We are using the solution completely for VPN purposes. We have infrastructure VPNs, and our clients are completely relying on FortiClient.
Assistant Manager-Networks at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees
User friendly and easy to set up with a great split tunneling feature
Pros and Cons
- "You can scale the product."
- "FortiClient is not great in Linux."
What is our primary use case?
How has it helped my organization?
We are providing SSL VPNs with separate IDs for all the clients. With the FortiClient software, they can use our service even from home, with all kinds of solutions - like public VDA. They can access the VDA from their home with FortiClient. They just need to connect to the solution and be directly accessible to this local VDA service.
What is most valuable?
It's a completely user-friendly solution for any kind of platform, including Linux, Windows, Mac, et cetera. Our clients rely entirely on FortiClient.
It has a great split tunneling feature. The split tunneling feature is good in cases when we want to browse the internet through the ISP connection without going through our organization. It's for the client to browse the internet without going through our organization. The remaining traffic will go through a web firewall, and only the public features will go through their ISP.
The solution is stable.
You can scale the product.
The solution is easy to set up, deploys quickly, and doesn't take too many people in terms of handling the setup.
Technical support is good.
It works well with other Fortinet products.
What needs improvement?
FortiClient is not great in Linux. Our clients report issues from some of their Linux versions where FortiClient has some issues. In Windows, it is perfectly fine. In Mac OS also, it is excellent; however, in Linux, it is somewhat tough to handle.
We would like to see user-based authentication. It is already there. However, we are not able to save profiles completely in many of the releases. We will need to type these user-based things again and again on each connection fail. Therefore, once it gets connected, it is not completely up. We need to connect again after a session time-out.
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.
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For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for eight to nine years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable product. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It is reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution scales well. It's not an issue at all.
We have between 4,000 and 5,000 users on the solution. Maybe 3,000 students will use it, and around 2,000 faculty.
We do have plans to increase usage.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support has been good. We've found them to be helpful and responsive.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have used other private VPN solutions. For example, OpenVPN. FortiClient, however, completely works well with FortiGate solutions which is why we moved on with FortiClient.
How was the initial setup?
We required two people to handle the setup process. It's completely configurable. We were able to have everything up and running in two or three days. It's pretty straightforward and doesn't take a long time. Our network administrators handled the setup. We have two people handling maintenance.
What about the implementation team?
We didn't need any outside assistance. We handled everything in-house.
What was our ROI?
We have seen an ROI as it allows our users to work from home, which saves in-office resources. It's helped us cut down on our budget.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We license FortiClient as a VPN and don't require any other licenses.
What other advice do I have?
I'm a customer and end-user.
I can't say which version number we are on at this time. We're likely on the most up-to-date version.
We like that the solution provides us with a more secure feeling. Also, client connectivity is not that difficult to configure. With the DNA in FortiClient, we can directly use the server from home. It is completely user-friendly and less time-consuming. Users can improve their production time greatly.
I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
IT Manager at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
Good device control, knowledgable support, and capable of expansion
Pros and Cons
- "The initial setup is easy."
- "Sometimes there are issues when we are trying to connect."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for endpoint protection.
Since there has been a lot of work from home, the product has given us more control over the users and what they are browsing. We can restrict their activity to our Fortinet cloud only. Having those controls in place - including what website they should browse, what data they should transfer or use, whose server is coming into their devices, how they're connected with geographical location, et cetera - keeps our company safer. Everything is helping us maintain the security of the devices that are not in the office.
What is most valuable?
With FortiClient we can control the devices which are not in the office. We are enforcing them to work with FortiClient only. If FortiClient is off, they cannot connect to the internet. They need FortiClient to be on. That one friction is what is making our life easier as system administrators and IT security support.
The initial setup is easy.
The solution scales well.
What needs improvement?
Sometimes there are issues when we are trying to connect. The error doesn't give us the proper feedback. Exactly what is wrong and how we can troubleshoot it is not clear.
We have approximately 500 users who are using FortiClient. They do not provide us a central point of how to deploy on all the users from one location. Manually, we have to go and install it on every user's system.
If we could have multiple VPN connections at the same time or a VPN channel to different VPNs, that would be ideal.
For how long have I used the solution?
I used the solution for six or seven years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is very stable and very reliable. Its performance is good. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.
I'd rate the stability eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is easily scalable.
We have about 100 users.
How are customer service and support?
I've used support many times.
There are two aspects. One is reaching them and the second is getting support. So reaching them is a pretty tedious process. That said, if we reach them, then our resolution is a hundred percent what we get.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We were using Symantec. Then Symantec was overtaken by Broadcom. Once Broadcom took over, we were not getting the support that we used to get when it was really Symantec only.
We also tried to work with CrowdStrike and did not have a good experience with them. They wouldn't properly let us test the solution. They only let us test the basic antivirus and nothing else.
Earlier, we were using SonicWall. That global VPN client was not that stable, so we moved to Fortinet.
FortiClient is much better than the global VPN client of SonicWall as SonicWall Client is very limited, and it doesn't have a feature set, that we can upgrade in future. Fortinet Client can be upgraded. We don't have to reinstall, only handle the feature enabling. The scalability is excellent.
How was the initial setup?
The solution is simple. It's not overly complex.
It's just three clicks, and it is installed. It doesn't take long at all.
We have about seven team members that can handle deployment and maintenance tasks.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution is more on the expensive side.
What other advice do I have?
I'm a customer and end-user.
We had the solution deployed on-premises and on the cloud. We have a cloud-based appliance and physical appliances in each of our offices too. When our office wants to connect to Azure's cloud, we use the Fortinet appliance on the cloud to get connected and have the VPN established.
I'd rate the solution nine out of ten. I'd recommend it to others any day of the week.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
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.
879,853 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Corporate IT Manager at a real estate/law firm with 201-500 employees
Easy to use with good vulnerability scanning and patch management functionality
Pros and Cons
- "It’s easy to use."
- "While we like patch management, it would be nice if it could handle patch management for other solutions, like Microsoft."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for security purposes. It’s an endpoint management server.
It's for endpoint management, especially for the laptops or maybe the virtual laptop that is working, virtual desktops, servers, mainly vulnerability scanning, and just for management.
What is most valuable?
It’s easy to use.
The deployment was fast.
It's migrated to the security service. On the firewall, we can see if you are a client or not, so it's good for visibility.
It offers vulnerability scanning and is good at picking stuff up.
The solution offers useful malware protection.
The sandbox is okay also.
It’s good when using the VPN and remote access.
The patch management is pretty good.
What needs improvement?
We opened a ticket in Forti for a virtual desktop environment client to see if we could use it in the cloned desktop. We're using it in a virtual environment and need to sort that out so it also will work for cloned environments. They're working on that. However, it's not perfect right now.
I don't really want to add new features. However, I would like to add the zero-day protection that they offer in the FortiXDR solution to this product. Right now, it's another product. They are clever guys. They make you buy more than one solution instead of putting everything together.
While we like patch management, it would be nice if it could handle patch management for other solutions, like Microsoft.
For how long have I used the solution?
We’ve used it for around a year and a half. We started using it around 2020 or thereabouts.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
For the most part, the solution is stable. It depends. We always need to test the new versions. However, it seems stable even on the client side.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We are licensing to about 200 endpoints on the solution right now.
Everyone in the company uses the solution. Here, in Hungary, we're using a sync client and virtual desktops.
We are a small company, so scalability is not the issue. We don't need to worry about having 20,000 users and then suddenly getting another 50,000. That's really a scalability issue. However, right now, it's not an issue for 200 users. There’s not a question anyway in regards to scalability.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I previously used Ivanti. We moved to a virtual desktop environment and to Forti Fabric and it seemed better to move to FortiClient. It was cheaper as well. That said, Ivanti is a bigger solution, especially focused on physical desktops. We have no physical desktops, so we did not need them.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is easy to use, which makes the deployment very quick.
What about the implementation team?
The deployment was deployed by a partner.
It was easy to set up. The whole process maybe took one day.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing was okay. They recently changed it. I just purchased it, and they doubled the price. It was not a very friendly move.
The problem is that the marketing guy is always working with forecasting, and they're crazy about their forecast. The vendor is crazy about the forecast, yet they doubled the price without warning me. It's very hard to make a budget that way.
It's paid every year. This year, when I saw the price, I thought, "oh my God, it's double what was in the last year." For 200 users, that was not very, very painful. However, you need to explain to everyone why you spent more.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, it’s a good product. I'd rate it a nine out of ten.
It’s great if you have other Fortigate products.
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.
Cybersecurity architect at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Easy to set up and user-friendly with good support
Pros and Cons
- "It’s really easy to use."
- "It would be interesting if the solution offered a way to try to investigate and create a use case to trace vectors."
What is our primary use case?
FortiClient is for the VPN. FortiClient is used with FortiGate. We have 100 users across both North America and Europe. We created a rule with the firewall to authorize the countries we are in, and we have rules to authorize specific IPs. We have to link to the internet.
How has it helped my organization?
The incidents in the log have been very useful. Some projects are really a pain to investigate. This helps.
What is most valuable?
The solution is user-friendly. It’s really easy to use. It is not like Cisco where GUI is really bad.
I don't have really issues with them. In terms of features, everything is easier.
When you want to find any information, you have documentation on hand that is easy to use.
You have good support and the price is good.
The solution is very easy to set up.
What needs improvement?
I’m not sure what exactly can be improved.
It would be interesting if the solution offered a way to try to investigate and create a use case to trace vectors.
For how long have I used the solution?
I’ve used the solution for more than two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We don’t have any issues with stability. It’s been fine. There are no bugs or glitches and it doesn’t crash or freeze. We don’t have any issues with the internet or power supplies.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have about 100 users on the solution currently. We don’t really scale it.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support has been excellent. They are fantastic.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I used a different solution. However, it does not cover the same responsibilities.
Sometimes, for SOCs, I’ve looked at WatchGuard, Palo Alto, Cisco, and Check Point.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was simple and straightforward. It wasn’t difficult at all.
I wasn’t a part of the initial setup and we tried to switch since the first time the person deployed it. In FortiGate, he used the wrong setting and the wrong methodology. We had to try to make some changes without creating any issues with the production.
It is very easy when you start at the beginning. It is not long to deploy.
What about the implementation team?
We handled the setup ourselves in-house. However, when I leave the company, likely they will try working with a third party as they don’t have the time and have a contract with other clients.
What was our ROI?
I don’t deal with anything related to pricing or costs or ROI.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I don’t know the exact pricing of the solution. It’s not an aspect I worry about.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
To compare every project on FortiClient you have and compare it with Palo Alto. Palo Alto offers a few more powerful new features. You can automate the use case. You have internet analysis and endpoint analysis. I would like to see the same options in FortiClient.
What other advice do I have?
I administrate FortiGate.
Within my new job, I am trying to be a partner with FortiGate and FortiClient to sell it to other clients. I have to get my certification just to be expert
I’d advise users to just look into best practices. Maybe try to join a training session. You can also simply go on the internet and try to find the best practices that make sense for you.
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?
Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Security Manager at a computer software company with 11-50 employees
A solution that strengthens endpoint security through integrated visibility
Pros and Cons
- "We mainly use this solution because we have many Fortinet solutions like antivirus and SSL assessment."
- "I heard that Fortinet is going to enhance the firmware to have mobile versions. One is like Linux long-term support SCS and one with new features, but there is no support here. We spoke with the vendor multiple times, and they said that they will release these features soon."
What is most valuable?
We mainly use this solution because we have many Fortinet solutions like antivirus and SSL assessment.
What needs improvement?
I heard that Fortinet is going to enhance the firmware to have mobile versions. One is like Linux long-term support SCS and one with new features, but there is no support here. We spoke with the vendor multiple times, and they said that they will release these features soon.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Fortinet FortiClient for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a very stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It has lengthy features, and with minimum requirements, you will need to scale up the hardware requirement to scale up the product.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is a six out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I rate the solution a seven out of ten.
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. Partner/Integrator
Technical Manager at a retailer with 11-50 employees
Effective in improving endpoint visibility and has good integration capabilities
Pros and Cons
- "The integration capabilities are good."
- "The quality and response time of the support team must be improved."
What is our primary use case?
Our customers use the product for endpoint protection and VPN. Our clients are mainly focussed on logistics. They also use the tool for remote workforce security management.
What is most valuable?
Our customers do not have any complaints about the solution. The solution is effective in improving endpoint visibility. The product provides features like URL Filtering for endpoint protection. IPS is an effective feature. We use the VPN, too. We register our endpoints to the management server.
The product supports our client’s remote access needs. The integration capabilities are good. Our clients usually integrate the product with FortiGate. The integration has improved our client’s security posture. So far, we haven’t heard any complaints from users about VPN.
What needs improvement?
The quality and response time of the support team must be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the tool’s stability a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the tool’s scalability an eight out of ten. Our clients are small and enterprise-level businesses.
How was the initial setup?
I rate the ease of setup an eight out of ten. The deployment takes two hours.
What other advice do I have?
We are partners. I will recommend the tool to others. It is easy to integrate with FortiGate. We can use policies for endpoint protection. Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
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. Partner
IT Security and Privacy at a consultancy with 1-10 employees
A scalable and easy-to-deploy solution, but its visibility of the end-user action should be improved
Pros and Cons
- "Fortinet FortiClient's scalability is very good because it has no limitations."
- "Fortinet FortiClient should improve its visibility of the consumption of traffic and end-user action, which is very low."
What is our primary use case?
We use Fortinet FortiClient based on the end user's firewall structure. If my customer uses a FortiGate firewall, we usually use Fortinet FortiClient for the VPN instead of a WatchGuard.
What is most valuable?
Fortinet FortiClient's scalability is very good because it has no limitations.
What needs improvement?
Fortinet FortiClient should improve its visibility of the consumption of traffic and end-user action, which is very low.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Fortinet FortiClient for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We didn't face any problems with Fortinet FortiClient's stability.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I previously used a solution called WatchGuard.
How was the initial setup?
Fortinet FortiClient's initial setup is quite simple.
What about the implementation team?
Fortinet FortiClient's deployment took around five to ten minutes. We manually set up the software while configuring the end-user device. We deployed the solution through an in-house team.
What other advice do I have?
I would not recommend Fortinet FortiClient to other users because of its low visibility of end-user actions.
Overall, I rate Fortinet FortiClient a seven out of ten.
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. Partner
Enterprise Solutions Consultant at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
Powerful with good connectivity and the ability to expand
Pros and Cons
- "It is very powerful."
- "The solution requires skillful users."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution support on the customer's network. It's a VPN product. We enter into their network and give support.
What is most valuable?
It's good to use the solution with other solutions. There's good connectivity.
It is very powerful.
The solution is good for scalability.
If you are knowledgable, it can be set up rather easily.
What needs improvement?
The solution requires skillful users.
There are a lot of requirements. It makes it a bit complex to use.
Security could always be improved. This is true for every VPN provider. We are seeing quantum computers, and it's only a matter of time before we will be using something like this we'll need security to match, including quantum-safe keys for VPNs and so on.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used the solution for two to four years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution can scale, at least for my purposes. I'm not sure if there is a limit to how large it can scale. It can scale security-wise. Users can move from a simple password to two-factor authentication.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support has not been used. We don't have any issues with the problem.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I work with a lot of clients and therefore use a lot of VPN solutions. For example, we also use Palo Alto or OpenVPN. OpenVPN is simpler to use.
How was the initial setup?
I find the solution very easy to set up as I am knowledgeable.
The solution can be deployed in ten minutes. If you need to configure something, it might take five minutes more on a new computer.
The deployment is very easy. You simply download the solution from Fortinet, and the installation software is simple to click through, so long as you don't need too many configurations.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I can't speak to the pricing. The customer handled the costs.
What other advice do I have?
We're using the latest version of the solution.
We use the solution personally as our clients use the product.
I'd rate the solution nine out of ten. I'd recommend the solution to others. It is a very good product. OpenVPN is also quite a good solution as well.
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. Partner
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiClient Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
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Updated: January 2026
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