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Fortinet FortiGate vs Stormshield Network Security comparison

Fortinet and Stormshield are both solutions in the Unified Threat Management (UTM) category. Fortinet is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.5, while Stormshield is ranked #13 with an average rating of 8.0. Fortinet holds a 35.1% mindshare in UTMU, compared to Stormshield’s 3.7% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Fortinet users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 85% of Stormshield users who would recommend it.
Fortinet FortiGate
Read 574 Fortinet FortiGate reviews
  • 72,802 Views
  • 16,016 Comparison Views
92% willing to recommend
Stormshield Network Security
Read 17 Stormshield Network Security reviews
  • 2,734 Views
  • 1,258 Comparison Views
85% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 16, 2025

Fortinet FortiGate and Stormshield Network Security are competing in the network security arena. Fortinet FortiGate seems to have the upper hand in terms of comprehensive features and strong performance, while Stormshield Network Security stands out for its ease of use and efficient deployment.

Features: Fortinet FortiGate offers advanced threat protection, high performance, and extensive integration capabilities. Noteworthy features include VPN, intrusion prevention, and application control. Stormshield Network Security highlights its user-friendly nature, robust URL filtering, and intrusion detection system, making it adaptable and manageable for IT teams with limited resources.

Room for Improvement: Fortinet FortiGate could benefit from a simplified deployment process, reduced complexity in integrations, and enhanced user interface customization. Stormshield Network Security may improve upon reporting capabilities, expand third-party integrations, and provide more comprehensive threat intelligence and analytics.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Fortinet FortiGate's deployment is complex, requiring substantial IT expertise, although supported by detailed resources. Its customer service is proactive but can be demanding owing to the product's intricacies. Meanwhile, Stormshield Network Security offers a streamlined deployment process appealing to smaller teams and gains favor for its responsive and straightforward customer service.

Pricing and ROI: Fortinet FortiGate involves a larger initial investment, offering substantial ROI with its inclusive security features, ideal for larger enterprises. Stormshield Network Security presents a more economical option with quicker ROI, making it accessible to mid-sized companies seeking efficient security solutions at a lower setup cost.

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To learn more, read our detailed Fortinet FortiGate vs. Stormshield Network Security Report (Updated: September 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate vs. Stormshield Network Security
September 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 Unified Threat Management (UTM)
1st
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
574
Ranking in other categories
Secure Web Gateways (SWG) (2nd), Firewalls (1st), Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) (1st), Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions (1st), WAN Edge (1st), ZTNA (2nd)
Stormshield Network Security
Ranking in Unified Threat Management (UTM)
13th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.0
Number of Reviews
17
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Unified Threat Management (UTM) category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiGate is 35.1%, down from 39.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Stormshield Network Security is 3.7%, up from 3.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Unified Threat Management (UTM) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Fortinet FortiGate35.1%
Stormshield Network Security3.7%
Other61.199999999999996%
Unified Threat Management (UTM)
 

Featured Reviews

Vasu Gala - PeerSpot reviewer
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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Benjamin - PeerSpot reviewer
The intrusion detection system helps our organization by automatically detecting and responding to potential threats
The tool's most valuable feature is its dashboard, which helps you manage different aspects of a single page. The intrusion detection system helps our organization by automatically detecting and responding to potential threats. It operates similarly to Darktrace, which detects and responds automatically based on the security rules you apply. Initially, you configure everything to block, and then you can whitelist specific items as needed.
Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Its stability is the most valuable."
"The best feature of Fortinet FortiGate is value for money. It is very easy to deploy and scale. It saves us costs and increases bandwidth throughput."
"It's easy to manage. The GUI is very simple, and what is very good is that every product, regardless of size, has the same interface."
"The FortiGate controls the user's activities and maximizes my bandwidth use overall."
"Fortinet FortiGate provides combined features that other firewalls do not offer, offering a full package cost-effective manager with all integration supported."
"The solution is very, very easy to use."
"The web filtering feature and the intrusion protection system are the most valuable. It is a resilient appliance. I never had an issue with it in terms of any security breaches."
"We use a lot of function on the IPS and it works well for us."
More Fortinet FortiGate pros
"Easily manageable in a variety of environments."
"It's an easy, straightforward management platform to use."
"Our organization's main concern is stability, and this is a stable solution."
"I can see what traffic is going on. I can easily block any programs from attacks."
"The solution has improved my organization because I can see what traffic is happening and I can use it to block and prevent attacks."
"The tool's most valuable feature is its dashboard, which helps you manage different aspects of a single page."
"Ease of use is the best feature of the product."
"A very robust product."
More Stormshield Network Security pros
 

Cons

"The security of Fortinet FortiGate could improve."
"I think the only issue that needs improvement is the interface."
"They should improve the interface to make it more user-friendly."
"There's room for improvement in the interface, especially following their upgrade to version nineteen."
"The ease of use could be improved."
"I would like to see improvements in the IPS/IDS feature to enhance protection against attacks from attackers, including ransomware protection."
"With the standard support subscription, if the device goes down, the customer has to first ship the box, and then Fortinet sends the replacement. With the higher support, the customer has to ship the device after they have the replacement. It would be better for customers to get immediate replacements even with a standard subscription."
"They should provide us with a CSV number for patch updates. It will help us block specific signatures as well."
More Fortinet FortiGate cons
"The filtering configuration could be better. We have some difficulties with the filtering configuration and the filter extension. It's not that easy. It's not that straightforward. In the next release, I would like to see a reporting system. Stormshield doesn't have any tutorials on how to do the configuration and things like that. They just have documentation on the website. If you want to configure, for example, Cisco or Fortinet, you can find tutorials on YouTube. They show you how to configure the features, and so on. In Stormshield, there is nothing on social media or the internet on how to configure different things. The lack of documentation or the lack of material makes it difficult for others to adopt this solution."
"The product must improve its pricing."
"With Stormshield, there are difficulties joining things, and it can be complex depending on the architecture."
"A more user-friendly interface would be helpful."
"The biggest issue was their support department was not able to help us, then everything stops. This is a no-go area for me."
"This is not a next-generation firewall."
"Improvement is needed in terms of the technical support of the manufacturer."
"Stormshield Network Security is quite expensive."
More Stormshield Network Security cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Fortinet is competitive price-wise."
"Fortinet's pricing is more straightforward than other solutions. If Fortinet doesn't stick out when you're searching for a solution, you are a glutton for punishment. You only need to know two things when purchasing a Fortinet solution: your total bandwidth and bandwidth at the site. You need to estimate the future bandwidth with other solutions if your customer plans to upgrade."
"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 product pricing is reasonable."
"It's very competitive."
"We just pay a flat monthly fee to the vendor for the support."
"Fortigate's pricing is competitive."
"We pay for the solution annually."
More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice
"We chose Stormshield for its price, as the Azure firewall was too expensive."
"For mid-sized companies, they sell their appliances for good prices."
"The price of this solution and the price of support are ok."
"The SN200 series costs between $500 USD and $600 USD per year, whereas the SN700 series costs approximately $1,000 annually."
"The pricing could be better."
"We bought a three-year license, and we renew it whenever it expires. The price could be better. It's always very expensive."
"I think the price is good."
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Comparison Review

it_user216600 - PeerSpot reviewer
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
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Computer Software Company
19%
Comms Service Provider
18%
Government
10%
Manufacturing Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business350
Midsize Enterprise130
Large Enterprise187
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business9
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise2
 

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 advice do you have for others considering Stormshield Network Security?
The tool is like a firewall and works well. I don't have any issue with it. I rate it an eight out of ten.
See all answers
 

Comparisons

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Compared 9% of the time
OPNsense vs Fortinet FortiGate Logo
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Compared 4% of the time
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Compared 4% of the time
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Netgate pfSense vs Stormshield Network Security
Compared 13% of the time
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Compared 9% of the time
WatchGuard Firebox vs Stormshield Network Security Logo
WatchGuard Firebox vs Stormshield Network Security
Compared 7% of the time
Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Stormshield Network Security Logo
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Compared 5% of the time
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Sophos XGS vs Stormshield Network Security
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More Stormshield Network Security Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate
September 2025
Fortinet FortiGate reportDownload Fortinet FortiGate product report
Buyer's Guide
Stormshield Network Security
September 2025
Stormshield Network Security reportDownload Stormshield Network Security product report
 

Also Known As

No data available
NETASQ Firewalls
 

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
NETASQ's integrated intrusion prevention engine uses protocol conformity analysis, application filtering and antivirus analysis to inspect authorized traffic flows and strengthen application security. NETASQ enables you to establish and configure user-based security policies, giving you greater control over which network resources each user is authorized to access.
Stormshield
 

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
ACESUR group, Ministry of Education Oman, Anios Laboratories, Zain, DLM Location
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate vs. Stormshield Network Security
September 2025
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We monitor all Unified Threat Management (UTM) reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.