# NordLayer, Surfshark vs Cisco Duo Comparison

| | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Star Rating** | 4.3 out of 5 | 4.0 out of 5 | 4.5 out of 5 | 
| **Total Reviews** | 126 | 22 | 514 | 
| **Largest Market Segment** | Small-Business (56.3% of reviews) | Small-Business (77.3% of reviews) | Enterprise (43.3% of reviews) | 
| **Entry Level Price** | Starting at $8.00 1 Users | $1.99/mo | Free | 

---
## Top Pros & Cons

### NordLayer

Pros:
- Ease of Use (6 reviews)
- Setup Ease (4 reviews)

Cons:
- Performance Issues (5 reviews)
- Limited Features (4 reviews)

### Surfshark


Cons:
- Connectivity Issues (1 reviews)

### Cisco Duo

Pros:
- Ease of Use (71 reviews)
- Security (67 reviews)

Cons:
- Authentication Issues (24 reviews)
- Login Issues (16 reviews)

---
## Ratings Comparison
| Rating | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
  | **Meets Requirements** | 8.9 (109 reviews) | 8.7 (19 reviews) | 9.4 (402 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Use** | 9.2 (112 reviews) | 9.3 (19 reviews) | 9.3 (408 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Setup** | 9.2 (65 reviews) | 8.7 (5 reviews) | 9.0 (164 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Admin** | 9.0 (58 reviews) | Not enough data | 9.2 (95 reviews) | 
  | **Quality of Support** | 8.5 (99 reviews) | 8.2 (15 reviews) | 8.9 (309 reviews) | 
  | **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?** | 8.5 (54 reviews) | Not enough data | 9.2 (93 reviews) | 
  | **Product Direction (% positive)** | 8.4 (102 reviews) | 8.2 (19 reviews) | 8.4 (388 reviews) | 

---
## Pricing

### NordLayer

#### Entry-Level Pricing

Plan: Lite

Price: Starting at $8.00 1 Users

Description: Essential internet access security with basic internet threat prevention features.

Key Features:
- Up to 100mbs server performance
- ThreatBlock
- VPN protocol variety

[Browse all 4 editions](https://www.g2.com/products/nordlayer/pricing)

#### Free Trial

No

### Surfshark

#### Entry-Level Pricing

Plan: 2-year subscription

Price: $1.99/mo

Key Features:
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- 24/7 friendly support
- Easy-to-use apps for any device

[Learn more about Surfshark](https://www.g2.com/products/surfshark/reviews)

#### Free Trial

No

### Cisco Duo

#### Entry-Level Pricing

Plan: Duo Free

Price: Free

Description: Protect access to federated cloud and on-premises applications with Duo's easy-to-use two-factor authentication.

Key Features:
- Add up to 10 users
- Strong MFA
- Seamless integrations

[Browse all 4 editions](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-duo/pricing)

#### Free Trial

Yes

---
## Features Comparison By Category

### Single Sign-On (SSO)

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **NordLayer** | N/A | N/A |
| **Surfshark** | N/A | N/A |
| **Cisco Duo** | 9.3/10 | 115 |

#### Authentication Options

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Authentication User experience** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.3 (98 reviews) | 
| **Supports Required Authentication systems** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.3 (96 reviews) | 
| **Multi-Factor Authentication** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.6 (99 reviews) | 
| **Supports Required Authentication Methods/Protocols** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.4 (89 reviews) | 
| **Federation/SAML support (idp)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.1 (68 reviews) | 
| **Federation/SAML support (sp)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.4 (66 reviews) | 

#### Access Control Types

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Endpoint access** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.6 (82 reviews) | 
| **Local Access** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.3 (84 reviews) | 
| **Remote Access** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.5 (90 reviews) | 
| **Partner Access** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.1 (69 reviews) | 
| **Supports BYOD users** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.2 (73 reviews) | 

#### Administration

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Ease of installation on server** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.1 (78 reviews) | 
| **Password Policy Enforcement** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.4 (77 reviews) | 
| **Administration Console** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.3 (75 reviews) | 
| **Ease of connecting applications** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.3 (78 reviews) | 
| **Self Service Password Administration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.0 (77 reviews) | 

#### Platform

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Multiple Operating system support** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.4 (85 reviews) | 
| **Multi-Domain Support** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.5 (80 reviews) | 
| **Cross Browser support** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.4 (79 reviews) | 
| **Fail over protection** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.1 (68 reviews) | 
| **Reporting** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.1 (71 reviews) | 
| **Auditing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.0 (67 reviews) | 
| **Third Party Web Services support** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.1 (71 reviews) | 

### Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **NordLayer** | N/A | N/A |
| **Surfshark** | N/A | N/A |
| **Cisco Duo** | 8.5/10 | 192 |

#### Authentication type

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **SMS-Based** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.4 (145 reviews) ✓ Verified | 
| **Voice-Based Telephony** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.8 (127 reviews) ✓ Verified | 
| **Email-Based** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.0 (121 reviews) | 
| **Hardware Token-Based** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.2 (124 reviews) ✓ Verified | 
| **Software Token** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.8 (140 reviews) ✓ Verified | 
| **Biometric Factor** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.3 (122 reviews) ✓ Verified | 
| **Mobile-Push** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.3 (161 reviews) ✓ Verified | 
| **Risk-Based Authentication** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.7 (121 reviews) ✓ Verified | 

#### Functionality

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Multi-Device Sync** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.8 (130 reviews) ✓ Verified | 
| **Backup** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.1 (118 reviews) | 

#### Implementation

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Easy Setup** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.1 (155 reviews) ✓ Verified | 
| **Mobile SDK** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.5 (116 reviews) | 
| **Web SDK** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.2 (113 reviews) | 

### Network Access Control (NAC)

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **NordLayer** | 9.6/10 | 6 |
| **Surfshark** | N/A | N/A |
| **Cisco Duo** | N/A | N/A |

#### Data

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Data Protection** | 9.7 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Remote Access** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Network Access** | 9.7 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Network

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Security** | 9.4 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Scaling** | 9.7 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Audit** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Logistics

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Processes** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Blockage** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **IoT** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Zero Trust Networking

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **NordLayer** | 8.6/10 | 8 |
| **Surfshark** | N/A | N/A |
| **Cisco Duo** | 8.6/10 | 58 |

#### Network Management

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Network Segmentation** | 8.6 (7 reviews) | Not enough data | 8.6 (22 reviews) | 
| **Network Mapping** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | 8.5 (24 reviews) | 
| **Security Analytics** | 7.7 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | 8.7 (24 reviews) | 
| **API/Integrations** | 8.7 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | 8.9 (40 reviews) | 

#### Security

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Security Automation** | 9.4 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | 9.0 (24 reviews) | 
| **Application Security** | 9.8 (7 reviews) | Not enough data | 9.5 (47 reviews) | 
| **Workload Protection** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | 8.6 (23 reviews) | 
| **Data Protection** | 9.8 (7 reviews) | Not enough data | 9.2 (26 reviews) | 

#### Identity Management

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Adaptive Access Control** | 9.3 (7 reviews) | Not enough data | 9.0 (27 reviews) | 
| **Identity Scoring** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | 8.5 (24 reviews) | 
| **User Monitoring** | 8.3 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | 8.7 (26 reviews) | 

#### Generative AI

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **AI Text Summarization** | 6.7 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | 6.9 (12 reviews) | 
| **AI Text Generation** | 7.3 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | 7.1 (12 reviews) | 

### Cloud Data Security

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **NordLayer** | N/A | N/A |
| **Surfshark** | N/A | N/A |
| **Cisco Duo** | 8.9/10 | 38 |

#### Data Protection

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Data Masking** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.9 (29 reviews) | 
| **Data Encryption/Security** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.1 (34 reviews) | 
| **Data loss Prevention** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.0 (32 reviews) | 
| **Anomoly Detection** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.7 (30 reviews) | 
| **Sensitive Data Compliance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.4 (33 reviews) | 

#### Analysis

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Cloud Gap Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.5 (31 reviews) | 
| **Compliance Monitoring** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.8 (31 reviews) | 
| **User Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.9 (31 reviews) | 

#### Administration

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Auditing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.8 (29 reviews) | 
| **Data Discovery** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.4 (28 reviews) | 
| **Access Control** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.9 (30 reviews) | 

### Firewall Software

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **NordLayer** | 9.0/10 | 5 |
| **Surfshark** | N/A | N/A |
| **Cisco Duo** | N/A | N/A |

#### Administration

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Policy Management** | 8.3 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Logging and Reporting** | 8.3 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Application Gateway** | 8.7 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Concurrent Sessions** | 9.7 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Agentic AI - Firewall Software

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Autonomous Task Execution** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Adaptive Learning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Functionality

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Virtual Private Network (VPN)** | 10.0 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Antivirus** | 8.3 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **URL Filtering** | 9.0 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Availability** | 9.0 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Monitoring

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Load Balancing** | 9.3 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Continuous Analysis** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Intrusion Prevention** | 9.3 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Intrusion Detection** | 9.3 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Generative AI

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **AI Text Summarization** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Artificial Intelligence - Firewall

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **AI Firewall** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Biometric Authentication

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **NordLayer** | N/A | N/A |
| **Surfshark** | N/A | N/A |
| **Cisco Duo** | 8.9/10 | 7 |

#### Integration

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Uses Open Standards** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.9 (6 reviews) | 
| **Mobile SDK** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.1 (6 reviews) | 
| **Workforce Authentication** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.0 (7 reviews) | 
| **Customer Authentication** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.8 (7 reviews) | 

#### Administration

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Encryption** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.3 (7 reviews) | 
| **Audit Trails** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.9 (6 reviews) | 
| **Regulatory Compliance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.2 (6 reviews) | 

### Risk-Based Authentication (RBA)

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **NordLayer** | N/A | N/A |
| **Surfshark** | N/A | N/A |
| **Cisco Duo** | 9.2/10 | 24 |

#### Administration

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Bi-Directional Identity Synchronization** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.4 (18 reviews) | 
| **Policy Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.1 (21 reviews) | 
| **Cloud Directory** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.1 (19 reviews) | 
| **Application Integrations** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Cloud File Security

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **NordLayer** | N/A | N/A |
| **Surfshark** | N/A | N/A |
| **Cisco Duo** | 9.2/10 | 17 |

#### Security

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Encrypted Storage** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.4 (13 reviews) | 
| **Anomoly Detection** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.0 (13 reviews) | 
| **Data loss Prevention** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.1 (13 reviews) | 
| **Policy Enforcement** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.3 (14 reviews) | 

#### Administration

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Reporting and Monitoring** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.6 (15 reviews) | 
| **Breadth of Partner Applications** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.0 (14 reviews) | 
| **Auditing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.3 (14 reviews) | 

#### Access Control

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **User, Role, and Access Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.7 (15 reviews) | 
| **Access Rights** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.1 (15 reviews) | 
| **User Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.2 (14 reviews) | 
| **Compliance Monitoring** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.0 (14 reviews) | 

### Passwordless Authentication

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **NordLayer** | N/A | N/A |
| **Surfshark** | N/A | N/A |
| **Cisco Duo** | 8.8/10 | 43 |

#### Functionality

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **FIDO2-compliant** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.0 (34 reviews) | 
| **Works with hardware security keys** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.8 (34 reviews) | 
| **Multiple authentication methods** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.2 (41 reviews) | 
| **Offline or no-phone solution** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.0 (38 reviews) | 

### Identity and Access Management (IAM)

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **NordLayer** | N/A | N/A |
| **Surfshark** | N/A | N/A |
| **Cisco Duo** | 9.0/10 | 19 |

#### Functionality

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **User provisioning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.6 (8 reviews) | 
| **Password manager** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | 8.3 (10 reviews) | 
| **Single Sign-on** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.9 (11 reviews) | 
| **Enforces policies** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.7 (10 reviews) | 
| **Authentication** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.8 (14 reviews) | 
| **Multi-factor authentication** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 10.0 (17 reviews) | 

####  Type

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **On-premises solution** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.7 (10 reviews) | 
| **Cloud-solution** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.2 (10 reviews) | 

####  Reporting

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Tracking** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.1 (9 reviews) | 
| **Reporting** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.8 (10 reviews) | 
| **Access & Permission Change Reporting** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Compliance & Audit Trail Export** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Authentication & Authorization - Identity and Access Management (IAM)

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Adaptive & Contextual Access Control** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Administration & Governance - Identity and Access Management (IAM)

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Identity Lifecycle Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Self‑Service Account Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Generative AI - Identity and Access Management (IAM)

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **AI‑Driven Access Anomaly Detection** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Automated Policy Tuning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Predictive Role Recommendations** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Secure Web Gateways

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **NordLayer** | N/A | N/A |
| **Surfshark** | N/A | N/A |
| **Cisco Duo** | N/A | N/A |

#### Web Content and Traffic Filtering - Secure Web Gateways

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **SSL/TLS Inspection** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Content Filtering** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **URL Filtering** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Real-Time Traffic Inspection** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Ad and Tracker Blocking** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Data Protection and Loss Prevention - Secure Web Gateways

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Data Loss Prevention (DLP)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Phishing Protection** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Malware Protection** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Cloud Access Security** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Access Control and Authentication - Secure Web Gateways

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Application Control** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Authentication and Access Control** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **User and Group Policies** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Performance and Management - Secure Web Gateways

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Customizable Policy Enforcement** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Bandwidth Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Integration Capabilities** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Reporting and Logging** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Threat Intelligence Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platforms

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **NordLayer** | N/A | N/A |
| **Surfshark** | N/A | N/A |
| **Cisco Duo** | N/A | N/A |

#### Components - Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Wide Area Network (WAN)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Secure Web Gateway (SWG)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Firewall as a Service** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Artificial Intelligence - Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Predictive Capabilities** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Real-Time Threat Detection** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Automation** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Agentic AI - Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platforms

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Autonomous Task Execution** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Cross-system Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Proactive Assistance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Decision Making** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Zero Trust Platforms

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **NordLayer** | N/A | N/A |
| **Surfshark** | N/A | N/A |
| **Cisco Duo** | 9.7/10 | 6 |

#### Identity and Access Management - Zero Trust Platforms

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Single sign-on (SSO)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.7 (5 reviews) | 
| **Multi-factor authentication (MFA)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 10.0 (5 reviews) | 
| **Role-based access control (RBAC)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.7 (5 reviews) | 
| **Identity federation** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Security - Zero Trust Platforms

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Encryption** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Endpoint detection and response (EDR)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Device posture assessment** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.3 (5 reviews) | 
| **Micro-segmentation** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Zero trust network access (ZTNA)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Data Security - Zero Trust Platforms

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Data loss prevention (DLP)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Data classification** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Application Visibility - Zero Trust Platforms

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **API support** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Application-level controls** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Secure application access** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **User and entity behavior analytics (UEBA)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Continuous monitoring** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Reporting and Policies - Zero Trust Platforms

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Policy automation** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Regulatory compliance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Cross-platform compatibility** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Policy enforcement** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Comprehensive reporting** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Agentic AI - Zero Trust Platforms

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Autonomous Task Execution** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Cross-system Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Adaptive Learning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Proactive Assistance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Secure Service Edge (SSE) Solutions

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **NordLayer** | N/A | N/A |
| **Surfshark** | N/A | N/A |
| **Cisco Duo** | N/A | N/A |

#### Components - Secure Service Edge (SSE)

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Secure Web Gateway (SWG)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Firewall as a Service** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Artificial Intelligence -Secure Service Edge (SSE)

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Automation** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Predictive Capabilities** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Real-Time Threat Detection** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Agentic AI - Secure Service Edge (SSE)

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Decision Making** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Autonomous Task Execution** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Cross-system Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Proactive Assistance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Cloud Security

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **NordLayer** | N/A | N/A |
| **Surfshark** | N/A | N/A |
| **Cisco Duo** | N/A | N/A |

#### Cloud Visibility

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Data Discovery** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Cloud Registry** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Cloud Gap Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Security

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Data Security** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Data loss Prevention** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Security Auditing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Identity

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **SSO** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Governance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **User Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Business VPN

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **NordLayer** | 8.6/10 | 91 |
| **Surfshark** | 8.4/10 | 18 |
| **Cisco Duo** | N/A | N/A |

#### Usage

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Multi-Device Usage** | 8.9 (82 reviews) | 9.0 (16 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Multiple Concurrent Connections** | 8.6 (77 reviews) | 8.9 (15 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Protocol Choices** | 8.4 (44 reviews) | 8.1 (12 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Unlimited Bandwidth** | 8.4 (81 reviews) | 8.2 (15 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **No Log Storage** | 8.6 (74 reviews) | 7.7 (13 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Varied Server Locations** | 8.8 (81 reviews) | 9.0 (13 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Unlimited Server Switches** | 8.7 (77 reviews) | 8.7 (14 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Miscellaneous

| Feature | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Live Customer Support** | 8.3 (70 reviews) | 7.5 (12 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Open Source Code** | Feature Not Available | 8.0 (11 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Multiple Payment Methods** | Feature Not Available | 8.5 (11 reviews) | Not enough data | 

---
## Categories

**Unique to NordLayer (8):** [Secure Web Gateway Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/secure-web-gateways), [Zero Trust Networking Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/zero-trust-networking), [Network Access Control Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/network-access-control-nac), [Business VPN Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/business-vpn), [Identity and Access Management (IAM) Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/identity-and-access-management-iam), [Firewall Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/firewall-software), [Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platforms](https://www.g2.com/categories/secure-access-service-edge-sase-platforms), [Secure Service Edge (SSE) Solutions](https://www.g2.com/categories/secure-service-edge-sse-solutions)

**Unique to Surfshark (1):** [Business VPN Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/business-vpn)

**Unique to Cisco Duo (10):** [Passwordless Authentication Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/passwordless-authentication), [Cloud File Security Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/cloud-file-security), [Cloud Data Security Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/cloud-data-security), [Zero Trust Networking Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/zero-trust-networking), [Risk-Based Authentication Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/risk-based-authentication-rba), [Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/multi-factor-authentication-mfa), [Single Sign-On (SSO) Solutions](https://www.g2.com/categories/single-sign-on-sso), [Identity and Access Management (IAM) Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/identity-and-access-management-iam), [Biometric Authentication Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/biometric-authentication), [Zero Trust Platforms](https://www.g2.com/categories/zero-trust-platforms)


---
## Reviewer Demographics

### By Company Size

| Segment | NordLayer | Surfshark | Cisco Duo | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Small-Business** | 56.3% | 77.3% | 18.7% | 
| **Mid-Market** | 33.3% | 13.6% | 38.0% | 
| **Enterprise** | 10.3% | 9.1% | 43.3% | 

### By Industry

#### NordLayer

- **Computer Software:** 17.5%
- **Information Technology and Services:** 11.9%
- **Financial Services:** 5.6%
- **Internet:** 5.6%
- **Marketing and Advertising:** 5.6%
- **Computer & Network Security:** 4.8%
- **Hospital & Health Care:** 3.2%
- **Health, Wellness and Fitness:** 3.2%
- **Management Consulting:** 3.2%
- **Construction:** 3.2%
- **Other:** 36.5%

#### Surfshark

- **Information Technology and Services:** 19.0%
- **Higher Education:** 14.3%
- **Events Services:** 9.5%
- **Consulting:** 4.8%
- **Transportation/Trucking/Railroad:** 4.8%
- **Telecommunications:** 4.8%
- **Real Estate:** 4.8%
- **Professional Training & Coaching:** 4.8%
- **Oil & Energy:** 4.8%
- **Insurance:** 4.8%
- **Other:** 23.8%

#### Cisco Duo

- **Information Technology and Services:** 17.6%
- **Higher Education:** 11.9%
- **Computer Software:** 5.7%
- **Hospital & Health Care:** 5.1%
- **Financial Services:** 4.9%
- **Education Management:** 4.7%
- **Computer & Network Security:** 3.6%
- **Internet:** 2.5%
- **Telecommunications:** 2.1%
- **Insurance:** 2.1%
- **Other:** 39.7%

---
## Alternatives

### Alternatives to NordLayer

- [Check Point SASE](https://www.g2.com/products/check-point-sase/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (215 reviews)
- [Okta](https://www.g2.com/products/okta/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (1223 reviews)
- [Sophos Firewall](https://www.g2.com/products/sophos-firewall/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (618 reviews)
- [Netgate pfSense](https://www.g2.com/products/netgate-pfsense/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (325 reviews)
- [JumpCloud](https://www.g2.com/products/jumpcloud/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (3964 reviews)
- [Check Point Next Generation Firewalls (NGFWs)](https://www.g2.com/products/check-point-next-generation-firewalls-ngfws/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (582 reviews)
- [Microsoft Entra ID](https://www.g2.com/products/microsoft-entra-id/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (907 reviews)
- [Agentforce 360 Platform (formerly Salesforce Platform)](https://www.g2.com/products/agentforce-360-platform-formerly-salesforce-platform/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (3998 reviews)
- [BetterCloud](https://www.g2.com/products/bettercloud/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (481 reviews)
- [OpenVPN Access Server](https://www.g2.com/products/openvpn-access-server/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (337 reviews)

### Alternatives to Surfshark

- [KeepSolid VPN Unlimited](https://www.g2.com/products/keepsolid-vpn-unlimited/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (24 reviews)
- [OpenVPN CloudConnexa](https://www.g2.com/products/openvpn-cloudconnexa/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (124 reviews)
- [LetsVPN](https://www.g2.com/products/letsvpn/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (24 reviews)
- [CyberGhost VPN](https://www.g2.com/products/cyberghost-vpn/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (23 reviews)
- [Windscribe](https://www.g2.com/products/windscribe/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (64 reviews)
- [Norton VPN](https://www.g2.com/products/norton-vpn/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (25 reviews)
- [Netgate pfSense](https://www.g2.com/products/netgate-pfsense/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (325 reviews)
- [OpenVPN Access Server](https://www.g2.com/products/openvpn-access-server/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (337 reviews)
- [IVPN](https://www.g2.com/products/ivpn/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (12 reviews)
- [Cisco Secure Client](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-secure-client/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (345 reviews)

### Alternatives to Cisco Duo

- [CyberArk Workforce Identity](https://www.g2.com/products/cyberark-workforce-identity/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (130 reviews)
- [LastPass](https://www.g2.com/products/lastpass/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (2041 reviews)
- [Microsoft Entra ID](https://www.g2.com/products/microsoft-entra-id/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (907 reviews)
- [OneLogin](https://www.g2.com/products/onelogin/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (290 reviews)
- [SecureAuth: Workforce IAM](https://www.g2.com/products/secureauth-workforce-iam/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (29 reviews)
- [Auth0](https://www.g2.com/products/auth0/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (262 reviews)
- [Okta](https://www.g2.com/products/okta/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (1223 reviews)
- [Ping Identity](https://www.g2.com/products/ping-identity/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (114 reviews)
- [JumpCloud](https://www.g2.com/products/jumpcloud/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (3964 reviews)
- [Keeper Password Manager](https://www.g2.com/products/keeper-password-manager/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (1196 reviews)

---
## Top Discussions

### NordLayer

- Title: [How has NordLayer improved your network security, and what features do you rely on?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-has-nordlayer-improved-your-network-security-and-what-features-do-you-rely-on) — 1 comment, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "- Encrypted data with AES-256 for secure transmission
- Implemented Zero Trust Network Access to reduce internal threats
- Provided safe remote access..."
- Title: [What is NordLayer used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-nordlayer-used-for) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "NordLayer helps organizations of all sizes enhance their internet security and modernize network and resource access with technical improvements aligning..."

### Surfshark

- Title: [Is it possible to connect to the fastest server of a country?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/35215-is-it-possible-to-connect-to-the-fastest-server-of-a-country) — 1 comment, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "Yes, Surfshark allows us to connect to the fastest server of your nearest server/location."

### Cisco Duo

- Title: [What is Duo Security used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-duo-security-used-for) — 3 comments
  > **Top comment:** "Comment deleted by user."
- Title: [Is Duo Security free?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-duo-security-free) — 3 comments
  > **Top comment:** "No"
- Title: [Is Duo Security Safe?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-duo-security-safe) — 2 comments
  > **Top comment:** "yes, it's safe"
- Title: [What is a key feature of duo?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-a-key-feature-of-duo) — 2 comments
  > **Top comment:** "One key feature of Duo Security is its strong two-factor authentication. It adds an additional layer of security to the login process by requiring users to..."
- Title: [What is duo security software?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-duo-security-software) — 2 comments
  > **Top comment:** "Duo is a dual factor authentication. This is additional security on top of the password "

---
**Source:** [G2.com](https://www.g2.com) | [Comparison Page](https://www.g2.com/compare/nordlayer-vs-surfshark-vs-cisco-duo)