Best Network Access Control Software in 2026
Updated
In short: PacketFence is ranked #1 of 23 as of 5 October 2026, ahead of SecureW2 Cloud NAC and Ivanti Neurons for Zero Trust Access. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Arista NG Firewall. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Arista NG Firewall at $22.50/mo.
Network access control software helps you manage which devices are allowed onto wired, wireless, and VPN networks. Compare 802.1X support and the three access-control areas to understand the coverage each option lists, then weigh deployment model and device limit against your environment. Free-plan availability and paid-from pricing add useful cost details. PacketFence, Portnox NAC, and SecureW2 Cloud NAC are among the options to consider, alongside FortiNAC and Genian NAC. Think about the types and number of devices you need to accommodate, and which network connections require access controls. The listed criteria give you a concrete basis for comparing those needs.
23 network access control software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
Recognised 40% · Phone app 26% · Documented 20% · Free plan 14% of the score
- 1 PacketFence iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.9$416.67/mo Wired access control: YesWireless access control: YesVPN access control: Yes
- 2 SecureW2 Cloud NAC iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.2 Wired access control: YesWireless access control: YesVPN access control: Yes
- 3 Ivanti Neurons for Zero Trust Access iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.1 Wired access control: YesWireless access control: YesVPN access control: Yes
- 4 Portnox NAC iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.0 Wired access control: YesWireless access control: YesVPN access control: Yes
- 5 Arista NG Firewall No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.4$22.50/mo Wired access control: YesWireless access control: Yes
- 6 NACVIEW No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.4Free Wired access control: YesWireless access control: YesVPN access control: Yes
- 7 Juniper Mist iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.3
- 8 ExtremeControl No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.6 Wired access control: YesWireless access control: YesVPN access control: Yes
- 9 HPE Aruba Networking Fabric Composer No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.6 Wired access control: YesWireless access control: YesVPN access control: Yes
- 10 Microsoft Windows Server IPAM No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.6
- 11 Belden NAC No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.5 Wired access control: YesWireless access control: YesVPN access control: Yes
- 12 Genian NAC No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.5 Wired access control: YesWireless access control: YesVPN access control: Yes
- 13 Juniper Security Director No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.5
- 14 FortiNAC No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 Wired access control: YesWireless access control: YesVPN access control: Yes
- 15 NetAttest EPS No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 Wired access control: YesWireless access control: YesVPN access control: Yes
- 16 Arbiter No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Wired access control: YesWireless access control: Yes
- 17 Auconet BICS No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Wired access control: YesWireless access control: Yes
- 18 Cloudi-Fi Cloud NAC No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Wired access control: YesWireless access control: Yes
- 19 NACIO No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Wired access control: YesWireless access control: YesVPN access control: Yes
- 20 EasyNAC No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 Wired access control: YesWireless access control: YesVPN access control: Yes
- 21 Juniper Apstra No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2
- 22 macmon NAC No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.1 Wired access control: YesWireless access control: Yes
- 23 Foxpass No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 4.7
Compare all 23 in a table
| # | App | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Wired access control | Wireless access control |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PacketFence | 7.9 | Free plan | $416.67/mo | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 2 | SecureW2 Cloud NAC | 7.2 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 3 | Ivanti Neurons for Zero Trust Access | 7.1 | No | — | No | — | Yes | Yes |
| 4 | Portnox NAC | 7.0 | No | — | No | — | Yes | Yes |
| 5 | Arista NG Firewall | 6.4 | Free plan | $22.50/mo | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 6 | NACVIEW | 6.4 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 7 | Juniper Mist | 6.3 | No | — | No | — | — | — |
| 8 | ExtremeControl | 5.6 | No | — | No | — | Yes | Yes |
| 9 | HPE Aruba Networking Fabric Composer | 5.6 | No | — | No | — | Yes | Yes |
| 10 | Microsoft Windows Server IPAM | 5.6 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
| 11 | Belden NAC | 5.5 | No | — | No | — | Yes | Yes |
| 12 | Genian NAC | 5.5 | No | — | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 13 | Juniper Security Director | 5.5 | No | — | No | — | — | — |
| 14 | FortiNAC | 5.4 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 15 | NetAttest EPS | 5.4 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 16 | Arbiter | 5.3 | No | — | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 17 | Auconet BICS | 5.3 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 18 | Cloudi-Fi Cloud NAC | 5.3 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 19 | NACIO | 5.3 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 20 | EasyNAC | 5.2 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 21 | Juniper Apstra | 5.2 | No | — | No | — | — | — |
| 22 | macmon NAC | 5.1 | No | — | No | — | Yes | Yes |
| 23 | Foxpass | 4.7 | No | — | No | — | — | — |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored, and a sponsored row is labelled as paid.
Questions about this list
Which network access control software is ranked first on Samsung Mobile US Press?
PacketFence is ranked #1 of 23 with a score of 7.9. SecureW2 Cloud NAC is second and Ivanti Neurons for Zero Trust Access third.
How many of these have a free plan?
3 of the 23 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Arista NG Firewall has the lowest first paid tier we found: $22.50/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked mobile-first: a phone app alongside the web or desktop product, a free tier and the depth of its documentation.