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F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) pros and cons

Vendor: F5

4.1 out of 5

18 reviews
88% willing to recommend

Pros & Cons summary

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is known for its user-friendly installation, customized portals, and robust features like authentication, SAML, and SSO, all enhancing security and performance. It is valued for its load balancing, virtual IP creation, and powerful WAF and bot defense solutions. Despite its high cost and complex setup, it faces challenges in technical support, local expertise, identity provider integration, and agent stability, while lacking SaaS capability direction.

Buyer's Guide

Get pricing advice, tips, use cases and valuable features from real users of this product.

Prominent pros & cons

PROS

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is easy to install, integrate, and use.

Customized portals can be created for users using F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM).

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) offers valuable load balancing features and virtual IP creation.

Stable, reliable, and critical for the security infrastructure, F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) effectively addresses cyber threats.

Providing effective WAF and bot defense, F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is highly recommended for its reliability and security features.

CONS

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is considered expensive, and users have expressed a desire for improved pricing.

Integrating identity providers and single sign-on solutions is suggested to simplify user authentication and access control.

Users have requested improvements in technical support response time and availability of knowledgeable support teams locally.

The initial setup is described as complex, and there is a need for better integration with other products.

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) lacks direction for SaaS, and there is a call for better cloud service integration.

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) Pros review quotes

reviewer1401780

Cyber Security Solution Architect at a tech consulting company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Aug 19, 2020

Our customers have never complained about the stability

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reviewer1422600

Presale Engineer at a comms service provider with 11-50 employees

Sep 23, 2020

This is a product that is easy to install and integrate, and it is simple to use.

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reviewer1659684

Engineer at a non-profit with 1-10 employees

Sep 6, 2021

The solution is stable and reliable.

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F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Free Report: F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) Reviews and More

Learn what your peers think about F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM). Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2025.

879,259 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Sr. Architect at NBC Universal

Jun 21, 2022

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.

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reviewer1245708

Director of consulting at a marketing services firm with 51-200 employees

Jun 27, 2022

The portal access was very good.

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Clyde Livingston

Senior Process Specialist at Telstra

Jul 8, 2022

F5 BIG-IP APM is relatively easy to use.

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CL

Solutions Manager at Macroview Telecom Limited

Nov 16, 2022

The performance of the solution is valuable.

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MR

Senior Site Reliability Engineer

May 12, 2023

Stickiness is the most valuable feature of the product.

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Network and Security Engineer at CITG - Continental Information and Telecom Group

Oct 27, 2023

The product allows us to create customized portals for your users.

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reviewer1868262

Technical Staff at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

Dec 1, 2023

The tool is reliable and easy to configure.

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Show 8 more reviews (out of 18)

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) Cons review quotes

reviewer1401780

Cyber Security Solution Architect at a tech consulting company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Aug 19, 2020

Cloud services are something that F5 Access Policy Manager could do better

Read full review

reviewer1422600

Presale Engineer at a comms service provider with 11-50 employees

Sep 23, 2020

The price of this product can be improved.

Read full review

reviewer1659684

Engineer at a non-profit with 1-10 employees

Sep 6, 2021

The solution is quite costly.

Read full review

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Free Report: F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) Reviews and More

Learn what your peers think about F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM). Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2025.

879,259 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Sr. Architect at NBC Universal

Jun 21, 2022

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

Read full review

reviewer1245708

Director of consulting at a marketing services firm with 51-200 employees

Jun 27, 2022

The initial setup was complex.

Read full review

Clyde Livingston

Senior Process Specialist at Telstra

Jul 8, 2022

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.

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CL

Solutions Manager at Macroview Telecom Limited

Nov 16, 2022

The operational deployment is not great.

Read full review

MR

Senior Site Reliability Engineer

May 12, 2023

The solution’s GUI looks very old.

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Network and Security Engineer at CITG - Continental Information and Telecom Group

Oct 27, 2023

Integrating identity providers and single sign-on solutions can simplify user authentication and access control.

Read full review

reviewer1868262

Technical Staff at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

Dec 1, 2023

The technical support’s response time must be improved.

Read full review

Show 8 more reviews (out of 18)

Product Categories

Product Categories

Secure Web Gateways (SWG)

Network Access Control (NAC)

Access Management

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See all alternatives

Product Categories

Product Categories

Secure Web Gateways (SWG)

Network Access Control (NAC)

Access Management

Popular Comparisons

Popular Comparisons

Fortinet FortiGate vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Microsoft Intune vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Microsoft Entra ID vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Zscaler Internet Access vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Cloudflare One vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Workspace ONE UEM vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Aruba ClearPass vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Okta Platform vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Microsoft Remote Desktop Services vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Fortinet FortiNAC vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

Forescout Platform vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

TeamViewer Business vs F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)

See all alternatives

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