Hillstone T-Series vs Untangle NG Firewall comparison

Hillstone Networks and Arista are both solutions in the Firewalls category. Hillstone Networks is ranked #41, while Arista is ranked #32 with an average rating of 8.0. Hillstone Networks holds a 0.5% mindshare in Firewalls, compared to Arista’s 1.0% mindshare. Additionally, 66% of Hillstone Networks users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 94% of Arista users who would recommend it.

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 16, 2024

Hillstone T-Series and Untangle NG Firewall are two well-regarded firewall solutions. Hillstone T-Series is noted for its pricing and customer support, but Untangle NG Firewall stands out for its features, making it a superior product for many users.

Features: Hillstone T-Series is praised for its robust security features, high performance, and comprehensive threat protection. Untangle NG Firewall is highly regarded for its ease of use, extensive app library, and flexible deployment options.

Room for Improvement: Hillstone T-Series could benefit from a more intuitive management console, an expanded feature set, and better usability. Untangle NG Firewall users suggest improving support response times, enhancing reporting capabilities, and focusing on support improvements.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Hillstone T-Series users find deployment straightforward but occasionally complicated by the need for technical expertise. Customer service is viewed positively. Untangle NG Firewall has a simple and quick deployment process, though customer service has mixed reviews.

Pricing and ROI: Hillstone T-Series is cost-effective with good ROI. Setup costs are reasonable, and long-term benefits are favorable. Untangle NG Firewall users find it worth the price due to its expansive feature set, though initial costs may be higher.

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

Buyer's Guide

Hillstone T-Series vs. Untangle NG Firewall

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 Untangle NG Firewall is 1.0%, down from 1.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewalls Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Fortinet FortiGate	15.1%
Untangle NG Firewall	1.0%
Hillstone T-Series	0.5%
Other	83.4%

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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Gary-Downey

Director of Information Technology at a consultancy with 11-50 employees

Has provided built-in VPN tools and reporting features that streamline remote access and monitoring tasks

We do an outside-sourced threat prevention regarding the Threat Prevention features. I haven't run into areas that could be improved or cons versus pros for Untangle NG Firewall. I haven't done anything too advanced when it comes to the filtering, so I'm not sure what can be improved or added. I haven't dug into the advanced features, but I think some of the advanced capabilities are probably where it lacks a little bit, with the filtering and firewall rules. These areas could be improved to make it a nine out of 10 or a 10 out of 10 for overall rating.

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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

"Fortinet FortiGate is user-friendly and affordable."

"We saved a bundle by not needing all the past appliances from an NGFW."

"It is a safe product."

"By utilizing features such as dynamic path selection and application-aware routing, we've been able to reduce latency for critical applications such as VoIP and video by 20-30% during peak times."

"The solution is stable."

"FortiGate is flexible and easy to use."

"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."

"FortiGate Next Generation Firewall can be described as the most complete solution."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"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."

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

"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."

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

"It has been stable so far."

"The majority of our clients are very small businesses, and Untangle devices have been fantastic for these small clients. We've basically standardized our stack to just simply use Untangle. We include the hardware and the service option, which makes it very easy and affordable for us to just simply push that into the monthly per-user costing that we provide as a managed services provider. It's really a no-brainer. They're easy to use, and they're easy to set up and configure. Support is generally good about resolving any issues that we have. We haven't had any real complaints."

"The product is easy to implement."

"The product’s most valuable features are endpoint protection management, load balancing, and connectivity with Active Directory."

"The all-in-one gateway security functions and the ability to install it on generic equipment stand out."

"Since it can be put on any box, the scalability is fantastic."

"Its ease of use, variety of available features, and low pricing have enabled us to improve the security for a lot of our very small business clients at a price that they are happy to pay for."

"The threat prevention features of Untangle NG Firewall have helped my network security management, and I find them very good."

"They have a command center that makes it easy to log into and see all of your appliances nationwide."

More Untangle NG Firewall pros

Cons

"One of the most important areas for improvement for Fortinet FortiGate is the limited resources for tests. I was limited to a few interfaces for one month, and it would be great if Fortinet could improve these features in their test versions."

"The support system could be improved."

"There is a need for enhancement with the signature management, improving the datasheet numbers, and scalability issues."

"The solution could be improved by addressing limited local reporting. It requires obtaining the FortiAnalyzer for proper visibility because you can't do much from a reporting perspective with just the firewall alone."

"There is room for improvement in pricing."

"They can do more tests before they release new versions because I would like to be more assured. We had some experiences where they release something new and great, but some of the old features are disabled or they don't work well, which impacts the product satisfaction. The manufacturer should be able to prove that everything works or not only that it might work. This is applicable to most of the other services, software, and hardware companies. They all should work on this. We cannot trust every new release, such as a beta release, on the first day. We wait for some comments on the forums and from other companies that we know. We always wait a few weeks before we use the updated version. They should also extend the VPN client application, especially for Linux versions. Currently, it has an application for Linux devices, but it doesn't work the way we want to connect to the VPN. They use only the old connection, not the new one. They have VPN client applications for Windows and Mac, but they can add more useful features to better manage the devices and monitor the current health of each device. Such features would be helpful for our company."

"The solution is expensive."

"The technical support that Fortinet provides is not satisfactory. When we call Fortinet technical support, it takes too much time to connect with them."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"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."

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

"Licensing is not cheap."

"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."

"The solution's licensing count could be improved."

"The biggest challenge that we have with this solution is local support. The local support is a problem in our area."

"I do not know if I have seen any return on investment. It might be a little expensive if I need to make an external firewall or at my sites like DNS and web zones."

"The pricing should be reduced because it is expensive."

"The user interface, training, and general product innovation need improvement. Enhancements could also be made to their reporting and accessibility."

"There is room for improvement in the logs. Like with Cisco, I can do almost everything and know almost anything about what's running. Untangle works very much out of the box. It's very user-friendly, but it's not engineer-friendly. So, it's good for a home user. For something fairly easy, but at the same time, with good technology to have at home, because at home, I'm not a millionaire or anything like that. So it's not like I'm worried to get hacked. I didn't want something like a Cisco firewall; it would be a bit overkill to have at home. So that's why I went for Untangle. But it lacks a few features. It's just a tick-box kind of thing. So they have apps and turn on and off the apps. The VPN's configuration is all very ticked. They have a few custom configurations, but it's not that much."

"The common center facility that Untangle provides should be available on-premises. There are great corporations here in Mexico that like the Untangle solution, but they don't like the fact that the monitoring and access to the appliance are in the cloud. They request for the common center facility to be available and installed on-premises."

"The hardware can be improved."

More Untangle NG Firewall cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There is an annual license to use this solution. The prices have been increasing over the years."

"The beauty is the price performance ratio is great with FortiGate. It provides all the features we needed and the price is comparable with others' firewalls. The price is quite competitive with the firewalls with similar features."

"The licensing cost is at the intermediate level."

"We are currently evaluating a Palo Alto solution, and the pricing could be a reason for going for Palo Alto."

"The licensing scheme of Fortinet is better than Cisco. It is more logical."

"The pricing of Fortinet FortiGate is average, not cheap or overly expensive compared to other firewall solutions in the market. It's effective and affordable for customers."

"Fortinet is reasonable in pricing and licensing. Overall, FortiGate is affordable. The licensing fee can be a little high, depending on the budget for your project."

"Pricing for Fortinet FortiGate SWG is more suitable for enterprise or large-sized organizations because they are the ones who can afford it versus small and medium-sized organizations."

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."

"On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."

"This is not an expensive product. It is affordable and there are different packages available depending on the features that you need, or the sector that you are in."

"Untangle is open-source software. So, you can get it for free. That has been a benefit, especially for the residential users because it is free. The license costs start at $25 a month for some additional features, including higher tiers of security intrusion prevention. The free version comes with intrusion detection, and then the license version has intrusion prevention. It also has some additional things for active directory connectors, etc. It starts at $25 a month to cover 12 devices. Then it goes up from $25 to $50 a month for 12 to 25 devices. That's where it really doesn't scale out per site. If you have a site that has more than 50 devices on it, then Untangle quickly becomes cost prohibitive in comparison to several other competitors."

"For the home use, it's cheap."

"We pay $350 USD per year for the solution. There are no additional costs. As long as you're not using a physical appliance, that's all you need."

"The tool's pricing is moderate, and licensing costs are yearly."

"It is the most cost-effective to use."

"The setup cost is about $2000 to $3000 per year."

More Untangle NG Firewall 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%

Comms Service Provider

16%

Construction Company

Manufacturing Company

University

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	26
Midsize Enterprise	1

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Untangle NG Firewall?

It is not very expensive, so it is affordable for my budget.

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What needs improvement with Untangle NG Firewall?

I would appreciate improvements to the ad blocker and SSL Inspector of Untangle NG Firewall.

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What is your primary use case for Untangle NG Firewall?

My usual use cases for Untangle NG Firewall are just like a firewall and router. The main purpose is for firewall fun...

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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

More Fortinet FortiGate Competitors

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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OPNsense vs Untangle NG Firewall

Compared 17% of the time

Sophos UTM vs Untangle NG Firewall

Compared 9% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Untangle NG Firewall

Compared 7% of the time

Sophos Firewall vs Untangle NG Firewall

Compared 5% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Untangle NG Firewall

Compared 5% of the time

More Untangle NG Firewall 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

Untangle NG Firewall

June 2026

Download Untangle NG Firewall 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

Untangle NG Firewall provides a user-centric security firewall solution. It combines ease of integration with features such as comprehensive web filtering, VPN capabilities, and content control, tailored for small businesses and scalable for enterprise deployments.

Untangle NG Firewall is designed to enhance network security for small businesses, law offices, and unions. It offers centralized management and strong performance with features like SSL inspection, application control, and threat detection. Users appreciate customization options, bandwidth management, and tools like OpenVPN. However, there is room for improvement in reporting, hardware specs, and configuration options to match evolving security requirements. The call for a mobile app, better content filtering, and robust VPN capabilities is growing alongside a desire for improved licensing and support structures.

What are the important features?

Web Filtering: Provides comprehensive controls for managing internet access.
VPN Capabilities: Ensures secure remote access via stable VPN connections.
SSL Inspection: Inspects encrypted traffic for threats.
Application Control: Allows management of applications in the network.
Threat Detection: Identifies and mitigates potential security risks.

What benefits and ROI can be found in reviews?

User-Friendliness: Simplifies network management with easy setup and integration.
Cost-Effectiveness: Affordable pricing with potential savings through hardware-as-a-service model.
Security: Offers robust security features and tools to ensure network safety.
Scalability: Accommodates growth from small to enterprise-level networks.

In industries like law offices and unions, Untangle NG Firewall is implemented primarily on-premises and managed via the cloud. Its integration with existing hardware allows for seamless deployment, delivering features such as web filtering, intrusion prevention, and virus blocking. The easy setup and diverse capabilities make it a suitable option for enhancing security in various professional environments.

Arista

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

North American Stamping Group, Cerebral Palsy of North Jersey (CPNJ), Brown County Schools, IN, City of Bridgeton, MO, Lancaster County, SC, Vision Charter School, Clay County Sheriff’s Department, NC, Breakwater School, Boys & Girls Club of Manchester, NH, Admiral Farragut Academy, Flow Companies, No Ordinary Hotel, KECdesign,

Buyer's Guide

Hillstone T-Series vs. Untangle NG Firewall

June 2026

Free Report: Hillstone T-Series vs. Untangle NG Firewall

Find out what your peers are saying about Hillstone T-Series vs. Untangle NG Firewall and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.

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