Check Point Power-1 [EOL] vs Fortinet FortiGate-VM comparison

Check Point Software Technologies and Fortinet are both solutions in the Firewalls category. Additionally, 100% of Check Point Software Technologies users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 98% of Fortinet users who would recommend it.

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Check Point Power-1 [EOL] and Fortinet FortiGate-VM based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet, Netgate, Sophos and others in Firewalls.

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Firewalls

May 2026

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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

Fortinet FortiGate

Featured Reviews

Mageshwaran S

Solution Architect at airtel

Enables customers to manage security effortlessly with intuitive features and easy integration

In terms of improvements for Fortinet FortiGate, they could offer evaluation licenses, as compared to Meraki, which provides a 90-day evaluation. In Fortinet FortiGate, they do not provide standard evaluation licenses; instead, we need to request them from the OEM through the account manager for POCs. If we want to conduct a demo, we need to work with real hardware. In comparison to Cisco, we have DCloud, which helps with providing demos to customers, but in Meraki, I need to reach out to them, book a lab, and they need to provide all the hardware. I need remote access and L3 engineers to program it; only then can I offer a real-time demo to the customer.

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William Cambronero

Consultant at ITQS

Good intrusion prevention, firewall, and VPN capabilities

Check Point Power-1 (EOL) has reached the end of its useful life, yet at the time, they could to make some changes such as: * Integration in the cloud. It is the new trend, however, Check Point has already contemplated this and already has its own cloud device. * Automation. As the automatic creation and application of policies, this would have been very beneficial. * Multi-factor authentication would have been a plus in security at the time. They must also make some improvements in their support departments since they do not comply with the SLAs that they provide.

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Karel Ondracek

Network Administrator at THK Co Ltd

Faced hardware limitations and setup challenges but have improved network protection over time

I spent much time finding exact firmware on Aruba which was working with these guns, but it is not optimal because it is not the latest version, so there could be potential security problems. We decided to replace those access points with another one. I personally have trouble because I don't know the exact life cycle of Fortinet FortiGate-VM boxes. I don't know if the life of boxes is five years or something else; we moved from our previous company, which sold us to other companies. Before 10 years, we had a special department that took care of core networks, including firewalls. After that, this responsibility fell to me and my colleague. It is not easy to set up these Fortinet FortiGate-VM boxes properly because we didn't have previous experience with this kind of solution. At first, we set up only a few rules that were not secure enough, and over a couple of years, we improved the settings and security of these Fortinet FortiGate-VM boxes. Currently, I have one Fortinet FortiGate-VM that needs to be replaced next year, and this box is not so powerful, so I need to redirect some traffic to another Fortinet FortiGate-VM. It is stable, but because the CPU processor of this box is not powerful, I need to redirect some traffic to another box. In the future, I need to choose a higher-level box to prevent potential troubles with the power of this box.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The most valuable feature of Fortinet FortiGate is the simple configuration."

"Customer Service: They're good. Technical Support: They're very good."

"The notable features that I have found most valuable are that it includes the antivirus, and also IPS, and even SD-WAN."

"The usability of the solution is its best feature."

"The product offers very good security."

"Customers want to load balance more than eight lines or six internet lines. FortiGate is the only solution that can accomplish this."

"FortiGate is the most effective solution for us and it's a cheaper option to Check Point or Palo Alto which we looked at."

"The most valuable features are the policies, filtering, and configuration."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"The VPN allows users to connect remotely and securely."

"In my opinion it is right product at enterprise level network to protect the user and server from external and internal threats and attacks"

"Fortinet-VM is more scalable than the hardware version, because if you want a more scalable firewall, you can get a VM, install it on a high-end server, and have much higher performance in packaging all these policies and hardware security features."

"The features I find most useful in Fortinet FortiGate are its simplicity of utilization, which is very important, and its provision of interfaces to see the alerts and other things."

"We use Fortinet FortiGate-VM as a firewall to deliver high-performance network security solutions that protect our network and data from evolving threats."

"The most valuables features are the ease of use and deployment."

"High network throughput while providing leading edge network security technology for a competitive price."

"I would recommend Fortinet FortiGate-VM as a very good solution."

"An enhanced security solution for any kind of alert that we have configured."

"I'm very happy with this product and would rate it at a ten out of ten."

More Fortinet FortiGate-VM pros

Cons

"If I had to suggest one improvement, it would be to have more flexible reporting and dashboard customization."

"After four years it has started to fail. The firewall engine is not so strong as of now, in my opinion."

"The room for improvement is to have more flexibility on the virtual machines of their next-generation platforms."

"Performance and technical support are the main issues with this solution."

"I am afraid I cannot say that I have seen a return on investment."

"You do need some IT knowledge in order to effectively work with the solution."

"Right now, it's not really scalable, but it's okay for us. However, looking ahead to three years from now, we might have a problem with scalability. We foresee a little risk down the road. The stability is okay for now."

"The solution can have more features in a single box that can be multi-applied to integrate everything."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"Multi-factor authentication would have been a plus in security at the time."

"I have to pay Check Point for every new service I integrate in the firewall and it also has license related issue which needs to renew every years."

"The costs could be lowered."

"Deployment can be difficult and they could dispense with reliance on FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer."

"We have encountered certain issues with the bandwidth in respect of the security layer."

"I would rate the solution at a four out of ten. It does base functions and it's doing that at a pretty high price."

"The price model is not transparent by any means and should be made more clear. What's included in the packages is often not very obvious."

"One thing that can be better is added automation. And, on top of that, enhanced security when it comes to the automation itself."

"Yes, we encountered stability issues in IPSec Module. The tunnels freeze sometimes."

"It should have the SD-WAN feature. This would increase the number of features that are available in the box."

More Fortinet FortiGate-VM cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price is okay."

"It is more expensive than Sophos. Fortinet is overall more expensive than Sophos. The small range of Fortinet, such as 60F and 80F, is more expensive than the small range of Sophos. Sophos is cheaper. In addition, if you jump from 80F Series to 100F Series, the price doubles."

"The pricing is comprehensive and clear. You can easily understand what you are purchasing, including which features correspond to each license and maintenance contract. Overall, the information is straightforward. Additionally, compared to other vendors, their prices are competitive."

"It's a very full-featured and it's priced well solution."

"There is a subscription-based model to use Fortinet FortiGate. We pay annually for the solution along with the support. If you want to have all the updates, and security patches you will need to renew your support."

"FortiGate Next Generation Firewall costs our company around $12000 per year."

"Its price could be better."

"There is only a standard license cost to use the solution."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

Information not available

"It has a flexible pay-as-you-go pricing model."

"It is more expensive than its competitor, e.g. Sophos."

"There is no additional cost. Once you get the licensing fee, you're good."

"The price of the solution is competitive. Fortinet FortiGate-VM had a lot of advantages when it came to pricing. However, the competition has also geared up to a larger extent and it has become comparable now to the other solutions."

"It is on par with what you receive. It can be expensive upfront."

"I rate the product price a seven on a scale of one to ten, where one is a low price, and ten is a high price."

"I would rate the product's pricing as four out of five."

"It is an expensive solution."

More Fortinet FortiGate-VM pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Comms Service Provider

10%

Computer Software Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

No data available

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

Comms Service Provider

Construction Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	370
Midsize Enterprise	138
Large Enterprise	195

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	8
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	4

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	72
Midsize Enterprise	34
Large Enterprise	39

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Comparisons

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Compared 17% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 13% of the time

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 5% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 3% of the time

Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 3% of the time

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Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) vs Check Point Power-1 [EOL]

Compared 14% of the time

SonicWall NSa vs Check Point Power-1 [EOL]

Compared 12% of the time

SonicWall TZ vs Check Point Power-1 [EOL]

Compared 11% of the time

Juniper SRX Series Firewall vs Check Point Power-1 [EOL]

Compared 10% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Check Point Power-1 [EOL]

Compared 7% of the time

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Azure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate-VM

Compared 14% of the time

Palo Alto Networks VM-Series vs Fortinet FortiGate-VM

Compared 9% of the time

Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) vs Fortinet FortiGate-VM

Compared 6% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate-VM

Compared 6% of the time

Sophos Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate-VM

Compared 4% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

June 2026

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Firewalls

May 2026

Download Check Point Power-1 [EOL] product report

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate-VM

June 2026

Download Fortinet FortiGate-VM product report

Also Known As

Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall

No data available

FortiGate Virtual Appliance, FortiGate-VM

Overview

Fortinet FortiGate is a versatile network security tool offering features like VPN, firewall, web filtering, intrusion prevention, and scalability. It is known for its performance and integration with other Fortinet products, making it a preferred choice for robust cybersecurity.

Fortinet FortiGate stands out as a comprehensive cybersecurity solution with strong performance and ease of configuration. It delivers unified threat management, integrating features such as dynamic routing, SD-WAN support, and centralized management. Despite its strengths, improvements in the web interface's stability, pricing structures, and reporting capabilities are needed. Users seek better integration with third-party tools and automation advancements to enhance the experience further. These enhancements, alongside improvements in bandwidth management and the reduction of licensing costs, are points of interest for users looking to capitalize on FortiGate's extensive capabilities.

What are Fortinet FortiGate's key features?

VPN: Ensures secure remote connections.
Firewall: Protects against unauthorized access.
Web Filtering: Blocks malicious sites and content.
Application Control: Manages and controls applications.
Intrusion Prevention: Detects and prevents vulnerabilities.
SSL Inspection: Enhances security by inspecting encrypted traffic.

What benefits should be considered when evaluating Fortinet FortiGate?

Affordability: Offers cost-effective security solutions.
Reliability: Known for consistent and stable performance.
Integration: Seamlessly integrates with other Fortinet products.
Comprehensive Protection: Provides broad threat protection capabilities.

Fortinet FortiGate is widely implemented across industries as a primary firewall system for securing internet gateways and safeguarding data centers. It supports businesses in achieving SD-WAN integration and enhances cybersecurity by providing essential features like antivirus, web filtering, and application control. Enterprises utilize FortiGate for securing remote connections and ensuring compliance with security standards, making it adaptable for different network sizes and industries.

Fortinet

Check Point Power-1 is the first security appliance to provide simple and flexible field performance upgradability. It has world class performance up to 25 Gbps in convenient 2-U form factor and flexible multi-function security appliance provides expandability and investment protection.

Check Point Software Technologies

Fortinet FortiGate-VM delivers robust security services and advanced network management suitable for cloud environments, providing solutions like firewall and SD-WAN, with seamless integration across Fortinet devices.

FortiGate-VM is designed for enterprise security, offering comprehensive features like intrusion prevention and application filtering. It's known for its scalability and flexibility, supporting cloud platforms such as Azure and AWS. It enhances threat response and network management efficiency, thanks to real-time threat response, intuitive integration with existing systems, and cost-effectiveness.

What are the key features of Fortinet FortiGate-VM?

Strong Security: Offers firewall, intrusion prevention, and application filtering.
SD-WAN Capability: Improves network connectivity and performance.
Scalability: Efficient scaling in cloud environments.
Integration: Seamlessly connects with other Fortinet devices.

What benefits can users expect from Fortinet FortiGate-VM?

Enhanced Network Management: Simplifies deployment with real-time threat response.
Cost-Effectiveness: Optimal for managing network protocols at reasonable costs.
Flexibility in Deployment: Suitable for secure virtual machine operations on platforms like Azure or AWS.

Fortinet FortiGate-VM is predominantly employed in industries requiring stringent data center security, enabling network segmentation and VPN services. It's particularly favored by organizations using virtual and cloud networks due to its Unified Threat Management capabilities, making it an efficient solution for protecting virtual environments from threats.

Fortinet

Sample Customers

Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, IBM, Cisco, Dell, HP, Oracle, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Vodafone, Orange, BT Group, Telstra, Deutsche Telekom, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, CenturyLink, NTT Communications, Tata Communications, SoftBank, China Mobile, Singtel, Telus, Rogers Communications, Bell Canada, Telkom Indonesia, Telkom South Africa, Telmex, Telia Company, Telkom Kenya

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Independence Care System, Hotel Nikko, Courtagen Life Sciences, Carmel Partners

Security7 Networks, COOPENAE

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