Currently, we are using FortiClient, and there's only a firewall. I am using FortiClient for remote workforce environments. It's used for remote employees.
IT Manager at a consultancy with 51-200 employees
Efficient remote access enhanced by VPN with room for better connectivity
Pros and Cons
- "It's simple, downloadable, and there's usually no problem."
- "There are compatibility issues, and sometimes, especially with macOS, it's difficult to set up properly."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The SSL VPN. Yeah, VPN. These are just the VPN capabilities that are mostly used.
What needs improvement?
There are compatibility issues, and sometimes, especially with macOS, it's difficult to set up properly. Sometimes, it connects, sometimes not. Another improvement is that we need to know if there's a proper setup for both Mac and Windows systems. We disconnect sometimes, and we don't really know the cause. Also, the FortiClient feature should connect seamlessly without manual intervention. Sometimes, there is a need for manual configuration before connecting.
For how long have I used the solution?
Currently, we are working eight or nine years.
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Fortinet FortiClient
January 2026
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Stability is still a five out of ten as we don't know the cause of disconnections we face.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
In terms of scalability, I'm giving FortiClient a five out of ten since there is room for improvement.
How was the initial setup?
In terms of setting up, there are no issues. It's simple, downloadable, and there's usually no problem.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Currently, since we are deploying it, compared to before, it's a good price and cost. That said, now it has become costly. The rating is seven out of ten in terms of pricing.
What other advice do I have?
Based on requirements, I can recommend the product for other users.
I'd rate the solution seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Sr. System Administration (Grindmaster Machines Pvt Ltd) at a manufacturing company with 201-500 employees
Effective firewall control, easy to set up, and good scalability
Pros and Cons
- "FortiClient benefits us by allowing control over internal and external users of the Fortinet network."
- "The user interface is a bit sluggish and needs improvement."
What is our primary use case?
We are using FortiClient to block certain firewall policies for our users.
How has it helped my organization?
FortiClient benefits us by allowing control over internal and external users of the Fortinet network. We can apply the same policies from the physical firewall to the cloud side, which is beneficial for managing both types of users.
What is most valuable?
We primarily use the firewall feature in FortiClient, which is highly valuable to us.
What needs improvement?
We require that the process be simplified more. The user interface is a bit sluggish and needs improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with FortiClient for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
FortiClient is stable. I don't find any issues regarding its stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
FortiClient can easily scale up.
How are customer service and support?
The support is sluggish. Sometimes there are delays, and sometimes they do not respond. So, I would not recommend FortiClient for enterprise-level implementation based on their support.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is simple. It is much simpler than the previous version.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is a bit on the higher side compared to other products.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Cyberoam has more of a competitive edge, especially with AWS.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend FortiClient to other users.
I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiClient
January 2026
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiClient. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: January 2026.
881,036 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Software Engineer at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
A stable solution requiring a straightforward initial setup to get started but needing improvement on the scalability front
Pros and Cons
- "It is a stable solution."
- "Occasionally, the solution may provide a slow connection. In addition, there may be initialization and authorization issues that one may need to take care of while using the solution."
What is our primary use case?
Occasionally, the solution may provide a slow connection. In addition, there may be initialization and authorization issues that one may need to take care of while using the solution. As a network engineer, cybersecurity professional, and individual involved in the assessment process, it is necessary to monitor VPN connectivity regularly. This involves verifying whether the VPN connections are established or not and understanding any challenges that may be affecting users. These are the areas where I need to pinpoint and look into since I have been handed over the responsibility to do so.
What is most valuable?
The price to pay for the features is significant, in my opinion. However, I don't know much about the updates and packs since our company is not involved in that part. Our primary responsibility is to check the latency during slow periods of time. We must be aware of any slowness in the user's connection since they are connected to us. If users experience slow connections, we must address the issue promptly.
What needs improvement?
Assuming myself to be the subject and your database to be the object, whenever the subject requests access to the database, the authorization process needs to be done quickly to ensure that the database can be manipulated efficiently. However, sometimes data manipulation can still take time.This can be achieved fast through authorization, authentication, or a triple authentication system. I am from India, and I have to log in to the data center in the US. I wonder why it takes time despite us having leased lines and multiple connections. Therefore, these are important topics that we need to discuss further.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Fortinet FortiClient for one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability-wise, I rate this solution a seven and a half out of ten. There should be a proper solution for patch implementation and server hardening. I would like the solution's scalability to be improved. Also, I plan to increase the solution's usage. I have 13,000 people using Fortinet FortiClient and Cisco AnyConnect based on their work areas and connectivity requirements. Redundancy measures have been implemented to ensure connectivity for all users.
As per my observation, there are people who are supportive of Fortinet FortiClient. Their support can be crucial in making the solution scalable since they possess years of experience in this field.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup process for the solution is straightforward. The initial setup was done one year ago.
Several steps need to be followed to deploy the solution. Firstly, the software required for the solution needs to be installed. Once the software is installed, the server name needs to be provided where the software will be deployed. Additionally, the network needs to be configured by specifying the IP addresses and gateway addresses to establish connectivity.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
As a technical team member, I am not responsible to look into the pricing matters. These aspects are typically handled by the management team, who have the authority to obtain the necessary licenses based on certain established principles. Also, I can only let the management team know when the license will expire. Ultimately, the decision-makers are the business consultants.
What other advice do I have?
I used Fortinet FortiClient for cryptography, which is something one can achieve faster over the solution. An alternative solution to consider is Cisco OpenConnect. It's important to consider the requirements of its users because, ultimately, everyone goes for a different redundancy. Fortinet FortiClient and Cisco OpenConnect are VPN solutions that can establish secure connections with other individuals or networks. They are both available as open-source resources.
Since I am not from the procurement side, I cannot recommend the solution to anyone from my end. However, from a technical perspective, I will be in a position to comment. Overall, I rate this solution seven and a half out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Senior Network Consultant at a computer software company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Gives us more visibility over our network to see which users are connected to the firewalls and what they're accessing
Pros and Cons
- "It's easy to use, easy to deploy, and I have more visibility over my network that shows which users are connected to the firewalls, which users are connected to the network, and what they're accessing."
- "The connectivity could be improved."
What is our primary use case?
I'm a data network consultant, and some of my clients ask me to provide a remote access solution. In India, many people were working from home because of COVID, so they needed a reliable solution to connect to their network for work. For that reason, I suggested that they use FortiClient and Fortinet firewalls, which were already deployed. I just extended their connectivity and provided them with a remote access solution.
We're using the latest version, which is being updated by my IT team. My organization is also using FortiClient to provide remote access to the internal services. It's being managed by our IT policies and the governance team. For the clients that I'm managing, I recommend Fortinet firewalls to them.
We are using on-premises devices for US-based clients and clients in Europe. We're using on-premises devices 90% of the time.
More than 1,000 users in my organization are using Fortinet FortiClient software.
We are a team of eight to 10 people who manage our own network and our clients' network. We have junior consultants, consultants, and managers who are working together to provide the solution to our customers and organizations for managing the network.
What is most valuable?
It's easy to use, easy to deploy, and I have more visibility over my network to see which users are connected to the firewalls, which users are connected to the network, and what they're accessing.
What needs improvement?
The connectivity could be improved. It should be more user-friendly. For a layman user who doesn't have any information about VPNs, they won't know how it connects.
There's an overhead when we use the solution and deploy users. You need to configure FortiClient for each individual user. Their systems need to be configured to connect to the VPN. It would be better if the process was automated.
Some configuration and VPN features could more user-friendly.
Now, I'm working on a solution from Palo Alto firewall. It's basically an endpoint firewall. When a user opens his laptop, the laptop is already connected to a VPN, so it's secure before the login feature. I would like to see that feature in Fortinet as well. The system connects to the VPN as soon as it starts, no matter if it's connected to a network.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used FortiClient for more than five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's been stable for most of the time that I've used it. I spend nearly 8 to 12 hours on the VPN. It depends on the internet connection, but the VPN itself is stable enough.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's scalable.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is helpful and responsive. Whenever we need any support, they are there to help us.
I would rate technical support as four out of five.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I've used Cisco AnyConnect and Cisco Meraki. I use this software to connect to the VPN.
How was the initial setup?
Initial setup would be better if it was automated. It will take a couple of minutes to set up a VPN. If there are more than 100 or 1,000 users in an organization, you can multiply that number with the number of employees.
The number of people needed for maintenance depends on the deployment. For our organization, there are 10 people managing it. There are some projects that I'm single-handedly managing, so I am doing the Fortinet firewall's configuration, the VPN configuration, and site to site VPN for the client's VPN. There are some instances where I require more support from my team. It depends on the deployment and the project on which we're working.
What about the implementation team?
The deployment was done by my own team.
We took some assistance from Fortinet support, but we did most of the configurations ourselves. There were some cases in which we required some expert assistance, so we contacted Fortinet support. They were super helpful and useful.
What was our ROI?
There was a return on investment, mainly in terms of security. After COVID, there were a lot of incidents in my country and in the banking sector. Some of our customers lost a lot of data, which was worth a lot for them. After investing in Fortinet, their network has been quite secure. They've been audited from multiple organizations and have achieved their mark.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution as eight out of ten.
If there was an automation feature and it was more secure, I would rate it as 10 out of 10.
I would recommend this solution to others. We had some incidents and were asked to provide solutions to some of our commercial clients. We provided Fortinet. We shortlisted the firewall and gave them a technical solution.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Senior Technical Support Engineer at a tech vendor with 11-50 employees
Has real-time threat detection for scanning files and antivirus
Pros and Cons
- "We use real-time threat detection for scanning files and antivirus. It's integrated with Fortinet FortiAnalyzer. When an endpoint is compromised, Fortinet FortiClient and FortiGate trigger to block and isolate the user on the network."
- "The tool could use more features, such as improved antivirus scanning with filters and application control to manage users. If you don't have FortiGate for web filtering and application control, you can use these in Fortinet FortiClient EMS. This gives you two options: on-site and off-site."
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution for antivirus and endpoint security.
What is most valuable?
When combined with EMS, Fortinet FortiClient's features are most helpful for endpoint security. It does improve our company's security posture.
We use real-time threat detection for scanning files and antivirus. It's integrated with Fortinet FortiAnalyzer. When an endpoint is compromised, Fortinet FortiClient and FortiGate trigger to block and isolate the user on the network.
This integration isn't difficult—it's part of the Security Fabric when FortiAnalyzer, FortiGate, and Fortinet FortiClient work together.
It with Security Fabric and FortiGate for blacklisting IPs and blocking compromised hosts, and providing VPN connectivity to encrypt traffic.
What needs improvement?
The tool could use more features, such as improved antivirus scanning with filters and application control to manage users. If you don't have FortiGate for web filtering and application control, you can use these in Fortinet FortiClient EMS. This gives you two options: on-site and off-site.
When a user is on-site at the company, you can apply policies to control your network's web filtering and application control. But when the user or PC is outside the company, you don't need to control what they open in their browser.
This is a benefit because I don't care what users access at home - they can open YouTube or Facebook. But when they're at the company, I want to restrict what they can open in the browser. I want to block YouTube and Facebook at work but allow all access at home.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
My company has 200 users.
How are customer service and support?
The support is open for 24/7 tickets.
How was the initial setup?
It took about three days to install - one day for server and EMS installation, integrating with the LDAP server, and pushing the Fortinet FortiClient image over group policy.
What other advice do I have?
I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Security Network Architect at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees
Protects endpoints within the local area network and has low maintenance
Pros and Cons
- "FortiClient is very easy, useful, and practical."
- "The solution could add data to the endpoint."
What is our primary use case?
Fortinet FortiClient protects endpoints such as PCs, laptops, tablets, and other devices within the local area network.
What is most valuable?
The flow between the endpoint and Fortinet firewall is increasing. If you configure VPN IPsec and site-to-site between two FortiGate or firewalls, the network interface between the endpoints and the firewall is not encrypted. We added analytics to increase the flow from the endpoint through the firewall and the server to the second firewall like Palo Alto, Azure, or another.
Integration capabilities are based on license. You can specify the number of endpoints to add.
What needs improvement?
The solution could add data to the endpoint.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used Fortinet FortiClient for an implementation.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution was integrated with Windows, Linux, or various web distributions. It's stability is great.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable. You can upgrade anytime.
How are customer service and support?
Sometimes, we may not have anyone to contact for tech support because we've acquired much knowledge. We refer to a quick guide if we encounter issues, such as VPN IP settings or VPN assistance. When one person lacks the skills to master or understand the content, you can comprehend and implement it with the Fortinet cookbook. You can resolve some issues. However, you can email them if you encounter a very complicated problem or issue. Fortinet will understand and respond within two hours.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very easy. You can perform the initial setup as the user, installing the application on the endpoint and assigning it. Then, configure the firewall and set up your gateway. After that, you can add and monitor your endpoints through your firewall.
If you have the licensing and highly vulnerable documents, you can implement it quickly.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing and licensing for Fortinet would vary. They had a bundle for FortiGate from Fortinet. They do not abandon the bundle between physical and virtual machines. With the license, the device is very useful.
What other advice do I have?
You can maintain and work with your endpoint through the firewall.
FortiClient is very easy, useful, and practical. We can monitor the endpoints.
Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
IT Manager at a financial services firm with 11-50 employees
Good security and support and easy to make secure remote connections
Pros and Cons
- "The service is centralized."
- "Cloud services are very expensive for us."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution as a VPN. It's to help our remote employees connect. We use it mainly for security reasons so that our staff has clean, secure, internet access.
What is most valuable?
The security is good. It helps us avoid attacks. The antivirus database is quite strong.
It's helpful in that it allows us to create secure remote connections.
The service is centralized.
What needs improvement?
We don't have matching infrastructure in our company for our customers as it is too expensive. It's difficult to see the licenses due to the cost. We don't find it too expensive as we do not have too much infrastructure, however, our customers have more infrastructure and need more and therefore it can get pricey.
Cloud services are very expensive for us.
We'd like Fortinet to offer bundled options in the future.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used the solution for seven to eight years so far.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is quite a stable solution. I'd rate it nine out of ten. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have around 20 people using the solution right now. Our engineers from the system department handle the solution.
The product is quite scalable. I'd rate the ease of expansion at a nine out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
I've dealt with support in the past and they are helpful and responsive. Typically, items are dealt with by the next business day. They are very fast to respond.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did not previously use a different solution.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not very simple.
The time it takes to deploy depends on the environment. If you are adding some rules in, it could take a few hours. If you have everything organized ahead of time and you have all of the rules decided beforehand, it is pretty easy. An implementation like that can go pretty fast.
What about the implementation team?
We handled the setup ourselves.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution is expensive. We found the cloud to be very expensive.
Licensing is usually paid yearly.
What other advice do I have?
We are Fortinet partners.
We're using the latest version of the solution. We renewed our hardware just last year.
I'd recommend the solution to others. I'd rate the product nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Director Of Information Technology at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Great integrated VPN, real-time signature scans, and central intelligence
Pros and Cons
- "EMS central reporting with fabric connectivity to FortiGate and FortiAnalyser is great and has seamless integration which makes managing 3000 devices a breeze."
- "Working with Distribution sometimes comes at a cost due to a lack of knowledge of the current status of your licensing and products."
What is our primary use case?
We've used the solution to remove legacy AV and replace it with a modern EP.
We worked with Symantec and Kaspersky previously, and they were very cumbersome and exhaustive on the endpoints and supporting teams.
We needed a revamp and we did a very lengthy study of several platforms. Fortinet came to discuss a holistic view and had the right architecture. We actually bought FortiClient in the hope of creating 365-degree connectivity to all-stack on the Fortinet suite, including EDR. We have not been disappointed so far.
It is easy to manage platforms and has intuitive reporting making it a breeze to administer and project future remediation.
How has it helped my organization?
We moved through these key phases:
- Study application signatures identification capabilities.
- Get to know the fabric connection to Fortigate/EMS
- Understanding the gain with FortiAnalyser.
- Using the SCCM in conjunction with patching
- Upgrade to Zero Trust with FortiEDR
The idea of a single plane of glass for all security products fits perfectly on our four-man team, and we have a collaborations team independent of Azure Cloud Services and both can easily study, interpret the reports and act on them within five minutes, to be precise.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features include:
- Vulnerability Scan
- Integrated VPN
- Real-Time Signature Scan
- Central Intelligence (Fortigate with FortiAnalyser)
EMS central reporting with fabric connectivity to FortiGate and FortiAnalyser is great and has seamless integration which makes managing 3000 devices a breeze and remediation a Hollywood movie.
We can't wait for the ERD integration and get the FortiNAC onboard for a Zero-Trust platform, every day goes by and we rest assured of the decision we made three years ago.
Thank you Fortinet, we do appreciate your R&D!
What needs improvement?
The solution could be improved in these areas:
1. Support (If you have the Advanced Support Services you are in heaven) if not you will be in hell for a long time.
2. Licensing Division (They are starting to understand the value of their product and slicing everything to make money)
3. EDR with EMS better integrate them on the same single plane of glass. We will be waiting for it.
4. Working with Distribution sometimes comes at a cost due to a lack of knowledge of the current status of your licensing and products.
5. Advertise needs to be better for the ELA.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've used the solution for 36 months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution was stable within 24 Months and is 100% stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The product is scalable and adjusts to all needs.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support has been a nightmare. We are about to get a ELA and pay for the Advance Care Support.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
It is relative to your internal team competencies, and generally easier than other competitors.
What about the implementation team?
We implemented it with our internal team.
What was our ROI?
ROI is almost 50% compared to old solutions.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
If you have the chance to revamp, ask yourself what is your vision and start designing it on paper and understand what covers betters your needs, and move towards it.
Start with your internal competencies and build on them.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We also looked into:
- Microsoft
- Checkpoint
- Palo Alto
- Cisco
What other advice do I have?
The solution offers great 365 views, impressive reporting, and good product integration.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiClient Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Updated: January 2026
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