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F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) vs Sangfor SSL VPN comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on May 21, 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 SSL VPN
5th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
18
Ranking in other categories
Secure Web Gateways (SWG) (15th), Network Access Control (NAC) (7th), Remote Access (10th), Access Management (9th)
Sangfor SSL VPN
Ranking in SSL VPN
8th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
Enterprise Infrastructure VPN (18th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the SSL VPN category, the mindshare of F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is 7.3%, down from 14.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Sangfor SSL VPN is 5.1%, up from 2.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
SSL VPN Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)7.3%
Sangfor SSL VPN5.1%
Other87.6%
SSL VPN
 

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.
MW
IT & Statistical Officer at THQ Hospital Choubara
Easy-to-use platform with an efficient user authentication process
There is an area of improvement related to the configuration of specific numbers required for compatibility with banks in our country. The platform initially had limited numbers available for configuration, which posed a challenge as banks operate on different numbers. To address this, we had to request Sangfor Management to add the required numbers, which they later accommodated.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I recommend F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) to others due to its reliability, and it is perceived as critical to security infrastructure."
"The load balancing features are valuable."
"Stickiness is the most valuable feature of the product."
"On a scale from one to ten for stability, I would rate F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) a ten."
"Our customers have never complained about the stability"
"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 solution is stable and reliable."
"I rate the overall solution nine out of ten."
"The most valuable feature is our ability to limit access by user, IP address, or MAC address."
"Sangfor SSL VPN provides secure encryption for communication."
"The platform is easy to use."
"It is a stable solution...The initial setup of the product is very easy."
"Sangfor SSL VPN has a user-friendly user interface."
"Sangfor SSL VPN is a secure and user-friendly solution."
 

Cons

"We do not have knowledgeable support teams locally."
"F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager has room for improvement in integration with other products."
"Integrating identity providers and single sign-on solutions can simplify user authentication and access control."
"Cloud services are something that F5 Access Policy Manager could do better"
"The solution’s GUI looks very old."
"The operational deployment is not great."
"F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) does not have a direction for SaaS."
"F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is not user-friendly and operates slowly."
"In redundancy mode, when the firewall goes off, the VPN should be able to connect to the secondary firewall automatically."
"I think Sangfor can provide a web-based SSL VPN version."
"No solution is perfect, so there is room for improvement."
"The technical support team takes around two months to respond to queries. It is very time-consuming."
"Sangfor SSL VPN should provide advanced protection against ransomware and better data analysis."
"The solution's integration with other firewall vendors could be improved."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Recently, they have simplified the licensing"
"I rate the tool's pricing an eight out of ten."
"The tool is a little bit expensive."
"The product is very expensive."
"The first 30 licenses are free, and you have to purchase the rest if required."
"The product is inexpensive."
"The pricing is good and the standard license allows for 30 users."
"My company has a three-year license for Sangfor SSL VPN."
"Sangfor SSL VPN is a cheap solution."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
14%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Government
9%
Computer Software Company
9%
Computer Software Company
14%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Healthcare Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business9
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise9
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) 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 needs improvement with Sangfor SSL VPN?
The solution's integration with other firewall vendors could be improved. Its interoperability matrices and different configurations with other vendor products also need improvements. Our client ha...
 

Also Known As

F5 Access Policy Manager
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

City Bank, Ricacorp Properties, Miele, American Systems, Bangladesh Post Office
Investcorp, Central Bancorp, Griffiths & Armour
Find out what your peers are saying about F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) vs. Sangfor SSL VPN and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
880,481 professionals have used our research since 2012.