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

Fortinet FortiClient vs Symantec Endpoint Security comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 9, 2024
 

Categories and Ranking

Fortinet FortiClient
Ranking in Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP)
17th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
90
Ranking in other categories
Endpoint Compliance (1st), Enterprise Infrastructure VPN (2nd)
Symantec Endpoint Security
Ranking in Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP)
8th
Average Rating
7.6
Number of Reviews
141
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2024, in the Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiClient is 2.4%, down from 2.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Symantec Endpoint Security is 4.2%, down from 5.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP)
 

Featured Reviews

Ayman Said - PeerSpot reviewer
Oct 15, 2024
Enhance secure remote access with feature-rich VPN and content filtering
We mainly use FortiClient as a VPN client. Additionally, we use it for anti-malware, anti-spam, and as a content filter. When a user is outside the company, we can use FortiClient as a content filter to control the sites the user can access FortiClient has improved our security posture by…
PedroSoares - PeerSpot reviewer
Nov 4, 2022
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.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The solution offers great stability."
"FortiClient benefits us by allowing control over internal and external users of the Fortinet network."
"The VPN has proven to be quite useful."
"I use the tool to connect server to an ISP Data Center."
"It’s really easy to use."
"EMS central reporting with fabric connectivity to FortiGate and FortiAnalyser is great and has seamless integration which makes managing 3000 devices a breeze."
"The solution's most valuable feature is its integration capabilities. The processing is fast and the reporting is also very good."
"Fortinet FortiClient's scalability is very good because it has no limitations."
"The single-pane management is the solution's most valuable feature. It makes administrative control very easy."
"The solution, especially in older versions, is quite stable."
"The feature I find most useful is the console for reporting."
"The solution is easy to manage."
"No maintenance is required after a successful installation phase."
"The solution detects malware very well."
"The scheduled scans and the active protection were the most valuable because it allowed me to have the systems protected in real-time and also be able to schedule scans so that as new definitions would update, machines could be scanned to make sure that everything was in tip-top shape and there was nothing lurking in the background."
"Some of the most valuable features were antivirus, malware, and spyware. They were really good."
 

Cons

"Fortinet FortiClient could improve the connection because sometimes it drops."
"It would be interesting if the solution offered a way to try to investigate and create a use case to trace vectors."
"Occasionally, the solution may provide a slow connection. In addition, there may be initialization and authorization issues that one may need to take care of while using the solution."
"We'd like to see a deployment wizard to help implementation become streamlined."
"I heard that Fortinet is going to enhance the firmware to have mobile versions. One is like Linux long-term support SCS and one with new features, but there is no support here. We spoke with the vendor multiple times, and they said that they will release these features soon."
"FortiClient is not communicating with the new version of the firewall."
"The pricing of the solution should be less expensive."
"I haven't found that that solution does anything amazing."
"The solution already has support for Windows, Mac, and Linux but it could improve by having better support for Linux. We have run into some problems when there are upgrades. If they can improve this point, Symantec would be good for endpoint protection as well as for a critical server."
"We were having a problem in Version 14, where the client machines used to go into the health state and once it restarted, and never came back again."
"The solution could improve by having a better graphical interface."
"This solution needs better compatibility with services and applications."
"I would like to see a hybrid version of this solution that covers both in-house and cloud-based servers."
"Multi-domain policy options for exceptions and global blocks."
"We communicate with our local partners and they give us the license key. Then, we have to go to the portal and apply it, but sometimes it doesn't work. We then have to create a new administrative account and migrate all our endpoints. That is the only major issue we have been battling with."
"In a few cases, when we enable the IPS/IDS feature, there are performance-related issues on the end devices. If we run quite a few features of Symantec, especially the IPS/IDF, it consumes a lot of processing and memory capacity."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Anyone can download this product for free, but you have to have a FortiGate gateway that you are connecting to."
"We are using the free version of this product."
"The licensing fee varies with what one is trying to accomplish. It can range from being free to costing several hundred thousand dollars per year."
"The pricing is good because you get and end-to-end security solution in one package price."
"Fortinet requires you to buy a lot of product in order for you to have proper protection."
"An annual license costs about 1.5 to 3,000 US dollars. There are no additional costs."
"Pricing is an area that I would like to see improved, as it could be lower."
"The price is okay and competitive."
"Symantec Endpoint Security's pricing is okay. It is cheaper compared to other products."
"The licensing costs are huge compared to what is normally included in the licensing with other products such as the Microsoft products that we're using. We're paying between $300 and $400 per seat."
"The pricing was one of the factors that led us to choose this product."
"Licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis."
"It is the better product, even if it is a little on the higher side."
"We receive a discounted price for this solution because we are a non-profit organization."
"The pricing is as per the environment. If all the features are there, there will be a cost for them. There were no additional costs for me. Support and other things were included in the pricing."
"I thought the pricing was reasonable."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) solutions are best for your needs.
814,649 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
41%
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
5%
Government
5%
Computer Software Company
15%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Government
7%
 

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: October 2024.
814,649 professionals have used our research since 2012.