Juniper vSRX vs Palo Alto Networks K2-Series comparison

Juniper and Palo Alto Networks are both solutions in the Firewalls category. Juniper is ranked #21 with an average rating of 8.0, while Palo Alto Networks is ranked #29 with an average rating of 8.2. Juniper holds a 0.3% mindshare in Firewalls, compared to Palo Alto Networks’s 0.0% mindshare. Additionally, 86% of Juniper users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Palo Alto Networks users who would recommend it.

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 16, 2024

Juniper vSRX and Palo Alto Networks K2-Series are both prominent solutions in the network security appliance space. Juniper vSRX is noted for its affordability and support, but many find Palo Alto Networks K2-Series's advanced features justify its higher price.

Features: Juniper vSRX provides comprehensive threat detection, high throughput, and robust support. Palo Alto Networks K2-Series offers advanced threat prevention, automation capabilities, and excels in dealing with complex security scenarios.

Room For Improvement: Users of Juniper vSRX suggest enhancements in integration, reporting functions, and compatibility. Palo Alto Networks K2-Series could improve its documentation, interface, and user engagement.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Juniper vSRX is praised for its straightforward setup and excellent support, while Palo Alto Networks K2-Series, although having a steeper learning curve, receives substantial support post-deployment. Deployment of vSRX is easier, whereas K2-Series provides robust assistance.

Pricing and ROI: Juniper vSRX is cost-effective and offers a quicker ROI. Palo Alto Networks K2-Series has higher setup costs but is considered a valuable long-term investment. vSRX appeals to budget-conscious buyers, while K2-Series targets those prioritizing long-term security enhancements.

To learn more, read our detailed Juniper vSRX vs. Palo Alto Networks K2-Series Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Juniper vSRX vs. Palo Alto Networks K2-Series

April 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

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Firewalls category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiGate is 21.4%, up from 17.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Juniper vSRX is 0.3%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Palo Alto Networks K2-Series is 0.0%, up from 0.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewalls

Featured Reviews

EhabAli

Sr. Cybersecurity Solutions Architect at BMB

Efficient, user-friendly, and affordable

In the past, NSS Labs was utilized to test files and verify the numbers and datasheets. It would be beneficial to have an organization or testing lab that can verify the numbers in our datasheets since changes are frequently made, which can be inconvenient for review. For instance, when comparing different competitors such as Forcepoint, Palo Alto, and Check Point, the throughput or numbers in the datasheet may be lower than the actual numbers. Conversely, Fortinet typically reports very high numbers, but they cannot be replicated in the real world. Therefore, it would be advantageous for them to partner with a neutral testing organization such as NSS Labs to validate these numbers, thus providing more credibility and comfort to everyone regarding the accuracy of the datasheets. For the migration, everyone has a firewall in use and I am selling Fortinet. Typically, I am replacing another firewall. Previously, there was a tool available to convert configurations from one firewall, such as Palo Alto, to Fortinet, but this tool is no longer free. If it could be made free again, it would be very beneficial. This tool shows a lot of promise and is very good. Making it free would help many companies deliver their products in a more efficient and integrated way. It would also be more valuable to include the tool with the firewall package or license instead of having to pay extra for it. Paying extra puts more pressure on small companies to deliver the firewall and complete the configuration, especially if they have hundreds or thousands of policies. It's very painful to move through these policies line by line. The stability has room for improvement. When it comes to Secure SD-WAN, everything is fine. They are going the right way. SD-WAN is very promising. They can provide the SD-WAN solution separately, but they will not take this approach because even the smallest firewall can support the features, so there is no need to have a separate service or appliance. They are following the right steps, and there is nothing to be improved. Feature-wise, I'm really satisfied with the new release, and the features they have added. For now, it's fine.

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Stratos-Margaritis

Solutions Architect at Navarino SA

The ease of installation and licensing are also significant advantages

We use the application filtering, content filtering, and intrusion prevention system (IPS) features. These features are crucial for our network security. The ease of installation and licensing are also significant advantages, as it allows us to have one license for all products, which simplifies upgrading and maintenance. Additionally, the ease of deployment is critical for us.

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Krishnakumar M

enterprise architect at a tech services company with 1-10 employees

One of the best tools for the prevention of evasive threats

There is a feature called granular application controls, which I liked. Instead of relying on ports and IP addresses, they use AMP ID. This kind of solution is very good. Another valuable feature is the prevention of evasive threats, which is one of the best tools I've encountered. SSL decryption and app ID-based SSL decryption are also impressive, along with the integration with user ID. Identity-based policies ensuring only authorized users can access specific resources are excellent features. Normally, there is something called SIM or SCIM in IDA IDM, but this feature is provided on the box, which is exemplary.

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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 SD-WAN feature of Fortinet FortiGate has been most impactful in maintaining our network's integrity."

"Fortinet FortiGate positively provides my clients' organizations with a high return on investment."

"Fortinet FortiGate meets all the security demands of my industry. It covers endpoint security, including web interface, DNS security, and ELP. I'm currently using the latest version. The features that have most improved our network security are Web Control, filtering, application control, IDS, IPS policies, and Deep SSL inspection."

"I really like the captive portal feature for our guest network. It has nice VLAN features in terms of separating our network. The anti-virus is also good."

"It is useful for protecting and segregating the internal networks from the internet. Most of our customers also use the FortiGate client to connect to their offices by using the VPN client, and of course, they usually activate the antivirus, deep inspection, and intrusion prevention services. They are also using it for web filtering and implementing various policies dealing with forwardings, NAT, etc."

"I find the ease of configuring specific policies to be the most valuable feature of the Fortinet FortiGate firewall."

"I would recommend using Fortinet FortiGate because of its usability."

"Security management tool that's easy to integrate and easy to work with. No issues found with its stability and scalability."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"There are a few valuable features that offer very good quality on the solution. Especially NetScreen. We used to use NetScreen for the the product line. It was a very mature solution, very robust, easy to configure, easy to manage, etc. It made it easy to do everything."

"The tool's most valuable features are routing features and service quality."

"The pricing is reasonable."

"The command feature is valuable."

"I like the role-based functions, but the device can now perform most of the tasks. We have open access to CLI. You can access it directly. Many vendors have also opened their CLI to Linux, making troubleshooting easier."

"The hardware is stable."

"The ease of installation and licensing are also significant advantages, as it allows us to have one license for all products, which simplifies upgrading and maintenance."

"The most valuable features are application filtering, content filtering, the intrusion prevention system (IPS), and definitely the application firewall."

More Juniper vSRX pros

"It is a stable solution."

"The solution is reliable and scales well."

"We've found the solution offers us good stability."

"The most valuable feature of Palo Alto Networks K2-Series is the performance which is above their competitors. The throughput they have delivered is good. When we used other solutions they failed the deployment when we were using different rules. They have a theory perform performance light and performance degradation. However, Palo Alto Networks K2-Series never fails in that scenario."

"Everything I could possibly want has already been implanted in the new version."

"Palo Alto's App-ID is what differentiates it from other competitors."

"The most valuable feature of Palo Alto Networks K2-Series is the configuration, it is very clear."

"The customer service and support are really good."

More Palo Alto Networks K2-Series pros

Cons

"The product does need better support in the cloud environment. It's not exactly cloud-native right now."

"Some of the software stability could improve."

"Fortinet FortiGate needs to improve the protection, it did not prevent us from being attacked. Additionally, Fortinet FortiGate could provide more features for WAF devices. I should not have to purchase two solutions, it would be a benefit to combine these features into one solution."

"The support system could be improved."

"I would like to see more advanced developments of a wireless controller in the future."

"The customization could be improved. Cisco, for example, is much better at this. They need to work to be at least as good as they are."

"We'd like more management across other integrations."

"It does not have key authentication for admin access."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"There are too many types of licenses, which can be confusing."

"I would like to see an activity sensor for malicious content or sensor for viruses and malware."

"The pricing still needs some improvement."

"Right now, we are going through issues and problems where the product gets dropped with the connection or during the authentication initial phase. While it could be our problem, we would like to see more stability in this area."

"I would suggest improving the pricing, particularly the licensing model."

"They could provide support for cloud deployments."

"The GUI really needs a lot of work, and it has got worse with successive version updates."

"In the next release, I would like to see improvements made to the GUI because it isn't very good."

More Juniper vSRX cons

"When it comes to renewing the solution, they tend to try to jack up the pricing."

"Palo Alto has many other products. It would be nice for these products to be centralized under one tool"

"If we have issues, they take anywhere from two days to a week to respond. I even wrote to their CEO because there was no response. When it comes to support, this is the worst company."

"Its networking features could be better."

"In the past, we've had trouble with Palo Alto's application filtering not getting it right. I would not be recommending layer 7 application filtering yet."

"There are a lot of bugs in this solution."

"Sometimes there are interactions with support or the provider that are not ideal."

"It is recommended that the Palo Alto Networks K2-Series be implemented step by step for the Panorama. Sometimes we can't overwrite the configurations because it fails."

More Palo Alto Networks K2-Series cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Its pricing is good. The advantages of Fortinet FortiGate over its competitors include good pricing and meeting our requirements at a lower cost."

"The pricing is perfect."

"While Fortinet FortiGate has a higher price point compared to Sophos XG, its user-friendly interface justifies the cost."

"The price of Fortinet FortiGate could improve, it is expensive."

"Setup cost may be not so low, as you expect, because it depends on different factors, but TCO for 5 years may pleasantly surprise you."

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

"Price-wise, it's at a good price point for our market."

"The price could be lower."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"The solution is inexpensive."

"Our experience purchasing the solution through the AWS Marketplace was good."

"We like pricing through the AWS Marketplace."

"After some research, I think that the cost of Juniper is more than Check Point, Palo Alto, and Fortinet."

"It is not that costly."

"As a customer, the pricing is good for us."

"The pricing is reasonable."

"I rate the tool's pricing a five out of ten."

More Juniper vSRX pricing and cost advice

"Palo Alto Networks K2-Series is an expensive solution, the price could be reduced. They are more expensive than some of their competitors."

"The overall price of Palo Alto Networks K2-Series could be reduced."

"If you compare K2-Series' quality with its price, I think it is reasonable."

"This solution is expensive compared to other, similar products."

"We are on an annual license to use Palo Alto Networks K2-Series."

"When comparing Palo Alto Networks K2-Series with other solutions it is on the higher end of the price scale."

"Pricing is a sensitive issue because the cost is high in this market."

"The pricing is expensive."

More Palo Alto Networks K2-Series pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

20%

Computer Software Company

14%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Educational Organization

78%

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

28%

Manufacturing Company

Media Company

Energy/Utilities Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

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 a...

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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...

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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 ...

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What do you like most about Juniper vSRX?

One of Juniper vSRX's most valuable features is its integration with safety applications. It keeps the software secur...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Juniper vSRX?

The pricing is competitive, being neither the most expensive nor the cheapest option. It falls within the medium to h...

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What needs improvement with Juniper vSRX?

I would suggest improving the pricing, particularly the licensing model. Although it is currently quite reasonable, m...

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Features comparison between Palo Alto and Fortinet firewalls

In the best tradition of these questions, Feature-wise both are quite similar, but each has things it's better at, it...

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What do you like most about Palo Alto Networks K2-Series?

It is a stable solution.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Palo Alto Networks K2-Series?

The pricing for the Palo Alto Networks K2-Series solution is affordable and there are no complaints about the licensing.

See all answers

Comparisons

Sophos XG vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 22% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 13% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 11% of the time

WatchGuard Firebox vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 5% of the time

SonicWall TZ vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 5% of the time

More Fortinet FortiGate Competitors

Juniper SRX Series Firewall vs Juniper vSRX

Compared 17% of the time

Azure Firewall vs Juniper vSRX

Compared 13% of the time

Meraki MX vs Juniper vSRX

Compared 12% of the time

Palo Alto Networks VM-Series vs Juniper vSRX

Compared 10% of the time

OPNsense vs Juniper vSRX

Compared 10% of the time

More Juniper vSRX Competitors

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Palo Alto Networks K2-Series

Compared 100% of the time

More Palo Alto Networks K2-Series Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

May 2025

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Juniper vSRX

April 2025

Download Juniper vSRX product report

Buyer's Guide

Palo Alto Networks K2-Series

April 2025

Download Palo Alto Networks K2-Series product report

Also Known As

FortiGate 60b, FortiGate 60c, FortiGate 80c, FortiGate 50b, FortiGate 200b, FortiGate 110c, FortiGate, Fortinet Firewall

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Overview

Fortinet FortiGate offers comprehensive network security and firewall protection across multiple locations. It effectively manages data traffic and secures environments with features like VPN, intrusion prevention, and UTM controls.

Organizations rely on Fortinet FortiGate for its robust integration with advanced security policies, ensuring significant protection for enterprises, cloud environments, and educational sectors. It facilitates network segmentation, application-level security, and authentication management, securing communication within and between locations such as branches and data centers. Its efficient SD-WAN and UTM features enable streamlined data management and enhanced threat protection capabilities. Users appreciate its centralized management, facilitating seamless operations across diverse environments.

What are the key features of Fortinet FortiGate?

VPN Capabilities: Ensure secure remote access for users and seamless site-to-site connections.
Intrusion Prevention System (IPS): Detect and prevent security threats and vulnerabilities.
Advanced Firewall: Offers robust firewalling with application control and web filtering.
SD-WAN: Optimizes application performance and enhances bandwidth management.
SSL VPN: Provides reliable and secure access for remote workers.

What benefits should users expect from Fortinet FortiGate?

High-performance Security: Delivers effective threat mitigation with high availability.
Centralized Management: Simplifies network operations with cloud-based management tools.
Detailed Analytics: Provides comprehensive insights into network activity and security threats.
Load Balancing: Ensures optimal resource distribution and traffic management.

Fortinet FortiGate is crucial in sectors like education, offering robust networks for secure data flow between campuses and facilitating remote learning. In enterprise environments, it allows efficient management of application traffic and security across multiple branches, while in the cloud, it seamlessly integrates with diverse platforms to enhance security infrastructure.

Fortinet

Juniper vSRX is a virtualized security platform that provides advanced threat protection for virtualized and cloud environments. It offers a comprehensive set of security features, including firewall, VPN, intrusion prevention system (IPS), and unified threat management (UTM).

With its scalable architecture, the vSRX can be easily deployed and managed across multiple virtual machines, making it ideal for organizations with dynamic and distributed networks. It also supports high-performance data processing, ensuring minimal impact on network performance.

vSRX is designed to integrate seamlessly with Juniper's broader security ecosystem, enabling centralized management and visibility across the entire network.

Juniper

Designed to handle growing throughput needs due to increasing amounts of application-, user-, and device-generated data, the K2-Series offers amazing performance and threat prevention capabilities to stop advanced cyberattacks and secure mobile network infrastructure, subscribers, and services.

Palo Alto 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

Expedient Data Centers

State of North Dakota, SEGA, Alameda County Office of Education, Temple University, VERGE, CAME

Buyer's Guide

Juniper vSRX vs. Palo Alto Networks K2-Series

April 2025

Free Report: Juniper vSRX vs. Palo Alto Networks K2-Series

Find out what your peers are saying about Juniper vSRX vs. Palo Alto Networks K2-Series and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.

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