# Cisco Duo: how AI models rank it, September 2026

IT AI Recommendation Index, September 2026 Edition. Named in 73 judge labels across 4 categories by 12 of 12 models. Page: https://it-ai-index.com/vendors/cisco-duo/

## Standing by category

| Category | Share | Rank | Negative rate | Labels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-factor authentication | 42% | 1 | 2% | 60 |
| Workforce identity and SSO | 4% | 6 | 12% | 8 |
| Zero trust network access | 0% | 20 | 0% | 4 |
| Identity governance | 0% | 35 | 0% | 1 |

## What the models said for it

- "Microsoft Entra ID (if using Microsoft 365) or Cisco Duo's free tier (for small teams) offer the best balance of features, reliability, and cost." (Kimi K2, MFA)
- "Choose Cisco Duo if you want to deploy a highly secure, easy-to-use MFA on top of a variety of existing, scattered systems with minimal IT headache." (Gemini 3.5 Flash, MFA)
- "Start with Cisco Duo if you want simple, scalable MFA without overhauling identity management—it's frequently #1 for mid-sized businesses" (Grok 4.1 Fast, MFA)
- "The Absolute Lowest Cost: Cisco Duo ... Choose Cisco Duo if you just need to secure logins with MFA and keep costs under $5/user." (Qwen 3.7 Flash, Workforce identity)

## And against it

- "it is not a full workforce IAM replacement if you need broader SSO, provisioning, and governance" (Perplexity Sonar, Workforce identity)
- "Be Wary of: Push Notification Approvals (Duo, Okta, Microsoft)" (Qwen 3.7 Flash, MFA)

## Record

- Method: https://it-ai-index.com/methodology/
- Raw judge labels and full responses: https://it-ai-index.com/data/
- License: CC BY 4.0. Cite as IT AI Recommendation Index, September 2026 Edition, it-ai-index.com.