Netgate pfSense and Fortinet FortiGate-VM are two prominent firewall solutions. Fortinet FortiGate-VM seems superior due to its robust features, indicating it is worth the price.
Features: Netgate pfSense reviews highlight valuable features such as flexibility, open-source nature, and extensive documentation. Fortinet FortiGate-VM reviews emphasize its comprehensive security features, integration capabilities, and scalability. FortiGate-VM's extensive and scalable security features make it stand out, despite pfSense's praised flexibility and open-source advantages.
Room for Improvement: Users suggest that Netgate pfSense could benefit from a more intuitive setup process and better hardware options. For Fortinet FortiGate-VM, reviews indicate a need for improved licensing models and a better learning curve.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Netgate pfSense deployment is praised for its flexibility, though some users encounter challenges in the initial setup. Fortinet FortiGate-VM is noted for straightforward deployment, with robust customer service and support.
Pricing and ROI: Netgate pfSense is often cited for its cost-effectiveness and lower initial setup costs, delivering good ROI over time. Conversely, Fortinet FortiGate-VM, while higher in initial cost, offers strong ROI due to its advanced features and support.
Fortinet FortiGate enhances network security, prevents unauthorized access, and offers robust firewall protection. Valued features include advanced threat protection, reliable performance, and a user-friendly interface. It improves efficiency, streamlines processes, and boosts collaboration, providing valuable insights for informed decision-making and growth.
FortiGate Virtual Appliances allow you to mitigate blind spots by implementing critical security controls within your virtual infrastructure. They also allow you to rapidly provision security infrastructure whenever and wherever it is needed. FortiGate virtual appliances feature all of the security and networking services common to traditional hardware-based FortiGate appliances. With the addition of virtual appliances from Fortinet, you can deploy a mix of hardware and virtual appliances, operating together and managed from a common centralized management platform.
pfSense is a powerful and reliable network security appliance primarily used for security purposes such as firewall and VPN or traffic shaping, network management, and web filtering. It is commonly used by small businesses and managed service providers to protect their customers' networks and enable remote access through VPNs.
The solution is praised for its stability, user-friendly interface, scalability potential, open-source nature, free cost, easy installation, firewall capabilities, security features, flexibility, and simplicity. Overall, pfSense is a cost-effective solution for enterprises that need a VPN for their employees.
pfSense Key Features
pfSense has many key features and capabilities, including:
Reviews from Real Users
Below is some feedback from PeerSpot Users who are currently using the solution.
Bojan O., CEO at In.sist d.o.o., says, “The classic features, such as content inspection, content protection, and the application-level firewall, are the most important."
Another PeerSpot user, a chef at a media company, explains what he finds most valuable about pfSense: "The plugins or add-ons are most valuable. Sometimes, they are free of charge, and sometimes, you have to pay for them, but you can purchase or download very valuable plugins or add-ons to perform internal testing of your network and simulate a denial-of-service attack or whichever attack you want to simulate. You can also remote and monitor your network and see where the gap is."
T.O., a VP of Business Development at a tech services company, mentions, "What I found most valuable is the cost of the platform, the flexibility of the platform, and the fact that the ongoing fees are not there as they are with the competitor."
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