Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Aruba Access Points vs Fortinet FortiAP comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 31, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
7.0
Aruba Access Points deliver strong ROI through easy management and cost savings, enhancing efficiency and client loyalty.
Sentiment score
8.0
Fortinet FortiAP offers strong ROI through secure features, reduced maintenance, high reliability, cost-effectiveness, and enhanced productivity.
I do not have to continuously manage them, and their reliability means they are consistently up and running.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.3
Aruba Access Points' support varies, generally efficient and praised, though some face delays, with exceptional service in Egypt and India.
Sentiment score
7.8
Fortinet FortiAP support is mixed; premium service praised, but standard service disappoints with varied customer experiences and long wait times.
For technical support alone, I would give them a score of nine out of ten.
A company called ACT is very good at support.
We keep a support contract open with Fortinet, so we have instantaneous response from them.
The technical support from Fortinet FortiAP is rated 7.5 out of ten.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.6
Aruba Access Points offer scalability for enterprises, with users valuing easy expansion despite potential hardware updates for substantial growth.
Sentiment score
7.4
Fortinet FortiAP offers effective scalability for different organizational sizes, though complexity may arise when expanding units.
Aruba access points integrate well with existing networks via PoE switches.
While scaling up to five hundred users, it may cause some performance issues.
We have good scalability with Fortinet FortiAP because we have multiple ISPs connected to it through FortiManager.
There could be constraints where a product can't be scaled further without purchasing a new model.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.1
Aruba Access Points are highly reliable, with minor issues, consistently achieving high stability ratings from users over time.
Sentiment score
7.2
Fortinet FortiAP's stability is generally rated high, with some issues arising post-upgrade or after two years of use.
I have not experienced any issues, outages, or problems and have not had to interfere with them at all.
The stability of the solution is very high.
 

Room For Improvement

Aruba Access Points need better coverage, security, user support, scalability, integration, and market competitiveness, facing several user challenges.
Fortinet FortiAP requires better security integration, improved functionality, responsive support, competitive pricing, and enhancements in performance, configuration, and legacy support.
Some customers comment that the shape and size of the access point is a little big, especially the one installed in the guest room.
I would like Aruba to provide integration capabilities for Microsoft Entra ID, Azure Directory, or other identity verification engines like Okta, Google Identity, or Ping Identity.
I know they're going up to six soon, which will enhance reliability.
Security is always a concern for any business, and the network should not be compromised easily.
 

Setup Cost

Aruba Access Points offer competitive pricing with mixed reviews, often deemed reasonable, with value impacted by features and licenses.
Fortinet FortiAP offers competitive pricing, seen as cost-effective compared to Palo Alto and Check Point, with varied value opinions.
The pricing is reasonable and lower than competitors.
They are priced at half the rate of Juniper access points for basic models.
The license costs for Fortinet are more affordable when considering licensing costs with other leaders like Cisco.
The pricing is a little bit high, and I would rate it a ten on the scale where ten is the highest price.
The pricing is much better than Cisco pricing.
 

Valuable Features

Aruba Access Points are favored for seamless management, optimal connectivity, robust security, easy setup, reliability, and economical pricing.
Fortinet FortiAP integrates with FortiGate and FortiAnalyzer, offering streamlined management, robust connectivity, and cost-effective deployment for enterprises.
We receive support from Aruba, with assistance from the country manager in providing better quotations and support for projects.
The ease of management with Aruba access points enables customers to connect them directly to their network via a PoE switch and manage them remotely from mobile devices.
Compatibility with Fortinet firewalls allows clients to set up new businesses with integrated firewalls and access points, offering a cost-effective solution while providing excellent wireless coverage.
FortiAPs are an enterprise-level device capable of handling a large number of users and connections, ensuring quality.
We've noticed improvements mostly on the security side.
 

Categories and Ranking

Aruba Access Points
Ranking in Wireless LAN
5th
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
37
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Fortinet FortiAP
Ranking in Wireless LAN
12th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
14
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Aruba Access Points is 1.1%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiAP is 4.3%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Wireless LAN
 

Featured Reviews

PRADIPJOSHI - PeerSpot reviewer
Pricing competitiveness and remote management have enhanced network flexibility
One of the most valued aspects of Aruba access points is their price competitiveness; they are available at half the price of Juniper access points. Additionally, they do not require any kind of license for implementation. Despite this, many customers have their own firewall, and they can control everything from their firewall, ensuring flexibility. Furthermore, the ease of management with Aruba access points enables customers to connect them directly to their network via a PoE switch and manage them remotely from mobile devices.
Yati Gharat - PeerSpot reviewer
Integrates well with Fortinet products, but there are signal issues in the outdoor environment
FortiAP is very good in an indoor environment, but we are struggling with the outdoor environment. That is where we are having certain issues. We are not 100% happy with it. With the indoor environment, we are okay, but we are facing some issues when certain voice-related calls go from wireless points. There are certain drops, and we have faced these issues on an ongoing basis. We also have other vendors such as Aruba and Meraki, and we do not face any issues when there is a Teams or Zoom meeting going on. It could be that FortiAP is okay, but that particular device or appliance is not capable of handling that much load of voice and video. This might be the issue. RF Spectrum Analysis helps to understand what is the coverage and hotspots related to a particular access point, but then when we bought it, we did heat mapping through different vendors. If there are any rogue APs, we can identify them with RF Spectrum Analysis. We can see what the coverage area is, but there are some issues with that. Some of the offices have thick glasses, or the cabins are different, so in the RF coverage, what is shown is not what we get on the practical grounds. There are some issues with signal performance. It has the basic functionality that is mostly used, but there are certain devices that are not able to interconnect. When there is any issue or problem, if the administrator can get some information about that, that will be good. With Meraki and Aruba, we get certain beautiful things. If those can be integrated into this solution, it will be more beneficial, but we understand that being a security company, Fortinet's focus is on security.
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Wireless LAN solutions are best for your needs.
842,296 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Computer Software Company
11%
Government
9%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Manufacturing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Aruba Access Points?
After we installed the Aruba switches, the work became faster because the network speed improved.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aruba Access Points?
Due to its pricing, Aruba access points provide good value. They are priced at half the rate of Juniper access points for basic models.
What needs improvement with Aruba Access Points?
I would like Aruba to provide integration capabilities for Microsoft Entra ID, Azure Directory, or other identity verification engines like Okta, Google Identity, or Ping Identity. It is important ...
What do you like most about FortiAP?
If we have FortiClient installed on multiple devices, it is seamless to connect with FortiAP. It supports passwordless authentication as well. That is a great thing about it.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for FortiAP?
The pricing is a little bit high, and I would rate it a ten on the scale where ten is the highest price. They are a bit more expensive compared to other solutions, however, it is worth it if you ca...
What needs improvement with FortiAP?
There is nothing that particularly comes to mind for improvement. The management is controlled by Fortinet firewalls, so specific improvement needs do not jump to mind.
 

Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about Aruba Access Points vs. Fortinet FortiAP and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
842,296 professionals have used our research since 2012.