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Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) vs Fortinet FortiGate comparison

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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
5.6
Microsoft Intune offers ROI by reducing costs, enhancing productivity, and simplifying IT management with seamless Microsoft integration.
Sentiment score
8.5
Cisco Meraki Systems Manager enhances remote management, reduces downtime, and offers centralized support, improving customer service efficiency.
Sentiment score
5.9
Fortinet FortiGate offers cost savings, enhanced productivity, and robust security, leading to high ROI and user satisfaction.
Everything we've gained from it makes my job easier day after day, and I see value in it as an engineer.
IT Systems Engineer at Syracuse University
Microsoft Intune not only saves costs by reducing the number of personnel needed but also offers a comprehensive solution for managing laptops, applications, security, individual access, and enrollment.
Subject Matter Expert at Engage IT Services Pvt Ltd
With Microsoft Intune, tasks such as device provisioning, policy deployment, application delivery, and compliance enforcement require less manual effort than in more traditional management models.
Endpoint Cloud Solution Architect at Lutech
The automation part is giving us a cost benefit and speed; we can react faster.
BDM Fortinet & BDM Teamlead at Exclusive Networks
It's a very useful tool to mitigate and protect your enterprise.
Staff Infrastructure & Security Engineer at Mozn Systems
When investing in cybersecurity with Fortinet FortiGate 200, which costs more than $10,000, companies that are growing directly can expect ROI within 1.5 to 3 years.
Manager, Information Technology Operation/Presales at TechMonarch
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
5.8
Microsoft Intune support is knowledgeable and effective, but service quality varies by tier and complex cases may be slower.
Sentiment score
7.7
Customer service is highly rated but costly, with excellent support lacking local assistance and needing improvement in complex issues.
Sentiment score
6.5
Fortinet FortiGate's customer service is responsive and helpful but needs improvement in response times for high-priority issues.
When a support ticket is submitted, it directly reaches someone with Intune support expertise.
Collaborations engineer at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
When I contacted Microsoft, they had the same expertise, if not more, which is phenomenal because I felt heard and my problem was solved.
IT Systems Engineer at Syracuse University
Sometimes, the support provided is excellent, and the representative is knowledgeable, while other times, the service needs improvement.
Engineer at a healthcare company with 5,001-10,000 employees
I am definitely satisfied with Cisco support.
Technical Manager at AiGENZ Communication and Services WLL
My experience with the technical support of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) involves configuring firewalls and troubleshooting switches and IPs, which is our primary focus.
Monitoring and Operations Pilot at Egis S.A.
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.
IT Manager at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
I would rate the technical support for Fortinet FortiGate a ten out of ten.
NAC Support at Rah Infotech Pvt Ltd
As a solution provider, when I encounter problems, I connect directly with Fortinet support, and they provide solutions within a very short time.
Manager, Information Technology Operation/Presales at TechMonarch
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.1
Microsoft Intune offers scalable, cloud-based device management with flexible licensing, centralized control, and seamless integration for diverse organizations.
Sentiment score
8.9
Cisco Meraki Systems Manager is praised for scalability, efficiently supporting varying enterprise sizes and adapting to global demands effortlessly.
Sentiment score
7.1
Fortinet FortiGate is praised for scalable adaptability and seamless integration but requires hardware upgrades for high-performance needs.
The scalability of Microsoft Intune is ten out of ten.
Solutions Architect at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
Ideally, we want to automatically segregate devices based on user properties like primary use, but currently, dynamic groups seem limited to device properties.
Engineer, Systems Admin . at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees
It supports organizations with 200 endpoints and those with more than 15,000 endpoints.
Director at Provisioned
I affirm that Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) is very scalable.
Enterprise Architect at Intertec Systems
Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) is very scalable, as we can configure multiple devices, handling a lot of devices, such as 100 plus devices.
Monitoring and Operations Pilot at Egis S.A.
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.
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.
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.
General Surgery Specialist at Helwan University Cairo
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.2
Microsoft Intune demonstrates high reliability in endpoint management with minor sync issues, achieving user satisfaction and consistent performance improvements.
Sentiment score
8.5
Cisco Meraki Systems Manager is praised for its stability and reliability, with minor issues during updates or external interruptions.
Sentiment score
7.7
Fortinet FortiGate is highly rated for reliable stability and dependable uptime, even under heavy loads and high availability setups.
We have not experienced downtime, bugs, or glitches.
Head of IT at TWM SOLICITORS LLP
It appears Microsoft Intune undergoes changes without informing customers.
Support Engineer at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
In my experience, Microsoft Intune is a stable platform as it is a cloud-based service, and updates are regularly delivered by Microsoft.
IT Administrator at Newrest Inflight España, S.A
I rate the stability of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) as an eight to nine.
Enterprise Architect at Intertec Systems
We're experiencing 99.999% availability consistently.
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.
NAC Support at Rah Infotech Pvt Ltd
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.
CISO at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
 

Room For Improvement

Microsoft Intune struggles with compatibility, usability, and support issues, impacting policy management and integration with non-Microsoft tools.
Cisco Meraki Systems Manager struggles with integration, reliability, customization, high pricing, compatibility issues, and insufficient feature development.
Fortinet FortiGate users desire better third-party integration, intuitive interfaces, comprehensive support, and resolution of cost, stability, and performance issues.
Features like unlocking devices sometimes fail, and the support offered for other operating systems is insufficient.
Strategy & Portfolio Advisor at a insurance company with 1,001-5,000 employees
There are communication issues, so you might start working with a feature without knowing if it will be deprecated six months from now.
Collaborations engineer at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Many third-party companies offer single-pane-of-glass reporting that shows you what your update environment looks like, how your patch is doing, application status, etc., but Intune's reporting is not intuitive.
Engineer at a healthcare company with 5,001-10,000 employees
I see room for improvement in integration with third-party tools.
Enterprise Architect at Intertec Systems
An area of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) that could be improved is if we could connect directly with the responsible person from that device, which would be very useful.
Monitoring and Operations Pilot at Egis S.A.
It would be better for customers to get immediate replacements even with a standard subscription.
Director at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
It is how quickly each of these companies adapts to that and brings in more value to the customer.
Principal Consultant at Epitome Infotech Solutions (P) Ltd
The main area for improvement in Fortinet FortiGate is the firmware versions, as we face uncertainties regarding upgrades and frequent bugs that require self-fixing of problems.
Senior Manager IT at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
 

Setup Cost

Microsoft Intune is cost-effective within Microsoft 365 bundles but may be costly standalone, requiring careful evaluation for needs.
Cisco Meraki Systems Manager is priced high but considered valuable for its enterprise features, support, and per-device cost-effectiveness.
Fortinet FortiGate offers competitive pricing and good value with included features, though costs may be high for small businesses.
Introductory professional services, like a fast-track service, were included with our E5 membership, and there have been no additional costs.
Senior Systems Architect IV at a aerospace/defense firm with 10,001+ employees
The Intune suite and add-ons, such as batch management and remote help, are costly.
Technical Sales Professional (Microsoft Modern Workplace) at Alnafitha IT
It costs approximately forty euros per user per month.
Cyber Security Officer at Gudu
There are cheaper and more expensive tools available, but the price features parity is good.
Enterprise Architect at Intertec Systems
It offers cost savings as it is generally cheaper than the competition.
IT Infrastructure Architect at Apotek 1
It is about 20% cheaper.
Network Security Engineer at TD SYNNEX
The advantages of Fortinet FortiGate over its competitors include good pricing and meeting our requirements at a lower cost.
Information Technology Infrastructure Section Head at a consumer goods company with 11-50 employees
 

Valuable Features

Microsoft Intune offers seamless management, security, and compliance, improving efficiency and reducing manual effort with automation and integration features.
Cisco Meraki Systems Manager offers easy device management with centralized control, enhanced security, and seamless Cisco tool integration.
Fortinet FortiGate offers integrated security, user-friendly management, and cost-effective protection, enhancing network performance and security seamlessly.
Intune excels in configuration and compliance management for Windows 10, ensuring devices receive timely updates and adhere to organizational standards.
Microsoft Practice Lead at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Dynamic groups allow us to set conditions for automatic membership, eliminating the need for user intervention or manual review and ensuring a seamless workflow.
Engineer, Systems Admin . at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees
Windows Autopatch is the most valuable because it removes the burden of patch management.
Director at Provisioned
Features such as being very easy to use and troubleshoot have been the most valuable for me, and we can identify if there are any hardware issues easily.
Monitoring and Operations Pilot at Egis S.A.
The remote security feature, as well as the ability to control devices from anywhere, is one of the more beneficial features of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM).
Enterprise Architect at Intertec Systems
They put in a thing called the FortiCookbook, which is very easy to read with real-life scenarios that make networking tasks like joining networks very straightforward.
IT Manager at Daltons Limited
The firewall and VPN features are the most valuable in protecting our customers' networks.
Sales & Support at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
The most valuable feature is the deep inspection for traffic, which is capable of identifying zero-day attacks.
Consultant at SKYE AS
 

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Intune
Sponsored
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
377
Ranking in other categories
Configuration Management (1st), Remote Access (2nd), Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) (1st), Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) (1st), Microsoft Security Suite (1st)
Cisco Meraki Systems Manage...
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.9
Number of Reviews
33
Ranking in other categories
Mobile Device Management (MDM) (5th), Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) (12th)
Fortinet FortiGate
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
594
Ranking in other categories
Secure Web Gateways (SWG) (2nd), Firewalls (1st), Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) (1st), Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions (1st), WAN Edge (1st), ZTNA (1st), Unified Threat Management (UTM) (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM)2.7%
Microsoft Intune21.1%
Workspace ONE UEM9.7%
Other66.5%
Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM)
Firewalls Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Fortinet FortiGate13.9%
OPNsense7.9%
Cisco Secure Firewall7.7%
Other70.5%
Firewalls
 

Q&A Highlights

CV
Senior Consultant - Architecture & Cloud Services with 5,001-10,000 employees
May 12, 2025
 

Featured Reviews

HA
Senior Business Development Executive at Digitaltrack
Centralized device management has automated onboarding and improves remote security compliance
One thing I feel Microsoft Intune could improve is troubleshooting visibility. In many cases, when a policy or application deployment fails, the error messages are a bit generic. So, admins still spend time checking logs manually or testing on devices one by one. Compared to the simplicity of deployment, troubleshooting sometimes feels less mature. I also think reporting and real-time monitoring could be stronger. The dashboard gives useful information, but in large environments, many teams still depend on additional tools or scripts for deeper reporting and analytics. If I had to focus on one area first, I would probably choose troubleshooting and reporting. Deployment through Microsoft Intune is generally straightforward, but when something fails, identifying the exact root cause can still take more time than expected. Error messages are sometimes too generic, and admins often have to dig through logs, sync status, or multiple portals to understand what actually happened. I think user experience and policy management could also improve further. Microsoft Intune has become much better over the years, but sometimes the admin portal still feels fragmented because certain configurations open in different sections or redirect to older interfaces. For new admins, especially, it can take time to understand where everything is located. Another thing is policy conflict handling. In larger organizations, multiple device policies, compliance rules, and configuration profiles can overlap. When conflicts happen, the visibility is not always very clear, so admins spend time figuring out which policy actually won or caused the issue.
Sulesh PK - PeerSpot reviewer
Monitoring and Operations Pilot at Egis S.A.
Has simplified hardware issue identification but needs integrated communication options
We have monitoring capabilities and we are monitoring some network tools from Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) and troubleshooting as well. I am currently working with version MR 32.1.4. Policy involves connecting mostly through emails, as we don't have any special kind of policy features. If any alert comes, we connect via mail. We don't utilize the geolocation tracking feature. The unified dashboard helps me simplify device management for my team based on the location, as we have configured devices from many different countries. We give the device's name based on the location, allowing us to identify easily in the dashboard. Regarding operational cost savings, it is cost-saving because in other companies, they use different tools for different networks, such as one for Windows, another for Linux, and a different one for VMware. We use all the systems including Windows, Linux, and networking under Cisco, Centreon, and Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM), which is very cost-efficient. Regarding pricing and licensing of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM), I don't have information about that, as we are from the technical department. Details about subscription and quotation come from another department. I rate this solution 8 out of 10.
Yati Gharat - PeerSpot reviewer
Chief Technology Officer at Litmus
Unified security management has simplified data center protection and optimized branch connectivity
In my opinion, a potential area of improvement for Fortinet FortiGate is that while it has a pretty good dashboard, which is not an issue as such, when we talk about hardware parameters, sometimes the hardware gets pretty heated up. Given the amount of traffic going through it, that is fine. However, the heat of the hardware has to be looked into. Fortinet FortiGate firewall is good, but other products like the switching part and all that fabric, in handling very audio-video traffic, sometimes it struggles on the switching part, but on the routing part, it is fine. On the firewall part, it is good; there is no issue as such up till now. Additionally, I suggest that Fortinet can add software which is in a controlled way, particularly regarding AI and ML. It should not happen that the AI/ML takes certain decisions which are not beneficial for the organization. The control should remain with the team members who are responsible for configuring this firewall.
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Comparison Review

it_user216600 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Technical Consultant with 51-200 employees
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…
 

Answers from the Community

CV
Senior Consultant - Architecture & Cloud Services with 5,001-10,000 employees
May 12, 2025
May 12, 2025
Hi Carlo, Fortigate is Fortinet's firewall solution that also includes wireless controller and switch functionality. I'd say the biggest differences are that Meraki's solution has a stronger cloud focus, while you'll typically see these Fortinet solutions on-premises. Another differentiating factor is the licensing model. Meraki APs require a license to operate and be managed, while Fortinet'...
See 2 answers
Zahid-Muhammad - PeerSpot reviewer
Cyber Security Manager at Addison Lee Ltd
Jun 12, 2024
The main differences between Cisco Meraki Systems Manager and Fortinet FortiGate are their primary functions: Meraki Systems Manager focuses on mobile device management and endpoint security, while FortiGate is a firewall and unified threat management (UTM) device providing network security features.
MB
CTO, Network Engineer at Insacom & Cia. Limitada
May 12, 2025
Hi Carlo, Fortigate is Fortinet's firewall solution that also includes wireless controller and switch functionality. I'd say the biggest differences are that Meraki's solution has a stronger cloud focus, while you'll typically see these Fortinet solutions on-premises. Another differentiating factor is the licensing model.  Meraki APs require a license to operate and be managed, while Fortinet's do not. (You pay for Forticare, which is a subscription to receive support, RMA, but if you don't have it, nothing prevents it from working.)
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
Outsourcing Company
7%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Construction Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Computer Software Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business192
Midsize Enterprise62
Large Enterprise186
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business16
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise14
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business372
Midsize Enterprise138
Large Enterprise195
 

Questions from the Community

How does Microsoft Intune compare with VMware Workspace One?
Microsoft Intune is a great tool for managing a mobile device fleet while keeping access control. The solution makes ...
What are the pros and cons of Microsoft Intune?
Microsoft Intune is a great configuration management tool and has a lot of good things going for it. Here are some of...
How does Google Cloud Identity compare with Microsoft Intune?
Microsoft Intune offers not only an easy-to-deploy data protection and productivity management solution, but also ...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM)?
The pricing sits at a mid-level range, around five or six. There are cheaper and more expensive tools available, but ...
What needs improvement with Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM)?
An area of Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) that could be improved is if we could connect directly with the res...
What is your primary use case for Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM)?
I work with system management in Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (MDM+EMM) products. Our usual use cases for Cisco Merak...
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 ...
 

Also Known As

Intune, MS Intune, Microsoft Endpoint Manager
Meraki MDM
Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Mitchells and Buzzers, Callaway
Hafen Hamburg & Empire Riverside Hotel, Eastview Church, Tourism Holdings, Colegio Sagrada Familia Hijas de Jesús, Tommy Bahama's, Canadian School Mexico, Rosebank College
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
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft, JAMF, Kandji and others in Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM). Updated: August 2026.
909,701 professionals have used our research since 2012.