The usability of the solution is its best feature. The product has a great UI. The UI is seamless and easier to navigate compared to other firewalls. The reporting and logging are good too. Additionally, Fortinet Security Fabric is another great feature.
Technical Officer at Leads Innovation
An easy-to-deploy solution with a seamless user interface and a helpful support team
Pros and Cons
- "The usability of the solution is its best feature."
- "Being a great product, some changes in the pricing would make it a great choice for even more organizations."
What is most valuable?
What needs improvement?
Being a great product, some changes in the pricing would make it a great choice for even more organizations.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for two to three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the tool’s stability a nine out of ten.
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate
May 2026
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What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Currently, we have around ten customers. Our customers are mostly medium-sized businesses. We also have small and enterprise-level customers.
I rate the tool’s scalability a nine out of ten. FortiGate's VDOM is a great feature for scalability.
How are customer service and support?
Support is good. A local organization provides us with first-level support. I have raised a few cases with them.
How was the initial setup?
I rate the ease of setup a nine out of ten. Most organizations like to have everything deployed within the premises. The initial setup can be done within a few hours if the planning is done beforehand. The policies and other requirements are added gradually.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
In our country, pricing is very important. The product is not cheap. Although companies do invest in one-time setup, retaining license renewal is not the same for every organization. I rate the pricing a five out of ten. Support should be purchased as per various levels and other licenses for security features, like Application Control and Web Filtering, should also be purchased.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, it is a great technology to use. It is imperative to train employees to get the best out of the product and robust implementation. FortiGate has a great learning platform and commendable documentation for that which should be utilized. Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
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
Owner at VM7 TECHFABER
A solution with seamless integration and excellent security features
Pros and Cons
- "FortiGate is a great solution, although initially, it faced challenges in the Brazilian market due to lower brand recognition than Cisco. However, explaining and demonstrating its product format and offerings has proven easy. The cost-effectiveness and better features of FortiGate have made some clients skeptical. We set up a trial period, and they eventually opted for it. Many clients were convinced it was great after experiencing the solution's capabilities firsthand."
- "One area of improvement I've noticed is the lack of built-in monitoring capabilities in the firewall. Currently, we rely on third-party solutions for monitoring purposes. However, I believe the firewall itself has the potential to do a better job in this aspect. Another aspect of Fortinet that concerns me is related to redundancy. We have a setup with two firewalls working in parallel, which requires a highly adaptable configuration. However, it feels unfair that clients need to purchase two licenses, especially when one of the firewalls serves as a backup. We have noticed that other manufacturers have different policies on this matter."
How has it helped my organization?
FortiGate is a great solution, although initially, it faced challenges in the Brazilian market due to lower brand recognition than Cisco. However, explaining and demonstrating its product format and offerings has proven easy. The cost-effectiveness and better features of FortiGate have made some clients skeptical. We set up a trial period, and they eventually opted for it. Many clients were convinced it was great after experiencing the solution's capabilities firsthand.
What is most valuable?
I believe the package offered by FortiGate provides great value for the solution. It integrates well, allowing us to use Wi-Fi solutions, switches, and firewalls with a centralized management portal. The security it provides is great and one of the best in the market.
What needs improvement?
One area of improvement I've noticed is the lack of built-in monitoring capabilities in the firewall. Currently, we rely on third-party solutions for monitoring purposes. However, I believe the firewall itself has the potential to do a better job in this aspect.
Another aspect of Fortinet that concerns me is related to redundancy. We have a setup with two firewalls working in parallel, which requires a highly adaptable configuration. However, it feels unfair that clients need to purchase two licenses, especially when one of the firewalls serves as a backup. We have noticed that other manufacturers have different policies on this matter.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using the solution for the past 20 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the stability of the solution as a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the scalability of the solution as a seven out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
We have encountered some issues with the support. Although it is included in the solution, the support could be faster.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward.
What was our ROI?
There has been a return on investment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
When comparing this solution to others, I would rate it a ten out of ten in terms of pricing. However, the issue of requiring a separate license for redundancy is a drawback, and I would rate it a nine out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
The advice I can offer is to compare the entire solution with its competitors. While certain narrow aspects might show some glitches and areas for improvement, when viewed completely, it becomes evident that Fortinet is a great solution. Overall, I would rate the solution as a nine out of ten.
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.
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate
May 2026
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: May 2026.
893,311 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Core Network Team Lead at Green Enterprise Solutions (Pty) Ltd
A user-friendly and easy-to-install product that has a seamless performance
Pros and Cons
- "The product is user-friendly and not complex."
- "The solution must improve the support provided for customers around the globe, considering the time differences in different places."
What is our primary use case?
Our clients use the solution to ensure their environment is secured on all the layers. The application layer all the way to the networking. That's one of the main reasons they use the product in their environment.
What is most valuable?
It's a seamless product, and it's not buggy. The updates we receive from FortiGate are one of the most important features. The product is user-friendly and not complex.
What needs improvement?
The solution must improve the support provided for customers around the globe, considering the time differences in different places. The product could add some functionalities and features provided by its competitors to stay ahead in the market.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is stable. We haven't had issues so far. I rate the stability a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable in most cases. It all depends on the customer's requirements. We haven't yet come across a situation whereby scaling is not possible. Our clients are small, medium, and enterprise businesses. Currently, one of our customers is not able to reach the specific level of scalability that they require so far. I rate the scalability an eight out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
The support is great. However, support needs to improve constantly. Even though they are good, they should try to stay ahead of the competitors.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The solution is easy to install. The ease of setup depends upon the customer’s requirements. I rate the ease of setup a ten out of ten.
What about the implementation team?
The time to deploy the product depends on the clients’ requirements because we have to work hand in hand with the service provider. If we have to terminate a link on the firewall and everything from the networking perspective is all in place, it might just take a couple of minutes to deploy.
We need just need one to three engineers to deploy the solution. It depends on the magnitude of the client. The solution requires maintenance. More than three people are needed to maintain the product.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The product is a little bit expensive. The certifications cost $400. Other vendors provide it for an average of $200 to $300. The product has an annual licensing fee. Additional costs depend on the user's requirements.
What other advice do I have?
People looking to use the product must ensure they have enough engineers who know how to work with it. Overall, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
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
It is a user-friendly solution, but the after-sales service needs improvement
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is easy to configure and maintain remotely."
- "Its customer service could be better."
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution for network security.
How has it helped my organization?
The solution works quite well for us.
What is most valuable?
The solution is user-friendly in terms of configuration and implementation.
What needs improvement?
The solution's after-sales service needs improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using the solution for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable solution.
How are customer service and support?
The solution's customer service is satisfactory but could be even better.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We used Sophos earlier. We switched to Fortinet for its price.
How was the initial setup?
The solution is easy to configure and maintain remotely.
What was our ROI?
The solution has generated ROI for our customers.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution's licenses cost the same for different subscription plans. But the additional costs vary from client to client.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend the solution to others and rate it as a seven.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Reseller
Network Security Executive at a media company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Competitively priced solution with excellent threat intelligence
Pros and Cons
- "Fortigate's most valuable feature is that it doesn't need a push policy when writing rules."
- "Fortigate's hardware capacities could be improved."
How has it helped my organization?
Fortigate's threat intelligence service has improved how our organization functions.
What is most valuable?
Fortigate's most valuable feature is that it doesn't need a push policy when writing rules.
What needs improvement?
Fortigate's hardware capacities could be improved. In the next release, Fortigate should include SSL decryption.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using FortiGate for almost seven years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Fortigate's stability is good.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was easy and took around half a day.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Fortigate's pricing is competitive.
What other advice do I have?
I would give Fortigate a rating of eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Sales Director at Visualize Technology (M) Sdn. Bhd.
Provides great firewall security and has good VPN features
Pros and Cons
- "Provides good firewall security and has great VPN features."
- "The solution lacks sufficient filtering."
What is our primary use case?
The case of FortiGate is for firewall and VPN connection. We are partners and resellers of Fortinet and I'm a director. Our company is based in Malaysia.
How has it helped my organization?
FortiGate has improved our operational efficiency.
What is most valuable?
The solution provides good firewall security and has great VPN features. The product is generally very simple to deploy and is quite flexible.
What needs improvement?
They need to improve features related to mobiles with more and more customers adopting that as their way to manage things. They need to look to the future with their features and meet filtering requirements which the solution cannot currently do.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The product is not scalable.
How are customer service and support?
We are self-sufficient in terms of support.
How was the initial setup?
Initial deployments can be complex depending on the customer's requirements. Implementation can take up to a couple of days. There aren't usually too many issues. The solution requires some maintenance, mainly monitoring.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The licensing costs are reasonable. You get value for your money.
What other advice do I have?
It's important to understand your customer's requirements. Once we work that out we then do a round of checks on the security vulnerabilities.
I rate this solution eight out of 10.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Support Engineer at a manufacturing company with 51-200 employees
Good web interface, great functionality, and has helpful support
Pros and Cons
- "You have access to CLI in case you have no web access."
- "The learning curve is a bit higher."
What is our primary use case?
This is an appliance. It is hardware. It's for intrusion detection mainly. It can do routing and switching yet focuses mainly on detection and prevention.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features are the fact that one device can do multiple tasks, such as both routing and firewalling.
It had a good web interface.
You have access to CLI in case you have no web access.
Technical support has been helpful overall, even though we haven't used them much.
What needs improvement?
It's a bit more complex to configure in comparison to Cisco.
The learning curve is a bit higher.
It's not the least expensive solution on the market.
How are customer service and support?
We've only had a few issues and everything was solved very fast. We are satisfied with the level of support on offer.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I've also used Cisco. These solutions are not quite the same.
I've also used MicroTik, which is slightly less expensive.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is okay. In comparison, MicroTik offers better pricing yet has the same functionality. Therefore, it is a bit more of an expensive option.
What other advice do I have?
I'm a customer. We have the drives in our server room.
I'd rate the product eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Senior Manager at ITX360 (Pvt) Ltd
Straightforward deployment, is stable, and scalable
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is user-friendly."
- "To stay ahead of the competition Fortinet FortiGate IPS needs to think about how to adjust pricing."
What is our primary use case?
We use FortiGate to restrict access from internal, external, and some applications from publishing to the internet. This solution helps us achieve our purpose.
What is most valuable?
The solution is user-friendly. Fortinet FortiGate IPS has a feature called SPVen. The solution is easy to configure, the activation is perfect, the tech support is good, and the back-end database is good.
What needs improvement?
Price is a major competitor in the market for solutions. When we compare solutions, it's important to consider the pricing. To stay ahead of the competition Fortinet FortiGate IPS needs to think about how to adjust pricing. Most people prefer to use Apollo setpoint.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for over eight years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I give the stability a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I give the scalability a nine out of ten.
We have around 500 people including IT engineers and developers using the solution.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have previously used Check Point IPS and switched to Fortinet FortiGate IPS because of the cost and because Check Point IPS requires separate licensing.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. We can do the basic steps in as little as 30 minutes. If we need to do more detailed work and fine-tuning, it may take longer. But the basics can be done quickly.
What about the implementation team?
We completed the implementation in-house.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I give the pricing of the solution a six out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
I give the solution a nine out of ten.
The solution's maintenance can be completed by one person.
I recommend the solution to other users.
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.
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiGate Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Updated: May 2026
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