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ExtremeControl vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 5, 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
6.4
ExtremeControl's ROI opinions varied, with mixed views on financial returns, Wi-Fi connectivity, security benefits, and cost concerns.
Sentiment score
8.0
Organizations experience significant ROI from F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager through cost savings, security improvements, and critical access availability.
Having good connectivity through Wi-Fi is essential for the entire business.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.6
ExtremeControl's support is praised for problem-solving but criticized for upgrade policies, varying satisfaction levels among users.
Sentiment score
7.8
F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager support is professional and helpful, but users suggest improved response times and communication.
For technical support of ExtremeControl, I have no doubts that they cope with problems effectively.
They do not offer straightforward support if there is an issue unless we upgrade.
Most of the technical support is managed in-house due to our extensive experience with F5 products.
Even if they respond, they don't update me with the process or what's going on.
F5 technical support is responsive and helpful.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.7
Opinions on ExtremeControl's scalability vary, with some praising its capacity while others find it limited across platforms.
Sentiment score
7.8
F5 BIG-IP APM offers high scalability and usability for enterprises, with straightforward scaling and valuable traffic analysis tools.
For scalability in larger environments, it can be rated a maximum of 10.
The product's flexibility and company culture contribute to resolving these challenges.
I would rate the scalability of F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) between seven and eight.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.7
ExtremeControl is highly stable, with users consistently rating it 8-9/10, indicating reliable performance meeting expectations.
Sentiment score
8.0
F5 BIG-IP APM is highly rated for stability, enabling reliable remote work despite minor log issues.
On a scale from one to ten for stability, I would rate F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) a ten.
Sometimes, the logs are not quite informational or easy to understand.
 

Room For Improvement

ExtremeControl requires better user control, third-party integration, on-premise enhancements, and clarity on wireless component configuration for optimal performance.
F5 BIG-IP APM needs improvements in usability, integration, documentation, reporting, and support to enhance cloud integration and competitiveness.
We rely more on the cloud for analytics rather than on-premise, and some customers prefer relying on an on-premise solution rather than a cloud solution.
There is also another product called UZTNA, which is said to have NAC in this solution, but it is not as advanced as our regular ExtremeControl.
For their wired network, especially with third-party switching, this is where most of the features are lost.
If I could copy and paste objects instead of picking and configuring them from scratch each time, it would be great.
The main improvement needed for F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is to integrate into the cloud-delivered services from F5.
F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) does not have a direction for SaaS.
 

Setup Cost

ExtremeControl offers competitive pricing for large enterprises, but may be costly for smaller ones due to minimum user requirements.
F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager is costly but valued for its reliability; licensing is simplified, though cloud costs vary.
Compared to other competitors, they have the best pricing.
The pricing of ExtremeControl is considerable; I would rate it at eight or nine.
For smaller ones, they need to consider that the price for less than 1,000 users is important, as this is the minimum number of users required for a license.
F5 products are more expensive than other solutions but are valued for their quality and reliability.
 

Valuable Features

ExtremeControl provides robust security, seamless integration, and easy use with flexible policies and comprehensive network monitoring.
F5 BIG-IP APM offers a robust, scalable platform with secure remote access, customization, and easy integration, ideal for corporate environments.
The biggest benefits for my customers from ExtremeControl include the ability to integrate third-party devices, integration with user databases like Microsoft Active Directory or other directory software, and it is easy to maintain by customers.
The most effective feature of ExtremeControl is that whenever any user is connected through the network, I can really dig down and check exactly what applications they have been using.
Integrating ExtremeControl with ExtremeConnect provides an additional layer of security and control over what devices are onboarding to the network, granting full visibility.
APM is quite flexible for customers to use, providing secure remote access through various host-checking conditions for both machines and users.
It provides robust security and offers integration with multi-factor authentication systems, which is crucial for an organization's security policy.
A lot of features are useful to me, including mostly the authentication, SAML, or SSO, with no sign-on.
 

Categories and Ranking

ExtremeControl
Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)
12th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.1
Number of Reviews
8
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Man...
Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)
8th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
17
Ranking in other categories
Secure Web Gateways (SWG) (17th), SSL VPN (5th), Remote Access (9th), Access Management (9th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Network Access Control (NAC) category, the mindshare of ExtremeControl is 1.8%, down from 1.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is 0.8%, down from 1.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Network Access Control (NAC)
 

Featured Reviews

Jose Mota - PeerSpot reviewer
Has a simple setup process, but it could be affordable
We have noticed similarities between Extreme and Ubiquiti, particularly in their functionality, like how they operate wirelessly and can be managed from the cloud or locally. Based on our experience, Ubiquiti's system may be more user-friendly and capable of handling heavy loads. Still, Extreme could be more reliable, although you have yet to compare them side by side directly. For instance, we have observed Extreme performing well in a warehouse environment, which might have a different level of network traffic than a convention center.
Ashish Kumar Rai - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers remote access control, good GUI and easy to configure
I'd suggest improved documentation integration directly within the GUI. Right now, finding comprehensive documentation often requires going to external websites like the community portal. In the APM interface itself, they could add direct hyperlinks to relevant online documentation. This would provide easy access to admin guides and other resources when working within the GUI.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Healthcare Company
9%
Government
9%
Retailer
8%
Financial Services Firm
15%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Government
10%
Computer Software Company
10%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about ExtremeControl?
It has effectively enhanced network security and integrated with other security tools to streamline operations.
What needs improvement with ExtremeControl?
Regarding improvements for ExtremeControl, I think it is good as it is; however, some other products can support features like certificate management, which ExtremeControl currently lacks. Adding c...
What is your primary use case for ExtremeControl?
The main use cases for ExtremeControl among my customers are to authenticate the users here for the end systems in their companies and to manage authentication, authorization, and systems, and they...
What do you like most about F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)?
In my opinion, the GUI is perfect with the configuration options provided. F5 BIG-IP has given customization options and policy configuration tools in the GUI. It's good and good enough to work.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)?
F5 products are more expensive than other solutions but are valued for their quality and reliability, akin to purchasing a Bentley as opposed to an Audi.
What needs improvement with F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)?
F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM ( /categories/application-performance-monitoring-apm-and-observability )) does not have a direction for SaaS. Most solutions focus more on remote access and acc...
 

Also Known As

Extreme Access Control, Enterasys NAC
F5 Access Policy Manager
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Street Crane, Robert Bosch, Molex Chengdu, Weir Valves & Controls UK, Renault, AESSEAL, Ducati, Alexander Dennis, UK Ministry of Defence, Manz
City Bank, Ricacorp Properties, Miele, American Systems, Bangladesh Post Office
Find out what your peers are saying about ExtremeControl vs. F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
859,579 professionals have used our research since 2012.