Cisco IOS Security vs SonicWall TZ comparison

Cisco and SonicWall are both solutions in the Firewalls category. Cisco is ranked #20 with an average rating of 8.4, while SonicWall is ranked #18 with an average rating of 9.3. Cisco holds a 0.3% mindshare in Firewalls, compared to SonicWall’s 3.0% mindshare. Additionally, 91% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 88% of SonicWall users who would recommend it.

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 6, 2025

Cisco IOS Security and SonicWall TZ compete in the cybersecurity solutions sector. Cisco IOS Security has the upper hand for enterprise-level functionalities, while SonicWall TZ is noted for its user-friendly management and affordability.

Features: Cisco IOS Security offers advanced security features like AAA, VPN, IPsec, and IPS, providing integrated security for Cisco-based devices. It is scalable and delivers comprehensive security. SonicWall TZ stands out for its ease of setup and threat prevention, featuring deep packet inspection, content filtering, and robust VPN functionalities.

Room for Improvement: Cisco IOS Security could improve its user interface, simplify configuration with non-Cisco equipment, and reduce complexity in ACL management. Affordability also needs attention. SonicWall TZ should work on simplifying its user interface, enhancing stability, support, and reporting capabilities, with a focus on better integration and pricing.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco IOS Security is mainly deployed on-premises and in hybrid cloud environments, providing robust support but facing complexity in technical assistance. SonicWall TZ is praised for simpler setup and management, though its technical support faces challenges with efficiency and response times.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco IOS Security is considered expensive and less accessible for smaller businesses, requiring multiple licenses that can drive up costs despite a strong ROI from its comprehensive security features. SonicWall TZ's pricing is competitive and cost-effective, especially appealing to SMBs with flexible subscription options that enhance customer satisfaction.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco IOS Security vs. SonicWall TZ Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco IOS Security vs. SonicWall TZ

June 2025

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Helped 857,162 peers since 2012

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

7.5

Fortinet FortiGate is valued for affordability, cost savings, enhanced security, operational efficiency, quick implementation, and long-term ROI benefits.

Sentiment score

8.1

Cisco IOS Security offers high ROI through improved efficiency, reduced risks, cost savings, and a beneficial subscription model.

Sentiment score

7.4

SonicWall TZ ensures rapid returns, blocking threats effectively, proving invaluable for small businesses, especially during the pandemic.

Clients are now comfortable and not wasting productive hours on IT support.

MURALI NIDAMANURI

Managing Director at VIPUN COGNITIVE SOLUTIONS PVT LTD.

The automation part is giving us a cost benefit and speed; we can react faster.

Bart Homblé

BDM Fortinet & BDM Teamlead at Exclusive Networks

It's a very useful tool to mitigate and protect your enterprise.

Bernard Samontanes

Staff Infrastructure & Security Engineer at Mozn Systems

For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiGate report

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco IOS Security report

That is a reason to buy a firewall, and it is challenging to put a monetary value on security.

reviewer2618802

Administration IT at a engineering company with 11-50 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the SonicWall TZ report

Customer Service

Sentiment score

7.0

Fortinet FortiGate's customer service varies, with praise for responsiveness but criticism for slow, sometimes inadequate technical support.

Sentiment score

7.0

Cisco IOS Security offers expert support but faces criticism for slow responses and communication challenges, remaining a strong choice.

Sentiment score

5.4

SonicWall TZ customer service varies; some praise efficiency and competence, while others note slow response and communication issues.

I would rate their support for FortiGate a nine out of ten.

Andrei Vaskin

Specialist at a comms service provider with 11-50 employees

They offer very accurate solutions.

Taimoor Khan

Network Operations Engineer at Inara Technologies

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.

Alexandre Menezes

IT Manager at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiGate report

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco IOS Security report

Customer service is excellent.

reviewer2618802

Administration IT at a engineering company with 11-50 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the SonicWall TZ report

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score

7.3

Fortinet FortiGate scales well for diverse enterprises, though planning and licensing are crucial to avoid hardware limitations.

Sentiment score

7.5

Cisco IOS Security is praised for scalability and efficiency but may require additional hardware and specific Cisco equipment.

Sentiment score

8.6

SonicWall TZ offers suitable scalability for small to medium businesses, but model selection is crucial for future growth planning.

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.

Ian Manton

IT Manager at Daltons Limited

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.

reviewer2667480

Cewa Solutions Architect at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

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.

FatmaSamy

General Surgery Specialist at Helwan University Cairo

For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiGate report

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco IOS Security report

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the SonicWall TZ report

Stability Issues

Sentiment score

7.9

Fortinet FortiGate is generally stable and reliable, with minor issues arising from new features, firmware updates, or hardware constraints.

Sentiment score

7.7

Cisco IOS Security is praised for stability and reliability, with few integration issues reported when not using Cisco equipment.

Sentiment score

7.6

SonicWall TZ is highly reliable and stable, though minor issues occur under heavy use or after updates.

We're experiencing 99.999% availability consistently.

Ricardo Biggs

Manager, Information Technology at a consumer goods company with 11-50 employees

I would rate the stability of Fortinet FortiGate a ten out of ten.

AnishKumar

NAC Support at Rah Infotech Pvt Ltd

We have not had any problems with the operating systems or maintenance of subscriptions.

Andrei Vaskin

Specialist at a comms service provider with 11-50 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiGate report

I find Cisco IOS Security to be a very stable product.

Binoob John

Partner/Owner and Director of Human Resources at Up arrow Systems

For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco IOS Security report

In terms of stability, SonicWall doesn't have performance issues.

Rias Majeed

CTO at Exceed NetSec LLC

SonicWall TZ is definitely stable and offers a good value for money.

reviewer2618802

Administration IT at a engineering company with 11-50 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the SonicWall TZ report

Room For Improvement

Fortinet FortiGate needs enhancements in firmware, usability, integration, support, reporting, VPN, cloud integration, and documentation for seamless use.

Cisco IOS Security needs more intuitive management, better performance, advanced features, and improved integration, usability, and support.

SonicWall TZ needs an improved interface, reporting, security features, and more efficient support, licensing, and advanced options.

By providing an integrated solution, users would have access to all features and functionalities within a single window, eliminating the need to navigate through multiple windows.

reviewer1959201

Operation Manager at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

Investing in a solution that can accommodate such growth would be more cost-effective than repeatedly purchasing new hardware.

Jose Gisbert

Manager Network (IT/OT) at a consumer goods company with 5,001-10,000 employees

The constant daily revisions necessitate meticulous identification of the relevant documents to prevent the use of outdated information that could jeopardize our environment.

James-Jiang

IT Security Analyst at a energy/utilities company with 51-200 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiGate report

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco IOS Security report

Integration with other vendors, especially with VPNs, can be challenging and requires more effort when configuring.

Rias Majeed

CTO at Exceed NetSec LLC

SonicWall TZ could benefit from newer technology.

reviewer2618802

Administration IT at a engineering company with 11-50 employees

The VPN license should be improved by providing more free SSL VPN licenses.

Niranjan Prajapati

Pre-sales at ITCG SOlutions Pvt Ltd

For more quotes and insights, download the SonicWall TZ report

Setup Cost

Fortinet FortiGate offers competitive pricing with upfront affordability, simple licensing, and long-term value, despite potentially high renewal costs.

Cisco IOS Security is pricey, subscription-based, aimed at medium-to-large enterprises, with recent SMB options, often seen as expensive.

Buyers find SonicWall TZ pricing competitive but potentially high due to additional subscription and licensing fees, affecting affordability.

The most expensive part is the renewal of the license subscription.

reviewer1959201

Operation Manager at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

FortiGate is priced lower than Palo Alto.

James-Jiang

IT Security Analyst at a energy/utilities company with 51-200 employees

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.

AiméKouchade

Network & System Admin at Invoke Studios

For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiGate report

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco IOS Security report

More licenses are required to purchase the perpetual license for SSL VPN and Global VPN.

Niranjan Prajapati

Pre-sales at ITCG SOlutions Pvt Ltd

When comparing similar products across vendors, there may be a small difference in cost.

Rias Majeed

CTO at Exceed NetSec LLC

I would also position its pricing as a three, where one is the lowest price and ten is the highest.

reviewer2618802

Administration IT at a engineering company with 11-50 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the SonicWall TZ report

Valuable Features

Fortinet FortiGate delivers robust security features and intuitive management, offering scalable and affordable network protection solutions.

Cisco IOS Security enhances network security with robust features, user-friendly interface, and strong performance, preferred over competitors.

SonicWall TZ offers user-friendly management, robust security features, and scalability, making it ideal for small to medium enterprises.

The firewall, IPS, and VPN functions are the most valuable features.

Andrei Vaskin

Specialist at a comms service provider with 11-50 employees

FortiGate provides solid protection against viruses, malware, and other threats.

Prasanth P.

Global Chief Information Officer at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees

In terms of security, we have not experienced any security flaws or loopholes, and it has proven to be quite stable.

MOHAN SUKUMAR

Head of computer systems at Indian Institute of Space Science & Technology(IIST)

For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiGate report

This solution, called Network Access Controller, handles authentication, authorization, and accounting for devices accessing the network.

Binoob John

Partner/Owner and Director of Human Resources at Up arrow Systems

For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco IOS Security report

For SMB segments, SonicWall performs well.

Rias Majeed

CTO at Exceed NetSec LLC

It was beneficial during COVID for remote work through its VPN functionality.

reviewer2618802

Administration IT at a engineering company with 11-50 employees

The advanced gateway security features such as web filter, application control filter, IPS, ideas, gateway antivirus, anti-spyware, and botnet filter are valuable.

Niranjan Prajapati

Pre-sales at ITCG SOlutions Pvt Ltd

For more quotes and insights, download the SonicWall TZ report

Categories and Ranking

Fortinet FortiGate

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Firewalls category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiGate is 21.4%, up from 17.8% 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 SonicWall TZ is 3.0%, up from 2.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

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.

Read full review

Binoob John

Partner/Owner and Director of Human Resources at Up arrow Systems

Rrobust network security and device authentication with advanced access control features

This solution should be implemented for most enterprise-level customers. It ensures that users accessing the corporate network or wireless network with their own devices are authenticated and authorized. As a network administrator, I can track who is accessing the network, what devices they are…

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Rias Majeed

CTO at Exceed NetSec LLC

Robust VPN integration stands out despite needing enhanced vendor compatibility

The integrated VPN functionality is working well with the global VPN client, which is a fast client, though it comes at a cost. SonicWall TZ is functional depending on the service level taken by the user. For SMB segments, SonicWall performs well. Despite lacking certain features, it is still considered a good product. The appliance itself is functional and stable, offering integrated solutions.

Read full review

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

15%

Computer Software Company

15%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

28%

Financial Services Firm

13%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Computer Software Company

17%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Construction Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

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 ...

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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

Would you choose Fortinet Fortigate or Sonicwall TZ?

I’ll say it depends on your needs. Fortinet FortiGate and SonicWall TZ are both next-gen firewalls (NGFW) with simila...

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What do you like most about SonicWall TZ?

The most valuable feature of SonicWall TZ is the double authentication, where it asks for one password and again asks...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SonicWall TZ?

The price is normal. It is a nominal cost for an SMB TZ used for SMB businesses. However, more licenses are required ...

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Comparisons

Sophos XG vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 21% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 12% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 11% of the time

WatchGuard Firebox vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 5% of the time

Meraki MX vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

More Fortinet FortiGate Competitors

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 26% of the time

OPNsense vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 16% of the time

Meraki MX vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 11% of the time

Fortinet FortiOS vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 11% of the time

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 8% of the time

More Cisco IOS Security Competitors

Sophos XG vs SonicWall TZ

Compared 17% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs SonicWall TZ

Compared 9% of the time

WatchGuard Firebox vs SonicWall TZ

Compared 6% of the time

Meraki MX vs SonicWall TZ

Compared 6% of the time

SonicWall NSa vs SonicWall TZ

Compared 6% of the time

More SonicWall TZ Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

June 2025

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Cisco IOS Security

June 2025

Download Cisco IOS Security product report

Buyer's Guide

SonicWall TZ

May 2025

Download SonicWall TZ product report

Also Known As

FortiGate 60b, FortiGate 60c, FortiGate 80c, FortiGate 50b, FortiGate 200b, FortiGate 110c, FortiGate, Fortinet Firewall

IOS Security

Dell SonicWALL TZ

Overview

Fortinet FortiGate offers comprehensive network security and firewall protection across multiple locations. It effectively manages data traffic and secures environments with features like VPN, intrusion prevention, and UTM controls.

Organizations rely on Fortinet FortiGate for its robust integration with advanced security policies, ensuring significant protection for enterprises, cloud environments, and educational sectors. It facilitates network segmentation, application-level security, and authentication management, securing communication within and between locations such as branches and data centers. Its efficient SD-WAN and UTM features enable streamlined data management and enhanced threat protection capabilities. Users appreciate its centralized management, facilitating seamless operations across diverse environments.

What are the key features of Fortinet FortiGate?

VPN Capabilities: Ensure secure remote access for users and seamless site-to-site connections.
Intrusion Prevention System (IPS): Detect and prevent security threats and vulnerabilities.
Advanced Firewall: Offers robust firewalling with application control and web filtering.
SD-WAN: Optimizes application performance and enhances bandwidth management.
SSL VPN: Provides reliable and secure access for remote workers.

What benefits should users expect from Fortinet FortiGate?

High-performance Security: Delivers effective threat mitigation with high availability.
Centralized Management: Simplifies network operations with cloud-based management tools.
Detailed Analytics: Provides comprehensive insights into network activity and security threats.
Load Balancing: Ensures optimal resource distribution and traffic management.

Fortinet FortiGate is crucial in sectors like education, offering robust networks for secure data flow between campuses and facilitating remote learning. In enterprise environments, it allows efficient management of application traffic and security across multiple branches, while in the cloud, it seamlessly integrates with diverse platforms to enhance security infrastructure.

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

The secure, sophisticated SonicWALL TZ is widely deployed at small businesses, retail, government, remote sites and branch offices. It combines high-performance intrusion prevention, malware blocking, content/URL filtering and application control.

SonicWall

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

AeroM_xico Delta TechOps, Unimat

Buyer's Guide

Cisco IOS Security vs. SonicWall TZ

June 2025

Free Report: Cisco IOS Security vs. SonicWall TZ

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco IOS Security vs. SonicWall TZ and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.

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