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Fortinet FortiClient vs SonicWall Connect Tunnel comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 6, 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 FortiClient
Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
2nd
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
102
Ranking in other categories
Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) (11th), Endpoint Compliance (1st)
SonicWall Connect Tunnel
Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
28th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Enterprise Infrastructure VPN category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiClient is 5.5%, down from 13.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SonicWall Connect Tunnel is 1.3%, up from 1.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Enterprise Infrastructure VPN Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Fortinet FortiClient5.5%
SonicWall Connect Tunnel1.3%
Other93.2%
Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
 

Featured Reviews

KL
Senior Technical Manager at Flexaccel
Remote access has become seamless and secure while deployment remains simple for our users
Performance could be improved today. People are now moving toward SASE, which stands for Secure Access, Secure Edge Solution. Fortinet also has that offering, which would be easier since it operates through the cloud, acting as a first line of defense. When the user connects to the internet, they connect to the cloud first for posture assessment and monitoring before connecting to the outside world. The impact is significant because nowadays people are adopting SASE. During COVID time, many users were trying to connect back to their office, causing the performance or CPU utilization of the firewall to increase tremendously, which slowed down performance. I have not worked with endpoint telemetry in Fortinet FortiClient that could have been helpful for threat mitigation.
Raghuram K M - PeerSpot reviewer
Chief Technology Officer at Prognosys Medical Systems
Offers advanced security features and is easy to install
The product's feature to secure remote access needs is an area that is looked after by the IT team in our company. I work in a healthcare organization where we need to protect certain private information. My organization does not focus on network or database protection. I know about the VPN encryption in the tool. My company has not faced any problems with the product's performance, speed, and connectivity. Performance-wise, my company is satisfied with the product. I will tell those who plan to purchase the product that they need to look at the level of security or encryption they expect for their environment. If there is a requirement for the different networks in the domain of those who planned to purchase the product to be isolated, then it should be done. I rate the overall tool a nine out of ten.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The solution is very scalable. It just depends on the number of licenses an organization has. The enterprise management console is related to the number of clients, and the client interface itself is free to download."
"We have networked our phone systems together so that we can dial any of our locations on a four-digit dial, versus having to dial the 10-digit phone numbers."
"Fortinet FortiClient provides several benefits such as saving time, saving money, and improving security."
"It's a good solution."
"From FortiClient, the EMS, the central management is easy to use."
"The service is centralized."
"The integration of the vulnerability scan, mobile detection, and VPN client."
"The return on investment was very reasonable; it was low cost and it functioned, so the return on investment was excellent."
"The most valuable features of the solution stem from the advanced security features it offers."
"The best features are security and ease of use."
"The best features are security and ease of use."
 

Cons

"One challenge we faced was with the installation."
"They have an EDR feature for end protection detection and response, and this is actually with an add-on subscription, which is charged separately. What I would like to see is this included with the base cost."
"FortiClient's encryption key could be stronger so that it's not broken too easily."
"There are compatibility issues, and sometimes, especially with macOS, it's difficult to set up properly."
"The features for application control and device control must be improved."
"FortiClient's encryption key could be stronger so that it's not broken too easily."
"Sometimes there are issues when we are trying to connect. The error doesn't give us the proper feedback."
"They have an EDR feature for end protection detection and response, and this is actually with an add-on subscription, which is charged separately."
"An improvement would be to update the look and feel of the interface, which is very traditional and doesn't fit the current market trend."
"An improvement would be to update the look and feel of the interface, which is very traditional and doesn't fit the current market trend."
"The product's configuration, administration, and user interface are areas of concern."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price is reasonable compared to competitors, it is very good."
"As a technical team member, I am not responsible to look into the pricing matters. These aspects are typically handled by the management team, who have the authority to obtain the necessary licenses based on certain established principles."
"The pricing is a six out of ten."
"FortiClient is quite reasonably priced."
"FortiClient is costly."
"Licensing was free up to ten users and after that, it was pretty reasonable."
"It is not that expensive. It was within the range. A dollar per user per month is nothing."
"The licensing fee varies with what one is trying to accomplish. It can range from being free to costing several hundred thousand dollars per year."
"Connect Tunnel is expensive."
"The product is expensive. Two or three years ago, when the solution was purchased for our company, I remember that it was not the cheapest compared to the tools offered by competitors."
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Top Industries

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

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business59
Midsize Enterprise23
Large Enterprise25
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

How does Fortinet FortiClient compare with Open VPN Access Server?
Fortinet FortiClient is a feature-rich solution that is easy to use and deploy without sacrificing safety and security. It has a very fast connection rate and has a built-in VPN. With this solution...
What's the difference between Fortinet's FortiEDR and FortiClient?
I suggest Fortinet’s FortiEDR over FortiClient for several reasons. For starters, FortiEDR guarantees solid protection because it continually scans servers for emerging vulnerabilities, which gives...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiClient?
The solution is not cloud-based; it comes from the firewall itself.
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Also Known As

FortiClient
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiClient vs. SonicWall Connect Tunnel and other solutions. Updated: April 2026.
894,738 professionals have used our research since 2012.