No more typing reviews! Try our Samantha, our new voice AI agent.

Fortinet FortiAuthenticator vs Symantec VIP Access Manager comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 11, 2024

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 FortiAuthenticator
Ranking in Authentication Systems
5th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
64
Ranking in other categories
Single Sign-On (SSO) (10th), Identity Management (IM) (14th), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) (2nd)
Symantec VIP Access Manager
Ranking in Authentication Systems
12th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
15
Ranking in other categories
Access Management (17th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Authentication Systems category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiAuthenticator is 3.7%, down from 8.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Symantec VIP Access Manager is 2.2%, up from 1.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Authentication Systems Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Fortinet FortiAuthenticator3.7%
Symantec VIP Access Manager2.2%
Other94.1%
Authentication Systems
 

Featured Reviews

Sachin Vinay - PeerSpot reviewer
Assistant Manager-Networks at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees
Supports secure remote authentication and provides comprehensive user activity tracking
The most important feature is the security capability because it provides a substantial amount of security for admin-related activities. Fortinet FortiAuthenticator can be used from anywhere in the world, and the authenticator services function globally. This global accessibility is one of the critical advantages, particularly since admin features are critical and security is a real concern. With Fortinet FortiAuthenticator, secure usage of firewall services and related functions is achieved. A complete log of all users who access the authenticator setup is maintained. Monthly logs are reviewed to check for any unnoticed activities. Each authenticated user's complete activity history is recorded. This logging capability allows for providing access to more admin users while ensuring security is not compromised and all users can be monitored.
Berk Onur - PeerSpot reviewer
Presales Consultant at Cyberwise
With its mobile application, this tool offers a convenient and user-friendly experience to its users
To improve the tool, I think that the solution should consider integrations with other cybersecurity and IT technologies, such as Privileged Access Management and Site Integration. Additionally, the implementation of second-factor authentication via Symantec VIP Access Manager, CyberArk, and Delinea, among other technologies, could be best for the product. While the existing technology is okay, improving the integration capabilities for Symantec VIP Access Manager would benefit the product. I would like to see the solution meet the integration needs at our company. While many cybersecurity solutions can function independently, they often lack integration with our systems due to missed integration points. Improving the solution's integration feature would be beneficial.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Using this product strengthens enterprise security."
"Technical support is excellent with Fortinet FortiAuthenticator."
"The product's initial setup phase was easy. It is also easy to deploy."
"I work a lot with Fortinet products and I call the support often; they are very quick to respond and the support is very good."
"This was a regulation we needed to fill and it worked at a good price."
"The most valuable feature is the OTP on the mobile phone."
"The most valuable features are the performance and ease of use."
"The most valuable aspect of the solution is the security; it's great."
"Integration with Citrix Access Gateway, Microsoft Office 365 and Single Sign-On (through Symantec Validation and ID Protection Access Manager) has increased the productivity of the employees for accessing resources."
"The solution has helped to increase staff productivity by approximately a minute."
"The VPN we are using is good and working quite well."
"The tool has been very stable, in my experience. Also, I haven't faced any issues or problems with integration or connectivity."
"It is a fast and easy solution for end users, and you are always online."
"It is easy to use."
"Other than it provides us with remote access, so it's fairly easy to install, fairly easy to set up, and provides us the ability to get into our corporate environment."
"The ease of integrating into an existing authentication system."
 

Cons

"Integration with some other enterprise applications could be improved."
"The hardware aspect of the solution could be improved. We are not really able to understand the hardware capabilities of the device."
"The GUI is on the older side but I'm sure that it will be upgraded soon. It works, but it looks a little dated."
"The price of the solution could improve, it is expensive."
"We have issues with HA (high availability). These should be addressed in future releases."
"It does the job I paid for, but the graphical interface could be improved."
"I don't have any issues with this solution, but it may need a better, more user-friendly interface or better design of the platform."
"The product must provide full support for third-party FIDO security keys."
"Geofencing needs improvement."
"Maybe Symantec could consider providing a step-by-step guide for first-time users."
"Technical support is one of the worst problems."
"The User Store synchronization part needs to improve. Also, the logs, reports, and dashboard can be improved."
"I would like to see the solution meet the integration needs at our company...Improving the solution's integration feature would be beneficial."
"At times, the relay server could not contact Symantec; it would fail open and allow access without a passcode."
"If they had dashboards or a report for managers or executives, then it would allow them to see the status and have it make sense to them."
"Every time that I have a new phone or computer, it takes a little longer to deploy it."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The licensing structure is cost-effective for us compared to some of the other solutions that have recurring monthly costs."
"On a scale of one to ten, where one is a high price and ten is a low price, I rate the pricing a seven."
"It costs more to license the high-availability option."
"The price seems okay. It's not that expensive compared to other authenticators."
"The customers need to pay for licenses, and some pay on a yearly basis while others pay on a three-yearly or five-yearly basis. Also, it is not an expensive solution."
"The platform provides a user-based pricing model rather than a subscription pricing model."
"The solution is not very expensive."
"I rate the price of Fortinet FortiAuthenticator a three out of five."
"There are additional costs for maintenance."
"Licensing and pricing seems very fair."
"There is a one-time setup fee plus the licenses are provided as per the number of users. For SMS and voice calls, the costs are separate."
"I can say that the solution is worth the money."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Authentication Systems solutions are best for your needs.
893,438 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
11%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Computer Software Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Construction Company
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business38
Midsize Enterprise18
Large Enterprise11
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business4
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise10
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiAuthenticator?
Fortinet can make Fortinet FortiAuthenticator better by having a cloud version of it. Currently, Fortinet FortiAuthenticator is only available for on-premises, and it is an on-premises solution. It...
What is your primary use case for Fortinet FortiAuthenticator?
Fortinet FortiAuthenticator is primarily used for authenticating admin users, including remote admin use cases. Remote admin use cases utilize Fortinet FortiAuthenticator to securely authenticate a...
Ask a question
Earn 20 points
 

Also Known As

FortiAuthenticator
Symantec VIP
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Maine Medical Center, Aria S.p.A
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiAuthenticator vs. Symantec VIP Access Manager and other solutions. Updated: April 2026.
893,438 professionals have used our research since 2012.