Cisco Secure Email is an email security gateway from Cisco that filters spam, phishing and malware for on-premises, hybrid, virtual-appliance or cloud mail environments, licensed per user across two tiers with no published starting price.
Listing updated . Checked by MSP Software .
Cisco Secure Email is an email security gateway from Cisco for organisations that need spam, phishing and malware filtering on-premises, in a hybrid setup, or fully in the cloud. It is sold as a physical appliance, a virtual appliance, or a cloud service, which suits MSPs whose clients run hybrid or on-premises mail infrastructure rather than a pure Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace tenant, and organisations in regulated industries that want mail filtering under their own control. Cisco also sells Secure Email Threat Defense, a separate API-based, cloud-native layer that adds post-delivery detection for Microsoft 365 without changing mail flow or DNS records, and the two can be managed through a single console.
Cisco licenses the Secure Email Gateway on two tiers, Essentials and Advantage, both per user. Both include anti-spam, sender domain reputation, URL filtering, outbreak filters, antivirus and graymail detection, plus malware analysis with a limited sample count on Essentials and unlimited samples on Advantage. Data loss prevention, an encryption service and safe unsubscribe come standard on Advantage and as add-ons on Essentials, while Threat Defense, domain protection (DMARC monitoring and enforcement), image analysis and McAfee anti-malware are optional add-ons on either tier. Cisco does not publish prices for either tier; a quote comes through a Cisco partner or reseller, with subscription terms of one, three or five years and multiyear discounts available (checked September 2026). A free trial is offered for Secure Email Threat Defense; the on-premises and hybrid Gateway is typically evaluated through a partner demo instead.
Secure Email integrates with Microsoft 365, Cisco XDR, Cisco Secure Endpoint, Cisco Umbrella, Duo and Splunk, and draws on Cisco Talos threat intelligence. Cisco is based in San Jose, California, and was founded in 1984; it remains an independent, publicly traded company with no separate parent for this product line. Because pricing and support are quoted through the channel rather than published, MSPs should get a written quote covering the specific tier and add-ons a client needs, and confirm whether they are licensing the on-premises or hybrid Gateway, the API-based Threat Defense layer, or both, since the two are priced, managed and provisioned separately.
Cisco Secure Email suits an MSP whose clients already run Cisco networking and security gear, or who specifically need an on-premises or hybrid mail gateway rather than a cloud-only product, which rules out pure Microsoft 365 shops that would usually be better served by Microsoft Defender for Office 365, Proofpoint Essentials or Mimecast. Pricing is quote-only and channel-led, so there is no published number to weigh against a competitor's per-mailbox price; get a written quote for the specific tier, add-ons and term length before assuming it is cheaper or more expensive. Check whether a client needs the on-premises or hybrid Gateway, the API-based Threat Defense layer, or both, since they are separate products with separate licensing, and confirm which add-ons, such as DLP, encryption or domain protection, are actually bundled into the tier being quoted.
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Sophos Email Cloud email security for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace with post-delivery remediation. No reviews yet All alternatives to Cisco Secure Email| Feature | Supported | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Phishing and malware filtering | yes | Anti-spam, URL filtering and outbreak filters are included in both Essentials and Advantage tiers. |
| Spoofing and impersonation protection | yes | Sender domain reputation is standard; Domain Protection (DMARC monitoring and enforcement) is an optional add-on for stronger anti-spoofing. |
| Email continuity | unknown | Not described on the Cisco pages checked. |
| Archiving | unknown | Not described on the Cisco pages checked; Cisco does not list a built-in archiving feature. |
| Security awareness training bundle | no | Not bundled; Cisco's Secure Email pages do not describe a security awareness training component. |
| API-based post-delivery scanning | yes | Secure Email Threat Defense is a separate API-based, cloud-native layer for post-delivery scanning, mainly for Microsoft 365, needing no change to mail flow or DNS. |
| DMARC monitoring | yes | Available as the Domain Protection add-on to either licensing tier. |
| Attachment sandboxing | yes | Malware defense and analytics (file reputation and sandbox-style analysis) is included in both tiers, with a limited sample count on Essentials and unlimited on Advantage. |
| Data loss prevention | yes | Standard on the Advantage tier; available as an add-on on Essentials. |
| Email encryption | yes | Encryption service is standard on Advantage; an add-on on Essentials. |
| Microsoft 365 integration | yes | Secure Email Threat Defense integrates with Microsoft 365 via API, without changing mail flow or DNS records. |
| Self-service quarantine | yes | Self-service spam quarantine allows end users to review and release messages flagged as spam. |
Cisco Secure Email is licensed per user rather than per mailbox, across two tiers called Essentials and Advantage. Cisco does not publish the price for either tier; a quote comes through a Cisco partner or reseller, with subscription terms of one, three or five years and multiyear discounts available.
Cisco Secure Email Gateway can run as a physical appliance, a virtual appliance, or a cloud service, and can be deployed on-premises, in a hybrid mix, or fully in the cloud. Cisco also sells Secure Email Threat Defense, a separate API-based cloud layer that adds post-delivery scanning without needing an on-premises gateway, and the two can be managed from the same console.
Cisco offers a free trial for Secure Email Threat Defense, the API-based cloud layer, through Cisco's own trials page. The on-premises or hybrid Secure Email Gateway is typically evaluated through a partner-led demo rather than a self-serve trial, and there is no free version of either product.
Both Essentials and Advantage include anti-spam, sender domain reputation, URL filtering, outbreak filters, antivirus and graymail detection, plus malware analysis, with Essentials limited to a smaller number of malware samples and Advantage unlimited. Data loss prevention, an encryption service and safe unsubscribe come standard with Advantage but are paid add-ons on Essentials. Add-ons available on either tier include Threat Defense, domain protection, image analysis and McAfee anti-malware.
Yes, Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense integrates with Microsoft 365 through an API-based connection that Cisco says needs no change to existing mail flow or DNS records. This runs alongside, or instead of, the on-premises or hybrid Secure Email Gateway, so an MSP running mostly Microsoft 365 clients can use the API-based layer without deploying a gateway appliance.
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