Palo Alto Networks VM-Series vs Sangfor NGAF comparison

Palo Alto Networks and Sangfor are both solutions in the Firewalls category. Palo Alto Networks is ranked #14 with an average rating of 8.3, while Sangfor is ranked #22 with an average rating of 8.4. Palo Alto Networks holds a 2.2% mindshare in Firewalls, compared to Sangfor’s 1.1% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Palo Alto Networks users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of Sangfor users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 25, 2026

Palo Alto Networks VM-Series and Sangfor NGAF both compete in the cybersecurity sector, focusing on advanced threat management and network protection. Based on the comparison, Palo Alto Networks VM-Series has the upper hand in integration with cloud services, while Sangfor NGAF excels in cost-effectiveness and ease of use.

Features: Palo Alto Networks VM-Series is known for its advanced threat management capabilities, centralized management through Panorama, and strong cloud service integration. Sangfor NGAF is recognized for its application control, ease of use across diverse environments, and robust Web Application Firewall (WAF) capabilities.

Room for Improvement: Palo Alto Networks VM-Series could enhance integration with cloud platforms, improve scalability, and simplify zero-trust deployments. Sangfor NGAF could improve its interface, real-time reporting capabilities, and support for hybrid environments.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Palo Alto Networks VM-Series offers flexible deployment across cloud environments with generally strong technical support, though initial configurations can be complex. Sangfor NGAF is praised for straightforward on-premises deployment and responsive customer service with personalized support from senior engineers.

Pricing and ROI: Palo Alto Networks VM-Series has a high cost, but its advanced functionality often leads to improved security posture and operational efficiency. Sangfor NGAF offers a more affordable pricing structure with satisfactory ROI due to its ease of management and competitive performance.

To learn more, read our detailed Palo Alto Networks VM-Series vs. Sangfor NGAF Report (Updated: April 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Palo Alto Networks VM-Series vs. Sangfor NGAF

April 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

Fortinet FortiGate

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Firewalls category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiGate is 16.0%, down from 21.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Palo Alto Networks VM-Series is 2.2%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Sangfor NGAF is 1.1%, down from 1.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewalls Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Fortinet FortiGate	16.0%
Palo Alto Networks VM-Series	2.2%
Sangfor NGAF	1.1%
Other	80.7%

Firewalls

Featured Reviews

Abhinandan Yadav

Network Security Engineer at Arrow PC Network Pvt Ltd

Unified security and sd-wan have improved uptime and cut wan costs for multi-site branches

Users report stability issues in certain versions, which requires regular updates. Real-world attacks have also highlighted the need for urgent patching of vulnerabilities.Fortinet FortiGate, while a powerful and feature-rich web firewall, could improve in areas like firmware stability, documentation, and ease of use. The learning curve can be steep for some users. For beginners, support quality can vary, and frequent updates with occasional vulnerabilities call for careful patch management. However, once Fortinet FortiGate is configured, it remains highly reliable and efficient. Customer support needs improvement, as I find it very slow, with reports from other users reflecting that customer support is inadequate.

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MuhammadNadeem

Sr. Network Engineer at a tech services company with 1-10 employees

Has supported urgent deployments and enabled inline threat protection but pricing and features could be more flexible

I am not using Palo Alto Networks VM-Series mostly, but based on my experience, there are some deficiencies in Palo Alto Networks VM-Series. Having those features missing, we are not proposing Palo Alto Networks VM-Series to all customers. However, for urgency and for some solutions that customers need for some of their other sites and subdivisions, we are providing the same.

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Zaid Farooqui

CIO at Indus Motor Company

Enhanced threat detection with integrated security features and good support

We are using application firewalling, WAF, and SD-WAN. The capabilities are mostly within the box. For example, you will get web application firewall WAF as part and parcel of this. SD-WAN is also bundled. It integrates with their SIEM and SOAR solutions very nicely. Lastly, the pricing point is very cost-efficient as well.

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

"Fortinet FortiGate IPS is a very good firewall; we don't have any complaints, it is doing its job correctly."

"The features that I have found most valuable are that it is good to use, and most importantly, the pricing, and the customer especially likes the discount when they trade up or something like that."

"I've found the solution to be very good."

"The overall features of Fortinet FortiGate SWG are good."

"The main reason customers prefer Fortinet FortiGate is that it's security-centric, allowing them to implement security features such as a next-generation firewall and translate this to the WAN or SD-WAN architectures, or as a base if they want to grow in more security features or other verticals such as ZTNA and SASE."

"I appreciate the ease of use, ease of setup, and the different abilities it has; I have been very pleased with it over SonicWall, the interface of Fortinet FortiGate is a lot easier to use and more robust, plus their VPN option is much better."

"We have never stopped to calculate it, but we cannot describe how good we feel since we no longer face issues with the internet."

"The threat prevention is the solution's most valuable aspect."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"In terms of security breaches, the product aids in categorizing and monitoring traffic, allowing for the identification of potentially malicisous or incorrectly formatted applications."

"With Palo Alto VM-Series, we are capable through a single point of management and visualization both in infrastructure and on premises and in the cloud, allowing us to improve the speed to create new rules and speed up the resolution of problems by having a holistic vision of our firewall infrastructure."

"With the improved visibility we now have, the traffic is being properly monitored, which means that we are better able to manage it. These are improvements that we saw very quickly."

"They now know the details about their network traffic that they did not know before: Applications that they are using and some application they did not know they were using."

"They are the leading next-generation firewall."

"Palo Alto Networks VM-Series has everything centralized. You have the VPN solution, firewall, routing, UDR, flexibility, updates, and full visibility of your traffic."

"Palo Alto offers excellent security, with features such as email scanning, malware protection, and efficient VPN and antivirus capabilities."

"Embedding it into my application development lifecycle prevents data loss and business disruption, allowing the adoption to operate at the speed of my AWS Cloud."

More Palo Alto Networks VM-Series pros

"The absolute best part of Sangfor NGAF is their support. It's a 24/7 support channel, and the last time I requested their assistance I got a reply within three minutes. They helped solve the problem immediately."

"The level of support provided to local companies is good. They transform their application control and other settings according to that country."

"Sangfor is a good solution that provides a WAF and firewall solution. Most other vendors, like Sophos and Fortinet and Cisco, only provide one solution. That's a valuable feature of Sangfor."

"It offers application control features."

"Sangfor NGAF specializes in ransomware detection and helps to protect our network from ransomware threats and malware."

"The solution is quite safe and good, and furthermore, it is very good for different environments."

"The tool's performance is good."

"In terms of the most valuable features, the IPS report is quick and updated, and performance is also valuable."

More Sangfor NGAF pros

Cons

"FortiGate should have a better way of detecting and managing the system memory because otherwise if the memory is too low, a system restart is required."

"Scalability is one of the disadvantages. When it comes to scalability, you have to actually change the box. If you want to upgrade it, you need to actually change the existing box and probably you take the system off to other sites."

"Due to its higher cost, Fortinet FortiGate can lead to increased operational expenses."

"The support from Fortinet FortiGate could improve. They are not easily accessible when we need them."

"Fortinet should improve its software, as we are seeing lots of firmware versions generated for each vulnerability issue. It becomes difficult for us to keep updating the firmware frequently due to bugs."

"Price, of course, can always be more competitive or better."

"In the future, I would like to see improvements made to cloud-based management."

"FortiManager has not been my favorite. I don't use it and cannot say I really care for FortiManager for managing the firewalls."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"It would be good if the common features work consistently in physical and virtual environments. There was an integration issue in the virtual deployment where it didn't report the interface counters, and we had to upgrade to the latest version, whereas the same thing has been working in the physical deployment for ages now. It seems that it was because of Azure. We were using VMware before, and we didn't have any such issues. We do see such small issues where we expect things to work, but they don't because of some incompatibilities. There also seems to be a limitation on how to do high availability in a virtualized environment. All features should be consistently available in physical and virtual environments. It is not always easy to integrate Palo Alto in the network management system. We would like to be able to compare two network management systems. They can maybe allow monitoring an interface through the GUI to create a reference or do a baseline check about whether your network monitoring system is actually giving you the correct traffic figures. You need traffic figures to be able to recognize the trends and plan the capacity."

"There is no proper support channel to follow up on cases."

"When you have a client compare box against box, a lot of times Palo Alto is a bit more expensive, but its network firewalls have a very rich ratio."

"The implementation should be simplified."

"The disadvantage with Palo Alto is that they don't have a cloud-based solution that includes a secure web gateway."

"The product could provide protection above Layer 3, which gets into the application layer and provides better visibility into those aspects of application security."

"The firewall itself is very complex. You have to do a lot of research, look through all the documentation, consult, and figure out how to use it."

"With Palo Alto Networks VM-Series, it is hard for me to manage its network configuration part."

More Palo Alto Networks VM-Series cons

"The solution should be able to work in a hybrid setup."

"There is room for improvement in dependency on certain infrastructure, like the DNS dependency on the current DNS server that the company has. It should be standalone. It should not depend on any other DNS server."

"The solution has too many bugs and these slow down the implementation."

"I believe that IAM and NGFW need to merge into a single box, instead of there being two separate box solutions."

"I feel Sangfor should follow the hierarchy and close deals via resellers instead of closing it all with their own team."

"Sangfor NGAF could improve the policies and default criteria. They could be much better."

"The web interface needs to be improved, making it more user-friendly."

"Scalability for any network device is not very easy in terms of vertical scalability."

More Sangfor NGAF cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The Indian market is different than the European and American markets. When you compare they need to be a bit more aggressive on pricing."

"It's a very full-featured and it's priced well solution."

"You need to pay a license for this solution. Our licensing is now done in our subsidiary."

"Its price could be better."

"It is not the cheapest one, but its price is very competitive."

"Fortinet FortiGate is cheaper than Palo Alto. It is about 20% cheaper."

"There is a subscription-based model to use Fortinet FortiGate. We pay annually for the solution along with the support. If you want to have all the updates, and security patches you will need to renew your support."

"The price, in comparison to other products is very cheap."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"I know Palo Alto is not cheap. They have been telling me, the members of the finance team, it is not a cheap solution. It is a solution whose target is that no matter how big your organization is, small, medium, or large, it is about the maturity of your security team or infrastructure team whom you want to work with."

"The box, if you do not want to buy the threat prevention license in the box, you can buy it only with the support license. It is for the support of the hardware. It works like a simple firewall. It integrates what it calls user IDs and application IDs. If you do not buy any other license, only the firewall, Palo Alto will also help you improve a lot of your security."

"The product is cheaper than the on-premise version."

"Initially, pricing was high. Later on, we were able to negotiate the pricing and get something that fits our budget."

"The product's most valuable feature is pricing."

"The licensing is pretty much like everyone else."

"Palo Alto Networks VM-Series is the most expensive tool among competitors"

"We found purchasing process the product on the AWS Marketplace to be very good."

More Palo Alto Networks VM-Series pricing and cost advice

"For four to five physical appliances for a licensed firewall, it costs approximately $4,000."

"The pricing is reasonable."

"When it comes to the price of firewall solutions, Sangfor NGAF takes the cake."

"It is one of the cheapest tools in the market."

"The price could be more competitive."

"For over 2000 users, the cost is around 5000 to 6000 USD. If you want a web application firewall, you have to purchase an additional license for it."

"The product is very cost-effective compared to other brands or vendors."

"Sangfor NGAF price is reasonable and there is an annual license. However, the maintenance cost can be a bit high."

More Sangfor NGAF pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

11%

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	367
Midsize Enterprise	135
Large Enterprise	193

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	31
Midsize Enterprise	15
Large Enterprise	24

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	15
Midsize Enterprise	10
Large Enterprise	10

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 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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Features comparison between Palo Alto and Fortinet firewalls

In the best tradition of these questions, Feature-wise both are quite similar, but each has things it's better at, it...

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How does Azure Firewall compare with Palo Alto Networks VM Series?

Both products are very stable and easily scalable. The setup of Azure Firewall is easy and very user-friendly and the...

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What do you like most about Palo Alto Networks VM-Series?

The filtering feature is good.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Sangfor NGAF?

The licensing cost is quite high compared to other available firewalls in the market.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Sangfor NGAF?

The cost of licensing is very high compared to other firewalls available here. There should be improvements in hardwa...

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What is your primary use case for Sangfor NGAF?

We are hosting applications over the platform, including websites and NAT traffic from our side. Because it's deploye...

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Comparisons

Sophos Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 18% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 13% of the time

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 5% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 3% of the time

Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 3% of the time

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Azure Firewall vs Palo Alto Networks VM-Series

Compared 18% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Palo Alto Networks VM-Series

Compared 8% of the time

Fortinet FortiGate-VM vs Palo Alto Networks VM-Series

Compared 7% of the time

Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) vs Palo Alto Networks VM-Series

Compared 6% of the time

Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) vs Palo Alto Networks VM-Series

Compared 3% of the time

More Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Competitors

Sophos Firewall vs Sangfor NGAF

Compared 13% of the time

H3C SecPath Firewalls vs Sangfor NGAF

Compared 7% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Sangfor NGAF

Compared 7% of the time

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Sangfor NGAF

Compared 6% of the time

Fortinet FortiGate-VM vs Sangfor NGAF

Compared 3% of the time

More Sangfor NGAF Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

May 2026

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Palo Alto Networks VM-Series

April 2026

Download Palo Alto Networks VM-Series product report

Buyer's Guide

Sangfor NGAF

April 2026

Download Sangfor NGAF product report

Also Known As

Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall

No data available

Sangfor NGAF Firewall Platform

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

Palo Alto Networks VM-Series offers robust threat prevention and advanced security capabilities. Key features like traffic control and malware protection enhance its usability in cloud and hybrid environments.

Palo Alto Networks VM-Series specializes in delivering comprehensive network security with features such as traffic inspection, threat management, and firewall functionalities. It supports secure remote access and integrates easily with third-party solutions. With features like GlobalProtect VPN and Advanced Threat Protection, enterprises leverage the VM-Series in cloud, on-premises, or hybrid deployments to protect data and enhance cybersecurity. Despite its strengths, improvements in cloud solutions, integration, and scalability are needed.

What are the most important features of Palo Alto Networks VM-Series?

Traffic Control: Manages and inspects traffic for security risks.
App-ID: Identifies and controls applications for enhanced security.
WildFire: Provides threat intelligence and malware detection.
Centralized Management: Streamlines security management from a single pane.
Cloud Integration: Seamlessly fits into cloud services for flexible deployment.

What benefits should users expect from Palo Alto Networks VM-Series?

Ease of Deployment: Quick setup and easy integration reduce disruption.
Scalability: Adaptability to growing network demands.
Threat Intelligence: Informed decisions through comprehensive threat data.
Traffic Inspection: Detailed analytics for informed security posture.

In industries like finance, healthcare, and technology, Palo Alto Networks VM-Series plays a crucial role in network security. Companies implement it to secure remote access, protect sensitive data, and ensure compliance. Its compatibility with cloud environments allows versatile deployment across sectors needing stringent cybersecurity measures.

Palo Alto Networks

Sangfor NGAF offers a user-friendly firewall solution with a strong virus database and competitive pricing. It supports SSL VPN connectivity, intrusion detection, and is known for easy deployment and integration capabilities.

Sangfor NGAF is a comprehensive security platform providing robust network protection through its application control and detailed threat insights. While effective in preventing threats and ensuring network security, it has areas needing improvement such as real-time reporting and system support. It delivers secure internet and VPN connections, proficiently handling malware threats. However, it faces challenges with user experience, reporting capabilities, hardware scalability, and needs better third-party integration. Licensing costs are noted to be high, and there are performance variations between versions.

What are the key features of Sangfor NGAF?

User-friendly deployment: Offers an uncomplicated setup process.
Robust virus database: Provides reliable threat detection.
SSL VPN connectivity: Ensures secure remote access.
Application control: Manages application usage for enhanced security.
Intrusion detection: Detects unauthorized access attempts.
URL filtering: Prevents access to malicious websites.

What benefits should users expect when evaluating Sangfor NGAF?

Affordability: Competitive pricing compared to peers.
Integration: Good capabilities with existing systems.
Support: Noted for providing reliable customer service.
Threat prevention: Effective in securing networks against various threats.

Sangfor NGAF is widely used across industries including education, healthcare, and finance for its reliable network security. It is favored for securing internal servers, offering robust threat protection, and managing bandwidth efficiently at a budget-friendly rate.

Sangfor

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

Warren Rogers Associates

The Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (Indonesia), Lawson, Inc. (Philippines), Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (Indonesia), TEK Automotive (Italy), etc.

Buyer's Guide

Palo Alto Networks VM-Series vs. Sangfor NGAF

April 2026

Free Report: Palo Alto Networks VM-Series vs. Sangfor NGAF

Find out what your peers are saying about Palo Alto Networks VM-Series vs. Sangfor NGAF and other solutions. Updated: April 2026.

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