Cisco Secure Firewall vs Depot comparison

The compared Cisco and Depot solutions aren't in the same category. Cisco is ranked #5 in Firewalls , with an average rating of 8.3, and holds a 7.5% mindshare in the category. Depot is ranked #25 in BA , with an average rating of 8.0, and holds a 0.5% mindshare. Additionally, 83% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Depot users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 30, 2025

Cisco Secure Firewall and Depot are competing products in the network security category. Cisco Secure Firewall appears to have the upper hand due to its pricing and support advantages over Depot.

Features: Cisco Secure Firewall provides advanced threat protection, comprehensive policy automation, and robust analytics to enhance security infrastructure. Depot focuses on user-friendly management and dynamic scalability.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco offers a structured deployment process with extensive customer support, suitable for complex environments. Depot provides faster deployment and intuitive setup, appealing to users prioritizing speed and simplicity.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco Secure Firewall has cost-effective pricing promising high returns through robust security functions and efficient resource management. Depot offers a competitive pricing model with lower upfront costs though it may not match Cisco's long-term value.

To learn more, read our detailed Firewalls Report (Updated: March 2026).

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Firewalls

March 2026

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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

Firewalls Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Cisco Secure Firewall	7.5%
Fortinet FortiGate	17.2%
OPNsense	9.6%
Other	65.7%

Firewalls

Build Automation Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Depot	0.5%
GitLab	7.7%
Jenkins	7.7%
Other	84.1%

Build Automation

Featured Reviews

Abhinandan Yadav

Network Security Engineer at Arrow PC Network Pvt Ltd

Unified security and sd-wan have improved uptime and cut wan costs for multi-site branches

Users report stability issues in certain versions, which requires regular updates. Real-world attacks have also highlighted the need for urgent patching of vulnerabilities.Fortinet FortiGate, while a powerful and feature-rich web firewall, could improve in areas like firmware stability, documentation, and ease of use. The learning curve can be steep for some users. For beginners, support quality can vary, and frequent updates with occasional vulnerabilities call for careful patch management. However, once Fortinet FortiGate is configured, it remains highly reliable and efficient. Customer support needs improvement, as I find it very slow, with reports from other users reflecting that customer support is inadequate.

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Phil Shiflett

Senior Manager, Network Engineering at TTi Power Equipment

Unified policies streamline network management but complex licensing requires attention

Cisco Secure Firewall has some growth opportunities in terms of visibility and control capabilities regarding managing encrypted traffic. It has the ability to analyze encrypted traffic, and there is potential for more integration with APIs and AI to enhance these capabilities. Cisco Secure Firewall needs improvement in deployment time and the capability to access the CLI during support calls. I often encounter issues when technical support uses a CLI that is not familiar to me while troubleshooting through the GUI. My ongoing complaint for the last six years has been the lack of CLI functionality, which hinders my ability to work on the firewall, alongside concerns regarding deployment time. For the next release, they should look at the features offered by competitors such as Fortinet, including the ability to perform packet capture directly from the interface. If they enhanced their troubleshooting efficiency related to packet capture for each specific rule, it would simplify the process significantly.

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Giovanni Nava

Senior Project Manager at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees

Time savings have increased daily clients and improve revenue in my chiropractic practice

Technology is always improving, and putting new technology would be an improvement for my job. I feel fine with the actual platform. Depot is a useful tool and there is space for improvement, but I can't figure out what can be done, which is why I chose eight out of ten.

Read full review

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 that I found are its next-generation firewall capabilities with stateful inspection and antivirus, along with features such as a reverse proxy that are missed by some other firewall products such as Palo Alto or Check Point."

"The support is good because, although the response time for tickets may occasionally take some time, at the end of the day they have always solved the issue at hand."

"The most valuable features are simplicity, management, and that it's constantly evolving."

"The most valuable features of Fortinet FortiGate are its SD-WAN capabilities, such as dynamic routing, and other features, including security options such as antivirus, IPS, and IDS—all integrated into one device."

"Overall, Fortinet has offered us a very stable VPN that we can access from anywhere in the world and we are not facing any challenges whatsoever."

"The security features are about the best that I've seen anywhere."

"Fortinet FortiGate is among the best options in the market."

"My clients appreciate it for its features. It is easy to install and manage, and it offers all-around protection, including web filtering, content filtering, IPS, and IDS."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"It joins all branches and permits employees to work outside their offices, but everything is based on high securities standards (PCI compliance)."

"Cisco is very reliable and very secure, but has to compete with Fortinet which is very hard."

"Cisco ASA Firewall is very secure."

"Companies are always looking for security; if needing to have a secure firewall with high throughput and heavy-duty devices, we always have to choose Cisco devices because the reality of these devices may be better than any other vendor."

"The most important features are the intrusion prevention engine and the application visibility and control. The Snort feature in Firepower is also valuable."

"Implementing Cisco Secure Firewall has saved us time because we rely on most of the out-of-the-box signatures. It has reduced the time and effort spent in configuration within the security network."

"It is easy to create interfaces and routing, which all can be done at the GUI level."

"At this point, we find that this product has high productivity and high availability and there is no need for improvement."

More Cisco Secure Firewall pros

"Depot has positively impacted my organization in an awesome way, and the fact that I can save time gives me the possibility to have more clients during the day, saving at least 20% each day because of Depot."

Cons

"Fortinet FortiGate could improve by having more storage in the hardware for log data."

"Fortinet needs to continue to improve network traceability."

"Other providers, such as Palo Alto, are ahead in terms of safe functionality. So, for me, delivering truly safe service is probably something that still needs to be improved."

"Technical support for this solution can be improved."

"The advanced models are expensive."

"There should be more testing before releasing software since it can be a little buggy sometimes when new features come out after updates."

"FortiGate is a complete solution, but it is very expensive compared with other solutions."

"Fortinet FortiGate could improve by having more capabilities for troubleshooting VPN connections."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"Sometimes there are stability issues, as I referenced before, or just the general TAC support, while good, could be better."

"Its user interface is good, but it could be better. Currently, you have to know what to do before you can manage a device. If you don't know what to do, you can mess things up. There are some devices that are easier, such as FortiGate. The user interface of FortiGate is more intuitive. It is very easy to log in and configure things."

"The graphical interface should be improved to make the configuration easier, to do things with a single click."

"Cisco firewalls are not powerful enough to check the behavior of SSL traffic."

"Because I don't like the management tool that comes out-of-the-box with it, the FDM, I'll give the Firepower an eight out of 10. That was a real pain dealing with, until they said, "Okay, let's get him an FMC.""

"It lacks management. For me, it still doesn't have a proper management tool or GUI for configuration, logging, and visualization. Its management is not that easy. It is also not very flexible and easy to configure. They used to have a product called CSM, but it is no longer being developed. FortiGate is better than this solution in terms of GUI, flexibility, and user-friendliness."

"The next generations part of these products need a better approach."

"I don't have any specific improvements to recommend. However, when you compare the throughput of a Cisco firewall to the competitors, especially Fortinet, what you find is that Cisco has lagged a little bit behind in terms of firewall throughput, especially for the price that you pay for that throughput."

More Cisco Secure Firewall cons

"Depot is a useful tool and there is space for improvement, but I can't figure out what can be done, which is why I chose eight out of ten."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"A year or two years back, its price was competitive and reasonable. That was one of the reasons that people easily switched to Fortinet. Over the last two years, the prices have increased drastically. However, the prices of others have also increased. An advantage is there from the price point but not as much as it was previously."

"I pay €1,200 per year for the license along with Fortinet's 81E firewall appliance. I would rate this pricing as 3/5 stars, and I believe the price is reasonably similar to its competitors in the market, being somewhere in the middle."

"We pay $500 per year for the license."

"Fortinet is competitive price-wise."

"The price of Fortinet FortiGate is reasonable."

"The Indian market is different than the European and American markets. When you compare they need to be a bit more aggressive on pricing."

"It has been two years. I don't remember the actual price, but it was affordable. We buy the boxes and then use the license for three years."

"It is quite affordable for our customers. There is a separate cost for IPS, antivirus, web filtering, and other features. They have a great choice of licenses. You can go for the license that you want, which is quite useful."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"The solution’s pricing could be lower."

"Licensing is not only for Secure Firewalls, and it's too complicated."

"We have a perpetual license for all of our firewalls. For some of the features, we purchase them on demand. The pricing is decent but it could always be cheaper, we would be happier."

"The licensing is a bit off because the physical firewall is cheaper than the virtual one. We only have the physical ones as they are cheaper than the virtual ones. We only use the physical firewalls because of the price difference."

"The pricing for Cisco products is higher than others, but Cisco is a very good, strong, and stable technology."

"Our subscription costs, just for the firewalls, is between $400,000 and $500,000 a year."

"The cost of the firewalls versus the ROI is okay."

"This solution might be expensive, but it is economical in the long run."

More Cisco Secure Firewall pricing and cost advice

Information not available

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Comparison Review

it_user206346

Security Consultant at Webernetz.net - Network Security Consulting

Mar 11, 2015

Cisco ASA vs. Palo Alto Networks

Cisco ASA vs. Palo Alto: Management Goodies You often have comparisons of both firewalls concerning security components. Of course, a firewall must block attacks, scan for viruses, build VPNs, etc. However, in this post I am discussing the advantages and disadvantages from both vendors concerning…

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

11%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

Construction Company

47%

Manufacturing Company

13%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Outsourcing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	365
Midsize Enterprise	135
Large Enterprise	191

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	186
Midsize Enterprise	129
Large Enterprise	231

No data available

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Depot?

I don't know exactly about the pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Depot because my accountant follows this for me.

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What needs improvement with Depot?

Technology is always improving, and putting new technology would be an improvement for my job. I feel fine with the a...

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What is your primary use case for Depot?

I'm a freelance chiropractor and I use Depot to manage payers. It is used for shaving mainly. A lot of customers come...

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Comparisons

Sophos Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 18% of the time

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

OPNsense 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

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Cisco Secure Firewall

Compared 10% of the time

Palo Alto Networks WildFire vs Cisco Secure Firewall

Compared 10% of the time

Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) vs Cisco Secure Firewall

Compared 5% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Cisco Secure Firewall

Compared 3% of the time

Palo Alto Networks VM-Series vs Cisco Secure Firewall

Compared 2% of the time

More Cisco Secure Firewall Competitors

GitHub Actions vs Depot

Compared 100% of the time

More Depot Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

April 2026

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Secure Firewall

April 2026

Download Cisco Secure Firewall product report

Buyer's Guide

Build Automation

March 2026

Download Depot product report

Also Known As

Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall

Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Firewall, Cisco ASA NGFW, Adaptive Security Appliance, Cisco Sourcefire Firewalls, Cisco ASAv, Cisco Firepower NGFW Firewall, Cisco Secure Firewall ASA Virtual - BYOL

No data available

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 Firewall provides comprehensive network security with advanced features such as application visibility, URL filtering, and malware protection. It combines a user-friendly interface with robust VPN capabilities, making it a reliable choice for varying network environments and industry applications.

Cisco Secure Firewall offers exceptional protection with its integration into Cisco's broader ecosystem, ensuring enhanced threat detection and policy unification. Despite its complexity in command-line interfaces and management, Cisco Secure Firewall remains a potent tool for safeguarding data. It is widely adopted for edge security, VPN services, perimeter defense, and traffic segmentation, especially in hybrid settings. Essential sectors like banking and telecom benefit from its stable connectivity and centralized security management. Though there are challenges with costs and support for third-party APIs, the firewall's scalability and high availability provide comprehensive support for protecting network assets.

What are the key features of Cisco Secure Firewall?

Application Visibility: Offers in-depth visibility of application traffic to monitor and protect against threats.
Advanced Malware Protection: Protects against known and emerging malware threats with powerful detection capabilities.
URL Filtering: Manages and restricts access to websites, enhancing organizational data security.
VPN Capabilities: Ensures secure remote access and encrypted communication through strong VPN features.
Integration with Cisco Ecosystem: Enhances security measures with seamless integration with Cisco's suite of security tools.

What benefits and ROI should be expected from Cisco Secure Firewall?

Comprehensive Protection: Offers multi-layered security for diverse network environments, increasing overall data protection.
Performance Efficiency: High availability and scalability lead to improved network performance and resource management.
Management Simplification: Centralized security management streamlines policy deployment across networks.
Enhanced Threat Detection: Integration capabilities improve threat detection and mitigation for better security posture.

Cisco Secure Firewall is widely implemented across sectors like banking, education, ISPs, and telecoms. It fortifies data centers and network edge security, delivering strong protection for client access, hybrid environments, and intrusion prevention. In these industries, firewall solutions ensure secure connectivity and manage RTU traffic effectively, leveraging centralized management and integration with Cisco's security tools.

Cisco

Depot is a versatile platform designed to optimize operations and improve productivity by providing efficient management tools tailored for various industries.

With Depot, businesses can benefit from a comprehensive toolkit that facilitates seamless integration and functionality. Its robust features empower companies to streamline processes, enhance collaboration, and boost efficiency across multiple departments. Depot's adaptability makes it an essential choice for businesses seeking a reliable management solution.

What are the key features of Depot?

Inventory Management: Offers real-time tracking and automation of stock levels.
Task Automation: Streamlines routine tasks to enhance productivity.
Data Analytics: Provides insightful reports for informed decision-making.
Custom Integrations: Allows seamless connectivity with other platforms.
Scalability: Adapts to growing demands with ease.

What ROI should be expected?

Cost Savings: Reduces operational costs by optimizing processes.
Time Efficiency: Minimizes downtime through effective task management.
Improved Accuracy: Enhances precision across operations with real-time data.
Enhanced Collaboration: Fosters team communication and coordination.
Increased Revenue: Drives growth with streamlined sales and distribution.

Depot's implementation varies across industries from logistics to retail, where it plays a crucial role in managing supply chains and inventory efficiently. In healthcare, Depot supports the management of medical supplies and patient data. Its adaptability encourages widespread adoption, supporting diverse operational needs with tailored configurations.

Depot

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

There are more than one million Adaptive Security Appliances deployed globally. Top customers include First American Financial Corp., Genzyme, Frankfurt Airport, Hansgrohe SE, Rio Olympics, The French Laundry, Rackspace, and City of Tomorrow.

Information Not Available

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