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Aruba Instant vs Fortinet FortiWLC comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 31, 2024

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

Aruba Instant
Ranking in Wireless LAN
11th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.2
Number of Reviews
52
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Fortinet FortiWLC
Ranking in Wireless LAN
27th
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
8.4
Number of Reviews
3
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Aruba Instant is 2.5%, up from 2.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiWLC is 1.0%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Wireless LAN Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Aruba Instant2.5%
Fortinet FortiWLC1.0%
Other96.5%
Wireless LAN
 

Featured Reviews

SreejeshSoman - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Consultant at Vertex Techno Solutions (B) Pvt Ltd
Has supported mid-market deployments with cloud-based centralized management and reliable wireless performance
I faced challenges earlier with a limitation of 50 APs in single sites, but that has enhanced to 100 numbers, eliminating that challenge for Aruba Instant On team. Additionally, some features are not listed in the cloud management platform and still require offline access, so enhancing the cloud management features would be better for us.
Md.Mehedi Hassan - PeerSpot reviewer
Team Lead Manager at Blue Pill Ltd
Offers a seamless and secure WiFi experience with outstanding customer support
FortiWLC is valuable due to its security features and the seamless WiFi experience it provides. Our customers benefit greatly from the security aspect, especially since they are already using Fortinet for Firewall services. The security features are crucial for their requirements. The stability and ease of use of FortiWLC also add to its effectiveness.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It is easy to use, manage, and implement."
"I would rate the stability a ten out of ten."
"Aruba Instant is easy to manage."
"The cost is low, and there is controller-less architecture."
"The quick setup and automatic code embedded in one access point is really useful."
"Has many advanced features: Built-in firewall, local radius, application visibility and control, not locked into support agreements."
"The most valuable feature of Aruba Instant is security."
"I've worked with other products, but I prefer Aruba because of its cost and simplicity."
"The most valuable feature of Fortinet FortiWLC is the overall high quality."
"The most valuable feature of Fortinet FortiWLC is the overall high quality."
"The security within the access point and the controller is the solution's most valuable aspect."
"It's easy to set everything up during implementation."
"I rate the overall solution a ten out of ten."
"FortiWLC is valuable due to its security features and the seamless WiFi experience it provides."
 

Cons

"It's not the best product for scalability because there's a limit."
"I'd rate it a two out of five in terms of affordability. It's more on the expensive side."
"For some people, price is a concern."
"I think they're missing roadmaps to the partners and the customers."
"The reach of the solution could be improved. It could be a bit stronger."
"The product’s GUI must be improved."
"The management component is difficult to understand and not very user-friendly which increases deployment time."
"There was only ever one case in which an access point failed, but it was reintegrated."
"One thing that is lacking is, compared with some other brands, the signal is a bit weaker. Ruckus has much wider signal coverage."
"However, for massive implementations, Fortinet should consider reducing the price to make it more affordable."
"One thing that is lacking is, compared with some other brands, the signal is a bit weaker."
"Fortinet FortiWLC is not simple to configure when compared to other solutions. The design could be better."
"For massive implementations, Fortinet should consider reducing the price to make it more affordable."
"The price of Fortinet FortiWLC is high. The solution will be out of the market for us because the price is too high for the features it provides."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The cost was affordable."
"The tool's pricing is neither cheap nor expensive."
"Some aspect of the price of Aruba Instant is very economical because if the customer is requiring more features the customer needs to pay a higher amount."
"I purchased the hardware and there are no monthly or yearly licenses to buy."
"I rate the product's price a five on a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive."
"Aruba Instant is affordable."
"There’s no licensing required to use the tool."
"The pricing is reasonable."
"The price of Fortinet FortiWLC is high. The solution will be out of the market for us because the price is too high for the features it provides."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Comms Service Provider
11%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Computer Software Company
7%
Construction Company
6%
Comms Service Provider
20%
University
12%
Outsourcing Company
12%
Construction Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business31
Midsize Enterprise7
Large Enterprise14
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

Which is better - Ubiquiti WLAN or Aruba Instant?
We researched Ubiquiti and Aruba when looking for a WLAN solution. Ubiquiti offers good WLAN access both indoors and outdoors. It provides an enterprise-level WIFI while remaining cost-effective. U...
What do you like most about Aruba Instant?
I find network management features related to monitoring Wi-Fi usage and visited sites particularly valuable. Content filtering is also important to prevent access to malicious or inappropriate web...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aruba Instant?
In my experience, Aruba Instant's price is reasonable compared to premium products like Ruckus, Cisco, or Juniper. However, when compared to entry-level market segments, the price is higher. Overal...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiWLC?
I cannot disclose the license price, however, I recommend Fortinet reduce its pricing for massive implementations.
What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiWLC?
Until now, I have not observed any issues. However, for massive implementations, Fortinet should consider reducing the price to make it more affordable.
What is your primary use case for Fortinet FortiWLC?
We are resellers of FortiWLC, and our customers mainly use it in enterprise settings, particularly for chemical companies.
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Purdue University, Orlando Magic, Brussels Airport Company, Molecaten Holiday Parks
Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Find out what your peers are saying about Aruba Instant vs. Fortinet FortiWLC and other solutions. Updated: April 2026.
893,244 professionals have used our research since 2012.