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Fortinet FortiGate SWG vs Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 4, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
7.5
Fortinet FortiGate SWG offers ROI with strong features, enhanced connectivity, and improved traffic management despite higher costs.
Sentiment score
7.3
Prisma Access enhances security, reduces costs, and simplifies operations, offering great ROI and scalability with integrated insights and technology consolidation.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.8
Fortinet FortiGate SWG support is knowledgeable but experiences delays; documentation is strong, though response speed needs improvement.
Sentiment score
6.8
Prisma Access support is efficient and knowledgeable, but users seek faster response times and improved language-specific expertise.
The product is reliable, making customer support less frequently needed.
We rarely need to contact support due to having a strong internal team and a robust product.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.6
Fortinet FortiGate SWG offers scalable solutions for medium to large businesses but is costly and less favored by small enterprises.
Sentiment score
7.6
Prisma Access excels in scalability and flexibility, though challenges exist in extensive deployments and complex integrations at large scales.
It meets the growing demands of my network.
To scale, one would need to upgrade or acquire more hardware.
Prisma Access provides significant scalability, allowing integration of different systems.
Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is a cloud-based solution, and from my experience, there are no issues with scalability.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.6
Fortinet FortiGate SWG is highly stable and reliable, with occasional update bugs and minor power outage resilience issues.
Sentiment score
7.9
Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is praised for stable performance and reliability, with minimal downtime even during updates.
Fortinet SWG is a stable solution.
Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks works efficiently during peak usage times.
I think the stability of Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is excellent, and I would rate it ten out of ten.
Prisma Access is very stable.
 

Room For Improvement

Fortinet FortiGate SWG requires pricing, cloud integration improvements, user experience enhancements, and streamlined licensing to attract smaller businesses.
Prisma Access needs better documentation, integration, and pricing, alongside UI, authentication, and global coverage improvements for enhanced user experience.
We would like the VPN to act as a web filtering solution because users outside the company don't have web filtering.
I would rate the technical support of Fortinet a six or seven out of ten.
There is a lack of integration with third-party solutions like CrowdStrike or SentinelOne in Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks.
Hosting it in the cloud can mitigate these issues by allowing connection through the nearest Palo Alto or Prisma Cloud regional hub.
 

Setup Cost

Fortinet FortiGate SWG pricing is mixed, seen as costly for SMBs but affordable for enterprises compared to competitors.
Prisma Access is costly but valued for comprehensive security features, though licensing complexity and extra support costs are concerns.
Fortinet products are very expensive compared to competitors like Sophos and SonicWall.
On a scale from one to ten, I would rate the pricing for FortiGate AWG as nine, which is perfect.
The pricing is on the higher side, rating it around eight to nine out of ten.
From my experience, Palo Alto is more expensive compared to solutions like Netskope and Triscale.
Pricing for Prisma Access and Prisma SD WAN is high due to the need for different hardware flavors like IONs.
 

Valuable Features

Fortinet FortiGate SWG offers comprehensive security features, integration, scalability, ease of use, and cost-effectiveness, excelling in cybersecurity.
Prisma Access offers robust security features, seamless integration, and real-time alerts, making it ideal for reliable organizational protection.
These features have proven effective in protecting our network, handling large volumes of traffic smoothly without any issues.
These features are security-driven, providing robust protection against increasing cyber threats by integrating NG Firewalls, SD WAN, and CASB, all within a fully cloud-native solution.
One of the most valuable features of Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is the ability to manage on-premise firewalls.
GlobalProtect has been beneficial for its cloud security capabilities, which are vital as businesses seek hybrid options and need to support remote workers while addressing latency issues.
 

Categories and Ranking

Fortinet FortiGate SWG
Ranking in Secure Web Gateways (SWG)
3rd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
43
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Prisma Access by Palo Alto ...
Ranking in Secure Web Gateways (SWG)
4th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
64
Ranking in other categories
Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) (1st), Enterprise Infrastructure VPN (5th), ZTNA as a Service (2nd), Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) (3rd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Secure Web Gateways (SWG) category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiGate SWG is 6.1%, down from 7.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is 10.9%, up from 9.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Secure Web Gateways (SWG)
 

Featured Reviews

Ayman Said - PeerSpot reviewer
Enables seamless traffic handling and effective network protection
We are using Fortinet FortiGate SWG for web filtering, application control, and IDPS. Additionally, we utilize it for VPN and the main features of a firewall Web filtering is very good, as well as IDPS. SD-WAN is a perfect feature. Additionally, the VPN is stable and very good. These features…
Ángel García Favieres - PeerSpot reviewer
Experience seamless networking with reliable support and enhanced security
It is all about the interface. The Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks interface is more difficult than FortiGate. The area where we encountered most problems was the permissions system. When the client wanted to give me access, they did not want to give me super admin access because they wanted me to have access only for specific tasks. We had significant trouble with configuring those permissions and making them work, as there are many options on the permissions panel. The permissions tab should be more generalized. There are so many options that you always have to open a case for technical support. The technical support team resolved these issues effectively, but this remains an area for improvement.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Government
7%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Government
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Fortinet FortiGate SWG?
The interface and other reports are all user-friendly.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiGate SWG?
Fortinet products are very expensive compared to competitors like Sophos and SonicWall. From a pricing perspective, I would rate them a six.
What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiGate SWG?
More improvement in AI would be a good edge. We would like the VPN to act as a web filtering solution because users outside the company don't have web filtering. It supports web filtering with an a...
What is the better solution - Prisma Access or Zscaler Private Access?
We looked into Prisma Access before choosing Zscaler Private Access (ZPA). Palo Alto’s Prisma Access is a secure access service edge (SASE) designed to deliver network security in a cloud-deliver...
What do you like most about Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks?
The most valuable features of the solution are in the areas of the secure remote access it provides while also being user-friendly.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks?
From my experience, Palo Alto is more expensive compared to solutions like Netskope and Triscale.
 

Also Known As

FortiGate SWG, FortiGate Secure Web Gateway
Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access, Prisma Access, GlobalProtect, Palo Alto GlobalProtect Mobile Security Manager, Prisma SaaS by Palo Alto Networks, Prisma Access
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Salt Lake County, Catholic College Bendigo, Azienda Unita Sanitaria
Concord Hospital, State of Colorado, Essilor International, RheinLand Versicherungsgruppe, University of Westminster, Universidade Nove de Julho, SPAR Austria, CAME Group, ZipRealty, Greenhill & Co., IKT Agder, Aviva Stadium, Animal Logic, Management & Training Corporation, Brigham Young University Hawaii, School District of Chilliwack
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiGate SWG vs. Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
863,901 professionals have used our research since 2012.