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SonicWall Connect Tunnel vs SonicWall SMA comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 6, 2024

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

SonicWall Connect Tunnel
Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
19th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
SonicWall SMA
Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
18th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
14
Ranking in other categories
Universal Access Gateways (2nd), SSL VPN (7th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Enterprise Infrastructure VPN category, the mindshare of SonicWall Connect Tunnel is 1.3%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SonicWall SMA is 1.2%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
 

Featured Reviews

Raghuram K M - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers advanced security features and is easy to install
The product's feature to secure remote access needs is an area that is looked after by the IT team in our company. I work in a healthcare organization where we need to protect certain private information. My organization does not focus on network or database protection. I know about the VPN encryption in the tool. My company has not faced any problems with the product's performance, speed, and connectivity. Performance-wise, my company is satisfied with the product. I will tell those who plan to purchase the product that they need to look at the level of security or encryption they expect for their environment. If there is a requirement for the different networks in the domain of those who planned to purchase the product to be isolated, then it should be done. I rate the overall tool a nine out of ten.
Maheshbabu T - PeerSpot reviewer
It allows us to provide CML-based access to any user, but the reporting could be better
I rate SonicWall SMA seven out of 10. If you're planning to implement this solution, I suggest checking the version to ensure it's compatible with your other technology. I say go for it if it's suitable for your use case. Multifactor authentication technologies are built into the product, whereas some products lack multifactor authentication. We need only one or two. They provide authentication, gateway integration, OTP integration, etc.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The best features are security and ease of use."
"The most valuable features of the solution stem from the advanced security features it offers."
"SonicWall SMA allows us to provide CML-based access to any user."
"I like the load balancing capability."
"The management and the dashboard are the solution's most valuable features."
"SonicWall SMA has the most valuable feature of proprietary security technologies like Capture ATP."
"It is faster than other security options when using remote connections."
"I think they ask for a fair price."
"Secure Mobile Access (SMA) is easy to configure and the deployment is straightforward. However, this is mostly because of the AWS setup."
"Blocklisting and allowlisting are the most beneficial features for network security."
 

Cons

"The product's configuration, administration, and user interface are areas of concern."
"An improvement would be to update the look and feel of the interface, which is very traditional and doesn't fit the current market trend."
"SonicWall SMA is difficult to use and it does not provide easy access to different parts of the network."
"I'd like to see the product maybe polish keyboards in Bookmark."
"The only thing that they could try to improve is the support for enterprise customers. Normally enterprises and SMBs can create a ticket, but for enterprises, SonicWall SMA needs to provide a global view, and this is what's currently missing. It's not even a question of timing. It's a question of the global vision because currently, it's lacking. They concentrate on the topic, but not on the means and not on the global picture. In most cases, there's something wrong with the integration of SonicWall SMA with other products, so that could also be improved."
"The solution has 2FA, it will generate a token and send it to an email, but multifactor authentication is not available. I would suggest that there should be MFA integration and provided with the appliance."
"User interface could be improved."
"The solution could integrate better with other platforms."
"The problem is that when combined with what the client already has, there are two different logins and two different management systems, and these should be consolidated into a single interface."
"The timed synchronization between the network appliance needs improvement."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Connect Tunnel is expensive."
"The product is expensive. Two or three years ago, when the solution was purchased for our company, I remember that it was not the cheapest compared to the tools offered by competitors."
"Our licenses are stackable and can be anywhere from five users to a million users."
"The platform has medium pricing."
"I don't know about the pricing of the SSL-VPN box. I know the SSL-VPN software is free. Global VPN client, by comparison, is licensed for around $150 or something like that. But the SSL-VPN software is free. It is already built-in with the box."
"All the costs are included in a bundled license."
"This solution is priced well and we currently have the maximum number of licenses allowed."
"The cost of the licensing is based on the maximum number of concurrent users, and it costs a lot to add them."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
19%
Retailer
8%
Real Estate/Law Firm
8%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Computer Software Company
18%
Construction Company
9%
Retailer
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about SonicWall Connect Tunnel?
The most valuable features of the solution stem from the advanced security features it offers.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SonicWall Connect Tunnel?
The product is expensive. Two or three years ago, when the solution was purchased for our company, I remember that it was not the cheapest compared to the tools offered by competitors.
What needs improvement with SonicWall Connect Tunnel?
The product's configuration, administration, and user interface are areas of concern. From an improvement perspective, the configuration, administration, and user interface must be simplified. The ...
What do you like most about SonicWall SMA?
Blocklisting and allowlisting are the most beneficial features for network security.
What needs improvement with SonicWall SMA?
Enhancing live tracking capabilities could improve the product, particularly in monitoring user activity and request statuses in real-time on the web interface.
 

Also Known As

No data available
SonicWall Aventail, SonicWall SMA SSL-VPN, SonicWall Secure Mobile Access
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
UnitedStack, Newport City Homes, Faith Lutheran College Redlands, PRIME aerostructures GmbH, Celtic Manor Resort
Find out what your peers are saying about SonicWall Connect Tunnel vs. SonicWall SMA and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.