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Cisco Duo

Cisco Duo is a multi-factor authentication and access security service for businesses, free for up to 10 users with paid plans from $3 per user a month.

Our take: Duo is one of the easiest ways for an IT team to put MFA in front of VPNs, cloud apps and computer logins, and its list prices are published, which is rare in identity security.

Best forBusiness MFA and SSO
ReviewedPricing: Freemium
8.5 out of 105 criteria · see breakdown
Try CiscoFree up to 10 users; from $3/user/mo

Cisco Duo is a multi-factor authentication and access security service for businesses, protecting VPNs, cloud apps and computer logins. It suits IT teams of any size. Duo Free covers up to 10 users, and paid editions list at $3, $6 and $9 per user a month with a 30-day trial.

Duo Security is now Cisco Duo

Cisco completed its acquisition of Duo Security on 1 October 2018. The product is now sold as Cisco Duo at duo.com, and Cisco describes it as its identity and access management product.

Checked October 4, 2026
The bottom line

A safe default for business MFA, with a real free tier for tiny teams.

Our score

Reviewed by the Conversion Gems editorial team. Hover a facet to focus it; click to pin.Tap a facet to focus it.

Community ratings

Shown for context only. Our score is independent.

Capterra
4.7 out of 5
540+ reviews

4.7 / 5 aggregate · across 1 source

Third-party ratings shown verbatim; aggregate weighted by review volume.

What it is, and why we rate it

One line each. Open a row for detail.

What it really isCisco's cloud MFA and access security service for business sign-ins.
Our takeDuo is one of the easiest ways for an IT team to put MFA in front of VPNs, cloud apps and computer logins, and its list prices are published, which is rare in identity security.
Essentials at $3 per user covers MFA, passwordless and SSO for most small companies. The catches are in the details: SMS and phone codes use credits, licenses come in blocks, and the risk-based features most people associate with modern zero trust sit in Advantage and Premier.
Why we rate itIt brings MFA, SSO and device checks to business apps at published per-user prices.
The catchTelephony credits, license blocks, and key risk features only in higher editions.

Best / not good for

Best for
  • Business MFA on VPNs and cloud apps
  • Small teams on the 10-user Free tier
  • Device trust before access
Not good for
  • Personal consumer 2FA
  • Teams relying on SMS codes without budgeting credits
  • Full device management
Trade-offs

Friction report

Trade-offs to know before signing up.

  1. Time to value
    Fast for basic MFA: activate the trial and protect a first app the same day.
  2. Scale breakpoint
    Moving to Advantage or Premier for risk-based policies and VPN-less access.
  3. Walled garden
    Medium: users enroll in Duo Mobile and policies live in the Duo Admin Panel.
Still a fit?
If none of these block you, start on the free plan.
Try Cisco

Cisco Duo editions and pricing

EditionList priceUsersWhat it adds
Duo Free$0Up to 10MFA with Duo Mobile push for cloud and on-premises apps
Duo Essentials$3 per user/monthNo stated capDuo Directory, phishing-resistant MFA, passwordless, SSO, trusted endpoints
Duo Advantage$6 per user/monthNo stated capCisco Identity Intelligence, Duo Passport, session theft protection, risk-based authentication
Duo Premier$9 per user/monthNo stated capDuo Network Gateway for VPN-less access and full device trust

From Cisco Duo's pricing page, checked 4 October 2026. Paid editions have a 30-day free trial; licenses are sold in blocks of 10 (under 100 users) or 25. SMS and phone codes use telephony credits: paid editions with automatic billing get 100 credits per user per year, Duo Free gets none.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Cisco Duo cost?

Duo Free is $0 for up to 10 users. Paid editions list at $3 (Essentials), $6 (Advantage) and $9 (Premier) per user per month, with a 30-day free trial. Licenses are sold in blocks of 10 users, or 25 above 100 users (checked 4 October 2026).

Is Cisco Duo free for personal use?

Duo Free costs nothing for up to 10 users, but it is set up as an organization account with an admin panel, not a personal app. The Duo Mobile authenticator app itself is free to download.

How does Cisco Duo work?

After you enter your password, Duo asks for a second check, usually a push notification in the Duo Mobile app that you approve. Admins can also require trusted devices and set policies by user, device and location.

How do I get a Duo passcode?

Duo supports one-time passcodes generated in the Duo Mobile app, sent by SMS, or from a hardware token, depending on what your organization enables. SMS passcodes and phone calls use telephony credits on the organization's account.

Where do I log in to Cisco Duo?

Conversion Gems is a review site, not a Duo login page. Administrators sign in to the Duo Admin Panel at https://admin.duosecurity.com. End users approve sign-ins through the app or login page their organization protects.

What are alternatives to Cisco Duo?

TruGrid combines MFA with remote desktop access, Twingate replaces the VPN with zero trust network access, and Microsoft Intune handles device management for Microsoft-centred teams.

Cisco Duo alternatives

Other security and access tools in our directory:

Showing 1–3 of 4
Sources checked October 4, 2026: Cisco Duo, Duo editions and pricing, Duo Free, Duo telephony credits, Duo Admin Panel docs, Cisco: What is Duo?, Cisco completes acquisition of Duo Security.

Conversion Gems independently reviews every tool.

Tags

#MFA#IdentitySecurity#ZeroTrust

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