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Cybersecurity · head to head

Cisco Duo vs Granicus

Cisco Duo logo

Cisco Duo

Cybersecurity

Trusted access for all users, all devices

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Granicus logo

Granicus

Government

Digital Government Experiences Platform

From
$500/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Cisco Duo has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cisco Duo free tier limited to 10 users maximum; Granicus pricing is custom-quoted and not publicly available
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cisco Duo and Granicus actually diverge.

Attributes where Cisco Duo and Granicus differ
AttributeCisco DuoGranicus
Starting priceFree$500/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment
FoundedUnknown1999

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Cisco Duo

Nothing recorded that Granicus does not also cover.

Only in Granicus

  • Citizen Communications
  • Meeting Management
  • Digital Forms
  • Website Management
  • Records Management
  • Salesforce
  • Microsoft 365
  • Google Workspace

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Cisco Duo

  • Eliminating phishing with passwordless authnot Granicus
  • Implementing zero trust with device trustnot Granicus
  • Protecting sessions from hijacking and theftnot Granicus
  • Managing compliance for regulated industriesnot Granicus

Granicus

  • Citizen Servicesnot Cisco Duo
  • Records Managementnot Cisco Duo
  • Public Safetynot Cisco Duo
  • Civic Engagementnot Cisco Duo

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Cisco Duo

  • Free tier limited to 10 users maximum
  • Licenses must be purchased in 10-user increments (under 100 users) or 25-user increments (100+ users)
  • Pricing is per-user per-month with minimum purchase increments

Granicus

  • Pricing is custom-quoted and not publicly available
  • Complex sales process for government agencies
  • Integration with legacy government systems can be challenging

Pricing, plan by plan

Cisco Duo

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
    • Seamless integrations
    • Authenticator app
  • Essentials$3/month
    • All Free features
    • Duo Directory
    • Phishing-resistant MFA
  • Advantage$6/month
    • All Essentials features
    • Identity intelligence
    • Cisco Identity Intelligence (ISPM, ITDR)
  • Premier$9/month
    • All Advantage features
    • Complete device trust
    • VPN-less remote access

Granicus

$500/month
  • Government Starter$500/month
    • Communications Cloud
    • Meeting Management
    • Digital Services

Which should you pick?

Choose Cisco Duo if

  • You want to start without paying.
Cisco Duo review

Choose Granicus if

  • You need citizen communications.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want meeting management.
Granicus review

Questions people ask

Is Cisco Duo or Granicus better?
Neither clearly leads. Cisco Duo starts at Free and Granicus at $500/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cisco Duo or Granicus?
Cisco Duo has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Cisco Duo and $500/month for Granicus.
Does Cisco Duo or Granicus run on more platforms?
Cisco Duo runs on Web. Granicus runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Cisco Duo for free?
Yes. Cisco Duo has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Granicus starts at $500/month.
What is Cisco Duo best used for?
Cisco Duo is most often used for eliminating phishing with passwordless auth, implementing zero trust with device trust, protecting sessions from hijacking and theft, managing compliance for regulated industries. Of those, eliminating phishing with passwordless auth and implementing zero trust with device trust are not what Granicus is typically brought in for.
What can Cisco Duo do that Granicus cannot?
Granicus covers Citizen Communications, Meeting Management, Digital Forms, Website Management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cisco Duo: How much does Cisco Duo cost?

Cisco Duo Free is $0/user/month (up to 10 users). Paid plans start at $3/user/month (Essentials), $6/user/month (Advantage), and $9/user/month (Premier). Billing is per-user per-month.

Source
Granicus: How many government agencies use Granicus?

Over 5,500 federal, state, and local government agencies use Granicus, reaching more than 300 million citizen subscribers.

Source
Cisco Duo: Is Cisco Duo free to try?

Yes, Duo Free offers multi-factor authentication and seamless integrations at $0/user/month for up to 10 users.

Source
Granicus: What does Granicus Engagement Cloud provide?

Granicus Engagement Cloud combines government communications, website management, meeting and agenda management, records management, and citizen service digitization.

Source
Cisco Duo: What is the minimum purchase for Cisco Duo?

Organizations must buy licenses in 10-user increments for under 100 users, or 25-user increments for 100 or more users. Plans are modifiable at any time.

Source
Granicus: What are the main features of Granicus?

Granicus provides tools for managing public communications, citizen feedback collection, community event management, online surveys, event registration, and live-streaming capabilities.

Source
Cisco Duo: What does the Advantage plan add over Essentials?

Advantage ($6/user/month) adds identity intelligence, Cisco Identity Intelligence (ISPM, ITDR), Duo Passport, session theft protection, Active Directory Defense, and risk-based authentication.

Source
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