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Hillstone T-Series vs KerioControl comparison

Hillstone Networks and GFI are both solutions in the Firewalls category. Hillstone Networks is ranked #41, while GFI is ranked #28 with an average rating of 9.3. Hillstone Networks holds a 0.5% mindshare in Firewalls, compared to GFI’s 1.2% mindshare. Additionally, 66% of Hillstone Networks users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 88% of GFI users who would recommend it.

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 16, 2024

KerioControl and Hillstone T-Series are competing firewall solutions. KerioControl is favorable for its affordability and customer support, while Hillstone T-Series is favored for its advanced features, making it worth the higher price.

Features: KerioControl is known for its ease of setup, user-friendly management tools, and strong customer support. Hillstone T-Series provides advanced security features, higher performance capabilities, and enhanced scalability.

Room for Improvement: KerioControl could benefit from improved scalability, additional advanced security options, and enhanced performance. Hillstone T-Series may need better documentation, a more intuitive management experience, and easier deployment processes.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: KerioControl is praised for its straightforward deployment and responsive customer service. Hillstone T-Series offers robust features but can be more challenging to deploy, often requiring specialized support.

Pricing and ROI: KerioControl has lower setup costs and favorable ROI, especially for small to mid-sized businesses. Hillstone T-Series involves higher initial costs but delivers a higher ROI for organizations requiring enhanced security and complex network management.

To learn more, read our detailed Hillstone T-Series vs. KerioControl Report (Updated: June 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Hillstone T-Series vs. KerioControl

June 2026

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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

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Firewalls category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiGate is 15.1%, down from 21.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Hillstone T-Series is 0.5%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of KerioControl is 1.2%, down from 1.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewalls Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Fortinet FortiGate	15.1%
KerioControl	1.2%
Hillstone T-Series	0.5%
Other	83.2%

Firewalls

Featured Reviews

Joseph Koomson

IP Network Security Specialist at MTN Ghana

Process-Level CPU Visibility: Introduce detailed CPU-usage metrics per subsystem (e.g., IPS engine, logging) so administrators can quickly identify and address performance spikes.

Analytics with FortiAnalyzer. Being able to pull in logs not just from our FortiGates but from all our other firewalls and then get them in one view has been a game changer. Whether I’m building an executive dashboard or doing a deep dive forensics session, I get everything I need without navigating consoles.Straightforward Application Control. FortiGate spots and blocks unwanted apps (eq. like BitTorrent or streaming services) with accuracy. Segmentation with VDOMs. We’ve carved our data center into four logical ‘mini-firewalls’ enterprise, core, billing, and WAF—all on one box. Each has its own rules and logs, and any traffic between them still gets inspected. It’s like having multiple appliances without the extra hardware. Always-Up-to-Date Threat Feeds. Daily signature updates and AI-driven threat sensing mean we’re blocking the latest vulnerabilities almost as soon as they’re announced.

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TahirMahmood

IT Manager at Zubair Feeds

Is stable and has a user-friendly dashboard and a good interface

We installed Hillstone T-Series after a ransomware attack. The dashboard and user interface are very good We cannot secure a specific IP class with this firewall. Another loophole with Hillstone T-Series is that when we connect through WiFi and turn our hot spot on, all who connect through the…

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Constantnos Achilleos

Product manger at Asbis Mediteranean

Leveraging geo-tagging and web filtering for enhanced network security

The solution is used for site-to-site VPN connections and it is valued for its cost efficiency and easy connectivity. It is especially beneficial for multi-site VPNs and is used in about fifteen different components KerioControl has provided a financial benefit as it allows purchasing one license…

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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

"Customers keep on improving their licenses. The solution remains scalable and flexible. On-premises deployments may have some limitations. However, cloud deployments offer a high degree of flexibility."

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

"These features have proven effective in protecting our network, handling large volumes of traffic smoothly without any issues."

"The key features include SD-WAN, firewall use, intrusion prevention, intrusion detection, and application control."

"The main benefits that Fortinet FortiGate brings to customers include that if you're going for a single fabric with core switches, access switches, and APs, compared to legacy Cisco or Aruba, the Fortinet FortiGate does not require a controller for the access points."

"It performs very well."

"The main reason we chose Fortinet FortiGate was that the price was better than the competition."

"Fortinet FortiGate has many valuable features, such as IDS, and intrusion detection. It has security features that are in part with the technologies that are available in the market."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"We found some limitations with Fortinet FortiGate, and we are satisfied with Hillstone T-Series right now."

"We installed Hillstone T-Series after a ransomware attack. The dashboard and user interface are very good."

"It has been stable so far."

"The only firewall able to monitor traffic from a CCTV network. Can detect unauthorized devices plugged into the network, which standard firewalls can't do."

"Hillstone supports IOT setup and detecting intrusions from IOT or CCTV connectivity, and with this solution, we can also detect unauthorized devices plugged into the CCTV network and sound the alarm to the administrator."

"When one of the employees of my customers is using the VPN Client, I have created for them that they will always get a message. When the VPN Client connects to Kerio Control from the outside, they will get an email so they know when they are connected and when they are disconnected what is happening to their network."

"The product is affordable."

"Navigation through options and configure them is just two mouse clicks away, with lots of information available without the need of an external tool."

"Out-of-the-box, the overall comprehensiveness of the security features is pretty good; it's not just a firewall, it's kind of a firewall proxy, reverse proxy, everything out-of-the-box sort of solution, and it's pretty comprehensive."

"One thing we use quite a lot, as well, is the DHCP Server, because we do a lot of work where all our devices need to have static IP addresses. Rather than going around and configuring every box, we do it all through DHCP reservations. It's easier. We've got a record of it. We can manipulate it if we need to change something or change some hardware. It's all easy. Even guys who are not used to using it can pick it up quite quickly."

"The most valuable feature is to provide users with the ability to log in to the portal page, keep track of their data usage and perform bandwidth management."

"The comprehensiveness of the security features that Kerio Control provides us with is good. Before GFI had it, they would have more updates. The updates have been slower, but I like the things that they keep adding like the ability to block by country. I use pretty much every feature."

"Kerio is a lot clearer to set up to do particular things, whereas when I do it on a Cisco or a FortiGate I have to go fight with it per week sometimes to do something I can do in 20 minutes on Kerio."

More KerioControl pros

Cons

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

"The solution’s stability could be improved because we sometimes faced some drops."

"Scalability is one of the disadvantages. When it comes to scalability, you have to actually change the box. If you want to upgrade it, you need to actually change the existing box and probably you take the system off to other sites."

"The cloud management should improve."

"They could improve performance with all the UTM features working. Sometimes, we have seen that when you enable the antivirus sensor, customers report slow web browsing."

"We would like to see an improvement in the consistency of the product's performance levels."

"Its reporting can be improved. Sometimes, I don't get proper reports."

"There's always something new that can be added or fixed."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"They have a very good technical support team, but I think there are some communication issues due to language differences."

"Licensing is not cheap, but there are customers who will buy because they understand that this has a cost involved and they will cater their budget for that."

"Another loophole with Hillstone T-Series is that when we connect through WiFi and turn our hot spot on, all who connect through the hotspot get all the functions, and the security does not work."

"Licensing is not cheap."

"The reporting needs to be improved. It is hard to get a domain."

"The solution should offer more dashboards."

"One area that confused me a bit when I was building my current network. I use VLANs to have separate functionality on the network, and the appliance I got was the WiFi model, but I discovered that you can't assign WiFi channels to the VLAN. So, you can have WiFi, but its own subnet. You can't run that over the VLAN. Effectively, I can't use the WiFi facility in the appliance and had to purchase a separate web that supports VLANs. In the end, I had to go to GFI support. They confirmed this is just a limited functionality of that device, as it is a low-end device. I don't know if any of their high-end models have a better facility or not."

"I would like to be able to automatically send email from Kerio Control and have it tell me what my external IPs are, because on one of my lines I have a fixed IP address and on the other it is variable. If there were a permanent way for me to figure out, "Okay, my current external VPN and my firm IP is this," it would help. I need to know the IP address to connect with the VPN and, at the moment, one of the lines sometimes changes its IP address without me knowing it. It's a hassle to figure out what it is."

"I can no longer renew my subscription directly with GFI but we have to go through third-party resellers like CDW. The first time I did it with CDW. I went to CDW and it was almost like they didn't even know anything. They didn't know what package I was supposed to get. Then after I got it, it took almost five days to get everything working."

"If you put the appliance in Fail-Over mode it will simply FAIL, and will bypass your routing rules."

"Because of all the security features within Kerio Control, e.g., it can do a deep packet inspection, this can slow down the traffic."

"Filtering of pages and greater personalization in services need improvement."

More KerioControl cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing is reasonable."

"The pricing is justified. It's a little pricey, but what you pay for is what you get."

"If you are looking for a quality product, it will come at a higher price. Expecting them to be significantly cheaper is unrealistic. In terms of pricing, it is a bit costly. However, the functionality and support offered are worth it."

"The price for the device and software is high. However, the solution is of good quality and has a lot of features."

"Fortinet is the least expensive solution."

"The solution's pricing is competitive."

"The setup cost was good. The Egyptian pound is declining, and upgrading Fortinet FortiGate yearly costs about $2000 USD, which equals one hundred Egyptian pounds. I maintain a business relationship with the vendor and receive support from them."

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

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"On a scale from one to ten, with one being low and ten being high price, I would rate the price of Hillstone T-Series at three. There are no additional costs other than renewal costs."

"We got a much cheaper price than that provided by Fortinet right now."

"There is a yearly upkeep fee."

"The price is fine."

"It is priced low enough for entry-level, but it has the power to grow with a company without them having to replace it."

"On the low-end device that I use, it has unlimited IP addresses. So, they have a subscription model where, on the higher models, you pay X dollars for 10 IP addresses. Then, if you want any more, you have to pay more on the model. On the low-end model, it has unlimited IP addresses, because if you have too many users, the thing will just slow you down and stop working. At some point, you need to say, "Okay, I've grown to a point where performance is impacted. I need to get some bigger hardware." If I get to that stage, I will possibly look at using one of the virtual appliances and putting it on some bigger hardware."

"My advice is to use your own hardware, and do not use theirs."

"I am living in Iran and we cannot buy the product from Kerio because of sanctions."

"Its initial cost is less as compared to other products. It becomes a bit costly when you pay for the products that you don't use. We paid for almost all the products through subscription, but we are using only a few products. We use EndPointSecurity, Kerio Connect, WebMonitor, and LanGuard. We don't use the rest of the products."

"Its licensing is yearly. You renew every year. Its price is all-inclusive."

More KerioControl pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Comms Service Provider

10%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Construction Company

15%

Manufacturing Company

12%

Real Estate/Law Firm

10%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Computer Software Company

12%

Comms Service Provider

11%

Construction Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	369
Midsize Enterprise	139
Large Enterprise	195

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	44
Midsize Enterprise	9
Large Enterprise	3

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for KerioControl?

KerioControl offers good pricing as one license covers all features needed without extra payment. The price for the p...

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What needs improvement with KerioControl?

Regarding KerioControl's application awareness and control feature, I have not used it much.

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Comparisons

Sophos Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 16% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 13% of the time

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 5% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 3% of the time

Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 3% of the time

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Cisco Secure Firewall vs Hillstone T-Series

Compared 22% of the time

Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) vs Hillstone T-Series

Compared 15% of the time

Cisco Meraki MX vs Hillstone T-Series

Compared 12% of the time

Sophos Firewall vs Hillstone T-Series

Compared 7% of the time

Sangfor NGAF vs Hillstone T-Series

Compared 5% of the time

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Netgate pfSense vs KerioControl

Compared 10% of the time

OPNsense vs KerioControl

Compared 9% of the time

Sophos UTM vs KerioControl

Compared 8% of the time

WatchGuard Firebox vs KerioControl

Compared 4% of the time

Sophos Firewall vs KerioControl

Compared 4% of the time

More KerioControl Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

June 2026

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Firewalls

May 2026

Download Hillstone T-Series product report

Buyer's Guide

KerioControl

June 2026

Download KerioControl product report

Also Known As

Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall

Hillstone T-Series Intelligent Next-Generation Firewalls, Hillstone iNGFW

No data available

Overview

Fortinet FortiGate is a versatile network security tool offering features like VPN, firewall, web filtering, intrusion prevention, and scalability. It is known for its performance and integration with other Fortinet products, making it a preferred choice for robust cybersecurity.

Fortinet FortiGate stands out as a comprehensive cybersecurity solution with strong performance and ease of configuration. It delivers unified threat management, integrating features such as dynamic routing, SD-WAN support, and centralized management. Despite its strengths, improvements in the web interface's stability, pricing structures, and reporting capabilities are needed. Users seek better integration with third-party tools and automation advancements to enhance the experience further. These enhancements, alongside improvements in bandwidth management and the reduction of licensing costs, are points of interest for users looking to capitalize on FortiGate's extensive capabilities.

What are Fortinet FortiGate's key features?

VPN: Ensures secure remote connections.
Firewall: Protects against unauthorized access.
Web Filtering: Blocks malicious sites and content.
Application Control: Manages and controls applications.
Intrusion Prevention: Detects and prevents vulnerabilities.
SSL Inspection: Enhances security by inspecting encrypted traffic.

What benefits should be considered when evaluating Fortinet FortiGate?

Affordability: Offers cost-effective security solutions.
Reliability: Known for consistent and stable performance.
Integration: Seamlessly integrates with other Fortinet products.
Comprehensive Protection: Provides broad threat protection capabilities.

Fortinet FortiGate is widely implemented across industries as a primary firewall system for securing internet gateways and safeguarding data centers. It supports businesses in achieving SD-WAN integration and enhances cybersecurity by providing essential features like antivirus, web filtering, and application control. Enterprises utilize FortiGate for securing remote connections and ensuring compliance with security standards, making it adaptable for different network sizes and industries.

Fortinet

Hillstone T-Series offers a robust solution for high-performance network security, ideal for enterprises requiring reliable, scalable protection against advanced threats.

Designed for dynamic environments, Hillstone T-Series provides comprehensive insight and control across networks, safeguarding data and optimizing resource allocation. Its advanced threat prevention capabilities ensure that enterprises are equipped to handle evolving cybersecurity challenges. Built to integrate seamlessly, it enhances both operational efficiency and security posture.

What are the key features of Hillstone T-Series?

Advanced Threat Detection: Identifies and mitigates complex threats in real-time for enhanced network security.
Scalable Architecture: Easily adapts to growing network demands, ensuring long-term reliability.
Comprehensive Policy Management: Simplifies administration with intuitive controls for efficient policy enforcement.
High Performance: Delivers exceptional throughput and low latency, supporting demanding network environments.

What benefits should users consider when evaluating Hillstone T-Series?

Improved Security Posture: Strengthens defense mechanisms to mitigate risks effectively.
Resource Optimization: Allocates network resources effectively, enhancing operational productivity.
Cost Efficiency: Reduces expenses by streamlining security management processes.
Scalability: Ensures future-proofing with adaptable infrastructure to meet growing demands.

In finance, Hillstone T-Series efficiently handles high-volume transactions, ensuring secure and lightning-fast processing. Healthcare institutions benefit from its robust data protection, maintaining patient confidentiality while facilitating seamless information exchange. In manufacturing, it effectively manages and secures industrial control systems, promoting operational integrity.

Hillstone Networks

KerioControl is a comprehensive network security solution integrating firewall, antivirus, and VPN in an easy-to-use interface for small to medium businesses seeking robust protection.

KerioControl offers a blend of essential security features wrapped in a user-friendly graphical interface that enables effective network management. It supports firewall protection, intrusion detection, real-time monitoring, and flexible VPN capabilities ensuring high reliability and productivity. Despite being suitable for small to medium enterprises, improvements could enhance its overall performance, such as better GUI updates, stronger connectivity, and advanced VPN functionality. Common uses include unified threat management, bandwidth management, remote access, and web filtering.

What are the important features of KerioControl?

Ease of Use: Intuitive interface for effortless security management.
Firewall and VPN Integration: Combines essential security tools seamlessly.
Real-time Monitoring: Offers constant insight into network activities.
Intrusion Detection: Advanced system for prevention and alerts.
Bandwidth Management: Efficient allocation for optimized network usage.

What benefits and ROI should users consider?

Cost Savings: Economical security solution for smaller businesses.
Productivity Gains: Simplified management increases operational efficiency.
Enhanced Security: Comprehensive coverage with antivirus and malware protection.
Remote Access: Streamlined management of multiple sites and networks.

KerioControl is effectively implemented in industries needing strong security measures, supporting small to medium businesses in sectors like IT services, retail, and education. It's particularly well-suited for companies requiring efficient threat management and convenient internet service management across various sites.

GFI

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

University of Córdoba

Triton Technical, McDonald's

Buyer's Guide

Hillstone T-Series vs. KerioControl

June 2026

Free Report: Hillstone T-Series vs. KerioControl

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