Cisco IOS Security vs Palo Alto Networks K2-Series comparison

Cisco and Palo Alto Networks are both solutions in the Firewalls category. Cisco is ranked #24 with an average rating of 8.5, while Palo Alto Networks is ranked #36 with an average rating of 8.7. Cisco holds a 0.3% mindshare in Firewalls, compared to Palo Alto Networks’s 0.1% mindshare. Additionally, 91% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Palo Alto Networks users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 16, 2024

Cisco IOS Security and Palo Alto Networks K2-Series compete in the network security category. Palo Alto Networks K2-Series seems to have the upper hand due to its advanced features and long-term value.

Features: Cisco IOS Security offers reliable network protection, integration capabilities, and extensive support. Palo Alto Networks K2-Series provides advanced threat detection, automated response features, and comprehensive security management.

Room for Improvement: Cisco IOS Security could improve its configuration process, logging features, and user interface. Palo Alto Networks K2-Series could enhance reporting functionalities, reduce false positives, and streamline its interface.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco IOS Security is straightforward to deploy and has exceptional customer service. Palo Alto Networks K2-Series requires more initial setup time but offers superior troubleshooting resources.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco IOS Security is cost-effective with a faster return on investment. Palo Alto Networks K2-Series has a higher setup cost but delivers a higher ROI through its advanced features and performance.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco IOS Security vs. Palo Alto Networks K2-Series Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco IOS Security vs. Palo Alto Networks K2-Series

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

Fortinet FortiGate

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Firewalls category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiGate is 20.4%, up from 19.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco IOS Security is 0.3%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Palo Alto Networks K2-Series is 0.1%, up from 0.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewalls Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Fortinet FortiGate	20.4%
Cisco IOS Security	0.3%
Palo Alto Networks K2-Series	0.1%
Other	79.2%

Firewalls

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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Danijel Cerovecki

Head of Cyber Defense Department and Network Technologies Department at Verso Altima

Have faced challenges in keeping licensing clear and consistent while ensuring reliable network protection

We are a Gold Partner with Cisco. Our customers come from various industries, including service providers, and we target service providers and enterprise customers.We do not extensively use Zone-Based Firewalls in Cisco IOS Security, instead typically deploying standalone firewalls such as Cisco FTDs or Cisco ASA devices. For threat analytics and vulnerability scanning, we utilize third-party vendors with dedicated devices and software. We use products such as Tenable from Nessus for this type of analysis. We have implemented Secure Access Control Server in Cisco IOS Security, which combines multiple security mechanisms including AAA, 802.1X for network access control with Cisco ICE, TrustSec for identity-based segmentation, and Cisco DNA Center. Cisco IOS Security's VPN support is comprehensive and increasingly important in daily communication, from basic site-to-site tunnels to remote access VPNs and SD-WAN secure VPNs. Protecting and encrypting communication is essential in modern networks. The challenges with Cisco IOS Security are more operational than product-related. There is an understaffing issue, making automation and orchestration capabilities particularly valuable. For the products themselves, we only encounter routine operational matters such as addressing new vulnerabilities and patching. For those considering Cisco IOS Security, it is important to understand that Cisco offers a complete ecosystem. When embracing the Cisco ecosystem fully, customers receive excellent products and comprehensive solutions. On a scale of 1-10, I rate Cisco IOS Security a 9.

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Krishnakumar M

enterprise architect at a tech services company with 1-10 employees

One of the best tools for the prevention of evasive threats

There is a feature called granular application controls, which I liked. Instead of relying on ports and IP addresses, they use AMP ID. This kind of solution is very good. Another valuable feature is the prevention of evasive threats, which is one of the best tools I've encountered. SSL decryption and app ID-based SSL decryption are also impressive, along with the integration with user ID. Identity-based policies ensuring only authorized users can access specific resources are excellent features. Normally, there is something called SIM or SCIM in IDA IDM, but this feature is provided on the box, which is exemplary.

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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 are the APIs. They are the most widely known."

"It's an easy solution to set up."

"I find the ease of configuring specific policies to be the most valuable feature of the Fortinet FortiGate firewall."

"The most valuable feature is the SSL VPN, as it allows us to connect and it separates this product from other firewalls."

"I like how we can achieve total integration."

"Their web interface to manage it is excellent, even compared with other providers."

"The UTM feature is quite good. FortiAP is easy to deploy because both Fortigate and FortiAP are under the same brand. Otherwise, you need to do more work on the configuration."

"The best feature of Fortinet FortiGate is the IPS or IDS implementation."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"The most valuable feature is the scalability. The nice thing with the bigger vendors is that they're very good at scale."

"We are able to filter a lot of traffic especially when a lot of the traffic is in layer 7."

"The most valuable feature of Cisco IOS Security is posturing."

"The VPN connection portal scan works flawlessly, which was a big plus for us."

"The security is very good."

"Cisco has always been a premium product. There's a lot of other entry-level solutions. This is more robust."

"The solution effectively integrates with Umbrella."

"We use Cisco IOS Security mostly for routers to route off the firewall. It's a next-generation device."

More Cisco IOS Security pros

"Palo Alto has a unique solution for DNS security, which is very good."

"The most valuable features are the virtualization of the firewall and the antivirus."

"K2-Series' best features include its scalability, which is the best on the market."

"The solution is reliable and scales well."

"The most valuable feature is availability."

"It's easy to configure."

"Palo Alto firewalls are scalable enough. We have about 110 employees in our company, and we are about to expand to 130."

"The solution offers effective security features such as HIDS (Host-based Intrusion Detection System) in global products."

More Palo Alto Networks K2-Series pros

Cons

"There are too many updates coming for VPN, and the VPN keeps disconnecting frequently, which I find problematic."

"We would like to see better pricing."

"Fortinet Fortigate could benefit by simplifying some of their processes."

"The solution could improve the configuration, there are times the configuration is missing."

"At the moment, the main concern is the pricing and the type of licensing. Fortinet offers different types of licensing, and my idea is that the best approach is to have only one, two, or a maximum of three types of licensing."

"From a pricing perspective, I would rate them a six."

"In terms of pricing, Fortinet needs to do more to compete effectively."

"One of the most important areas for improvement for Fortinet FortiGate is the limited resources for tests."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"We faced significant challenges related to licensing issues, particularly when licenses expire."

"I think setup could be one area for improvement, because sometimes we don't have people inside so we have to move to the place."

"The pricing is the only con for this product."

"It would be ideal if the solution had more capacity."

"With respect to user-friendliness, it is a command-line interface and those with such experience will get along just fine, whereas others may struggle."

"I wish it would be more like the next generation firewall technology. There should be more selection between the application and filtering."

"While I do not have specific recommendations for improvement, pricing can be reduced."

"The solution’s setup process could be better."

More Cisco IOS Security cons

"The password function of the solution could be improved. Additionally, some of the processes take too long to complete."

"Higher levels of support are excellent but new users may need additional options."

"The ease of management and configuration should be improved."

"Sometimes there are interactions with support or the provider that are not ideal."

"They should implement the features that the other firewalls have."

"The technical support, and how they provide it to the client, needs to be improved."

"It would be really helpful to have dashboards that provide information on IOC blockings such as where and how many. It will also be good to know how many hashing files have been reported. It would also be nice to have easy access to this information. Otherwise, it's a painful, manual task."

"I'd like to see more data protection on the system."

More Palo Alto Networks K2-Series cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"FortiGate Next Generation Firewall is an expensive solution."

"It is very cost-effective. You get features similar to other firewalls, such as Palo Alto, but at a lower price."

"There is a license to use Fortinet FortiGate."

"The price of Fortinet FortiGate is the lowest in the market."

"It is a good product from a price perspective versus functionality."

"If you are looking for a quality product, it will come at a higher price. Expecting them to be significantly cheaper is unrealistic. In terms of pricing, it is a bit costly. However, the functionality and support offered are worth it."

"The price is relatively expensive compared to other solutions which are providing similar features."

"FortiGate Next Generation Firewall is an expensive solution with a yearly subscription."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"Cisco IOS Security is not very expensive, and pricing depends on where you live. It's affordable for both individuals and institutions. On a scale from one to five, I would give Cisco's pricing a four."

"Palo Alto networks are more expensive than this solution and this is why you will see more products like this one in Mexico."

"They have smart licenses that can be provided for one year, two years, three years, five years, and seven years. Alternatively, they have perpetual licenses available."

"You can get a better price if you commit to a longer-term license. Three years, five years, or even seven or ten years will be cheaper than a three-month or one-year term."

"The pricing is okay. It is competitive. It costs more when you need get more features."

"The product is expensive."

"The pricing is expensive."

"It is an expensive solution."

More Cisco IOS Security pricing and cost advice

"This solution is expensive compared to other, similar products."

"Pricing is a sensitive issue because the cost is high in this market."

"It is an expensive solution."

"The price of the solution is expensive."

"If you compare K2-Series' quality with its price, I think it is reasonable."

"This is an expensive solution, although you will get value for the price."

"This product is designed for large companies. The price would not be suitable for a small or medium size company."

"The pricing is expensive."

More Palo Alto Networks K2-Series pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

26%

Government

Manufacturing Company

Outsourcing Company

Performing Arts

24%

Computer Software Company

16%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	350
Midsize Enterprise	130
Large Enterprise	187

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	19
Midsize Enterprise	14
Large Enterprise	18

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	13
Midsize Enterprise	8
Large Enterprise	13

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 ...

See all answers

What do you like most about Cisco IOS Security?

Cisco IOS Security is a mature product with extensive capabilities, serving as the base for the defense layer. It off...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco IOS Security?

Pricing can be reduced. I rate the current price for the product a four out of ten.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco IOS Security?

While I do not have specific recommendations for improvement, pricing can be reduced.

See all answers

Features comparison between Palo Alto and Fortinet firewalls

In the best tradition of these questions, Feature-wise both are quite similar, but each has things it's better at, it...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Palo Alto Networks K2-Series?

The pricing for the Palo Alto Networks K2-Series solution is affordable and there are no complaints about the licensing.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Palo Alto Networks K2-Series?

The graphical user interface is a little complex and difficult to manage. L1 engineers cannot work on the Palo Alto N...

See all answers

Comparisons

Sophos XG vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 17% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 11% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 9% of the time

OPNsense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

Cisco Meraki MX vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

More Fortinet FortiGate Competitors

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 21% of the time

Cisco Meraki MX vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 11% of the time

OPNsense vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 10% of the time

Fortinet FortiOS vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 6% of the time

ExtraHop Reveal(x) vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 6% of the time

More Cisco IOS Security Competitors

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Palo Alto Networks K2-Series

Compared 52% of the time

Juniper SRX Series Firewall vs Palo Alto Networks K2-Series

Compared 48% of the time

More Palo Alto Networks K2-Series Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

October 2025

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Cisco IOS Security

October 2025

Download Cisco IOS Security product report

Buyer's Guide

Palo Alto Networks K2-Series

September 2025

Download Palo Alto Networks K2-Series product report

Also Known As

No data available

IOS Security

No data available

Overview

Fortinet FortiGate excels in providing integrated VPN, firewalling, and Unified Threat Management (UTM) with centralized management and high availability. It supports remote access and comprehensive threat protection, making it a preferred choice for securing networks.

Fortinet FortiGate offers a robust security platform with features such as strong intrusion prevention, application control, and web filtering. Its integration with Active Directory and SD-WAN functionality provides scalable solutions for large networks. Users appreciate its ease of use through centralized management interfaces, ensuring robust security with flexible configurations. However, FortiGate could enhance its graphical interface and technical support responsiveness, address firmware bugs and costly licensing, improve logging, integrate better with third-party tools, and strengthen scalability and memory for log storage. Complexity in configuration and the need for intuitive features are noted challenges, and there's a demand for advanced security, zero-trust capabilities, and AI integration.

What are the key features of Fortinet FortiGate?

VPN: Secure remote access and connectivity.
Firewalling: Protects networks from unauthorized access and attacks.
UTM: Offers a comprehensive approach to threat management.
SD-WAN: Optimizes traffic routing for efficient network performance.
Web Filtering: Controls and monitors web access and ensures Internet security.

What benefits or ROI should be considered?

Centralized Management: Simplifies administration and monitoring.
High Availability: Ensures consistent security and network availability.
Scalability: Adapts to the needs of growing networks.
Comprehensive Threat Protection: Provides robust security measures.
Ease of Use: Minimizes the complexity of security management.

Fortinet FortiGate is widely implemented across industries like education, finance, and government. Companies use it for firewall protection, VPN, and SD-WAN capabilities, ensuring secure perimeter and data center security. It facilitates remote access management and traffic routing optimization, offering reliable security and connectivity solutions.

Fortinet

Cisco IOS Software delivers a sophisticated set of security capabilities for a comprehensive, layered security approach throughout your network infrastructure. Cisco IOS security technologies help to defend critical business processes against attack and disruption, protect privacy, and support policy and regulatory compliance controls.

Cisco

Designed to handle growing throughput needs due to increasing amounts of application-, user-, and device-generated data, the K2-Series offers amazing performance and threat prevention capabilities to stop advanced cyberattacks and secure mobile network infrastructure, subscribers, and services.

Palo Alto 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

Arup Group, Brunel University London, City of Biel, Gobierno de Castilla-La Mancha, K&L Gates , New South Wales Rural Fire Service, Offshore Northern Seas, Transplace

State of North Dakota, SEGA, Alameda County Office of Education, Temple University, VERGE, CAME

Buyer's Guide

Cisco IOS Security vs. Palo Alto Networks K2-Series

September 2025

Free Report: Cisco IOS Security vs. Palo Alto Networks K2-Series

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