Check Point Quantum Force vs Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls comparison

Check Point Software Technologies and Palo Alto Networks are both solutions in the Firewalls category. Check Point Software Technologies is ranked #34 with an average rating of 8.7, while Palo Alto Networks is ranked #6 with an average rating of 8.9. Additionally, 100% of Check Point Software Technologies users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Palo Alto Networks users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 16, 2025

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls and Check Point Quantum Force are competing in the network security category. Palo Alto Networks tends to be more user-friendly, whereas Check Point Quantum Force offers more extensive features, making it a preferred choice for feature depth.

Features: Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls provides advanced threat prevention, automated response capabilities, and integrates seamlessly with cloud services. Check Point Quantum Force offers a wide array of security features, including centralized management, advanced threat prevention, and scalable protection for various infrastructures. While Palo Alto Networks is easier to use, Check Point provides a comprehensive range of features.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls are known for straightforward deployment and responsive customer service. Check Point Quantum Force, while providing robust support, may involve a more complex initial configuration. Palo Alto Networks is generally perceived as more effortless to deploy.

Pricing and ROI: Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls offer a cost-effective setup with competitive ROI, appealing to budget-conscious organizations. Check Point Quantum Force demands a higher initial investment but is seen as delivering substantial long-term value through its extensive features.

To learn more, read our detailed Check Point Quantum Force vs. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls Report (Updated: February 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Check Point Quantum Force vs. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

February 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

Vasu Gala

Manager, Information Technology Operation/Presales at TechMonarch

A stable solution with an intuitive interface and quick customer service

I have been working with Fortinet FortiGate, WatchGuard, Sophos, and SonicWall. I'm not as comfortable with SonicWall because of their UI and limitations. I prefer Fortinet above all other options. When it comes to configuration, I am confident in my ability to handle various tasks, including creating policies such as firewall rules, web policies, and application policies. Additionally, I can configure VPNs and implement load balancing, among other tasks. Overall, I feel much more comfortable working with Fortinet. Fortinet has made significant improvements by integrating AI with firewalls for threat analysis and prevention. In the past 2-3 years, they have launched FortiSASE and SIEM, and they also provide SOC services. Both Palo Alto and Fortinet FortiGate are excellent. While Fortinet FortiGate comes at higher prices, the functionality and support justify the cost. They promptly resolve firmware issues and inform all support providers about configuration changes.

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Abnet Tsegaye Belay

Cybersecurity Engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

Has strengthened perimeter security through AI-driven protection and unified management

I have noticed some limitations with Check Point Quantum Force. There is a limitation in integrating with existing infrastructure, such as orchestration and logging, specifically with VPNs. VPNs are hard and sophisticated to deploy on this firewall. However, it is improving currently. Some performance aspects need higher resources. If you do not give it higher resources, it will slow down your network. It is a trade-off - if you have higher resources, you will have good performance. The complexity of configuring a VPN needs to be improved because we need to go back and forth to configure VPNs. It has to be simpler to understand.

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Sven-Verbeke

Solution Architect // Network Consultant at Group S

Network security has improved and allows detailed user-based control over encrypted traffic

Bandwidth usage is not something we use much, but it depends on the SD-WAN plugin because the application load balancing is based on the SD-WAN product. That functionality does not work as it should, although the App-ID is working very well. SD-WAN functionality is working, but when you compare it with other products on the market, it is very limited. Palo Alto also has ION devices, and ION devices together with Prisma Access or Strata Cloud Manager now are more the way to go than using Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls on-premises. At the moment I have some issues, but the issues are more related to the general way of working of many vendors. They implement new things very fast and it is not always bug-free. With new releases, sometimes you still have some issues. This is the main concern. If you look back five or maybe ten years ago, the products were more stable and you had more decent releases, but that is something in general for many vendors. Palo Alto is also a factor with that. They want to bring new features to the market too fast. Features are a concern because all vendors try to compete against each other. If one vendor comes out with a new feature, then other vendors do the same. Sometimes they want to be the first on the market with it, and that sometimes introduces bugs or issues with the product.

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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 features of Fortinet FortiGate are remote access, web filtering, and IPS."

"We've found the solution to be pretty stable."

"In terms of cost, features, and security, everything is top-notch."

"The main reason customers prefer Fortinet FortiGate is that it's security-centric, allowing them to implement security features such as a next-generation firewall and translate this to the WAN or SD-WAN architectures, or as a base if they want to grow in more security features or other verticals such as ZTNA and SASE."

"There are many features packed and significant flexibility from Fortinet FortiGate in being able to do numerous things."

"Fortigate is very scalable to serve our customers' needs. We have scaled already from fifty to more than a hundred instances of Fortinet FortiGate. Around 20 staff are required for deployment and maintenance, mostly engineers."

"The impact of SD-WAN on the network performance has been significant."

"Fortinet FortiGate protects against internet-based threats, both internal and external. It is scalable, stable, easy to use, and easy to install."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"The security features and layered security features are better compared to others."

"In performance and threat prevention, it has benefited my cybersecurity strategy."

"The outcomes from Check Point Quantum Force firewall gave us the ability to be fit and secure from the cyber world."

"The most valuable features I find in Check Point Quantum Force are the security policy features, including all security features that are provided by firewall, IPS/IDS."

"You can easily integrate it with Active Directory, and you can use the GlobalProtect VPN for internal and external purposes. The URL Filtering is also clear and the application filtering is a plus. The application filtering is much better when you compare it to FortiGate or other firewall vendors."

"Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls are the best in the field in terms of usability and coverage."

"Everything is easy in Palo Alto Networks NG Firewall. It is very stable, easy to configure, and easy to upgrade. It is also very easy to create custom policies and applications. Everything can be done with the click of a button. It is also good for the protection of web services. Nowadays, they have a rather new DNS security feature, which is pretty good and functional. We did a one-month trial, and it is the best product for the firewall network."

"Prisma Access is the most valuable feature of Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls."

"Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls have a Single Pass Parallel Processing (SP3) Architecture, which has a different kind of code doing the work. It increases the packet processing rate. Whereas, without the SP3 Architecture, you are waiting for each job to complete, even if you have 100 jobs assigned."

"Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls provide a unified platform that natively integrates all security capabilities."

"Some of Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls' valuable features are their powerful capabilities and user-friendliness."

"The most valuable features are web filtering and application filtering."

More Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls pros

Cons

"We'd like to have multi-factor authentication via fiber."

"The documentation available for Fortinet FortiGate should be improved"

"There's a limitation wherein you can only have about 30 virtual or secondary IPs on a particular interface."

"At first glance, the interface for the device is very confusing."

"FortiLink is the interface on the firewall that allows you to extend switch management across all of your switches in the network. The problem with it is that you can't use multiple interfaces unless you set them up in a lag. Only then you can run them. So, it forces you to use a core type of switch to propagate that management out to the rest of the switches, and then it is running the case at 200. It leaves you with 18 ports on the firewall because it is also a layer-three router that could also be used as a switch, but as soon as you do that, you can't really use them. They could do a little bit more clean up in the way the stacking interface works. Some use cases and the documentation on the FortiLink checking interface are a little outdated. I can find stuff on version 5 or more, but it is hard to find information on some of the newer firmware. The biggest thing I would like to see is some improvement in the switch management feature. I would like to be able to relegate some of the ports, which are on the firewall itself, to act as a switch to take advantage of those ports. Some of these firewalls have clarity ports on them. If I can use those, it would mean that I need to buy two less switches, which saves time. I get why they don't, but I would still like to see it because it would save a little bit of space in the server rack."

"The cloud management and automation capability could be improved."

"They should do a better job in testing when they put out a new release because when a new software version is released, it is not always stable or does not always have all the previous features working correctly."

"Fortinet FortiGate could be improved in terms of user friendliness at the policy level and assigning URL based and keyword based features."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"I see good competition which is less expensive."

"The complexity of configuring a VPN needs to be improved because we need to go back and forth to configure VPNs."

"Check Point Quantum Force does not have strong local support. We are based in India, and Check Point Quantum Force does not have extensive local support in our region."

"I have observed weaknesses in Check Point Quantum Force, particularly when configuring tunnels from any point product to a peer, which has very complex configuration requirements."

"This solution cannot be implemented on-premises; it's only a cloud solution. The price is high as well."

"These are not the cheapest firewalls; they are quite expensive."

"Palo Alto has introduced new features in their next-generation firewall, such as SD-WAN. However, the technique of SD-WAN implementation is not easy to understand. It is not easy to deploy at this moment. Maybe, in the future, they can improve the process and how the administrators, partners, or support team can easily deploy this SD-WAN solution on their next-generation firewall. The SD-WAN solution from Fortinet is easy to do. It does not take more than five or 10 minutes. When we talk about Palo Alto, it takes extra effort to implement SD-WAN."

"Palo Alto should improve their support. It's sometimes difficult to get the right technician or engineer to fix the problem as soon as possible."

"We haven't had any issues so far."

"Configurations related to different operating systems can be complex, and we have encountered issues with Linux systems."

"The price of the solution is very high."

"I would like to see more in terms of reporting tools and the threat analysis capabilities."

More Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The licensing costs are very competitive."

"Fortinet FortiGate SWG is an affordable solution."

"The price of Fortinet FortiGate is better than Cisco, Check Point, and Palo Alto. In terms of pricing, it's probably a better-priced firewall solution overall."

"The licensing costs are very low."

"The pricing is flexible."

"FortiGate SWG is a cost-effective solution well-suited for organisations of all sizes."

"I give the pricing of the solution a six out of ten."

"It scales well if you know what to buy from a physical box standpoint. They seem to offer something for every level."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

Information not available

"The cost is quite high."

"I rate the product’s pricing an eight out of ten."

"This solution is quite expensive."

"Definitely look into a multi-year license, as opposed to a single-year. That will definitely be more beneficial in terms of cost... Palo Alto is definitely not the cheapest, but if you scale it the right way it will be very comparable to what's out there."

"It's an expensive product."

"We are on an annual license for this solution. I am happy with the price and when comparing it to other solutions it is priced competitively."

"We haven't had a problem with pricing or licensing because we consolidated other software to make Palo Alto more affordable."

"The licensing leaves a lot to be desired. We buy the license and then we can't transfer the license without paying an exorbitant fee to our client if they leave us, and that just seems to be a bit of a pain point for us, and there's really no way to partner effectively to make that more reasonable."

More Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

12%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

No data available

Computer Software Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Educational Organization

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	357
Midsize Enterprise	133
Large Enterprise	189

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	74
Midsize Enterprise	56
Large Enterprise	85

Questions from the Community

Which is the better NGFW: Fortinet Fortigate or Cisco Firepower?

When you compare these firewalls you can identify them with different features, advantages, practices and usage a...

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What is the biggest difference between Sophos XG and FortiGate?

From my experience regarding both the Sophos and FortiGate firewalls, I personally would rather use FortiGate. I know...

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What are the biggest technical differences between Sophos UTM and Fortinet FortiGate?

As a solution, Sophos UTM offers a lot of functionality, it scales well, and the stability and performance are quite ...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Check Point Quantum Force?

In terms of pricing, setup cost, and licensing, many users and clients say that the pricing is high. The license stru...

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What needs improvement with Check Point Quantum Force?

I have observed weaknesses in Check Point Quantum Force, particularly when configuring tunnels from any point product...

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What is your primary use case for Check Point Quantum Force?

I am currently working with Fortinet Firewall, Fortinet Switch, Fortinet Authenticator, FortiNet Net, Fortinet Authen...

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What is a better choice, Azure Firewall or Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls?

Azure Firewall Vs. Palo Alto Network NG Firewalls Both solutions provide stellar stability and security. Azure Firew...

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Features comparison between Palo Alto and Fortinet firewalls

In the best tradition of these questions, Feature-wise both are quite similar, but each has things it's better at, it...

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Which is better - Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls or Sophos XG?

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls have both great features and performance. I like that Palo Alto has regular threat si...

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Comparisons

Sophos Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 20% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 14% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 5% of the time

OPNsense 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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Zscaler Cloud Firewall vs Check Point Quantum Force

Compared 20% of the time

Palo Alto Networks PA-Series vs Check Point Quantum Force

Compared 18% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Check Point Quantum Force

Compared 9% of the time

Fortinet FortiGate-VM vs Check Point Quantum Force

Compared 9% of the time

Palo Alto Networks VM-Series vs Check Point Quantum Force

Compared 3% of the time

More Check Point Quantum Force Competitors

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

Compared 18% of the time

Cisco Meraki MX vs Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

Compared 12% of the time

Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) vs Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

Compared 10% of the time

Azure Firewall vs Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

Compared 5% of the time

Sophos UTM vs Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

Compared 2% of the time

More Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

February 2026

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Buyer's Guide

Firewalls

January 2026

Download Check Point Quantum Force product report

Buyer's Guide

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

January 2026

Download Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls product report

Also Known As

Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall

No data available

Palo Alto NGFW, Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall

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 Quantum Force is an advanced cybersecurity platform providing robust protection for enterprise environments. Designed for flexibility and scalability, it effectively safeguards sensitive data and ensures secure network operations.

As a next-generation cybersecurity platform, Check Point Quantum Force integrates multiple security layers to address emerging threats. It offers powerful threat prevention tools, adaptive security policies, and real-time threat intelligence. The platform caters to dynamic business needs, supporting seamless integration across technology infrastructures.

What are some of the key features of Check Point Quantum Force?

Threat Prevention: Real-time analysis and mitigation of potential cyber threats.
Adaptive Security: Automated security policy adjustments based on activity insights.
Scalability: Supports growth with seamless cybersecurity infrastructure expansion.
Threat Intelligence: Continuous updates providing insights on recent threats.

What benefits or ROI should users evaluate in reviews?

Cost Efficiency: Affords long-term savings through minimized risk of data breaches.
Enhanced Security: Provides comprehensive protection against varied cybersecurity threats.
Operational Continuity: Ensures minimal disruption to business functions with proactive security measures.
Ease of Integration: Simplifies integration into existing IT systems without extensive overhauls.

Check Point Quantum Force is implemented in industries like finance, healthcare, and retail, offering tailored security solutions to meet sector-specific regulatory and operational demands. By leveraging its adaptable architecture, businesses in these industries effectively manage risk while ensuring customer data privacy and compliance with industry standards.

Check Point Software Technologies

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls deliver advanced threat protection with machine learning, enhancing security through real-time attack prevention. Known for application visibility and a user-friendly interface, they offer robust network protection and flexibility in rule creation.

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls are designed to secure environments with features like GlobalProtect VPN, WildFire malware detection, and unified platform integration. Their strong firewall capabilities and high-performance throughput make them suitable for perimeter and data center protection, VPN configurations, application control, and network segmentation. Users consistently highlight the ease of managing network security policies and integrating third-party tools, ensuring a comprehensive protection strategy. While enhancements in support, training resources, and configuration simplicity are needed, these firewalls are integral for securing both on-prem and cloud environments, aligning with platforms like Azure and AWS.

What are the key features of Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls?

Application Visibility: Provides insight into network traffic for better control.
Threat Prevention: Uses machine learning for real-time attack prevention.
GlobalProtect VPN: Secures remote access efficiently.
WildFire Malware Detection: Detects and prevents advanced threats.
Unified Platform Integration: Enhances network security through seamless integration with other tools.

What benefits should be evaluated when considering Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls?

Flexibility in Rule Creation: Allows customized security policies to meet specific needs.
High-Performance Throughput: Ensures efficient network operations under high load.
Comprehensive Policy Management: Simplifies overseeing and adjusting security policies.
Robust Endpoint Security: Protects endpoints against sophisticated threats.
Seamless Integration: Works well with third-party tools for a comprehensive solution.

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls are commonly implemented across industries for securing LAN environments, URL filtering, and ensuring Zero Trust security. They secure both on-premises and cloud infrastructures, often becoming integral parts of security frameworks within enterprises. Leveraging these firewalls in conjunction with Azure or AWS enhances the overall network protection strategies employed by organizations.

Palo Alto Networks

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

Information Not Available

SkiStar AB, Ada County, Global IT Services PSF, Southern Cross Hospitals, Verge Health, University of Portsmouth, Austrian Airlines, The Heinz Endowments

Buyer's Guide

Check Point Quantum Force vs. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

February 2026

Free Report: Check Point Quantum Force vs. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

Find out what your peers are saying about Check Point Quantum Force vs. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls and other solutions. Updated: February 2026.

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