SonicWall Netextender vs SonicWall SMA comparison

SonicWall Netextender and SonicWall SMA are both solutions in the Enterprise Infrastructure VPN category. SonicWall Netextender is ranked #15 with an average rating of 6.0, while SonicWall SMA is ranked #18 with an average rating of 10.0. SonicWall Netextender holds a 3.8% mindshare in EIV, compared to SonicWall SMA’s 1.3% mindshare. Additionally, 66% of SonicWall Netextender users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of SonicWall SMA users who would recommend it.

SonicWall Netextender

Read 13 SonicWall Netextender reviews

2,874 Views
2,874 Comparison Views

66% willing to recommend

SonicWall SMA

Read 14 SonicWall SMA reviews

1,001 Views
781 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

SonicWall Netextender

SonicWall SMA

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 6, 2024

SonicWall SMA and SonicWall Netextender are effective VPN solutions catering to different needs. SonicWall SMA seems to have the upper hand in feature richness and support, while SonicWall Netextender stands out for its usability and perceived value.

Features: SonicWall SMA offers robust security, ease of management, and scalability. SonicWall Netextender provides simplicity, seamless integration with the SonicWall ecosystem, and a streamlined design that is more user-friendly.

Room for Improvement: SonicWall SMA could improve its reporting and analytics tools. SonicWall Netextender needs enhancements in stability and documentation.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Deployment of SonicWall SMA is considered straightforward but requires a more advanced setup. Users praise SMA's customer service for being highly responsive. SonicWall Netextender offers an easier deployment process with moderately satisfactory customer support.

Pricing and ROI: SonicWall SMA is viewed as a higher upfront cost solution with comprehensive features and high ROI. SonicWall Netextender is seen as cost-effective with quicker ROI due to its lower setup costs.

To learn more, read our detailed SonicWall Netextender vs. SonicWall SMA Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

SonicWall Netextender vs. SonicWall SMA

June 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

SonicWall Netextender

Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

15th

Average Rating

6.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

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

Ranking in other categories

Universal Access Gateways (2nd), SSL VPN (7th)

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Enterprise Infrastructure VPN category, the mindshare of SonicWall Netextender is 3.8%, up from 3.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SonicWall SMA is 1.3%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

Featured Reviews

JayPrajapati

Senior Network Security Engineer at ITCG SOlutions Pvt Ltd

Allows using a custom port for the VPN connection and provides very satisfactory customer support

In the past, customers wanted an application that could run directly upon starting the PC, automatically connecting to the firewall. We were not able to do it in NetExtender. This was something customers wanted, but we couldn't provide due to NetExtender's limitations. I feel NetExtender might have rolled out this feature. In future releases, introductions of AI features would be really helpful. For example, we faced a situation where a customer wanted to allow Office 365 access without any kind of internet, just through the local internet. Office 365 has multiple dynamic IPs and URLs that can be updated daily, making it difficult to allow. If there were an AI-based solution that could bring those URLs and new IP addresses to the firewall and add them to the rule, that would be very helpful. That is just one scenario; there are multiple things AI could help with.

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Maheshbabu T

Project Manager at CGG

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.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"NetExtender works very well. I never had an issue with it, and it has been working well for me. In terms of management, you have good control over the destination. You can use NetExtender to set the policy and the static route for a client. You can modify it based on what your client needs or can access. You have good control over routing."

"It allows us to work remotely."

"My company opted for this solution because it can individually perform. Basically, we don't require load balancers and all those additional feature sets or additional devices that might be required. The solution can handle the certificate, DNS queries, and all that stuff individually."

"The solution provides high availability."

"The initial setup is pretty straightforward."

"The most valuable feature for the Netextender is the ease with which we can integrate it with SAML."

"The product has two-factor authentication."

"One of the most valuable features of SonicWall Netextender is the integration of VPN accounts with Microsoft Identity Management, which enables us to enforce secure access through Microsoft Intune and conditional access policies. This helps ensure that only authorized individuals are able to access the VPN, rather than anyone with knowledge of a password."

More SonicWall Netextender pros

"I am very satisfied with the technical support."

"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."

"I like the load balancing capability."

"It is faster than other security options when using remote connections."

"SonicWall SMA allows us to provide CML-based access to any user."

"Blocklisting and allowlisting are the most beneficial features for network security."

"The solution is reliable and has good overall performance."

More SonicWall SMA pros

Cons

"Right now, you have to load each license on to an appliance. You can't pool across multiple appliances. So, you end up having to do a lot of administrative work to recover if an internet provider goes down, and you cannot leverage it as easily into a DR solution."

"The product does not work well."

"The Netextender application itself doesn't really look pretty, however, we can still use it. We don't care what it looks like. That said, if they did a cosmetic update, that would be fine."

"The initial setup of SonicWall Netextender is straightforward. The only issue we encountered was with relocating the VPN appliance. If we needed to move it from an on-premise to an on-cloud architecture, we had to start over and redeploy it from scratch. Unfortunately, it is not portable and any changes to its physical location often result in the need for a fresh deployment to ensure everything functions properly."

"SonicWall can be difficult for some people, but I don't find it difficult. Some companies provide a VPN client for free, but you have to pay for NetExtender."

"The UI could be a little better."

"The solution takes up a lot of bandwidth."

"The only concern I do have is with the zero trust, and the solution is not coping with the newer technologies as much as it needs to do on that particular factor."

More SonicWall Netextender cons

"This is an expensive solution and I think that the price could be improved."

"SonicWall's reporting isn't good. Reports should be part of a data plan. The login mechanism should be improved. It would be helpful if the client could use an agent to log in. An agent-server model would improve the performance of the RDB, which consumes a lot of bandwidth."

"Enhancing live tracking capabilities could improve the product, particularly in monitoring user activity and request statuses in real-time on the web interface."

"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 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."

"The solution could integrate better with other platforms."

"I'd like to see the product maybe polish keyboards in Bookmark."

"User interface could be improved."

More SonicWall SMA cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"After a certain number of users, you require extra licensing."

"The solution has a pretty good price."

"The price of SonicWall Netextender is reasonable. Whether it's a small shop with only five users or a larger operation with 130 users, we have received no complaints or objections regarding cost from any of the clients we are looking to deploy it with."

"Cost wise, it would be a few hundred dollars for the base appliance with the first five clients. Then from there, your cost per seat depends on how many you're getting. It's a one-time cost, and then you have a few hundred dollars a year for the maintenance contract once you get the one-time seat costs out of the way."

"The solution is cheap itself, not too costly."

"You have to pay for its license. There are some other companies that provide a VPN client for free. When you buy NetExtender, its license is available for one, three, or five years."

"Compared to others, it is cheaper. When we compare it with Palo Alto, Check Point, or Fortinet, it is a little cheaper."

"The cost of the licensing is based on the maximum number of concurrent users, and it costs a lot to add them."

"This solution is priced well and we currently have the maximum number of licenses allowed."

"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."

"Our licenses are stackable and can be anywhere from five users to a million users."

"The platform has medium pricing."

"All the costs are included in a bundled license."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Educational Organization

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

18%

Construction Company

Retailer

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about SonicWall Netextender?

The solution provides high availability.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SonicWall Netextender?

Pricing is a simple thing. We have the key, and we need to enter it in the SonicWall official portal. That's all. Compared to others, it is cheaper. When we compare it with Palo Alto, Check Point, ...

See all answers

What needs improvement with SonicWall Netextender?

I cannot think of specific areas that could be improved with the SonicWall Netextender. The main focus should be on continuous improvements to address any CVEs or vulnerabilities to ensure they're ...

See all answers

What do you like most about SonicWall SMA?

Blocklisting and allowlisting are the most beneficial features for network security.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SonicWall SMA?

The platform has medium pricing.

See all answers

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.

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 32% of the time

SonicWall Connect Tunnel vs SonicWall Netextender

Compared 19% of the time

SonicWall Mobile Connect vs SonicWall Netextender

Compared 14% of the time

Fortinet FortiClient vs SonicWall Netextender

Compared 13% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs SonicWall Netextender

Compared 3% of the time

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Peplink SpeedFusion vs SonicWall SMA

Compared 20% of the time

Ivanti Connect Secure vs SonicWall SMA

Compared 16% of the time

Citrix Gateway vs SonicWall SMA

Compared 15% of the time

Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs SonicWall SMA

Compared 12% of the time

Ivanti Secure Access vs SonicWall SMA

Compared 11% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

SonicWall Netextender

June 2025

Download SonicWall Netextender product report

Buyer's Guide

SonicWall SMA

June 2025

Download SonicWall SMA product report

Also Known As

No data available

SonicWall Aventail, SonicWall SMA SSL-VPN, SonicWall Secure Mobile Access

Overview

SonicWall Netextender is used for secure client-to-site VPN connections, enabling remote access to company resources and offering seamless integration with Microsoft 365 for identity management.

SonicWall Netextender facilitates secure and stable VPN connections, particularly beneficial for remote work scenarios. It integrates with Microsoft 365, supporting identity management and secure access through Microsoft Identity Management and Intune, allowing users to employ the same credentials as Active Directory. With ease of configuration and control over routing, it assists enterprises by providing a reliable VPN for remote employees, implemented by system integrators worldwide. It also supports file transfers in cloud-based environments.

What are the most valuable features of SonicWall Netextender?

Ease of remote work: Simplifies access for remote employees.
Simple configuration: Quick and straightforward setup process.
Good control over routing: Efficient routing management.
Cost-effectiveness: Affordable for businesses of all sizes.
Ease of integration with SAML: Simple SAML integration.
Excellent security: High-security standards.
Low latency: Minimal delay during use.
Stable performance: Reliable connections.
High availability: Ensures continuous uptime.
Multi-factor authentication support: Enhanced login security.

What benefits and ROI should users look for in the reviews?

Connecting to LAN from home: Secure access to local network resources.
Enforcing secure access: Uses Microsoft Identity Management and Intune for security.
Credential consistency: Same credentials as Active Directory.
Detailed documentation: Comprehensive guides and resources.

SonicWall Netextender is adopted in numerous sectors for its ability to provide secure remote access to company resources. Enterprises integrate it to ensure stable VPN connections for employees working from home, while system integrators implement it for end customers globally. It enhances secure and efficient remote work, which is vital for industries requiring robust and reliable remote access solutions.

SonicWall

SonicWall SMA is a unified secure access gateway that enables organizations to provide anytime, anywhere and any device access to mission critical corporate resources. SMA's granular access control policy engine, context aware device authorization, application level VPN and advanced authentication with single sign-on empowers organizations to embrace BYOD and mobility in a hybrid IT environment.

SonicWall

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

UnitedStack, Newport City Homes, Faith Lutheran College Redlands, PRIME aerostructures GmbH, Celtic Manor Resort

Buyer's Guide

SonicWall Netextender vs. SonicWall SMA

June 2025

Free Report: SonicWall Netextender vs. SonicWall SMA

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