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

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 29, 2026

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
14th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
17
Ranking in other categories
Secure Web Gateways (SWG) (18th), Network Access Control (NAC) (11th), SSL VPN (7th), Remote Access (18th)
Gluu Flex
Ranking in Access Management
25th
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) (31st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Access Management category, the mindshare of F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is 2.5%, up from 1.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Gluu Flex is 2.0%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Access Management Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)2.5%
Gluu Flex2.0%
Other95.5%
Access Management
 

Featured Reviews

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.
EV
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.

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."
"This is a product that is easy to install and integrate, and it is simple to use."
"F5 BIG-IP APM is relatively easy to use."
"We have had a good experience with customer service and support."
"It was very stable, the solution itself."
"The F5 Access Policy Manager is something that I have experience with and I am happy with it."
"Our customers have never complained about the stability"
"I rate the overall solution nine out of ten."
"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."
"Most of the features are related to banking within this particular IT industry. Security and the market are also important features."
 

Cons

"The initial setup was not easy."
"The solution is quite costly."
"The main improvement needed for F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is to integrate into the cloud-delivered services from F5."
"The technical support’s response time must be improved."
"The stability of the F5 BIG-IP APM could be better."
"Integrating identity providers and single sign-on solutions can simplify user authentication and access control."
"We do not have knowledgeable support teams locally."
"The solution is pretty technical. The initial setup is complex."
"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

"The tool is a little bit expensive."
"Recently, they have simplified the licensing"
"The product is very 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."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
14%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Government
8%
Construction Company
7%
Insurance Company
43%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Construction Company
10%
Media Company
5%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business9
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise9
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

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) 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...
What is your primary use case for F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)?
I am using F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) along with Bot Management, API Gateway, API Security, and F5 Cloud. I am using F5 Advanced WAF, but I switch between ZTNA solutions such as FortiSAS...
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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: August 2026.
909,725 professionals have used our research since 2012.