Sangfor NGAF vs Zscaler Cloud Firewall comparison

Sangfor and Zscaler are both solutions in the Firewalls category. Sangfor is ranked #22 with an average rating of 8.4, while Zscaler is ranked #36 with an average rating of 7.5. Sangfor holds a 1.1% mindshare in Firewalls, compared to Zscaler’s 1.0% mindshare. Additionally, 90% of Sangfor users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 93% of Zscaler users who would recommend it.

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 25, 2026

Sangfor NGAF and Zscaler Cloud Firewall compete in the cybersecurity and network protection category. Sangfor NGAF offers a more cost-effective solution, while Zscaler provides advanced cloud-based security features suitable for larger enterprises.

Features: Sangfor NGAF offers user-friendly management, a powerful virus database, and quick IPS reports. It integrates well with features like WAF and SSL VPN, delivering comprehensive network security with real-time threat detection. Zscaler Cloud Firewall, as an entirely cloud-based solution, minimizes hardware dependency while providing advanced threat protection, DLP, and scalability with centralized management for modern cloud environments.

Room for Improvement: Sangfor NGAF could enhance its integration consoles, scalability, and local support availability, as some users report performance lags and filtering inconsistencies. Zscaler Cloud Firewall may improve application customization and simplify deployment, along with expanding IP blocking control and cloud-centric application understanding.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Sangfor NGAF allows various deployment options, primarily on-premises, and strong 24/7 local support, although support may vary by region. Zscaler offers fast support response leveraging strong global cloud infrastructure, relying on continuous cloud connectivity for full functionality.

Pricing and ROI: Sangfor NGAF is cost-effective, offering competitive pricing and high ROI against brands like Fortinet and Sophos with no hidden costs. Zscaler Cloud Firewall is expensive, especially for small businesses, yet reflects its advanced capabilities through flexible pricing structures, ensuring value via comprehensive security services.

To learn more, read our detailed Sangfor NGAF vs. Zscaler Cloud Firewall Report (Updated: April 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Sangfor NGAF vs. Zscaler Cloud Firewall

April 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 May 2026, in the Firewalls category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiGate is 16.0%, down from 21.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Sangfor NGAF is 1.1%, down from 1.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Zscaler Cloud Firewall is 1.0%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewalls Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Fortinet FortiGate	16.0%
Sangfor NGAF	1.1%
Zscaler Cloud Firewall	1.0%
Other	81.9%

Firewalls

Featured Reviews

Abhinandan Yadav

Network Security Engineer at a retailer with 11-50 employees

Unified security and sd-wan have improved uptime and cut wan costs for multi-site branches

Users report stability issues in certain versions, which requires regular updates. Real-world attacks have also highlighted the need for urgent patching of vulnerabilities.Fortinet FortiGate, while a powerful and feature-rich web firewall, could improve in areas like firmware stability, documentation, and ease of use. The learning curve can be steep for some users. For beginners, support quality can vary, and frequent updates with occasional vulnerabilities call for careful patch management. However, once Fortinet FortiGate is configured, it remains highly reliable and efficient. Customer support needs improvement, as I find it very slow, with reports from other users reflecting that customer support is inadequate.

Read full review

Zaid Farooqui

CIO at Indus Motor Company

Enhanced threat detection with integrated security features and good support

We are using application firewalling, WAF, and SD-WAN. The capabilities are mostly within the box. For example, you will get web application firewall WAF as part and parcel of this. SD-WAN is also bundled. It integrates with their SIEM and SOAR solutions very nicely. Lastly, the pricing point is very cost-efficient as well.

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Carlos Snel

Director at Aquila ICT Solutions

Has streamlined secure deployments across large enterprises while offering reliable protection and intuitive management

The centralized management console, also referred to as the Zscaler dashboard, impacts the ability of my customers to respond to security incidents significantly. I see it as user-friendly, and clients are really happy with using it, which motivates them to keep using Zscaler Cloud Firewall because they enjoy the GUI. It's very intuitive, making it easy to navigate alerts and incidents. My clients rarely have questions about where to find specific information once Zscaler Cloud Firewall is running. The interface speaks for itself, requiring little to no additional training, which is a major plus. Advanced threat protection features in Zscaler Cloud Firewall are practically the key component that every customer wants. Unfortunately, it is an option and not included in the basic package. Clients need to pay for the next higher bundle to access it, but practically all clients I have dealt with want this feature 100%. Regarding visibility, I can confirm that Zscaler Cloud Firewall indeed includes a feature for application layer visibility embedded in the service. It provides visibility into what you're doing, which is especially interesting nowadays when discussing AI tools, as companies do not want their employees to copy-paste sensitive information into AI systems. We have seen cases such as Samsung's chip design where sensitive info got exposed. The visibility of applications, including cloud applications and AI tools, is significant for compliance with data policies, and you can also run reports and alerts on it.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Offers good security and filtering."

"Some of the valuable features are the firewall, IPS, web filter, and gateway capabilities; additionally, it is easy to use and flexible."

"The technical support is good."

"It does a lot for you for intrusion protection and as an antivirus. The threat management bundle is worth the money. You don't need another company to monitor your web traffic for you. You can do everything yourself on the firewall. You restrict your own black list for people on the firewall. You don't need to pay some other company for another product to do that for you. The firewall can do that for you. So, it's an easy-to-use product for people to be independent. They don't need to rely on other vendors to do what the firewall can do. They can do everything."

"The features that we have found most valuable are the SSL VPN and the User Portal."

"We are using this solution to filter communication to and from the website or our site, and we also use it to create a VPN connection for all of our sites in the world."

"It enables our organization to become more productive. Also, it protects our NEtWare from viruses and malware."

"There’s something magical about the way the flavors blend together, creating a dish that is both comforting and exciting."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"The built-in features function as intended, providing exceptional value."

"In four steps one can configure the entire firewall."

"In our hospital, Sangfor NGAF works well for us in terms of ensuring confidentiality and availability, which are crucial in the healthcare industry."

"The tool's performance is good."

"This product is very user-friendly, and its Layer 7 security is very much improved."

"We use Sangfor NGAF primarily for security, which has helped save our files from being encrypted by ransomware."

"Particularly good in the DPI where we can inspect inbound and outbound traffic."

"Sangfor NGAF works accordingly with our customers, the solution has good performance, is easy to use, and integrates well with the endpoints."

More Sangfor NGAF pros

"It is a stable solution."

"The scalability is okay. We have around 2200 people using this solution."

"It provides in-depth visibility into your network, ensuring that traffic flowing into your organization, be it from offices or individual users, is effectively filtered and secured through multiple layers of protection."

"I like the ease of deployment and its flexibility; we don't need to deal with license, quotes, procurement, delivery, and installation, as everything is software-based and very easy to operate."

"Zscaler is still a very good product."

"Since it is really customizable, I can use it and avoid enabling access to the full network."

"Zscaler has a good foothold in the market and any new competitor will have to be cognizant of the fact that they will have to be affordable and provide all of the features Zscaler has while being good at threat analysis and filtering."

"Zscaler is the Rolls Royce for this kind of solution."

More Zscaler Cloud Firewall pros

Cons

"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."

"Small models (up to FG-90) are build on SoC (System on a Chip), so they need to be mounted in places with enough airflow and right temperature, otherwise they could hang, slow down traffic processing, but more often you just can't log in to the device's web-interface (reboot won't help you until it cools down)."

"IPs are not handled well and the process is unnecessarily complicated."

"It is essential to leverage its capabilities more professionally to achieve an even higher level of security."

"Fortinet FortiGate could improve the user interface. There should be more functionality and options through the GUI."

"The solution’s stability could be improved."

"The solution could be more user friendly."

"Performance on the box and technical support are areas where Fortinet FortiGate can be improved."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"The setup phase is quite complex."

"Sangfor could improve their interface capacity on the 5100 series model and upgrade their hardware from one gig to 10 gig. This would improve the overall throughput."

"The solution has too many bugs and these slow down the implementation."

"Sangfor could improve by providing better real-time reporting, as the current reports don't offer the level of detail we need, especially for runtime insights."

"An area of improvement for Sangfor NGAF could be in the field of reporting and logging."

"The interface and user experience are horrible."

"Our experience with its customer support was quite challenging."

"Sangfor NGAF could improve the policies and default criteria. They could be much better."

More Sangfor NGAF cons

"Data Leak Prevention is only for web filtering and there is no protection for email."

"It would be better if they improved their policy, package visibility, and flexibility while we're creating rules for inspection."

"Because it's on cloud, it doesn't allow application of extra settings."

"We are having some issues with internet access being denied when organizational ID-based policies change. For example, a lower level employee ends up getting the same level of access as that of a higher level employee."

"Because it's on cloud, it doesn't allow application of extra settings."

"If I can get rid of Jetscaler, I will use Twingate for sure."

"Certain criteria need to be met if you want to scale this solution."

More Zscaler Cloud Firewall cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."

"The product is expensive compared to one of its competitors."

"The price for the Fortinet FortiGate is reasonable. Secure SD-WAN is free of charge. If you have their firewall, it's free of charge. It's very tempting."

"The Fortinet FortiGate security features cost approximately $1,500 a year. The firewall itself doesn't have a recurring cost. It's the security features on top of that that you pay for."

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

"Licensing is usually on a three-year period."

"The price of Fortinet FortiGate is better than Cisco, Check Point, and Palo Alto. In terms of pricing, it's probably a better-priced firewall solution overall."

"It's an expensive solution."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"When it comes to the price of firewall solutions, Sangfor NGAF takes the cake."

"It is one of the cheapest tools in the market."

"It costs about 8 to 10 thousand dollars per year for 500 users, standard licensing fees included."

"For four to five physical appliances for a licensed firewall, it costs approximately $4,000."

"The price could be more competitive."

"The license of Sangfor NGAF can be purchased at different interval lengths, such as annually or three years. They offer a range of packages to choose from, such as combo or hybrid packages. We are using the complete solution package which includes IM, NGF and SSL VPN, and WAF."

"If one is very cheap and ten is very expensive, I rate the tool's price as three out of ten."

"Sangfor is cheaper than competing vendors."

More Sangfor NGAF pricing and cost advice

"There are licensing costs, and I would not say that it's a cheap vendor."

"It is expensive for small businesses."

"Zscaler is priced too high compared to the cost of Fortinet."

"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."

"The product is a bit expensive compared to the solutions offered by its competitors, like Palo Alto. There is a need to make yearly payments towards the license in charges associated with the product."

"There is an annual license required for the use of the Zscaler Cloud Firewall."

"It comes at a significantly reduced cost while ensuring control and effectiveness."

"The licensing is on a yearly basis. It is somewhere around 30 or 40 pounds per user for our organization."

More Zscaler Cloud Firewall pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

11%

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

11%

Construction Company

10%

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	367
Midsize Enterprise	135
Large Enterprise	193

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	15
Midsize Enterprise	10
Large Enterprise	10

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	5
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	12

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 is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Sangfor NGAF?

The licensing cost is quite high compared to other available firewalls in the market.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Sangfor NGAF?

The cost of licensing is very high compared to other firewalls available here. There should be improvements in hardwa...

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What is your primary use case for Sangfor NGAF?

We are hosting applications over the platform, including websites and NAT traffic from our side. Because it's deploye...

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Which lesser known firewall product has the best chance at unseating the market leaders?

Netscope, Zscaler if they continue route they are on now. FIrewalls needs great deal of automation on each end, datac...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Zscaler Cloud Firewall?

Zscaler Cloud Firewall is quite expensive compared to competitors. However, it offered moderate value for money.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Zscaler Cloud Firewall?

In terms of improvements for Zscaler Cloud Firewall, I think every product has needed enhancements over time, and cur...

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Comparisons

Sophos Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 18% 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

Sophos Firewall vs Sangfor NGAF

Compared 13% of the time

H3C SecPath Firewalls vs Sangfor NGAF

Compared 7% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Sangfor NGAF

Compared 7% of the time

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Sangfor NGAF

Compared 6% of the time

Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) vs Sangfor NGAF

Compared 5% of the time

More Sangfor NGAF Competitors

Check Point Quantum Force vs Zscaler Cloud Firewall

Compared 19% of the time

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Zscaler Cloud Firewall

Compared 8% of the time

Azure Firewall vs Zscaler Cloud Firewall

Compared 6% of the time

Cisco Multicloud Defense vs Zscaler Cloud Firewall

Compared 5% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual vs Zscaler Cloud Firewall

Compared 5% of the time

More Zscaler Cloud Firewall Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

May 2026

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Sangfor NGAF

April 2026

Download Sangfor NGAF product report

Buyer's Guide

Zscaler Cloud Firewall

April 2026

Download Zscaler Cloud Firewall product report

Also Known As

Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall

Sangfor NGAF Firewall Platform

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

Sangfor NGAF offers a user-friendly firewall solution with a strong virus database and competitive pricing. It supports SSL VPN connectivity, intrusion detection, and is known for easy deployment and integration capabilities.

Sangfor NGAF is a comprehensive security platform providing robust network protection through its application control and detailed threat insights. While effective in preventing threats and ensuring network security, it has areas needing improvement such as real-time reporting and system support. It delivers secure internet and VPN connections, proficiently handling malware threats. However, it faces challenges with user experience, reporting capabilities, hardware scalability, and needs better third-party integration. Licensing costs are noted to be high, and there are performance variations between versions.

What are the key features of Sangfor NGAF?

User-friendly deployment: Offers an uncomplicated setup process.
Robust virus database: Provides reliable threat detection.
SSL VPN connectivity: Ensures secure remote access.
Application control: Manages application usage for enhanced security.
Intrusion detection: Detects unauthorized access attempts.
URL filtering: Prevents access to malicious websites.

What benefits should users expect when evaluating Sangfor NGAF?

Affordability: Competitive pricing compared to peers.
Integration: Good capabilities with existing systems.
Support: Noted for providing reliable customer service.
Threat prevention: Effective in securing networks against various threats.

Sangfor NGAF is widely used across industries including education, healthcare, and finance for its reliable network security. It is favored for securing internal servers, offering robust threat protection, and managing bandwidth efficiently at a budget-friendly rate.

Sangfor

Zscaler Cloud Firewall enhances network security through seamless integration, configuration management, and comprehensive visibility. With real-time threat detection and centralized control, it provides exceptional protection without hardware investments.

Zscaler Cloud Firewall is designed for efficient network traffic management and secure internet access. It allows granular policy setting, blocking malicious IPs and domains, and access control. This cloud-based service offers smooth integration with security platforms, replacing traditional firewalls and VPNs to ensure data protection and network integrity. The intuitive dashboard facilitates policy enforcement, while advanced features like SSL inspection, URL filtering, and sandboxing add layers of security. Its cloud operation supports scalability and cost-effectiveness with an OpEx model.

What are the key features of Zscaler Cloud Firewall?

Seamless integration: Connects smoothly with existing security tools.
Intuitive dashboard: Simplifies policy enforcement and configuration.
Granular rule-setting: Allows detailed policy customization.
Real-time threat detection: Identifies and mitigates risks instantly.
Centralized control: Manages firewall settings from one location.

What benefits should users expect from Zscaler Cloud Firewall?

Cost savings: Operates fully in the cloud, eliminating hardware needs.
Scalability: Adjusts to business requirements without additional investments.
Enhanced security: Provides advanced SSL inspection and sandboxing.
Flexibility: Blocks malicious traffic and secures various devices.
Integration: Works with other platforms for comprehensive security.

Zscaler Cloud Firewall is widely used by organizations needing to secure network communications for remote and office environments. It facilitates policy implementation to block unauthorized access and is integral in protecting data and network operations across sectors like finance, healthcare, and technology. Its ability to integrate with other platforms supports a multifaceted security approach, ensuring extensive coverage and adaptability.

Zscaler

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

The Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (Indonesia), Lawson, Inc. (Philippines), Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (Indonesia), TEK Automotive (Italy), etc.

Zenith Live, Azure, Carlsberg Group

Buyer's Guide

Sangfor NGAF vs. Zscaler Cloud Firewall

April 2026

Free Report: Sangfor NGAF vs. Zscaler Cloud Firewall

Find out what your peers are saying about Sangfor NGAF vs. Zscaler Cloud Firewall and other solutions. Updated: April 2026.

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