We are using Fortinet FortiGate firewall as a data center firewall.
Senior IT specialist at SAUDIA ALIRLINES
Easy interface and resilience against power interruptions improve network security
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
Two aspects I'm happy with regarding Fortinet FortiGate firewall are the easy user interface and its resilience during power interruptions. We experienced two power interruptions where the firewall got disconnected from electricity, but it resumed working normally without any issues.
The firewall provides enhanced security for our network, and as administrators, we are satisfied with the friendly interface. We are particularly pleased with the Fortinet FortiGate firewall's ability to provide network and security convergence.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using it for three years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable.
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate
July 2025

Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: July 2025.
860,711 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did not use any solution before Fortinet FortiGate.
What was our ROI?
The price-to-performance ratio that we get from using Fortinet FortiGate firewall is very good.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is affordable. We are satisfied with the Fortinet FortiGate firewall.
What other advice do I have?
I would highly recommend Fortinet FortiGate firewall. We feel more secure after implementing it. We are securing the whole network with the Fortinet FortiGate firewall, not specifically the data.
On a scale of one to ten, I rate this solution a nine.
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.
Last updated: Jul 2, 2025
Flag as inappropriate
IT Infrastructure Lead at Harmony Gold Australia
Easy to use and provides good visibility of network traffic
Pros and Cons
- "FortiGate is more feature-rich and has a broader range of hardware. T"
- "The SD-WAN functionality is a bit overly complicated and not fully documented."
What is our primary use case?
It is just for firewalls and network security.
How has it helped my organization?
It's mostly compliance, like just meeting our security requirements to keep our data secure. We don't make money out of it. It just keeps our data safe.
I have FortiGate for SD-WAN and all access points here, which has helped with traffic shaping capabilities.
I also use AI (Rapid7) to improve my cybersecurity.
What is most valuable?
It's easy to use and provides good visibility of network traffic.
What needs improvement?
The SD-WAN functionality is a bit overly complicated and not fully documented.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using it for six years.
How are customer service and support?
The customer service and support are good. I can contact them online or over the phone.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used Sophos XTM and Palo Alto.
FortiGate is more feature-rich and has a broader range of hardware. They offer switches, access points, firewalls, and the whole network stack, whereas a lot of others only do firewalls.
It's just a good value and the possibility of using those features. We haven't used FortiSwitches yet; we're investigating them at the moment, but we haven't ordered any yet.
How was the initial setup?
The SD-WAN was certainly tricky and took a while to figure out, but the rest of the security features were straightforward.
The deployment took us six months.
What was our ROI?
It's hard to measure the return on investment, but it certainly helps us manage our security requirements easier than other solutions that I've used.
It's good value for the money.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It was worth the money overall. It's good value.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I would 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.
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate
July 2025

Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: July 2025.
860,711 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Senior Systems Engineer at Caribbean Development Company
Has good ECC management feature and a single GUI with excellent monitoring capabilities
Pros and Cons
- "The ECC management and the GUI that offers single interface management are the most valuable features of Fortinet FortiGate."
- "The documentation available for Fortinet FortiGate should be improved"
What is our primary use case?
Our company uses this solution for endpoint network security.
What is most valuable?
The ECC management and the GUI that offers single interface management are the most valuable features of Fortinet FortiGate.
What needs improvement?
The documentation available for Fortinet FortiGate should be improved. Often, I find documentation of older models and not the latest version of Fortinet FortiGate. I have to often utilize the older documentation and reengineer the information for the latest model of Fortinet FortiGate.
There are competitor products in the market that can monitor all logs, which are referred to as SOC; Fortinet FortiGate should have such in-built features. The solution should be able to implement machine learning and analytics of all the logs for threat detection and protection.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Fortinet FortiGate for more than a year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate the stability an eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is used daily in our organization. I would rate the scalability an eight out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
I would rate the tech support an eight out of ten. Our company needs to contact customer support on certain issues. The support team is usually able to resolve the issues by communication over call a few times. Sometimes, there was quite some back-and-forth through support tickets with the vendor team before the issues got resolved.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Our company previously worked with Juniper, NETGEAR, and Cisco. The devices from the aforementioned vendors reached the End of Life, and their support was expiring in our company, so we switched to Fortinet FortiGate to have visibility and manage all devices through a single vendor.
How was the initial setup?
I would rate the initial setup a nine out of ten. Due to some network complexities, we had to schedule the downtime of our organization's business, so the initial deployment of Fortinet FortiGate took more time than anticipated. But the setup process was seamless and our company didn't face any abrupt down time.
At our company, first, we prepared a deployment plan and then divided the services into varying areas based on which the deployment was performed in phases. Only two professionals, a system engineer, and an infrastructure manager, are required to deploy Fortinet FortiGate.
Another two individuals are needed to maintain the solution with the same aforementioned professional job designations. In our company, we didn't face any issues while integrating Fortinet FortiGate with our existing infrastructure and even with other tools.
What about the implementation team?
A third-party team deployed the solution for our organization.
What was our ROI?
In our company, we haven't realized an ROI yet, as the solution was implemented just a year ago. There are some devices that I need in addition to other area devices of my company, we are in process of renewing all old devices with newer versions.
In the next few months, our company will be able to obtain the actual capex purchase with at least ten switches. Fortinet FortiGate is worth the money, offers multiple solutions under one roof.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I would rate the pricing a five out of ten. Our company onboarded the solution through a traditional capex purchase of the standard license with three years of customer support.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Our company has been using Fortinet FortiGate since 2009 at the firewall level, due to familiarity with the RTO and FortiGate environment, complete adoption of Fortinet FortiGate was an easier choice than other solutions for a single clear management.
Fortinet FortiGate also had all the features that our company was expecting, and in terms of ease of management, opting for the same vendor from firewall to edge device was a comfortable option.
What other advice do I have?
Previously, in our organization, we didn't have a network monitoring tool. With the adoption of Fortinet FortiGate, we can now check the port level of the switches that can be witnessed at the EP end, where all devices remain connected to the network. The management and monitoring are the major benefits of Fortinet FortiGate.
I would advise others to consider adopting the solution without hesitation. I read the latest Gartner Magic Quadrant report, and it mentioned that, based on its track record, Fortinet can compete with the best in terms of network and security solutions.
For the last five years I believe Fortinet has dominated the market. I recently attended a Fortinet event where I met all the local and regional support team; I learned that the vendor is continually expanding, and in our region, we can easily avail support and guidance regarding Fortinet solutions whenever required.
The monitoring subscription that is provided with the Fortinet FortiGate has built-in AI features for the past three years. I believe Fortinet is in the sixth generation of their AI and ML utilizing the native infrastructure. Thus, the AI features have been available for a long time in Fortinet FortiGate, but they are promoting it now due to the market trends. I would overall 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.
Helps secure complex environments through strong integration and security features
Pros and Cons
- "The product has been very stable, based on my ten to eleven years of experience."
What is our primary use case?
I primarily use it for the Nextiva SIM firewall and the website application firewall. We strive to serve our customers, including utilizing the SD-WAN feature in FortiGate in our office.
What is most valuable?
The features that are beneficial for failure mitigation and security include PPN and firewall security. The integration of multiple networks, especially in complex environments such as the finance and manufacturing industries, makes FortiGate valuable. In these industries, it can be difficult to implement and integrate several applications.
What needs improvement?
Currently, I am working on improvements. One of the main areas is the processing and integration of new features. In my opinion, refreshing the CPM technology with zero-trust access could enhance its performance.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used the solution mostly for maybe ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product has been very stable, based on my ten to eleven years of experience. When I propose FortiGate to customers, hardware problems have been minimal, which suggests a reliable performance.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability is well-supported, with the notable ability to implement features easily. FortiGate offers robust scalability options.
How are customer service and support?
I find the customer service to be good.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup typically takes three to five days.
What other advice do I have?
Sometimes, questions arise about the backup position, especially regarding firewall operations. FortiGate, placed next to Nextiva SIM, excels in terms of pricing and operational efficiency. Customers can easily troubleshoot with great technical support. I would rate it nine 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?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. reseller
Last updated: Feb 16, 2025
Flag as inappropriateNetwork & System Admin at Invoke Studios
Has a good network security feature with effective threat intelligence
Pros and Cons
- "FortiGate's ability to perform as expected and fulfil our needs has been the most compelling feature for network security."
- "FortiGate can improve its token system, as it requires a purchase before use."
What is our primary use case?
I'm managing security rules, bandwidth for the internet, switches, and fifty access points. Everything, including the network in Afghanistan, is managed from there, and it's something critical for us.
What is most valuable?
FortiGate's ability to perform as expected and fulfil our needs has been the most compelling feature for network security. FortiGate has proven to be secure and effective in terms of threat intelligence, as it alerts us about external login attempts and suspicious scripts, contributing to our system's overall security.
What needs improvement?
FortiGate can improve its token system, as it requires a purchase before use. Additionally, the VPN system could be more efficient, especially regarding VLAN passing through, which is currently a limitation. Another suggestion for improvement would be better timezone coordination for customer support. Currently, there are issues with calls coming at inconvenient times due to timezone differences. Another area for enhancement could be the response time for support tickets, as there is a delay of at least twelve hours, even for urgent tickets, which can be frustrating.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Fortinet FortiGate for the past three years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable as we expand our usage of FortiGate as our company grows. We're currently using one, but we plan to use two as our network expands.
How are customer service and support?
I open a ticket and communicate with the engineers when I encounter issues. Although it may take some time, they always get back to me with a resolution. There are mainly due to these issues with time zone coordination and response time.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
The setup process for FortiGate depends on the complexity of your network. For simpler setups, a user-friendly interface is easy to use. However, for more advanced configurations, it may require expertise. Integration into the ecosystem is neither too easy nor too complex.
The maintenance process is relatively easy.
What was our ROI?
Regarding return on investment, I believe FortiGate is worth the money. It has helped us stay safe, and considering what we are paying for such a system and service aligns well with our expectations and financial goals.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of FortiGate is reasonable as I plan to buy new switches. The initial gadgets are already booted, and the pricing seems normal on the market. As for additional costs, I haven't subscribed to many extra features, so I'm only using what I need. Last year, I renewed the support for three years, which can sometimes be expensive but depends on the security benefits and how it helps us.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I would 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
Sr. Security Specialist at a tech vendor with 11-50 employees
It's a reliable solution that's easy to install and cheaper than competitors
Pros and Cons
- "FortiGate is on the cheaper end, and it offers good value."
- "Palo Alto has a feature called WildFire Analysis that is unavailable in FortiGate. WildFire is better than a sandbox because it can address zero-day threats and vulnerabilities. It can immediately identify zero-day threats from the cloud."
What is our primary use case?
FortiGate is a hardware firewall that we deploy for our customers. I work on the system integration team and install whichever solution the clients choose. We also provide support, including maintenance and service. The customers contact us if they have any problems.
The firewalls are deployed on-premise, but you can also implement FortiCloud, which can integrate with public or private cloud platforms. If you have five or six locations in various countries, FortiCloud can provide centralized security support for those offices.
What is most valuable?
FortiGate is on the cheaper end, and it offers good value.
What needs improvement?
Palo Alto has a feature called WildFire Analysis that is unavailable in FortiGate. WildFire is better than a sandbox because it can address zero-day threats and vulnerabilities. It can immediately identify zero-day threats from the cloud.
Fortinet uses a separate solution called FortiSandbox. It needs to download signatures to identify malware, which takes significantly longer. WildFire is a cloud-based platform that collects threat information from users worldwide.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used FortiGate for eight months, but I have worked with Fortinet products, including FortiManager, for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate FortiGate nine out of 10 for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate FortiGate nine out of 10 for scalability. Fortinet sells models that can accommodate more people. You can choose a cheaper model if you only have 20-30 users, but you will need to spend more money for a FortiGate solution that covers 5,000.
How are customer service and support?
I rate Fortinet support eight out of 10. Sometimes, the Level 1 support can't fix the issue, so it needs to be escalated, and we can't get help until the next day. Otherwise, it's okay. Their frontline support can fix most basic issues, but we may need to wait a day or two for special problems.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I also deploy Check Point and Palo Alto hardware for my clients. Check Point has been in the Indian market longer. Palo Alto came into the picture about three or four years ago.
In my opinion, Palo Alto is the better solution. It has WildFire Analysis, and you can configure virtual routers within the system, but Fortinet is less expensive. We deploy Check Point for our larger customers. It's more appropriate for multinational companies with 10,000 employees or more.
How was the initial setup?
Deploying FortiGate is straightforward. You have to check with the customers to see if their offices use other devices. Next, you must do the basic configuration and connect all the networks available at the customer's site individually.
The SD-WAN setup is the most time-consuming task because you need to configure the address and service objects. After that, you implement basic policies and connect the office network with Fortinet. Deployment only requires one person.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
FortiGate is on the cheaper end. The price varies depending on the model of appliance you're using. It's affordable for a university or a small business. A firewall typically has a license for three years that includes installation and support, but maintenance is separate.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Fortinet FortiGate eight out of 10. FortiGate is a solid solution, but Palo Alto is the best. I recommend Palo Alto to customers who can afford it. The second best is Check Point. When considering which firewall solution to use, you should look at your budget and the number of users.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Corporate Marketing Executive at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Offers diverse features for threat detection and operational efficiency
Pros and Cons
- "Fortinet FortiGate has SD-WAN, FortiView, antivirus, sandbox, and IPS, which are generally well-known features."
- "Fortinet FortiGate has a threat detection capacity compared to other vendors."
- "Fortinet technical support is lacking, as OEM support is slightly better."
- "Fortinet technical support is lacking, as OEM support is slightly better. Improvement in their technical support could include response time as well as having more technically sound people in tech support."
What is our primary use case?
Generally, government and PSU, diamond companies, textile companies, and chemical companies are using Fortinet FortiGate in the Gujarat segment. We are also working with the Fortinet FortiSwitch and Fortinet AP.
What is most valuable?
Fortinet FortiGate has SD-WAN, FortiView, antivirus, sandbox, and IPS, which are generally well-known features. Fortinet FortiGate has a threat detection capacity compared to other vendors.
What needs improvement?
Fortinet technical support is lacking, as OEM support is slightly better. Improvement in their technical support could include response time as well as having more technically sound people in tech support.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have more than 12 years of experience with Fortinet FortiGate.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This product is very scalable because Fortinet offers models ranging from thirty gigs to six thousand series and also offers solutions as VMs, making it highly scalable.
How are customer service and support?
Their support could be better.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We are working with both Fortinet and Check Point. Fortinet FortiGate is better compared to Check Point because I have worked with the Check Point model CP15,500.
What was our ROI?
Financial and operational ROI from Fortinet FortiGate is very fine compared to other products.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There is no challenge in Fortinet FortiGate pricing. There is a little bit of extra cost for FortiManager and logging and reporting solutions. Fortinet can offer solutions such as FortiAnalyzer and FortiManager for free for SMB customers.
What other advice do I have?
We are not working with AI features in Fortinet FortiGate, but from my knowledge, FortiGuard is using AI tools for threat intelligence and protection.
We recommend Fortinet FortiGate to other businesses with similar security needs.
I would rate Fortinet FortiGate an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Last updated: Apr 10, 2025
Flag as inappropriateComputer Networks and Systems Support Engineer at a real estate/law firm with 11-50 employees
Provides good threat intelligence feeds, but the advanced models are expensive
Pros and Cons
- "The solution provides good threat intelligence feeds."
- "The advanced models are expensive."
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution on the perimeter. We are a government entity. We have other organizations monitoring our network. We also have our own firewall to separate the DMZ and different things on our external servers.
What is most valuable?
The solution provides good threat intelligence feeds.
What needs improvement?
The advanced models are expensive.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for five to six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The tool’s stability is good. I rate the stability a seven or eight out of ten. The stability could be improved.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The tool is very scalable. It connects to its own wireless access points. The firewall is supported by other technologies. We can add more products and extend the features and the network.
How was the initial setup?
Fortinet has a tool that migrates all the policies from the previous firewall to the new one.
What about the implementation team?
The vendor helped us with the setup. It was quick. We connected the new firewall first. Then, we exported the policies from the live firewall to the new one. On a weekend, we deployed the new firewall.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
If we buy licenses for a longer duration, we get discounts.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Fortinet has better models, but we are using the one within our budget. It's a good product. Besides Fortinet, we're using Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Defender, as well as the safety features that come with these products. There are many products in the market. The monitoring team is using Palo Alto. Palo Alto is better than Fortinet, but it's more expensive.
What other advice do I have?
We use Fortinet for VPN, too. We have not faced any major issues with the tool. It has a lot of capabilities that enable us to customize tunnels and allow traffic from certain countries or regions. The vendor provides cloud-based models, but we do not use them because they are subscription-based models that are not within our budget.
The vendor has a lot of free and paid training courses. It is the best way to learn about the product. It is similar to Palo Alto. All the good companies have a lot of training materials and training courses to understand the product. The initial versions are free of cost. The certifications will help people understand the process and make administration easier. The cloud version has AI features.
Overall, I rate the product a seven or eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiGate Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Updated: July 2025
Popular Comparisons
Netgate pfSense
OPNsense
Sophos XG
Cisco Secure Firewall
Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls
Check Point NGFW
WatchGuard Firebox
Azure Firewall
SonicWall TZ
Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN
Cato SASE Cloud Platform
Juniper SRX Series Firewall
Sophos XGS
Fortinet FortiGate-VM
SonicWall NSa
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiGate Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Quick Links
Learn More: Questions:
- Comparison of Barracuda F800, SonicWall 5600 and Fortinet
- Sophos XG 210 vs Fortigate FG 100E
- Looking Into Implementing a Web Security Solution.
- Cyberoam or Fortinet?
- Fortinet, Palo Alto or Check Point?
- Which would you recommend to your boss, Fortinet FortiGate or Sophos UTM?
- What Is The Biggest Difference Between Cisco ASA And Fortinet FortiGate?
- Cisco Firepower vs. FortiGate
- We're trying to choose between Fortinet or Checkpoint UTM firewalls. Can you help?
- What Is The Biggest Difference Between Fortinet FortiGate and Meraki MX Firewalls?