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

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

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 15, 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

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Man...
Ranking in Access Management
10th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
17
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
14th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.8
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) (18th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Access Management category, the mindshare of F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is 1.9%, down from 2.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Gluu Flex is 1.4%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Access Management
 

Featured Reviews

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.
EV
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.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The portal access was very good."
"Our organization is small - a college with about 3,500 students. We use F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager to protect our site, especially from the Iranian attacks we faced last year. We restrict access to only inside the country."
"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."
"This is a product that is easy to install and integrate, and it is simple to use."
"The tool is reliable and easy to configure."
"On a scale from one to ten for stability, I would rate F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) a ten."
"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."
"The product allows us to create customized portals for your users."
"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."
"The price of this product can be improved."
"F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) does not have a direction for SaaS."
"The solution is quite costly."
"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."
"I have had a lot of issues in the past few months with the agents, which was disappointing."
"I would like to see features around federation, authentication, authorization, and AI APIs with a ChatGPT interface."
"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."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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 a little bit expensive."
"The tool is cheaper compared to typical German products. I rate the product’s pricing a four out of ten."
"The price is reasonable."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Access Management solutions are best for your needs.
865,384 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
15%
Government
11%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
10%
Insurance Company
49%
Government
15%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Media Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
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.
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...
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.
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...
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 ...
 

Also Known As

F5 Access Policy Manager
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

City Bank, Ricacorp Properties, Miele, American Systems, Bangladesh Post Office
Dubai Municipality
Find out what your peers are saying about F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) vs. Gluu Flex and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
865,384 professionals have used our research since 2012.