Cisco IOS Security vs Sangfor NGAF comparison

Cisco and Sangfor are both solutions in the Firewalls category. Cisco is ranked #28 with an average rating of 9.0, while Sangfor is ranked #23 with an average rating of 8.1. Cisco holds a 0.4% mindshare in Firewalls, compared to Sangfor’s 1.1% mindshare. Additionally, 91% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of Sangfor users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 25, 2026

Cisco IOS Security and Sangfor NGAF are strong competitors in the network security sector. Cisco IOS Security holds a slight advantage with its comprehensive feature set and scalability, appealing to larger enterprises. Sangfor NGAF gains an edge in cost-effectiveness and simplicity, making it preferable for smaller businesses.

Features: Cisco IOS Security stands out with features like robust AAA protocols, comprehensive VPN solutions, and advanced scalability on Cisco hardware. It includes sophisticated tools like IPsec configuration, content filtering, and intrusion prevention. Sangfor NGAF is notable for user-friendliness, featuring powerful application control, a Web Application Firewall (WAF), and effective vulnerability assessments, aligning well with smaller scale setups.

Room for Improvement: Cisco IOS Security could improve in resource management for ACL and zone-based firewalls. Enhancements in user interfaces and reporting tools would add significant value. Sangfor NGAF requires better reporting features and ongoing updates to address emerging threats effectively. The complexity in port definitions and interface usability also needs refinement for optimal user experience.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco IOS Security supports extensive deployment options both on-premises and hybrid, but there is a need for faster technical support response times. Sangfor NGAF excels in straightforward setup and is praised for reliable support within its tiered market, making it ideal for quick deployments.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco IOS Security is priced at a premium, designed for medium to large enterprises, offering long-term ROI despite higher initial costs. Sangfor NGAF is cost-effective, particularly appealing to smaller firms, delivering substantial ROI with its affordable pricing and effective operations.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco IOS Security vs. Sangfor NGAF Report (Updated: February 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco IOS Security vs. Sangfor NGAF

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

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Firewalls category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiGate is 18.7%, down from 20.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco IOS Security is 0.4%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Sangfor NGAF is 1.1%, down from 1.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewalls Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Fortinet FortiGate	18.7%
Sangfor NGAF	1.1%
Cisco IOS Security	0.4%
Other	79.8%

Firewalls

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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Danijel Cerovecki

Head of Cyber Defense Department and Network Technologies Department at Verso Altima

Have faced challenges in keeping licensing clear and consistent while ensuring reliable network protection

We are a Gold Partner with Cisco. Our customers come from various industries, including service providers, and we target service providers and enterprise customers.We do not extensively use Zone-Based Firewalls in Cisco IOS Security, instead typically deploying standalone firewalls such as Cisco FTDs or Cisco ASA devices. For threat analytics and vulnerability scanning, we utilize third-party vendors with dedicated devices and software. We use products such as Tenable from Nessus for this type of analysis. We have implemented Secure Access Control Server in Cisco IOS Security, which combines multiple security mechanisms including AAA, 802.1X for network access control with Cisco ICE, TrustSec for identity-based segmentation, and Cisco DNA Center. Cisco IOS Security's VPN support is comprehensive and increasingly important in daily communication, from basic site-to-site tunnels to remote access VPNs and SD-WAN secure VPNs. Protecting and encrypting communication is essential in modern networks. The challenges with Cisco IOS Security are more operational than product-related. There is an understaffing issue, making automation and orchestration capabilities particularly valuable. For the products themselves, we only encounter routine operational matters such as addressing new vulnerabilities and patching. For those considering Cisco IOS Security, it is important to understand that Cisco offers a complete ecosystem. When embracing the Cisco ecosystem fully, customers receive excellent products and comprehensive solutions. On a scale of 1-10, I rate Cisco IOS Security a 9.

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Zaid Farooqui

CIO at Indus Motor Company

Enhanced threat detection with integrated security features and good support

We are using application firewalling, WAF, and SD-WAN. The capabilities are mostly within the box. For example, you will get web application firewall WAF as part and parcel of this. SD-WAN is also bundled. It integrates with their SIEM and SOAR solutions very nicely. Lastly, the pricing point is very cost-efficient as well.

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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

"There is a tool called FSSO, which is a single sign-on user ID agent that works perfectly."

"I like the common administration and the possibility of adding Fortinet defense systems."

"One of the best features of Fortinet FortiGate is that it's a very powerful equipment that gives many security features in a single box with good performance, and the user interface is friendly to use and configure."

"I would advise others considering or evaluating the Fortinet FortiGate to buy it."

"Fortinet FortiGate has reasonable pricing and is easy to operate; it is efficient and represents the future for security, including cloud security and branch-to-cloud security."

"The solution is stable."

"The response from the technical support team has always been excellent."

"Its user interface is good, and it is always working fine."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"The security is very good."

"There is a positive impact on security, particularly the intrusion feature, which helps keep the solution concealed and secure."

"The product's stability is good."

"You can scale it when you need to."

"The most valuable features of Cisco IOS Security are the plenty of functionality it provides, many people are IT certified the usage, and the user interface is good."

"The stability of this solution is excellent."

"Cisco has always been a premium product. There's a lot of other entry-level solutions. This is more robust."

"We use Cisco IOS Security mostly for routers to route off the firewall. It's a next-generation device."

More Cisco IOS Security pros

"It seems to be a durable, stable product."

"We can utilize our own network rather than paying for a private one."

"Sangfor NGAF's standout feature is its powerful application control, enabling precise restrictions on mobile user access to approved applications."

"Sangfor NGAF works accordingly with our customers. The solution has good performance, easy to use, and integrates well with the endpoints."

"So far, the performance and reliability of the product have supported our company's critical network traffic."

"The top functionality is the reporting feature."

"The most valuable features are the WAN optimization, the internet access gateway (IAG), and the central console, which allows us to implement on their firewall."

"I think the tool has the feature to detect and kill ransomware in three seconds."

More Sangfor NGAF pros

Cons

"The support costs and licensing are sometimes so expensive."

"The solution's stability should be improved because it is extremely unstable."

"The solution lacks sufficient filtering."

"The user interface could be improved to make it less confusing and easier to set up."

"Pricing for it is a bit high. It could be cheaper."

"It should have a better pricing plan. It is too expensive. It should also have a more granular view of the attack. I don't have FortiAnalyzer, and it is difficult for me to have a complete view when there is an attack on my server."

"There are problems with the custom reporting of the unique traffic. The data is there, but it is too difficult for us to extract."

"There should be better customization in the IPS."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"With respect to user-friendliness, it is a command-line interface and those with such experience will get along just fine, whereas others may struggle."

"The solution is complex and can be more user-friendly."

"Cisco is a scalable product, but it is expensive compared to other vendors."

"There are the usual bugs that are inherent to some software upgrades. Sometimes this provides some unexpected issues, however, it happens with all brands all the time."

"Cisco changes their licensing policy quite frequently, which is becoming confusing and complicated."

"The product's technical support services need improvement."

"Sometimes I find it difficult to manage. Some configurations are difficult for new engineers, for example."

"The company needs to make its solution more affordable to make it more accessible to larger markets. Otherwise, it's seen as an enterprise-level solution that small or medium-sized organizations can't afford and therefore they won't even look at it."

More Cisco IOS Security cons

"The support for YouTube or the Internet is not enough."

"It has an issue with the Sangfor Cloud Platform rather than the firewall. When we run a virtual machine, the window tabs display Chinese characters."

"The interface and user experience are horrible."

"Our experience with its customer support was quite challenging."

"The web interface needs to be improved, making it more user-friendly."

"The GUI needs to be improved, lacks logic in some areas."

"Lacks consistency in terms of filtering certain websites and applications."

"I would be happy if Sangfor developed a firewall designed specifically for home use, as well as for small businesses such as clinics and so on. A household version of the Sangfor firewall for your personal computer or laptop would be ideal, in my opinion."

More Sangfor NGAF cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing or licensing of Fortinet FortiGate is quite effective as it offers different bundles that aggregate most required features, while also allowing clients the option to select specific components alone."

"The licensing costs are very competitive."

"The price of Fortinet FortiGate is affordable. Most of our customers are on a three-year license to use the solution. All the features and support are included in the price."

"Fortinet FortiGate is expensive."

"It's one of the more expensive brands. The 100 series costs around $4,000. They are similar in pricing to what you might get from Cisco solutions and probably other similar ones. They're not more expensive than other similar solutions, but they're certainly not cheaper either."

"You need to pay a license for this solution. Our licensing is now done in our subsidiary."

"This is not a cheap solution but it isn't expensive, either. It's a good solution for the right price."

"It's a year based license."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"The product is expensive."

"The solution's pricing is very good."

"The tool could be priced lower. If you want advanced services, then you need to purchase them."

"The price of the solution should be cheaper, and the license is purchase annually."

"The cost may be around $5,000 to $10,000 a year. If you want support you have to pay at least this price."

"Cisco IOS Security price could be reduced, it is more expensive than many of the other solutions, such as Sophos and Fortinet FortiGate."

"It is necessary to pay for a license in order to use the solution. It is on a yearly basis and the price is high."

"Cisco IOS Security is not very expensive, and pricing depends on where you live. It's affordable for both individuals and institutions. On a scale from one to five, I would give Cisco's pricing a four."

More Cisco IOS Security pricing and cost advice

"The product is very cost-effective compared to other brands or vendors."

"In my opinion, the price of the tool is good in the Pakistani market. We can easily get discounts if needed."

"The price could be more competitive."

"Price-wise, I would not consider Sangfor NGAF to be a cheap product. It is an expensive firewall solution, though not as expensive as something like Palo Alto, which is costly. However, the higher price point is justifiable given the feature set the tool provides that other firewalls may not offer in a single dedicated appliance."

"For four to five physical appliances for a licensed firewall, it costs approximately $4,000."

"We purchased one year technical support and return to factory support, and we also purchased one-year technical support services. So those were additional."

"If you know you have around 200+ computer users on your network, then the Sangfor NGAF 5200-F-I model would be the minimum recommended model for that amount of users. This model includes modules for packet filtering, deep packet inspection, malware scanning, DSCP filtration, and many other features."

"The price falls in the mid-range, neither exceptionally low nor high."

More Sangfor NGAF 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

Computer Software Company

22%

Manufacturing Company

Marketing Services Firm

Government

Manufacturing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

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

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	20
Midsize Enterprise	14
Large Enterprise	18

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	15
Midsize Enterprise	10
Large Enterprise	10

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 do you like most about Cisco IOS Security?

Cisco IOS Security is a mature product with extensive capabilities, serving as the base for the defense layer. It off...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco IOS Security?

The cost of Cisco IOS Security for customers is on the higher end of pricing compared to the competition, depending o...

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What needs improvement with Cisco IOS Security?

Regarding improvements in Cisco IOS Security, what consistently confuses me is the inability of Cisco to maintain a c...

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What do you like most about Sangfor NGAF?

I think Sangfor NGAF is more valuable than Cisco products because of its simplicity and ease of management. If I comp...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Sangfor NGAF?

The licensing cost is quite high compared to other available firewalls in the market.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Sangfor NGAF?

The cost of licensing is very high compared to other firewalls available here. There should be improvements in hardwa...

See all answers

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

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

OPNsense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 3% of the time

More Fortinet FortiGate Competitors

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 15% of the time

Cato SASE Cloud Platform vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 11% of the time

Cisco Meraki MX vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 8% of the time

OPNsense vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 7% of the time

More Cisco IOS Security Competitors

Sophos Firewall vs Sangfor NGAF

Compared 17% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Sangfor NGAF

Compared 6% of the time

H3C SecPath Firewalls vs Sangfor NGAF

Compared 5% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Sangfor NGAF

Compared 5% of the time

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Sangfor NGAF

Compared 5% of the time

More Sangfor NGAF Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

February 2026

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Cisco IOS Security

February 2026

Download Cisco IOS Security product report

Buyer's Guide

Sangfor NGAF

January 2026

Download Sangfor NGAF product report

Also Known As

Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall

IOS Security

Sangfor NGAF Firewall Platform

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

Cisco IOS Software delivers a sophisticated set of security capabilities for a comprehensive, layered security approach throughout your network infrastructure. Cisco IOS security technologies help to defend critical business processes against attack and disruption, protect privacy, and support policy and regulatory compliance controls.

Cisco

Sangfor Next Generation Firewall (also known as NGAF) is a converged security solution providing protection against advanced threat, malware, viruses, ransomware and web-based attacks using integrated security features like firewall, IPS, anti-virus, anti-malware, APT, URL filtering, Cloud Sandbox, and WAF. As the world's first AI-enabled and fully integrated Next Generation Firewall & Web Application Firewall (WAF), NGAF offering the security visibility, real-time detection and response, simplified operation and maintenance and high-performance application layer security needed to operate an enterprise network in total security. Tested and proven to provide cutting-edge network security by ICSA Labs and endorsed by Gartner Inc., NGAF harnesses the power of Sangfor’s Neural-X threat intelligence and analytics platform and Engine Zero’s innovative malware detection to provide next-generation protection for today’s enterprise.

Sangfor

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

Arup Group, Brunel University London, City of Biel, Gobierno de Castilla-La Mancha, K&L Gates , New South Wales Rural Fire Service, Offshore Northern Seas, Transplace

The Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (Indonesia), Lawson, Inc. (Philippines), Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (Indonesia), TEK Automotive (Italy), etc.

Buyer's Guide

Cisco IOS Security vs. Sangfor NGAF

February 2026

Free Report: Cisco IOS Security vs. Sangfor NGAF

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