Juniper Session Smart Router vs Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform comparison

Juniper and Versa Networks are both solutions in the Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions category. Juniper is ranked #12 with an average rating of 9.0, while Versa Networks is ranked #10 with an average rating of 8.0. Juniper holds a 2.4% mindshare in SDW, compared to Versa Networks’s 5.6% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Juniper users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of Versa Networks users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 1, 2025

Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge Platform and Juniper Session Smart Router are competing solutions in the network infrastructure industry. Versa has an advantage in support and setup cost, appealing to cost-conscious buyers, while Juniper offers advanced router features justifying its pricing.

Features: Versa SASE Platform provides integrated security and networking, with centralized management that simplifies configuration and monitoring. Juniper Session Smart Router offers application-based routing, zero-trust security, and optimized data flow.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Deployment of Versa SASE Platform is smoother due to integrated solutions, reducing compatibility issues, and it is frequently praised for strong customer support. Juniper’s complex deployment process is mitigated by reliable installation guidance despite its sophisticated router configurations.

Pricing and ROI: Versa SASE Platform is generally more budget-friendly with lower initial setup costs, delivering quick ROI due to cost-effective integration. Juniper Session Smart Router entails a higher initial cost, but its features can provide substantial long-term benefits, appealing to those prioritizing long-term functionality.

To learn more, read our detailed Juniper Session Smart Router vs. Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Juniper Session Smart Router vs. Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform

December 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Fortinet FortiGate

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiGate is 13.9%, down from 20.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Juniper Session Smart Router is 2.4%, down from 3.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform is 5.6%, up from 4.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Fortinet FortiGate	13.9%
Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform	5.6%
Juniper Session Smart Router	2.4%
Other	78.1%

Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions

Featured Reviews

Vasu Gala

Manager, Information Technology Operation/Presales at TechMonarch

A stable solution with an intuitive interface and quick customer service

I have been working with Fortinet FortiGate, WatchGuard, Sophos, and SonicWall. I'm not as comfortable with SonicWall because of their UI and limitations. I prefer Fortinet above all other options. When it comes to configuration, I am confident in my ability to handle various tasks, including creating policies such as firewall rules, web policies, and application policies. Additionally, I can configure VPNs and implement load balancing, among other tasks. Overall, I feel much more comfortable working with Fortinet. Fortinet has made significant improvements by integrating AI with firewalls for threat analysis and prevention. In the past 2-3 years, they have launched FortiSASE and SIEM, and they also provide SOC services. Both Palo Alto and Fortinet FortiGate are excellent. While Fortinet FortiGate comes at higher prices, the functionality and support justify the cost. They promptly resolve firmware issues and inform all support providers about configuration changes.

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SRI GANESH PHANIYAPPA

Sub Divisional Engineer NOC Bangalore at Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited

Delivered tailored features and meets requirements effectively

We are using it as a DNG. This means all subscriber PPPoE sessions or ILS Smart VPN connections are terminated through the access network to this BNG, Uniphore BNG. From there, they are managed Everything has been fine. Although we did not explore much about the solution, they provided us with a…

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Aashiesh Sharrma

Senior Client Partner at NTT DATA

Has improved network performance and strengthened data protection with flexible multi-tenancy support

The most valuable feature I find in Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform is multi-tenancy. This is part of the feature list when discussing its Zero Trust Network Access. It has benefited my customer's network performance. The underlay network has become very independent in the sense that we no longer need to position MPLS services. On the internet itself, we are able to give the best features as far as SD-WAN is concerned. Even in MPLS, it was end-to-end encryption itself, but SD-WAN has further enhanced the aspect of security on the open internet link, which has helped my customers in protecting sensitive data. The flexibility and application optimization is one feature which my customers have benefited from the most.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The most valuable features of Fortinet FortiGate that I found are its next-generation firewall capabilities with stateful inspection and antivirus, along with features such as a reverse proxy that are missed by some other firewall products such as Palo Alto or Check Point."

"The solution is highly scalable because they have devices that can handle a large amount of traffic."

"I have found Fortinet FortiGate to be scalable."

"The virtual firewall feature is the most valuable. We have around 1,500 firewalls. We did not buy individual hardware, and the virtual firewalls made sense because we don't have to keep on buying the hardware. FortiGate is easier to use as compared to Checkpoint devices. It is user friendly and has a good UI. You don't need much expertise to work on this firewall. You don't need to worry much about DCLA, commands, and things like that."

"The primary feature I appreciate about Fortinet FortiGate is the ease of setup."

"The system is very easy to scale."

"The tool is a nice product and easy to handle. The software's user interface is also good. You can easily implement remote access in the solution."

"In terms of cost, features, and security, everything is top-notch."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"Customer service is very prompt."

"As compared to the other major vendors in the SD-WAN market, such as VeloCloud, Cisco, and others, the tunnel-free and secure vector routing technology is its major USP, which gives plenty of room to discuss with the customer why IPSec from 1998 is a bit outdated."

"The most valuable feature of Juniper Session Smart Router is its unique SDR channel."

"The solution is especially Session's smart, application-aware, AI-based."

"They provided us with a customized product according to our requirements."

"It's very powerful, especially for engineering teams."

"The solution is stable and suitable."

"It is very easy to deploy. The GUI interface is really good, and the security features are also very good. It is also stable and scalable, and their support is also good."

"I like all the features. We utilize different LAN, bandwidth transferring, bandwidth balancing, and mappings. We use it as a centralized solution, and use the same product at all our locations."

"This integration between SASE and SD-WAN is beneficial, as we have tested it with various customers."

"There are great security and ops features without the need for having a different box for security."

"The flexibility is a great feature."

"Their dashboard is also a good point for us and the customer. The solution is very clean and easy."

More Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform pros

Cons

"Technical support is good but the response time could be faster."

"Some features in Fortinet FortiGate need improvement as we discover when calling support that certain actions must be done from the command line."

"I would like to be able to see more log details."

"The solution could have licensing fees reduced in the future."

"The solution’s stability could be improved because we sometimes faced some drops."

"Its technical support could be better."

"They should make the rule sets more understandable for the end user. When you're trying to explain to somebody how a computer network is secured, sometimes it's difficult for an end user or customer to understand. If there was a way to make the terminology more accessible to the end user, the set up could be easier. They should translate the technical jargon to an easily relatable and understandable conversation for the end user, the customer, that would be brilliant. Particularly in an environment where the IT structure is audited regularly, there's always pressure from the auditor to up the standards and up the security and you get your USCERT's that come out and there's a warning about this and the customer will want to lock out so much and when you apply it they run into issue where they can't search the internet or print to their remote office. Of course they can't print to your remote office, they just locked it up. They should make the language more understandable for the customer. If there's a product out there that made the jargon understandable to John Q. Public, I would buy that."

"In the scenarios coming from Sophos, it has not."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"The UI of the SSR conductor is the main part where improvements can be done. Today, for every configuration step, you have to do a series of clicks. What we are missing there are wizards. For example, I have two applications, and I want one application to be prioritized against the other. In such a case, a wizard for assigning policies to a service without configuring each step by hand would be very helpful. There should be an overhaul of the GUI of the conductor. The functionality they have got in the Mist portal should be baked into the conductor itself. It would be really great, but as we all know, that won't happen."

"Regarding improvement, we still need to see what it can do."

"Juniper Session Smart Router could be better in terms of software performance."

"Juniper Session Smart Router can improve the integration for Wi-Fi devices and add additional Sassy deployments."

"I heard about them for the first time just before I started working on Versa. They do have blogs for information, but they could publicize more about the documentation and architecture. It doesn't seem to have that much exposure, and they should work on their customer base more."

"Another thing that should be improved in Versa are their firewall features."

"The UTM features can be improved. It should offer better functionality."

"Future releases should contain AI for the voice feature."

"The stability of FlexVNF's controller and devices could be improved."

"Versa provides analytics, but the reporting features have some shortcomings."

"SASE is the next big thing that is coming up, and it needs to be developed in Versa. This is the only thing that needs to be adapted very quickly by Versa. With the pandemic going on, I would like to see more features for working from home. They have launched Versa Secure Access (VSA), but it is currently immature. They need to tighten it up for work from home and SD-WAN concept."

"The smaller units lack a lot of functionality."

More Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The cost is too high... They have to focus on more features with less cost for the customer. If you see the market, where it's going, there are a lot of players offering more features for less cost."

"The cost of Fortinet FortiGate is competitive and not expensive compared to other enterprise- grade solutions. On average, the license cost per year is around seventy percent of the firewall's purchase price."

"It scales well if you know what to buy from a physical box standpoint. They seem to offer something for every level."

"Fortigate's pricing is competitive."

"The product is expensive. I rate its pricing a six out of ten."

"If you purchase a one-year subscription with the hardware and then you want to renew for the second year, it is very costly."

"The price for the device and software is high. However, the solution is of good quality and has a lot of features."

"We have the full license that included all of the features and support."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"It is a simple bandwidth-based license and the orchestration comes bundled with the solution by default."

"We are currently renegotiating the offer for the licenses and the license bundle model. The license for an ISP has to be different from the license for an end customer. This is something we are currently renegotiating with Juniper, but, of course, the pricing for the licensing is always an issue when you want to get more customers."

"It is neither cheap nor expensive. I rate the pricing a five out of ten on a scale where one is cheap and ten is expensive."

"It is not very expensive because of the white box support. Its hardware is much cheaper than other products. With the support for x86 and white box, it is one of the most cost-effective platforms that are currently available."

"I find Versa a little more expensive than VMware in terms of remote access and secure web gateway elements."

"Price wise, it's more expensive than is the competition. I would give pricing a rating of three out of five."

"The price is expensive but it makes sense for the market."

"We provide subscriptions for our customers on a yearly, not monthly, basis."

"While I cannot provide too much commentary on the price, I feel it to be fair for the moment."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

14%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

18%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Computer Software Company

10%

Retailer

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	357
Midsize Enterprise	133
Large Enterprise	188

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	9
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	10

Questions from the Community

Which is the better NGFW: Fortinet Fortigate or Cisco Firepower?

When you compare these firewalls you can identify them with different features, advantages, practices and usage a...

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What is the biggest difference between Sophos XG and FortiGate?

From my experience regarding both the Sophos and FortiGate firewalls, I personally would rather use FortiGate. I know...

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What are the biggest technical differences between Sophos UTM and Fortinet FortiGate?

As a solution, Sophos UTM offers a lot of functionality, it scales well, and the stability and performance are quite ...

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What needs improvement with Juniper Session Smart Router?

I did not find any problem with Juniper. Regarding improvement, we still need to see what it can do.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Juniper Session Smart Router?

We are using it as a DNG. This means all subscriber PPPoE sessions or ILS Smart VPN connections are terminated throug...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Juniper Session Smart Router?

On a scale of one to ten, I rate the solution nine.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Versa Titan?

As a reseller, I see their pricing as competitive.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Versa Titan?

So far, none of my customers have delved into much detail about Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platf...

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What is your primary use case for Versa Titan?

I'm in sales, so I'm a seller for Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform. I usually recommend Versa...

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Comparisons

Sophos XG vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 19% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 12% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 6% of the time

OPNsense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

SonicWall TZ vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 3% of the time

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Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs Juniper Session Smart Router

Compared 18% of the time

Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform vs Juniper Session Smart Router

Compared 11% of the time

VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN vs Juniper Session Smart Router

Compared 9% of the time

NFX Series Network Services Platform vs Juniper Session Smart Router

Compared 8% of the time

Peplink SpeedFusion vs Juniper Session Smart Router

Compared 4% of the time

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Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform vs Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform

Compared 25% of the time

VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN vs Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform

Compared 9% of the time

Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform

Compared 8% of the time

Meraki SD-WAN vs Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform

Compared 5% of the time

Peplink SpeedFusion vs Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform

Compared 4% of the time

More Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

January 2026

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Routers

January 2026

Download Juniper Session Smart Router product report

Buyer's Guide

Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform

December 2025

Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform report

Download Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform product report

Also Known As

Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall

128T Networking Platform, 128 Technology SD-WAN, Juniper SSR Series

Versa FlexVNF, FlexVNF, Versa Titan

Overview

Fortinet FortiGate is a versatile network security tool offering features like VPN, firewall, web filtering, intrusion prevention, and scalability. It is known for its performance and integration with other Fortinet products, making it a preferred choice for robust cybersecurity.

Fortinet FortiGate stands out as a comprehensive cybersecurity solution with strong performance and ease of configuration. It delivers unified threat management, integrating features such as dynamic routing, SD-WAN support, and centralized management. Despite its strengths, improvements in the web interface's stability, pricing structures, and reporting capabilities are needed. Users seek better integration with third-party tools and automation advancements to enhance the experience further. These enhancements, alongside improvements in bandwidth management and the reduction of licensing costs, are points of interest for users looking to capitalize on FortiGate's extensive capabilities.

What are Fortinet FortiGate's key features?

VPN: Ensures secure remote connections.
Firewall: Protects against unauthorized access.
Web Filtering: Blocks malicious sites and content.
Application Control: Manages and controls applications.
Intrusion Prevention: Detects and prevents vulnerabilities.
SSL Inspection: Enhances security by inspecting encrypted traffic.

What benefits should be considered when evaluating Fortinet FortiGate?

Affordability: Offers cost-effective security solutions.
Reliability: Known for consistent and stable performance.
Integration: Seamlessly integrates with other Fortinet products.
Comprehensive Protection: Provides broad threat protection capabilities.

Fortinet FortiGate is widely implemented across industries as a primary firewall system for securing internet gateways and safeguarding data centers. It supports businesses in achieving SD-WAN integration and enhances cybersecurity by providing essential features like antivirus, web filtering, and application control. Enterprises utilize FortiGate for securing remote connections and ensuring compliance with security standards, making it adaptable for different network sizes and industries.

Fortinet

The 128T Networking Platform (128T) natively provides network-based security, control, and insight across data centers, wide-area networks (WAN), and edge locations for enterprises, service providers, and cloud companies alike. 128T is reshaping the way organizations design, deploy, and operate real-world networks by making them dramatically simpler, smarter, and more secure — it’s going to fix the router — and ultimately the network — as we know it.

Juniper

The Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform is a comprehensive solution that provides secure access to cloud applications and services. It combines networking and security functions into a single platform, making it easier for organizations to manage their network infrastructure. The platform includes features such as SD-WAN, VPN, firewall, web filtering, and more. It also offers advanced security capabilities such as intrusion prevention, malware protection, and threat intelligence. With the Versa SASE Platform, organizations can ensure secure access to their cloud applications and services from any location, while also reducing costs and simplifying network management.

Versa Networks

Sample Customers

Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, IBM, Cisco, Dell, HP, Oracle, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Vodafone, Orange, BT Group, Telstra, Deutsche Telekom, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, CenturyLink, NTT Communications, Tata Communications, SoftBank, China Mobile, Singtel, Telus, Rogers Communications, Bell Canada, Telkom Indonesia, Telkom South Africa, Telmex, Telia Company, Telkom Kenya

Revation Systems

CenturyLink, RCN Business, Colt Technology Services

Buyer's Guide

Juniper Session Smart Router vs. Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform

December 2025

Free Report: Juniper Session Smart Router vs. Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform

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