Azure Firewall Manager vs FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF) comparison

Azure Firewall Manager vs. FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF)

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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

Azure Firewall Manager

Ranking in Firewall Security Management

10th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

5.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Microsoft Security Suite (25th)

FortiGate Cloud-Native Fire...

Ranking in Firewall Security Management

7th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Firewall Security Management category, the mindshare of Azure Firewall Manager is 3.2%, up from 1.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF) is 3.2%, up from 1.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewall Security Management Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF)	3.2%
Azure Firewall Manager	3.2%
Other	93.6%

Firewall Security Management

Featured Reviews

Sikkander Batcha

DevOps Engineer at CloudIQ

Has managed traffic effectively but lacks visibility and advanced control features

Azure Firewall is typically behind other vendor firewalls because we don't see what kind of traffic is traveling through it. That is one drawback. The main drawback is that we need log support from Azure Firewall, which can be quite costly. There is no login feature in Azure Firewall because only the IAM feature is available in the Azure site; we manage it only through the Azure portal, not through any other portal. Other vendors, such as Palo Alto, provide GUI or CLI interfaces to manage their firewalls, whereas we only manage Azure Firewall through the Azure portal. In the future, I would like to see additional features in Azure Firewall Manager to make it more competitive, such as technologies like App-ID and User-ID that Palo Alto has. Azure Firewall currently only allows traffic based on layer four and sometimes layer seven, so they need to improve in those areas compared to other vendors.

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Andrew_Jackson

Systems engineer at The IT Team (New Zealand)

Centralized management has streamlined access for staff and support has consistently addressed issues quickly

I see areas for improvement, particularly around the SSL VPN. It is a tool that we have used quite heavily, but it has a lot of vulnerabilities and they are starting to be dropping support for it. So we kind of see that they have left a vacuum by removing that feature. The VPN feature is indeed the main concern so far. Security around it is a concern, and then the fact that they have just dropped it and have not really provided a solution that fits for us. Their solution was either IPsec or ZTNA, which is not as flexible as the SSL VPN was for our customers.

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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

"Azure Firewall Manager centralizes network security management with a hub and spoke architecture."

"The solution has improved our organization with its firewall."

"The most valuable feature of Azure Firewall Manager is the testing and configuration."

"The best feature of Azure Firewall Manager is that it is easy to maintain and configure."

"It has helped us in multiple ways; for example, we don't require different spaces to manage it, we can do a lot of automation integrations into the code, we could integrate it into the DevOps pipeline, and it has helped us with our time-to-market for a very specific product when we are actually deploying or upgrading."

"The tool's support is good."

"The most valuable feature is the web firewall, as it is easy to install and does not require any plugins for your browser."

"From a traffic management perspective, it's a good firewall because it's automatically scalable based on the traffic availability."

More Azure Firewall Manager pros

"I have configured some SD-WAN features, and it's worked pretty well. It manages pretty well, connecting all links to the firewall. It can lower balance and traffic management."

"FortiGate's offering of many features in one license is cost-effective."

"ATP ( Advanced Threat Protection) next-generation firewall is the most valuable feature."

"The platform has good stability."

"FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF) is highly valued for its pricing, which is considered very affordable."

"The people I work with appreciate the stability of FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF), as they love its reliability."

"The solution can scale well."

"Threat detection and prevention features are the most effective aspects of FortiGate CNF."

More FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF) pros

Cons

"Azure charges for many aspects including scaling, automated scaling deployment, and traffic management, which leads to higher costs."

"Microsoft was unable to fully solve the problem with email phishing and spamming."

"For Azure Firewall Manager, the learning curve for new people is a bit challenging, but the integration should be more straightforward for configuring a centralized system."

"The solution can improve the integration with open-source tools."

"We could do only one-way NAT-ing, where the traffic comes from outside to internal, to Azure, which is fine. However, when we actually do NAT-ed traffic to hit the firewall, that way is not working."

"The tool's security features need to improve. It needs also to include a monitoring system for logs. It is also complicated to find a query on the Azure firewall."

"There should be a simple one-click deployment for a firewall, rather than a set of setup instructions that include steps such as the DNS configuration, et cetera."

"The price is okay. This said, the solution is certainly expensive in comparison with other cloud services."

More Azure Firewall Manager cons

"The prices for FortiGate are way too high and are perceived as overpriced."

"They should offer more affordable renewal options or flexible plans for license upgrades."

"The deployment process is complex."

"The VPN feature is indeed the main concern so far. Security around it is a concern, and then the fact that they have just dropped it and have not really provided a solution that fits for us."

"The solution needs to improve on box clustering and IPS configuration."

"For scalability, if the hardware isn't fit or working, the box needs changing."

"Unfortunately, FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF) is not very scalable. For businesses that grow or develop further, only about ten percent can handle the increase."

"The product is very expensive."

More FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF) cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of the solution is reasonable but it is reasonable for the features."

"The solution is certainly expensive in comparison with other cloud services."

"The tool's licensing costs are cheap and yearly."

"FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall is not an expensive solution."

"It is an expensive platform."

"The pricing is competitive."

"FortiGate's price is really good."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

11%

Construction Company

11%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

14%

Comms Service Provider

14%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Educational Organization

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	2

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	13
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	3

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Azure Firewall Manager?

The pricing for Azure Firewall Manager is expensive. In our project, we have used both Palo Alto Firewall and Azure Firewall. Azure charges for many aspects including scaling, automated scaling dep...

What needs improvement with Azure Firewall Manager?

What is your primary use case for Azure Firewall Manager?

My customers are using Azure Firewall Manager, so I'm learning from both documentation and practical knowledge. I usually recommend Azure Firewall Manager for projects such as an animal hospital pr...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF)?

When it comes to pricing of FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF) in the cloud, it is pretty fair because it is based on our usage, so you are just paying for what you use. I think it is ...

What needs improvement with FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF)?

In terms of what can be improved in the native firewall, I think the logging portion is not easy to find when it comes to identifying what is causing the blocks when I set a new firewall. Sometimes...

What is your primary use case for FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF)?

My use cases for FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF) involve protecting my resources.

Azure Firewall vs Azure Firewall Manager

Comparisons

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Compared 11% of the time

AlgoSec vs Azure Firewall Manager

Compared 11% of the time

Palo Alto Networks Panorama vs Azure Firewall Manager

Compared 10% of the time

Fortinet FortiGate Cloud vs Azure Firewall Manager

Compared 8% of the time

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Fortinet FortiGate Cloud vs FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF)

Compared 21% of the time

Juniper SD Cloud vs FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF)

Compared 13% of the time

Cisco Security Cloud Control vs FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF)

Compared 12% of the time

Tufin Orchestration Suite vs FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF)

Compared 11% of the time

Palo Alto Networks Panorama vs FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF)

Compared 11% of the time

More FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF) Competitors

Product Reports

Azure Firewall Manager

Download Azure Firewall Manager product report

FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF)

Download FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF) product report

FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF) report

Interactive Demo

Demo not available

Microsoft

Fortinet

Overview

Azure Firewall Manager offers easy configuration, centralized management, and automatic scalability. Its integration with Azure Entra ID provides secure access, while Power BI facilitates centralized monitoring, contributing to its cloud-native benefits and reliable network management.

Azure Firewall Manager is recognized for its efficient security policy management and the ability to configure and test firewall settings across multiple locations. Its integration with Azure Kubernetes supports cloud environment security and the seamless migration of on-premise components to the cloud. With its hub-and-spoke architecture, users can detect threats and orchestrate policies more effectively, although integration with open-source tools and technical support responsiveness could be enhanced. Improvements in NAT capabilities and an AI-driven phishing prevention system would enhance its offering.

What are Azure Firewall Manager's key features?

Easy Configuration: Simplifies firewall setup without additional plugins.
Centralized Security Management: Streamlines policy management across locations.
Automatic Scalability: Adjusts resources to meet changing demands seamlessly.
Integration with Azure Entra ID: Provides secure user access control.
Hub and Spoke Architecture: Enables efficient threat detection and policy orchestration.

What benefits and ROI should users evaluate?

Cloud-Native Benefits: Offers stability and seamless integration with cloud environments.
Fair Pricing: Competitive cost structure, despite currency conversion challenges.
Simplified Monitoring: Uses Power BI for comprehensive security insights.
Enhanced Security: Protects against phishing and ransomware threats.

Azure Firewall Manager is widely implemented in industries like finance to secure applications and manage B2B interactions. This tool supports endpoint security, traffic management, and seamless orchestrations within cloud environments, ensuring robust protection against various threats.

Microsoft

FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF) is a scalable, enterprise-grade cloud-native firewall delivered as a service, providing robust threat protection to cloud environments like AWS and Azure.

FortiGate CNF offers advanced capabilities like IPS, web filtering, and DNS security, managed through a single interface to secure multiple accounts and networks across various regions. It integrates seamlessly with cloud service provider tools for simplified management and policy enforcement, reducing operational costs and maintaining security efficiency. Customers benefit from comprehensive threat prevention without the need for complex infrastructure deployments, ensuring cloud workloads remain protected.

What features does FortiGate CNF offer?

Advanced Threat Protection: Guards against malware and data exfiltration.
Scalability: Automatically adapts to dynamic cloud demands.
Intrusion Prevention System (IPS): Stops threats before they impact cloud workloads.
Web Filtering: Blocks access to malicious websites.
DNS Security: Protects against malicious domain name activities.

What benefits can users expect?

Ease of Setup: Quick setup reduces time to deployment.
Centralized Management: Single interface for managing security policies.
Cost-Effectiveness: Reduces infrastructure expenses.
Integration Capabilities: Connects with existing cloud tools for seamless operations.
Enhanced Security: Protects against evolving cyber threats with minimal administrative overhead.

Financial institutions, healthcare providers, and telecom companies deploy FortiGate CNF for robust cybersecurity across cloud environments. It supports compliance mandates like PCI DSS, enables zero trust policies for APIs, extends protection to high-bandwidth tasks, and integrates with on-premises infrastructure for comprehensive security strategies.

Fortinet

Azure Firewall Manager vs. FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF)