Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) vs Okta Platform comparison

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) vs. Okta Platform

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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

iboss

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the ZTNA as a Service category, the mindshare of iboss is 2.6%, up from 1.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) is 4.0%, up from 3.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Okta Platform is 3.2%, up from 1.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

ZTNA as a Service Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Okta Platform	3.2%
iboss	2.6%
Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)	4.0%
Other	90.2%

ZTNA as a Service

Featured Reviews

reviewer2701851

Managing Director

Enhances web security with a single pane of glass and flexible deployment

I don't see any need for improvement; one of the really good things about iboss as a company is that they listen to customer feedback. I have suggested enhancements, and they are responsive, making changes for the better, and they do a lot of testing. To improve iboss, although we haven't used it, we considered the VPN solution that comes with the highest tier licensing, which includes DLP and various other add-ons. We prefer using another product which automatically logs you back onto your network when turning on your PC. With iboss, the connection is manual, which doesn't meet our needs. Additionally, sizing can be tricky because, although the initial recommendations may seem adequate, actual usage may require more gateways than anticipated.

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AJAY SARPAL

Manager - Projects at airtel

Offers work-from-anywhere flexibility but navigates occasional proxy confusion

The analytics I downloaded from your site as a free download did not carry the information that was actually required. I was looking at the market segmentation and market share, along with some USPs which differentiated them from each other. The free download had two issues: many things were repetitive, and it was designed to not release any relevant information. Only headers were present, so I was not able to determine whether the final report would be worthwhile. I have not worked with enterprise tools that I could share feedback on for website publication. I see benefits from using Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect). However, I would not recommend it because future adoptions will be towards Zscaler, as SSC is a better model than VPN. On a scale of 1-10, I rate this solution a 7.

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SumitMundik

Lead Admin Systems at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

Authentication process improves security with quick and intuitive user interface

The best feature is the speed and execution of Okta Workforce Identity. The moment you click on single sign-on, you immediately get the notification on your mobile phone, then you do the authentication and within a second you get authenticated. The entire customer experience is very good. The user interface is pretty simple, straightforward, and really good. Multi-factor authentication in Okta Workforce Identity is very useful so people who do not have access or are trying to access using just a user ID and password will be completely blocked because of this two-factor authentication. You will get the code, and as your device is authorized in the system, only that device can be used for the authentication purpose. A third person trying to access or hack your data will not be able to do that anymore. Additionally, you don't have to remember your passwords going forward. Previously, every 60 days or 90 days, passwords kept changing. With the two-factor authentication or single sign-on option in Okta Workforce Identity, you don't have to remember it anymore or write down passwords in plain text. If something goes wrong, we have the IAM team which can unlock your account immediately if you have issues.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Technical support is pretty sharp and very responsive."

"Granular setup, which was able to set different levels of filters using the OUs in the AD."

"I would definitely recommend iboss for web filtering purposes to other organizations or individuals."

"We were impressed by the solution's mental health function, which can detect if someone needs help. It scans what users are browsing and flags warning signs so we can check to see if they are okay. We've had to use it a couple of times."

"Valuable features: Within the filter: Controls (Web categories, applications, and Allow/Block list) and Network (local Subnets). Within the reporter: Logs (Event Log) and Reports."

"From a use-case scenario, what I like the most is the plug-in. I like the fact that we can do the filtering of these devices offsite independent of the network they are connected to, and we do not have to have traffic coming back inside our network."

"First of all, the security policies are essential. I do not have to rely solely on Active Directory for our users."

"iboss is among the few products providing inline filtering where no application is needed on the device."

More iboss pros

"You can use it from anywhere."

"The initial setup is very easy."

"Technical support is always helpful."

"The initial setup is easy."

"Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client's most valuable feature is the ability to connect to our enterprise applications, on-premise applications, and cloud any place in the world"

"The solution has good performance. It is a simple tool to use, once I turn on Windows it automatically starts to use the VPN."

"I like how I don't need to see the solution or start it up. I just use my computer and have it working in the background. I start my laptop and it's there and working. That's the most important feature."

"Cisco Technical Support is very good, very friendly, and helpful."

More Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) pros

"The most useful features of Okta for my organization are identity and access management, single sign-on, and the flexibility for hybrid setups."

"Having a single sign-on to all our applications."

"One of the best features of Okta Workforce Identity is its integration with different SaaS applications, which makes it a better product than the competitors."

"Okta Customer Identity is considered cheaper compared to other tools in the market, such as IBM and CyberArk products."

"It made things a lot easier, especially with passwords."

"We face no challenges in integrating the product with our legacy systems."

"You can only log in if you have the access, which protects the applications by avoiding cross-site scripting."

"One of the features that I have found to be very valuable is its interoperability and compatibility with all types of resources, whether it's networking, infrastructure, or applications. That is, it is compatible as well as interoperable, as far as the federated authentication is concerned."

More Okta Platform pros

Cons

"Sometimes the agent stops working in iboss, and we have to reinstall the agent."

"Sometimes when you call in support, you get someone who is just following a sheet. It feels like a runaround. You feel that you are running into that support wall."

"Iboss is growing so fast that it is often hard for them to keep up with the challenges."

"SSL decryption: We had issues with learners using apps instead of using web browsers. This type of encryption is tough for any appliance in a BYOD environment."

"Its pricing could be better."

"The dashboards for local use could be better."

"I am currently doing a PoC of the zero trust aspect of it. Compared to other similar solutions, it is hard to get around each feature. It takes a while to get used to it."

"I'd like to see them accelerate development on the security side, particularly around data loss prevention."

More iboss cons

"I think that the addition of single sign-on functionality would be helpful."

"They can redesign the reset password, reset function, and user interface."

"Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client could improve by adding faster connectivity."

"The hotspots give me connectivity issues occasionally. It could be easier to use if it allowed me to choose the hotspot."

"One improvement could be ensuring better backward compatibility."

"If user authentication has already been done on a device, maybe there could be connectivity directly without needing to log in each time I access the service."

"The logout should be automized and it should have a reminder that you have logged in into a private network."

"The solution could offer tighter integration with endpoint protection to make it easier to use when routing security applications from other vendors."

More Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) cons

"There is a need for Okta to provide an end-to-end solution without needing a separate product like Zscaler for multifactor authentication."

"We experienced some technical glitches that need to be resolved."

"Okta Workforce Identity could improve the way passwords are reset and how it interfaces with Microsoft."

"We faced some challenges during the Okta Identity Workforce deployment. Integrating with AWS and other cloud services posed some limitations with federated options. For instance, features like automatic user addition from AWS to the tool were missing, requiring manual intervention. The API is limited compared to the manual configuration possible through the UI."

"Okta Workforce Identity can improve by having more features in governance."

"The high cost of the product is an area of concern where improvements are required."

"On the admin side, we can create our own passwords instead of generating one, which is usually difficult to explain to a user."

"Okta doesn't have a partial push. It pushes down the full profile schema for lifecycle management or provisioning."

More Okta Platform cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is not expensive, and it is also not cheap. iboss is priced right in the sweet spot for the number of features it offers."

"It is probably in line with other solutions, but I do not deal with the financial side."

"The overall pricing for iboss is very competitive and transparent."

"We had the cost of purchasing a new appliance along with the implementation and licensing costs. However, the following year, the cost of just licensing was similar to what was paid the previous year for a new appliance along with the implementation and licensing costs."

"We have not priced the solution recently, but they were competitive with other vendors in the past."

"It is expensive compared to one of its competitors."

"We have yearly licensing and it's very affordable."

"There is a license needed to use this solution. There are different licensing models available, such as a three-year license."

"The initial cost is the ASA and other items, but after that, it is relatively inexpensive."

"The pricing depends on the requirement, so proper planning and an RF analysis help to properly size the solution and get the best pricing."

"I would rate the pricing for the license of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client around four to five out of ten. It's not the cheapest option, but it's also not overly expensive."

"It is not a free solution and the user needs to buy license."

"The licensing costs are reasonable."

"My company has a three-year or a four-year license. In scenarios attached to a solution where the product may be reaching an end-of-support or end-of-life phase, Cisco provides OS support in such environments."

More Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) pricing and cost advice

"The solution is really expensive."

"Okta's pricing is right where it needs to be and right in the middle of the market."

"This is an expensive solution but the security makes it worthwhile."

"The solution’s pricing needs to be reasonable. You are dealing with a lot of components and the pricing is component-based."

"The price of Okta Workforce Identity is competitively priced. We pay annually for the use of the solution."

"This solution is costly. Pricing is decent if you have less users, but it significantly goes up the more users you have, with its cost not justified."

"The product's price is high. For each feature, a certain payment is required."

"The price of the solution is good."

More Okta Platform pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

11%

Computer Software Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

31%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Government

Manufacturing Company

11%

Computer Software Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	5

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	27
Midsize Enterprise	10
Large Enterprise	45

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	35
Midsize Enterprise	21
Large Enterprise	44

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with iboss?

For zero trust implementation, we encountered complexity issues, especially with a large infrastructure company Exxon...

What is your primary use case for iboss?

Previously when I used iboss, we did the POC for iboss for ExxonMobil. Four or five people wanted to move from our ol...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for iboss?

Regarding pricing, setup costs, and licensing, iboss is not cheap, and that's my only concern. There are cheaper alte...

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, wh...

What needs improvement with Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client?

At times there is confusion regarding when to keep the proxy on or off, a problem faced by some users.

What do you like most about Okta Workforce Identity?

Okta has introduced the Universal Directory. It has custom attribute capability and user permissions to read/write on...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Okta Workforce Identity?

Pricing for Okta is reasonably not that much, however, I don't have access to the commercial aspect.

What needs improvement with Okta Workforce Identity?

Currently, in Okta Workforce Identity we get the two-digit authentication code. Instead of getting the two-digit auth...

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs iboss

Comparisons

Netskope vs iboss

Compared 14% of the time

Compared 11% of the time

Cisco Umbrella vs iboss

Compared 11% of the time

Zscaler Internet Access vs iboss

Compared 11% of the time

Check Point Harmony SASE (formerly Perimeter 81) vs iboss

Compared 7% of the time

More iboss Competitors

OpenVPN Access Server vs Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)

Compared 8% of the time

Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway vs Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)

Compared 8% of the time

Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform vs Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)

Compared 6% of the time

Ivanti Connect Secure vs Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)

Compared 6% of the time

Check Point Remote Access VPN vs Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)

Compared 6% of the time

More Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) Competitors

Microsoft Entra ID vs Okta Platform

Compared 10% of the time

SailPoint Identity Security Cloud vs Okta Platform

Compared 9% of the time

Saviynt vs Okta Platform

Compared 5% of the time

Auth0 Platform vs Okta Platform

Compared 5% of the time

Google Cloud Identity vs Okta Platform

Compared 3% of the time

More Okta Platform Competitors

Product Reports

iboss

Download iboss product report

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)

Download Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) product report

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) report

Okta Platform

Download Okta Platform product report

Also Known As

iBoss Cloud Platform

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client

Okta Customer Identity, Workforce Identity

Overview

Iboss offers a comprehensive cloud-based security platform valued for its scalability and autonomous features, ensuring robust security with easy deployment and management capabilities.

Renowned for its robust security architecture, Iboss integrates seamlessly within diverse networks, delivering efficient granular filtering and advanced content categorization. Its single pane of glass console provides ease of management, allowing rapid scalability suitable for rapidly deploying environments. Operates in BYOD setups due to inline filtering without device installation. Integration with cloud-based applications enhances user control, and features like SASE, SSL inspection, and ChatGPT risk protection stand as highlights. Despite its strengths, users have pointed out areas for enhancement like direct navigation in reports, SSL decryption, and better cloud integration while having room to improve data loss prevention.

What are the most important features of Iboss?

Scalability: Supports rapid deployment across diverse networks.
SASE: A consolidated approach to secure access.
SSL Inspection: Ensures safe data transmission.
Granular Filtering: Detailed control over accessible content.
Single Pane Management: Unifies control through a centralized console.

What benefits should users consider in reviews?

Cost-effectiveness: Offers competitive pricing with robust features.
Autonomous Operation: Reduces management overhead.
Responsive Support: Provides assistance when needed.
Flexible Deployment: Available for both cloud and on-premises environments.

The usage of Iboss spans educational institutions, specifically K-12, to enforce internet policies, protect data, and support remote work environments. It provides web filtering and security frameworks to ensure safe browsing. Its platform-as-a-service model offers flexibility for both cloud-based and on-premises requirements, integrating seamlessly to deliver enhanced security features suitable for various deployment needs including zero trust, CASB, and network security for work-from-home setups.

iboss

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) delivers reliable, stable connectivity and seamless integration with Active Directory, ensuring secure remote access through a one-click VPN capability. It's lightweight, user-friendly, and supports major operating systems, enhancing remote work flexibility.

Cisco Secure Client, including AnyConnect, is designed for secure remote connectivity, offering multi-factor authentication, advanced malware protection, and automatic error diagnostics. Compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux, it provides an intuitive setup and a clean interface. While it excels in ease of use, issues such as the outdated Linux build and the need for modern UI enhancements persist. Users also face connectivity challenges with frequent updates and high prices, alongside the need for better endpoint security and system integration. Popular for remote work, it facilitates secure access to corporate networks, allowing seamless interactions with resources like emails, documents, and applications.

What key features does Cisco Secure Client offer?

Reliable Connectivity: Provides stable, dependable VPN access with a one-click connection.
Multi-Factor Authentication: Enhances security through additional user verification steps.
Advanced Malware Protection: Safeguards against threats with proactive protection measures.
Automatic Error Diagnostics: Identifies and fixes errors promptly.
Cross-Platform Support: Compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux for broad accessibility.

What benefits or ROI can users expect?

Increased Remote Work Efficiency: Facilitates secure, fast access to necessary resources.
Improved Network Security: Provides robust protection against external threats.
Ease of Use: Features simple setup and user-friendly interface for quick deployment.
Enhanced Data Protection: Keeps sensitive information secure through encryption and authentication.
Cost-Effectiveness: Offers a good balance of features against pricing, though further improvements could enhance value.

Cisco Secure Client is widely implemented across industries for secure remote connectivity, especially in sectors requiring constant access to servers, data centers, and research labs. It supports remote work by enabling employees in diverse fields to access internal resources efficiently, maintaining productivity and security.

Cisco

Okta Platform provides comprehensive identity and access management, featuring Active Directory Sync, user management, and app auto-provisioning. It ensures security through single sign-on and adaptive multi-factor authentication.

Okta Platform offers advanced integration capabilities, allowing seamless connection with in-house and cloud applications. Security features are robust, incorporating multi-factor authentication and SSO to prevent unauthorized access. Users benefit from its ease of use and the ability to integrate and manage numerous applications effectively. While generally praised, users note areas for improvement, such as high costs and complex setups. Better integrations with on-premises systems and third-party tools are desired along with enhanced error logging and reporting features.

What are Okta's key features?

Active Directory Sync: Simplifies app management by synchronizing user directories.
Single Sign-On: Provides desktop SSO for easier access to multiple apps.
Adaptive Multi-Factor Authentication: Offers robust security options for different scenarios.
Universal Directory: Supports flexible identity management and configuration.
Integration Capability: Enables connections with both in-house and SaaS applications.

What benefits do organizations find in Okta?

Enhanced Security: Multi-layered authentication to prevent unauthorized access.
Improved Efficiency: Streamlines user provisioning and app assignments.
Increased Compliance: Ensures secure access management aligning with IT policies.
Seamless Integration: Facilitates connections with various applications enhancing operational workflows.

Companies across industries implement Okta to secure user authentication and streamline onboarding processes. It supports access management for both on-premises and cloud applications, synchronizing directories and facilitating SaaS services. Organizations benefit from reduced credential management complexity and improved IT infrastructure compliance.

Okta

Sample Customers

More than 4,000 global enterprises trust the iboss Cloud Platform to support their modern workforces, including a large number of Fortune 50 companies.

MST, Molina Healthcare, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, Arup, New South Wales Rural FireService

FedEx, Zoom, Takeda, Lululemon Athletica, GrunHub, jetBlue, McKensson, Bain & Company, Engie, Peloton, Sonos, T-Mobile, Hewlett Packard, MGM Resorts, Ally Financial, Priceline, Albertsons, Itercom, Classy, FICO, Kensho, Live Nation, Drata, Rotary, and others.

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) vs. Okta Platform