Perimeter 81 vs Twingate Comparison – Find Better For Your Business

With cybercrime damage costs projected to reach $10.5 trillion globally by 2025, the urgency for robust cybersecurity measures has never been greater. In fact, 60% of small businesses go out of business within six months of a cyberattack, making it essential for organizations to prioritize secure network connections.

As businesses increasingly rely on remote work and cloud-based operations, safeguarding company data and resources has become more complex. This is where secure network access solutions like Perimeter 81 and Twingate come into play.

In this Perimeter vs Twingate comparison, we’ve explored the strengths and features of both platforms to help you make an informed decision about which solution best fits your company’s needs.

Perimeter 81 offers a comprehensive and scalable solution with its robust cloud-native platform, while Twingate focuses on an innovative approach to Zero Trust architecture.

Ultimately, the right choice will depend on your specific business needs, but both platforms represent strong contenders for any company looking to bolster its cybersecurity.

Perimeter 81 vs Twingate Quick Comparison

Twingate is a relatively new service, while Perimeter 81 is a whole cybersecurity solution for businesses. Twingate is not suitable for businesses with stringent security requirements, as third parties can access your infrastructure. This makes Perimeter 81 the top choice for small businesses. 

Key Features of Perimeter 81 and Twingate

Let’s explore key features of both Twingate and Perimeter 81 to see which one can best support your business’s cybersecurity strategy.

Perimeter 81 Features

• Dedicated IPs
• Access Controls/Permissions
• Posture check
• Network-based split tunneling
• Anonymous Browsing
• Secure web gateway
• Malware protection
• Compliance Management
• Ability to connect cloud apps (Google Cloud, Azure)
• Always-On VPN
• IP Masking
• User and device monitoring
• Multi-protocol
• Two Factor Authentication

Agentless Application Access

One standout feature of Perimeter 81 is its Agentless Zero Trust Network Access. This functionality allows businesses to grant limited access to specific applications rather than the entire network.

Employees or third-party contractors can securely connect to only the designated application via a browser, without gaining broader access to the network. This feature gives administrators the ability to track and control access, ensuring they know who is accessing what and from where.

Device Posture Check

For departments dealing with sensitive information, Perimeter 81’s Device Posture Check (DPC) is highly recommended. DPC ensures that only devices meeting certain security criteria can access critical company resources.

Whether on macOS, Android, iOS, Windows, or Linux, DPC evaluates devices before and during network access. If there is any mismatch between the device’s security status and company policies, access is denied.

Perimeter FWaaS

Perimeter 81 provides a robust Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS) solution designed to control access to internal applications, resources, regions, and data centers. However, it’s essential to note that FWaaS is not included in the most basic pricing plan.

The firewall secures and manages all network traffic within a unified Software-Defined Perimeter (SDP). It allows you to create custom policies and rules for user groups, regulating their access to specific network segments. For example, you can limit a team’s access to a particular protocol and restrict them to an internal subnet IP range.

DNS Filtering

One feature of Perimeter 81 that stands out is its DNS Filtering. This tool helps block access to unauthorized websites that could pose a risk to the network. It enables IT teams to control which websites or IP addresses are allowed or blocked on employees’ devices.

Advanced Malware Protection

When it comes to traditional threat protection, Perimeter 81’s Advanced Malware Protection is a strong addition. It combines signature-based detection, heuristics, and advanced machine learning to recognize and prevent malware and zero-day threats.

We particularly like how it allows administrators to monitor and analyze user exposure to harmful content, providing detailed reports that make threat management more transparent and efficient.

Secure Web Gateway

Perimeter 81 also includes a Secure Web Gateway (SWG) to safeguard sensitive company data. This web filtering tool prevents employees from accessing harmful websites that could compromise workplace devices. It also helps improve productivity by restricting access to non-work-related sites.

Administrators can adjust the web filtering settings through the same interface used to manage other features. They can block categories like gaming or streaming sites, while allowing exceptions for specific users who need access to bypass those restrictions.

Dedicated IPs

By utilizing dedicated servers and IP addresses, you can ensure that only authorized employees have access to the company’s internal network. This setup blocks external parties from reaching your resources unless they are connected through the designated VPN server, offering increased security for sensitive data against potential threats.

This is especially beneficial for remote workers using VPNs, as it helps protect against cybercriminals attempting to breach and steal valuable company information.

Perimeter 81 provides dedicated servers and IP addresses across eight locations: the USA, UK, Canada, Japan, Netherlands, France, India, and Singapore.

Wi-Fi Security

Perimeter 81’s Wi-Fi security allows you to quickly and securely connect to the internet with top-tier encryption. This feature is particularly useful for remote workers who need to connect to public or unsecured Wi-Fi networks, as it ensures their connections are routed through Perimeter 81’s secure access servers.

Twingate Features

1. Zero-trust model
2. Centrally managed user access
3. Up to unlimited device connections
4. Free Trial
5. Granular permissions
6. 2FA
7. SSL/TSL encryption
8. Firewall
9. Split Tunneling by default
10. Network mapping
11. Workload protection
12. Varied Server Locations

Zero-Trust Network with Tight Security

Twingate takes security to the next level by adopting a zero-trust network model, which ensures that no user or device is trusted by default, regardless of its location. The platform implements a range of robust security measures, including AES-256 encryption and SSL/TLS protocols, to ensure that data in transit is highly protected.

Application-Level Authentication

What sets Twingate apart from traditional VPN solutions is its application-level authentication. Rather than granting access to the entire network, users are only granted permission to specific resources or files that they need to access.

This approach minimizes the risk of lateral movement within the network, so if a security breach occurs, the attacker can only compromise the specific resource they’ve accessed—not the entire network. This makes the system more resilient to cyberattacks, providing better containment in the event of a breach.

Granular Access Control

Twingate’s granular access control allows administrators to set permissions at a highly specific level. Instead of giving broad access to the entire network, system administrators can determine which users, teams, or roles can access particular resources.

The platform’s role-based access control (RBAC) and custom permissions allow administrators to create policies that align with organizational needs. By limiting access to only those who truly require it, businesses can minimize the attack surface and enhance overall security.

Robust Authentication and Extra Layers of Security

Authentication is another critical aspect of Twingate’s security approach. The platform integrates seamlessly with industry-standard Single Sign-On (SSO) methods, including Okta and Google, allowing for streamlined access while maintaining strong security.

SSO not only simplifies the user experience by reducing the need for multiple logins but also ensures that users are authenticated through a secure, centralized system.

Additionally, Twingate supports native Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), providing an added layer of protection to prevent unauthorized access, even if an attacker compromises a user’s password.

Invisible Business Resources

One of the standout features of Twingate is the invisibility of your business resources. With no internet-facing gateway, your data remains hidden from external threats, ensuring that only authorized users with valid credentials can access it.

This means that unauthorized users will not even be aware of the existence of your sensitive resources, significantly reducing the risk of exposure.

Split Tunneling

Split tunneling ensures that only defined business traffic passes through Twingate’s secure tunnel, regardless of the user’s location. Whether employees are working from a hotel Wi-Fi, a coffee shop, or their home office, their connections to the business network are secure and uninterrupted, guaranteeing that sensitive information remains protected wherever they are.

Encryption and Data Protection

When it comes to securing data in transit and at rest, Twingate leverages the best-in-class encryption protocols. During data transfer, SSL/TLS encryption ensures that communications are safe from interception or tampering.

When the data is stored, it benefits from AES-256 encryption via Google Cloud services, providing an additional layer of protection. The encryption keys used to secure the data are regularly rotated, ensuring that access remains highly secure.

Moreover, these encryption keys are stored in a secure keystore, protected from unauthorized access, ensuring that your organization’s data remains safeguarded throughout its lifecycle.

Perimeter 81 vs Twingate Logging Policies

Is Perimeter 81 Safe?

Perimeter 81 retains some logs to comply with its zero-trust security policy. This is common practice for business VPNs, which need to monitor and log user traffic to ensure that their security measures function properly.

The following actions are monitored for management purposes:

• Invitations to and removal of team members
• Modifications to team permissions
• Creation of new cloud-based access gateways and other activities performed in the management portal

The activities of all individuals with access to your network are tracked, including:

• Connection and login timestamps
• Successful and failed login attempts
• Locations of all devices connected to the network
• Hostnames and server details
• Originating IP addresses when private access gateways are used

Though the company is headquartered in Israel, which is not a member of the 5 Eyes Alliance, it maintains close relations with countries in the alliance, such as the US and Australia.

Therefore, in the event of a government request, Perimeter 81 may be required to disclose your information. The privacy policy also indicates that it may comply with requests related to law enforcement, bankruptcy, and similar legal matters.

Is Twingate Safe?

Twingate does collect some information. It’s standard information that is required to set up your account. Twingate’s privacy policy is clear about that.

Twingate offers numerous integrations, and it’s worth noting that it collects data from the third-party applications you connect with the platform. However, it does not have access to data that is not routed through its network, meaning it will not track personal activities such as video calls or instant messaging that occur outside of its system.

It’s important to consider that Twingate is based in the United States, which is a member of the 5 Eyes Alliance. While Twingate asserts that it will resist any data requests, this does mean that your data could potentially be subject to scrutiny by any of the member countries of the alliance.

Perimeter 81 vs Twingate Speed and Performance

Perimeter 81 Speed and Performance

Perimeter 81 is a high-speed VPN service ideal for businesses of all sizes. Similar to other leading competitors, it supports the WireGuard protocol, which ensures fast connection speeds across its servers. In fact, it ranks among the fastest VPNs available.

I tested the VPN using my 100 Mbps base connection and was genuinely impressed with the results. If you’re looking for a quick overview without diving into the full-speed test details, here’s a summary table of the speeds I recorded across various servers.

As shown, the speeds were excellent across all servers, with particularly impressive performance on nearby servers. I was particularly surprised to find that when connected to the US Private gateway server, Perimeter 81’s download speed was nearly identical to my base connection speed.

Taking everything into account, I can confidently say that Perimeter 81 is a fast VPN that delivers reliable connection speeds and is capable of achieving its advertised speed of up to 1000 Mbps, depending on your internet connection.

Twingate Speed and Performance

Twingate offers great speeds as compared to other VPNs. When Twingate directs traffic through a company gateway, it functions similarly to a commercial VPN, altering your outgoing internet connection and IP address to match that of the server.

However, unlike a traditional VPN that typically routes all traffic through the gateway, Twingate allows for more precise control, enabling you to specify exactly which traffic should pass through the gateway and which should not. This improves overall speed.

When I conduct a speed test while connected to Twingate, I experience the full bandwidth provided by my ISP because that traffic is direct.

Since speed test servers are not considered Twingate resources, they aren’t routed through the Twingate tunnel, allowing my internet connection to remain fast. From an end-user standpoint, this results in a quicker experience compared to a traditional corporate VPN.

On a base network of 100 Mbps, Twingate offered a fast download speed of 92.05 Mbps and an upload speed of 94.81 Mbps.

Apps and Interface Perimeter 81 vs Twingate

Perimeter 81 Apps and Interface

Despite its advanced features, Perimeter 81 is easy to use with basic apps. Perimeter 81 provides sleek, modern applications for a range of devices, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. Note that these apps are intended for VPN users, with all administrative tasks handled through the web client.

The desktop apps are simple and straightforward, which is actually an advantage, making them quick to install and easy to navigate.

The mobile apps (for Android and iOS) mirror their desktop counterparts in design and functionality, though there are a few missing features. For instance, the mobile versions lack options like “Connect on Launch,” notification settings, and automatic updates. However, these limitations shouldn’t cause much difficulty for users.

The web client serves as a cloud-based management console, where you can handle tasks like adding or removing VPN users, managing permissions, and organizing user groups. It’s important to note that you cannot use the web client as a proxy for browsing websites.

Overall, the management console is user-friendly, though some familiarity with networking and cryptography may help one grasp its functions fully. Everything, from tunneling protocols to support and server settings, is neatly organized into separate tabs, allowing for easy configuration with just a few clicks.

Twingate Apps and Interface

Twingate apps and dashboards are simple and easy to use. However, once the account is set up, you need high IT knowledge to set up the connector – which can be done using command lines with Docker, Azure, or Helm. It’s not as easy as Perimeter 81, but installation guides are available if you need them.

Access to remote networks and resources is controlled through users and groups. Users are organized into groups, each with specific access permissions. When a user is added to a group, their access permissions are automatically determined by the group’s settings.

The Admin console offers IT administrators a straightforward and intuitive interface, giving them precise control over resource access through an easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI).

Pricing Plans of Perimeter 81 and Twingate

How Much Does Perimeter 81 Cost?

Perimeter 81 positions itself as a business VPN, in contrast to personal VPN services like ExpressVPN or Surfshark, which leads to different pricing structures. Its pricing is primarily based on the number of users.

Here are the current pricing options from Perimeter 81:

• Essentials: $8 per user/month (Minimum of 5 users, $40/month per gateway)
• Premium: Starting at $12 per user/month (Minimum of 10 users, $40/month per gateway)
• Premium Plus: $16 per user/month (Minimum of 20 users, $40/month per gateway)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing (Minimum of 50 users)

These prices apply if you opt for an annual plan. If you prefer a monthly plan, the rates are slightly higher:

• Essentials: $10 per user/month (Minimum of 5 users, $50/month per gateway)
• Premium: Starting at $15 per user/month (Minimum of 10 users, $50/month per gateway)
• Premium Plus: $20 per user/month (Minimum of 20 users, $50/month per gateway)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing (Minimum of 50 users)

As you can see, the annual plans offer better value for money. Larger organizations may find the Enterprise plan advantageous, as it has no set pricing, and negotiations with customer support are possible for tailored options.

How Much Does Twingate Cost?

Twingate provides a range of flexible pricing options to suit businesses of all sizes, with each plan designed to scale with your organization’s needs.

The entry-level Starter plan is free of charge and accommodates up to 5 users and 10 remote networks, making it an ideal choice for small teams or businesses wanting to explore the platform without committing any budget upfront.

For teams that are expanding, the Teams plan is priced at $5 per user per month, supporting up to 100 users and 20 networks. This plan also includes a 14-day free trial and a money-back guarantee, offering a risk-free opportunity to test out the features. It’s a great option for businesses looking for a balance between cost and capability as they grow.

For larger organizations, the Business plan is priced at $10 per user per month and supports up to 500 users and 100 networks. This plan offers more advanced features, including enhanced integrations and management options, making it ideal for companies with more complex security requirements. It also provides scalability, ensuring that as your organization expands, your security infrastructure can grow seamlessly with it.

The Enterprise plan is tailored to meet the specific needs of large businesses with extensive remote access requirements. Pricing for this plan is customized based on the company’s needs, and businesses interested in this option will need to reach out to Twingate’s sales team to develop a personalized package.

The Enterprise plan provides the highest level of support, integration, and flexibility, making it perfect for organizations with more sophisticated security and networking demands.

It’s important to note that while the free Starter plan offers basic functionality, it does come with some limitations in terms of integrations and DNS capabilities.

These features are fully accessible with the paid plans, ensuring that as your needs evolve, you can easily upgrade to a more comprehensive solution.

Perimeter 81 vs Twingate Customer Support

Perimeter 81 Customer Support

Perimeter 81 VPN offers multiple ways to access customer support. If you don’t have an account, you can explore their knowledge base or submit a ticket to receive a response via email.

Paid users, however, have additional support options, including dedicated chat and email assistance. Essentials plan subscribers can expect answers during office hours, while Premium and Premium Plus users receive prioritized responses. The Premium Plus plan also offers phone support during office hours and a dedicated account manager.

The Enterprise plan stands out by providing 24/7 phone and live chat support, along with a dedicated account manager.

Twingate Customer Support

Twingate offers customer support through a ticketing system, messaging, and email. However, the messaging service isn’t always available in real-time, which could be an issue if your business hours don’t align with support availability.

For more common issues, Twingate provides comprehensive guides and FAQs, which I found to be detailed and helpful for resolving frequent problems.

Moreover, priority support is available for subscribers of the Enterprise plan only, as they have phone support as well.

Final Verdict

In conclusion, both Perimeter 81 and Twingate provide strong network security solutions, but they cater to different business needs. Perimeter 81 stands out as the better choice for larger enterprises, offering a highly scalable platform with powerful administrative controls. The admin console is particularly robust, providing granular controls that extend from initial setup through to reporting and throughout the entire network.

On the other hand, Twingate is a solid option for smaller teams or businesses that prioritize simplicity and a more streamlined user experience. In the end, the choice depends on your requirements, but Perimeter 81 offers a comprehensive solution for businesses.