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F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) vs Surfshark One 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)
Surfshark One
Ranking in SSL VPN
10th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

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 Surfshark One is 3.3%, up from 1.1% 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%
Surfshark One3.3%
Other89.4%
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.
WK
Head of Information Security at K2 Baseline Sdn Bhd
Offers ease of use and has an initial setup phase that is straightforward
The tool's performance is quite good till now, so I have no complaints about it. The tool still blocks IP addresses for certain websites, making it an area of concern that requires improvements. This may be because some websites don't accept VPN connections from non-VPN servers, so sometimes, users are blocked from accessing certain sites.

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."
"F5 BIG-IP APM is relatively easy to use."
"The portal access was very good."
"Stickiness is the most valuable feature of the product."
"The load balancing features are valuable."
"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."
"On a scale from one to ten for stability, I would rate F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) a ten."
"The tool is reliable and easy to configure."
"It did what I needed it to do. It was easy to use."
"The solution's most valuable feature is its ease of use."
 

Cons

"F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager has room for improvement in integration with other products."
"The price of this product can be improved."
"In my opinion, the GUI side needs some improvement based on my usage. Sometimes, it doesn't work as efficiently as the CLI side."
"F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is not user-friendly and operates slowly."
"We do not have knowledgeable support teams locally."
"Integrating identity providers and single sign-on solutions can simplify user authentication and access control."
"The solution’s GUI looks very old."
"Cloud services are something that F5 Access Policy Manager could do better"
"There is room for improvement in stability."
"The tool still blocks IP addresses for certain websites, making it an area of concern that requires improvements."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product is very expensive."
"The tool is a little bit expensive."
"Recently, they have simplified the licensing"
"I rate the tool's pricing an eight out of ten."
"There is a need to pay towards the licensing charges attached to the product. The product is reasonably priced."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
14%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Government
9%
Computer Software Company
9%
No data available
 

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 do you like most about Surfshark One?
The solution's most valuable feature is its ease of use.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Surfshark One?
There is a need to pay towards the licensing charges attached to the product. The product is reasonably priced.
What needs improvement with Surfshark One?
The tool's performance is quite good till now, so I have no complaints about it. The tool still blocks IP addresses for certain websites, making it an area of concern that requires improvements. Th...
 

Also Known As

F5 Access Policy Manager
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

City Bank, Ricacorp Properties, Miele, American Systems, Bangladesh Post Office
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) vs. Surfshark One and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
880,481 professionals have used our research since 2012.