Best Network Access Control Software in 2026
Updated
In short: PacketFence is ranked #1 of 22 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Arista NG Firewall and SecureW2 Cloud NAC. 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 manages which devices can connect to wired and wireless networks, and may also govern VPN access. The ranking starts with PacketFence, Arista NG Firewall, and Arbiter. Compare 802.1X support and the types of access each option controls, then weigh deployment model and device limit against your network requirements. Free-plan availability and paid-from pricing offer additional points of comparison. NACVIEW, SecureW2 Cloud NAC, and Ivanti Neurons for Zero Trust Access are also among the early entries. Use the listed details to focus on the access methods and deployment arrangements that matter for the devices you need to support.
22 network access control software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
2 of the 22 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PacketFenceWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | $416.67/mo | 6.8 | |
| 2 | Arista NG FirewallWeb | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $22.50/mo | 6.4 | |
| 3 | SecureW2 Cloud NACWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · API | Two bars | — | — | 6 of 6 | — | 5.8 |
| 4 | Ivanti Neurons for Zero Trust AccessWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · Self-hosted | Two bars | — | — | 6 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 5 | Portnox NACWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · API | Two bars | — | — | 6 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 6 | ExtremeControlWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 7 | ArbiterWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 8 | Cloudi-Fi Cloud NACWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 9 | EasyNACWindows · Linux | No signal | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 10 | Genian NACWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 11 | NACVIEWNo platforms listed | One bar | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 12 | Auconet BICSNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 13 | FortiNACNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 14 | NACIONo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 15 | NetAttest EPSNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 16 | Belden NACWeb · Self-hosted · API | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.0 |
| 17 | HPE Aruba Networking Fabric ComposerWeb · Self-hosted · API | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.0 |
| 18 | Juniper Security DirectorWeb · Self-hosted | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.0 |
| 19 | Microsoft Windows Server IPAMWindows | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 4.9 |
| 20 | Juniper MistWeb · Android · iPhone | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 4.8 |
| 21 | macmon NACNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 4.7 |
| 22 | FoxpassWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 4.6 |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which network access control software is ranked first on Freedom251?
PacketFence is ranked #1 of 22 with a score of 6.8. Arista NG Firewall is second and SecureW2 Cloud NAC third.
How many of these have a free plan?
2 of the 22 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 free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.