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

F5 and Gluu Inc are both solutions in the Access Management category. F5 is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.3, while Gluu Inc is ranked #12 with an average rating of 10.0. F5 holds a 2.0% mindshare in AM, compared to Gluu Inc’s 1.9% mindshare. Additionally, 88% of F5 users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Gluu Inc users who would recommend it.

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Man...

Read 18 F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) reviews

2,814 Views
619 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

Gluu Flex

Read 2 Gluu Flex reviews

656 Views
446 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Man...

Gluu Flex

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 28, 2025

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager and Gluu Flex are competing in the identity and access management category. F5 BIG-IP APM has an advantage in pricing and support, while Gluu Flex offers more robust features for complex environments.

Features: F5 BIG-IP APM delivers comprehensive security controls, enhancing application security across networks. It includes detailed policy management and secure remote access. Gluu Flex provides flexibility and open-source integration, enabling seamless connections for diverse digital identities. The choice between security depth and open-source adaptability often influences the decision.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: F5 BIG-IP APM implements a structured deployment process with strong support, reducing setup complexity. Gluu Flex offers a flexible deployment model that appeals to organizations valuing customization. In customer service, both maintain solid support with differing approaches, F5 focusing on guided processes, while Gluu emphasizes extensive documentation and community resources.

Pricing and ROI: F5 BIG-IP APM generally has higher setup costs but delivers strong ROI through extensive security features. Gluu Flex, with its open-source roots, usually presents a lower initial cost, attracting budget-focused organizations. However, ROI significantly depends on the utilization of its customizable features. Each choice depends on budget constraints and priorities, with F5's comprehensive package or Gluu's flexible framework being options.

To learn more, read our detailed F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) vs. Gluu Flex Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) vs. Gluu Flex

December 2025

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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

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Man...

Ranking in Access Management

9th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Secure Web Gateways (SWG) (15th), Network Access Control (NAC) (7th), SSL VPN (5th), Remote Access (10th)

Gluu Flex

Ranking in Access Management

12th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) (14th)

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Access Management category, the mindshare of F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is 2.0%, up from 1.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Gluu Flex is 1.9%, up from 1.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Access Management Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)	2.0%
Gluu Flex	1.9%
Other	96.1%

Access Management

Featured Reviews

SÜ

SalihUcpinar

Senior Cyber Security Consultant at KoçSistem

Has provided reliable policy controls and secure web access for large enterprises

I consider Cloudflare when evaluating centralized access control features; Cloudflare utilizes multi-factor authentication and full API support, while F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) needs to enhance its API support. I recommend F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) for large companies such as Tüpraş and Ford. Tüpraş is one of the biggest companies in Turkey, along with other customers such as Tofaş, Euroko, Koç Holding, and more. For on-premises deployment, I would rate it a 10. For cloud deployment, I would rate it a seven. I primarily use it on-premises. I rate F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) eight out of ten.

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EtienneVenter

Owner at Process2product

Facilitates improvement through feedback collection, quizzes, and event data generation

Gluu has a mobile app catering to field workers. Normal workers use the web app, a complete cloud-based solution. They log in on any device and access the system. Gluu filters and displays relevant information based on the user's role in the processes. Users can set it up to view as a viewer, worker, manager, or controller of the area. The front end offers different views but provides an easy dashboard for employees. On the dashboard, users can configure it to show tasks, related work instructions, and connected processes. It's very user-friendly, allowing end-users to understand their tasks and processes without needing in-depth knowledge.

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

"This is a product that is easy to install and integrate, and it is simple to use."

"I recommend F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) to others due to its reliability, and it is perceived as critical to security infrastructure."

"Stickiness is the most valuable feature of the product."

"The product allows us to create customized portals for your users."

"We have seen a return on investment from F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager. It provided access at a time when we didn't have it."

"The solution is stable and reliable."

"F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) provides excellent WAF and bot defense solutions."

"I rate the overall solution nine out of ten."

More F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) pros

"Most of the features are related to banking within this particular IT industry. Security and the market are also important features."

"Gluu has a mobile app catering to field workers. Normal workers use the web app, a complete cloud-based solution. They log in on any device and access the system."

Cons

"We do not have knowledgeable support teams locally."

"I have had a lot of issues in the past few months with the agents, which was disappointing."

"Regarding price, I'm not directly involved in purchasing, but our CIO thinks the product is very expensive. He's considering moving from the tool to Citrix NetScaler WAF because it's cheaper, and we already have Citrix for VDI. We got NetScaler almost free as part of our VDI deal. Three years ago, I convinced him to use the solution because it's better, but now, with budget constraints, he may want to switch."

"In my opinion, the GUI side needs some improvement based on my usage. Sometimes, it doesn't work as efficiently as the CLI side."

"The solution’s GUI looks very old."

"Integrating identity providers and single sign-on solutions can simplify user authentication and access control."

"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."

"F5 BIG-IP APM disconnects when you leave it for long enough, but that is natural for IT solutions to do. That's a little bit frustrating."

More F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) cons

"The tool integrates AI into the process modeling aspect. I believe this addition will significantly enhance usability. Additionally, it might be beneficial to have the capability to import content from other tools into this platform. Our platform follows its business process modeling notation standard, which differs from BPM. It uses a simpler notation, making it easier. The ability to import content from other tools could accommodate users accustomed to different standards."

"I would like to see features around federation, authentication, authorization, and AI APIs with a ChatGPT interface."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The tool is a little bit expensive."

"Recently, they have simplified the licensing"

"The product is very expensive."

"I rate the tool's pricing an eight out of ten."

"The tool is cheaper compared to typical German products. I rate the product’s pricing a four out of ten."

"The price is reasonable."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

14%

Manufacturing Company

12%

Government

Computer Software Company

Insurance Company

47%

Comms Service Provider

13%

Government

Media Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	9
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	9

No data available

Questions from the Community

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.

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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.

See all answers

What needs improvement with F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)?

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is not user-friendly and operates slowly. Additional features for architecture such as Anycast would be beneficial. The ability to run the Anycast feature woul...

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What do you like most about Gluu?

Gluu has a mobile app catering to field workers. Normal workers use the web app, a complete cloud-based solution. They log in on any device and access the system.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Gluu?

The tool is cheaper compared to typical German products. I rate the product’s pricing a four out of ten. The cost depends on the model you choose. If you go bigger, like a thousand or more users, t...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Gluu?

The tool integrates AI into the process modeling aspect. I believe this addition will significantly enhance usability. Additionally, it might be beneficial to have the capability to import content ...

See all answers

Comparisons

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CyberArk Privileged Access Manager vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Compared 5% of the time

Fortinet FortiGate vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Compared 5% of the time

Citrix Gateway vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Compared 5% of the time

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Compared 4% of the time

More F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) Competitors

OpenIAM Access Manager vs Gluu Flex

Compared 18% of the time

Microsoft Entra ID vs Gluu Flex

Compared 16% of the time

Okta Platform vs Gluu Flex

Compared 16% of the time

Auth0 Platform vs Gluu Flex

Compared 16% of the time

ProofID Access & Authentication vs Gluu Flex

Compared 11% of the time

More Gluu Flex Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

January 2026

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) report

Download F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) product report

Buyer's Guide

Access Management

January 2026

Download Gluu Flex product report

Also Known As

F5 Access Policy Manager

No data available

Overview

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is an access management proxy solution for managing global access to the enterprise networks, cloud providers, applications, and application programming interfaces (APIs). Through a single management interface, BIG-IP APM consolidates remote, mobile, network, virtual, and web access.

BIG-IP APM can also serve as a bridge between modern and classic authentication and authorization protocols and methods. For applications which are unable to support modern authentication and authorization protocols, like SAML and OAuth with OIDC, but which do support classic authentication methods, BIG-IP APM converts user credentials to the appropriate authentication standard supported by the application.

BIG-IP APM Benefits:

Ease of use
Flexibility
Ability to integrate with other systems
Security features
Granular access control
Responsive and helpful support team

BIG-IP APM Features:

Support for Identity Aware Proxy (IAP) enabling Zero Trust application access
Context-based authorization with dynamic L4/L7 ACLs
Integration with third-party MFA solutions
DTLS 2.0 mode for delivering and securing applications
SAML 2.0 identity federation support
Support for OAuth 2.0 authorization protocol
SSO support for classic authentication (Kerberos, header- based, etc.), credential caching, OAuth 2.0, SAML 2.0, and FIDO2 (U2F)
AAA server authentication and high-availability
Integration with leading IAM vendor products (Microsoft, Okta, Ping Identity)
BIG IP Edge Client and F5 Access integrate with VMware Horizon ONE (AirWatch), Microsoft Intune and IBM MaaS360
Risk-based access leveraging third-party UEBA and risk engines (HTTP Connector)

Reviews from Real Users

Below are some reviews and helpful feedback written by BIG-IP APM users.

Mahmmoud Rabie, Senior Site Reliability Engineer, writes that BIG-IP APM is "A highly stable solution for load balancing, but the initial setup is complex."

Clyde Livingston, Senior Process Specialist at Telstra, says that BIG-IP APM is "Easy to use, useful access remotely, but lacking stability."

Chris Lam, Senior Solution Consultant at Macroview Telecom Limited, states that BIG-IP APM is "Useful for remote access VPN and VPI integration with VMware.

Gluu Flex is designed for organizations seeking robust identity management solutions. It enhances security controls while streamlining complex processes, offering a scalable approach tailored to various business requirements.

Gluu Flex offers a comprehensive identity management platform optimized for scalability and security. With its focus on providing seamless user access and precise authentication mechanisms, it caters to enterprises seeking enhanced operational efficiency and risk mitigation. It integrates effortlessly into enterprise environments, offering configuration flexibility and strong endpoint security, crucial for modern business landscapes.

What features make Gluu Flex standout?

Adaptive Authentication: Customizable authentication mechanisms based on user behavior and risk levels.
Single Sign-On (SSO): Unified access across multiple applications with a single login.
API Security: Protects APIs by managing, securing, and authenticating access.
Access Management: Granular control over user permissions and access rights.
Scalability: Supports growing businesses by easily accommodating additional users and applications.

What benefits can one expect from using Gluu Flex?

Enhanced Security: Strengthens security posture by mitigating unauthorized access.
Increased Productivity: Streamlines user access, resulting in fewer login interruptions.
Cost Efficiency: Reduces need for multiple security tools, lowering management costs.
Regulatory Compliance: Helps meet industry standards and regulations effectively.

Industries like finance and healthcare implement Gluu Flex to maintain compliance and safeguard sensitive data. Retailers benefit from its capability to enhance user experiences through secure digital interactions. It supports digital transformation initiatives by integrating seamlessly with cloud services and on-premise infrastructures.

Gluu Inc

Sample Customers

City Bank, Ricacorp Properties, Miele, American Systems, Bangladesh Post Office

Dubai Municipality

Buyer's Guide

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) vs. Gluu Flex

December 2025

Free Report: F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) vs. Gluu Flex

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