Fortinet FortiGate vs Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise comparison

Fortinet and Fortra are both solutions in the Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) category. Fortinet is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.5, while Fortra is ranked #17 with an average rating of 10.0. Fortinet holds a 16.6% mindshare in ID, compared to Fortra’s 1.3% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Fortinet users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 87% of Fortra users who would recommend it.

Fortinet FortiGate

Read 574 Fortinet FortiGate reviews

72,802 Views
6,552 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise

Read 8 Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise reviews

881 Views
696 Comparison Views

87% willing to recommend

Fortinet FortiGate

Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 16, 2025

Fortinet FortiGate and Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise are cybersecurity products with unique strengths. Fortinet FortiGate excels in pricing and support, whereas Tripwire Enterprise stands out with advanced features, making the latter worth the investment for many.

Features: Fortinet FortiGate provides powerful firewall capabilities, real-time threat intelligence, and seamless network integration. It focuses on network security and access management. Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise offers configuration control, vulnerability management, and compliance policy enforcement, providing detailed system integrity monitoring.

Room for Improvement: FortiGate could enhance advanced feature capabilities and reduce complexity for comprehensive security uses. Tripwire Enterprise might improve user interface simplicity and reduce learning curve, and offer more competitive pricing for smaller enterprises.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Fortinet FortiGate is known for straightforward deployment with robust support, making it ideal for quick implementation. Tripwire Enterprise has a steeper learning curve but offers comprehensive deployment assistance for successful integration with complex systems.

Pricing and ROI: Fortinet FortiGate is generally more affordable, providing substantial ROI with cost-effective security solutions. While Tripwire Enterprise involves a higher initial cost, it justifies the investment through extended system management capabilities and enhanced compliance benefits.

To learn more, read our detailed Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) Report (Updated: October 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)

October 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

Ranking in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)

1st

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

574

Ranking in other categories

Secure Web Gateways (SWG) (2nd), Firewalls (1st), Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions (1st), WAN Edge (1st), ZTNA (2nd), Unified Threat Management (UTM) (1st)

Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise

Ranking in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)

17th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiGate is 16.6%, down from 19.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise is 1.3%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Fortinet FortiGate	16.6%
Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise	1.3%
Other	82.1%

Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)

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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reviewer2093205

Senior Cybersecurity Analyst at a energy/utilities company with 1,001-5,000 employees

It has excellent scalability and allows you to execute custom COCR rules, letting you fine-tune agent monitoring

I'm using Tripwire Enterprise version 9.0. In my company, thirty to forty people use Tripwire Enterprise, mainly different types of engineers, governance, risk, compliance, and cybersecurity personnel. I advise people planning to use Tripwire Enterprise to take the training because the solution has a fairly complex interface. You can do a lot of work with it, but it isn't very easy. Tripwire Enterprise is a sophisticated tool. I rate the tool an eight on a scale of one to ten because it does an excellent job of handling the unique challenges of maintaining NERC CIP compliance and monitoring industrial controls.

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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 solution is used in my company since its management is very comfortable"

"Initial setup is straightforward. There weren't too many issues with setting it up. It takes one hour or so."

"The most valuable feature is the web filter."

"The scalability is good in Fortinet FortiGate."

"It is a scalable solution."

"The solution is stable."

"The most valuable feature is the deep inspection for traffic, which is capable of identifying zero-day attacks."

"The ECC management and the GUI that offers single interface management are the most valuable features of Fortinet FortiGate."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"What's most valuable in Tripwire Enterprise is the ability to execute custom COCR rules that lets me fine-tune how I monitor Linux and Windows agents."

"Its reporting features are great. It gives you an in-depth report. Its customization is also great, and it is working fine."

"The most valuable feature is the integrity."

"The product supports different platforms."

"Even if you change a single word in Notepad, it will let you know whether it was added, removed, or modified."

"The most valuable feature is integrity management. I had some discussions with service providers, and they also agreed."

"We use Tripwire Enterprise as a tool to test the vulnerability of a network. That is the most valuable feature of the product for us."

"File monitoring is the most valuable feature of the solution."

Cons

"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 solution could be improved by addressing limited local reporting. It requires obtaining the FortiAnalyzer for proper visibility because you can't do much from a reporting perspective with just the firewall alone."

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

"The updates Fortinet provides are sometimes unstable."

"The support is inadequate. The support staff I have dealt with lately are very rude. Some support staff are not up-to-speed with the technology. They basically read a script."

"For the migration, everyone has a firewall in use and I am selling Fortinet. Typically, I am replacing another firewall. Previously, there was a tool available to convert configurations from one firewall, such as Palo Alto, to Fortinet, but this tool is no longer free. If it could be made free again, it would be very beneficial."

"I have used technical support and they could improve."

"It does not have key authentication for admin access."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"The initial setup is complex."

"A lot of network devices need a custom integration."

"An area for improvement in Tripwire Enterprise is stability, as my company had stability issues with the last few versions of the solution. Tripwire Enterprise has been a bit buggy."

"The deployment with certain systems can be difficult and it needs to be simplified."

"The main way that it can be improved is through better reporting."

"It needs more local support from the OEM side. It would be great if this can be improved."

"Cloud monitoring could be better. It would also be better if the company followed a pay-as-you-use model."

"The Windows online integration license needs to be improved."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"FortiGate Next Generation Firewall is an expensive solution with a yearly subscription."

"I would rate the pricing a seven out of ten"

"The pricing is justified. It's a little pricey, but what you pay for is what you get."

"The price is relatively expensive compared to other solutions which are providing similar features."

"If you are looking for a quality product, it will come at a higher price. Expecting them to be significantly cheaper is unrealistic. In terms of pricing, it is a bit costly. However, the functionality and support offered are worth it."

"These boxes are not that expensive compared to what they can do, their functionality, and the reporting you receive. Fortinet licensing is straightforward and less confusing compared to Cisco."

"Fortinet is reasonable in pricing and licensing. Overall, FortiGate is affordable. The licensing fee can be a little high, depending on the budget for your project."

"The pricing is better compared to other solutions like Check Point, Arista, or Cisco."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"Tripwire is more expensive than Netwrix."

"The licensing depends on the equipment, how many devices and the types of devices."

"Cloud monitoring could be better. It could also be cheaper. It would be better if the company followed a pay-as-you-use model."

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Comparison Review

it_user216600

Senior Technical Consultant with 51-200 employees

Jan 3, 2016

Sophos UTM vs. Fortinet FortiGate

I have used both Sophos and Fortinet products in production and I have found the Sophos UTM appliances (hardware and virtual) to be a better fit most of the time -- with a few caveats which I will touch on below. In both instances, the transition from TMG will be mostly straightforward. The main…

Read full review

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

12%

University

11%

Government

Non Profit

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	350
Midsize Enterprise	130
Large Enterprise	187

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	5
Large Enterprise	3

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 at large. In my opinion, Fortinet would be the best option and l use Fortinet too...

See all answers

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 the firewalls change every 5 to 7 years as stated but you really do need to upg...

See all answers

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 good. The most valuable features for me are their web and email filtering. I wou...

See all answers

What do you like most about Tripwire Enterprise?

The product supports different platforms.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Tripwire Enterprise?

Tripwire is more expensive than Netwrix.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Tripwire Enterprise?

The solution has some limitations in OT, IoT, and AIX. The product must provide whitelisting services.

See all answers

Comparisons

Sophos XG vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 17% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 11% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 9% of the time

OPNsense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

Cisco Meraki MX vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

More Fortinet FortiGate Competitors

Darktrace vs Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise

Compared 23% of the time

Change Tracker Gen7 R2 vs Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise

Compared 23% of the time

Cisco IOS Security vs Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise

Compared 19% of the time

Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall vs Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise

Compared 17% of the time

Trend Micro Deep Discovery vs Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise

Compared 17% of the time

More Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

October 2025

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)

October 2025

Download Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise product report

Overview

Fortinet FortiGate excels in providing integrated VPN, firewalling, and Unified Threat Management (UTM) with centralized management and high availability. It supports remote access and comprehensive threat protection, making it a preferred choice for securing networks.

Fortinet FortiGate offers a robust security platform with features such as strong intrusion prevention, application control, and web filtering. Its integration with Active Directory and SD-WAN functionality provides scalable solutions for large networks. Users appreciate its ease of use through centralized management interfaces, ensuring robust security with flexible configurations. However, FortiGate could enhance its graphical interface and technical support responsiveness, address firmware bugs and costly licensing, improve logging, integrate better with third-party tools, and strengthen scalability and memory for log storage. Complexity in configuration and the need for intuitive features are noted challenges, and there's a demand for advanced security, zero-trust capabilities, and AI integration.

What are the key features of Fortinet FortiGate?

VPN: Secure remote access and connectivity.
Firewalling: Protects networks from unauthorized access and attacks.
UTM: Offers a comprehensive approach to threat management.
SD-WAN: Optimizes traffic routing for efficient network performance.
Web Filtering: Controls and monitors web access and ensures Internet security.

What benefits or ROI should be considered?

Centralized Management: Simplifies administration and monitoring.
High Availability: Ensures consistent security and network availability.
Scalability: Adapts to the needs of growing networks.
Comprehensive Threat Protection: Provides robust security measures.
Ease of Use: Minimizes the complexity of security management.

Fortinet FortiGate is widely implemented across industries like education, finance, and government. Companies use it for firewall protection, VPN, and SD-WAN capabilities, ensuring secure perimeter and data center security. It facilitates remote access management and traffic routing optimization, offering reliable security and connectivity solutions.

Fortinet

Tripwire Enterprise is a comprehensive security solution trusted for compliance monitoring, file integrity monitoring, security configuration management, and policy enforcement.

Key features include real-time threat detection, audit/compliance reporting, and scalable configuration management.

Users benefit from improved operations, efficiency, and decision-making capabilities, making it valuable for organizations of all sizes.

Fortra

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

1. Aetna 2. Adobe 3. ADP 4. Airbus 5. Amazon 6. American Express 7. Aon 8. ATT 9. Bank of America 10. Barclays 11. Baxter International 12. Bechtel 13. Boeing 14. Cisco Systems 15. CocaCola 16. Comcast 17. Dell 18. ETRADE 19. ExxonMobil 20. Ford Motor Company 21. General Electric 22. General Motors 23. Google 24. JPMorgan Chase 25. Kraft Foods 26. Lockheed Martin 27. McDonald's 28. Merck 29. Microsoft 30. Morgan Stanley 31. Nike 32. Oracle

Buyer's Guide

Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)

October 2025

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