Duo Security (Cisco Duo) offers cloud-based MFA and zero-trust access. Compare Free, Essentials, Advantage, and Premier pricing, features, pros, cons, and…
Category
Security
Pricing
Freemium, from Free (up to 10 users); paid plans from $3/user/month
Verified
Not yet
Last updated
July 18, 2026
Founded
2010
Headquarters
Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States (Duo Security); San Jose, California (Cisco corporate headquarters)
Free PlanWindowsWeb AppiOSAndroidAPIFreemiumMac
Overview
Duo Security, now branded Cisco Duo, is a cloud-based multi-factor authentication and unified access security platform that checks both user identity and device trust before granting access to applications and networks.
Founded in 2010 in Ann Arbor, Michigan by Dug Song and Jon Oberheide, Duo was acquired by Cisco in October 2018 for $2.35 billion. It served over 12,000 customers globally at the time of acquisition and remains a core part of Cisco's zero-trust security portfolio.
Key Features
Duo's core experience is push-based authentication through the Duo Mobile app, supplemented by passcodes, hardware security keys, biometrics, and phone callback. It evaluates device posture, checking whether a device is managed or up to date, before granting access.
Higher tiers add risk-based adaptive authentication, Cisco Identity Intelligence for cross-identity visibility and threat detection, and VPN-less remote access to private applications, extending Duo beyond MFA into a broader zero-trust access platform.
Pricing
Duo offers four tiers billed per user per month: Free ($0, up to 10 users), Essentials ($3), Advantage ($6), and Premier ($9), each layering on progressively more identity, risk, and zero-trust access capability.
Licenses are sold in blocks of 10 for organizations under 100 users and blocks of 25 above that threshold, with annual contracts standard and volume discounts common for larger enterprise deployments.
Key Features
Push-based multi-factor authentication — Users approve or deny login attempts via the Duo Mobile app instead of typing manual codes.
Phishing-resistant and passwordless authentication — Supports WebAuthn/FIDO2 security keys and passwordless login flows on Essentials and above.
Device trust and Trusted Endpoints — Checks whether a device is managed, up to date, and meets security posture requirements before allowing access.
Risk-based adaptive authentication — Adjusts authentication requirements based on contextual risk signals like location and network reputation.
Single sign-on — Provides SSO across integrated applications alongside MFA on Essentials and higher tiers.
Cisco Identity Intelligence — Delivers cross-identity visibility, identity security posture management, and threat detection on Advantage and Premier.
VPN-less private access — Premier tier provides secure remote access to internal applications without a traditional VPN.
Broad integration library — Connects to VPNs, SSO systems, RADIUS/LDAP, and cloud applications through lightweight connectors.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Genuinely usable free tier for up to 10 users
Fast, well-documented integrations across VPNs and applications
Backed by Cisco's scale and broader security ecosystem
Strong device-trust and adaptive-access capabilities
Cons
Costs scale per user, adding up for larger organizations
Overlaps with MFA many organizations already get through Microsoft Entra ID
Advanced zero-trust features require the priciest Premier tier
Licensing sold in fixed increments of 10 or 25 users can feel inflexible
Pricing
Free $0/user/month N/A (up to 10 users)
Essentials $3/user/month Annual contract
Advantage $6/user/month Annual contract
Premier $9/user/month Annual contract
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Duo Security free?
Yes, the Free plan supports up to 10 users at no cost.
Who owns Duo Security?
Cisco Systems, which acquired Duo Security for $2.35 billion in a deal that closed in October 2018.
What is the difference between Duo Essentials, Advantage, and Premier?
Each tier adds progressively more capability: Essentials covers core MFA and SSO, Advantage adds identity intelligence and risk-based authentication, and Premier adds VPN-less zero-trust access.
Does Duo support passwordless login?
Yes, passwordless authentication is available starting on the Essentials tier.
Can Duo replace a VPN?
The Premier tier offers VPN-less remote access to internal private applications.
Is Duo suitable for small businesses?
Yes, the free tier and the low-cost Essentials plan are commonly used by small teams and individual IT administrators.