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Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) vs Surfshark One comparison

 

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 Secure Client (includ...
Ranking in SSL VPN
1st
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
77
Ranking in other categories
Enterprise Infrastructure VPN (4th), ZTNA as a Service (8th), Cisco Security Portfolio (5th)
Surfshark One
Ranking in SSL VPN
10th
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 December 2025, in the SSL VPN category, the mindshare of Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) is 14.8%, up from 14.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Surfshark One is 3.0%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
SSL VPN Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)14.8%
Surfshark One3.0%
Other82.2%
SSL VPN
 

Featured Reviews

AS
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.
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

"What I like most about Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client is that it's easy to use, and that is its main advantage. You can use it without the need for any setup because it's centrally pre-installed, so you just need to log in with your username and password. I didn't experience any problems with the solution in terms of losing connectivity. It works very well every time."
"The initial setup is straightforward."
"Configuration policy, posture assessment, and other things can be done in great detail."
"The multifactor authentication enhances security posture, and integrating our internal application for authentication was easy."
"The product is easy to use."
"The most valuable feature is the ease of use."
"I haven’t experienced any issues and the connection is always stable."
"I like the ability to share the connections or simply to be able to pass the credentials for a connection to other colleagues without bothering too much about the connection being tracked or about security, because each and every user will require a secret password, so I don't really care about sending the details. It's very secure."
"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, in general, most of the applications are slow, but this is everyday stuff. I think this is more related to the link speed — the links, the lossage, etc."
"It should autodetect or monitor it, when I am in the office it goes to the network in the office, or when I'm not at the office, it automatically activates my VPN connection."
"The price could be reduced."
"I believe that the authentication component may be enhanced. SAML, more specifically user authentication."
"They can redesign the reset password, reset function, and user interface."
"All Cisco equipment tends to be expensive compared to newer options from other vendors."
"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."
"I would like to see improvements in regards to the connectivity speed."
"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

"We have yearly licensing and it's very affordable."
"I am using a paid version of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client."
"The pricing depends on the requirement, so proper planning and an RF analysis help to properly size the solution and get the best pricing."
"One thing I've noticed is the price in comparison to other VPNs."
"Sometimes there is a problem with the number of licenses for the end-user. The number of concurrent users is limited due to a valid license."
"The price is okay."
"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."
"The solution is reasonably priced and costs $600 for a five-year license in our scenario."
"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
Computer Software Company
31%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Government
7%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business27
Midsize Enterprise10
Large Enterprise45
No data available
 

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?
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 Surfshark One?
The solution's most valuable feature is its ease of use.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Surfshark One?
There is a need to pay towards the licensing charges attached to the product. The product is reasonably priced.
What needs improvement with Surfshark One?
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. Th...
 

Also Known As

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client
No data available
 

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. Surfshark One and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
879,259 professionals have used our research since 2012.