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Fortinet FortiClient vs Symantec Endpoint Security comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 9, 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
7.8
Fortinet FortiClient boosts productivity and ROI with low costs, but some face activation and penetration challenges limiting benefits.
Sentiment score
7.3
Symantec Endpoint Security provides cost-effective protection, reducing downtime and boosting reputation with high detection rates and automated processes.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.0
Fortinet FortiClient support receives mixed reviews, with response times varying by purchased bundle, issue complexity, and timing.
Sentiment score
7.9
Symantec Endpoint Security's customer service is praised but has varied feedback, citing slower response since Broadcom's takeover.
They initiate the troubleshooting process quickly and resolve issues in a timely manner.
The main issue revolves around addressing bugs in the endpoint.
The technical support from Fortinet is rated as nine out of ten.
In some cases, it rates as high as ten out of ten, while in others, it can be as low as eight.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.6
Fortinet FortiClient is scalable for various sizes, despite some challenges in larger deployments, with generally positive reviews.
Sentiment score
7.9
Symantec Endpoint Security is highly scalable and adaptable for diverse industries, though smaller deployments may face complexity.
The scalability could use improvement as you need to ensure that routes and policies are aligned, which can be complex.
I hope Fortinet will start an insider developer program where professionals can provide feedback on new releases to ensure improvements.
We can recommend FortiClient for small organizations with 50 to 60 users as well as for larger enterprises due to its extensive features.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.2
Fortinet FortiClient is highly stable, with minor issues and strong performance, praised for reliability across platforms.
Sentiment score
8.7
Symantec Endpoint Security is generally stable and reliable, despite occasional update issues and concerns post-Broadcom acquisition.
 

Room For Improvement

Fortinet FortiClient needs improvements in management, compatibility, integration, support, deployment, and performance across various platforms and versions.
Symantec Endpoint Security needs better detection, lower resource use, simpler management, improved support, and competitive pricing for broader adoption.
There are complexities with the scalability part, particularly with routing and policy alignment.
Fortinet frequently releases updates without thorough testing.
There are advanced features like Zero Trust that I currently do not use but could be beneficial for security.
Device management is not very good and I am not enabling it in my organization due to security reasons.
I would like to see improvements in the scanning part of the solution, specifically to enhance the CPU and hard disk usage during scanning and updates to prevent disruption during work hours.
 

Setup Cost

Fortinet FortiClient offers cost-effective VPN services with competitive pricing, despite potential price increases and variable licensing costs.
Symantec Endpoint Security is priced reasonably but higher, with value appreciated; discounts and licensing structures affect overall costs.
Justifying the price to clients can be difficult.
Recently, Fortinet has increased prices for its products.
FortiClient is included in a package with the UTM features, so there is no separate cost for it.
The pricing is very low compared to other companies like SentinelOne and others.
I rate the pricing, setup cost, and licensing around nine out of ten.
 

Valuable Features

Fortinet FortiClient provides comprehensive security solutions with central authentication, user-friendly interface, and cost-effective endpoint management and VPN capabilities.
Symantec Endpoint Security provides comprehensive threat protection and easy management, supporting multiple platforms with real-time updates and scalability.
The most valuable feature of FortiClient is its high security level.
We appreciate its VPN capabilities and the features that offer extra security functionalities like antivirus and malware scanning.
Additionally, it provides benefits like saving time, saving money, and improving security for my organization.
Symantec Endpoint Security offers many valuable features, such as file explosion, application learning, DLP, injection detection, and EDR solutions for traffic control.
The incident response capabilities allow me to resolve authentication and support issues promptly, ensuring the system operates without downtime.
 

Categories and Ranking

Fortinet FortiClient
Ranking in Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP)
16th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
97
Ranking in other categories
Endpoint Compliance (1st), Enterprise Infrastructure VPN (2nd)
Symantec Endpoint Security
Ranking in Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP)
11th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
142
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2024, in the Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiClient is 2.3%, down from 2.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Symantec Endpoint Security is 4.2%, down from 5.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP)
 

Featured Reviews

MuhammadJahangir - PeerSpot reviewer
Users only need to install the VPN and authenticate with their email address
I primarily use remote VPN solutions to connect securely. We have configured both site-to-site VPN and remote VPN, and it is connected to FortiClient Implementing this solution has streamlined time management in our organization. Without SSO, we would need manual configuration for each PC, but…
PedroSoares - PeerSpot reviewer
Helps us block ports, like TCP and UDP, and we don't need to use Active Directory GPOs to block anything
One suggestion I have for both regular and mobile would be to collect all the information about installed software, such as versions, and give that information to the manager to help with software management. That would be a huge advantage for everyone who administers these tools. For example, EDR gives me some applications with a version linked to a CVE or a MITRE attack. That's really interesting, But we don't know about other software that is installed and that means we need to install and use other software on the workstation to collect that information. If Symantec could do that, it would help managers improve their security, as they would know all the software installed on each device. Because Symantec is already installed on a workstation, it would not be difficult for the agent to collect information about the software installed. It wouldn't need to do anything other than collect and share the information. That would be a huge advantage for the administrator. The more information we have about a device, the more secure we can make it. For example, there are types of software that can open a port that an attacker can use. If we know that such software is installed, we could just act before something happens. If Symantec could collect that software information, it would be amazing.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
42%
Computer Software Company
10%
Government
5%
Manufacturing Company
5%
Computer Software Company
15%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

How does Fortinet FortiClient compare with Open VPN Access Server?
Fortinet FortiClient is a feature-rich solution that is easy to use and deploy without sacrificing safety and security. It has a very fast connection rate and has a built-in VPN. With this solution...
What's the difference between Fortinet's FortiEDR and FortiClient?
I suggest Fortinet’s FortiEDR over FortiClient for several reasons. For starters, FortiEDR guarantees solid protection because it continually scans servers for emerging vulnerabilities, which gives...
Which is better - Cortex XDR or Symantec End-User Endpoint Security?
Aqua Security is easy to use and very manageable. Its main focus is on Kubernetes and Docker. Security is a very valuable feature and their speed of integration is very good. The initial setup was ...
Which offers better endpoint security - Symantec or Microsoft Defender?
We use Symantec because we do not use MS Enterprise products, but in my opinion, Microsoft Defender is a superior solution. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a cloud-delivered endpoint security s...
What do you like most about Symantec End-User Endpoint Security?
Symantec have everything – documentation, videos, data sheets.
 

Also Known As

FortiClient
Symantec EPP, Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP)
 

Learn More

 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Audio Visual Dynamics, Red Deer Advocate, Asia Pacific Telecom Co. Ltd., Kibbutz Ein Gedi, and AMETEK, Inc.
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiClient vs. Symantec Endpoint Security and other solutions. Updated: December 2024.
824,129 professionals have used our research since 2012.