We have used the solution as a perimeter firewall. We are using it as an anti-ATP solution also.
Director at MICROLOGIC NETWORKS PRIVATE LIMITED
Good pricing with very good threat and content filtering switches
Pros and Cons
- "The solution has very good threat and content filtering switches."
- "It's my understanding that more of the current generation features could be brought in. There could be more integration with EDRs, for example."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The firewall features are pretty good.
The solution has very good threat and content filtering switches.
The initial installation is fairly easy.
What needs improvement?
I'm from the sales side and therefore I wouldn't really know if there are features that are lacking.
It's my understanding that more of the current generation features could be brought in. There could be more integration with EDRs, for example.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for two or three years. It hasn't been too long.
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Fortinet FortiGate
October 2025

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable. It doesn't have any issues with bugs and glitches. It doesn't crash and freeze. It's very reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Since we are integrators, this product gets sold to people who have a minimum 25 and up to 600 users.
At the moment, we don't plan to increase usage.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is very good. We're satisfied with their level of support. They are quite responsive and knowledgeable.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We were previously using Sophos and Watchguard.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not complex. It's pretty much a straightforward implementation. There aren't really any surprises.
The length of deployment differs based on the kind of policies a client would like to implement. If they are very simple policies, then there isn't a lot of work to worry about. However, if there are complex policies or multiple policies, it does take some time to get things up and running.
I didn't handle the installation personally, as I am in sales.
We have three or four people in our organization who handle maintenance.
What about the implementation team?
We have a systems integrator in-house that handles the deployment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution isn't too expensive.
What other advice do I have?
We're integrators. We help our clients with this solution.
We're using the latest version of the solution.
I'd recommend this solution to other users.
Overall, I would rate the solution 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. Integrator.

Branch Manager at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
User-friendly with an easy setup and a good user interface
Pros and Cons
- "The initial installation is very straightforward."
- "There are some cloud-based features that could be much more flexible than they currently are."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for network security and security next-generation firewalls.
What is most valuable?
The solution is quite user-friendly.
We find that the system interface is simple to navigate.
The initial installation is very straightforward.
What needs improvement?
There are some cloud-based features that could be much more flexible than they currently are.
It's my understanding that they are currently working on improving the cloud solution quite substantially.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is very stable. It doesn't have bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We find the solution to be quite scalable. If your organization needs to expand this solution out, you shouldn't have any problems doing so.
We have two or three different locations and have between 50 to 200 users amongst those locations.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical support is very good.
Most of the time, whenever a ticket is opened and we reach out to support on behalf of our customers, they offer good advice and are very responsive. We're satisfied with the level of service we're provided.
How was the initial setup?
The implementation is not complex. It's very straightforward to set up and does not take a lot of time to deploy everything.
That said, I did not handle the implementation myself, so I can't speak to more technical aspects of the job.
We had four or five resources that assist in network security and they all helped with the deployment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I don't handle the pricing side of the product and therefore can't speak to anything in regards to the licensing or costs.
What other advice do I have?
Although we largely handle on-premises deployment models, we have suggested cloud versions to our clients recently.
We are a solution-providing company, and we are offering products to our customers.
Although we really enjoy the solution, there's a lot of very interesting competition in the market. The competition is huge. As a partner of the product, we get a lot of questions we have to answer, and, to be honest, this solution isn't as strong in some areas as others.
That said, we would recommend the solution to others.
Overall, I'd rate the solution an eight 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
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate
October 2025

Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2025.
869,095 professionals have used our research since 2012.
President at simnet
Detailed analytics that integrates with SIEM products and has good support
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature of this solution is the analytics."
- "Quality control on their firmware versions needs improvement. When they introduce new firmware, there tend to be bugs."
What is our primary use case?
Typically, we use Fortinet FortiGate with edge devices for businesses.
We also use them to integrate with a SIEM product and we use it for detailed analytics.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of this solution is the analytics.
What needs improvement?
Quality control on their firmware versions needs improvement. When they introduce new firmware, there tend to be bugs.
I would like the licensing price to be better. It would be nice if it were less than 25 percent of the hardware costs.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for fifteen years. We are an MSSP.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
With respect to scalability, it's good.
We have 15 people using this solution in our organization.
How are customer service and technical support?
We contact technical support almost daily. They have good support.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was not straightforward but not too complex. It's a bit of both.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
For our organization, the licensing costs are approximately $7,000 per year.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Before choosing the Fortinet FortiGate, I evaluated other solutions.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate Fortinet FortiGate 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
System Administrator at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees
Affordable, simple, effective, and has good support
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features are that it is very simple to configure and to manage."
- "In the next release, maybe the documentation on how to use this solution could be improved."
What is our primary use case?
The primary use case of this solution is as a firewall.
How has it helped my organization?
The way the rules are created and set up on our firewall is very quick, very simple, and does not take a lot of time. It allows us to spend more time in other areas.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features are that it is very simple to configure and to manage.
What needs improvement?
For me, this solution has nothing to improve and it meets the needs that I have. I don't see any way to improve, at least from my point of view on regular use.
In the next release, maybe the documentation on how to use this solution could be improved.
What I have noticed is that when we have done some configurations directly from the command line, there is not a lot of information regarding splitting.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for six years.
We are using the latest version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is a stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Fortinet FortiGate is very scalable.
How are customer service and technical support?
We are satisfied with technical support. We have not had any issues.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
We used a reseller to help us with the implementation.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Pricing is very competitive. It's cheap for what it offers and for what it does.
It's very affordable.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others who are interested in using it.
Fortinet FortiGate is simple and effective.
I would rate Fortinet Fortigate a nine out of ten.
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.
Lead Network Solution Developer at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees
A good and stable product with IPS and URL filtering features
Pros and Cons
- "It is a good product. It does what we want it to do so. I didn't find many false-positives or things like that. We mainly use the IPS and URL filtering features, and they are pretty good."
- "They can probably improve the reporting feature. Reporting and report alerting are the main key features of this solution. They can always find ways to improve these."
What is our primary use case?
We manage all the IT for airports and airlines. We have some data centers for providing different services, such as tickets, to customers. We use Fortinet FortiGate IPS to secure the environment.
What is most valuable?
It is a good product. It does what we want it to do so. I didn't find many false-positives or things like that. We mainly use the IPS and URL filtering features, and they are pretty good.
What needs improvement?
They can probably improve the reporting feature. Reporting and report alerting are the main key features of this solution. They can always find ways to improve these.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Fortinet FortiGate IPS for four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is doing good in terms of stability. It is a good product and a good feature within the firewall.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We haven't tried to scale it.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have contacted them. Their technical support is good. They are pretty responsive and knowledgeable.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward. Basically, it is quite easy to set up. You just need to follow the guidelines because they are well-made for Fortinet FortiGate IPS.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We are currently evaluating a Palo Alto solution, and the pricing could be a reason for going for Palo Alto.
What other advice do I have?
I'm a part of the team that is testing the Palo Alto solution. We are only responsible for testing to ensure that it matches what we want, but we are not responsible for making the actual decision. Another team will decide which solution to go for based on the contract in terms of money and other things. Technically, either FortiGate or Palo Alto will be able to provide what we want.
I would rate Fortinet FortiGate IPS an eight out of ten. It is a good product.
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.
Security Solutions Architect at Verizon Communications
Good VPN and DDoS capabilities with a low total cost of ownership
Pros and Cons
- "Virtual Domains (VDOMs) are a feature that we found valuable."
- "To the best of my knowledge, Fortinet does not have a CASB solution and Fortinet does not have a Zero trust solution."
What is our primary use case?
We are currently using manual router failover that can be configured on the Fortinet security appliance’s second network interface to provide network edge redundancy if the primary managed router fails. If the edge router fails, traffic can be moved to the security appliance with a simple cable swap.
We are looking for a fully redundant solution with automatic failover between both Fortinet Security appliances. I am currently looking at battle card information between Fortinet and Zscaler. I have to do a competitive analysis.
How has it helped my organization?
The low cost of ownership was a benefit with all of the features we wanted.
Preconfigured images have been developed for quick deployment. However, if we need a custom policy or have to include an existing policy then that can be accommodated as well.
What is most valuable?
Virtual Domains (VDOMs) are a feature that we found valuable.
We found the Firewall, VPN, Application Control, IPS, Fortiguard Web filtering, anti-botnet, FortiGuard, Anti Spam Wireless LAN controller, WAN optimization, vulnerability assessment, and endpoint control all to be valuable.
Fortinet certifications include NSS Labs for NGFW, firewall, IPS, SSL, antivirus, and antispam.
Fortinet provides a consolidated security platform for the market place and certifications with NSS labs prove their security assurance.
What needs improvement?
To the best of my knowledge, Fortinet does not have a CASB solution and Fortinet does not have a Zero trust solution. Fortinet claims to do everything Zscaler is capable of and I'm looking for a comparison between the supported features.
Fortinet VPN and DDoS capabilities are great, yet we need to provide a solution that enables CASB and integration to the cloud.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using FortiGate for three years.
How was the initial setup?
Fortinet is very easy to service and set up.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Fortinet is the least expensive solution.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We are comparing the features of Zscaler vs. Fortinet. We are trying to determine what features Zscaler has over Fortinet and vice versa.
What other advice do I have?
Fortinet was initially scoped as 25 rules for small, 50 for medium, and 100 for large. We need to incorporate more rules but there would be additional professional services or staging services. We are looking to incorporate the cloud access with the Fortinet UTM solution.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Verizon is a reseller of both Zscaler and Fortinet.
Senior System & Security Administrator at a retailer with 51-200 employees
Offers side-to-Side VPN Support for Secure Networking
Pros and Cons
- "Our project needs to link two sides through the internet. One of these was in Cairo and the other in another city. We used FortiGate as the integrating solution between the two locations, i.e. the Fortinet 30E & 100E."
- "Fortinet needs more memory to save the log files. We need it to save the logs on the hardware and not in the cloud. I know this feature is available in FortiCloud, but if we need this log locally, it is not available."
What is our primary use case?
We use Fortinet FortiGate 100E for a VPN. We also use the solution for word filtering. These are our primary business requirements.
How has it helped my organization?
We were not fully operational previously. Our project needs to link two sides through the internet. One of these was in Cairo and the other in another city.
In Egypt, to make this possible, we built connections for everything between the two sides through the internet using the VPN side-to-side with Fortinet.
We used FortiGate as the integrating solution between the two locations, i.e. the Fortinet 30E & 100E.
What is most valuable?
The main feature that Fortinet FortiGate has that is very useful for me, is that I can connect two sides of the network to each other with Fortinet.
I can make two VPNs run side-to-side. VPN is very simple and so easy with FortiGate.
What needs improvement?
Fortinet needs more memory to save the log files (like in the 101E, the old product). We need it to save the logs on the hardware and not in the cloud.
I know this feature is available in FortiCloud, but if we need to log locally, it is not available. Also, the log only records a little time and needs to be longer.
For how long have I used the solution?
One to three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Fortinet FortiGate offers good stability. I have been using it for around two years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
FortiGate is a very scalable tool. They have an app to manage the access points, switches, and other solutions.
For our project, now we're over a hundred users at the headquarters. The other branch supports about 20 persons.
How are customer service and technical support?
Fortinet tech support is very helpful. I have not faced any trouble with their technical support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
The other product I was previously using was ForgeRock but did not have the experience of integrating it with Fortinet FortiGate.
How was the initial setup?
For the Fortinet installation, our initial setup was for word filtering. It was very easy and did not take a lot of time. The deployment took about three days.
FortiGate is very easy. The entire solution setup processes took about three days. I can make many of the rules for most users as we need it configured easily.
What about the implementation team?
I am the integrator for Fortinet FortiGate solutions at our company.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The licensing price for the Fortinet products is approximately a thousand of dollars per year for the FortiGate 100E and $200 per year for the FortiGate 50E.
I don't use additional licensing, just the yearly subscription.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We did not evaluate any other options for this purchase.
What other advice do I have?
If anyone asks me for my experience with Fortinet solutions, I would recommend FortiGate, especially if they need to use it for security.
I would recommend the FortiGate series for integration with any hardware or software product. I am very satisfied with Fortinet. I would rate it a 9 out of 10 overall.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
IT General Manager at Manav Rachna International School
I am "headache free" now that I don't have to categorize all the websites and that security has been pre-categorized. The tech support needs improvement.
Pros and Cons
- "I am "headache free" that I don't have to categorize all the websites and that security has been pre categorized by the people, and that the services are getting updated. At least one part of my problem is over."
- "A couple of things I've seen that need improvement, especially in terms of a hard coding. The driver-level active moment really is out-of-the-box and we have to have contact the customer support and sometimes it is difficult to resolve."
What is our primary use case?
My primary use case for this solution is using it as a key net and as a firewall.
How has it helped my organization?
For Fortinet Fortigate,I have to have a Fortigate access point. In my opinion, it should have been a universal access, which supported the universal access point. At this point, our campus is large with some 10 thousand students and staff on board at any given time. Every time I have to use Fortigate, the access point portal has to be a universal type. It would be nice if I did not have to "marry" Fortigate for everything.
What is most valuable?
The only feature is that I don't have to be worried about categorization of the websites. I am able to put on the policies for the blog because this is an institution.There are several restrictions out there to get onto the websites. It creates a "headache free" environment for us.
What needs improvement?
A couple of things I've seen that need improvement, especially in terms of a hard coding. The driver-level active moment really is out-of-the-box and we have to have contact the customer support and sometimes it is difficult to resolve.
My only solution would be please don't make it as a closed source. Don't make it as
a closed source. Give some kind of a power to the user so that they can consider it
according to their determine that it should have some flexibility on concurrent
connections not be restricted. I agree that to some concurrent connections the CPU and
the box may be a lower model and it need some higher scale level with this. But, there
should be a provision. There should be a provision to go to at least to 60-70% onto the
threshold to go beyond the designed capacity of something. Like we call it as a design
capacity, and since 70% addition to the 100% of it.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
If I compare with the open source, it has really frustrated me for a couple of things. Whenever my students or faculty goals increase, then in Fortinet, I need to change the model for going with the higher model, or better model more better first tier it can deal with it.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It should have been scalable. But, it is not quite so. There are limitations, I need to change the box or I have 1500 D. That means I can make 1000 connections, but some kind of vestibules are going on and the advances are going on. Then, I find it very difficult to give a connectivity simultaneously and upon current connections. As a result, I have to deprive my faculties, my staff, or my students of certain functions.
How is customer service and technical support?
Tech support is not very efficient in India.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We have considered the Linux Suite and HP BSM.
What other advice do I have?
As I said, that at least one part I am "headache free" that I don't have to categorize all the websites and that security has been pre categorized by the people, and that the services are getting updated. At least one part of my problem is over.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

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Updated: October 2025
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