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Fortinet FortiAuthenticator vs Symantec VIP Access Manager comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 11, 2024

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 FortiAuthenticator
Ranking in Authentication Systems
5th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
65
Ranking in other categories
Single Sign-On (SSO) (10th), Identity Management (IM) (15th), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) (2nd)
Symantec VIP Access Manager
Ranking in Authentication Systems
16th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
15
Ranking in other categories
Access Management (30th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the Authentication Systems category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiAuthenticator is 3.1%, down from 6.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Symantec VIP Access Manager is 2.1%, up from 1.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Authentication Systems Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Fortinet FortiAuthenticator3.1%
Symantec VIP Access Manager2.1%
Other94.8%
Authentication Systems
 

Featured Reviews

reviewer2848395 - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Business Development Manager at a outsourcing company with 501-1,000 employees
Multi-factor security has improved device protection but still needs broader application coverage
Fortinet FortiAuthenticator could be improved in its cost structure. Although it is not expensive, other solutions offer more value for less money. Cisco Duo provides better value in this regard and connects to web applications much more easily, scaling effectively in that sense. While I have never used Cisco Duo to secure other devices in IoT environments, I know Cisco Duo is capable of doing so, whereas Fortinet FortiAuthenticator cannot. Additionally, Cisco Duo is also cheaper. These are the main reasons why we switched away from Fortinet FortiAuthenticator, as it was very limited compared to other solutions available. Fortinet FortiAuthenticator was primarily missing the ability to scale to web applications.
Berk Onur - PeerSpot reviewer
Presales Consultant at Cyberwise
With its mobile application, this tool offers a convenient and user-friendly experience to its users
To improve the tool, I think that the solution should consider integrations with other cybersecurity and IT technologies, such as Privileged Access Management and Site Integration. Additionally, the implementation of second-factor authentication via Symantec VIP Access Manager, CyberArk, and Delinea, among other technologies, could be best for the product. While the existing technology is okay, improving the integration capabilities for Symantec VIP Access Manager would benefit the product. I would like to see the solution meet the integration needs at our company. While many cybersecurity solutions can function independently, they often lack integration with our systems due to missed integration points. Improving the solution's integration feature would be beneficial.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It keeps track of users and their IPs no matter where they are in the network. When users roam, we don't have to worry about not mapping them to an IP."
"If you want a more efficient way to manage two-factor authentication for your users, or implement the unit as a cluster member role, the FortiAuthenticator can be incorporated very well into your environment."
"The product is stable and reliable."
"The solution is simple to deploy, simple to use, and user-friendly."
"It reduces the need for network administrator intervention by allowing the user to perform their own registration and resolve their own password problems and issues."
"The most valuable features of Fortinet FortiAuthenticator are easy to configure, secure, and the application has good performance."
"It integrates very tightly with the rest of the Fortinet ecosystem."
"We switched to FortiAuthenticator because it integrates with our Fortinet products."
"After the initial integration, the overall support calls dropped, and customer satisfaction for VPN increased."
"Pricing was about 25% of the old solution, saving us about $500,000 over three years for 10,000 users."
"It's a good tool. It's pretty straightforward."
"The VPN we are using is good and working quite well."
"Cloud-based service and management."
"The main benefit of Symantec VIP is that it provides strong authentication while keeping it as a very user friendly experience."
"Integration with Citrix Access Gateway, Microsoft Office 365 and Single Sign-On (through Symantec Validation and ID Protection Access Manager) has increased the productivity of the employees for accessing resources."
"It is easy to use."
 

Cons

"The integration with other products, for example, some SAML authentications, would make it more flexible."
"The GUI is on the older side but I'm sure that it will be upgraded soon. It works, but it looks a little dated."
"FortiAuthenticator should integrate with other applications."
"The stability of Fortinet FortiAuthenticator is rated as six out of ten, indicating some instability issues."
"Up to now, I would not recommend FortiAuthenticator to others yet as I have ongoing transitions and evaluations."
"There are some protocols, such as SHA and SHA-2, that are not supported."
"The solution's command line interface could be improved to provide better support for low-level debugging and advanced configurations."
"FortiAuthenticator's interface could be better."
"The VIP Manager can be accessed from the outside which is a security vulnerability."
"Geofencing needs improvement."
"It is challenging to use when installing a new version."
"Maybe Symantec could consider providing a step-by-step guide for first-time users."
"Our only issue was with user training. The additional challenge was not well received."
"The gateway server is a RADIUS server, but it lacks the functionality of returning RADIUS attributes other than those that are required for the gateway to authenticate the users."
"There are some shortcomings on the reporting side, such as how many connections you can get per month."
"In the next release, I would like the ability to work offline with remote access."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is usually cheap. Without a license, you can use some basic features. You can buy a 20-year license and implement the solution once."
"It costs more to license the high-availability option."
"The product has affordable pricing compared to other vendors."
"On a scale of one to ten, where one is a high price and ten is a low price, I rate the pricing a seven."
"You can pay as you go with them. You purchase a base license and add to it as needed."
"We pay for licensing on a yearly basis."
"I price of the solution is expensive."
"The platform provides a user-based pricing model rather than a subscription pricing model."
"There are additional costs for maintenance."
"I can say that the solution is worth the money."
"Licensing and pricing seems very fair."
"There is a one-time setup fee plus the licenses are provided as per the number of users. For SMS and voice calls, the costs are separate."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
12%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Outsourcing Company
10%
Construction Company
8%
Outsourcing Company
13%
Construction Company
12%
Comms Service Provider
12%
Manufacturing Company
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business38
Midsize Enterprise19
Large Enterprise11
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business4
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise10
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiAuthenticator?
My experience with Fortinet FortiAuthenticator's pricing found the pricing to be good. There are better solutions available in the market. Overall, Fortinet FortiAuthenticator is an inexpensive sol...
What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiAuthenticator?
Fortinet FortiAuthenticator could be improved in its cost structure. Although it is not expensive, other solutions offer more value for less money. Cisco Duo provides better value in this regard an...
What is your primary use case for Fortinet FortiAuthenticator?
Fortinet FortiAuthenticator was implemented as a multi-factor authentication solution to serve as a second barrier for accessing and unlocking devices. However, Fortinet FortiAuthenticator was limi...
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Also Known As

FortiAuthenticator
Symantec VIP
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Maine Medical Center, Aria S.p.A
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiAuthenticator vs. Symantec VIP Access Manager and other solutions. Updated: November 2026.
920,769 professionals have used our research since 2012.