Cisco Secure Firewall vs Waterfall Security comparison

The compared Cisco and Waterfall Security solutions aren't in the same category. Cisco is ranked #5 in Firewalls , with an average rating of 8.2, and holds a 7.5% mindshare in the category. Waterfall Security is ranked #11 in OT , and holds a 1.7% mindshare. Additionally, 83% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Waterfall Security users who would recommend it.

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Executive Summary

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

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

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

Buyer's Guide

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	18.3%
OPNsense	10.3%
Other	63.9%

Firewalls

Operational Technology (OT) Security Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Waterfall Security	1.7%
Nozomi Networks	19.4%
Claroty Platform	17.5%
Other	61.400000000000006%

Operational Technology (OT) Security

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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Iulian PAVALOAIA

SCADA & ICT SME/CConsultant at DNS

Cyber security solution used for data transmission that requires training to make use of all of its powerful features

We use this solution to manage auto operations, technology networks and information technology within our infrastructure. The SCADA controls the power network and does not interfere with accounting system. This solution is used predominantly for data transmission. This is a professional solution…

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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 a simple solution, and the integration with other solutions in the Fortinet portfolio, such as the Security Fabric integration, is competitive."

"Fortinet FortiGate is among the best firewall solutions, having a significant market share in Egypt."

"Fortinet FortiGate SWG's content is its most valuable feature."

"We use the filtering feature the most. It has filtering and inbuilt securities. We can create customized rules to define which users can access a particular type of site. We can create policies inside the firewall."

"User identification and application identification are valuable features."

"We can detect any attack of viruses or malware at the first point of contact."

"The most valuable features of the solution are SD-WAN, filtering testing applications, web filtering, and the new VPN."

"The most valuable feature is the VDOM, which allows the customer to have multiple firewalls in a single campus."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"The ASDM (Adaptive Security Device Manager) which is the graphical user interface, works out, and Cisco keeps it current."

"The integration of network and workload micro-segmentation helps a lot to provide unified segmentation policies across east-west and north-south traffic. One concrete example is with Cisco ACI for the data center. Not only are we doing what is called a service graph on the ACI to make sure that we can filter traffic east-west between two endpoints in the same network, but when we go north-south or east-west, we can then leverage what we have on the network with SGTs on Cisco ISE. Once you build your matrix, it is very easy to filter in and out on east-west or north-south traffic."

"It helped us a lot with our VPNs for the home office during COVID. There has been more security and flexibility for VPNs and other applications."

"I like all of the features."

"Cisco Secure Firewall is one of the best and most stable solutions I have encountered, with no crashes and a powerful, stable system that shows no degradation in performance."

"It makes it very easy to have delineated roles and responsibilities between network engineering and network security."

"The most important feature is its categorization because on the site and social media you are unified in the way they are there."

"I like the firewall features, Snort, and the Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)."

More Cisco Secure Firewall pros

"This is a professional solution which has been the most valuable aspect of its use."

Cons

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

"Two-way inspections are not possible in FortiGate."

"From a support perspective, I had more issues that I didn't think the person on my case handled the way I was expecting. We called them for a geolocation issue and we didn't get any proper assistance."

"We had some issues in the beginning while setting it up, but after doing the firmware update, it is working fine."

"In the next release, maybe the documentation on how to use this solution could be improved."

"There are some license issues. Not every feature must have a separate license. There must be some of kind synergy between the license so we don't have to pay for every individual license that we would like to have."

"A disadvantage exists when we are collecting the logs, as it sometimes becomes very difficult to interpret the logs that are generated from the firewall."

"Its load balancing feature could be easy to configure."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"The cost of this product should be reconsidered."

"Cisco ASA is not a next-generation firewall product."

"Cisco is not cheap, however, it is worth investing in these technologies."

"There are many areas for improvement despite the fact that we love the product, but because it is a newer version we’ve been working out lots of issues."

"You shouldn't have to use the ASDM to help manage the client."

"The inclusion of an autofill feature would improve the ease of commands."

"It would be great to have all the data correlated to have an overview and one point of administration."

"The virtual firewalls don't work very well with Cisco AnyConnect."

More Cisco Secure Firewall cons

"The interface of this solution could be more user friendly. The initial set up could also be made more simple."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product is expensive."

"It's not the cheapest, but it's value for money. Given everything we've got out of it: the DMZ port, the VPN, and the high availability, it's a pretty reasonable price."

"The main reason we chose Fortinet FortiGate was that the price was better than the competition."

"I rate FortiGate Next Generation Firewall a five out of ten for pricing."

"I would say that all things considered, the pricing is pretty good."

"The price of FortiGate is good."

"The price for the device and software is high. However, the solution is of good quality and has a lot of features."

"The initial setup is super straight forward and as far as the licensing goes for the small product that we have, the pricing was pretty competitive. It wasn't as simple and as cheap as a SonicWall but for the service we would get it was a good price."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"Watch out for hidden licensing and incredibly high annual maintenance costs."

"The solution’s pricing is competitive."

"It is expensive. There is a cost for everything. There is per year license cost and support cost. There is also a cost for any training, any application, and any resource. Things are very costly to do with Cisco. Other brands are cheaper. They are also more flexible in terms of training, subscription, and licensing. They give lots and lots of years free. They provide more than Cisco."

"The solution’s pricing could be lower."

"They have a lot of different models but most of them are really expensive."

"Acquiring licensing for Cisco Secure Firewall can be a bit cumbersome, therefore a more straightforward licensing process would be preferable."

"If we compare it with FortiGate and the co-existing ASA, FortiGate is better in price."

"The prices of Cisco Secure Firewall are competitive, especially for us as Cisco partners. We purchase the products directly from Cisco as a gold partner, which allows us to obtain better pricing than we would get from normal distributors or the local market."

More Cisco Secure Firewall pricing and cost advice

"This is an expensive solution."

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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

11%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

University

Energy/Utilities Company

16%

Educational Organization

12%

Comms Service Provider

12%

Computer Software Company

10%

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	360
Midsize Enterprise	135
Large Enterprise	190

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

No data available

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Comparisons

Sophos Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 19% 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 11% 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 2% of the time

OPNsense vs Cisco Secure Firewall

Compared 2% of the time

More Cisco Secure Firewall Competitors

OPSWAT MetaDefender OT Security vs Waterfall Security

Compared 27% of the time

Owl Cyber Defense vs Waterfall Security

Compared 20% of the time

PT Industrial Cybersecurity Suite vs Waterfall Security

Compared 11% of the time

Fortinet OT Security Platform vs Waterfall Security

Compared 11% of the time

Cisco Cyber Vision vs Waterfall Security

Compared 8% of the time

More Waterfall Security Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

March 2026

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Secure Firewall

March 2026

Download Cisco Secure Firewall product report

Buyer's Guide

Operational Technology (OT) Security

February 2026

Download Waterfall Security 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

Waterfall Security Solutions Enhances Support For Osisoft Pi and continues to invest in secure IT/OT integration.

Waterfall Security

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.

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