Cisco Secure Firewall vs Mode Enterprise comparison

The compared Cisco and Mode solutions aren't in the same category. Cisco is ranked #7 in Firewalls , with an average rating of 8.1, and holds a 6.2% mindshare in the category. Mode is ranked #35 in BIT , and holds a 0.5% mindshare. Additionally, 83% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Mode users who would recommend it.

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Cisco Secure Firewall and Mode Enterprise based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet, Netgate, OPNsense and others in Firewalls.

To learn more, read our detailed Firewalls Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Firewalls

September 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Fortinet FortiGate

Mindshare comparison

Firewalls Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Cisco Secure Firewall	6.2%
Fortinet FortiGate	20.4%
OPNsense	11.0%
Other	62.400000000000006%

Firewalls

BI (Business Intelligence) Tools Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Mode Enterprise	0.5%
Microsoft Power BI	14.1%
Tableau Enterprise	10.3%
Other	75.1%

BI (Business Intelligence) Tools

Featured Reviews

Vasu Gala

Manager, Information Technology Operation/Presales at TechMonarch

A stable solution with an intuitive interface and quick customer service

I have been working with Fortinet FortiGate, WatchGuard, Sophos, and SonicWall. I'm not as comfortable with SonicWall because of their UI and limitations. I prefer Fortinet above all other options. When it comes to configuration, I am confident in my ability to handle various tasks, including creating policies such as firewall rules, web policies, and application policies. Additionally, I can configure VPNs and implement load balancing, among other tasks. Overall, I feel much more comfortable working with Fortinet. Fortinet has made significant improvements by integrating AI with firewalls for threat analysis and prevention. In the past 2-3 years, they have launched FortiSASE and SIEM, and they also provide SOC services. Both Palo Alto and Fortinet FortiGate are excellent. While Fortinet FortiGate comes at higher prices, the functionality and support justify the cost. They promptly resolve firmware issues and inform all support providers about configuration changes.

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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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Yoeri Samwel

Logistical engineer at DSV

Helps to run Python-based scripts but needs enhancement in user experience

The most important feature of the solution is the ability to run Python-based scripts. Mode Analytics needs to improve the overall user experience. I have been working with the solution for two years. I rate the solution's stability a ten out of ten. I rate the tool's scalability a seven…

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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

"Fortinet FortiGate is easy to use."

"Its stability is the most valuable."

"This is a quality product with ok support, and it is better than the competition we've tried."

"FortiGate Next Generation Firewall's design is good...I am very impressed with the product's stability."

"Fortinet FortiGate is a stable solution."

"It is user friendly, and has all the features you need."

"Fortinet FortiGate has a very stable Linux-based operating system that is easy to use."

"The impact of SD-WAN on the network performance has been significant."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"The fact that we can use Firepower Management Center gives us visibility. It allows us to see and manage the traffic that is going through the network."

"The benefits we see from the ASA are connected to teleworking as well as, of course, having the basic functionality of a firewall in place and the prevention of attacks."

"This solution is easy to use if you know how to set it up."

"Cisco ASA has an okay CLI with a nice GUI."

"If you compare the ASA and the FirePOWER, the best feature with FirePOWER is easy to use GUI. It has most of the same functionality in the Next-Generation FirePOWER, such as IPS, IPS policies, security intelligence, and integration and identification of all the devices or hardware you have in your network. Additionally, this solution is user-friendly."

"The AnyConnect remote access VPN gives us an easy way to deploy remote working for our users."

"The feature I appreciate the most about Cisco Secure Firewall is its speed, especially for a 40-gig network."

"Once configured to suit your needs, these firewalls are rock solid appliances."

More Cisco Secure Firewall pros

"The most important feature of the solution is the ability to run Python-based scripts."

"The tool helps to catch results and review them."

"The solution is simple for people from a viewing perspective, not a coding perspective."

"The most valuable feature I would say is the flexibility in editing."

Cons

"During a recent upgrade from old devices to the latest ones, corporate IT faced challenges as there was no straightforward migration process, requiring many manual steps."

"More SD-WAN features can be integrated into the FortiGate Next Generation Firewall"

"Reporting is limited to providing an external appliance for improving the reporting capabilities of the FortiAnalyzer. It does not offer a central management and is also sold separably as an appliance."

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

"There are no areas that need improvement at this point in time."

"A couple of things I've seen that need improvement, especially in terms of a hard coding. The driver-level active moment really is out-of-the-box and we have to have contact the customer support and sometimes it is difficult to resolve."

"There are just some services that aren't available. For example, the Ethernet or point-to-point protocols. They could add these services to their product offering - especially services for ISPs."

"It's one of the more expensive brands."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"I see room for improvement when it comes to integrating all the devices into a central management system. Cisco doesn't provide this, but there are some good products in the market that can provide it."

"I work for a school, so getting licensing and getting the budget for Cisco Secure Firewall for certain products is a challenge. It's good to have them, however, it costs us a lot."

"The SSL VPN is, and always has been, painful to configure and the Java plugin does not guarantee a uniform deployment."

"I wouldn't give them a ten. Nobody is perfect. I'll give them a nine because they help me with any issues I've had."

"I don't have to see all the object groups that have been created on that firewall. That's just something that I would really appreciate on the CLA, even though it already exists on the GUI."

"Most of the features don't work well, and some features are missing as well."

"Also, they have a Firepower source file that I can work on the ASA device and on Firepower devices. A problem here lies in the way that you manage these devices. Some devices do not support the FMC, and some devices have to be managed through ASDM, and others have to be managed through 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."

More Cisco Secure Firewall cons

"I think in terms of User Interface, I would say it can be better."

"The data visualization is cumbersome in Mode Analytics. I want the solution to add a map that has an easy interface. The UI is slow sometimes."

"The solution could run faster."

"Mode Analytics needs to improve the overall user experience."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing of Fortinet FortiGate is average, not cheap or overly expensive compared to other firewall solutions in the market. It's effective and affordable for customers."

"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 was probably about $2,500 per firewall. It was all included. It included support, services, threat management software, and 24/7 FortiCare on it. Cisco products are more expensive."

"When I look around at other products, such as Sophos, Fortinet FortiGate is 20% to 30% more expensive with our current cost."

"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."

"We have the full version of Fortinet FortiGate and we are on a three-year contract with a commitment of five years."

"Pricing for this product is comparatively lower than other products. It's an affordable solution, but when expanding the number of users, they'll ask you to replace the model, so that's an added cost."

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

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"Its pricing is good and competitive. There is a maintenance cost. It includes SecureX that makes it cost-effective as compared to the other solutions where you have to pay for XDR and SOAR capabilities."

"They're not too expensive. They're a little more expensive than other products, but you are getting the name, the company, and the support."

"Be sure of what features you are going to utilize to add/remove some from new bundles."

"To discuss with Cisco Systems or their partners to gain the optimal price and to not consider, without verifying, the false information that Cisco ASA is very expensive."

"I am happy with the product in general, including the pricing."

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

"This is an expensive product, although when you buy this solution, you can do many things so it provides good value for the investment."

"The Firepower series of appliances is not cheap. I just got a quote recently for six firewalls that was in the range of over half-a-million dollars. That's what could push us to look to other vendors..."

More Cisco Secure Firewall pricing and cost advice

"Mode Analytics is cheap compared to other tools."

"The pricing is per user."

"My decision-maker found the pricing expensive, but it is okay for me."

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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…

Read full review

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

19%

University

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

16%

Media Company

13%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Insurance Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	351
Midsize Enterprise	130
Large Enterprise	187

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	180
Midsize Enterprise	126
Large Enterprise	212

No data available

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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Which is better - Fortinet FortiGate or Cisco ASA Firewall?

One of our favorite things about Fortinet Fortigate is that you can deploy on the cloud or on premises. Fortinet Fort...

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How does Cisco's ASA firewall compare with the Firepower NGFW?

It is easy to integrate Cisco ASA with other Cisco products and also other NAC solutions. When you understand the Cis...

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Which is better - Meraki MX or Cisco ASA Firewall?

Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) software is the operating software for the Cisco ASA suite. It supports netw...

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Comparisons

Sophos XG vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 18% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 9% of the time

OPNsense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

Cisco Meraki MX vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

WatchGuard Firebox vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

More Fortinet FortiGate Competitors

Palo Alto Networks WildFire vs Cisco Secure Firewall

Compared 8% of the time

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Cisco Secure Firewall

Compared 8% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Cisco Secure Firewall

Compared 4% of the time

OPNsense vs Cisco Secure Firewall

Compared 4% of the time

Cisco Meraki MX vs Cisco Secure Firewall

Compared 3% of the time

More Cisco Secure Firewall Competitors

Databricks vs Mode Enterprise

Compared 18% of the time

Metabase vs Mode Enterprise

Compared 17% of the time

Microsoft Power BI vs Mode Enterprise

Compared 13% of the time

Hex vs Mode Enterprise

Compared 13% of the time

Tableau Enterprise vs Mode Enterprise

Compared 10% of the time

More Mode Enterprise Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

October 2025

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Secure Firewall

October 2025

Download Cisco Secure Firewall product report

Buyer's Guide

BI (Business Intelligence) Tools

September 2025

Download Mode Enterprise product report

Also Known As

No data available

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

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

What are the key features of Fortinet FortiGate?

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

What benefits or ROI should be considered?

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

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

Fortinet

Cisco 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

Mode Enterprise offers a data-focused analytics platform designed for businesses seeking advanced insights and efficiency. It combines robust data exploration with seamless reporting capabilities.

Mode Enterprise caters to data-driven enterprises by providing them with the tools necessary for real-time analysis. It’s engineered to enhance business decision-making through comprehensive data visualization, encouraging immediate insights and collaborative work across teams. The platform’s integration capabilities allow for smoother adaptation into existing workflows, enhancing agility and responsiveness.

What key features does Mode Enterprise offer?

Real-Time Collaboration: Enables teams to collaborate on reports simultaneously.
Data Visualization: Offers dynamic charts and graphs for data insights.
SQL Editor: Advanced querying tools for complex data analysis.
Custom Reporting: Flexible report creation tailored to specific metrics.

What benefits and ROI should users consider?

Improved Decision Making: Facilitates informed business strategies.
Increased Efficiency: Streamlines data management workflows.
Enhanced Collaboration: Supports transparent and cooperative efforts.
Cost-Effectiveness: Reduces time and resources spent on manual data handling.

Mode Enterprise effectively serves sectors like finance, retail, and healthcare by providing industry-specific analytics solutions. Its adaptability allows for personalized implementations, meeting each sector's unique data analysis needs and contributing to improved operational outcomes. By fostering agility, it aids industries in staying competitive through timely insights and informed strategic decisions.

Mode

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.

Lyft, Zenefits, Twitch, Trello, Clover, Grovo, CrowdFlower, Segment, Everlane, Pocket, Highfive

Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet, Netgate, OPNsense and others in Firewalls. Updated: September 2025.

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