Check Point NGFW vs Fortinet FortiGate comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary
Updated on Jan 2, 2023

We performed a comparison between Check Point NGFW and Fortinet Fortigate based on our users’ reviews in five categories. After reading all of the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.

  • Ease of Deployment: Users of both solutions agree that their initial setup is straightforward.
  • Features: Users of both products are happy with their stability and scalability.

    Check Point users like its interface and threat management feature, and say it has good virtualization and anti-spoofing abilities. Users also like the ability to deploy multiple firewalls instantly. Some users say that the VPN is difficult to integrate.

    Fortinet Fortigate users are happy with its VPN, web filtering, and intrusion protection system. Users note that they are missing the ability to create multiple virtual firewalls.
  • Pricing: Most users of both solutions say that they are fairly priced.

  • ROI: Users of both solutions report being satisfied with the ROI.
  • Service and Support: Some Check Point users feel that the support should be more responsive. Fortinet Fortigate users report being satisfied with the level of support they receive.

Comparison Results: Fortinet’s lack of an option to deploy firewalls on multiple endpoints is a definite downside. Although Fortinet received better feedback for its support, Check Point is the winner in this comparison.

To learn more, read our detailed Check Point NGFW vs. Fortinet FortiGate Report (Updated: September 2023).
735,226 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Q&A Highlights
Question: How does Check Point NGFW compare with Fortinet Fortigate?
Answer: First of all, Check Point checks the rules to be configured before installing them in the firewall and this prevents the user from making mistakes and putting the company at risk. Check Point is no longer expensive. It has many models and competes in performance and price vs. Fortinet. Now web interfaces, like Fortinet, may have more bugs per top 10 OWASP.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"By far, it's the best security solution one can adopt for their organization.""The solution can scale.""It's enabled us to move away from basic LAN to LAN segmentation to a more powerful user separation approach.""When applying application control, we can ensure user access to the internet in accordance with company policy and easy implementation if some users need exception access.""There are several ways to implement it.""Objects search and tracker logs are useful.""The scalability is very good.""The Network Address Translation (NAT) will always be a valuable feature as it allows me to turn my private cloud to the public at the click of a button and have secure control over the accessible servers/applications."

More Check Point NGFW Pros →

"Fortinet FortiGate protects against internet-based threats, both internal and external. It is scalable, stable, easy to use, and easy to install.""This solution has helped our organization by having strong functions and a reliable firewall.""FortiGate SD-WAN facilitated a smooth transition for our customers between their two internet service providers, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity without any downtime.""The network security and cloud security are most valuable.""The multi-tenancy feature is most valuable. It integrates very well with FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer.""The most valuable features are the enterprise modeling and the simple interface.""The pipe filter application is an outstanding feature.""It is quite easy to handle."

More Fortinet FortiGate Pros →

Cons
"The debugging of VPN tunnels is very stressful.""There is no clear way to report incorrect classification to support and a business is neither happy nor forgiving when they cannot receive mail from a crucial business partner.""Sometimes we need to find a resolution by ourselves as the solution's knowledge base is not enough.""You need to merge all the old consoles into one new one and make the interface more convenient for the novice administrator.""The product could provide an easier user interface and management, by combining all functions (network and policy configuration) into one single application rather than split it into different applications.""There needs to be more storage space for reporting.""Identity Awareness has been a massive source of problems for our deployment and the ability to debug it has been lacking.""The routing rules and some more network settings should be listed on the Check Point Smart Console instead of GAIA Web GUI."

More Check Point NGFW Cons →

"The support we receive when we need to upgrade is not satisfactory and has room for improvement.""Its customer service could be better.""Fortinet FortiGate could improve by having more storage in the hardware for log data.""The solution is very expensive.""Fortinet FortiGate needs to improve the protection, it did not prevent us from being attacked. Additionally, Fortinet FortiGate could provide more features for WAF devices. I should not have to purchase two solutions, it would be a benefit to combine these features into one solution.""The scalability could be better.""I would like to see improvements in the product's application rules.""They have to just improve its performance when we enable all UTM features. When you enable all the features, the performance of FortiGate, as well as of Sophos and SonicWall, goes down."

More Fortinet FortiGate Cons →

Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "Check Point is a little more expensive than FortiGate."
  • "The solution is significantly more expensive than Fortinet, although this holds true to a lesser extent when compared with Palo Alto."
  • "When comparing the price of Check Point NGFW to other solutions it's difficult to compare because even though everything is included in the Fortinet price, there are large differences between the models. You need to go to a quite expensive Fortinet firewall to receive the same throughput and functionality as in a Check Point firewall. In the end, they are quite similar in price, Fortinet might be a bit cheaper."
  • "Scaling requires the purchase of additional licenses."
  • "I don't see that Check Point is very high, but it is geared more towards enterprises."
  • "Its cost is a little higher than other products."
  • "Check Point NGFW can be expensive compared to other competitors, but the price matches the functionality and efficiency of the solution."
  • "Before you buy, check which features you need, and if possible, I recommend signing up for at least a three-year license."
  • More Check Point NGFW Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "I had to pay for the license for the firewall, but it is guaranteed to have updates. I expect a good service for it. It was about €1000 for a year, and there was no additional cost."
  • "It is more expensive than Sophos. Fortinet is overall more expensive than Sophos. The small range of Fortinet, such as 60F and 80F, is more expensive than the small range of Sophos. Sophos is cheaper. In addition, if you jump from 80F Series to 100F Series, the price doubles."
  • "The license is yearly. We pay for the top end. It's called 360."
  • "Here in Brazil, we're going through difficult economic times and the tax on the dollar is high. All the solutions from minor competitors are growing in the market. The prices have come more competitive."
  • "Licensing for Fortinet FortiGate is on a yearly basis. Pricing for it is a bit high. It could be cheaper."
  • "The licensing scheme of Fortinet is better than Cisco. It is more logical."
  • "The solution requires a license annually, it is not a user license, you can have as many users as your want. I must renew the license regularly per device."
  • "It was probably about $2,500 per firewall. It was all included. It included support, services, threat management software, and 24/7 FortiCare on it. Cisco products are more expensive."
  • More Fortinet FortiGate Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Answers from the Community
    Netanya Carmi
    Manuel Briones - PeerSpot reviewerManuel Briones
    User

    I have worked for several years with the Check Point platform (NGFW) and it is by far more stable in hardware and software.

    It is a very friendly platform and easy to configure. It is true that it is a bit expensive according to the required blades but it is a platform that is worth having as security in a corporate.

    reviewer1853481 - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer1853481 (User at Experis US, Inc.)
    Real User

    We are using both but the GUI and clustering on the FortiGate side look better/easier/more comfortable.


    And I do agree with others - Check Point is expensive and Fortinet FortiGate has many models offering less expensive implementation.

    Greg Plante - PeerSpot reviewerGreg Plante
    Real User

    We had this same discussion recently with my organization. It came down to the security of the platform. 


    Fortinet has had a number of breaches over the last 2 years and this was a key factor in our decision. 


    The challenge with Check Point will be the transition from our existing firewall and taking advantage of the various features across our organization. 

    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:I have experience on both from Disti and channel experience. Please find below my comments (nothing new as such). -Check Point GUI is a bit complicated,  -Application and Web filtering are better… more »
    Top Answer:Azure Firewall is easy to use and provides excellent support. Valuable features include integration into the overall cloud platform, autoscaling, and the ability for users to create virtual IP… more »
    Top Answer:Its usability is the best for me. As compared to Palo Alto, Juniper, or Cisco firewalls, Check Point firewall has the best user interface for management, reading logs, looking for some objects, and… more »
    Top Answer: When you compare these firewalls you can identify them with different features, advantages, practices and usage at large. In my opinion, Fortinet would be the best option and l use… more »
    Top Answer:From my experience regarding both the Sophos and FortiGate firewalls, I personally would rather use FortiGate. I know the firewalls change every 5 to 7 years as stated but you really do need to… more »
    Top Answer:As a solution, Sophos UTM offers a lot of functionality, it scales well, and the stability and performance are quite good. The most valuable features for me are their web and email filtering. I would… more »
    Ranking
    5th
    out of 54 in Firewalls
    Views
    31,579
    Comparisons
    19,394
    Reviews
    118
    Average Words per Review
    546
    Rating
    8.9
    1st
    out of 54 in Firewalls
    Views
    124,801
    Comparisons
    91,789
    Reviews
    98
    Average Words per Review
    473
    Rating
    8.4
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    Check Point NG Firewall, Check Point Next Generation Firewall
    FortiGate 60b, FortiGate 60c, FortiGate 80c, FortiGate 50b, FortiGate 200b, FortiGate 110c, FortiGate
    Learn More
    Overview

    Check Point NGFW is a next generation firewall that enables safe usage of internet applications by blocking malicious applications and unblocking safe applications. Check Point NGFW, which uses deep packet inspection to identify and control applications, has features such as application and user control and integrated intrusion prevention (IPS), as well as more advanced malware prevention capabilities like sandboxing.

    Check Point NGFW includes 23 firewall models optimized for running all threat prevention technologies simultaneously, including full SSL traffic inspection, without compromising on security or performance.

    Benefits of Check Point's Next Generation Firewall

    • Robust security: Check Point NGFW delivers the best possible threat prevention with SandBlast Zero Day protection. The SandBlast protection agent constantly inspects passing network traffic for exploits and vulnerabilities. Suspicious files are then emulated in a virtual sandbox in order to detect and report malicious behavior.

    • Security at hyperscale: On-demand hyperscale threat prevention performance provides cloud level expansion and resiliency on premises.

    • Unified management: Check Point's SmartConsole makes it easy to manage and configure network security environments and policies. With the SmartConsole, users can manage all the firewall gateways and access logs and install databases from one location. Unified management control across the network increases the efficiency of security operations and reduces IT costs.
    • Continuous logging: Check Point NGFW’s Threat Management feature detects vulnerabilities and logs them. Using the logged data, users can easily create and implement efficient security policies.

    • Remote access: The remote access VPN provides a seamless connection for remote users.

    Check Point NGFW is suitable for organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to larger enterprises.

    Reviews from Real Users

    Check Point NGFW stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Two major ones are its intrusion prevention feature as well as its centralized management, which makes it very easy to deploy firewall policies to many firewalls with one click.

    Shivani J., a network security administrator, writes, "Check Point has a lot of features. The ones I love are the antivirus, intrusion prevention, and data loss prevention."

    G., a network administrator at Secretaría de Finanzas de Aguascalientes, writes, “Within the organization, the inspection of packages has given us great help in detecting traffic that may be a threat to the institution. The configuration of policies has allowed us to maintain control of access and users for each institution that is incorporated into our headquarters.”

    Arun J., a senior network engineer, notes, “The nicest feature is the centralized management of multiple firewalls. With the centralized management, we can easily use and operate multiple firewalls as well as create a diagram of them.”

    Fortinet FortiGate is an innovative line of firewalls that aim to protect organizations from all types of web-based network threats. They come in a wide variety of product types. Fortinet FortiGate’s solutions are available in a large range of sizes and form factors and are key components of the Fortinet Security Fabric, which enables immediate, intelligent defense against known and new threats throughout the entire network.

    Fortinet FortiGate provides users with next-generation firewall solutions that provide proven protection with unmatched performance across the network, from internal segments to data centers to cloud environments. You can protect every part of your network without exception. Additionally, your protections can be managed from a single central location. This ensures that the task of protecting your network is infinitely easier to accomplish.

    Benefits of Fortinet FortiGate

    Some of the benefits of using Fortinet FortiGate include:

    • The ability to manage your firewalls from a centralized automated control console. Fortinet FortiGate’s FortiManager enables administrators to exercise control of their firewalls in a streamlined manner. Administrators have full visibility and control over their system from a single location. It utilizes automation that collects information in real time, which greatly simplifies and reduces the cost of running various types of workflows. Administrators can free up resources by automating the most basic tasks.
    • The ability to produce uniform, appropriate, and coordinated responses to threats across networks. Fortinet FortiGate’s FortiGuard feature generates system protections in near real time. This allows administrators to address threats to the system with custom-made solutions that can be uniformly enforced.
    • The ability to scale up your security to fit your changing security needs. Fortinet FortiGate’s design allows users to accelerate the transfer of data between users and escalate the number of users that are covered without compromising security of performance. This means that users can grow their networks and continue to collaborate without worrying about the system slowing down or coming under attack.

    Reviews from Real Users

    Fortinet FortiGate’s firewall solutions are cutting edge. They stand out from competitors for a number of reasons. Two major ones are the robustness and power of their firewalls. Fortinet FortiGate’s firewall provides users with many valuable features that allow them to maximize what they can do with the solution. These firewalls enable users to use a single piece of software to accomplish tasks that often require the use of multiple pieces of software.

    PeerSpot user Eric S., a Solutions Engineer and Consultant at a tech-services company, notes the robustness of this solution when he writes, "One of the nice things about FortiGate is that it can be deployed on the cloud or on-premises. You can actually do both. That's the biggest reason why I stick with this solution as opposed to something like Cisco Meraki. Another nice thing is that I can log directly into a FortiGate or get to it through their FortiCloud access products. They're pretty reliable and consistent. One of the reasons why I started using the product was their single pane of management. I can deploy their line of firewalls in conjunction with their switching and access points, and I can manage the entire network from one interface.”

    PeerSpot user Jim M., a network admin at Penobscot Valley Hospital, notes the power of Fortinet FortiGate’s security software when he writes, "It does a lot for you for intrusion protection and as an antivirus. The threat management bundle is worth the money. You don't need another company to monitor your web traffic for you. You can do everything yourself on the firewall. You restrict your own black list for people on the firewall.”

    Offer
    Learn more about Check Point NGFW
    Learn more about Fortinet FortiGate
    Sample Customers
    Control Southern, Optimal Media
    Pittsburgh Steelers, LUSH Cosmetics, NASDAQ, Verizon, Arizona State University, Levi Strauss & Co. Whitepaper and case studies here
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm24%
    Computer Software Company15%
    Comms Service Provider7%
    Government6%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Educational Organization48%
    Computer Software Company8%
    Comms Service Provider5%
    Financial Services Firm5%
    REVIEWERS
    Comms Service Provider16%
    Computer Software Company10%
    Financial Services Firm9%
    Manufacturing Company7%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Educational Organization21%
    Computer Software Company15%
    Comms Service Provider9%
    Government5%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business29%
    Midsize Enterprise19%
    Large Enterprise52%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business14%
    Midsize Enterprise56%
    Large Enterprise30%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business48%
    Midsize Enterprise23%
    Large Enterprise30%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business26%
    Midsize Enterprise33%
    Large Enterprise41%
    Buyer's Guide
    Check Point NGFW vs. Fortinet FortiGate
    September 2023
    Find out what your peers are saying about Check Point NGFW vs. Fortinet FortiGate and other solutions. Updated: September 2023.
    735,226 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Check Point NGFW is ranked 5th in Firewalls with 111 reviews while Fortinet FortiGate is ranked 1st in Firewalls with 108 reviews. Check Point NGFW is rated 9.0, while Fortinet FortiGate is rated 8.4. The top reviewer of Check Point NGFW writes "Scalable with seamless failover capabilities and excellent logging functionality". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Fortinet FortiGate writes "Efficient, user-friendly, and affordable". Check Point NGFW is most compared with Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls, Netgate pfSense, Cisco Secure Firewall, Azure Firewall and Sophos XG, whereas Fortinet FortiGate is most compared with Sophos XG, Cisco Secure Firewall, Netgate pfSense, Meraki MX and WatchGuard Firebox. See our Check Point NGFW vs. Fortinet FortiGate report.

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    We monitor all Firewalls reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.