Cisco Umbrella vs Heimdal Endpoint Security comparison

Cisco and Heimdal are both solutions in the Domain Name System (DNS) Security category. Cisco is ranked #1 with an average rating of 9.2, while Heimdal is ranked #12 with an average rating of 9.0. Cisco holds a 20.9% mindshare in DS, compared to Heimdal’s 0.8% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Heimdal users who would recommend it.

Cisco Umbrella

Read 121 Cisco Umbrella reviews

21,437 Views
4,287 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

Heimdal Endpoint Security

Read 1 Heimdal Endpoint Security review

1,072 Views
96 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Cisco Umbrella

Heimdal Endpoint Security

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 15, 2025

Cisco Umbrella and Heimdal Endpoint Security are in the cybersecurity market. Heimdal generally has an edge due to its comprehensive features that justify its pricing.

Features: Cisco Umbrella is known for DNS-layer security, AI-backed threat intelligence, and cloud-based flexibility. Heimdal Endpoint Security offers advanced endpoint protection, proactive threat prevention, and sophisticated traffic filtering.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Umbrella is noted for its ease of deployment with minimal changes and a robust customer service network. Heimdal presents a more detailed setup with responsive service providing dedicated support throughout deployment.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco Umbrella attracts with lower initial setup costs and quick ROI. Heimdal, though higher in price, delivers ROI with comprehensive security coverage and long-term threat mitigation benefits.

To learn more, read our detailed Domain Name System (DNS) Security Report (Updated: August 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Domain Name System (DNS) Security

August 2025

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Helped 867,370 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 Umbrella

Ranking in Domain Name System (DNS) Security

1st

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.3

Number of Reviews

121

Ranking in other categories

Secure Web Gateways (SWG) (1st), Internet Security (1st), Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) (2nd), Cisco Security Portfolio (1st)

Heimdal Endpoint Security

Ranking in Domain Name System (DNS) Security

12th

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

8.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) (42nd), Anti-Malware Tools (26th), Threat Intelligence Platforms (22nd), Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) (32nd), Ransomware Protection (13th)

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2025, in the Domain Name System (DNS) Security category, the mindshare of Cisco Umbrella is 20.9%, down from 26.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Heimdal Endpoint Security is 0.8%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Domain Name System (DNS) Security Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Cisco Umbrella	20.9%
Heimdal Endpoint Security	0.8%
Other	78.3%

Domain Name System (DNS) Security

Featured Reviews

Emilio Montoya

CTO at PROA

Ensures internet navigation safety and boosts productivity

The features of Cisco Umbrella I prefer most are DNS protection and traffic redirect. With Cisco Talos's threat intelligence, we reduce the impact of malware traffic in our network, and we currently see the behavior of equipment and choose the correct sites. Cisco Talos has helped us reduce the impact of malware traffic. We can see the behavior and choose the correct sites. We're currently testing secure access with Umbrella in order to secure access to core applications. It's a product that the user doesn't even know is there, even though it is protecting them. It's not hard on the equipment. And, for us, it centralizes everything, which improves productivity. With the Experience Insights feature of Cisco Secure Access, we've seen impacts on the management of user connectivity by allowing us to deliver safe connectivity. We are testing the Secure Access product with Cisco Umbrella to improve our connectivity with our users in order to secure access to the corporate applications. Cisco Umbrella is in the cloud, which is nice.

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DEEPAK KUMAR PACHDEO DUBEY

Senior IT Support Specialist at PXGEO

Delivers efficiency and agility with USB control limitations

One area where we lag is that, since we use everything from Heimdal, including XDR and other features, we also use the privilege manager feature called Elevation. What we lack is granular USB control. We have an issue where we can only switch USB on or off. I want to whitelist specific devices in the network, which I currently cannot do.

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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

"The most valuable aspect is that it is hosted with Cisco and can detect any new anomalies, acting almost like an XDR."

"The most valuable features are the protection against ransomware and phishing."

"Helps block personal email accounts."

"I like the DNS layer security."

"The most valuable feature is that it secures our network against blacklisted or malicious websites."

"Any time someone went off the network, the AnyConnect client had the Umbrella agent built in, and it would realize when their computer connected that they were not on the corporate network. It would monitor and they would have pretty close to the same rules that they had to follow when they were in the office, regarding what kind of website browsing they could do."

"Web proxy adds an effective layer for security."

"The stability and reliability of the Cisco Umbrella platform are great."

More Cisco Umbrella pros

"As compared to multiple solutions I have used in the past, Heimdal is a very agile and lightweight solution."

"Heimdal is a very agile and lightweight solution."

Cons

"Lower costs including licensing, support, and renewals would be beneficial."

"Support for multiple domains is important to us."

"The API is very Cisco orientated, which is absolutely fine if you're using Cisco Firepower and SecureX kind of products, but if you want to integrate with third parties, it is a bit tricky. There are some key API connectors for the more prevalent SIEM tools. I would really like to see in Cisco Umbrella the ability to create customized reports and then assign the rights to view these reports to people within a group. I should be able to create a customized report, which is viewable by anybody who has the rights. I should be able to create groups within Cisco Umbrella, and then assign reports to groups and have those reports split out automatically only to those groups. I can kind of do it by restricting my email list, but it is a half-complete way of doing it."

"We need to work on integration as it is very complex."

"Cisco Umbrella can be improved in terms of limited coverage and wind vulnerability. The product can only shield a small area, making it less effective for larger spaces or multiple users."

"It should have more integrations with multiple end user OEMs."

"We would like to see the enhancements made to the EDR, as we see features that are running endpoint management."

"The firewall capabilities could be better. Cisco is starting to introduce some layer 7 capabilities now, but there's still some room to grow. They should continue with the development of Umbrella so that it is a full-blown cloud-managed firewall solution."

More Cisco Umbrella cons

"What we lack is granular USB control."

"What we lack is granular USB control. We have an issue where we can only switch USB on or off."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing is great and very competitive with the rest of the market."

"Its value exceeds its pricing."

"The price depends on the use case, and it's a bit linear. But it depends on the customer's strategy and how Cisco plans to optimize the costs."

"Licensing with Cisco can be a little complex, but I think it's comparable with that of other similar products. It's always hard to put a price on security, but the price is fair for the value it provides."

"As an educational partner, we get better licensing structures. We are very happy with that. It has been very nice that Cisco has partnered with the educational sector to bring that."

"You get what you pay for."

"There is a subscription cost."

"Cisco has a set price for a single license up to 100, but whenever we get over 100, we have to ask for a quote."

More Cisco Umbrella pricing and cost advice

Information not available

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

19%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Healthcare Company

Computer Software Company

22%

Non Profit

10%

Comms Service Provider

Media Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	48
Midsize Enterprise	30
Large Enterprise	51

No data available

Questions from the Community

Which is the better security solution - Cisco Umbrella or Zscaler?

Cisco Umbrella and Zscaler Internet Access are two broad-spectrum Internet security solutions that I have tried. Zscaler Internet Access is a good option for carrying out multiple security functi...

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Which is the better security solution - Cisco Umbrella or Microsoft Cloud App Security?

Cisco Umbrella is an integral component of the Cisco SASE architecture. It integrates security in a single, cloud-native solution, unifying multiple features like DNS-layer security, threat intelli...

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What do you like most about Cisco Umbrella?

Cisco Umbrella is easy to monitor, manage, and deploy.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Heimdal Endpoint Security?

Pricing, compared to what we had before, was quite economical. There was a difference of about twenty percent or something between the solutions.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Heimdal Endpoint Security?

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Heimdal Endpoint Security?

My company colleagues and I use this antivirus solution. I am part of a company where I deploy solutions, and I also work in the IT department of that company. Therefore, I have chosen this antivir...

See all answers

Comparisons

Zscaler Internet Access vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 16% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 8% of the time

Cisco Secure Access vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 8% of the time

Infoblox Advanced DNS Protection vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 6% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 5% of the time

More Cisco Umbrella Competitors

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Heimdal Endpoint Security

Compared 19% of the time

CrowdStrike Falcon vs Heimdal Endpoint Security

Compared 14% of the time

Huntress Managed EDR vs Heimdal Endpoint Security

Compared 10% of the time

Bitdefender GravityZone EDR vs Heimdal Endpoint Security

Compared 8% of the time

SentinelOne Singularity Complete vs Heimdal Endpoint Security

Compared 7% of the time

More Heimdal Endpoint Security Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Umbrella

September 2025

Download Cisco Umbrella product report

Buyer's Guide

Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP)

September 2025

Download Heimdal Endpoint Security product report

Also Known As

OpenDNS

Heimdal Next-Gent Endpoint Antivirus, Thor Vigilance Enterprise, Heimdal Endpoint Detection and Response, Heimdal DNS Security - Endpoint, Heimdal Threat Prevention, Heimdal Ransomware Encryption Protection

Overview

Cisco Umbrella delivers rapid DNS security with over 30,000 customers, providing outstanding threat protection and handling more than 600 billion requests daily. It's recognized for high threat efficacy in the SSE domain and integrates elements like SWG, ZTNA, CASB, and more.

Cisco Umbrella is renowned for its effective DNS-layer security against ransomware and phishing. It offers flexible content filtering and integrates seamlessly with existing networks while providing single-pane-of-glass management for centralized monitoring. Its robust threat intelligence and customizable policies are central to its appeal. Users highlight room for improvement in areas like WHOIS data inclusion, malware enhancement, and reporting analytics. Integration with other threat feeds and better client support are requested for more comprehensive coverage.

What are the key features of Cisco Umbrella?

DNS-Layer Security: Blocks malicious domains, preventing ransomware attacks.
Web Content Filtering: Allows users to manage lists for strict content control.
Seamless Integration: Blends with systems like Active Directory and Meraki.
Remote Protection: Keeps remote users safe across different locations.
Single-Pane Management: Facilitates effective monitoring and reporting.

What should users expect in reviews about Cisco Umbrella?

Threat Intelligence: Provides comprehensive malware and attack data.
Customizable Policies: Enables tailored security measures for users.
Integration Options: Works with diverse systems for holistic security.
Ease of Use: Offers a straightforward experience for administrators.
Remote Worker Security: Ensures protection outside traditional networks.

Industries implement Cisco Umbrella primarily for DNS-level security, web filtering, and protecting remote employees. It strengthens cybersecurity frameworks by blocking malware and avoiding access to harmful sites. The tool is widely integrated with Active Directory and Cisco Meraki, providing consistent internet security for employees.

Cisco

Heimdal Endpoint Security, is a comprehensive suite of security tools designed to safeguard devices from a range of cyber threats. Offering functionalities like Next-Generation Antivirus, Endpoint Detection and Response, Application Control, Firewall, and Mobile Device Management, Heimdal ensures a multi-layered defense against malware, suspicious activities, and unauthorized applications. Its benefits include proactive threat detection, enhanced efficiency through task automation, centralized management for streamlined administration, and dedicated mobile device security features. Targeted primarily at businesses and organizations of all sizes, Heimdal Endpoint Security caters to the diverse cybersecurity needs of modern enterprises, providing robust protection against evolving threats.

Heimdal

Sample Customers

Chart Industries, City of Aspen, Eastern Mountain Sports, FLEXcon, George Washington University, Jackson Municipal Airport Authority, Ohio Public Library Information Network, PTC, Richland Community College, Smart Motors, Tulane University, VeriClaim

Brother, Symbion, CPH West

Buyer's Guide

Domain Name System (DNS) Security

August 2025

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