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Fortinet FortiAuthenticator vs Yubico YubiKey comparison

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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
Ranking in Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
2nd
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
65
Ranking in other categories
Single Sign-On (SSO) (10th), Identity Management (IM) (14th)
Yubico YubiKey
Ranking in Authentication Systems
9th
Ranking in Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
4th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
Passwordless Authentication (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2026, in the Authentication Systems category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiAuthenticator is 3.0%, down from 7.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Yubico YubiKey is 2.6%, down from 8.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Authentication Systems Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Fortinet FortiAuthenticator3.0%
Yubico YubiKey2.6%
Other94.4%
Authentication Systems
 

Featured Reviews

reviewer2848395 - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Business Development Manager at a outsourcing company with 501-1,000 employees
Multi-factor security has improved device protection but still needs broader application coverage
Fortinet FortiAuthenticator could be improved in its cost structure. Although it is not expensive, other solutions offer more value for less money. Cisco Duo provides better value in this regard and connects to web applications much more easily, scaling effectively in that sense. While I have never used Cisco Duo to secure other devices in IoT environments, I know Cisco Duo is capable of doing so, whereas Fortinet FortiAuthenticator cannot. Additionally, Cisco Duo is also cheaper. These are the main reasons why we switched away from Fortinet FortiAuthenticator, as it was very limited compared to other solutions available. Fortinet FortiAuthenticator was primarily missing the ability to scale to web applications.
reviewer2859021 - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr Security Engineer at a tech vendor with 5,001-10,000 employees
Hardware authentication has reduced password resets and now secures access against phishing
The best features Yubico YubiKey offers are the major reasons we use it as a hardware MFA to create a token because it is phishing resistant. It guarantees the authentication works on a valid cryptographically verified domain, and it supports multiple protocols and authenticator capability. It is based on challenge-response mode, and it has extremely physical durability. It has a dual interface where you can plug it into a laptop or against an iOS and Android mobile phone. The private keys are generated directly on the internal secure chip and can never be exported by the host system or malware. Reducing password reset and MFA lockout support tickets by 75% has reclaimed the engineering capacity, which can be redirected towards more core infrastructure priorities, such as automating the security pipelines, improving asset management, and building internal CLI AI tooling. It has eliminated employee downtime and has simpler compliance and lower operational friction.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"FortiAuthenticator has helped a lot of our customers in the way that they do the business when they onboard their clients to the data center."
"The solution is simple to deploy, simple to use, and user-friendly."
"We use multi-factor authentication for enhancing security."
"The tool's most valuable features are push notifications and integration with the FortiGate firewall. Push notifications provide an instant acceptance mechanism. When customers try to access SSL VPN, the solution sends a push notification to their mobile phone, and they can easily approve the access. The integration with FortiGate firewall is very easy if our customers use FortiGate for their firewall."
"We have a perpetual license for 2FA."
"Fulfilled our requirement at a good price."
"It reduces the need for network administrator intervention by allowing the user to perform their own registration and resolve their own password problems and issues."
"The product enables SSO."
"The solution is simple to use and we have installed it in our clients' endpoints. The tool is just plug-and-play for the end user. The end user can just put in the key to the security computer and log in without any hassle. The solution is efficient, user-friendly, and easy to use."
"Yubico YubiKey is highly valued for its anti-phishing feature, which prevents phishing of OTPs that are normally obtained through phones."
"It's small and lightweight. Like a phone, it doesn't run out of battery. It also doesn't have to be unlocked. It doesn't break. Moreover, they're very durable and it's very convenient."
"The most valuable feature of Yubico YubiKey is security."
"Reducing password reset and MFA lockout support tickets by 75% has reclaimed the engineering capacity, which can be redirected towards more core infrastructure priorities, such as automating the security pipelines, improving asset management, and building internal CLI AI tooling."
"YubiKey is a hardware security device with advanced security features."
 

Cons

"It would be helpful to receive a code by yourself for authentication instead of it registered to a phone."
"I think FortiAuthenticator is more expensive than other products like Cisco Duo."
"For improvement, Fortinet needs to ensure that they provide quick support to users...Fortinet sometimes needs to respond to users facing issues within an hour."
"One thing I dislike is that if you have the software authenticator on a mobile device and that device is lost, it's difficult to remove."
"We had some stability issues. Our first LBS unit wouldn't work properly the first time and that wasted a lot of time."
"I would like to see support for more credential authentication protocols."
"There are multiple areas that are in need of improvement. It is not a mature product."
"If you can't authenticate to protect transactions, and the security is weak, it's a problem."
"It's a hardware device, so it isn't cost-effective to use for all your accounts. You might have a hard time getting budget approval. It's better to take a strategic approach and use it only for critical accounts. You can use other forms of authentication for the rest."
"Yubico YubiKey could be improved by allowing for centralized administration, which is not currently available in India."
"It would be better if the product can come up with a serial number for the keys. It would be nice if they had a numbering system as a configuration identity that would help the IT and technical teams to identify the keys because they look all the same. It would be more like putting a tag on them."
"Currently, an area where the product lacks is in addressing service needs."
"Yubico YubiKey is one per user and I do not believe it is very scalable."
"Yubico YubiKey is inconvient. No one likes the idea of having to put a USB device into the system, having to remember to take it out, and having passwords. It may be very good for security but it is not great for people to use."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I rate its pricing a three to five out of ten."
"The solution is not very expensive."
"The pricing is fair."
"The cost of the license could be less expensive. The license is paid on a yearly basis."
"The licensing structure is cost-effective for us compared to some of the other solutions that have recurring monthly costs."
"I price of the solution is expensive."
"Between paying them to help with the configuration, the box itself, and the support, it came to like $12,500, including a three-year service agreement."
"The product has affordable pricing compared to other vendors."
"We paid 100 bucks for one Yubikey."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
12%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Outsourcing Company
9%
Construction Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business38
Midsize Enterprise19
Large Enterprise11
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiAuthenticator?
My experience with Fortinet FortiAuthenticator's pricing found the pricing to be good. There are better solutions available in the market. Overall, Fortinet FortiAuthenticator is an inexpensive sol...
What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiAuthenticator?
Fortinet FortiAuthenticator could be improved in its cost structure. Although it is not expensive, other solutions offer more value for less money. Cisco Duo provides better value in this regard an...
What is your primary use case for Fortinet FortiAuthenticator?
Fortinet FortiAuthenticator was implemented as a multi-factor authentication solution to serve as a second barrier for accessing and unlocking devices. However, Fortinet FortiAuthenticator was limi...
What needs improvement with Yubico YubiKey?
Yubico YubiKey is an industry gold standard for phishing-resistant hardware, though immutable firmware and password key storage limits keep it just shy of a perfect score. The immutable firmware an...
What is your primary use case for Yubico YubiKey?
Yubico YubiKey is my main hardware security key designed to provide multifactor authentication and for logging into my account. I typically use Yubico YubiKey to log into my corporate infrastructur...
What advice do you have for others considering Yubico YubiKey?
Regarding Yubico YubiKey's AI capabilities, it does not embed AI or machine learning capabilities in itself. Rather than introducing AI vulnerabilities, Yubico YubiKey serves as deterministic, non-...
 

Also Known As

FortiAuthenticator
YubiKey
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Google Inc., Salesforce, Novartis, Facebook, GitHub, CERN, Duke University, Code Enigma, Luther Burbank High School, ZorgSaam, Agfa, Santa Clara County Fire Department, Dyson Ltd, Portugal Telecom, Boral, Canonical Ltd
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiAuthenticator vs. Yubico YubiKey and other solutions. Updated: October 2026.
918,970 professionals have used our research since 2012.