Aruba Instant vs Fortinet FortiWLC comparison

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Fortinet are both solutions in the Wireless LAN category. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.6, while Fortinet is ranked #27. Hewlett Packard Enterprise holds a 2.1% mindshare in Wireless LAN, compared to Fortinet’s 0.4% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Fortinet users who would recommend it.

Aruba Instant

Read 52 Aruba Instant reviews

2,019 Views
1,938 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

Fortinet FortiWLC

Read 3 Fortinet FortiWLC reviews

343 Views
319 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Aruba Instant

Fortinet FortiWLC

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 31, 2024

Fortinet FortiWLC and Aruba Instant compete in the wireless networking solutions category. Aruba Instant is often deemed superior due to its comprehensive feature set and ease of management, while Fortinet FortiWLC is favored for pricing and customer support.

Features: Fortinet FortiWLC provides strong scalability, integrated security features, and flexible growth capacity. Aruba Instant offers centralized platform management, advanced automation, and seamless integration into existing IT infrastructures.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Aruba Instant has a streamlined deployment model with substantial automation capabilities, reducing setup time and enhancing operational efficiency. Customer service is praised for its promptness and effectiveness. Fortinet FortiWLC's deployment is straightforward but might require more manual configuration. Its customer service is recognized for immediate issue resolution.

Pricing and ROI: Fortinet FortiWLC is known for its competitive pricing and solid ROI, appealing to projects focusing on long-term cost-efficiency. It offers lower upfront costs, making it attractive for cost-sensitive projects. Aruba Instant, while potentially more expensive initially, tends to offer a better ROI through long-term performance and advanced features, suitable for resource-rich projects.

To learn more, read our detailed Aruba Instant vs. Fortinet FortiWLC Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant vs. Fortinet FortiWLC

September 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

Aruba Instant

Ranking in Wireless LAN

9th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Fortinet FortiWLC

Ranking in Wireless LAN

27th

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

8.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2025, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Aruba Instant is 2.1%, up from 2.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiWLC is 0.4%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Wireless LAN Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Aruba Instant	2.1%
Fortinet FortiWLC	0.4%
Other	97.5%

Wireless LAN

Featured Reviews

SreejeshSoman

Technical Consultant at Vertex Techno Solutions (B) Pvt Ltd

Has supported mid-market deployments with cloud-based centralized management and reliable wireless performance

I faced challenges earlier with a limitation of 50 APs in single sites, but that has enhanced to 100 numbers, eliminating that challenge for Aruba Instant On team. Additionally, some features are not listed in the cloud management platform and still require offline access, so enhancing the cloud management features would be better for us.

Read full review

Md.Mehedi Hassan

Team Lead Manager at Blue Pill Ltd

Offers a seamless and secure WiFi experience with outstanding customer support

FortiWLC is valuable due to its security features and the seamless WiFi experience it provides. Our customers benefit greatly from the security aspect, especially since they are already using Fortinet for Firewall services. The security features are crucial for their requirements. The stability and ease of use of FortiWLC also add to its effectiveness.

Read full review

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 feature is that it provides a redundant wireless connection for a client."

"I find network management features related to monitoring Wi-Fi usage and visited sites particularly valuable. Content filtering is also important to prevent access to malicious or inappropriate websites. It is reliable and simple."

"The most beneficial features for network management are the price and the cloud console."

"What I like best about Aruba Instant is that it serves as a virtual controller, so you don't need to buy other equipment to manage all your access points. I also like that the solution is easy to use."

"The most valuable feature of Aruba Instant is its cloud capability, which allows us to manage it through the cloud."

"Aruba Instant is cloud-based, and thus, it improves wireless network performance on cloud platforms. The solution allows network monitoring through devices like mobiles and desktops, which is a feasible option. The tool also has Bluetooth settings so a user can deploy Aruba Instant through a serial number or the Bluetooth option."

"The simplicity of the dashboard is one of the most valuable features. It's easy to use, and manage and the security features are robust. We can block unauthorized connections and create secure SSIDs."

"You can handle all of the access points at once virtually instead of manually handling each one. You're able to populate all of the information to all of the access points through the virtual controller as well. It transforms everything it a single access point, which simplifies things."

More Aruba Instant pros

"I rate the overall solution a ten out of ten."

"The most valuable feature of Fortinet FortiWLC is the overall high quality."

"FortiWLC is valuable due to its security features and the seamless WiFi experience it provides."

"It's easy to set everything up during implementation."

Cons

"Some features are not listed in the cloud management platform and still require offline access, so enhancing the cloud management features would be better for us."

"The security features must be improved."

"The product's high cost is an area where improvements are required."

"The reach of the solution could be improved. It could be a bit stronger."

"The tool's support quality has changed since HPE acquired it. It is also impossible to tell the log dates."

"The captive portal through Facebook doesn't work."

"There is an issue with flooding to the Aruba access point on the ports."

"The tool needs to enhance its security features."

More Aruba Instant cons

"One thing that is lacking is, compared with some other brands, the signal is a bit weaker. Ruckus has much wider signal coverage."

"Fortinet FortiWLC is not simple to configure when compared to other solutions. The design could be better."

"However, for massive implementations, Fortinet should consider reducing the price to make it more affordable."

"For massive implementations, Fortinet should consider reducing the price to make it more affordable."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I purchased the hardware and there are no monthly or yearly licenses to buy."

"Avoid the Central cloud license if you can."

"The cost was affordable."

"The pricing is reasonable."

"The setup cost varies based on each organization's requirements but it is within reason."

"There’s no licensing required to use the tool."

"It's a one time cost, including the upgrades, but you have to pay on a yearly basis if you want support. The price is in the middle in comparison to that of competitors' products."

"We pay about $300 per access point."

More Aruba Instant pricing and cost advice

"The price of Fortinet FortiWLC is high. The solution will be out of the market for us because the price is too high for the features it provides."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

12%

Comms Service Provider

11%

Manufacturing Company

Construction Company

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	31
Midsize Enterprise	7
Large Enterprise	14

No data available

Questions from the Community

Which is better - Ubiquiti WLAN or Aruba Instant?

We researched Ubiquiti and Aruba when looking for a WLAN solution. Ubiquiti offers good WLAN access both indoors and outdoors. It provides an enterprise-level WIFI while remaining cost-effective. U...

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What do you like most about Aruba Instant?

I find network management features related to monitoring Wi-Fi usage and visited sites particularly valuable. Content filtering is also important to prevent access to malicious or inappropriate web...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aruba Instant?

In my experience, Aruba Instant's price is reasonable compared to premium products like Ruckus, Cisco, or Juniper. However, when compared to entry-level market segments, the price is higher. Overal...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiWLC?

I cannot disclose the license price, however, I recommend Fortinet reduce its pricing for massive implementations.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiWLC?

Until now, I have not observed any issues. However, for massive implementations, Fortinet should consider reducing the price to make it more affordable.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Fortinet FortiWLC?

We are resellers of FortiWLC, and our customers mainly use it in enterprise settings, particularly for chemical companies.

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 30% of the time

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Aruba Instant

Compared 14% of the time

Aruba Instant On Access Points vs Aruba Instant

Compared 12% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs Aruba Instant

Compared 10% of the time

Huawei Wireless vs Aruba Instant

Compared 9% of the time

More Aruba Instant Competitors

Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points vs Fortinet FortiWLC

Compared 43% of the time

Fortinet FortiWLM vs Fortinet FortiWLC

Compared 35% of the time

Omada Access Points vs Fortinet FortiWLC

Compared 22% of the time

More Fortinet FortiWLC Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant

November 2025

Download Aruba Instant product report

Buyer's Guide

Wireless LAN

October 2025

Download Fortinet FortiWLC product report

Overview

Aruba Instant delivers the only controllerless Wi-Fi solution that is easy to set-up, and loaded with security and smarts needed to accelerate your business without breaking your budget.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Fortinet controllers for infrastructure Wi-Fi manage authentication and encryption of our enterprise-class infrastructure access points. These controllers are powered by Fortinet’s System Director operating system for seamless mobility and high-density environments.

Fortinet

Sample Customers

Purdue University, Orlando Magic, Brussels Airport Company, Molecaten Holiday Parks

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant vs. Fortinet FortiWLC

September 2025

Free Report: Aruba Instant vs. Fortinet FortiWLC

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