Cisco Umbrella Review: Is It The Right Secure Web Gateways For Your Team?
Best for Mid-market · Enterprise
Free Trial Available
GDPR
SOC 2
HIPAA
ISO 27001Add to compare
Cisco Umbrella offers custom pricing plan
Ford
Kaiser Permanente
TIM
T
yelpTrusted by many companies including Ford
Overview
Pricing
Features
Buyer feedback
Alternatives
Customers
Media
Security & Compliance
Support
FAQ
Blogs
What is Cisco Umbrella?
Cisco Umbrella is a comprehensive cloud-native security platform designed to simplify cybersecurity and compliance for modern enterprises. Combining DNS-layer security, a secure web gateway (SWG), cloud access security broker (CASB), and more, it delivers an integrated end-to-end protection experience. Powered by Cisco Talos, the world’s largest cyber threat intelligence team, Umbrella processes over 600 billion internet requests daily, ensuring real-time threat detection and prevention. Recognized multiple times by AV-TEST for #1 security efficacy, it offers robust defense against malware, phishing, and data breaches. Umbrella supports organizations in strengthening existing security stacks or transitioning to a SASE architecture, promoting agility, scalability, and confidence in cloud security initiatives.
Pricing
Cisco Umbrella offers custom pricing plan
Free Trial available
Best For
Designed for mid-market and enterprise teams
Security & Compliance
SOC 2GDPRHIPAAISO 27001SSO & MFA supported
Data residency:Global
Cisco Umbrella Software Demo
Cisco Umbrella was reviewed internally using user feedback, in-house testing, and market research to assess its performance, reliability, and user experience. Learn how we review products and our evaluation process.
Who should consider Cisco Umbrella
- Use cases
- Cybersecurity, Financial Services, Healthcare
- Team types
- IT Managers, Security Analysts
- Company size
- 250 - 10,000 employees, Large Enterprises
- Workflow style
- Enterprise-focused and process-heavy
- Setup complexity
- Medium
Why teams choose Cisco Umbrella
Unified platform combining DNS-layer security, SWG, CASB, and firewall capabilities
Powered by Cisco Talos with rapid, precise threat detection from a large cyber intelligence database
Highly scalable and adaptable for enterprises of varying cloud maturity
Is Cisco Umbrella right for you?
Best for enterprises needing integrated, scalable cloud-native cybersecurity.
Choose Cisco Umbrella if
- You require unified DNS-layer security, SWG, CASB, and firewall in one platform.
- Your organization values real-time threat intelligence powered by Cisco Talos.
- You manage cybersecurity across large, distributed environments with complex workflows.
Consider alternatives if
- You are a small startup or have a limited IT budget.
- You need highly flexible or detailed reporting beyond Umbrella’s capabilities.
What buyers should know before shortlisting Cisco Umbrella
Cisco Umbrella delivers a comprehensive, cloud-native security platform that’s hard to beat when it comes to simplicity, scalability, and threat intelligence. In my experience, it excels at streamlining cybersecurity operations across distributed environments, thanks to the integration of DNS-layer security, SWG, CASB, and more.
I was particularly impressed by its real-time threat detection, powered by Cisco Talos, which gave our team greater confidence in blocking malware and phishing attempts. While it may be on the pricier side and requires some acclimation outside Cisco-native setups, the tradeoff is a powerful, unified defense system that supports both hybrid and cloud-first security strategies effectively.
Cisco Umbrella pros and cons
- Cisco Umbrella pros
Unified platform combining DNS-layer security, SWG, CASB, and firewall capabilities
Powered by Cisco Talos with rapid, precise threat detection from a large cyber intelligence database
Highly scalable and adaptable for enterprises of varying cloud maturity
- Cisco Umbrella cons
Premium pricing may be prohibitive for smaller organizations
Steeper learning curve for organizations outside the Cisco ecosystem
Ready to try it?
Get started with Cisco Umbrella
Start your free trial — no credit card required.
Still comparing?
See how it stacks up
Compare Cisco Umbrella side-by-side with top Secure Web Gateways alternatives.
What is the pricing of Cisco Umbrella?
Cisco Umbrella uses custom pricing — plans are tailored to your team size and needs. Contact them for a quote.
Cisco Umbrella reviews and ratings
Buyer sentiment
Buyers appreciate Cisco Umbrella’s comprehensive threat detection and unified security platform but note its premium pricing and integration complexity.
What buyers like
- Comprehensive security coverage
- Real-time threat intelligence
- Scalability across distributed environments
Common complaints
- High cost
- Integration and learning curve challenges
What are the features of Cisco Umbrella?
The DNS Leak Protection feature in Cisco Umbrella ensures all DNS queries are securely routed through Cisco's trusted infrastructure rather…
Incident Logs within Cisco Umbrella provide comprehensive visibility into all blocked or suspicious web activity across your network environ…
The Logging & Reporting functionality in Cisco Umbrella provides detailed insights into network activity through intuitive dashboards and cu…
Cisco Umbrella’s Malware Protection continuously monitors internet traffic to detect and block malicious software threats before they reach…
The Phishing Protection feature in Cisco Umbrella safeguards users against fraudulent websites designed to steal login credentials or financ…
Cisco Umbrella’s Policy Enforcement feature enables administrators to create, customize, and consistently apply security policies across all…
Cisco Umbrella integrates industry-leading Threat Intelligence capabilities that constantly analyze global internet activity data to proacti…
Cisco Umbrella’s URL Filtering allows administrators to manage user access to specific categories of websites based on predefined policies.…
Cisco Umbrella's Web Gateway provides secure and efficient internet access by inspecting and filtering web traffic in real-time. This featur…
Cisco Umbrella security and data handling
Key compliance certifications and security features for IT and security teams evaluating Cisco Umbrella.
Certifications
Security features
Developer & data
Alternatives to Cisco Umbrella
Comprehensive Web Threat Protection ...
Why buyers keep looking beyond Cisco Umbrella
Organizations seeking more budget-friendly DNS security options might explore alternatives offering competitive pricing models and greater flexibility to better align with cost constraints.
Users requiring deeper customization or specific integrations with existing security infrastructures could consider other solutions that provide enhanced compatibility and tailored configurations.
Companies aiming for advanced threat analytics or more comprehensive reporting capabilities might look into platforms that offer detailed insights and robust data visualization for improved decision-making.
Businesses preferring simplified deployment or easier management might choose alternative solutions that offer intuitive interfaces, streamlined administration, and minimal learning curves for IT teams.
Organizations concerned about vendor lock-in or wanting broader vendor diversification in their cybersecurity strategy may opt for alternatives providing equivalent protections from different providers.
Cisco Umbrella Customers
Ford
Kaiser Permanente
TIM
T
yelp
Cisco Umbrella Support Options
Frequently Asked Questions About Cisco Umbrella
Common questions buyers ask before choosing Cisco Umbrella.
Cisco Umbrella is a Secure Web Gateways. Cisco Umbrella offers Web Gateway, Malware Protection, Phishing Protection, URL Filtering, Incident Logs and many more functionalities.
Cisco Umbrella is a strong fit if: You require unified DNS-layer security, SWG, CASB, and firewall in one platform.; Your organization values real-time threat intelligence powered by Cisco Talos.. Consider alternatives if: You are a small startup or have a limited IT budget.; You need highly flexible or detailed reporting beyond Umbrella’s capabilities..
Buyers commonly note the following limitations of Cisco Umbrella: Premium pricing may be prohibitive for smaller organizations; Steeper learning curve for organizations outside the Cisco ecosystem; Reporting capabilities less flexible or detailed compared to standalone SIEM tools.
Some top alternatives to Cisco Umbrella includes Lightspeed Filter, Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateways, Zecurion Secure Web Gateway, WebTitan Web Filter and DOPE.SECURITY.
Cisco Umbrella offers Quotation Based, Free Trial pricing models
The starting price is not disclosed by Cisco Umbrella. You can visit Cisco Umbrella pricing page to get the latest pricing.
Ready to try it?
Get started with Cisco Umbrella
Start your free trial — no credit card required.
Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].