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Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) vs Fortinet FortiGate vs Sophos Cyberoam UTM comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
7.3
Check Point Quantum Force enhances security, boosts productivity, and offers cost savings, delivering high ROI satisfaction despite calculation challenges.
Sentiment score
5.7
Companies report high ROI with Fortinet FortiGate due to cost-effectiveness, security, performance, and ease of management.
Sentiment score
7.6
Sophos Cyberoam UTM offers cost-effective management, reducing expenses and supporting efficient remote issue resolution for small to medium businesses.
This is a time-saving measure because we don't need to deploy a cluster or a firewall each time; we just create a virtual system on the management server using the same appliance.
Without the firewall, the incident could have taken hours to contain and cost tens of thousands in potential damage and downtime.
Incident response time has reduced significantly, and downtime due to network issues has been minimized, leading to an improved return on investment.
Clients are now comfortable and not wasting productive hours on IT support.
The automation part is giving us a cost benefit and speed; we can react faster.
It's a very useful tool to mitigate and protect your enterprise.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.4
Check Point Quantum Force support is mixed; responsive for critical issues but inconsistent for non-critical and advanced support.
Sentiment score
6.4
Fortinet FortiGate's service is praised for good documentation but receives mixed feedback on technical support speed and effectiveness.
Sentiment score
7.2
Sophos Cyberoam UTM's support is generally reliable, with responsive assistance, but experiences mixed feedback due to occasional delays.
The support team we engaged was knowledgeable and well-versed with the application.
We have escalated issues to Check Point technical support multiple times and have received timely and very good responses.
Even challenging issues like those with VPNs have been resolved efficiently with their help.
They offer very accurate solutions.
The quick resolution of issues with Fortinet FortiGate is due to the support of the company and the fact that the equipment is easy to work with.
I would rate the technical support for Fortinet FortiGate a ten out of ten.
They resolve issues timely once connected.
Technical support is effective and responsive.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
8.0
Check Point Quantum Force handles scalability and high-throughput demands effectively, ensuring performance through clustering and Maestro technology.
Sentiment score
7.0
Fortinet FortiGate offers scalable, adaptable solutions for varied business sizes, despite some hardware limitations in large deployments.
Sentiment score
7.6
Sophos Cyberoam UTM offers scalable solutions for medium-sized businesses, though some upgrades may require hardware changes.
If specified correctly, even the smaller boxes offer high session and bandwidth rates, making the solution highly scalable, even up to telco-level requirements.
It is easy to scale up by adding capacity through clustering or upgrading the license, and it effectively handles spikes in remote user connections or increased east-west traffic without noticeable bottlenecks.
Its modular architecture allows us to add interfaces or upgrade throughput as our network grows without replacing the entire appliance.
They scale up really well from smaller models like the FortiGate 40 and 50 to bigger sites with the FortiGate 100 for more throughput - up to enterprise datacenters.
The variation comes in terms of the interfaces and throughputs, but from a security perspective, you get the same benefit, irrespective of whether you have an entry-level unit or an enterprise.
We determine sizing based on multiple factors: number of users, available links, traffic types, server count, services in use, and whether services will be published.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.9
Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) is highly reliable, with robust stability, prompt support, and minimal downtime through frequent hotfixes.
Sentiment score
7.5
Fortinet FortiGate is stable and reliable with updates addressing high CPU usage, memory constraints, and firmware bugs efficiently.
Sentiment score
8.6
Sophos Cyberoam UTM is highly stable with minimal issues, appreciated for reliability, and improved since Sophos acquisition.
High-availability features, including clustering and redundant components, ensure continuous protection even during maintenance or hardware failure.
While the solution is generally stable, there are complications, such as requiring SmartConsole for deployment and upgrades, which can be time-consuming.
I have worked with Check Point products for 15 years and haven't found any stability or performance issues.
We're experiencing 99.999% availability consistently.
I would rate the stability of Fortinet FortiGate a ten out of ten.
Currently, we are experiencing a general outage of one of the main internet service providers of the Dominican Republic, and we have not been impacted in our operations because with SD-WAN, we have another internet service provider and we are working with the second WAN connection without any disruption.
 

Room For Improvement

Check Point Quantum Force requires enhancements in stability, interoperability, licensing, user interface, support, costs, integration, and management tools.
Fortinet FortiGate needs interface improvements, better bandwidth management, enhanced reporting, consistent performance, and streamlined support, licensing, and cloud integration.
Sophos Cyberoam UTM struggles with performance, outdated architecture, high costs, and demands better usability, support, and feature enhancements.
Other products, like FortiGate, are perceived as more intuitive because they are easier to configure from the start.
More granularity and control for threat prevention, especially on the OT side, would be beneficial.
It would be beneficial for Check Point NGFW to integrate more advanced AI and machine learning algorithms for better threat detection and response.
Investing in a solution that can accommodate such growth would be more cost-effective than repeatedly purchasing new hardware.
While Fortinet claims to offer a comprehensive network solution, it falls short in addressing computer application issues, particularly server security.
When considering Sophos XG, which we also use, the logging and reporting functionality is notably more efficient.
It would be beneficial if phone calls or SMS for two-factor authentication were available.
 

Setup Cost

Check Point Quantum Force's pricing is high but considered justified by its features, though the licensing model is complex.
Fortinet FortiGate offers flexible, competitively priced solutions with excellent price-performance ratio compared to Cisco and Palo Alto.
Sophos Cyberoam UTM pricing varies with flexibility, offering competitive yet potentially high costs, depending on enterprise size and needs.
In comparison to Fortinet and other products, the pricing may be considered high.
Compared to other solutions, the pricing of Check Point NGFW is high.
The perception is that Check Point NGFW is expensive, especially when all software modules are included.
Last year, I renewed the support for three years, which can sometimes be expensive but depends on the security benefits and how it helps us.
It is about 20% cheaper.
The advantages of Fortinet FortiGate over its competitors include good pricing and meeting our requirements at a lower cost.
The price is appropriate, but if you want the real truth, it's actually quite expensive.
 

Valuable Features

Check Point Quantum Force enhances security with centralized management, robust threat prevention, real-time AI intelligence, and advanced VPN functionality.
Fortinet FortiGate is valued for its diverse features, cost-efficiency, and scalability, offering comprehensive network protection and easy management.
Sophos Cyberoam UTM offers robust security with advanced features and user-friendly management, enhancing enterprise productivity and network efficiency.
The firewall's default behavior of blocking all traffic, including a cleanup rule that blocks everything from external to internal sources, is highly valuable for protecting our network.
The most valuable features in my experience include perimeter firewalling, cloud and mobile security, application control, URL filtering, DLP, threat prevention, intrusion protection, and safeguarding against malware, botnets, and zero-day attacks.
Since implementing it, we have noticed a lot less getting through that maybe other antivirus within firewalls had failed to catch.
In terms of security, we have not experienced any security flaws or loopholes, and it has proven to be quite stable.
FortiGate has helped reduce the risk of cyberattacks that might disrupt our client's production.
These features help reduce our downtime, manage the ISPs, and deploy SLAs for all the website traffic.
It provides bandwidth management, category management of websites, blocking certain elements, IPS blocking, DDoS protection, and VPN management between sites and clients.
The way the rule sets are configured makes it an easily understandable way to manage.
 

Mindshare comparison

Firewalls Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW)2.8%
Fortinet FortiGate20.1%
Netgate pfSense11.1%
Other66.0%
Firewalls
Firewalls Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Fortinet FortiGate20.1%
Netgate pfSense11.1%
OPNsense11.1%
Other57.699999999999996%
Firewalls
Unified Threat Management (UTM) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Sophos Cyberoam UTM1.2%
Sophos UTM14.0%
WatchGuard Firebox13.2%
Other71.6%
Unified Threat Management (UTM)
 

Featured Reviews

Mohammed Tanveer - PeerSpot reviewer
AI-driven threat prevention consistently reduces incidents and saves time for strategic tasks
While Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) is a robust and high-performance solution, the reporting and analytics customization could be enhanced. Though the Smart Console provides comprehensive visibility, more advanced, customizable dashboards and reports would help the team quickly focus on the metrics that matter most to them. Integration with third-party tools presents challenges. While Quantum Force works well within the Check Point ecosystem, integration with other tools such as SIEM, ticketing, and monitoring tools can be extremely difficult. However, once integrated, these tools provide very good visibility. The initial deployment complexity, especially for new organizations or smaller teams, can be challenging. More guidance, a setup wizard, or pre-configured templates for common scenarios could reduce the learning curve. Additionally, there have been occasional issues with the Check Point support team.
Vasu Gala - PeerSpot reviewer
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.
Dipak M Gohil - PeerSpot reviewer
Centralized management enhances remote work with comprehensive security and efficient VPN
The VPN is the most usable feature and is advisable for us to work from home. It provides bandwidth management, category management of websites, blocking certain elements, IPS blocking, DDoS protection, and VPN management between sites and clients. It offers centralized management, which allows us to use everything from a central console.
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Comparison Review

it_user216600 - PeerSpot reviewer
Jan 3, 2016
Sophos UTM vs. Fortinet FortiGate
I have used both Sophos and Fortinet products in production and I have found the Sophos UTM appliances (hardware and virtual) to be a better fit most of the time -- with a few caveats which I will touch on below. In both instances, the transition from TMG will be mostly straightforward. The main…
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Comms Service Provider
6%
Manufacturing Company
6%
Computer Software Company
16%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Computer Software Company
16%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Media Company
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business131
Midsize Enterprise98
Large Enterprise195
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business261
Midsize Enterprise99
Large Enterprise143
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business46
Midsize Enterprise28
Large Enterprise17
 

Questions from the Community

How does Check Point NGFW compare with Fortinet Fortigate?
I have experience on both from Disti and channel experience. Please find below my comments (nothing new as such). -Ch...
Which would you recommend - Azure Firewall or Check Point NGFW?
Azure Firewall is easy to use and provides excellent support. Valuable features include integration into the overall ...
What do you like most about Check Point NGFW?
Check Point NGFW provides essential security, featuring no-obligation access for secure connections, strong intrusion...
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...
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...
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 ...
What do you like most about Sophos Cyberoam UTM?
The solution works perfectly without any users.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Sophos Cyberoam UTM?
The price is appropriate, but if you want the real truth, it's actually quite expensive. The annual software licensin...
What needs improvement with Sophos Cyberoam UTM?
I face issues when connecting to the VPN since it requires an authenticator. It would be beneficial if phone calls or...
 

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, Fortinet Firewall
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Control Southern, Optimal Media
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
Gulf Corporation for Technology, Maridive & Oil Services, Fidelity Bank, Petra University, Capital FM Kenya, Safari Park Hotel and Casino, Mayfair Casino, Pacific International Lines, Mozambique Ministry of Education, University of Namibia, Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability, University of Hawai, New Delhi Municipal Council
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet, Netgate, OPNsense and others in Firewalls. Updated: August 2025.
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