Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] vs Prisma SD-WAN comparison

Citrix and Palo Alto Networks are both solutions in the Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions category. Additionally, 90% of Citrix users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of Palo Alto Networks users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 12, 2025

Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] and Prisma SD-WAN are both competing in the network optimization product category. Based on the data comparisons, Prisma SD-WAN seems to have the upper hand due to its advanced analytics and machine learning capabilities, which provide superior traffic management and WAN management.

Features: Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] is known for its reliability, customization, and cost-effective connectivity management, which are highly beneficial for large networks. Its notable features include load balancing and comprehensive security options. Prisma SD-WAN stands out with its advanced analytics, Layer 7 visibility, and machine learning, which allow for detailed application-specific traffic optimization and easier integration with other Palo Alto networks.

Room for Improvement: Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] has areas needing improvement such as customization, reporting capabilities, and communication regarding the product lifecycle, as well as having variable quality in technical support. Prisma SD-WAN faces challenges with its documentation, pricing, and hardware integration. Users express a need for better event correlation and more responsive technical support.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] is primarily available for on-premises deployment, and often users experience inconsistent customer support, leading many to rely on external consultants. Prisma SD-WAN supports hybrid and cloud deployments; however, users indicate that skilled resources are needed for successful deployment, and support also receives mixed reviews.

Pricing and ROI: Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] has higher upfront costs but offers a potentially high ROI due to minimized Telco costs and efficient subscription options. It is particularly valuable for large deployments that benefit from savings on MPLS expenditures. Prisma SD-WAN is considered expensive mainly due to its functionalities and integrations that add value for enterprises within Palo Alto's ecosystem but may not be cost-effective for smaller businesses. Larger organizations find the product's advanced management capabilities justify the higher price point.

To learn more, read our detailed Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions

December 2025

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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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Rohit Ghorpade

Cloud network engineer at Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Co. Ltd.

A scalable solution for MCN controller but lacks technical supports, upgrades

There are a few things that can be improved, are domain-based routing and the slowness of virtual parts, and it may be due to the wrong configuration, which we have been unable to find out. Previously, we faced some issues with the slowness part. Apart from that, feature like end gateway level antivirus. We are currently using a NetFlow proxy to establish a virtual position for the NetFlow. Our current environment has many use cases, but we are not using them on the Citrix SD-WAN. When I navigate the NCL part, it involves configuration. I want to highlight this disadvantage. Sometimes, when we push the configuration, it tries to push it to all branch locations. This process takes a lot of time, nearly 30 minutes, to push a single change from the NCL. Overall, I don't think Citrix meets our use cases what we have. This is based on my feedback after using it for the past year and working on this Citrix SD-WAN. However, from my experience, it is the worst solution I have seen. There's no domain-based routing, which is horrible. That's why we are moving to other products. We have checked our use case requirements with Fortinet, Palo Alto, and they meet them. I will consider the PoC or another OEM. There are many things in the area you need to be prompt, like the automation part. If any link or device goes down, alerting notification, etc. We need to perform and highlight so many things to your management. This should be improved.

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Engineerinfosec67

Presale Engineer at Westcon-Comstor

Centralized management streamlines global network traffic control

Prisma SD-WAN requires a more seamless integration with other Palo Alto solutions, like Prisma Access. Although there has been improvement, further steps can be taken. Additionally, it would be beneficial if the solution integrated the SD-WAN features of Prisma SD-WAN with the security features of Palo Alto's next-generation firewalls, as they currently do not align.

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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

"It is quite easy to handle."

"This solution has solid UTM features combined with a nice GUI."

"It is simpler to configure. It is not like Cisco Firepower, where you go crazy trying to follow the Cisco documentation to figure out how to configure one little thing. Unlike Cisco Firepower, where you can't do everything through the web interface and you have got to do some command line stuff, Fortinet FortiGate SWG is simpler. There are four different things in Cisco to get in, which is not the case with Fortinet FortiGate SWG. It is one of my favorite solutions to work with. I would much rather work with it than Cisco Firepower, for example. Even though I've got 20 years of Cisco experience with different firewalls, I would much prefer this solution."

"The firewall is pretty good if you understand how to use it. It performs at a very high level, and we are loving it."

"Some of the best features of Fortinet FortiGate include the next-generation firewall features."

"Virtual Domains (VDOMs) are a feature that we found valuable."

"This product is definitely scalable."

"The wireless control is helpful."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"The main advantage of Citrix SD-WAN is that it enables fast communication between our branches and data centers. And, with its cloud management features, it also makes the process of adding new branches into our company network much easier."

"The reliability of connectivity is most valuable."

"The stability is the main feature of Citrix SD-WAN. You can also upgrade the data packages or have less transmission."

"The tool is quite cost-effective because it replaces the need for MPLS, which is a bit expensive...Citrix SD-WAN doesn't need much maintenance."

"The solution is brilliant, the way it calculates its paths and trails is great."

"The SD-WAN solution as it is already is quite feature-rich and the upgrade process is very simple."

"They have a zero downtime failover mechanism, where, when there's a link failure or a link weakness, or bad link conditions, they provide the ability to fail back seamlessly."

"We are using it widely for the local record for SaaS-based applications. Another valuable feature is a local breakout."

More Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] pros

"Prisma's analytics provide a lot of valuable data. I like the internet health chart that shows latency, dropped packets, MOS for data quality, etc. It also runs a continuous speed test in the background. I've used it multiple times to troubleshoot internet connections when the service provider has attempted to claim nothing is wrong with the circuit. It gives me data to send them showing we're not getting the speed we should, or there is constant packet loss."

"I like that the integration with Palo Alto is easy."

"Some of the best features with the Prisma SD-WAN are intelligent routing, dynamic path selection, best path selection, and forward error correction."

"The implementation of the solution is easy."

"The gateway is available on the cloud which allows you access from anywhere and still connects to your home gateway."

"Centralized management improves network visibility because if I want to configure multiple branches and firewalls, it could be quite complicated, but when I have the centralized system, it's easier for users to access branches and manage all the firewalls in the branches."

"The AI ops feature streamlines revisions and automates compliance."

"The product's initial setup phase is straightforward."

More Prisma SD-WAN pros

Cons

"There's always something new that can be added or fixed."

"One point against them is that their solution lacks a unified approach."

"There are mainly two areas of improvement in Fortinet FortiGate— the licensing cost and the timing of upgrading licenses for boxes."

"They could improve the response time and quality of support."

"They need to improve their technical support."

"The user interface needs a bit of upgrading."

"NGN, reporting and controls."

"From a pricing perspective, I would rate them a six."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"I am happy with this product. If anything, its price can be reduced. It is a bit expensive."

"Citrix SD-WAN's knowledge base has a few missing things, so you may need to seek help from support."

"Overall, network security and next-generation firewall features are areas that they can improve on."

"Citrix SD-WAN does not have the SD-WAN with one optimization in a single license. Other competitors have this option and it should be added to this solution."

"I would like to see support for additional reporting."

"I would like to either see the price reduced or have it packaged with other products to give better value for the money."

"The price is the only thing that could be improved. Citrix is not a cheap solution."

"There are a few things that can be improved, are domain-based routing and the slowness of virtual parts, and it may be due to the wrong configuration, which we have been unable to find out."

More Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] cons

"The documentation tends to be outdated, often directing us to resources that are no longer accurate or available, and this is one of the reasons we are potentially looking at alternatives."

"I would also like to see improvement in the product training for customers. Palo Alto has not initiated very much training but they have to do so because this is a new product. If you have experience in a legacy environment, and you are moving to Prisma SD-WAN, you don't have a training framework. That is one of the disadvantages."

"If Palo Alto could open the platform to manage other SD-WANs, it would be beneficial."

"The setup isn't completely straightforward, but it's manageable when you have proper knowledge."

"Prisma SD-WAN requires a more seamless integration with other Palo Alto solutions, like Prisma Access."

"We are incorporating their zone-based firewalls. Prisma SD-WAN has limited documentation on how it manipulates traffic, e.g., how it is interacting with TCP and UDP. We recently had some traffic that was black holing. We literally had to do packet captures to see that the new zone-based firewall, which runs on top of Prisma SD-WAN, was causing issues."

"There are two parallel things that we want Palo Alto to work on. First, customers want a unified appliance that does the work of all firewalls in addition to SD-WAN. Second, the cloud presence should be completely automated. If I purchase the SASE architecture, I shouldn't worry about deployments in Prisma Access or on Prisma SD-WAN. It should be deployed in one go."

"The tool needs to work on price and complexity."

More Prisma SD-WAN cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Its pricing is good. The advantages of Fortinet FortiGate over its competitors include good pricing and meeting our requirements at a lower cost."

"Its price is affordable and lesser than Cisco. Cisco is expensive. In terms of licensing, there is only one issue. If a customer's license has expired a month ago and they do the renewal after one month, Fortinet renews the license from the start of the previous month. The activation of the product is done from the previous month, not from the date of renewal. The customers usually shout and complain that because they are paying today, the renewal should start from today. The support contract renewals or licensing should be renewed from the date of renewal, but Fortinet starts from the day it had expired. It is a loss for customers. They might have had some problems because of which they did not take the license one month before. Fortinet should work on this. Cisco doesn't do this. Cisco always starts from the day they apply for the license."

"Some of our customers are using Sophos and SonicWall due to price concerns, as they can't manage the pricing of Fortinet FortiGate."

"It is cost-effective, and provides a good value for your money. The pricing, and license renewal, is very reasonable for us."

"Fortinet has one or two license types, and the VPN numbers are only limited by the hardware chassis make."

"Fortinet FortiGate IPS' licensing is quite simple to understand."

"Licensing for Fortinet FortiGate is on a yearly basis. Pricing for it is a bit high. It could be cheaper."

"The product is expensive."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"It's a little bit on the high side compared to the other products."

"The price of the subscription should be cheaper."

"As NetScaler is now, I find it quite pricey."

"I believe that Citrix SD-WAN is a good investment, but I do not have the information to be more specific."

"It depends on the scale. In our case, it would have been better if we had known about the life cycling steps, but otherwise, it is worth the money."

"The price is relatively expensive."

"The license was a one-time purchase. It's expensive."

"Citrix SD-WAN is quite an affordable product."

More Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] pricing and cost advice

"If you're already invested in a Palo Alto product, it would be logical to use this solution. If not, there might be some other solutions that are more viable in terms of pricing."

"It is more expensive than Fortinet."

"On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."

"Prisma SD-WAN is a pretty expensive solution."

"This solution stood out because it cost considerably less than the other SD-WAN solutions out there from Cisco."

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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

12%

Government

Educational Organization

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

14%

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

Legal Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	357
Midsize Enterprise	133
Large Enterprise	188

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	7
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	10

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	13

Questions from the Community

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

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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 needs improvement with Citrix SD-WAN?

The solution's licensing model could be improved. Citrix SD-WAN is a good product from a technical point of view. How...

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What advice do you have for others considering Citrix SD-WAN?

If a customer already has Citrix NetScaler and is not looking to change anything in their existing environment, we pr...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Prisma SD-WAN?

Regarding whether Prisma SD-WAN is an expensive solution, I would say the price is competitively high. Everything dep...

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What needs improvement with Prisma SD-WAN?

I am still working on what should be improved in Prisma SD-WAN to make this product better, and I cannot give any upd...

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What is your primary use case for Prisma SD-WAN?

Our customers' main use cases for Prisma SD-WAN are to connect multiple branches since they have numerous locations t...

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Comparisons

Sophos Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 20% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 13% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 6% of the time

OPNsense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 3% of the time

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Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Platform vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]

Compared 22% of the time

Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]

Compared 13% of the time

VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]

Compared 11% of the time

FatPipe WAN Optimization vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]

Compared 11% of the time

Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform vs Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]

Compared 8% of the time

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Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs Prisma SD-WAN

Compared 16% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs Prisma SD-WAN

Compared 12% of the time

VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN vs Prisma SD-WAN

Compared 11% of the time

Check Point CloudGuard Network Security vs Prisma SD-WAN

Compared 6% of the time

Cato SASE Cloud Platform vs Prisma SD-WAN

Compared 5% of the time

More Prisma SD-WAN Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

January 2026

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Buyer's Guide

Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]

January 2026

Download Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] product report

Buyer's Guide

Prisma SD-WAN

January 2026

Download Prisma SD-WAN product report

Also Known As

Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall

Citrix CloudBridge, WOC, NetScaler SD-WAN

CloudGenix

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

Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] enhances connectivity and performance by optimizing bandwidth utilization, ensuring reliable communication across branch offices and headquarter data centers. It offers centralized management, efficient deployment options, and improved network reliability.

Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] is designed for businesses seeking enhanced connectivity solutions that boost application performance while reducing costs. With HDX WAN Optimization and reliable Active-Active connectivity, it assures improved bandwidth management. Tailored for both cloud and on-premise deployments, it supports fast communication and seamless integration, making it user-friendly even for those with limited technical expertise. Security features and zero-touch deployments further enhance its appeal. However, users highlight areas needing improvement, such as configuration intuitiveness, pricing alignment for specific markets, and stability. Enhanced reporting, networking features, and technical support are desired. Integration with Windows, security elements like firewalls, and licensing clarity require attention to meet user expectations.

What are the key features of Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]?

HDX WAN Optimization: Enhances application performance and traffic.
Load Balancing: Ensures efficient traffic distribution across networks.
Reliable Connectivity: Provides seamless failover and reduced costs through MPLS replacement.
Cloud Management: Simplifies deployment and management via the cloud.
Zero-Touch Deployment: Facilitates easy setup and provisioning.
Active-Active Lines: Optimizes bandwidth utilization and performance.
Backup Capabilities: Centralizes data management for security.

What benefits should users look for in Citrix SD-WAN [EOL]?

Enhanced Connectivity: Improves stability and reduces downtime.
Cost Reduction: Efficiently decreases expenses by replacing MPLS.
Network Optimization: Offers better bandwidth for diverse communication types.
Secure Interconnectivity: Ensures secure and reliable network connections.
Management Flexibility: Supports cloud or on-premise deployment options.

Industries benefit from Citrix SD-WAN [EOL] by leveraging its features to ensure stable, redundant connectivity between branches and data centers. Organizations experiencing frequent line failures or high reliance on bandwidth-heavy applications find it particularly useful. It caters to sectors needing reliable data management and enhanced networking.

Citrix

Simplify management, enable app-defined SD-WAN policies and deliver a secure, cloud-delivered branch today with the Industry’s first next-generation SD-WAN.

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

AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Cornerstone Home Lending Inc., Dallara, ecVision, Essar, Eurofred, Groupe Promutuel, HMSHost Corporation, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Ltd, Royal Caribbean International

Open Networking User Group, Columbia Sportswear Company, Coca Cola

Buyer's Guide

Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions

December 2025

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