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Specialist at a comms service provider with 11-50 employees
Real User
Feature-rich, affordable, and has good performance
Pros and Cons
  • "It works very well. It has a lot of different functionalities. Its cost is also fine for our customers."
  • "In some cases, its initial setup could be hard for customers."

What is our primary use case?

Our customers use these devices as security devices, and we sell these devices to our customers. We also use it ourselves. We have the entire lab, and we use some of the functions in our local network.

How has it helped my organization?

It protects our customers' networks from viruses and threats.

What is most valuable?

The firewall, IPS, and VPN functions are the most valuable features. The antivirus functions are also good.

It works very well. It has a lot of different functionalities. Its cost is also fine for our customers.

What needs improvement?

In some cases, its initial setup could be hard for customers.

Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate
July 2025
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: July 2025.
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For how long have I used the solution?

I have 10 to 12 years of experience with these devices.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Their devices are quite stable. We have not had any problems with the operating systems or maintenance of subscriptions. It is a robust device.

How are customer service and support?

In most cases, they work very fast. It also depends on the device they are supporting. In the case of FortiGate, we do not have any complaints, but when we had to buy the FortiADC solution for one of our customers, we faced quite a few difficulties with technical support. I do not know why, but it could be that some devices are supported by different teams in Fortinet. We had difficulties with FortiADC, but we have not had any problems with FortiGate. I would rate their support for FortiGate a nine out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We worked with Cisco and Check Point firewalls. We worked with Cisco ASA for a long time. We worked with it for about five years, and we were happy with it, but it was old-fashioned. We went to Fortinet and started working with this company. 

FortiGate has good security functions and high-level technical documentation. Their documentation is very easy to understand. 

FortiGate's performance is also better than Cisco ASA. It has 10 VDOMs. It is a great function because you can add virtual functions for different groups in your network. It is quite useful.

How was the initial setup?

It is deployed on-premises. Our customers prefer to deploy not only Fortinet devices but all security devices on-premises. They rarely use cloud licenses. Some customers only buy it from us, and for some customers, we also set it up.

Its setup is easy for us, but not every company wants to use our service for setting it up because of the cost. They prefer to install it themselves. In some cases, it could be hard for them.

In terms of the implementation strategy, we first try to understand what problem a customer wants to solve by using FortiGate. We collect a lot of information about a customer's network, such as protocols and devices being used. We try to prepare this device in our local lab. We preload the device and send it to the customer, and then we finalize the installation in the customer's building.

We have very technical staff, and we do not have difficulties with installations. We have had situations where customers do not have much experience with it, and then we recommend them to go for certain features such as IPS, antivirus, etc. 

The deployment duration depends on the size of the environment, but generally, it does not take more than one or two months. 

What about the implementation team?

Generally, two to three people are required for the deployment.

For maintenance, our customers have technical staff. They regularly check and ensure that all the functions are working. We are glad to help them if they need any help.

What was our ROI?

We have seen an ROI. We have bought a lot of these devices, and we have had a good experience with them. It has saved us a lot of money.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

It is quite affordable for our customers. There is a separate cost for IPS, antivirus, web filtering, and other features. They have a great choice of licenses. You can go for the license that you want, which is quite useful.

You have to buy a support license for FortiCare. In most cases, people buy the UTM bundle that comes with IPS, web filtering, and FortiCare. 

What other advice do I have?

They are on the right path. They have improved a lot over the past 10 years. Fortinet is one of the leaders in security devices along with Cisco, Palo Alto, and Check Point.

I would rate Fortinet FortiGate a nine out of ten. It is stable. It has quite a lot of features, such as IPS, VPN, etc. It is affordable for our customers. It is a good choice.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Reseller
PeerSpot user
Network Manager at a tech company with 1-10 employees
Real User
Offers a unified view, and is user-friendly, but the support has room for improvement
Pros and Cons
  • "FortiGate SD-WAN facilitated a smooth transition for our customers between their two internet service providers, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity without any downtime."
  • "The support we receive when we need to upgrade is not satisfactory and has room for improvement."

What is our primary use case?

We implemented Fortinet FortiGate SD-WAN for a small company that had two internet service providers. The goal was to configure the two links to operate independently, ensuring that they don't share the load. This way, when one link reaches a certain threshold, we can seamlessly switch to the other without any issues. 

How has it helped my organization?

We have FortiManager, which enables us to have a unified view for monitoring and managing our devices centrally, as well as dispatching policies.

The solution enables us to consolidate tools and applications and manage them all through FortiManager. You can configure your SD-WAN from Forti Manager, which gives you management functionality. 

The interoperability of the solutions is good because it allows for compatibility with brands other than Fortinet, and we don't encounter issues with it.

FortiGate SD-WAN facilitated a smooth transition for our customers between their two internet service providers, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity without any downtime.

The solution has helped us remediate threats more quickly by enabling real-time monitoring of both links, providing complete visibility into our end links. You can monitor both links on one platform. It's just one single pane of glass where you watch in real-time what is happening. It's easy to manage that way. It helps you to easily remediate issues. 

As long as our policies are granular we are able to use the solution to reduce our MTTD. 

The solution has helped to reduce our MTTR from what used to be five minutes down to 45 seconds.

The solution has helped to reduce the number of help desk tickets because it is now extremely rare for both links to be down simultaneously.

SD-WAN, regardless of the OEM being used, is a beneficial technology that is increasingly adopted by businesses due to its positive impact on business security. It allows us to maintain uninterrupted operations without concerns about past issues.

What is most valuable?

Fortinet FortiGate is user-friendly.

What needs improvement?

The support we receive when we need to upgrade is not satisfactory and has room for improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiGate for two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable and we have not had any issues.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is highly scalable.

How are customer service and support?

The technical support is good, but they take a long time to respond and resolve the issues.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have also used Cisco, whose systems are robust and rarely experience downtime. However, with Fortinet, their licensing is highly competitive in terms of pricing. Cisco is primarily geared towards enterprise-level companies, but the learning curve for Cisco is higher compared to Fortinet.

Fortinet's price is very competitive compared to when you look at other brands of equal functionality. The hardware and licensing are compared to the others. It's also simple to use. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward. I did the deployment and didn't have any issues with it. It took one day to complete. 

What was our ROI?

The solution provides value and, therefore, offers a return on investment.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The price is highly competitive when compared to other brands that offer similar functionality. Fortinet FortiGate is more affordable both in terms of hardware and licensing, in comparison to its competitors.

What other advice do I have?

I give Fortinet FortiGate a seven out of ten.

I recommend FortiGate SD-WAN because it is easy to implement and simple to use.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate
July 2025
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: July 2025.
861,524 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Ubeyd  Kara - PeerSpot reviewer
Founder at Prosight
Real User
They're easy to manage and more affordable than competing solutions, but there are some stability issues
Pros and Cons
  • "FortiGate firewalls are easy to manage through a user-friendly web interface. They also have advanced features like DDoS and DLP. However, I wouldn't recommend enabling all of these features on one device because it can cause performance issues."
  • "We sometimes have issues with FortiGate's routing table in the latest firmware update. We had to downgrade the device because our customers complained about bugs."

What is our primary use case?

The use case varies depending on the customer, but we use all of FortiGate's features, including policies, web filtering, routing, etc. 

What is most valuable?

FortiGate firewalls are easy to manage through a user-friendly web interface. They also have advanced features like DDoS and DLP. However, I wouldn't recommend enabling all these features on one device because it can cause performance issues. 

What needs improvement?

We sometimes have issues with FortiGate's routing table in the latest firmware update. We had to downgrade the device because our customers complained about bugs. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Fortinet for nearly ten years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate FortiGate an eight out of ten for stability. It is less stable than Palo Alto Networks and Check Point firewalls because there are lots of bugs in the latest firmware. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

FortiGate is scalable. 

How are customer service and support?

I rate Fortinet's support a seven out of ten. We had to open several tickets due to the firmware bugs. We don't have an issue with the support team. It's more of a problem with the testers and developers. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have also used Palo Alto and Check Point firewalls. Fortinet firewalls are cheaper and easier to manage. Palo Alto is more complex and harder to use, but it's more stable than FortiGate. Palo Alto doesn't didn't have as many models for small and medium-sized enterprises.

How was the initial setup?

FortiGate is easy to deploy. The deployment time varies depending on the customer's network topology. How many policies does the customer require, and what kind of license do they have? FortiGate is easier than Palo Alto Networks and Check Point and takes less time.

We typically start by analyzing the customer's topology and understanding their requirements, including policies, routines, etc. We implement the device once we know what the customer needs. One engineer is usually enough to deploy FortiGate in a small or medium-sized environment. 

An enterprise project requires a more detailed analysis of the network requirements before implementation. That can take two or three days. Once we understand the network, it may take another two or three days to configure the device and one or two days to implement it. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Fortinet has more device options that are affordable for small businesses than Palo Alto, and its enterprise-level models are also cheaper. Palo Alto also has a separate license for VPN connections and SD-WAN, but FortiGate offers these standard features. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate Fortinet FortiGate a seven and a half out of ten. I deducted a few points because of the device's capacity, stability, support, and routing table issues. I strongly recommend FortiGate if a customer wants to use SD-WAN. Before implementing, you should understand the network's topology to minimize unwanted issues. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
PeerSpot user
reviewer2706036 - PeerSpot reviewer
Group Manager, Information Technology at a healthcare company with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Top 20
Offers good security and ease of use and integration
Pros and Cons
  • "It is easy to use and update the software version. It is also useful for integration with other Fortinet products, because my office and company use Fortinet solutions."
  • "Fortinet FortiGate is considered the best in the European market for security reasons."
  • "At the moment, the main concern is the pricing and the type of licensing."
  • "At the moment, the main concern is the pricing and the type of licensing. Fortinet offers different types of licensing, and my idea is that the best approach is to have only one, two, or a maximum of three types of licensing."

What is most valuable?

It is easy to use and update the software version. It is also useful for integration with other Fortinet products, because my office and company use Fortinet solutions. We are also using Fortinet FortiManager and FortiMail.

Fortinet FortiGate is considered the best in the European market for security reasons. I wouldn’t want to change to any other firewall.

What needs improvement?

At the moment, the main concern is the pricing and the type of licensing. Fortinet offers different types of licensing, and my idea is that the best approach is to have only one, two, or a maximum of three types of licensing.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is very easy to use, and I don't have any issues at the moment. I also don't anticipate having any issues in the future.

There has not been any impact on my network performance by implementing SD-WAN. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have only used Fortinet FortiGate.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I have evaluated some options that could be tested in the future, but at this moment, I only use Fortinet FortiGate.

What other advice do I have?

Fortinet is currently one of the five top players for security firewalls.

I would rate Fortinet FortiGate an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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reviewer2129880 - PeerSpot reviewer
Head of IT at a educational organization with 51-200 employees
Real User
Is easy to integrate and configure with our ERP and other applications
Pros and Cons
  • "The signature database and zero-day detection are Fortinet FortiGate's most valuable features."
  • "Currently, without the additional reporting module, we only have access to basic reporting."

What is our primary use case?

We use Fortinet FortiGate to prevent intruder connections to our internal network.

How has it helped my organization?

Fortinet FortiGate's unified view around network operations and security operations is good.

The solution is easy to integrate and configure with our ERP and other applications. I am satisfied with the integrated application protection provided by Fortinet FortiGate.

The Fortinet FortiGate 60E Series resolved the bottleneck problem and CPU usage that was previously experienced with the 60D Series. Now, our employees can check their emails without encountering any bottleneck issues, and the CPU usage remains stable at around 50 percent.

We are satisfied with the ability to remediate threats more quickly.

We are pleased with the amount of time saved in detecting our mean time.

What is most valuable?

The signature database and zero-day detection are Fortinet FortiGate's most valuable features.

What needs improvement?

The Fortinet FortiGate 60D Series poses a problem by causing a bottleneck when several users access their emails simultaneously, as the device consistently consumes 90 percent of the CPU resources.

The reporting could be improved. Currently, without the additional reporting module, we only have access to basic reporting. However, reporting is crucial for network security, and it should be included as a standard feature.

The price and technical support have room for improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiGate for three years.

How are customer service and support?

The local vendor support needs improvement.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Previously, I have utilized few other brands of NG Firewalls, which offer certain advantages. However, when comparing their price and performance to that of Fortinet FortiGate, Fortinet proves to be a strong competitor.

How was the initial setup?

The time required for a basic deployment is roughly three weeks, whereas a full deployment involving customizations and optimization of rules and policies may take up to two and a half months.

What was our ROI?

We experienced a return on our investment, however, when it comes to security, it is challenging to determine a precise value.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The price is high compared to some of the other solutions.

What other advice do I have?

I give Fortinet FortiGate an eight out of ten.

We saw time to value within the first month of using Fortinet FortiGate.

We deployed Fortinet FortiGate in one location and the maintenance was mostly handled by internally and sometimes a third party.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
FirasHamdan - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Technology Manager at Petra
Real User
Reliable with lots of features and good security
Pros and Cons
  • "The wireless control is helpful."
  • "The pricing could always be better."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for security purposes and for UTM web profile applications.

What is most valuable?

There are a variety of features on offer. 

It helps protect endpoints. 

The wireless control is helpful.

It is scalable and extends well.

The solution is stable and reliable.

Technical support is helpful and responsive.

What needs improvement?

The pricing could always be better. It is very expensive. 

We'd like to see Fortgate include WAF services.

The maintenance of the product can be a bit difficult. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been working with the solution for ten years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is pretty stable and reliable. There are no bugs or glitches, and it doesn't crash or freeze. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This is a scalable product. 

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is very good. They are easy to work with. We've been satisfied with the level of support.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I've also used Sophos and CyberArk. Sophos has a few more services, such as WAF services.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is moderate. It depends on the client's requirements.

We typically can deploy the solution within two or three days. We have a security engineer that handles the initial setup.

It does require some maintenance, and that can be a bit difficult. 

What about the implementation team?

We implement the solution for our clients. 

What was our ROI?

We have witnessed a bit of an ROI, even though it is an expensive solution. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The solution is quite pricey.

What other advice do I have?

I am an end-user and work in configuration and support for a partner.

I'm working with the latest version of the solution.

Overall, I would rate the solution ten out of ten. I am very satisfied with the product as a whole. I'd recommend the solution to others. It's easy to start working with it. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
PeerSpot user
Esubalew-Berihun - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Engineer at Ahad
Real User
Easy to manage with reasonable pricing and good monitoring
Pros and Cons
  • "The reporting and monitoring are very good."
  • "We'd like more management across other integrations."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for security purposes. We use it as a firewall for protection. 

How has it helped my organization?

It helps protect our users, and we are able to initiate our own policies. It also provided good visibility and reporting. 

What is most valuable?

The management is very easy.

It offers very good security features. 

The reporting and monitoring are very good.

We can integrate the solution very well with other Fortigate solutions. 

It's stable and reliable.

The solution can scale. 

Pricing is reasonable. 

What needs improvement?

We do not need any other features.

We'd like more management across other integrations. It would be ideal if it could centralize the management, and we could therefore manage all solutions under Fortinet instead of managing everything individually.

In some cases, depending on the module and the age, performance could be better.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for three years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is very scalable and reliable. There are no bugs or glitches. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have 800 end users, approximately.

The solution is scalable. 

How are customer service and support?

Technical support has been fine. However, we haven't really dealt with them too much. We haven't had any critical issues. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We also use other Fortinet products, including the NFGW.

We also work with Cisco devices and solutions. 

We have worked with Palo Alto in the past. It has a pretty good performance. 

In the end, we moved to Fortinet as the cost was very good. 

How was the initial setup?

The solution is very simple. The process is easy to understand. It's not complex at all. 

I helped deploy the solution. We had to integrate it with internal and external firewalls. 

We had the full functionality in place within five days. We had five people managing the deployment process. 

What about the implementation team?

I integrated the solution myself without outside help.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The cost of the solution is reasonable. 

What other advice do I have?

I'm an end-user.

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Raphael Nwosu - PeerSpot reviewer
EVP, Product Line Management & Growth at Kropmann Communications Ltd
Real User
Increases operation efficiency, offers integrated application protection, and has excellent support
Pros and Cons
  • "The security fabric is excellent."
  • "I haven't had a single issue since using Fortinet."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for security. I've deployed it for some customers for protection. It is used for firewalls. I have experience with the secure SD-WAN version.

How has it helped my organization?

Our customers are happy, and when they are happy, it means they are happy with us. It helps our organization. Many customers are migrating to this solution as it increases efficiency.

What is most valuable?

The security fabric is excellent. It's great on Fortinet, generally. 

It is easy to deploy.

Our impression of a unified view of NetOps and SecOps is positive. It has a single pane of glass. It's excellent and very effective. We've been quite impressed with the visibility on the devices. We've been happy with it.

The integrated application protection provided by the solution is good. It's worth the investment. However, it does depend on how you apply it. It can help save on costs, depending on the setup. If you have it in a bank environment, each individual bank would have its own devices, and you can optimize everything. You can have some of the connections go direct from one customer to another. You can save a lot of money with a specific setup.

It's helped out operational efficiency. It helps us waste less time. A typical scenario helps us save time. Having a good connection at the head office allows other offices to maintain a good connection as well. It also has normal security features and more to help keep us safe while staying connected. 

We can remediate threats more quickly. We have a single pane of glass that helps simplify the protection and visibility. We can monitor other components, even Macs or data centers. We can address items automatically, no matter where they are located. Visibility really helps. 

It is helped us to reduce the mean time to detect. It can reduce the time to locate and detect effectively. It is remarkably shorter when using Fortinet. It's also reduced the time it takes to resolve problems. 

The solution has helped us reduce Help Desk tickets. 

We have been able to future-proof businesses with branches. We don't have branches in our office. However, we have seen benefits ourselves in terms such as load balancing, et cetera. A fiber connection helps ensure backups are seamless. We can run a backup at less cost, and knowing that we have a backup help with peace of mind. Accessing a secure network ensures this. 

What needs improvement?

I haven't had a single issue since using Fortinet. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution since 2018.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is very stable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is a scalable product.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is always top-notch. I always get good support.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was pretty easy. It was not difficult. 

Everything I did was in one day. If I have to do some fine-tuning, that takes a little bit longer. Typically, one day is enough to deploy. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing is moderate. You get good value for money. Of course, any solution could be less expensive. For a company like ours, we'd always like to pay less. 

What other advice do I have?

We are partners with Fortinet. We also use the solution ourselves.

Assessing the secure SD-WAN with its interoperability with other systems is hard to say. I've not deployed it with other OEMS as of yet. We haven't consolidated any tools or applications as of yet.

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten overall.

I'd recommend the solution to others.  

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. customer/partner
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiGate Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: July 2025
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiGate Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.