Enterprise ZTNA replacing legacy VPN at scale, SMB ZTNA for growth-stage teams, and identity-led access for organizations where MFA is the right wedge — three different shapes of "Zero Trust." Below is which problem each approach actually solves and when to brief each.
| Enterprise ZTNAAppgate | SMB ZTNANord Security (NordLayer) | Identity-Led AccessCisco Duo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approach | Software-defined perimeter — purpose-built ZTNA architecture | Cloud VPN evolving into ZTNA — simple, fast deployment | MFA + device trust + adaptive access policy |
| Best-fit buyer | Enterprise CISO replacing legacy VPN at 1,000+ user scale | SMB IT lead at 25–500 employees needing modern remote access | CISO standardizing MFA / strengthening identity layer |
| What it replaces | Legacy VPN concentrators, network-based access control, MPLS-tied trust | Consumer VPN, basic IP-based ACLs, work-from-anywhere hacks | SMS MFA, legacy hardware tokens, password-only access |
| Differentiator | Single-packet authorization, deep policy granularity, hybrid-first design | Channel-friendly economics, fast deployment, business-grade SaaS | Push MFA UX that users actually accept, device posture checks, M365 integration |
| Less ideal when… | You're SMB — overkill | You're enterprise with complex segmentation needs | Your problem is network-level segmentation, not authentication |
Brief Appgate if you're an enterprise replacing legacy VPN, you need granular policy and hybrid-first architecture, and you've outgrown what consumer-grade ZTNA can deliver.
Supplier page →Brief Nord Security if you're SMB / growth-stage, you need modern remote access deployed in days, and channel-friendly per-user pricing matches your buying motion.
Supplier page →Brief Duo if your Zero Trust wedge is identity — MFA modernization, device trust, adaptive access — and you want push-based MFA your users actually accept.
Supplier page →