Aruba Instant vs Fortinet FortiWLC comparison

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Fortinet are both solutions in the Wireless LAN category. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is ranked #11 with an average rating of 8.6, while Fortinet is ranked #26. Hewlett Packard Enterprise holds a 2.3% mindshare in Wireless LAN, compared to Fortinet’s 0.7% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Fortinet users who would recommend it.

Aruba Instant

Read 52 Aruba Instant reviews

2,219 Views
2,130 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

Fortinet FortiWLC

Read 3 Fortinet FortiWLC reviews

435 Views
418 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Aruba Instant

Fortinet FortiWLC

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 31, 2024

Fortinet FortiWLC and Aruba Instant compete in the wireless networking solutions category. Aruba Instant is often deemed superior due to its comprehensive feature set and ease of management, while Fortinet FortiWLC is favored for pricing and customer support.

Features: Fortinet FortiWLC provides strong scalability, integrated security features, and flexible growth capacity. Aruba Instant offers centralized platform management, advanced automation, and seamless integration into existing IT infrastructures.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Aruba Instant has a streamlined deployment model with substantial automation capabilities, reducing setup time and enhancing operational efficiency. Customer service is praised for its promptness and effectiveness. Fortinet FortiWLC's deployment is straightforward but might require more manual configuration. Its customer service is recognized for immediate issue resolution.

Pricing and ROI: Fortinet FortiWLC is known for its competitive pricing and solid ROI, appealing to projects focusing on long-term cost-efficiency. It offers lower upfront costs, making it attractive for cost-sensitive projects. Aruba Instant, while potentially more expensive initially, tends to offer a better ROI through long-term performance and advanced features, suitable for resource-rich projects.

To learn more, read our detailed Aruba Instant vs. Fortinet FortiWLC Report (Updated: February 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant vs. Fortinet FortiWLC

February 2026

Download the complete report

Helped 881,757 peers since 2012

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

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Fortinet FortiWLC

Ranking in Wireless LAN

26th

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

8.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Aruba Instant is 2.3%, up from 2.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiWLC is 0.7%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Wireless LAN Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Aruba Instant	2.3%
Fortinet FortiWLC	0.7%
Other	97.0%

Wireless LAN

Featured Reviews

SreejeshSoman

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.

Read full review

Md.Mehedi Hassan

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.

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

"I can implement it at small sites, and I can also implement it at mid-sized locations. It is very flexible. It is really nice and useful for customers who have many small sites."

"The simplicity of the dashboard is one of the most valuable features. It's easy to use, and manage and the security features are robust. We can block unauthorized connections and create secure SSIDs."

"Works automatically in terms of setup with the product finding its master wifi access point."

"The central management of multiple devices is the solution's most valuable aspect."

"I like the notifications. I really like that it gives me those reports in terms of whether those access points are on or off."

"The technical support from Aruba is of high quality, and I would rate it a ten."

"I've worked with other products, but I prefer Aruba because of its cost and simplicity."

"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 websites. It is reliable and simple."

More Aruba Instant pros

"It's easy to set everything up during implementation."

"I rate the overall solution a ten out of ten."

"The most valuable feature of Fortinet FortiWLC is the overall high quality."

"FortiWLC is valuable due to its security features and the seamless WiFi experience it provides."

Cons

"The solution should be able to support more users on the access points."

"We have faced delay in customer support which has affected our business performance. So the customer support needs to be prompt in their responses."

"An important missing feature is the console port, which allows direct management without the cloud."

"Aruba Instant should not have a limit on users for future releases."

"They could provide a centralized system to manage switches incorporated into multiple branches."

"The wireless coverage should be increased"

"Aruba Instant is a simple and scalable solution that works well, but the costs you incur from access points could be cheaper."

"This solution would be improved if they supplied free software controllers."

More Aruba Instant cons

"However, for massive implementations, Fortinet should consider reducing the price to make it more affordable."

"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. Ruckus has much wider signal coverage."

"Fortinet FortiWLC is not simple to configure when compared to other solutions. The design could be better."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I purchased the hardware and there are no monthly or yearly licenses to buy."

"Avoid the Central cloud license if you can."

"It is not expensive. Its price is fair. You get many features with the normal licensing. If I look at Cisco, it is very expensive if I need similar things."

"Two years ago, I paid INR 12,000 for access points, but now, I will have to pay double the amount, which comes up to INR 24,000, making it a costly product."

"We only pay for the support and the contract licenses from Aruba Instant."

"The cost was affordable."

"The product is competitively priced"

"I rate the product’s pricing a two out of ten."

More Aruba Instant pricing and cost advice

"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."

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Wireless LAN solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

881,757 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Comms Service Provider

11%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Healthcare Company

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	31
Midsize Enterprise	7
Large Enterprise	14

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...

See all answers

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...

See all answers

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...

See all answers

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.

See all answers

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.

See all answers

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.

See all answers

Comparisons

Omada Access Points vs Aruba Instant

Compared 19% of the time

Aruba Instant On Access Points vs Aruba Instant

Compared 13% of the time

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Aruba Instant

Compared 11% of the time

Huawei Wireless vs Aruba Instant

Compared 8% of the time

Fortinet FortiAP vs Aruba Instant

Compared 3% of the time

More Aruba Instant Competitors

Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points vs Fortinet FortiWLC

Compared 30% of the time

Fortinet FortiWLM vs Fortinet FortiWLC

Compared 27% of the time

Omada Access Points vs Fortinet FortiWLC

Compared 20% of the time

More Fortinet FortiWLC Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant

February 2026

Download Aruba Instant product report

Buyer's Guide

Wireless LAN

January 2026

Download Fortinet FortiWLC product report

Overview

Aruba Instant delivers the only controllerless Wi-Fi solution that is easy to set-up, and loaded with security and smarts needed to accelerate your business without breaking your budget.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Fortinet controllers for infrastructure Wi-Fi manage authentication and encryption of our enterprise-class infrastructure access points. These controllers are powered by Fortinet’s System Director operating system for seamless mobility and high-density environments.

Fortinet

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

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant vs. Fortinet FortiWLC

February 2026

Free Report: Aruba Instant vs. Fortinet FortiWLC

Find out what your peers are saying about Aruba Instant vs. Fortinet FortiWLC and other solutions. Updated: February 2026.

DOWNLOAD NOW

881,757 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our Aruba Instant vs. Fortinet FortiWLC report.

See our list of best Wireless LAN vendors.

We monitor all Wireless LAN reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.