# Best Network Access Control (NAC) Software 2026 | Capterra > Find the top Network Access Control (NAC) software of 2026 on Capterra. Based on millions of verified user reviews - compare and filter for whats important to you to find the best tools for your needs. Source: https://www.capterra.com/network-access-control-software --- # Best Network Access Control (NAC) Software Last updated on April 1, 2026 How to find the right Network Access Control (NAC) Software? Learn more from our team about Network Access Control (NAC) Software pricing features and benefits in our Network Access Control (NAC) Buyers Guide Verified Insights Provider data verified by our Software Research team and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) ## What is network access control (NAC) software? Researched by: [Capterra](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/capterra/) Updated on April 1, 2026 Network access control (NAC) software assists network administrators in maintaining the security of network infrastructure and its devices by assisting in the creation and management of user access groups and permission levels. In doing so, administrators will more readily be able to block unauthorized access to network resources. Through its reporting features and graphical interface, network access control software (NAC) allows businesses to visually assess whether a network’s security protocols are compliant with industry standards for acceptable security levels. * * * For more information consult our [Network Access Control (NAC) Buyers Guide](#buyers-guide-content) Page 1 of 2 ## Top-rated software of 2026 ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox. Filter (49) Products: Sort By: Sponsored * * * Plan Type Free Trial Popular 85% of professionals opt for a 30-day trial before the software purchase Other subsciption plans: Free Version Monthly Subscription Annual Subscription One-Time License Key Features All key features Popular We have selected the most important and critical features as defined by Capterra user reviews Access Controls/Permissions AI Copilot Dashboard Generative AI Intrusion Prevention System Multi-Device Support Multiple Authentication Methods Policy Creation Profiling Remote Access/Control Deployment Cloud, SaaS, Web-Based Desktop Mac Desktop Windows Desktop Linux On-Premise Windows On-Premise Linux Desktop Chromebook Mobile Android Mobile iPhone Mobile iPad Table of Contents - [The benefits of network access control (NAC) software](#the-benefits-of-network-access-control-nac-software) - [Typical features of network access control (NAC) software](#typical-features-of-network-access-control-nac-software) - [The cost of network access control (NAC) software](#the-cost-of-network-access-control-nac-software) - [Considerations when purchasing network access control (NAC) software](#considerations-when-purchasing-network-access-control-nac-software) ## The benefits of network access control (NAC) software - **Protects professional reputation:** Consumers are becoming more and more aware of what types of personal data are held by companies with which they choose to do business. A [recent survey](https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/89777-shows-consumers-are-abandoning-brands-after-data-breaches) showed that 78% of consumers would cease doing online business with a company that had suffered a data breach. By implementing network access control software, a company can better protect its customers’ data and avoid reputational damage caused by data breaches. - **Prevents costs associated with data breaches:** The cost associated with data recovery from network attacks grew to an average of $4.24 million, as per a [2021 IBM report](https://www.ibm.com/downloads/cas/OJDVQGRY). This number represented an increase of 10% from the previous year. By protecting your network and data from unwanted access, your company will be much less likely to incur financial losses due to the rising costs of damage caused by data breaches. - **Manages IT assets:** As more and more devices connect to business networks, the task of making sure they are updated with the most recent hardware and software upgrades becomes increasingly daunting and time-consuming. Network access control (NAC) software can automatically scan devices attached to the network and proactively perform or schedule necessary security upgrades and prevent unauthorized access to network endpoints. * * * ## Typical features of network access control (NAC) software - **Access controls and permissions:** Define access groups that are based on adjustable permission levels. Assign users to these groups and control their access by issuing passwords. - **Network security:** Prevent unauthorized access to a computer network and monitor potential intrusions by bad actors looking to misuse, modify, or obstruct access to network resources. - **Policy creation:** Create new security policies or alter existing policies as users and resources are added or removed from the network. - **Asset management:** Assess potential security deficiencies of network assets by monitoring the life cycles of hardware, software, and equipment from the time they are acquired to when they are eventually phased out. - **Dashboard:** Design customizable graphical interfaces that compile tracking statistics and metrics into graphs, charts, and real-time reports. - **Multiple authentication methods:** Allow users to access network resources using a wide range of authentication methods, such as ID cards, PINs, passwords, radio frequency identification (RFID), and biometrics. - **Profiling:** Run routine scans of users and devices to ensure there are no potential security threats. * * * ## The cost of network access control (NAC) software Most products in this market are priced on a per-user, per-month basis, billed annually. Pricing can be divided into three pricing tiers based on the starting prices: **Price ranges\*:** - $3 - $8 - $8 - $30 - $30+ _\*The pricing included is for the entry-level/lowest-priced offering found on vendor websites on April 5, 2022. These ranges correspond to the 25th, 75th, and 100th percentiles of pricing information gathered from vendor websites of sample products._ * * * ## Considerations when purchasing network access control (NAC) software - **Cost of ownership:** Many network access control (NAC) software packages provide free trials, allowing users to test the software's feature set before purchasing. After the trial period, most packages can be purchased either with a one-time fee or with a monthly or annual subscription. Additionally, many offerings set their pricing based on the number of users and/or devices on the network. - **Endpoint management:** Whereas most network access control (NAC) packages offer user authentication and permission controls as a basic feature, other offerings manage the security protocols of the actual devices, or endpoints, from which potential users access the network. Considering that bad actors can gain unauthorized access to network resources by hacking devices (as opposed to defeating user password protections), it's important to examine the variety of devices on your network to determine if this level of added protection would benefit your organization. - **Level of management:** Some network access control (NAC) software offerings act as a front end for existing network security controls, allowing administrators to manage multiple control methods in one place. On the other hand, other packages employ their own native security controls that provide features such as more advanced levels of encryption and proprietary access methods (e.g., custom biometrics). Consider whether your current security methodologies are sufficient for your needs as an NAC package that helps manage your current security scheme may suffice. * * * **Sources** Products evaluated for the pricing calculation were taken from [Capterra's network access control (NAC) software directory](https://www.capterra.com/network-access-control-software/), sorted by the number of reviews. The pricing ranges exclude freemium versions of the products. The features highlighted were identified based on their relevance and the percentage of products in Capterra's directory that offer them. The following sources were used for this document: 1. [Survey Shows Consumers are Abandoning Brands after Data Breaches](https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/89777-shows-consumers-are-abandoning-brands-after-data-breaches), Security Magazine. (Date accessed: April 22, 2022) 2. [Cost of a Data Breach Report 2021](https://www.ibm.com/downloads/cas/OJDVQGRY), IBM (Date accessed: April 22, 2022)