vulnerabilities."

"Any tool that provides telemetry through logging is a particularly good fit for us because we have to really automate our monitoring."

"The impact Cisco Secure Access has on protecting my company from threats such as phishing and ransomware is significant."

"The most valuable feature is the authentication feature."

"The main feature of interest to me and the customers is DNS security and Integrated Secure Web Control (ISWC)."

"I find the posture checking feature of Cisco Secure Access the most valuable."

"The feature of Cisco Secure Access I appreciate the most is the DNS functionality."

More Cisco Secure Access pros

"It is a stable platform."

"It is easy to integrate, especially if I consider the fact that it gives me a single dashboard where I have all the applications or apps displayed."

"There is a certain accessibility feature that I can set using a cloud identity, which is really valuable to us."

"Scalability-wise, it is a great product."

"The initial setup wasn't too difficult."

"I can access the information whenever I want. It's integration is easy. The tool's GUI is easy to use with an IT background. The value benefits of using it include the ability to avoid storing data on local machines, reducing the risk of data loss"

"The platform’s most valuable features include storage, machine, and cloud functionality."

"We do not need to maintain the hardware."

More Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy pros

Cons

"Cisco Secure Access can be improved with more integration; the more integrations, the better. There are always third-party products that you might have, such as Carbon Black."

"Cisco is not well accepted in the market since they are somewhat behind their competitors."

"Having been associated with Cisco for more than fifteen to twenty years, I find it increasingly difficult to get tech support these days. Although Cisco is reliable, the process to raise a support ticket has become more complex, requiring specific user accounts and access to specialized platforms."

"The licensing is confusing."

"In my opinion, Cisco Secure Access could be improved by potentially incorporating features that other brands have been using. I see benefits from features offered by competitors, which could enhance the Cisco experience if adapted thoughtfully."

"There is a need for improved global coverage since the service relies on the cloud provider's data centers."

"It is expensive."

"The way that we're using Cisco Secure Access today, it doesn't scale with the growing needs of our organization, however, if we leveraged more of the cloud services, it would fit better."

More Cisco Secure Access cons

"They should include case studies to learn about the use cases."

"We have some challenges related to purging the data. We get a lot of data on a daily basis that has to be refreshed on the site, but we are seeing some challenges with that. They can also include some third-party integration. We have one Akamai dependency. If they can come up with some API to talk to Akamai, it would be good."

"Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy could be more user-friendly and less expensive."

"The initial setup was quite complex."

"Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy should improve stability."

"Google Cloud Platform is not a product that is very flexible for end-users, especially owing to the fact that there is not much documentation available for the product."

"The solution is a bit complex and could be made easier to use."

"People who don't have experience in IT may find the tool challenging. It needs to improve its pricing."

More Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is confusing. When you look at the prices, you have different licensing and years of licensing that you have to purchase. Additionally, it's unclear what service you get from those licenses regarding end-user support. We have a representative who has to walk me through it every time."

"For what you get, it's a fair price in comparison to other products."

"The pricing, setup costs, and licensing for Cisco Secure Access have been very competitive compared to other platforms. I believe that if Cisco continues to improve costs or offers something similar to a Cisco credit, it would attract more customers."

"There are some costs attached to the licensing part of Google Cloud Platform, but it does not pose a challenge."

"There is a need to make yearly payments toward the solution's licensing."

"The price of the product falls on the cheaper side of the spectrum."

"Compared to Oracle Cloud, especially with networking options (like VPN creation for free), Oracle Cloud offered better pricing."

"The product is free."

"There is a need to make payments towards the license in charges attached to the product on a yearly basis."

"The solution is inexpensive for personal use."

"It is expensive to scale up the solution."

More Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

13%

Manufacturing Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

Construction Company

Comms Service Provider

14%

Manufacturing Company

13%

Performing Arts

Retailer

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Large Enterprise	7

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	17
Midsize Enterprise	12
Large Enterprise	19

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Secure Access?

Price-wise, we get a significant discount with Cisco. I actually prefer Juniper products. From a professional perspective, I prefer Palo Alto and Juniper probably more than I do anybody else. But I...

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What is your primary use case for Cisco Secure Access?

I support the US government. From a customer perspective, the use cases tend to be where we are guarding edge devices that we don't have necessarily 100% positive command and control. The devices h...

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What advice do you have for others considering Cisco Secure Access?

Because we operate with what could only be called a skeleton crew, a monitoring solution to the extent possible is dependent heavily on logging, which these applications allow. We do a heavy amount...

See all answers

What do you like most about Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy?

I can access the information whenever I want. It's integration is easy. The tool's GUI is easy to use with an IT background. The value benefits of using it include the ability to avoid storing data...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy?

There are different pricing plans depending on data volumes and services, but it's comparable to other providers. The value and benefits depend on what we're developing and the specific use case.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy?

Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy should improve stability.

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 49% of the time

Netskope vs Cisco Secure Access

Compared 13% of the time

FortiSASE vs Cisco Secure Access

Compared 12% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs Cisco Secure Access

Compared 8% of the time

Cato SASE Cloud Platform vs Cisco Secure Access

Compared 7% of the time

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Cloudflare One vs Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy

Compared 54% of the time

Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform vs Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy

Compared 46% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Secure Access

November 2025

Download Cisco Secure Access product report

Buyer's Guide

Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy

October 2025

Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy report

Download Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy product report

Also Known As

No data available

GCP Cloud IAP, Google Cloud Platform Cloud IAP, Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy

Overview

Cisco Secure Access is a comprehensive Security Service Edge (SSE) solution (a key component of a SASE solution) that addresses the complexities of securing a hybrid enterprise. Cloud-delivered and grounded in zero trust, it delivers a unique blend of user simplicity and IT efficiency for frictionless, secure access to all applications—SaaS (with gen AI), private apps, and the internet—regardless of user location or device. Secure Access protects users, data, and devices against relentless, sophisticated, and constantly evolving threats including AI-driven attacks and identity breaches.

Provides all core SSE components (ZTNA, SWG, CASB, and FWaaS) plus extended capabilities.

Includes VPN-as-a-Service (VPNaaS), data loss prevention (DLP), AI Assistant, visibility/control/guardrails for generative AI use, digital experience monitoring (DEM), reserved IP, remote browser isolation (RBI), DNS-layer security, flexible security enforcement (in cloud or on-premises), policy verification, and more.
Protects users as they seamlessly access resources and apps with no extra steps needed, regardless of protocol, port, or level of customization
Simplifies IT operations through a single client, single dashboard, single license, and unified policies.
Lowers risk with least privilege, granular controls backed with unmatched threat intelligence of Cisco Talos.
Eases interoperability with other products from Cisco and third-party vendors with common administrative controls, data structures, and policy management.

Robust integrations

Integrates with Cisco Identity Intelligence to protect against the startling increase in identity-based attacks.
Integrates with many SAML Identity Providers (IDPs) such as AD, Azure AD, Okta, Ping, etc.
Integrates with Cisco offerings including SD-WAN, Splunk, XDR, Thousand Eyes, third party technologies such as Menlo RBI, Chrome Enterprise Browser, and AppOmni for SSPM.

Cisco

Google’s mission is to organize the world‘s information and make it universally accessible and useful.

Since our founding in 1998, Google has grown by leaps and bounds. From offering search in a single language we now offer dozens of products and services—including various forms of advertising and web applications for all kinds of tasks—in scores of languages. And starting from two computer science students in a university dorm room, we now have thousands of employees and offices around the world. A lot has changed since the first Google search engine appeared. But some things haven’t changed: our dedication to our users and our belief in the possibilities of the Internet itself.

Google

Sample Customers

1. IBM 2. Microsoft 3. Amazon 4. Google 5. Apple 6. Cisco Systems 7. Oracle 8. Intel 9. HP Inc. 10. Dell Technologies 11. Verizon Communications 12. AT&T 13. Comcast 14. T-Mobile 15. Sprint 16. Vodafone 17. Orange 18. BT Group 19. Deutsche Telekom 20. Telefonica 21. Nokia 22. Ericsson 23. Samsung Electronics 24. Sony 25. Panasonic 26. LG Electronics 27. Siemens 28. General Electric 29. Ford Motor Company 30. General Motors 31. Toyota Motor Corporation 32. Volkswagen Group

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Buyer's Guide

Cisco Secure Access vs. Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy

September 2025

Free Report: Cisco Secure Access vs. Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Secure Access vs. Google Cloud Platform Cloud Identity-Aware Proxy and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.

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