Fortinet FortiGate vs McAfee Web Gateway Cloud Service comparison

Fortinet and McAfee are both solutions in the Secure Web Gateways (SWG) category. Fortinet is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.5, while McAfee is ranked #32. Fortinet holds a 6.4% mindshare in WSG, compared to McAfee’s 0.7% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Fortinet users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of McAfee users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 28, 2025

Fortinet FortiGate and McAfee Web Gateway Cloud Service are competing products in the cybersecurity arena. Fortinet FortiGate shows a price and support advantage, while McAfee Web Gateway Cloud Service is often viewed as superior due to its robust features.

Features: Fortinet FortiGate offers high-performance security, extensive network customization, and straightforward hardware integration. McAfee Web Gateway Cloud Service provides comprehensive web protection, advanced threat intelligence, and superior cloud capabilities.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Fortinet FortiGate is known for its straightforward hardware deployment and responsive customer support. McAfee Web Gateway Cloud Service is advantageous in cloud-based deployment with minimal hardware needs and efficient customer service.

Pricing and ROI: Fortinet FortiGate provides competitive pricing and a solid ROI from effective network security at reasonable costs. McAfee Web Gateway Cloud Service, despite a higher setup cost, offers ROI through its innovative feature set.

To learn more, read our detailed Secure Web Gateways (SWG) Report (Updated: January 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Secure Web Gateways (SWG)

January 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

iboss

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Secure Web Gateways (SWG) category, the mindshare of iboss is 2.4%, up from 1.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiGate is 6.4%, down from 7.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of McAfee Web Gateway Cloud Service is 0.7%, up from 0.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Secure Web Gateways (SWG) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Fortinet FortiGate	6.4%
iboss	2.4%
McAfee Web Gateway Cloud Service	0.7%
Other	90.5%

Secure Web Gateways (SWG)

Featured Reviews

reviewer2701851

Managing Director

Enhances web security with a single pane of glass and flexible deployment

I don't see any need for improvement; one of the really good things about iboss as a company is that they listen to customer feedback. I have suggested enhancements, and they are responsive, making changes for the better, and they do a lot of testing. To improve iboss, although we haven't used it, we considered the VPN solution that comes with the highest tier licensing, which includes DLP and various other add-ons. We prefer using another product which automatically logs you back onto your network when turning on your PC. With iboss, the connection is manual, which doesn't meet our needs. Additionally, sizing can be tricky because, although the initial recommendations may seem adequate, actual usage may require more gateways than anticipated.

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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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Mohd Fadhil

Security Engineer at Mavisco Resources Sdn Bhd

A scalable and user-friendly tool that provides an easy-to-configure user interface

The solution is used for granular filtering. For example, an organization can use the solution to allow users to access Facebook but stop them from playing games The user interface is easy to configure. We don't have to configure a database manually. It’s already present in the product. We just…

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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

"First of all, the security policies are essential. I do not have to rely solely on Active Directory for our users."

"iboss is pretty scalable. They provide good support. The case managers you work with to coordinate what you need are pretty good."

"We chose iboss for both zero trust and proxy (SWG) because their SWG was superior."

"I would rate the technical support of iboss a solid 10 without a shadow of a doubt."

"The solution has massively improved our security posture, giving us full visibility into what our staff does online."

"It was a very easy product to install. It can be deployed very fast."

"Technical support is pretty sharp and very responsive."

"iboss has significantly lowered the number of security incidents. It is crazy how much it blocks and how much it is aware of the outside danger."

More iboss pros

"Fortinet FortiGate is one of the most solid and secure firewalls as long as you keep it up to date. The price is right; it's not very expensive."

"It is simple to manage, and there are a lot of functionalities in the same box."

"The most valuable feature is the FortiManager for centralized management."

"LinkGreat firewall capabilities"

"The simplicity of the configuration and the stability of the product are most valuable. The VPN concentrator is very useful."

"The multi-threat protection feature helps us secure our organization."

"The best feature of Fortinet FortiGate is SD-WAN; it ensures continuous connectivity by taking over during link failures, preventing any downtime for the company."

"FortiGate Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) is more realistic in application, allowing for more specific, customized security policies without the extensive work involved with static rules."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"The user interface is easy to configure."

Cons

"If they could implement an extra security layer preventing access to iboss from the open internet, it would be great."

"For zero trust implementation, we encountered complexity issues, especially with a large infrastructure company ExxonMobil."

"Its pricing could be better."

"I am currently doing a PoC of the zero trust aspect of it. Compared to other similar solutions, it is hard to get around each feature. It takes a while to get used to it."

"The dashboards for local use could be better."

"Sometimes the agent stops working in iboss, and we have to reinstall the agent."

"Sometimes when you call in support, you get someone who is just following a sheet. It feels like a runaround. You feel that you are running into that support wall."

"One thing I would like to see differently with their Zero Trust platform is that some of the AI aspects related to high-risk activities have more false positives."

More iboss cons

"I would like to see improvements made to the dashboard and UI, as well as to the reporting."

"The solution could improve by having some additional features, such as IBS and better cloud administration."

"The configuration part was challenging, especially converting configurations from another OEM to FortiGate."

"There are some issues with security features and aspects like logs not being up to the mark."

"I have to say that the initial setup was complex. The deployment took a few days to get set up. Initially, we were using an IPVanish. We switched to this tool since we thought it would be easier. But it turns out it wasn't easier to set up and run."

"The inability to change passwords when using FortiGate firewall and relying on a local FortiGate database for account creation can be problematic, particularly in non-Active Directory setups."

"The price of the solution could be cheaper."

"The main thing they have to improve in Fortinet FortiGate is the technical support; the rest of the features are good enough. We can handle them, but sometimes you really need support, and in that case, we are not getting it at the proper time."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"The product should provide more integrations."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is expensive compared to one of its competitors."

"We have not priced the solution recently, but they were competitive with other vendors in the past."

"We had the cost of purchasing a new appliance along with the implementation and licensing costs. However, the following year, the cost of just licensing was similar to what was paid the previous year for a new appliance along with the implementation and licensing costs."

"It is probably in line with other solutions, but I do not deal with the financial side."

"The overall pricing for iboss is very competitive and transparent."

"It is not expensive, and it is also not cheap. iboss is priced right in the sweet spot for the number of features it offers."

"Fortinet FortiGate is expensive."

"FortiGate's pricing falls within the mid-range when compared to other leading firewall solutions."

"I had to pay for the license for the firewall, but it is guaranteed to have updates. I expect a good service for it. It was about €1000 for a year, and there was no additional cost."

"FortiGate Next Generation Firewall is an expensive solution."

"The product pricing is reasonable."

"It is more affordable than Check Point and Palo Alto. Another thing is that all the features and the OS remain the same irrespective of the size of the device. Pricing-wise, Fortinet typically provides one-year support with the firewall appliance. There is also an option for three years which is how their licensing works."

"We saved a bundle by not needing all the past appliances from an NGFW."

"They need to be competitive with other solutions."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

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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

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Computer Software Company

12%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

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Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	5

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

No data available

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with iboss?

For zero trust implementation, we encountered complexity issues, especially with a large infrastructure company Exxon...

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What is your primary use case for iboss?

Previously when I used iboss, we did the POC for iboss for ExxonMobil. Four or five people wanted to move from our ol...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for iboss?

Regarding pricing, setup costs, and licensing, iboss is not cheap, and that's my only concern. There are cheaper alte...

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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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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

iboss

January 2026

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Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

January 2026

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Buyer's Guide

Secure Web Gateways (SWG)

January 2026

Download McAfee Web Gateway Cloud Service product report

Also Known As

iBoss Cloud Platform

Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall

No data available

Overview

Iboss offers a comprehensive cloud-based security platform valued for its scalability and autonomous features, ensuring robust security with easy deployment and management capabilities.

Renowned for its robust security architecture, Iboss integrates seamlessly within diverse networks, delivering efficient granular filtering and advanced content categorization. Its single pane of glass console provides ease of management, allowing rapid scalability suitable for rapidly deploying environments. Operates in BYOD setups due to inline filtering without device installation. Integration with cloud-based applications enhances user control, and features like SASE, SSL inspection, and ChatGPT risk protection stand as highlights. Despite its strengths, users have pointed out areas for enhancement like direct navigation in reports, SSL decryption, and better cloud integration while having room to improve data loss prevention.

What are the most important features of Iboss?

Scalability: Supports rapid deployment across diverse networks.
SASE: A consolidated approach to secure access.
SSL Inspection: Ensures safe data transmission.
Granular Filtering: Detailed control over accessible content.
Single Pane Management: Unifies control through a centralized console.

What benefits should users consider in reviews?

Cost-effectiveness: Offers competitive pricing with robust features.
Autonomous Operation: Reduces management overhead.
Responsive Support: Provides assistance when needed.
Flexible Deployment: Available for both cloud and on-premises environments.

The usage of Iboss spans educational institutions, specifically K-12, to enforce internet policies, protect data, and support remote work environments. It provides web filtering and security frameworks to ensure safe browsing. Its platform-as-a-service model offers flexibility for both cloud-based and on-premises requirements, integrating seamlessly to deliver enhanced security features suitable for various deployment needs including zero trust, CASB, and network security for work-from-home setups.

iboss

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

Defending against sophisticated threats from the web takes advanced technology, but it doesn’t have to drive cost and complexity. Delivering web security from the cloud enables security teams to gain the same benefits of advanced threat protection as on-premises appliances but without the cost of hardware or the resources used to maintain it. As more web access occurs outside the network perimeter, the cloud becomes the consistent point of contact for devices and users as they roam. Instead of building security for traffic flowing into a single location, it is more effective to build security from the endpoint out. Unifying access control and threat protection for the Cloud and Web enables your workforce to operate with maximum productivity while creating an efficient and consistent security management experience.

McAfee

Sample Customers

More than 4,000 global enterprises trust the iboss Cloud Platform to support their modern workforces, including a large number of Fortune 50 companies.

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

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Buyer's Guide

Secure Web Gateways (SWG)

January 2026

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