The solution is primarily used for security. When a company has a hybrid solution and the client is looking for a next-generation firewall with all the bells and whistles inside, we recommend FortiGate.
Cyber Security architect at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Great intrusion prevention systems and anti-spam capabilities alongside other useful security features
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is stable."
- "The costs could be lowered."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The intrusion prevention systems are great.
The anti-spam capabilities are really great.
The solution has a lot of very useful security features.
The solution is stable.
The scalability potential is there.
What needs improvement?
The previous version, which was 7.1 or 7.2, was a little bit easier to use. It's kind of a little bit tricky to find the options from the firewall configurations now, in the latest version. Previously, it was easier to deal with. The whole dashboard that you get can be improved. They could organize the whole dashboard a bit more to put stuff under each other in a way that makes sense and makes everything easy to reach.
The costs could be lowered.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used the solution for a while. I've used it over the last 12 months.
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate-VM
February 2026
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate-VM. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: February 2026.
881,757 professionals have used our research since 2012.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We have found the stability to be good. There aren't bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The product is scalable. It is a little bit expensive on Azure when you use it on the cloud, however. If a company plans to expand it, they need to keep this in mind. However, even those on-premises can be highly scalable.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup needs to be handled by a person knowledgeable in Fortinet products.
What about the implementation team?
We are implementors. We can handle the setup process for our clients.
What was our ROI?
The product does have the capabilities of providing an ROI to companies.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The product could be cheaper. When a company scales it, it can get pricey.
The pricing, in fact, is the one aspect that could potentially make clients change their minds. In terms of features, it has almost everything - whatever someone would need. However, the price sometimes is the obstacle. It could force the client to go with a cheaper product. Especially on the cloud, a solution such as this can get costly as you are paying for the cloud stuff on top of the license, and you have to pay per hour.
What other advice do I have?
We are implementors.
We have both virtual and physical servers.
I would advise new users first to ensure they have strong knowledge before attempting an implementation. It has everything a company might need and it is scalable. However, the person doing the implementation itself needs to be skilled. There might be a lot of things going on during implementation that need to be dealt with properly.
I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Implementer
IT Support Team Leader at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
Gives us strong security and is well-tailored to our organization's needs
Pros and Cons
- "The best part about FortiGate-VM is its strong security."
- "One thing that can be better is added automation. And, on top of that, enhanced security when it comes to the automation itself."
What is our primary use case?
We are using FortiGate-VM for the protection of our internal network and also for VPN services. Right now, there are about 200 end users in our main office and in other business units we have an additional 100-200 end users. We have about five different firewalls, yet almost all of our units are using FortiGate-VM. So, in total, we have about 500-600 users.
What is most valuable?
The best part about FortiGate-VM is its strong security. Besides that, it's nice that there are different models for different sizes of businesses. For example, there are models tailored to enterprise companies and small organizations, and the model that we are using is perfectly suitable for our usage.
What needs improvement?
One thing that can be better is added automation. And, on top of that, enhanced security when it comes to the automation itself.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Fortinet FortiGate-VM for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I think it is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I am impressed by its scalability, given that we are already using it for over 500 users. And, in future, we plan to increase usage even more.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have used Palo Alto before, but we switched because at that time Fortinet was more scalable and there were more options available.
I also use Sophos Firewall, though not within the organization, but rather just for small business or personal use.
What about the implementation team?
Currently, we only require the services of three engineers and administrators on our technical team when it comes to deployment and maintenance.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The license we pay is a yearly fee. I can't say it's very expensive; it is a good price and is highly suitable for our usage.
What other advice do I have?
FortiGate-VM is a good solution, and I would say one of the best solutions on the market.
I would rate it an eight 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.
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate-VM
February 2026
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate-VM. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: February 2026.
881,757 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Senior Network Engineer at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Stable with good pricing but needs a better interface
Pros and Cons
- "The interface is decent."
- "The solution could use very well-defined support for resellers."
What is our primary use case?
I occasionally implement Fortinet for clients.
In the most recent instance, we had a cloud implemented and I was driving the infrastructure. The client had separate areas inside it purposely. They needed to implement a FortiGate solution in the same client, with different VMs, for different clients, to make different areas for these clients.
What is most valuable?
It's great that we can have separate services for the same client.
It's a complete solution. You only need to deploy it once. You can have many clients and many services for these clients in the same VM. It's a solution that works very well for companies that may need separated sections.
It makes things less expensive for clients. The pricing is good.
The interface is decent.
Technical support has a lot of knowledge.
The initial setup is simple.
The solution is stable.
It can scale well.
What needs improvement?
The solution could use very well-defined support for resellers. There isn't necessarily 24/7 support and resolution.
The interface could be improved.
The product could have more protocol routing options.
I'd rate the solution at a seven out of ten.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is good. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
If you need to scale, this is a good option.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is pretty good. We are quite satisfied with the level of service on offer.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup process is very easy and straightforward. It's not difficult or complex.
We only need three people for deployment and maintenance. It's not a solution that requires a big team. You might need one or two field engineers.
What other advice do I have?
I'm working in a Fortinet partner company. I'm a reseller.
I'm dealing with the latest version of the product.
I like the 100F version, and it may be a good option for most clients, however, it might not be right for every company. It's a good idea to figure out what you need before you decide to avoid purchasing something that's not right for your company's needs.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Information Security Manager at a financial services firm with 501-1,000 employees
Easy to use and setup but could use more documentation and true layer-7 protection
Pros and Cons
- "I have worked on some of the largest and smallest solutions that Fortinet sells and they all scale really well."
- "I have worked on some of the largest and smallest solutions that Fortinet sells and they all scale really well."
What is our primary use case?
We use FortiGate-VM to access clients' networks. These are generally Azure cloud environments in which we set up resources for clients to use.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable FortiGate-VM features are the ease of use and setup.
What needs improvement?
Sometimes, FortiGate-VM is a little different to set up than other firewalls that I've managed. It would be better if it was just a little more mainstream. Some more documentation would be nice as well. Documentation has always kind of been our problem with FortiGate-VM.
There's a lot of stuff I like about FortiGate-VM, but like I said, we still do a lot more Palo Alto firewalls than anything because they have true layer-seven attack prevention. FortiGate-VM does have that too, but it doesn't work as well. I would like to see more layer-seven functionality and expect to realistically block things at the top level.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this solution for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
FortiGate-VM is stable. They have been okay for everything that I have done with them.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I have worked on some of the largest and smallest solutions that Fortinet sells and they all scale really well.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward and only takes hours to deploy.
What about the implementation team?
We implemented FortiGate-VM in-house.
What other advice do I have?
Make sure that you're on the latest stable versions when you update code and stuff like that. That's one of the things that we've had some issues with in the past.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Principal Network Engineer at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
Intuitive solution with comprehensive features and an extensive threat database
Pros and Cons
- "FortiGate-VM has many valuable features: it's easy to use, it's intuitive, it's got very good traffic inspection features, it's got comprehensive filtering categories, and it has an extensive threat database, using FortiGuard."
- "FortiGate-VM could be improved by making it cloud-based. I'd like it to be a cloud-based management solution instead of just a dedicated management orchestration tool."
What is our primary use case?
My primary use case of this solution is for advanced security in the cloud, as well as SD-WAN and branch connectivity. We use version 6.4 and are just now moving to 7.0.
What is most valuable?
FortiGate-VM has many valuable features: it's easy to use, it's intuitive, it's got very good traffic inspection features, it's got comprehensive filtering categories, and it has an extensive threat database, using FortiGuard.
What needs improvement?
FortiGate-VM could be improved by making it cloud-based. I'd like it to be a cloud-based management solution instead of just a dedicated management orchestration tool.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using FortiGate-VM for five years.
How are customer service and support?
Personally, I like Fortinet support. I know other colleagues and people think it's slow, but I don't.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I used FortiGate for 10 years. I also have experience with Azure Firewall Premium, Cisco ASA, and Cisco Firepower.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is really easy. There's HA deployment in the marketplace involving Azure and AWS. I handle the installation myself.
What about the implementation team?
I implement this solution myself for customers.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There are yearly or monthly licenses which you can choose from.
What other advice do I have?
I rate FortiGate-VM an eight out of ten. I recommend this solution to others. There's a use case, like any cloud-based firewall.
We're an MSP, so we sell, configure, and manage these solutions for customers.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Network Administrator at a manufacturing company with 1-10 employees
Work filter is able to detect anything coming in that is not supposed to be on the network
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature is that its IPsec works perfectly."
- "Some issues with connecting to the VPN from home after firmware updates."
What is our primary use case?
My primary use case is for controlling the internet in our organization, as well as for our VPN for those working from home. I also use it for routing the connection to stores so we can access them.
How has it helped my organization?
This solution allows us to easily access the stores from where we are. It also blocks a lot of websites that we don't want to allow access to during working hours. It has also made our network more secure, and it's now much harder for people to intrude into our network.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is that its IPsec works perfectly. The work filter also works perfectly - it's able to detect anything coming in that is not supposed to be on the network.
What needs improvement?
We have had some issues with connecting to the VPN from home after firmware updates, which could be an area for improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for about five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I think the product's stability is very good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability depends on what you want to use it for - previously, we were using 60D, and it wasn't accommodating some features we wanted, so we had to go to 100D.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is very helpful.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I previously used pfSense but found it was a bit complicated in terms of configuration and didn't give periodic updates. I switched to FortiGate because they were very consistent in giving updates on outbreaks and what they were doing to resolve them.
How was the initial setup?
The setup was straightforward because of the integrator's help. Deployment took about two days, and only my assistant and I were required for deployment and maintenance.
What about the implementation team?
I implemented through an integrator.
What was our ROI?
Our main ROI has been the extra stability on our network - since we implemented this solution, we haven't had any major attacks.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost of this product is too high on a yearly license. The license can be renewed on a monthly or yearly basis. There are additional costs for extra features.
What other advice do I have?
To me, this is one of the best firewalls I've ever used. I would rate this solution as 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.
Works at a hospitality company with 10,001+ employees
Easy to use, stable, but performance could improve
Pros and Cons
- "Fortinet FortiGate-VM is easy to use."
- "The performance could be better. Some features need to have quality control when the switch is working. The dedicated bandwidth for some users is not reliable."
What is most valuable?
Fortinet FortiGate-VM is easy to use.
What needs improvement?
The performance could be better. Some features need to have quality control when the switch is working. The dedicated bandwidth for some users is not reliable.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Fortinet FortiGate-VM for approximately one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have found Fortinet FortiGate-VM to be stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have approximately 150 people using the solution.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support could improve. They took approximately one month to solve a firewire issue to update. I would not recommend it.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used Sophos previously and I could it to be better. However, we have found the performance to be the same as Fortinet FortiGate-VM.
How was the initial setup?
The company that provided the solution that was installing it took approximately three days.
What about the implementation team?
I can do the implementation by myself. I do the maintenance and support of the solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There is an annual license required to use the solution.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Fortinet FortiGate-VM a seven 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.
Head of IT at a mining and metals company with 10,001+ employees
Easy to maintain, simple to set up, and offers good stability
Pros and Cons
- "The solution can scale well."
- "Price-wise, it could be slightly better, however, if you compared it to other makes and models of equal category, it is generally cheaper."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for our internal worldwide corporate network.
How has it helped my organization?
It's allowed us to have fewer personnel requirements in relation to maintenance.
What is most valuable?
The maintenance part is definitely quite easy. We do not require any additional manpower to maintain this. It's quite simple and it has the least required manpower over it based on an individual unit.
The initial setup is pretty simple.
The solution can scale well.
The stability is quite good.
What needs improvement?
Right now, we are totally satisfied with this solution. There are several units worldwide. We have only one unit at our Kolkata location, and we are satisfied as of now in terms of its capabilities.
Price-wise, it could be slightly better, however, if you compared it to other makes and models of equal category, it is generally cheaper.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used the solution over the last seven months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability has been good. Its performance is reliable. There are no bugs or glitches. it doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is there. When taking into consideration our business environment right now, I find that this is capable of handling all the requirements until the end of 2022.
Right now in the Kolkata office, we are around a hundred people - and that is in the Kolkata office only. If you talk about India, then we have around 250.
We do not plan to increase usage at this time. However, in the future, scaling may be required.
How are customer service and support?
I've never directly dealt with technical support and therefore cannot speak to how helpful or responsive they are.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did previously use a different solution, however, the main office makes the decisions around product changes. They may have chosen this product as it is less expensive.
We had been using a British Telecom hybrid VPN solution. In April, we stopped that and migrated to this new SD-WAN connectivity solution based on the Fortinet firewall.
How was the initial setup?
The implementation process was not complex or difficult. It was straightforward.
The deployment takes around two to three hours.
Maintenance aspects are handled by the vendor.
What about the implementation team?
The implementation was done by our vendor as well as our internal team.
What was our ROI?
We won't have a sense of an ROI until we've used the solution for another year and a half.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is pretty reasonable when compared to other solutions of the same caliber.
We pay a yearly licensing fee. I do not know the exact costs, however, as that is handled by the team in Luxembourg.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We don't make product decisions. Decisions of that scale come from Luxembourg.
What other advice do I have?
We are a customer and an end-user.
I'm not sure which version of the solution we're using.
I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Buyer's Guide
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Updated: February 2026
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