Cisco Secure Access vs GajShield Next Generation Firewall comparison

Cisco Secure Access vs. GajShield Next Generation Firewall

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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 June 2026, in the Firewalls category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiGate is 15.1%, down from 21.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Secure Access is 0.4%, up from 0.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of GajShield Next Generation Firewall is 0.4%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewalls Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Fortinet FortiGate	15.1%
Cisco Secure Access	0.4%
GajShield Next Generation Firewall	0.4%
Other	84.1%

Firewalls

Featured Reviews

Joseph Koomson

IP Network Security Specialist at MTN Ghana

Process-Level CPU Visibility: Introduce detailed CPU-usage metrics per subsystem (e.g., IPS engine, logging) so administrators can quickly identify and address performance spikes.

Analytics with FortiAnalyzer. Being able to pull in logs not just from our FortiGates but from all our other firewalls and then get them in one view has been a game changer. Whether I’m building an executive dashboard or doing a deep dive forensics session, I get everything I need without navigating consoles.Straightforward Application Control. FortiGate spots and blocks unwanted apps (eq. like BitTorrent or streaming services) with accuracy. Segmentation with VDOMs. We’ve carved our data center into four logical ‘mini-firewalls’ enterprise, core, billing, and WAF—all on one box. Each has its own rules and logs, and any traffic between them still gets inspected. It’s like having multiple appliances without the extra hardware. Always-Up-to-Date Threat Feeds. Daily signature updates and AI-driven threat sensing mean we’re blocking the latest vulnerabilities almost as soon as they’re announced.

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reviewer2788500

Network Operations Engineer at a media company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Secure access has unified zero trust and web protection while AI assistance automates tasks

From a feature perspective, I have not experienced any issues, drawbacks, or shortcomings. However, the cost of Cisco's products and licensing is high. My clients usually prefer cheaper options if possible. Mid-size or smaller businesses typically cannot afford Cisco Secure Access. Additionally, there is a steep learning curve, as it is very intensive. Someone with significant knowledge can work on it, but a new professional would have to spend considerable time to get accustomed to it. It is hard to find engineers who can work on it. Overall, we get what we pay for, as it is a pretty good feature and service. The pricing of Cisco's products and licensing is higher than competitors. If they could be more reasonable, that would help. The support offered for two years also has higher costs. Overall, the client's IT budget gets affected. It was challenging to learn because, as mentioned, it has a significant learning curve and requires considerable training to become proficient.

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Nazish Sameer Shaikh

Senior Network Security Engineer at UNITE HERE HEALTH

Simplifies the management of complex data networks, but its technical support could be improved

Sometimes, we have to use SD-WAN support for the solution, which can be improved by adapting some features that will help our approach to network services. The solution can adapt some of the tools where we, as network engineers, can adjust to the changing application needs. Also, the solution can provide us with multiple support, allowing us to create a network segment. The solution’s technical support could be improved.

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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

"If companies are thinking about the security of their network, they should consider FortiGate as a gate to the internet."

"It is easy to install. There is not much complexity involved."

"The security features are valuable, particularly the ransomware attack protection features. Fortinet FortiGate provides excellent security against ransomware attacks."

"We like signature-based anomaly detection and zero-day protection features."

"FortiGate improved our security. It's one of the best hardware firewalls."

"The interface is very good."

"We are a visual effects company, and there have been a number of high profile security issues in our industry, and this has brought us to a higher standard of security, which our clients are very keen on these days."

"The solution provides good threat intelligence feeds."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"Cisco Secure Access has had a positive impact on protecting our organization from threats such as phishing and ransomware."

"We have a dedicated account team, so we've got all the people we need to engage with if there's an issue."

"The most valuable feature of Cisco Secure Access is the VPN, which I find very easy to use."

"The return on investment in Cisco Secure Access is significant, providing substantial savings in time, data loss prevention, and management of protection, with time savings reaching up to 30% based on the processing time and retention policy of Cisco Secure Access, which is more than 30% better than others."

"I would rate the scalability a ten out of ten."

"The firewall section for IDP is the most used for remote sites. It fits better with all the data we're collecting from the protection site and the information that we provide to another customer."

"I am happy with the performance and security levels it provides, as I feel it is a robust and high-performing product with both the clientless and the client aspects."

"The features I have mentioned benefit our company overall by giving us one single pane of glass, where we can see all the rule sets, and our end customers appreciate having one single control point of the network."

More Cisco Secure Access pros

"The solution's outcome is very high, and we often use it in a very high-traffic environment."

"It is a stable solution."

"Once it is configured, it is very stable, and we don't get any calls from our clients unless they have some specific requirement, like port forwarding or something."

"Gajshiled's enterprise cloud and DLP-level features give it an advantage over other products."

"The most valuable feature of the GajShield Next Generation Firewall is the user-friendly settings, dashboards, and anti-threat protection. Additionally, the solution upgrades frequently which is good because we receive new features."

"It is an easily scalable solution...The initial setup was very easy."

"GajShield has improved our mobile device-based connectivity."

"GajShield Next Generation Firewall's best feature is the network DLP."

More GajShield Next Generation Firewall pros

Cons

"We are not utilizing Fortinet FortiGate to its full capacity because we have to pay for every small feature."

"The customer support is expensive. We have had difficulties with technical support from Fortinet."

"However, apart from this, I don’t see a significant differentiator between FortiGate and other firewalls."

"Due to its higher cost, Fortinet FortiGate can lead to increased operational expenses."

"The security of Fortinet FortiGate could improve."

"From my point of view, I think Fortinet has to extend the solution into the cloud and provide all the security features from the cloud and not be dependent on the firewall appliances."

"We had some experiences where they release something new and great, but some of the old features are disabled or they don't work well, which impacts the product satisfaction."

"It should have a better pricing plan. It is too expensive."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"From a licensing perspective, there could be some enhancement."

"Improvement on the pricing will help in expanding the market for Cisco Secure Access and then it can be affordable to much more number of companies than what it is right now."

"Most of the Cisco AI offerings are relatively new and do not have all the bells and whistles."

"The licensing is confusing."

"It is expensive."

"I would assess the stability and reliability of Cisco Secure Access as having the worst thing about it being the VAs and their requirement of a full reinstall anytime something unusual happens to them if they go stale or any such thing."

"Throughout my experience with Cisco Secure Access, I have had some stability and reliability issues, including lagging when accessing the portal."

"The main issue with pricing is that it is higher compared to other competitors, making it challenging to work with customers unless they specifically request Cisco."

More Cisco Secure Access cons

"GajShield Next Generation Firewall could improve the flow of the settings. If somebody's using a Cisco firewall or any other brand and they want to use GajShield Next Generation Firewall the platform's UI is a bit different. If it was more similar to the others it would be better."

"The UI for the administration of the firewall needs a lot of work."

"GajShield Next Generation Firewall would be improved with the addition of a load-balancing feature."

"Gajshield can improve SD-WAN compatibility at an enterprise cloud level."

"The firewall configuration and administration screens could use some improvement."

"Sometimes, we have to use SD-WAN support for the solution, which can be improved by adapting some features that will help our approach to network services."

"We face issues with some configuration parts that we don't understand in the solution, and sometimes we face issues with the VPN connection."

"We raised a support ticket, and the project didn't get a proper response. There was a skill issue in TAC support."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The setup cost was good. The Egyptian pound is declining, and upgrading Fortinet FortiGate yearly costs about $2000 USD, which equals one hundred Egyptian pounds. I maintain a business relationship with the vendor and receive support from them."

"It could be more competitive and cost-effective."

"If the price of the license in Fortinet FortiGate was less expensive it would be better."

"There is a need to pay for a license for the product."

"The product is not very expensive."

"FortiGate Next Generation Firewall costs our company around $12000 per year."

"The price of Fortinet FortiGate could improve, it is expensive."

"There is no challenge in Fortinet FortiGate pricing."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"The pricing, setup costs, and licensing for Cisco Secure Access have been very competitive compared to other platforms. I believe that if Cisco continues to improve costs or offers something similar to a Cisco credit, it would attract more customers."

"It is confusing. When you look at the prices, you have different licensing and years of licensing that you have to purchase. Additionally, it's unclear what service you get from those licenses regarding end-user support. We have a representative who has to walk me through it every time."

"For what you get, it's a fair price in comparison to other products."

"The price of the GajShield Next Generation Firewall is very attractive when compared to other solutions."

"GajShield is a cheaper solution as of now. The subscription is yearly."

"GajShield Next Generation Firewall is cheaper than the other products in the market. The licensing costs for the solution are on a yearly basis."

"It was about 15% cheaper compared to Sophos."

"GajShield Next Generation Firewall is not that expensive, and its pricing is better than Palo Alto."

"GajShield Next Generation Firewall is reasonably priced."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Comms Service Provider

10%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

Construction Company

20%

Manufacturing Company

20%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Outsourcing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	369
Midsize Enterprise	139
Large Enterprise	195

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	27
Midsize Enterprise	11
Large Enterprise	34

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	3
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	3

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...

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 is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Secure Access?

Pricing for Cisco Secure Access has been very reasonable in the context of the entire world of SASE solutions. Setup ...

What is your primary use case for Cisco Secure Access?

Our main use case for Cisco Secure Access is providing security for hybrid and mobile workforces. One of the big chal...

What advice do you have for others considering Cisco Secure Access?

One of the things about policy verification is with Cisco Secure Access and modern security products in general, poli...

Sophos Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

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Comparisons

Compared 16% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 13% of the time

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 5% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 3% of the time

Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 3% of the time

More Fortinet FortiGate Competitors

Cisco Umbrella vs Cisco Secure Access

Compared 16% of the time

FortiSASE vs Cisco Secure Access

Compared 9% of the time

Netskope vs Cisco Secure Access

Compared 9% of the time

Cato SASE Cloud Platform vs Cisco Secure Access

Compared 6% of the time

Absolute Secure Access vs Cisco Secure Access

Compared 3% of the time

More Cisco Secure Access Competitors

Sophos Firewall vs GajShield Next Generation Firewall

Compared 28% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs GajShield Next Generation Firewall

Compared 13% of the time

WiJungle vs GajShield Next Generation Firewall

Compared 13% of the time

Fortinet FortiGate-VM vs GajShield Next Generation Firewall

Compared 12% of the time

More GajShield Next Generation Firewall Competitors

Product Reports

Fortinet FortiGate

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Cisco Secure Access

Download Cisco Secure Access product report

GajShield Next Generation Firewall

Download GajShield Next Generation Firewall product report

GajShield Next Generation Firewall report

Also Known As

Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall

No data available

GajShield NGFW

Overview

Fortinet FortiGate is a versatile network security tool offering features like VPN, firewall, web filtering, intrusion prevention, and scalability. It is known for its performance and integration with other Fortinet products, making it a preferred choice for robust cybersecurity.

Fortinet FortiGate stands out as a comprehensive cybersecurity solution with strong performance and ease of configuration. It delivers unified threat management, integrating features such as dynamic routing, SD-WAN support, and centralized management. Despite its strengths, improvements in the web interface's stability, pricing structures, and reporting capabilities are needed. Users seek better integration with third-party tools and automation advancements to enhance the experience further. These enhancements, alongside improvements in bandwidth management and the reduction of licensing costs, are points of interest for users looking to capitalize on FortiGate's extensive capabilities.

What are Fortinet FortiGate's key features?

VPN: Ensures secure remote connections.
Firewall: Protects against unauthorized access.
Web Filtering: Blocks malicious sites and content.
Application Control: Manages and controls applications.
Intrusion Prevention: Detects and prevents vulnerabilities.
SSL Inspection: Enhances security by inspecting encrypted traffic.

What benefits should be considered when evaluating Fortinet FortiGate?

Affordability: Offers cost-effective security solutions.
Reliability: Known for consistent and stable performance.
Integration: Seamlessly integrates with other Fortinet products.
Comprehensive Protection: Provides broad threat protection capabilities.

Fortinet FortiGate is widely implemented across industries as a primary firewall system for securing internet gateways and safeguarding data centers. It supports businesses in achieving SD-WAN integration and enhances cybersecurity by providing essential features like antivirus, web filtering, and application control. Enterprises utilize FortiGate for securing remote connections and ensuring compliance with security standards, making it adaptable for different network sizes and industries.

Fortinet

Cisco Secure Access is a comprehensive Security Service Edge (SSE) solution (a key component of a SASE solution) that addresses the complexities of securing a hybrid enterprise. Cloud-delivered and grounded in zero trust, it delivers a unique blend of user simplicity and IT efficiency for frictionless, secure access to all applications—SaaS (with gen AI), private apps, and the internet—regardless of user location or device. Secure Access protects users, data, and devices against relentless, sophisticated, and constantly evolving threats including AI-driven attacks and identity breaches.

Provides all core SSE components (ZTNA, SWG, CASB, and FWaaS) plus extended capabilities.

Includes VPN-as-a-Service (VPNaaS), data loss prevention (DLP), AI Assistant, visibility/control/guardrails for generative AI use, digital experience monitoring (DEM), reserved IP, remote browser isolation (RBI), DNS-layer security, flexible security enforcement (in cloud or on-premises), policy verification, and more.
Protects users as they seamlessly access resources and apps with no extra steps needed, regardless of protocol, port, or level of customization
Simplifies IT operations through a single client, single dashboard, single license, and unified policies.
Lowers risk with least privilege, granular controls backed with unmatched threat intelligence of Cisco Talos.
Eases interoperability with other products from Cisco and third-party vendors with common administrative controls, data structures, and policy management.

Robust integrations

Integrates with Cisco Identity Intelligence to protect against the startling increase in identity-based attacks.
Integrates with many SAML Identity Providers (IDPs) such as AD, Azure AD, Okta, Ping, etc.
Integrates with Cisco offerings including SD-WAN, Splunk, XDR, Thousand Eyes, third party technologies such as Menlo RBI, Chrome Enterprise Browser, and AppOmni for SSPM.

Cisco

GajShield Next Generation Firewall is renowned for its exceptional network DLP and enterprise cloud capabilities, offering superior performance in high-traffic environments with ease of management for complex networks.

GajShield Next Generation Firewall stands out by providing a comprehensive security solution with features surpassing those of competitors like Sophos and Fortinet. Users benefit from its performance in managing high-volume traffic, while appreciating its ease of learning and user-friendly management interface. Frequent upgrades introduce new features, enhancing functionality over time. It is a preferred choice for securing mobile device connections, data centers, and enterprise networks.

What are the key features of GajShield Next Generation Firewall?

Network DLP: Offers robust data leak prevention capabilities.
Enterprise Cloud: Enables seamless cloud hosting and services integration.
User-Friendly Interface: Simplifies configuration and management.
Anti-Threat Protection: Provides essential security against diverse threats.
Comprehensive Dashboards: Facilitates easier monitoring and reporting.

What benefits should users expect when evaluating GajShield Next Generation Firewall?

Cost-Effectiveness: Provides significant value over comparable options.
High Performance: Optimized for high-traffic environments.
Deployment Flexibility: Supports both cloud and on-premise implementations.
Security Efficiency: Strong VPN and internal traffic protection features.

Companies deploy GajShield Next Generation Firewall for securing mobile connections to ERP servers, using its VPN features to aid technical services. It serves critical roles in data centers for traffic termination and data leak prevention. Appreciated for stability and cost savings, its deployment flexibility supports operations across varied locations, including connectivity between Indian subsidiaries and headquarters.

GajShield

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

1. IBM 2. Microsoft 3. Amazon 4. Google 5. Apple 6. Cisco Systems 7. Oracle 8. Intel 9. HP Inc. 10. Dell Technologies 11. Verizon Communications 12. AT&T 13. Comcast 14. T-Mobile 15. Sprint 16. Vodafone 17. Orange 18. BT Group 19. Deutsche Telekom 20. Telefonica 21. Nokia 22. Ericsson 23. Samsung Electronics 24. Sony 25. Panasonic 26. LG Electronics 27. Siemens 28. General Electric 29. Ford Motor Company 30. General Motors 31. Toyota Motor Corporation 32. Volkswagen Group

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Cisco Secure Access vs. GajShield Next Generation Firewall