Absolute Secure Access vs Ivanti Connect Secure (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Absolute Secure Access if

• Fits if you are an IT team with a Windows-only fleet needing zero trust access
• Makes sense if you already use Absolute for device management

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you use Macs or phones, as the client is described for Windows only
• Watch out: no prices are published and the page offers a demo request only
• Pricey if you need web gateway, DLP or endpoint compliance, which need Enterprise
• Not for you if you want to control a PC from another device, since it is a security product

Pick Ivanti Connect Secure if

• Fits if you are an IT team that wants a VPN gateway it controls
• Makes sense if you already run virtual appliances on ESXi or Hyper-V

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you don't want to manage a gateway, since it runs on a physical or virtual Ivanti appliance
• Watch out: no prices are published and the page directs buyers to contact sales
• Watch out: central management uses a separate product, Ivanti Secure Access Framework
• Tight if you want a trial, as no free plan or trial is listed

Absolute Secure Access

• No prices are published; the page offers a demo request and a sales phone number.
• The self-healing client is described for Windows only.
• Web gateway, DLP and endpoint compliance features need the Enterprise edition.
• It is a business security product, not a tool for controlling a PC from another device.

Ivanti Connect Secure

• No prices are published; the page directs buyers to contact sales.
• It runs on the Ivanti Security Appliance, physical or virtual, so you manage a gateway.
• Centralized management uses a separate product, Ivanti Secure Access Framework.
• The page lists no free plan or trial.

Absolute Secure Access

Zero trust network access

The Core edition provides zero trust access with dynamic policy enforcement and network access control for connections to public and private apps.

Self-healing client

A client for Windows acts as a distributed firewall and is built to keep the remote connection working despite network problems.

Network visibility

Absolute Insights for Network offers over 70 dashboards with drill-downs and 90-day data record retention.

Edge edition additions

Edge adds in-line CASB, digital experience monitoring, network performance diagnostics and AI-assisted threat notifications.

Enterprise edition web security

Enterprise adds a secure web gateway with multiple AV scans, remote browser isolation, content disarm and DLP.

Comply to Connect

Continuously checks device posture and blocks unhealthy devices from reaching sensitive applications.

Ivanti Connect Secure

Unified secure access client

One client provides remote VPN and local network access on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and Android apps on ChromeOS.

Flexible VPN modes

Supports full Layer 3 VPN, per-app VPN, on-demand and always-on access, lockdown mode and FQDN or IP-based split tunneling.

Clientless access

Gives browser-based access to published applications and virtual desktops without an installed client.

Conditional access and endpoint checks

Evaluates users and devices against policies on each access attempt and can assess an endpoint before sign-in.

Passwordless sign-in

Supports FIDO2 authentication with passkeys, biometrics and PINs.

Hardened gateway

ICS 25.x runs on Oracle Linux 9 with SELinux enforcing, a web application firewall and secure boot with TPM support.

Absolute Secure Access

Pricing could not be confirmed. See absolute.com.

Ivanti Connect Secure

Pricing could not be confirmed. See ivanti.com.