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Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) vs Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway 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
7.1
Cisco Secure Client enables seamless, secure remote access with easy setup, benefiting businesses through service sales and improved workforce efficiency.
Sentiment score
7.9
Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway improved connectivity and cost efficiency, enhancing user satisfaction and supporting cloud migration and scalability.
The solution provides significant cost savings, transitioning expenses from CapEx to OpEx.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.7
Cisco Secure Client support is responsive and knowledgeable, but some users note declining service quality and slow response times.
Sentiment score
5.1
Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway's support varies widely, with premium praised but basic often criticized for slow, uncoordinated responses.
Cisco offers very high-quality customer service.
Cisco technical support is difficult, and it requires lots of contracts.
Cisco Technical Support is very good, very friendly, and helpful.
Prioritization of tasks can also be challenging, impacting the timely resolution of problems.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.3
Cisco Secure Client offers scalable solutions for large organizations, but performance varies based on hardware and infrastructure.
Sentiment score
8.9
Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway is scalable, cost-effective, and supports business growth but faces limitations in higher performance SKUs.
A smaller firewall can handle fewer sessions, while a larger one can handle tens of thousands of sessions.
The scalability of Cisco Secure Client depends on the hardware I choose.
Regarding scalability, Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) rates as excellent because we can scale out by simply buying more licenses from the vendor.
The process was very efficient to scale the solution, which supports a high level of scalability.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.0
Cisco Secure Client is stable and reliable, with minor issues quickly resolved, earning high satisfaction ratings from users.
Sentiment score
8.2
Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway is generally stable and reliable, but some users experience occasional inconsistencies requiring adjustments.
I would rate the stability ten out of ten.
The stability is really good, and I would rate it up to nine.
I do not encounter many issues with stability, but sometimes the hardware's capacity can be a limiting factor.
Azure VPN Gateway is very stable due to reliance on Microsoft's own network.
 

Room For Improvement

Cisco Secure Client needs modernization, improved compatibility, enhanced security, simpler deployment, better integration, and user-friendly updates to address user concerns.
Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway needs better deployment, connectivity, support, and pricing to improve user satisfaction and streamline workflows.
I am using Intune for deployments, and it's not easy to create an automated deployment where users do not need to register server addresses.
There is room for improvement in terms of endpoint security and cloud integration, which were lacking long ago.
The various licensing options make it challenging to manage, and the cost is a significant issue for customers.
The instructions on how to integrate P2N and P2S type networks into Azure VPN Gateway could be improved, though it is a constantly evolving process.
 

Setup Cost

Cisco Secure Client offers subscription-based licensing, with variable costs depending on region and comparisons to competitors.
Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway’s pricing is seen as cost-effective by some, despite mixed reviews, for replacing physical network equipment.
Palo Alto and Fortinet provide free VPN connections, but Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) requires a license purchase.
The pricing seems to align equally with other competitors like Palo Alto during a competitive situation.
The price of Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) is acceptable.
The pricing is somewhat high but acceptable, considering it replaces the need for physical network equipment, leading to cost savings.
The price of Azure VPN Gateway should be rated five from a purely invoice aspect.
 

Valuable Features

Cisco Secure Client provides reliable VPN security, seamless integration, and user-friendly features, ensuring stable, secure remote network access.
Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway offers robust networking, high performance, security, scalability, and seamless connectivity with global accessibility and redundancy.
Beneficial for businesses needing secure access outside the office.
Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) is user-friendly and has features like auto-connection and callback.
The security features are beneficial.
It simplifies the process of deploying a VPN connection, replacing all the physical network elements with a software appliance.
The primary function of Azure VPN Gateway allows for designing subnets from existing networks, whether they are physical or virtual networks within Azure or other cloud instances.
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Secure Client (includ...
Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
3rd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
76
Ranking in other categories
SSL VPN (1st), ZTNA as a Service (10th), Cisco Security Portfolio (5th)
Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway
Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
4th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
26
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Enterprise Infrastructure VPN category, the mindshare of Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) is 7.1%, down from 8.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway is 6.6%, down from 8.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
 

Featured Reviews

Wouter Beer - PeerSpot reviewer
Generates revenue through service offering while needing additional safety features
The primary use case for Cisco Secure Client, including AnyConnect, is as a VPN for remote access I use AnyConnect because I have Cisco infrastructure. It utilizes certificates, which allows for automatic setup. The security features are beneficial, and the whole idea of the app is that it should…
MatsHagberg Olsson2 - PeerSpot reviewer
Designs subnets with high security while navigating evolving integration processes
The primary function of Azure VPN Gateway allows for designing subnets from existing networks, whether they are physical or virtual networks within Azure or other cloud instances. You can configure these networks using IP numbers and connect them using certificates or SaaS strings. It also requires Entra ID for privileged access groups, resulting in high security.
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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Enterprise Infrastructure VPN solutions are best for your needs.
856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
31%
Computer Software Company
24%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Government
5%
Computer Software Company
17%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Government
7%
Manufacturing Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client?
The tool is user-friendly, robust and easy to use in any environment.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client?
Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) is somewhat expensive compared to others such as Fortinet or Palo Alto, which provide free VPN when the firewall is purchased. Palo Alto and Fortinet prov...
What needs improvement with Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client?
Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) is sufficient now after the update to version five or later, and I believe there's nothing to improve. I would prefer the cost to be reduced by about 20% ...
What needs improvement with Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway?
The instructions on how to integrate P2N and P2S type networks into Azure VPN Gateway could be improved, though it is a constantly evolving process. The instructions should have been more accessibl...
What advice do you have for others considering Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway?
I would advise comparing Azure VPN Gateway with other market leaders in this segment and referencing sources like Forrester and Gartner. It's crucial to look at which competitors in this spectrum h...
 

Also Known As

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client
MS Azure VPN Gateway
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

MST, Molina Healthcare, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, Arup, New South Wales Rural FireService
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) vs. Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.