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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Cisco AnyConnect

    Score9 out of 10
    N/ACisco offers an SSL VPN solution via AnyConnect.N/A

    Zscaler Private Access

    Score9.4 out of 10
    N/AZscaler Private Access™ (ZPA) gives users secure access to private apps and OT devices while enabling zero trust connectivity for workloads.N/A
    Pricing
    Cisco AnyConnectZscaler Private Access
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Cisco AnyConnectZscaler Private Access
    Free Trial
    NoNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoYes
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional Details
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Cisco AnyConnectZscaler Private Access
    Considered Both Products
    Cisco
    Chose Cisco AnyConnect
    Cisco AnyConnect performs better and is able to switch well between the networks based on the network strength and ensures that users are able to choose their network as well. It allows you to easily connect to more than one VPN network and securely save its setting since it …
    Incentivized
    Zscaler
    Chose Zscaler Private Access
    There is no comparison between Zscaler Private Access and Cisco AnyConnect. It is like comparing Ferrari to Honda Civic.
    Incentivized
    Chose Zscaler Private Access
    We originally used Cisco AnyConnect but when the pandemic hit and everyone started working remotely the Cisco VPN just couldn't handle the massive increase in users. The connection was unreliable both inability to connect and stay connected. It also seemed to include a lot more …
    Incentivized
    Chose Zscaler Private Access
    Much more secure access. Allowing only what the end users need/should have permission to.
    Incentivized
    Chose Zscaler Private Access
    Was not involved in the decision.
    Incentivized
    Chose Zscaler Private Access
    far easier to use, reduces the need to poke holes in the network, and is faster.
    Incentivized
    Chose Zscaler Private Access
    Zscaler Private Access was chosen as trusted VPN system versus Cisco, due to better licensing model, more flexible configuration of the security protocols, verification scenarios. Also it
    Incentivized
    Chose Zscaler Private Access
    Well ZPA is a good solution, however everyone has their own advantage and disadvantages, with ZPA you can deploy ZTNA model, which will help you better control on access, however Palo Alto, Fortinet they are also market leading firewall solution, and you can not deny if they …
    Incentivized
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    96%
    Would buy again
    92 Answers
    99%
    Would buy again
    84 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    98%
    Delivers good value for the price
    80 Answers
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    67 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    96%
    Happy with the feature set
    92 Answers
    99%
    Happy with the feature set
    84 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    94%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    61 Answers
    95%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    59 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    96%
    Implementation went as expected
    66 Answers
    91%
    Implementation went as expected
    68 Answers
    Features
    Cisco AnyConnectZscaler Private Access
    Virtual Private Network
    Comparison of Virtual Private Network features of Cisco AnyConnect and Zscaler Private Access
    Feature
    Cisco AnyConnect
    9.2
    29 Ratings
    3% above category average
    Zscaler Private Access
    -
    Ratings
    AES 256-bit Encryption9.429 Ratings00 Ratings
    Kill Switch9.122 Ratings00 Ratings
    Multi-Platform Support8.828 Ratings00 Ratings
    Split Tunneling9.126 Ratings00 Ratings
    IP Address Masking9.426 Ratings00 Ratings
    No-Logs Policy9.122 Ratings00 Ratings
    Multiple Server Locations9.123 Ratings00 Ratings
    Automatic Wi-Fi Protection9.524 Ratings00 Ratings
    Simultaneous Connections9.424 Ratings00 Ratings
    Customer Support Services9.025 Ratings00 Ratings
    Identity Management
    Comparison of Identity Management features of Cisco AnyConnect and Zscaler Private Access
    Feature
    Cisco AnyConnect
    -
    Ratings
    Zscaler Private Access
    9.2
    58 Ratings
    5% above category average
    Multi-Factor Authentication00 Ratings9.258 Ratings
    Endpoint Security
    Comparison of Endpoint Security features of Cisco AnyConnect and Zscaler Private Access
    Feature
    Cisco AnyConnect
    -
    Ratings
    Zscaler Private Access
    8.8
    27 Ratings
    2% below category average
    Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)00 Ratings8.827 Ratings
    Threat Intelligence
    Comparison of Threat Intelligence features of Cisco AnyConnect and Zscaler Private Access
    Feature
    Cisco AnyConnect
    -
    Ratings
    Zscaler Private Access
    8.6
    65 Ratings
    8% above category average
    Network Analytics00 Ratings8.961 Ratings
    Threat Recognition00 Ratings9.053 Ratings
    Vulnerability Classification00 Ratings8.442 Ratings
    Automated Alerts and Reporting00 Ratings8.255 Ratings
    Threat Analysis00 Ratings8.748 Ratings
    Threat Intelligence Reporting00 Ratings8.245 Ratings
    Automated Threat Identification00 Ratings8.643 Ratings
    Zero Trust Security
    Comparison of Zero Trust Security features of Cisco AnyConnect and Zscaler Private Access
    Feature
    Cisco AnyConnect
    -
    Ratings
    Zscaler Private Access
    9.1
    78 Ratings
    6% above category average
    Continuous Verification00 Ratings9.171 Ratings
    Secure Web Gateways00 Ratings9.353 Ratings
    Network Flow Control00 Ratings9.158 Ratings
    Network Traffic Analysis00 Ratings9.165 Ratings
    Segmentation Leveraging00 Ratings9.264 Ratings
    Admin Access Control00 Ratings9.368 Ratings
    Network Data Encryption00 Ratings9.260 Ratings
    Network Topology Mapping00 Ratings8.752 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    Cisco AnyConnectZscaler Private Access
    Small Businesses
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Medium-sized Companies
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Enterprises
    No answers on this topic
    Forescout Vistaro Platform
    Score6.7 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Cisco AnyConnectZscaler Private Access
    Likelihood to Recommend
    9.3
    (118 ratings)
    9.4
    (85 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    9.8
    (12 ratings)
    8.4
    (2 ratings)
    Usability
    9.2
    (97 ratings)
    9.0
    (80 ratings)
    Availability
    9.9
    (9 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Performance
    8.9
    (3 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Support Rating
    8.9
    (95 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    9.0
    (7 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Configurability
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    10.0
    (7 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    9.0
    (3 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Cisco AnyConnectZscaler Private Access
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Cisco
    Providing secure remote access with a robust VPN, creating an encrypted tunnel so employees can safely access internal company resources like file servers and private apps from anywhere. It also allows enforcing device compliance: depending on policies, checks whether a device has an active antivirus and the latest OS updates before allowing it to connect. When there is not much need for remote access, the cost is too high.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zscaler
    Zscaler Private Access works really well in environments setup for FQDNs and where you know what users should/shouldn't be accessing on what ports. You can use Zscaler Private Access to figure out these kinds of features but that doesn't always mean you'll be correct. It also provides a consistent experience for users as they can access their materials anywhere. It also makes the user the last line of defense. If a user's account is compromised then the attacker has access to everything they already did. It doesn't work great in OT environments or Server based environments. Flows have to be initiated from the client and not the server for stuff to behave properly.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Cisco
    • All Cisco AnyConnect data transfer processes are secure to enhance security.
    • It can connect multiple terminals across various sites directly.
    • Centralized management of the workstations connected to the network became easier than ever for managers with multiple locations in the organization's workforce.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zscaler
    • Connecting users remotely with a secure connection. I am a service desk agent who works with end users, and if there is an issue due to ZPA, it's most likely due to configuration. A really good service.
    • Logging, I believe, works well as I troubleshoot end users and can gather extra details for my network admin. IP.zscaler.com, and the debug logs are nice. Additionally, I like how it shows the App policy assigned to the user's machine ECT.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Cisco
    • Cisco AnyConnect can use the system resources as long as the program is being run.
    • Account activation may be very difficult when connecting from areas requiring captive portal login, if certain settings are not allowed.
    • By default, it is possible to request the user to authenticate again at specific intervals.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zscaler
    • Needs an interface for Support Desk/Help Desk to more easily understand that the problem is a lack of an FQDN or access is not allowed due to policy, not because of a technical shortcoming in ZPA.
    • Documentation of the BC solution is not well-detailed.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Cisco
    It is perhaps the second most functional tool we have, it will definitely be renewed every year. Our network is stable, which ensures that there is less for our technicians to troubleshoot, which frees them up to ensure other parts of the company are maintained. This keeps our costs low and our downtime at a minimum.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zscaler
    When it works - it works incredibly slick. It's only L4 which seems like a downgrade of security from solutions that promote L7.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    Cisco
    It is very useful tool for companies having hybrid work culture. It will allow their employees to work seamlessly from home, office, other branches. This tool will increase your productivity as it will facilitates your employees to access corporate applications 24x7. Overall it is easy to use, deploy and integrate.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zscaler
    The environment feels more secure, and we are seeing that users are adapting to it fast. The fact that we have tools to assist the users with their day-to-day access helps, as we can hand it off to the helpdesk without any escalations to the Network team. It is a work in progress for our agency, but we are seeing the benefits from the solution.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Reliability and Availability
    Cisco
    I have been using Cisco AnyConnect for past two years and thus I can say very firmly that I have never seen the outage from the Cisco AnyConnect services either It is VPN, System Scans or the Network Connectivity. Talking about the errors likewise major errors I have faced throughout my period of use.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zscaler
    No answers on this topic
    Performance
    Cisco
    Absolutely no speed issues, and I see no evidence of slowdowns across any of the multiple platforms I use daily. It's operation is completely invisible most of the time, except where there is a loss of connection due to server issues or a loss of power. Everything loads quickly and accurately.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zscaler
    No answers on this topic
    Support Rating
    Cisco
    I don't know but nobody provides proper support for us as end user. They should have people to check whether end user is facing issues or not. Cisco AnyConnect having very high charges and still there is no proper support! Many requests and many tickets have opened, but the working speed is very low for the support team! They should have it to optimize.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zscaler
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation Rating
    Cisco
    Our Managed Services vendor helped us with the implementation. When we initially setup our AnyConnect using MFA for remote connectivity, the setup was easy and straight forward and worked just fine. After a year, we decided to change to an "always on" feature and use machine and user based security certificates instead of MFA. We had to open a ticket with Cisco support and have their assistance getting this feature to work. Turned out they had a small bug in the code for that version of AnyConnect and it has since been corrected. We have had no issues with the upgrades since that time. The deployment of the software to the user machines was done with SCCM and was straight forward. The user machine upgrades are easy - when the user machine connects and sees a new version available, it upgrades itself! What could be easier?
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zscaler
    No answers on this topic
    Alternatives Considered
    Cisco
    Cisco is one of our core partners besides Microsoft and SAP. And so yes, we are utilizing very many projects from Cisco. I would mention the whole networking equipment, the routing equipment, the wireless LAN, and also when it comes to infrastructure to compute infrastructure, we are utilizing Cisco servers within our converged infrastructure Flex spot. So we have been running a flex bot from Cisco, NetApp, and VMware for 12 years, and we are still very satisfied with the product. We are looking forward to upgrading to the newest blades and fabric interconnect to continue this journey.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zscaler
    ZPA is where the bulk of zero-trust access is found. While the functionality for ZIA is excellent, the policy we implement for internet access is more focused on threat prevention and not narrowly scoped access.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Scalability
    Cisco
    Cisco AnyConnect has been a speedy, reliable, and efficient tool for the creation of your own VPN whatever location that you've brought your laptop. Customer support is consistently top-notch, coming up with quick fixes to whatever difficulties are thrown your way. I would not hesitate to reccommend Cisco AnyConnect to any business that needs connected employees throught the world.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zscaler
    No answers on this topic
    Return on Investment
    Cisco
    • We are able to seamlessly work on multiple clients daily, and it allows us to quickly handle more projects at the same time.
    • Cisco AnyConnect has allowed our own company's coworkers to remotely connect back to the corporate network, easily assisting work schedules and processes, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Being forced to work remotely, meant our processes still happened quickly and efficiently, by being able to leverage and use Cisco AnyConnect VPN.
    • Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, I have worked 100% remotely for a few years now. This was always due to the reliable connectivity and ease of use with Cisco AnyConnect VPN. I live 2+ hours from our nearest corporate office, and even further from some of my client locations, and I have always been able to connect to any of my multiple Cisco AnyConnect VPN connections, within seconds.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zscaler
    • We used to get anywhere from 30 to 50 tickets surrounding our previous VPN solution every month. We now average 3-5 tickets regarding remote connectivity, and of those, only 1 or 2 are actual issues with ZPA.
    • Using ZPA Access Policies, we can now block endpoints that have outdated security software from ever connecting to our environment. This was simply not possible with our previous solution.
    • Some of our employee base skews older and had a harder time understanding the change from VPN to Zscaler.
    • There is significantly less downtime with ZPA when compared to other VPN solutions.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    Zscaler Private Access Screenshots

    Screenshot of how ZPA provides access for all users while minimizing the attack surface, eliminating lateral movement, and stopping zero day threats. A cloud native service, ZPA can be deployed in just hours to replace legacy remote access tools like VPNs and VDIs.