Fortinet FortiGate vs Hillstone E-Series comparison

Fortinet and Hillstone Networks are both solutions in the Firewalls category. Fortinet is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.5, while Hillstone Networks is ranked #38 with an average rating of 8.0. Fortinet holds a 19.9% mindshare in Firewalls, compared to Hillstone Networks’s 0.4% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Fortinet users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Hillstone Networks users who would recommend it.

Fortinet FortiGate

Read 574 Fortinet FortiGate reviews

70,231 Views
56,185 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

Hillstone E-Series

Read 10 Hillstone E-Series reviews

1,441 Views
1,009 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Fortinet FortiGate

Hillstone E-Series

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 16, 2025

Fortinet FortiGate and Hillstone E-Series are both pivotal players in the network security firewall category. Fortinet FortiGate maintains a competitive edge with its favorable pricing and robust support infrastructure, while Hillstone E-Series is notably recognized for its enhanced feature set, despite its higher cost.

Features: Fortinet FortiGate provides a wide range of essential security features such as intrusion prevention systems (IPS), robust VPN support, and comprehensive advanced threat protection, making it suitable for large-scale deployments. Hillstone E-Series differentiates itself with superior application awareness, user-based policy control, and the ability to handle extensive features effectively in demanding environments.

Room for Improvement: Fortinet FortiGate could enhance its user interface to further simplify navigation for inexperienced users and improve integration with third-party tools to augment its versatility. Additionally, enhancing real-time analytics would be beneficial. Hillstone E-Series could lower its setup costs to better compete in the mid-market segment and optimize resource utilization efficiency. The device's heat management could also be improved to enhance overall hardware longevity.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Fortinet FortiGate offers efficient and straightforward deployment processes, backed by a reliable customer support network that facilitates smooth configuration and issue resolution. Hillstone E-Series, while straightforward to deploy, offers highly responsive customer service with technical support readily available, ensuring sustained device operation.

Pricing and ROI: Fortinet FortiGate is well-regarded for its cost-effectiveness, offering significant ROI by enabling scalable deployments with reasonable initial investment costs. Hillstone E-Series, despite its higher pricing, justifies the outlay through excellent performance and longevity, providing high returns to those valuing its advanced feature set and robust capabilities over the long term.

To learn more, read our detailed Fortinet FortiGate vs. Hillstone E-Series Report (Updated: November 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate vs. Hillstone E-Series

November 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 FortiGate

Ranking in Firewalls

1st

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

574

Ranking in other categories

Secure Web Gateways (SWG) (2nd), Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) (1st), Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions (1st), WAN Edge (1st), ZTNA (2nd), Unified Threat Management (UTM) (1st)

Hillstone E-Series

Ranking in Firewalls

38th

Average Rating

9.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

SSL VPN (10th), Enterprise Infrastructure VPN (25th)

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2025, in the Firewalls category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiGate is 19.9%, up from 19.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Hillstone E-Series is 0.4%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewalls Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Fortinet FortiGate	19.9%
Hillstone E-Series	0.4%
Other	79.7%

Firewalls

Featured Reviews

Vasu Gala

Manager, Information Technology Operation/Presales at TechMonarch

A stable solution with an intuitive interface and quick customer service

I have been working with Fortinet FortiGate, WatchGuard, Sophos, and SonicWall. I'm not as comfortable with SonicWall because of their UI and limitations. I prefer Fortinet above all other options. When it comes to configuration, I am confident in my ability to handle various tasks, including creating policies such as firewall rules, web policies, and application policies. Additionally, I can configure VPNs and implement load balancing, among other tasks. Overall, I feel much more comfortable working with Fortinet. Fortinet has made significant improvements by integrating AI with firewalls for threat analysis and prevention. In the past 2-3 years, they have launched FortiSASE and SIEM, and they also provide SOC services. Both Palo Alto and Fortinet FortiGate are excellent. While Fortinet FortiGate comes at higher prices, the functionality and support justify the cost. They promptly resolve firmware issues and inform all support providers about configuration changes.

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TahirMahmood

IT Manager at Zubair Feeds

Offers good features like URL filtering, IPS, and IDS to users

We received an update for the tool in July. The update was provided for the tool as there was a problem with the firewall, where too much memory was consumed, and the firewall was hanging a lot. When we updated the tool's features, everything became okay. The tool only had some memory-related problems. It took the tool a month to fix the issues.

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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

"The ease of use, concise reports, and threat identification are very user-friendly and valuable."

"It is complemented by other equipment, such as the Fortinet switch, and it is integrated with other tools that help to prevent cyberattacks, including a web filter, IPS, and application control."

"The stability of the solution is excellent, as it is with other Fortinet products."

"Fortinet FortiGate is scalable for our users. Right now, we have almost 70 users. We do not have any plan to increase our usage of FortiGate. For maintaining the firewall solution, one staff member is enough."

"It is simpler to configure. It is not like Cisco Firepower, where you go crazy trying to follow the Cisco documentation to figure out how to configure one little thing. Unlike Cisco Firepower, where you can't do everything through the web interface and you have got to do some command line stuff, Fortinet FortiGate SWG is simpler. There are four different things in Cisco to get in, which is not the case with Fortinet FortiGate SWG. It is one of my favorite solutions to work with. I would much rather work with it than Cisco Firepower, for example. Even though I've got 20 years of Cisco experience with different firewalls, I would much prefer this solution."

"The most valuable feature is the ease of use."

"The next-generation firewall is great."

"I rate this solution a nine out of ten."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."

"The most valuable features of the Hillstone E-Series are its hardware capacity, innovation, and the throughput that the hardware can take."

"The most valuable feature of the Hillstone E-Series is its user-friendliness."

"This solution has two main features that we find very valuable; a threat-intelligence option, and a web/application filtering option. The technical support team are very good and very quick."

"The installation is easy, we have not had any complaints from our customers."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is the ransomware protection that the tool offers."

"The initial setup was straightforward. It only took a few hours to deploy."

"I am impressed with the application filtering feature."

More Hillstone E-Series pros

Cons

"Fortinet FortiGate SWG can't be used on its own, and you have to get FortiAnalyzer."

"The solution could improve the configuration, there are times the configuration is missing."

"There's room for improvement in the interface, especially following their upgrade to version nineteen."

"There is a lot of improvement needed with SSL-VPN."

"In my opinion, Fortinet FortiGate could be improved by making the appliance smaller than what we have here, as it is pretty big."

"The initial setup is complex."

"Security level could be increased."

"There are some complex administration tasks in their administration portal. That needs to be improved."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"The tool provides just a general report. It does not provide a granular report. Hence, the tool should work on its reporting feature."

"The current usage reporting is very basic."

"I am not sure if this solution offers active directory integration. Adding that feature will definitely be an advantage."

"The tool needs to improve its price."

"Having frequent live webinars on a monthly basis would really help."

"The solution doesn't have a web proxy built into the system like Sophos. This is something they should work to change."

"Support from Hillstone E-Series has a shortcoming that needs improvement."

"The tool only had some memory-related problems."

More Hillstone E-Series cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"In my opinion, the pricing of the product is reasonable."

"The tool is a bit pricey for small businesses, but it is still bearable in terms of cost."

"Cost-wise, there is not much difference from Sophos, but feature-wise, we get more features."

"The cost of Fortinet FortiGate is competitive and not expensive compared to other enterprise- grade solutions. On average, the license cost per year is around seventy percent of the firewall's purchase price."

"Compared to other firewall products, it's a little cheaper in terms of pricing."

"As far as I'm aware, in our case, it's just a yearly pricing arrangement with no additional licensing costs."

"It's very affordable."

"It was worth the money overall. It's good value."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"The tool's pricing is reasonable. It depends on the model. The product's pricing is around 600 USD. You need to buy a software license to activate the features. You need to pay around 150 USD for that."

"The cost per year for licensing, and hardware, is approximately $850 for the basic plan."

"The licensing model is very complex with many subcategories of licenses you can purchase. They could make it more simplified for customers to understand."

"Hillstone's pricing is economical and neither very high nor very low."

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Comparison Review

it_user216600

Senior Technical Consultant with 51-200 employees

Jan 3, 2016

Sophos UTM vs. Fortinet FortiGate

I have used both Sophos and Fortinet products in production and I have found the Sophos UTM appliances (hardware and virtual) to be a better fit most of the time -- with a few caveats which I will touch on below. In both instances, the transition from TMG will be mostly straightforward. The main…

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

14%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

14%

Financial Services Firm

Non Profit

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	350
Midsize Enterprise	130
Large Enterprise	187

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	9
Midsize Enterprise	1

Questions from the Community

Which is the better NGFW: Fortinet Fortigate or Cisco Firepower?

When you compare these firewalls you can identify them with different features, advantages, practices and usage at large. In my opinion, Fortinet would be the best option and l use Fortinet too...

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What is the biggest difference between Sophos XG and FortiGate?

From my experience regarding both the Sophos and FortiGate firewalls, I personally would rather use FortiGate. I know the firewalls change every 5 to 7 years as stated but you really do need to upg...

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What are the biggest technical differences between Sophos UTM and Fortinet FortiGate?

As a solution, Sophos UTM offers a lot of functionality, it scales well, and the stability and performance are quite good. The most valuable features for me are their web and email filtering. I wou...

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What needs improvement with Hillstone E-Series?

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Hillstone E-Series?

I use the solution in my company for site-to-site VPN, SSL VPNs, URL filtering, IPS, IDS and all the other features which are available in the firewall.

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Hillstone E-Series?

Our company did not use the tool's micro-segmentation features. There were no issues while integrating the tool. I have not used any AI in the tool. I recommend the tool to others. I rate the tool ...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 18% of the time

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Compared 11% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 8% of the time

OPNsense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

Cisco Meraki MX vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

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OpenVPN Access Server vs Hillstone E-Series

Compared 19% of the time

Hillstone A-Series vs Hillstone E-Series

Compared 13% of the time

Sophos XG vs Hillstone E-Series

Compared 7% of the time

A10 Networks Thunder CFW vs Hillstone E-Series

Compared 6% of the time

Sangfor SSL VPN vs Hillstone E-Series

Compared 5% of the time

More Hillstone E-Series Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

November 2025

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Firewalls

November 2025

Download Hillstone E-Series product report

Overview

Fortinet FortiGate excels in providing integrated VPN, firewalling, and Unified Threat Management (UTM) with centralized management and high availability. It supports remote access and comprehensive threat protection, making it a preferred choice for securing networks.

Fortinet FortiGate offers a robust security platform with features such as strong intrusion prevention, application control, and web filtering. Its integration with Active Directory and SD-WAN functionality provides scalable solutions for large networks. Users appreciate its ease of use through centralized management interfaces, ensuring robust security with flexible configurations. However, FortiGate could enhance its graphical interface and technical support responsiveness, address firmware bugs and costly licensing, improve logging, integrate better with third-party tools, and strengthen scalability and memory for log storage. Complexity in configuration and the need for intuitive features are noted challenges, and there's a demand for advanced security, zero-trust capabilities, and AI integration.

What are the key features of Fortinet FortiGate?

VPN: Secure remote access and connectivity.
Firewalling: Protects networks from unauthorized access and attacks.
UTM: Offers a comprehensive approach to threat management.
SD-WAN: Optimizes traffic routing for efficient network performance.
Web Filtering: Controls and monitors web access and ensures Internet security.

What benefits or ROI should be considered?

Centralized Management: Simplifies administration and monitoring.
High Availability: Ensures consistent security and network availability.
Scalability: Adapts to the needs of growing networks.
Comprehensive Threat Protection: Provides robust security measures.
Ease of Use: Minimizes the complexity of security management.

Fortinet FortiGate is widely implemented across industries like education, finance, and government. Companies use it for firewall protection, VPN, and SD-WAN capabilities, ensuring secure perimeter and data center security. It facilitates remote access management and traffic routing optimization, offering reliable security and connectivity solutions.

Fortinet

Hillstone E-Series is a comprehensive network security solution designed to protect organizations from advanced threats. It offers a range of features including a firewall, intrusion prevention system (IPS), virtual private network (VPN), and application control.

With its advanced threat intelligence capabilities, E-Series can detect and prevent sophisticated attacks, ensuring the security of critical data and systems. It also provides granular control over applications, allowing organizations to enforce policies and optimize network performance.

E-Series is easy to deploy and manage, with a user-friendly interface and centralized management console. It offers high-performance throughput and scalability, making it suitable for small businesses to large enterprises. With its robust security features and ease of use, Hillstone E-Series is an ideal choice for organizations looking to enhance their network security posture.

Hillstone Networks

Sample Customers

Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, IBM, Cisco, Dell, HP, Oracle, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Vodafone, Orange, BT Group, Telstra, Deutsche Telekom, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, CenturyLink, NTT Communications, Tata Communications, SoftBank, China Mobile, Singtel, Telus, Rogers Communications, Bell Canada, Telkom Indonesia, Telkom South Africa, Telmex, Telia Company, Telkom Kenya

Bank of China Macao, Instituto Tecnológico Bolivariano, Ministry of Labor in San Salvador, FEDCO

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate vs. Hillstone E-Series

November 2025

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