Fortinet FortiAP vs WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi comparison

Fortinet and WatchGuard are both solutions in the Wireless LAN category. Fortinet is ranked #12 with an average rating of 8.4, while WatchGuard is ranked #24 with an average rating of 7.0. Fortinet holds a 5.3% mindshare in Wireless LAN, compared to WatchGuard’s 0.4% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Fortinet users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 83% of WatchGuard users who would recommend it.

Fortinet FortiAP

Read 14 Fortinet FortiAP reviews

2,269 Views
1,984 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi

Read 7 WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi reviews

531 Views
431 Comparison Views

83% willing to recommend

Fortinet FortiAP

WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 31, 2024

WatchGuard Secure Wi-Fi and Fortinet FortiAP compete in the secure wireless networking solutions category. Fortinet FortiAP seems to have the upper hand with its feature set, though WatchGuard offers competitive pricing and support advantages.

Features: WatchGuard Secure Wi-Fi includes a straightforward policy management system, real-time visibility, and compatibility with various network environments. Fortinet FortiAP offers robust security integration, advanced RF management, and seamless integration with other Fortinet products.

Room for Improvement: WatchGuard could focus on increasing its advanced security features and RF management capabilities. Fortinet FortiAP may benefit from simplified deployment processes and more intuitive user interfaces. Both can improve broader third-party integrations for even more versatility.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: WatchGuard Secure Wi-Fi is easy to deploy with intuitive setup processes and responsive support, facilitating smooth implementation. Fortinet FortiAP requires more technical expertise due to its sophisticated deployment, but it ensures efficient implementations for high-capacity networks. While WatchGuard offers simplified deployment, Fortinet excels in technical support for adept teams.

Pricing and ROI: WatchGuard Secure Wi-Fi is competitive concerning initial setup costs and provides strong ROI with lower entry fees and favorable ongoing expenses. Fortinet FortiAP involves a higher initial investment but promises substantial long-term ROI through enhanced network security and extensive capabilities. WatchGuard is cost-effective initially, whereas Fortinet's features justify its higher price for those prioritizing long-term performance and security.

To learn more, read our detailed Fortinet FortiAP vs. WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiAP vs. WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi

April 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 FortiAP

Ranking in Wireless LAN

12th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi

Ranking in Wireless LAN

24th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiAP is 5.3%, up from 0.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi is 0.4%, down from 0.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Wireless LAN

Featured Reviews

Yati Gharat

Chief Technology Officer at Litmus

Integrates well with Fortinet products, but there are signal issues in the outdoor environment

FortiAP is very good in an indoor environment, but we are struggling with the outdoor environment. That is where we are having certain issues. We are not 100% happy with it. With the indoor environment, we are okay, but we are facing some issues when certain voice-related calls go from wireless points. There are certain drops, and we have faced these issues on an ongoing basis. We also have other vendors such as Aruba and Meraki, and we do not face any issues when there is a Teams or Zoom meeting going on. It could be that FortiAP is okay, but that particular device or appliance is not capable of handling that much load of voice and video. This might be the issue. RF Spectrum Analysis helps to understand what is the coverage and hotspots related to a particular access point, but then when we bought it, we did heat mapping through different vendors. If there are any rogue APs, we can identify them with RF Spectrum Analysis. We can see what the coverage area is, but there are some issues with that. Some of the offices have thick glasses, or the cabins are different, so in the RF coverage, what is shown is not what we get on the practical grounds. There are some issues with signal performance. It has the basic functionality that is mostly used, but there are certain devices that are not able to interconnect. When there is any issue or problem, if the administrator can get some information about that, that will be good. With Meraki and Aruba, we get certain beautiful things. If those can be integrated into this solution, it will be more beneficial, but we understand that being a security company, Fortinet's focus is on security.

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WarrenWilliams

Senior Account Manager at Bralin Technology Solutions

A solution that offers excellent support and makes it easy to manage networks

To utilize the solution properly, you need some training and guidance on that. Getting it working is easy, but if you're going to use it with feature sets that make WatchGuard worthwhile to use, it's probably not the easiest to set up. I'd rate the initial setup a seven out of ten. The time taken to deploy the solution depends on the project scope you're doing. Do you need ten WiFi access points or one? You could deploy the solution in an hour. We need one person to deploy the solution. But the number of people required for deployment depends on where the access points are deployed. Like, if it's the ceiling or whatever. The way we do it, we usually have an on-site technician who sets up the backend. We usually have two people when deploying the solution, but you can do it with one person. We have a team that manages the solution. But if you have ten people on a site to manage the solution, 15 minutes daily is enough.

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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 FortiAPs are useful for small to medium-scale companies where there are budget concerns."

"The most valuable aspect of Fortinet FortiAP is the support."

"I like FortiAP's performance and stability. The reporting is also quite good."

"I would give FortiAP a rating of ten out of ten so far."

"The product's deployment phase is very easy since its documentation part is available in the public domain."

"We really don't need to call technical support. Any time we have had to call, they've been great."

"The product's initial setup phase was easy, especially with FortiGate or your FortiManager in place."

"If we have FortiClient installed on multiple devices, it is seamless to connect with FortiAP. It supports passwordless authentication as well. That is a great thing about it."

More Fortinet FortiAP pros

"The configuration part of WatchGuard is very flexible."

"The solution has been stable."

"They're very easy to set up and get running."

"Cloud analytics that provide all its attributes."

"It makes it easy to obtain all information about the client experience."

"The Wi-Fi security features of this solution have been great for our customers who need to strictly control access to their network."

"We like that WatchGuard works and integrates directly with the firewalls we use."

Cons

"FortiAP is very good in an indoor environment, but we are struggling with the outdoor environment."

"I would like to have automation capabilities that would help us reduce the configuration steps."

"The improvement factor could be in APs. Also, it could have a control, like MAC address."

"Technical support is a pain. Fortinet has to get its act together. If you don't pay for premium service, you will have issues."

"There could be constraints where a product can't be scaled further without purchasing a new model."

"There is nothing that particularly comes to mind for improvement."

"The security integration between the network and firewall has room for improvement."

"The support offered by the solution has certain shortcomings, making it in areas where improvements are required."

More Fortinet FortiAP cons

"The solution can be scaled but it has limitations from my experience."

"The price of this solution needs to reviewed, as it is currently high enough to deter customers from trying it."

"I don't think they're available at the best price."

"If a client device had issues with authentication due to out of date browser or similar difficulties, it would be nice to have the ability to migrate the client onto the portal via one click."

"Inability to import a user with one click."

"The support response can be time-consuming because sometimes issues are very sensitive and require instant attention."

"One of the things is if you buy it with a certain subscription, you can't easily change the subscription level."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"On a scale of one to ten with ten being the most expensive, I would rate FortiAP a six."

"FortiAP is more expensive than some other options."

"If I compare it with the other enterprise products, the price is good."

"We purchased perpetual licensing, and additional costs may vary depending on the services acquired from Fortinet."

"The product is available at a very comfortable price for my company compared to the other products available in the market. The prices of products from Meraki and Aruba are high compared to those of Fortinet."

"Fortinet FortiAP offers a more cost-effective solution compared to Palo Alto and Check Point."

"The devices under Fortinet are not expensive. The solution's licensing part is expensive."

"The solution is priced high compared to competitors. However, for the features that are included in the solution, the price becomes more reasonable."

"WatchGuard is on the upper scale for pricing."

"Your licensing and cost, as would be required for many other solutions, being considered for eighty to two hundred and eighty different physical locations, is just about the same amount per access point."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

11%

Government

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

13%

Comms Service Provider

12%

Non Profit

11%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about FortiAP?

If we have FortiClient installed on multiple devices, it is seamless to connect with FortiAP. It supports passwordless authentication as well. That is a great thing about it.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for FortiAP?

Fortinet solutions are more cost-effective compared to Cisco. The license costs for Fortinet are more affordable when considering licensing costs with other leaders like Cisco.

See all answers

What needs improvement with FortiAP?

I cannot pinpoint the exact improvements needed at the moment. However, security is always a concern for any business, and the network should not be compromised easily. There should be alerts to in...

See all answers

What do you like most about WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi?

We like that WatchGuard works and integrates directly with the firewalls we use.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi?

WatchGuard is on the upper scale for pricing.

See all answers

What needs improvement with WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi?

The support response can be time-consuming because sometimes issues are very sensitive and require instant attention. Also, when an incident occurs, the impact can be significantly huge. A recent p...

See all answers

Comparisons

Aruba Access Points vs Fortinet FortiAP

Compared 21% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs Fortinet FortiAP

Compared 20% of the time

Ubiquiti WLAN vs Fortinet FortiAP

Compared 18% of the time

Cisco Wireless vs Fortinet FortiAP

Compared 14% of the time

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Fortinet FortiAP

Compared 9% of the time

More Fortinet FortiAP Competitors

Ruckus Wireless vs WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi

Compared 40% of the time

Ubiquiti WLAN vs WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi

Compared 33% of the time

Aruba Wireless vs WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi

Compared 27% of the time

More WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiAP

May 2025

Download Fortinet FortiAP product report

Buyer's Guide

WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi

April 2025

Download WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi product report

Overview

Fortinet FortiAP provides wireless network access for industries such as banking, healthcare, and logistics. It enhances connectivity with FortiGate and FortiSwitch, ensuring secure data exchange in settings like offices and malls.

Fortinet FortiAP is integral for managing connected devices across sectors. It integrates seamlessly with Fortinet products, enhancing security and connectivity. Users benefit from a unified console that simplifies configuration and monitoring without additional controllers. The support for passwordless authentication and cloud visibility adds value, while its use in environments like shopping centers and offices facilitates secure data sharing and access.

What are the key features of Fortinet FortiAP?

Integration with FortiGate and FortiAnalyzer: Simplifies network management and monitoring.
Passwordless Authentication: Enhances security and accessibility.
Cloud Dashboard: Provides comprehensive visibility over network activities.
Direct Control from FortiGate: Eliminates the need for separate controllers.
SSID Customization: Supports tailoring of wireless access.

What benefits should users expect from Fortinet FortiAP?

Efficient Network Management: Centralized control and configuration simplify operations.
Comprehensive Reporting: Transparent insights for improved decision-making.
Secure Access: Protects data through advanced security measures.
Seamless Connectivity: Improves user experience with simplified networking.

In industries like banking and healthcare, Fortinet FortiAP is deployed to enhance network security and provide reliable access. Retailers leverage its capabilities in shopping centers, while warehouses benefit from its reliable connectivity to support seamless operations. Managed service providers use it to deliver tailored solutions, ensuring effective network segmentation and coverage.

Fortinet

WatchGuard is a global leader in network security, secure Wi-Fi, and network intelligence products and services for SMBs and Distributed Enterprises worldwide. Our mission is to make enterprise-grade security accessible to companies of all types and sizes through simplicity, making WatchGuard an ideal solution for distributed enterprises and SMBs. WatchGuard is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, with offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America.

WatchGuard

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Portsmouth Grammar School, HILOTEC

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiAP vs. WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi

April 2025

Free Report: Fortinet FortiAP vs. WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi

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