Alternatives · Updated July 2026
Top Cisco alternatives (2026): 10 rivals ranked
Cisco (SD-WAN / SASE technology vendor) scores well in the Netify matrix, and it is not right for every estate. Buyers commonly weigh these watch-outs: Two distinct SD-WAN product lines (Catalyst and Meraki) means buyers should confirm which fits the target deployment profile and the longer-term roadmap. The 10 strongest alternatives are ranked below on the same 40-feature evidence grades.
Netify's July 2026 evaluation ranks the top Cisco alternatives as: 1. Cato Networks (88.6); 2. Palo Alto Networks Prisma SASE (85.4); 3. Netskope (81.6); 4. HPE Aruba EdgeConnect (74.4); 5. Versa Networks (73.1); 6. Fortinet FortiSASE (70.7); 7. Zscaler (62.6); 8. VeloCloud (62.5); 9. Aryaka (61.6); 10. Check Point (60.9).
Cisco alternatives compared on sourced evidence
How the leading alternatives to Cisco differ on who owns the network and who runs the service. Ordered as ranked.
10vendors. Each value below is graded from the vendor's own published material or an independently accountable record, with a sentence quoted from that source and confirmed present on the page. 520 sources behind this table. Verified 2026-07-29. Where evidence was not found a cell reads Not published rather than being inferred.
| # | Vendor | Type | Underlay | SSE layer | Backbone | PoPs | Fully managed | Compliance docs | Published SLA | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cato Networks | Both | Mixed | Native | Yes | 100 | Yes | Documented | 99.999 | 46 |
| 2 | Palo Alto Networks | Builds | Customer supplied | Native | Partner | 100+ | Via managed service | Documented | 99.999 | 58 |
| 3 | Netskope | Builds | Mixed | Native | Not published | 120+ | Via managed service | Documented | 99.999 | 60 |
| 4 | HPE Aruba Networking | Both | Customer supplied | Not published | Not published | Not published | Yes | Documented | Not published | 54 |
| 5 | Versa Networks | Both | Mixed | Native | Partial | 90 | Partial | Documented | 99.999 | 47 |
| 6 | Fortinet | Both | Not published | Native | Partial | 170+ | Yes | Documented | 99.999 | 42 |
| 7 | Zscaler | Both | Customer supplied | Native | Not primary | 160 | Partial | Documented | 99.999 | 51 |
| 8 | Arista / VeloCloud | Builds | Customer supplied | Partner | Not published | 150+ | Partner | Documented | Not published | 53 |
| 9 | Aryaka | Both | Mixed | Native | Yes | 40+ | Yes | Documented | 99.999 | 66 |
| 10 | Check Point | Both | Mixed | Native | Yes | 80+ | Partial | None found | Not published | 43 |
Full sources for each vendor, including the sources we found and rejected and any claims that disagree, are on its profile page.
No. 1 · Score 88.6
Cato Networks
Cloud-native SASE / SD-WAN platform · Typical deployment: hours
Single converged platform with no policy or log fragmentation across SD-WAN and security functions.
Watch out: Less suited to best-of-breed buyers wanting Zscaler or Netskope as the SSE layer.
Contact Cato Networks via Netify ↗No. 2 · Score 85.4 · Same category
Palo Alto Networks Prisma SASE
SD-WAN / SASE technology vendor · Typical deployment: weeks
Prisma SASE converges SD-WAN, cloud-delivered security, and digital experience management (ADEM) under a single platform identity.
Watch out: Premium pricing relative to firewall-led SD-WAN vendors; commercial model requires careful scoping by users, bandwidth, locations and term.
Contact Palo Alto Networks Prisma SASE via Netify ↗No. 3 · Score 81.6
Netskope
SSE / SASE platform · Typical deployment: days
Strong CASB heritage; widely recognised as a leading SSE vendor for SaaS-heavy environments.
Watch out: Native SD-WAN (Borderless WAN) is newer than dedicated SD-WAN platforms; validate path selection and QoS depth in RFP.
Contact Netskope via Netify ↗No. 4 · Score 74.4
HPE Aruba EdgeConnect
SD-WAN / SSE / branch technology vendor · Typical deployment: days
EdgeConnect SD-WAN (acquired with Silver Peak) is positioned as the foundation for single-vendor SASE alongside Aruba SSE.
Watch out: Aruba SSE is newer than the SSE leaders (Zscaler, Netskope); buyers wanting best-of-breed SASE should evaluate the SSE capability set carefully.
Contact HPE Aruba EdgeConnect via Netify ↗No. 5 · Score 73.1 · Same category
Versa Networks
SD-WAN / SASE technology vendor · Typical deployment: weeks
Multi-tenancy from the ground up, making Versa a common choice for service providers and carriers building managed SD-WAN and SASE platforms.
Watch out: Less well-known to enterprise buyers as a direct purchase; most enterprise consumption is via service providers.
Contact Versa Networks via Netify ↗No. 6 · Score 70.7
Fortinet FortiSASE
Secure SD-WAN / SASE technology vendor · Typical deployment: days
Native convergence of networking and security on a single operating system (FortiOS) across FortiGate edge, FortiManager and FortiSASE.
Watch out: Like Cisco, managed delivery is via partners rather than Fortinet directly; underlay and field operations are not owned by the vendor.
Contact Fortinet FortiSASE via Netify ↗No. 7 · Score 62.6
Zscaler
SSE / SASE platform · Typical deployment: days
Category leader in SSE with ZIA, ZPA and ZDX; widely adopted as the security layer in best-of-breed SASE architectures.
Watch out: Historically SSE-led; native SD-WAN capability is less mature than dedicated SD-WAN platforms (validate path selection, QoS and packet loss in RFP).
Contact Zscaler via Netify ↗No. 8 · Score 62.5
VeloCloud
SD-WAN technology vendor · Typical deployment: days
VeloCloud was an early SD-WAN platform with strong cloud-delivered gateway architecture; now under Arista following the 2025 acquisition.
Watch out: Platform is mid-transition from VMware/Broadcom to Arista; product roadmap, naming and integration story will evolve.
Contact VeloCloud via Netify ↗No. 9 · Score 61.6
Aryaka
Managed SD-WAN / SASE provider · Typical deployment: days
Unified SASE delivered as a managed service from end to end, including the private global core network and WAN optimisation.
Watch out: Smaller PoP footprint and partner ecosystem than the hyperscale SASE vendors; coverage must match your geographic profile.
Contact Aryaka via Netify ↗No. 10 · Score 60.9
Check Point
SASE / security vendor · Typical deployment: days
Harmony SASE combines Check Point security heritage with cloud-delivered SASE and optimised SD-WAN performance.
Watch out: Native SD-WAN capabilities (path selection, QoS, packet loss remediation) have limited public evidence relative to SD-WAN-led vendors.
Contact Check Point via Netify ↗
Questions
About this ranking
What are the best alternatives to Cisco?
Ranked by the Netify 40-feature evidence matrix, verified 29 July 2026, the strongest alternatives are listed above with scores. Close peers in the same category (SD-WAN / SASE technology vendor) are marked. The right alternative depends on your operating model, sector and regions, which the interactive shortlist builder scores for free.
Why do buyers look beyond Cisco?
Common reasons from the Netify evaluation include: Two distinct SD-WAN product lines (Catalyst and Meraki) means buyers should confirm which fits the target deployment profile and the longer-term roadmap. Managed delivery is partner-led rather than first-party, so service quality varies meaningfully by integrator. Whether these matter depends on your estate; the Cisco profile carries the full evidence record.
How is this alternatives ranking calculated?
Every provider is scored on the same published evidence grades across 40 capability features, with the subject vendor excluded. The ranking is deterministic and reproducible via the canonical URL, its JSON twin and the MCP tool.
Scores are weighted across 40 capabilities with points accrued based on: yes 1.0, via partner 0.75, via managed service 0.65, partial 0.5, not confirmed 0.15, not primary 0. Extended dimensions are indicative desk research; confirm via RFP.