Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] vs Steelhead comparison

Citrix and Riverbed are both solutions in the WAN Optimization category. Additionally, 90% of Citrix users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of Riverbed users who would recommend it.
Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]
Read 22 Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] reviews
    90% willing to recommend
    Steelhead
    Read 25 Steelhead reviews
    • 572 Views
    • 281 Comparison Views
    95% willing to recommend
     

    Comparison Buyer's Guide

    Download the report
    Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 30, 2025

    Steelhead and Citrix SD-WAN compete in the WAN optimization solutions category. While Steelhead excels in optimization capabilities, Citrix SD-WAN has the upper hand with advanced features suited to modern network environments.

    Features: Steelhead offers data compression, TCP optimization, and scalable data referencing for LAN-like speeds over WAN. It provides powerful caching, broad application optimization, and comprehensive management tools. Citrix SD-WAN stands out with connectivity between branches, cost-effectiveness in replacing MPLS, and zero-touch deployment, alongside strong cloud management features and load balancing capabilities.

    Room for Improvement: Steelhead needs enhanced traffic handling, improved QoS setup, and a better RIOS upgrading process, with suggestions for more robust encrypted traffic management. Citrix SD-WAN requires improved domain-based routing, simplified installation, effective troubleshooting, and more affordable pricing, with a need for robust security integration.

    Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Both Steelhead and Citrix SD-WAN offer on-premises deployment, with Citrix additionally supporting cloud options. Steelhead is known for straightforward on-premises setups, while Citrix provides cloud management flexibility. Both products have strong customer service, although Steelhead's support can be slower, while Citrix's service is efficient and proactive.

    Pricing and ROI: Steelhead is perceived as expensive but offers significant bandwidth savings and improved user experience, with high initial costs but reasonable licensing afterward. Citrix SD-WAN also has a high price, challenging in cost-sensitive markets, though its deployment options and functionalities offer good ROI through saved bandwidth costs.

    DOWNLOAD THE COMPLETE REPORT
    To learn more, read our detailed WAN Optimization Report (Updated: May 2025).
    Buyer's Guide
    WAN Optimization
    May 2025
    Download the complete report
    Helped 857,028 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

    Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]
    Average Rating
    8.2
    Reviews Sentiment
    7.4
    Number of Reviews
    22
    Ranking in other categories
    No ranking in other categories
    Steelhead
    Average Rating
    8.4
    Reviews Sentiment
    7.6
    Number of Reviews
    25
    Ranking in other categories
    WAN Optimization (3rd), WAN Edge (14th)
     

    Featured Reviews

    Rohit Ghorpade - PeerSpot reviewer
    A scalable solution for MCN controller but lacks technical supports, upgrades
    There are a few things that can be improved, are domain-based routing and the slowness of virtual parts, and it may be due to the wrong configuration, which we have been unable to find out. Previously, we faced some issues with the slowness part. Apart from that, feature like end gateway level antivirus. We are currently using a NetFlow proxy to establish a virtual position for the NetFlow. Our current environment has many use cases, but we are not using them on the Citrix SD-WAN. When I navigate the NCL part, it involves configuration. I want to highlight this disadvantage. Sometimes, when we push the configuration, it tries to push it to all branch locations. This process takes a lot of time, nearly 30 minutes, to push a single change from the NCL. Overall, I don't think Citrix meets our use cases what we have. This is based on my feedback after using it for the past year and working on this Citrix SD-WAN. However, from my experience, it is the worst solution I have seen. There's no domain-based routing, which is horrible. That's why we are moving to other products. We have checked our use case requirements with Fortinet, Palo Alto, and they meet them. I will consider the PoC or another OEM. There are many things in the area you need to be prompt, like the automation part. If any link or device goes down, alerting notification, etc. We need to perform and highlight so many things to your management. This should be improved.
    Read full review
    Raj Metkar - PeerSpot reviewer
    Auto-optimization mode enhance efficiency & bandwidth saving, best layer 7 QoS shaping policy can be achieved with ease
    There are several features specific to branches, like keeping data hot and active on Steelhead devices. These features prevent unnecessary data travel across the international MPLS. Additionally, functions like acting as an NTP server, DNS, DHCP for branches and auto-optimization mode enhance efficiency along with really good QoS for bandwidth shaping.
    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

    "The scalability and stability are quite good in general."
    "The VPN and the load balancing are the most valuable features."
    "The best feature is the backup capability, where all of the users' computers are tied into a central data repository."
    "It allows you to combine two asymmetrical connections."
    "The main advantage of Citrix SD-WAN is that it enables fast communication between our branches and data centers. And, with its cloud management features, it also makes the process of adding new branches into our company network much easier."
    "The solution is brilliant, the way it calculates its paths and trails is great."
    "The reliability of connectivity is most valuable."
    "They have a zero downtime failover mechanism, where, when there's a link failure or a link weakness, or bad link conditions, they provide the ability to fail back seamlessly."
    More Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] pros
    "The most valuable feature of Steelhead is its optimization capabilities."
    "I find the most valuable to be the compression and exchange replication."
    "One of our most valuable features is Steelhead's cloud migration optimization. Moving to the cloud helped optimize our workflow, improving performance for end-users."
    "It is very easy to install the solution."
    "The connectivity to speed is the valuable feature."
    "SteelHead works from the application. I use it to optimize traffic from Amazon. It is mainly used for customers who need to increase the traffic to 33K. For other users, it has been more of an operation."
    "Steelhead is stable, and it can even help you avoid service interruption in the event of a power outage. If your hardware fails, technical support will replace your device quickly."
    "The compression of Riverbed is very powerful. It can also handle large quantities of traffic."
    More Steelhead pros
     

    Cons

    "There are a few things that can be improved, are domain-based routing and the slowness of virtual parts, and it may be due to the wrong configuration, which we have been unable to find out."
    "I would like to see support for additional reporting."
    "Even though the monitoring is pretty good, there is some room for improvement there."
    "Citrix SD-WAN does not have the SD-WAN with one optimization in a single license. Other competitors have this option and it should be added to this solution."
    "The communication around the life cycle would have been really helpful. The main issue we have had is related to the life cycle because some of the things that we are using were discontinued. They were discontinued within a year after we had purchased it, which is a bit painful. If we had known that, we would've made some other decisions."
    "Given that Citrix SD-WAN solved all our problems by providing us with everything we needed to unify communications with our branches and data centers, I cannot suggest anything further in terms of improvements."
    "The price is the only thing that could be improved. Citrix is not a cheap solution."
    "Citrix should continue to offer a perpetual licensing model because it is very important to us."
    More Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] cons
    "Steelhead's handling of encrypted traffic could be improved because it requires some complex configuration to optimize encrypted traffic, especially when working with Microsoft protocols for mail servers and VPN services"
    "They should include a network switch in a future release."
    "The application response time of the solution can be improved."
    "There was a significant challenge when moving from an older version to a newer one due to changed quality of service policies."
    "Application response time and network performance could be improved."
    "The product should offer more integration capabilities."
    "If we load a primary firewall, the secondary firewall usually handles all the active connections, but in Riverbed, this isn't the case. We lose all the active connections at the moment of failure."
    "I would like to see improvement in the solution’s configuration and protocol aspects. We have got some configurations that are not set. I would also like to simplify the call detection of some protocols."
    More Steelhead cons
     

    Pricing and Cost Advice

    "I'm not quite sure of the price ranges. Roughly, the hidden devices can scale up to $20K for one appliance. However, the branch CPs are USD $1,000 to $2,500."
    "The price of the subscription should be cheaper."
    "It is a bit expensive. A cheaper product would be good, but everybody likes things to be cheaper. We bought the devices up front, and then we pay for the annual support."
    "Citrix SD-WAN is quite an affordable product."
    "It depends on the scale. In our case, it would have been better if we had known about the life cycling steps, but otherwise, it is worth the money."
    "I believe that Citrix SD-WAN is a good investment, but I do not have the information to be more specific."
    "As NetScaler is now, I find it quite pricey."
    "It's a little bit on the high side compared to the other products."
    More Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] pricing and cost advice
    "The solution is expensive and the service contacts are costly too. The cost of the device makes the value proposition borderline acceptable for us. The service contract fees we pay is approximately $30,000 annually."
    "Across our 12 data centers, we spend around $150k annually."
    report
    See which vendors are best for you
    Use our free recommendation engine to learn which WAN Optimization solutions are best for your needs.
    See recommendations
    857,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.
     

    Top Industries

    By visitors reading reviews
    Computer Software Company
    27%
    Real Estate/Law Firm
    10%
    Educational Organization
    6%
    Government
    5%
    Computer Software Company
    19%
    Manufacturing Company
    13%
    Government
    11%
    Financial Services Firm
    10%
     

    Company Size

    By reviewers
    Large Enterprise
    Midsize Enterprise
    Small Business
     

    Questions from the Community

    What do you like most about Citrix SD-WAN?
    It lowered our Internet costs and gave me the flexibility to choose providers based on each location's connectivity.
    See all answers
    What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Citrix SD-WAN?
    It is on the expensive side. I would give it an eight out of ten in terms of costliness. In my region, the approximate cost for the Citrix SD-WAN license is around $150 per user per year. However, ...
    See all answers
    What needs improvement with Citrix SD-WAN?
    The solution's licensing model could be improved. Citrix SD-WAN is a good product from a technical point of view. However, when you compare its licensing with the prices of competitors, you will se...
    See all answers
    What is the best network monitoring software for large enterprises?
    We just did an assessment for our 47 datacenters around North America. The top two enterprise-level network monitoring solutions were ExtraHop first, Riverbed SteelCenter second. Their negotiated c...
    See all answers
    What do you like most about Riverbed Steelhead?
    One of our most valuable features is Steelhead's cloud migration optimization. Moving to the cloud helped optimize our workflow, improving performance for end-users.
    See all answers
    What is your primary use case for Riverbed Steelhead?
    In the past, we have sold a lot of Steelhead ( /products/steelhead-reviews ) for retail companies, insurance companies, some finance companies, and some engineering companies. Steelhead ( /products...
    See all answers
     

    Comparisons

    Fortinet FortiGate vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] Logo
    Fortinet FortiGate vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]
    Compared 38% of the time
    Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] Logo
    Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]
    Compared 32% of the time
    Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] Logo
    Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]
    Compared 30% of the time
    More Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] Competitors
    Fortinet FortiGate vs Steelhead Logo
    Fortinet FortiGate vs Steelhead
    Compared 27% of the time
    Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs Steelhead Logo
    Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs Steelhead
    Compared 22% of the time
    Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform vs Steelhead Logo
    Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform vs Steelhead
    Compared 20% of the time
    WAAS vs Steelhead Logo
    WAAS vs Steelhead
    Compared 17% of the time
    Noction IRP vs Steelhead Logo
    Noction IRP vs Steelhead
    Compared 14% of the time
    More Steelhead Competitors
     

    Product Reports

    Buyer's Guide
    Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]
    June 2025
    Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] reportDownload Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] product report
    Buyer's Guide
    Steelhead
    May 2025
    Steelhead reportDownload Steelhead product report
     

    Also Known As

    Citrix CloudBridge, WOC, NetScaler SD-WAN
    RIverbed Steelhead
     

    Overview

    Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] enhances network stability, redundancy, and reliability, supporting connectivity between branches, optimizing internet access, and enabling secure, redundant networks, both on-premises and cloud-based.

    Corporations utilize Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] to improve network performance, minimize downtime, and ensure high availability. Combining communication methods and supporting interbranch internet routing, it assists businesses in transitioning from MPLS, centralizing monitoring, and optimizing bandwidth use. Its functionality includes secure connections, cost reductions, and effective management of internet access. The support for multiple communication methods, application reliability, and ease of implementation make it a valuable tool for modern network management.

    What key features does Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] offer?
    • Security: Enhanced protection to safeguard network data
    • IPv6 layering over IPv4: Ensures compatibility and future-proofing
    • Active-Active bandwidth use: Maximizes bandwidth utilization
    • Zero downtime failover: Maintains continuous operation during failures
    • Zero-touch deployment: Simplifies the installation process
    • Application reliability: Ensures high performance for critical applications
    • Cost-effectiveness: Reduces overall networking expenses
    • Central deployment: Facilitates easy configuration updates and management
    What benefits should users look for in Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] reviews?
    • Enhanced performance: Improved application and connectivity speed
    • Increased reliability: Minimized network downtime and interruptions
    • Centralized monitoring: Streamlined network oversight and control
    • Scalable security: Adaptable protection for evolving network needs
    • Cost savings: Lower operational costs compared to traditional MPLS
    • Flexibility: Ability to handle multiple network functions effectively

    Industries implement Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] to replace costly MPLS setups with more flexible VPN and NetScaler options, benefiting sectors like finance, healthcare, and retail that require robust, secure, and scalable network solutions. Organizations achieve better device management and efficient connectivity across multiple branches, enhancing their operational effectiveness.

    Citrix

    Steelhead is the leading network optimization and application performance solution chosen by over 30,000 organizations worldwide. The performance of networks and applications directly impacts business productivity. Riverbed draws from nearly two decades of experience in driving network and application performance over Wide Area Networks with its flagship offering, SteelHead. SteelHead delivers the underlying technology that helps enterprises of all sizes maximize the efficiency and performance of the networks and applications used to run modern business. 

    SteelHead is proven to dramatically speed up the performance of applications anywhere in the organization while delivering the best end-user experience even under sub optimal network conditions. Reduce bandwidth utilization by up to 95%, deferring costly network bandwidth upgrades. Increase performance by up to 100x for on-premises applications.

    Riverbed
     

    Sample Customers

    AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Cornerstone Home Lending Inc., Dallara, ecVision, Essar, Eurofred, Groupe Promutuel, HMSHost Corporation, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Ltd, Royal Caribbean International
    ElAraby, SFK Leblanc, Bobst Group, Northwest Pipe Company, Halkbank, Tradebridge, EFG Hermes
    Buyer's Guide
    WAN Optimization
    May 2025
    Download Free Report
    Find out what your peers are saying about Cato Networks, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Riverbed and others in WAN Optimization. Updated: May 2025.
    DOWNLOAD NOW
    857,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.
    See our list of best WAN Optimization vendors and best WAN Edge vendors.

    We monitor all WAN Optimization reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.