F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) vs Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway comparison

F5 and Kaspersky are both solutions in the Secure Web Gateways (SWG) category. F5 is ranked #15 with an average rating of 8.3, while Kaspersky is ranked #23 with an average rating of 8.3. F5 holds a 1.4% mindshare in WSG, compared to Kaspersky’s 0.4% mindshare. Additionally, 88% of F5 users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Kaspersky users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 4, 2024

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager and Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway compete in the network security category. F5 BIG-IP APM has the upper hand due to its extensive features like scalability and customizable portals, appealing primarily to large enterprises.

Features: F5 BIG-IP APM includes SSL VPN, load balancing, and comprehensive integration features. Kaspersky focuses on antivirus and child protection features and offers firewall capabilities alongside mobile device management.

Room for Improvement: F5 BIG-IP APM can enhance cloud services, reporting, and customer support response times. Kaspersky should improve its mobile notification system and provide better pricing differentiation and comprehensive protection for internet-connected devices.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: F5 BIG-IP APM supports on-premises and hybrid cloud deployment and is generally well-regarded for customer support, despite some slow response times. Kaspersky supports on-premises with some public cloud options and is praised for positive support experiences, though faster resolutions are desired.

Pricing and ROI: Both are expensive solutions. F5 BIG-IP APM's flexible licensing and high cost are balanced by strong ROI from its efficiency. Kaspersky has slightly more affordable standard licensing without unexpected costs, appealing to smaller deployments.

To learn more, read our detailed F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) vs. Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) vs. Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway

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

iboss

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Secure Web Gateways (SWG) category, the mindshare of iboss is 2.4%, up from 1.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is 1.4%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway is 0.4%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Secure Web Gateways (SWG) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
iboss	2.4%
F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)	1.4%
Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway	0.4%
Other	95.8%

Secure Web Gateways (SWG)

Featured Reviews

reviewer2701851

Managing Director

Enhances web security with a single pane of glass and flexible deployment

I don't see any need for improvement; one of the really good things about iboss as a company is that they listen to customer feedback. I have suggested enhancements, and they are responsive, making changes for the better, and they do a lot of testing. To improve iboss, although we haven't used it, we considered the VPN solution that comes with the highest tier licensing, which includes DLP and various other add-ons. We prefer using another product which automatically logs you back onto your network when turning on your PC. With iboss, the connection is manual, which doesn't meet our needs. Additionally, sizing can be tricky because, although the initial recommendations may seem adequate, actual usage may require more gateways than anticipated.

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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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reviewer2736225

Program Manager at a hospitality company with 51-200 employees

Effective threat protection with room for cost and usability improvements

There are some drawbacks that I would mention. To be frank, enterprises always look for cost benefits, so Kaspersky could implement some price benefits. Additionally, regarding know-how, if I am an experienced person it's fine, but when someone novice is working with it, they need information about why certain actions are required. Security is a field that is very vast, and implications are not known to everyone. In future updates, a quick walk-through and know-how features would be beneficial, such as information text at relevant places. This will increase usability. Feature-wise, an impact analysis would be a really good addition.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"iboss is among the few products providing inline filtering where no application is needed on the device."

"Its initial setup was straightforward."

"Valuable features: Within the filter: Controls (Web categories, applications, and Allow/Block list) and Network (local Subnets). Within the reporter: Logs (Event Log) and Reports."

"I would definitely recommend iboss for web filtering purposes to other organizations or individuals."

"Granular setup, which was able to set different levels of filters using the OUs in the AD."

"From a use-case scenario, what I like the most is the plug-in. I like the fact that we can do the filtering of these devices offsite independent of the network they are connected to, and we do not have to have traffic coming back inside our network."

"It was a very easy product to install. It can be deployed very fast."

"The console is cloud-based, which is something I really appreciate."

More iboss pros

"The tool is reliable and easy to configure."

"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."

"A lot of features are useful to me, including mostly the authentication, SAML, or SSO, with no sign-on."

"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 load balancing features are valuable."

"F5 BIG-IP APM is relatively easy to use."

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

"On a scale from one to ten for stability, I would rate F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) a ten."

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

"The most valuable feature of Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway is the antivirus."

"I would recommend it to others as it's easy to use."

"The most valuable aspect for me is the user-friendly interface."

"The most valuable features of the solution are the antivirus and child protection features."

"The password thing is very good, and the overall URL protection."

"Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway has positively impacted our organization by helping us control unwanted attacks and limiting our exposure to risks."

"When it comes to threat detection, it is very strict with file downloads and uploads. It sends reports and quarantines suspicious files."

Cons

"If they could implement an extra security layer preventing access to iboss from the open internet, it would be great."

"The area I would like to see improvement in is the ability with in the reporter to navigate directly to the content the user is traversing. It is kind of there, but it's not perfect. Quite frequently, I receive links that lead me to pages with error messages."

"To scale up, a new iboss Node Blade Chassis must be purchased."

"File integrity monitoring would be very advantageous as an additional feature."

"For zero trust implementation, we encountered complexity issues, especially with a large infrastructure company ExxonMobil."

"I am currently doing a PoC of the zero trust aspect of it. Compared to other similar solutions, it is hard to get around each feature. It takes a while to get used to it."

"Our biggest problem with their service was it did not recognize the device and filtering did not always work correctly."

"Sometimes the agent stops working in iboss, and we have to reinstall the agent."

More iboss cons

"The initial setup was complex."

"The operational deployment is not great."

"F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager has room for improvement in integration with other products."

"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."

"F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) does not have a direction for SaaS."

"The solution is quite costly."

"F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is not user-friendly and operates slowly."

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

"There is room for improvement in terms of the pricing."

"I believe the absence of a procedure is the main issue."

"In different locations, they're priced differently, but that's mainly marketing rather than the product features."

"The initial setup of Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway is complex. The full deployment took approximately two weeks."

"The customer support of the product is an area with shortcomings where improvements are required."

"It might be helpful to have notifications on mobile devices, especially if the same browser profile is used on both mobile and laptop."

"When I do a configuration, I do not know what implication it will have downstream."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We have not priced the solution recently, but they were competitive with other vendors in the past."

"It is probably in line with other solutions, but I do not deal with the financial side."

"It is expensive compared to one of its competitors."

"We had the cost of purchasing a new appliance along with the implementation and licensing costs. However, the following year, the cost of just licensing was similar to what was paid the previous year for a new appliance along with the implementation and licensing costs."

"It is not expensive, and it is also not cheap. iboss is priced right in the sweet spot for the number of features it offers."

"The overall pricing for iboss is very competitive and transparent."

"The product is very expensive."

"Recently, they have simplified the licensing"

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

"The tool is a little bit expensive."

"I rate the product's price an eight on a scale of one to ten, where one is very cheap, and ten is very expensive."

"The cost is relatively high, and as a licensed product, there are restrictions on the number of users permitted per license."

"It is expensive."

"I would rate the pricing a seven out of ten, with ten being very expensive and one being cheap. It's neither too cheap nor too expensive."

"Personal computer licenses can be expensive if you were to scale the solution extensively. However, large companies will most likely use Endpoint solutions and not this one."

"I am okay with the pricing."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

No data available

Financial Services Firm

14%

Manufacturing Company

12%

Government

Computer Software Company

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	5

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

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	2

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with iboss?

For zero trust implementation, we encountered complexity issues, especially with a large infrastructure company Exxon...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for iboss?

Previously when I used iboss, we did the POC for iboss for ExxonMobil. Four or five people wanted to move from our ol...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for iboss?

Regarding pricing, setup costs, and licensing, iboss is not cheap, and that's my only concern. There are cheaper alte...

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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 ...

See all answers

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 purchas...

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 ...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway?

Regarding pricing, I'll be exactly on the brink, neither for it nor against it because being a small company, it's a ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway?

We work with a cloud solution. The product that we use is developed as a SaaS model. In this case, we work with AWS a...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway?

That's a very generic feedback. I would not have much information about threat intelligence metrics through Kaspersky...

See all answers

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Compared 20% of the time

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Compared 19% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

iboss

January 2026

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Buyer's Guide

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

January 2026

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) report

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Buyer's Guide

Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway

January 2026

Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway report

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Also Known As

iBoss Cloud Platform

F5 Access Policy Manager

No data available

Overview

Iboss offers a comprehensive cloud-based security platform valued for its scalability and autonomous features, ensuring robust security with easy deployment and management capabilities.

Renowned for its robust security architecture, Iboss integrates seamlessly within diverse networks, delivering efficient granular filtering and advanced content categorization. Its single pane of glass console provides ease of management, allowing rapid scalability suitable for rapidly deploying environments. Operates in BYOD setups due to inline filtering without device installation. Integration with cloud-based applications enhances user control, and features like SASE, SSL inspection, and ChatGPT risk protection stand as highlights. Despite its strengths, users have pointed out areas for enhancement like direct navigation in reports, SSL decryption, and better cloud integration while having room to improve data loss prevention.

What are the most important features of Iboss?

Scalability: Supports rapid deployment across diverse networks.
SASE: A consolidated approach to secure access.
SSL Inspection: Ensures safe data transmission.
Granular Filtering: Detailed control over accessible content.
Single Pane Management: Unifies control through a centralized console.

What benefits should users consider in reviews?

Cost-effectiveness: Offers competitive pricing with robust features.
Autonomous Operation: Reduces management overhead.
Responsive Support: Provides assistance when needed.
Flexible Deployment: Available for both cloud and on-premises environments.

The usage of Iboss spans educational institutions, specifically K-12, to enforce internet policies, protect data, and support remote work environments. It provides web filtering and security frameworks to ensure safe browsing. Its platform-as-a-service model offers flexibility for both cloud-based and on-premises requirements, integrating seamlessly to deliver enhanced security features suitable for various deployment needs including zero trust, CASB, and network security for work-from-home setups.

iboss

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.

Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway is a comprehensive security solution designed to protect businesses from a wide range of cyber threats. It provides advanced protection against malware, phishing, spam, and other types of cyber attacks, ensuring that businesses can operate safely and securely online. The solution is easy to deploy and manage, with a user-friendly interface that allows administrators to configure and monitor security policies from a central location. It also includes advanced reporting and analytics tools, enabling businesses to gain insights into their security posture and identify potential vulnerabilities. Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway uses a range of advanced technologies to provide comprehensive protection against cyber threats. These include signature-based detection, behavioral analysis, and machine learning algorithms, which work together to identify and block malicious activity in real-time. The solution also includes advanced anti-spam and anti-phishing capabilities, which help to prevent employees from falling victim to email-based attacks. It can also be configured to block access to malicious websites and prevent the download of potentially harmful files.

Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway is a powerful and effective security solution that provides businesses with the protection they need to operate safely and securely online. With its advanced features and easy-to-use interface, it is an ideal choice for businesses of all sizes looking to enhance their cyber security posture.

Kaspersky

Sample Customers

More than 4,000 global enterprises trust the iboss Cloud Platform to support their modern workforces, including a large number of Fortune 50 companies.

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

Tael, Insolar, Goods.ru, Republic of Serbia

Buyer's Guide

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) vs. Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway

December 2025

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