Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs Sophos Network Access Control comparison

Cisco and Sophos are both solutions in the Network Access Control (NAC) category. Cisco is ranked #2 with an average rating of 7.9, while Sophos is ranked #10 with an average rating of 7.3. Cisco holds a 22.4% mindshare in NAC, compared to Sophos’s 2.2% mindshare. Additionally, 87% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of Sophos users who would recommend it.

Cisco Identity Services Eng...

Read 145 Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) reviews

15,135 Views
9,838 Comparison Views

87% willing to recommend

Sophos Network Access Control

Read 24 Sophos Network Access Control reviews

1,030 Views
999 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Cisco Identity Services Eng...

Sophos Network Access Control

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 5, 2024

Sophos Network Access Control and Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) both compete in the network security space. While Sophos is appreciated for its pricing and support, Cisco ISE is considered superior due to its advanced features and integrations that justify its higher cost.

Features: Sophos Network Access Control offers streamlined access management, endpoint visibility, and simplified deployment for smaller networks. Cisco ISE provides comprehensive network segmentation, advanced policy enforcement, and better integration options, offering a robust solution for larger, complex networks.

Room for Improvement: Sophos could enhance its integration capabilities, increase scalability, and add advanced policy features. Cisco ISE could simplify initial setup, improve ease of use, and enhance cost-effectiveness for smaller installations.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Sophos is known for easy deployment suiting smaller organizations with limited integration needs, coupled with good support. Cisco ISE requires a more complex setup but is backed by extensive documentation and a robust support network, beneficial for larger enterprises.

Pricing and ROI: Sophos Network Access Control is noted for its competitive pricing and low setup costs, ensuring a quick ROI. Cisco ISE demands a higher initial investment but provides greater value over time through its extensive features, suggesting a better long-term ROI for organizations needing advanced capabilities.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs. Sophos Network Access Control Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs. Sophos Network Access Control

December 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

Cisco Identity Services Eng...

Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)

2nd

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

145

Ranking in other categories

Cisco Security Portfolio (4th)

Sophos Network Access Control

Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)

10th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Network Access Control (NAC) category, the mindshare of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) is 22.4%, down from 28.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Sophos Network Access Control is 2.2%, up from 1.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Access Control (NAC) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)	22.4%
Sophos Network Access Control	2.2%
Other	75.4%

Network Access Control (NAC)

Featured Reviews

NicolasFigaro

Network and Technology Information Manager at Akkodis

Has improved authentication management and simplified visitor network access

The log capacity in Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) could be enhanced because today natively on the ISE can only have a look at the logs from the day before. You cannot search into the oldest logs; you have to use another tool for that. This can be blocking if you don't have any log consolidation solution. To do a search for an issue or something that happened two days ago, you cannot search directly in there. The capacity of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) could be enhanced. Something between one week and one month for the log capacity would be nice.

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HirenPatel2

Manager at rspl

Have faced delays in support despite strong multi-layer policy configuration

I have observed some disadvantages as we have experienced one particular problem. We were facing an issue of synchronization of the endpoint with our firewall with help on a cloud for heartbeat syncing. However, it was not syncing as per our requirement. The user has to connect our firewall with the help of VPN. We were supposed to assume a solution on a cloud, which has good synchronization on a cloud with Sophos Central. It will sync with our firewall as well with the help of Sophos Central. Endpoint and firewall synchronization is not as smooth as we are expecting from Sophos Network Access Control. We have to connect with VPN. We are expecting that if we have already installed an endpoint on our system and it is connected to the internet, then it must be synchronized on a cloud with Sophos Central. Through Sophos Central, it must connect with our firewall. If the endpoint is configured on Sophos Central and the firewall is also configured in Sophos Central, then there should be no need to connect to VPN.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Assisting a larger number of users in gaining access and guiding them through the process of getting on Cisco ISE has been seamless."

"Being able to authenticate wired users through 802.1X is valuable as it enhances our security."

"It has allowed us to pull in multiple authentication databases, then centralize them into a captive portal system."

"The valuable feature of the solution lies in its integration capabilities with other applications."

"Cisco ISE scales exceptionally well."

"A lot of customers use a third party to manage their guest Wi-Fi. Cisco ISE presents the ability to bring that in-house so that customers can have full control over it, change the branding, and get extra telemetry from it and the user data. It works really well for our customers."

"The initial setup was easy. It took around one month. We did the installation part within half an hour to two hours but we found a couple of issues so we raised a case and once everything was resolved it was a month in total."

"It does what it's supposed to. We use a certificate-based authentication method for corporate-managed devices. That means when a user walks in with their managed laptop and plugs it into the network, it chats with Cisco ISE in the background, allows it on the network, and away they go."

More Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) pros

"The role-based access controls feature of Sophos Network Access Control allows persons at different positions in an organization to have different types of roles."

"The initial setup is very easy."

"What Sophos has done is integrate almost the entire OSI layer infrastructure. It gives me visibility across my infrastructure. It gives me visibility into all the mobile devices that are on my network and into the security I have on those mobile devices."

"The user interface makes it easy to configure and use."

"The pricing is very reasonable and you can negotiate on the price."

"There is really good visibility for the appliance."

"I am very satisfied with this solution overall. All of the features that we use have been working successfully."

"Sophos Network Access Control has many valuable features: for access controls, MAC binding is available, the authentication page is useful, and continuous device assessments have a positive impact on our network security management."

More Sophos Network Access Control pros

Cons

"The solution lacks properly knowledgeable support, especially internationally, and this is why I am exploring other applications."

"Sometimes some of Cisco ISE's graphical interfaces could be a little bit smoother. However, with the different versions, the product is getting better and better."

"The customer server was great but it would have been better for me if they had support in other languages such as Spanish."

"Cisco could improve the GUIs on their hardware."

"There is room for improvement in its ability to allow end users to self-enroll their devices. Instead, you should be able to assign that permission by AD group, which is currently not available."

"Cisco ISE has almost all the features we are looking for now, but sometimes the configuration, such as the conditions, is a little difficult to understand and not so easy to navigate."

"Some of the reporting could be improved."

"Cisco ISE is very complex and not very easy to deploy."

More Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) cons

"The solution could increase the integration with other platforms or other systems. This would be very useful."

"In order to provide better management, it would be ideal with they offered better plugins for their firewall."

"The interface on the cloud could be a bit better - just to give more performance on it."

"An area that could be improved is the information about licensing, which is fairly confusing at present."

"It would be beneficial to consider some improvements regarding the dashboard."

"Sometimes we encounter intermediate-level support staff who use trial-and-error approaches, but sometimes we receive support from excellent staff members who resolve issues within seconds."

"What needs to be improved on is the fact that Sophos consumes a lot of processor resources and, once it starts scanning, the RAM utilization is very high."

"The solution can improve the for applying policies. They can be complex depending don't the group they are applied to."

More Sophos Network Access Control cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There are three levels of pricing: basic, plus, and apex. Basic satisfied our needs."

"The technology is good, but to use some of the other features, and capabilities, they request that we purchase the Cisco DNA Center. As a result, the bundled price is a little high."

"Standard licensing gives backup access and very few features, and then there's VM licensing - each VM we use needs to be licensed."

"ISE has always been expensive compared to other products in terms of what it does on a user level."

"If you're not going through an agreement, it's very expensive."

"Hardware appliances are expensive...Now moving to DNA-styled licensing, we have subscription-based licensing for everything. I hope it will continue to be fair, but we will have to wait and see."

"Pricing is not a problem for Cisco because it has a lot of features and not much competition, although it's more expensive than other products. But if I do a cost-benefit analysis, Cisco provides high quality."

"The price is okay."

More Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) pricing and cost advice

"Sophos Network Access Control is an expensive solution."

"Sophos Network Access Control is very cheap compared to other solutions like Cisco, Barracuda, and Palo Alto."

"It is quite expensive."

"It provides a moderate pricing option for all of its features and benefits."

"Sophos Network Access Control is costly but has a similar price range as CrowdStrike and Check Point. The product can get more market share if Sophos can play around with Sophos Network Access Control pricing and improve it."

"I rate the price of Sophos Network Access Control a five out of ten."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

Government

Computer Software Company

11%

Government

10%

Manufacturing Company

Healthcare Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	44
Midsize Enterprise	32
Large Enterprise	91

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	16
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	3

Questions from the Community

Which is better - Aruba Clearpass or Cisco ISE?

Aruba ClearPass is a Network Access Control tool that gives secure network access to multiple device types. You can adapt the policies to VPN access, wired, or wireless access. You can securely ...

See all answers

What are the main differences between Cisco ISE and Forescout Platform?

OK, so Cisco ISE uses 802.1X to secure switchports against unauthorized access. The drawback of this is that ISE cannot secure the port if a device does not support 802.1x. Cameras, badge readers, ...

See all answers

How does Cisco ISE compare with Fortinet FortiNAC?

Cisco ISE uses AI endpoint analytics to identify new devices based on their behavior. It will also notify you if someone plugs in with a device that is not allowed and will block it. The user exper...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Sophos Network Access Control?

I think the pricing of the solution is expensive.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Sophos Network Access Control?

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Sophos Network Access Control?

I am currently using the product as a customer. We are using Sophos Network Access Control solution for security purposes and security analysis only.

See all answers

Comparisons

Aruba ClearPass vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

Compared 23% of the time

Fortinet FortiNAC vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

Compared 20% of the time

Forescout Platform vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

Compared 8% of the time

CyberArk Privileged Access Manager vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

Compared 3% of the time

Portnox vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

Compared 3% of the time

More Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) Competitors

Aruba ClearPass vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 30% of the time

Portnox vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 13% of the time

Fortinet FortiNAC vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 11% of the time

Twingate vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 11% of the time

Forescout Platform vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 9% of the time

More Sophos Network Access Control Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

January 2026

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) report

Download Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) product report

Buyer's Guide

Sophos Network Access Control

December 2025

Download Sophos Network Access Control product report

Also Known As

Cisco ISE

No data available

Overview

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) offers comprehensive network access control and visibility, supporting features like 802.1X authentication, profiling, and posturing. It integrates with Microsoft and other Cisco products, facilitating robust security policies across distributed networks.

Cisco Identity Services Engine is a key player in network access control, offering centralized management and a user-friendly interface. It supports zero trust principles and provides strong authentication for wired and wireless networks. ISE's capabilities include granular security policies, enhanced device posturing, and seamless integration, bolstering security infrastructure. Users benefit from its dual authentication through EAP, simplifying access management across networks.

What are the key features of Cisco ISE?

802.1X Authentication: Supports network security for authorized device access.
Profiling: Identifies devices for accurate policy enforcement.
Posturing: Evaluates device compliance for access decisions.
TACACS: Streamlines network device authentication and authorization.
Guest Access: Provides secure access to visitors.
Microsoft Compatibility: Seamlessly integrates with Microsoft environments.

What benefits and ROI should be considered?

Security Enhancement: Offers strong network security policies.
Operational Efficiency: Centralized management improves operational aspects.
Improved Compliance: Ensures adherence to industry standards.
Scalability: Supports growing network demands effectively.

In industries like finance, healthcare, and education, Cisco ISE is pivotal for securing wired and wireless networks, implementing BYOD policies, and managing user access. Organizations leverage ISE for effective authentication and authorization, while maintaining compliance with industry security standards.

Cisco

Sophos NAC Provides comprehensive, easy-to-deploy network access control that protects enterprise networks from the threats posed by non-compliant, compromised, or misconfigured endpoint computers. The software solution is vendor-neutral and works with existing network infrastructure and security applications. Computers are permitted or denied access to the network, based on a centrally defined, policy-driven assessment - and isolated, quarantined for remediation, automatically remediated, or sent alerts. Administrators can define and manage policies uniquely for managed and guest computers, including checking their security status and ensuring that no unwanted applications are run.

Sophos

Sample Customers

Aegean Motorway, BC Hydro, Beachbody, Bucks County Intermediate Unit , Cisco IT, Derby City Council, Global Banking Customer, Gobierno de Castilla-La Mancha, Houston Methodist, Linz AG, London Hydro, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Molina Healthcare, MST Systems, New South Wales Rural Fire Service, Reykjavik University, Wildau University

Rushmoor Borough Council

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs. Sophos Network Access Control

December 2025

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