SD-WAN Comparison Matrix 2026 | UK Providers and MSPs

Headquarters	London, UK
Deployment	Fully Managed
Rating	5.0 / 5

BT Service Stack & Network Architecture

Enterprise-grade managed SD-WAN with security and global connectivity. BT Business operates as an MSP whose core value lies in combining SD-WAN overlay with their own global backbone, offering end-to-end SLAs that pure-play software vendors cannot match. Their global reach is based on the BT Global Fabric underlay network which will be available via 190 PoPs across 40 countries and enables support for international sites with local billing, SLAs and a UK-based service desk.

This is fundamentally different from cloud-native competitors such as Aryaka or Cato Networks - the key difference being infrastructure ownership: BT owns its core physical network infrastructure, whilst Cato builds its private backbone using leased capacity from multiple Tier-1 carriers.

Key Differentiators

The Underlay Advantage: As we've already mentioned, BT owns the physical network infrastructure underneath the SD-WAN overlay. Whilst software-only vendors can deliver orchestration capabilities to route traffic over well-performing links, they cannot guarantee the performance of the internet connections carrying your traffic. Within the vast majority of the UK, BT controls the entire path, delivering predictable latency and guaranteed SLAs that pure-play vendors simply cannot offer - and with their service coverage in more than 180 countries via partner gateways, BT are an ideal choice for any UK business, even if they have international branches.

Hybrid Capability: Given their underlay strength, BT is an ideal choice for mixing pre-existing legacy MPLS circuits with new SD-WAN sites, which is critical for established enterprises that have already invested in infrastructure. This is unlike other vendors, who typically require ripping out your existing network and starting fresh, BT enables gradual migration whilst maintaining your current setup and makes them well-suited to organisations where a 'forklift upgrade' isn't feasible.

UK Sovereignty: BT offer UK-based 24/7 support with security clearance capabilities that make it an ideal choice for UK Government and Financial Services sectors where data sovereignty and compliance are non-negotiable. BT's engineers hold the relevant clearances to work on sensitive networks, which eliminates the risk of offshore support teams handling your infrastructure.

Which BT Option Should You Choose?

• Choose Fortinet: If you need the deepest security, compliance (Finance/Gov), or have a complex network.
• Choose Meraki: If you want fast deployment, ease of use, and a cost-effective solution for retail or branch offices.

Target Markets

Primary Markets: UK Government agencies, Financial Services institutions, Healthcare organisations, and large multinational enterprises with UK headquarters or significant UK operations.

Ideal Use Cases: Organisations prioritising compliance and data sovereignty, companies with legacy network infrastructure requiring gradual migration, enterprises needing guaranteed SLAs and UK-based support.

Headquarters	San Mateo, USA
Deployment	Managed
Rating	4.5 / 5

Aryaka Service Stack

We've often compared Aryaka to Cato, given both deliver SD-WAN as a fully managed global service with integrated connectivity and simplified UI's that even IT decision makers with no expertise can navigate. And whilst their PoPs in London and Manchester plus dedicated cloud connectivity to all major providers does sound almost identical to Cato, they differ through partnerships with security vendors such as Palo Alto Networks, Zscaler and Radware, offering a multi-layered security approach that arguably covers more bases than Cato's, through a choice of best-of-breed security solutions rather than being locked into a single vendor's security stack.

With a strong presence in the China region, we've found that Aryaka suits UK businesses with more significant international operations, including manufacturers with Asian suppliers who need consistent performance across continents, financial services with global offices requiring predictable latency, or technology companies with distributed development teams collaborating in real-time. Unlike other SD-WAN solutions on the market that require your business to source connectivity separately from multiple providers, Aryaka provides the entire solution including their private global backbone, simplifying procurement and eliminating responsibility issues between connectivity and SD-WAN vendors.

However, it's worth noting the managed service model doesn't suit organisations wanting direct control over their network configuration and policies. The solution also costs more than DIY SD-WAN when you compare upfront pricing, with fees running £800-£2,000 per site monthly including connectivity, hardware, management and support. That said, this can work out comparable when you account for the operational costs of self-management, including engineer salaries and the time spent managing multiple connectivity providers.

Key Features

• Global Private Network: 30+ countries coverage with optimised traffic steering.
• Built-in Security: Next-gen firewalls, Secure Web Gateway, and Zero Trust Network Access.
• Cloud Connectivity: Direct connectivity to AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud via private backbone.
• AI-Automated Management: Self-healing network capabilities and automated policy adjustments.
• Zero-Touch Provisioning: Simplified deployment with integration for existing environments.

Security Focus	Extreme (ASIC)
Compliance	G-Cloud 14 / NHS
Rating	4.8 / 5

Analysis

Serving over 700,000 enterprises worldwide, including NHS trusts and government departments, Fortinet holds UK government G-Cloud 14 framework approval and ISO/IEC 27001. Whilst they're particularly well-suited to healthcare and public sector organisations, we'd argue Fortinet works equally well for UK financial services firms, retailers and multinationals that prioritise security above everything else.

FortiGate SD-WAN's strength lies in purpose-built security processors (ASICs) designed to maintain inspection performance under heavy load, protecting your business even during peak times when other systems may become overloaded. Their integrated Next-Generation Firewall, sandboxing and SSL inspection all happen without backhauling traffic, reducing latency and preserving bandwidth whilst ensuring users experience faster, more secure connections without compromising threat visibility or protection.

For businesses requiring GDPR compliance, FortiGuard security updates and local data processing options have you covered, with FortiSASE adding ZTNA and CASB capabilities for remote workers without further licences. However, Fortinet's security-first approach means certain advanced networking features can sometimes be considered worse than other, more pure-play, SD-WAN vendors. We should stress that Fortinet does offer application-aware routing across multiple UK ISP connections, automatically steering traffic over the best-performing link whilst maintaining Quality of Service (QoS), though in our opinion, custom routing protocols and complex traffic engineering require more effort than with Cisco or Arista alternatives.

Key Differentiators

FortiGate's custom ASIC processors maintain full inspection performance even under heavy load, unlike software-based solutions that may degrade during traffic spikes. This ensures consistent threat protection during peak times without impacting user experience or requiring performance trade-offs. UK G-Cloud 14 framework approval and ISO/IEC 27001 compliance make Fortinet ideal for NHS trusts, government departments and financial services firms requiring stringent security standards.

Type	Cloud-native SASE
UK PoPs	London, Manchester
Rating	4.6 / 5

Analysis

Having frequently topped our rankings for the most easy-to-use SD-WAN solution, Cato Networks are an ideal choice for businesses that need a simplified approach to SASE and SD-WAN. Being a pioneer of cloud-native SASE, Cato provides both SD-WAN and security services via their global cloud platform and small edge devices (Sockets) rather than through large-scale appliances at each site - which can be beneficial for those who don't want to manage any on-premises infrastructure.

Cato offers PoPs in UK cities such as London and Manchester that these Sockets establish encrypted tunnels to, alongside presence in more than 75 locations worldwide, with this capability enabling UK businesses with international presence to also get the most out of their services. Every Cato PoP includes a full security stack covering NGFW, SWG, CASB, DLP and ZTNA, meaning UK branch traffic gets inspected at a local PoP without backhauling anywhere, maintaining performance whilst ensuring consistent security policies regardless of location.

Key Differentiators

Cloud-Native Architecture: Unlike hybrid solutions that bolt cloud services onto legacy infrastructure, Cato was built cloud-native from the ground up. Small Socket devices connect to Cato's global backbone where all processing (security, routing, optimisation) happens, eliminating on-premises complexity and enabling instant policy updates across all locations simultaneously.

Converged Security: Given their cloud-native status, Cato have integrated a fully native security stack (NGFW, SWG, CASB, DLP, ZTNA) at each PoP. This ensures UK branch traffic is inspected at local London or Manchester PoPs without backhauling anywhere.

Ease of Use: Here at Netify we’ve consistently ranked Cato as the easiest SD-WAN and SASE platform to use, therefore making it an ideal choice for businesses that have little expertise in managing SD-WAN or SASE networks.

Industry Recognition & Sources

Industry Analyst Recognition: Named a Leader in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for SASE Platforms for the second consecutive year.

Security Focus	Cloud/Software
Deployment	Overlay
Rating	4.7 / 5

Analysis

Palo Alto Networks Prisma SD-WAN is the gold standard for security-conscious enterprises. Their Layer 7 visibility is unmatched, allowing granular policy control based on applications rather than just ports and protocols.

Type	UK-centric managed
Tech Partners	Versa, Fortinet, Cisco
Rating	4.2 / 5

Overview

Virgin Media Business has partnered with Versa Networks, Fortinet and Cisco to deliver a variety of managed SD-WAN services to suit differing needs. As part of their managed service offering, Virgin Media also provides service level agreements (SLAs) tailored to the infrastructure and needs of each company, ensuring guaranteed levels of performance and availability.

Key Differentiators

UK Fibre Network Ownership: Virgin Media owns substantial UK fibre infrastructure rather than leasing from Openreach like most competitors. This ownership provides cost advantages and faster fault resolution for domestic sites, which can be particularly beneficial for UK retail chains, logistics operations or public sector bodies with domestic footprints and where international reach isn't a priority.

Multi-Vendor Flexibility: Virgin’s partnerships with Versa, Fortinet and Cisco enable UK businesses to select the best platform for their needs rather than accepting a single vendor's approach.

Integrated Underlay and Overlay: Unlike providers offering only the SD-WAN software, Virgin Media provides both the physical underlay and the SD-WAN overlay as an integrated solution. This creates single billing, coordinated fault resolution and simplified management, eliminating responsibility issues between separate connectivity and SD-WAN providers when troubleshooting problems.

Type	Multi-vendor Managed
SLA	99.99% End-to-End
Rating	4.4 / 5

Analysis

GTT Communications partners with Fortinet, HPE Aruba EdgeConnect and Cisco Catalyst to deliver managed SD-WAN, with their platform integrating security measures such as unified firewall management, intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDPS) and advanced threat protection. On top of this, GTT also supports cloud connectivity with leading platforms such as AWS, Azure and Google Cloud, via their global backbone for optimal performance.

Key Differentiators

Tier 1 Global Backbone Ownership: GTT owns its Tier-1 global IP backbone rather than leasing capacity from other carriers. This provides deterministic performance for international traffic, faster fault resolution across borders and eliminates finger-pointing with intermediate carriers, which can be critical for UK multinationals with remote offices in emerging markets. One of the key highlights of GTT’s offering is their 99.99% availability SLAs that are backed by their infrastructure (rather than through partnerships) - creating a single point of accountability for end-to-end performance.

Multi-Vendor Platform Choice: GTT’s partnerships with Fortinet, HPE Aruba and Cisco allow organisations to select the specific technology that fits their needs whilst still retaining single-vendor accountability.

Industry Recognition & Sources

Industry Analyst Recognition: Named a Leader in Frost & Sullivan's 2025 Frost Radar for Managed SD-WAN in North America. Named a SASE and Managed SD-WAN Leader in both the United States and United Kingdom by ISG Provider Lens 2025.

Technology	EdgeConnect
Recognition	Gartner Leader x6
Rating	4.4 / 5

Analysis

EdgeConnect's proprietary first-packet iQ technology identifies applications from the very first packet, enabling immediate traffic classification and policy enforcement without the delays associated with deep packet inspection. This capability ensures optimal performance for business-critical applications, including real-time communications and cloud services, whilst maintaining security through integrated firewall and threat detection capabilities.

Key Differentiators

First-Packet iQ Application Recognition: EdgeConnect identifies applications from the very first packet rather than waiting for deep packet inspection sampling. This eliminates latency penalties whilst enabling immediate traffic classification and policy enforcement, which can be critical for real-time applications (VoIP, video conferencing, trading platforms) where delays can be detrimental to business activities.

Industry Recognition & Sources

Industry Analyst Recognition: HPE Aruba was recognised as a Leader in the 2023 Gartner Magic Quadrant for SD-WAN for the sixth consecutive year (including recognition as Silver Peak prior to HPE acquisition). Recognised as a Leader and Outperformer in the 2024 GigaOm Radar Report for Secure Access Service Edge (SASE).

Type	Managed SD-WAN
Market Share	40% UK Ent.
Rating	4.3 / 5

Analysis

Unsurprisingly, given their more than 40% market share of UK enterprise networking, Cisco offers more than one SD-WAN solution to suit a range of business needs. Whilst their Catalyst SD-WAN offering is designed to suit very complex SD-WAN deployments, Meraki is their, more simplified, cloud-managed platform.

The key benefit of Meraki's approach is its prioritisation of ease over features, with one example of this being AutoVPN, which establishes site-to-site connectivity without the manual configuration seen in other solutions, alternatively, another example being their traffic shaping which use intuitive slider controls rather than more complex QoS policies.

On top of this, Meraki's integrated firewall, content filtering and malware protection cover all of the basic security elements, whilst still enabling connections to both Umbrella and Cisco Secure Access if your business wants to extend protection to remote users. However, Meraki's simplicity does become limiting for complex deployments, with custom routing protocols and advanced traffic engineering not possible.

Key Differentiators

AutoVPN Zero-Touch Mesh: Meraki's AutoVPN automatically establishes full-mesh IPsec tunnels between all sites without manual configuration, with new branches connecting to Meraki cloud to discover existing sites and build encrypted tunnels automatically.

Intuitive Slider-Based QoS: Traffic shaping uses visual slider controls rather than complex CLI commands or policy syntax.

Market-Leading Ecosystem: Given the Cisco brand and the ability to connect both Cisco Umbrella and Cisco security capabilities, their extensive partner ecosystem and readily available expertise provides businesses with simple requirements all the capabilities they need.

Industry Recognition & Sources

Industry Analyst Recognition: Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for SD-WAN for the fifth consecutive year (2024).

Type	White-label SD-WAN
Feature	Multi-Tenancy
Rating	4.3 / 5

Analysis

With partnerships with a large volume of UK service providers, Versa's white-label approach enables many service providers on the market to rebrand Versa's platform as their own managed SD-WAN offering, making it a very common choice, even if businesses aren't fully aware of the underlying technology. This white-label flexibility has made Versa particularly prevalent in the UK managed services market, with providers such as Zen Internet leveraging Versa's carrier-grade platform to deliver their SD-WAN services.

Versa is well-suited to UK organisations offering managed services or those requiring multi-tenancy capabilities for regulatory compliance, something that, in our opinion, the other vendors on this list are less equipped to handle. We'd suggest they are the best fit for serving complex multi-site architectures where different business units need separate network segments or financial services requiring complete isolation between business units to meet regulatory requirements around data separation.

Key Differentiators

Carrier-Grade Multi-Tenancy: Versa’s multi-tenant architecture enables complete logical isolation between business units, customers or regulatory domains, which can be critical for UK financial services firms or managed service providers.

White-Box Hardware Flexibility: The software can be deployed on commodity white-box hardware, virtual machines or cloud instances rather than proprietary appliances.

Industry Recognition & Sources

Industry Analyst Recognition: Recognised in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for SASE Platforms for the third consecutive year. Versa is one of only three SASE vendors to be recognised in the Gartner Magic Quadrants for SASE Platforms, Security Service Edge and SD-WAN.