Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense vs Fortinet FortiMail comparison

Cisco and Fortinet are both solutions in the Email Security category. Cisco is ranked #19 with an average rating of 7.3, while Fortinet is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.6. Cisco holds a 1.1% mindshare in Email Security, compared to Fortinet’s 2.9% mindshare. Additionally, 93% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 94% of Fortinet users who would recommend it.

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 3, 2024

Fortinet FortiMail and Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense are prominent contenders in the email security category. Fortinet FortiMail seems to have an advantage in cost-effectiveness and support, while Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense excels in advanced features and integration for a comprehensive security approach.

Features: Fortinet FortiMail offers advanced spam detection through FortiGuard Antispam Service, supports multiple domains, and allows inbound and outbound inspection. Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense, on the other hand, provides robust east-west traffic analysis, a user-friendly interface, and integrates with Threat Grid for sandbox analysis.

Room for Improvement: Fortinet FortiMail could improve user management, enhance reporting, and refine third-party integration. Users encounter challenges with deployment and false positives occasionally. Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense could improve integration with other Cisco and third-party tools, enhance search functionality, and offer more flexible billing options. Phishing protection and competitive pricing are also noted areas for enhancement.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Fortinet FortiMail mainly deploys on-premises, receiving mixed feedback on technical support. While some users find support rapid, others experience delays. Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense offers flexibility with cloud, hybrid, and private environment deployment and is generally recognized for competent technical support despite some reports of long response times.

Pricing and ROI: Fortinet FortiMail stands out with no per-user pricing and is seen as cost-effective, although it can be considered pricey by some. Its positive ROI results from reduced spam and increased efficiency. Cisco's solution is viewed as expensive with additional support costs but provides a justification for its premium due to its comprehensive feature set and trusted spam and phishing reduction.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense vs. Fortinet FortiMail Report (Updated: June 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense vs. Fortinet FortiMail

June 2026

Download the complete report

Helped 905,601 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

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

Categories and Ranking

Cloudflare One

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2026, in the Email Security category, the mindshare of Cloudflare One is 1.7%, up from 1.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense is 1.1%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiMail is 2.9%, down from 4.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Email Security Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Fortinet FortiMail	2.9%
Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense	1.1%
Cloudflare One	1.7%
Other	94.3%

Email Security

Featured Reviews

Cobe Van Coller

Network Architect at IP Dimension

Cloud security has improved remote access and has reduced costs for smaller client sites

I have used Cloudflare One's Identity-Aware Proxy, and it is quite straightforward from what I have seen so far. The app registration on the Azure side integrates fully into Cloudflare, and I am very satisfied with that part because it is easy to set up. The integration of Cloudflare One's Secure Web Gateway and Zero Trust Network Access works without any issues. That part is pretty automatic, and if you complete the rest of the setup, it comes together by itself with no issues from my side. What makes it nice is that we can actually start replacing on-site firewalls at this stage for the smaller clients because it does not matter if they go to a coffee shop or work from home; they are still secured by the same connection. The hops get shorter and you get better latency. We have done testing to see if it is better. One thing that we did notice with our proof of concept with our current client is that they have people connecting from the UK. When they used their previous VPN solution, uploading CAD drawings and other files to the server took a long time. They mentioned that it is much quicker on Cloudflare One's solution. I definitely believe that is part of the improved performance, and I am satisfied with that as well. What is nice about Cloudflare One is that it makes the setup easier and also easier to train technicians to maintain it. Compared to legacy systems, we do not need to get fancy firewalls in place that are costly. That is definitely also a cost-saver with Cloudflare One.

Read full review

Glenn-Camilien

Senior Cybersecurity Engineer at a financial services firm with 11-50 employees

Provides robust email security features but requires improved modernization and complexity management

Modernization is an area that could be improved for Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense, as some features have lagged behind newer competitors, potentially offering more advanced analysis capabilities. The initial setup is not straightforward and requires expertise and time to master configurations such as spoofing and DLP. More control over backend functionalities and simplifying rule management could enhance user experience. The product's complexity at times results in redundant rule sets that are difficult to untangle, highlighting the need for streamlined management systems and a more user-centric approach to system configuration. Furthermore, the pricing might deter new users who could opt for alternative, more cost-effective solutions.

Read full review

Abhimanyu Das

Senior Cybersecurity Engineer at Kyndryl

Targeted email filtering has reduced spam and phishing and now saves significant investigation time

The best features of Fortinet FortiMail include its techniques and tactics, which are highly effective compared to other solutions such as Microsoft 365. Although Fortinet FortiMail may not be as advanced in some aspects, it is well recognized for its strong performance in handling spam and phishing. It performs thorough mail scanning and also offers a sandboxing feature that enhances protection. Fortinet FortiMail has had a positive impact on my organization by significantly reducing unwanted email activities such as spam and phishing. It provides accurate detection and generates results that often exceed what can be achieved through manual analysis. Since deploying Fortinet FortiMail, I have observed a reduction in investigation time by at least 20 to 30 percent.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Cloudflare Access is part of the Zero Trust philosophy."

"The solution has different options that can be used to differentiate DDoS attacks."

"The capabilities of the software are strong enough for me to do what it's supposed to do. For me, we don't need to do a lot of configuration on our site. We just enable it and monitor it."

"What makes it nice is that we can actually start replacing on-site firewalls at this stage for the smaller clients because it does not matter if they go to a coffee shop or work from home; they are still secured by the same connection."

"For Cloudflare Access, I am using the free plan...The most valuable feature is their protection."

"It will take the blow rather than our applications should an attack occur."

"It's the endpoint exposition. We don't need to expose our VPN server to the internet and need a zero-test solution. I can apply some conditional access to the endpoint that's connecting to our network to check their security policies or the security condition of their workstation. Once the workstation is trying to connect to my internal network, then I would like to check the discrete condition of these endpoints that are trying to access my internal network. We created some conditional access. We have CrowdStrike, to check if the CrowdStrike is installed, to check if it's updated, and to check for Windows updates. We created some conditional policies to check it."

"Cloudflare is by far the most effective solution that I have come across."

More Cloudflare One pros

"This solution is easy to use."

"On ease of use, it rates very high. It's something that I was able to get into without really looking at any documentation. I wanted to see what it felt like before I started looking at any documentation on how to use it, and it was very easy to use. It works very smoothly. The user experience is very intuitive. They did an amazing job on that."

"It has an efficient email filtering feature."

"Regarding stability, Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense is very stable."

"Cisco has a threat mechanism called cloud-based Talos, where all the threats are inbuilt."

"The features and functionalities are much better than Microsoft's in-built Defender plan, and this product has helped us to protect our organization from any malware attack in the past."

"The product offers protection, email security, anti-spam, and antivirus."

"The ability to see east-west traffic is its most valuable feature. Traditionally, email defense focuses on north-south, inbound-outbound, egress-ingress traffic. With Cisco Secure Email Cloud Mailbox, it's able to quickly identify, track, tag, and categorize emails that are internal. That can typically give us visibility into if there's an internal compromised account (for example). Someone can then use that internal compromised account to email additional accounts with either malicious software or links, but internal within that Office tenant. Effectively, that email message never leaves the tenant. Any of the mail gateways really do not have any method or way of seeing this traffic since it's not leaving the environment."

More Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense pros

"The important feature is the application control, which makes administration much easier. It also has an intrusion prevention feature. There's also the wireless functionality, which works well with Huawei devices."

"The most valuable aspects of this solution are that it protects us from spam and phishing attacks. We had a lot of attacks coming in and then we deployed this solution and they stopped. We no longer have any spam or phishing issues."

"Its threat detection capabilities have been beneficial."

"The spam filtering is great."

"At the end of the day, they look at the performance and the price, and Fortinet covers all the bases."

"We're happy with things."

"The most valuable features are the endpoint defense features, it is very secure."

"Technical support is very good."

More Fortinet FortiMail pros

Cons

"Cloudflare Zero Trust Platform needs to improve its documentation. It took time to do the implementation."

"When there are any dynamic changes in complex applications, the tool takes a lot of time, making its analytics-related area a major matter of concern where improvements are needed."

"The pricing is an area that can be improved. Pricing, as far as I recall, was the source of our problems."

"Our subscription plan for the solution has a limitation of bot signatures."

"Feedback could be enhanced."

"From a logging perspective, it is still a bit difficult to see exactly what users are being blocked with the current views."

"Our customers no longer use Cloudflare because its service is subpar."

"The free plan has limitations. For example, I can only set up three rules, and the application firewall is unavailable."

More Cloudflare One cons

"The pricing could always be better."

"Customers will benefit greatly from monthly billing because the majority of customers today use the cloud, be it Office 365, or Google Cloud."

"The learning curve shows that in the beginning, there are numerous false positives. For one month, we had to reclassify the false positives manually until the system learned."

"From a technical point of view, Cisco is far behind in terms of cybersecurity, and it has to improve very much."

"The search area has room for improvement."

"We encounter issues while searching for missing emails."

"The product's complexity at times results in redundant rule sets that are difficult to untangle, highlighting the need for streamlined management systems and a more user-centric approach to system configuration."

"There is still room for improvement in terms of integrations with other Cisco tools and non-Cisco tools. There is also some room for improvement needed in terms of the reporting."

More Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense cons

"The product could incorporate even more artificial intelligence to enhance the functionality, but it is a competetive and intelligent product as it."

"The logging information is sometimes not clear or easy to understand."

"The solution's pricing is flexible and can be adjusted for African utility companies. Microsoft often offers special pricing formulas for African governments and organizations and it is similar to Fortinet FortiMail. In my country, government institutions receive discounted pricing from Fortinet FortiMail."

"For example, there was malware in some emails that weren't detected in some of the Fortinet FortiMail sessions, but it should have been configured from my company's end to better catch scam emails, but overall, the solution is okay."

"The dashboard is small, it doesn't have a huge dashboard that you can rely on, you need another application to work with it, which is why they created FortiAnalyzer."

"The only drawback to this solution is that the firmware is frequently updated, and each update results in downtime."

"In the Latin America market, some spam messages use Portuguese language. Some clearly spam messages would be better identified by the anti-spam if not for the language."

"The support could be faster because we've been receiving complaints from customers, they say that when they raise a ticket, it doesn't take 24 hours to respond, sometimes the support responds after three days. This is a lot of time."

More Fortinet FortiMail cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The prices are slightly expensive."

"My company has to make yearly payments towards the licensing costs attached to the solution. There are no hidden charges apart from the licensing costs of the solution."

"The solution's pricing lacks transparency."

"The pricing is somewhere in the middle. I would rate the pricing a seven out of ten."

"The price tag is no longer $200,000, but rather $300,000 to $400,000. It's twice."

"Cloudflare Zero Trust Platform's pricing is good."

"The pricing of the solution is cheap. The licensing cost is also very low. I rate the cost and pricing a three out of ten."

"The solution is not that expensive."

"It is expensive compared to other vendors."

"The solution’s pricing is manageable."

"Cisco Secure Email Cloud Mailbox does not have any competition with Sophos, Trend Micro, or other vendors of the world. However, there is a pricing premium for the solution. One has to look at it from that angle that while they are buying Cisco, there will be a premium, and Cisco justifies that premium value. That's why they're charging a high price."

"The feedback from vendors and customer is that it is expensive."

"You need to pay additional fees for premium support."

"The licensing model for this solution is better because it is based on the box and not the number of users."

"There is a license required for this solution and it is on an annual basis. I am satisfied with the price."

"Pricing is straight-forward and renewable without complicated pricing structures."

"Fortinet FortiMail has an annual license agreement."

"Fortinet Fortimail has reasonable pricing."

"I have no information on pricing for the competition because right now, my company is working only with Fortinet, but I can say that in general, the price for Fortinet FortiMail was accepted by the customers easily. The POC is also important when a customer is buying a solution. The customer wants to see how the product runs, and as Fortinet FortiMail is a stable product that runs without big issues, it has a bigger chance of getting chosen by customers over its competitors, even if its price may be a little higher. Pricing for the solution is competitive. Sometimes it's less, sometimes it's a little bit higher, but it isn't far from what other solutions charge."

"9,000 Euro per annum for Fortinet Mail and sandbox."

More Fortinet FortiMail pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Email Security solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

905,601 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Construction Company

18%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Financial Services Firm

Outsourcing Company

Marketing Services Firm

12%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Construction Company

Financial Services Firm

Construction Company

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	10
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	12

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	7

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	32
Midsize Enterprise	23
Large Enterprise	15

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cloudflare Zero Trust Platform?

Pricing is competitive. Akamai is more expensive, in my view.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cloudflare Zero Trust Platform?

In my opinion, Cloudflare One can be improved mainly through compatibility, as the integration should be much simpler...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Cloudflare Zero Trust Platform?

Cloudflare One's primary use case for my organization is to protect servers and to provide remote access with the VPN...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Secure Email Threat Defense?

Comparatively with other products, the pricing of Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense is normal. As a technical guide, ...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Secure Email Threat Defense?

We have deployed Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense in two customer environments. It is still in development as a new ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Secure Email Threat Defense?

We are working with Cloud Mail Gateway and on-premise mail gateways. We have worked with Cisco Secure Email Threat De...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiMail?

The setup cost is a little bit costly.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiMail?

I think they should improve Fortinet FortiMail on-premises by enhancing its user interface. Additional features they ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Fortinet FortiMail?

I do have a partnership with Fortinet. I have been both a partner and reseller.

See all answers

Comparisons

Cato SASE Cloud Platform vs Cloudflare One

Compared 4% of the time

Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange Platform vs Cloudflare One

Compared 3% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs Cloudflare One

Compared 3% of the time

Twingate vs Cloudflare One

Compared 3% of the time

Fortinet FortiGate vs Cloudflare One

Compared 3% of the time

More Cloudflare One Competitors

Cisco Secure Email vs Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense

Compared 20% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense

Compared 15% of the time

Check Point Anti-Spam and Email Security Software Blade vs Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense

Compared 15% of the time

Kiteworks vs Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense

Compared 11% of the time

Check Point Email Security (formerly Harmony Email & Collaboration) vs Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense

Compared 2% of the time

More Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense Competitors

Cisco Secure Email vs Fortinet FortiMail

Compared 8% of the time

Proofpoint Email Protection vs Fortinet FortiMail

Compared 6% of the time

Mimecast Advanced Email Security vs Fortinet FortiMail

Compared 5% of the time

Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) vs Fortinet FortiMail

Compared 5% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs Fortinet FortiMail

Compared 5% of the time

More Fortinet FortiMail Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cloudflare One

July 2026

Download Cloudflare One product report

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense

July 2026

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense report

Download Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense product report

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiMail

July 2026

Download Fortinet FortiMail product report

Also Known As

Cloudflare Area 1 Email Security, Cloudflare Bot Management, Cloudflare Gateway, Cloudflare Zero Trust Platform, Cloudflare DDoS, Cloudflare SASE & SSE Platform

Cisco Secure Email Cloud Mailbox, Cisco CMD, Cisco Cloud Mailbox Defense

FortiMail

Overview

Cloudflare One is a comprehensive platform for security, performance, and connectivity. It provides features like rate limiting, DDoS protection, and application access, tailored to enhance user experience while securing internet access and accelerating communications.

Designed to integrate security measures with ease of use and scalability, Cloudflare One offers a secure web gateway and zero trust network access. These features ensure seamless setup and operation, making connectivity reliable and protected. Users appreciate its integrated console, intuitive interface, and the ability to manage risk effectively. It offers straightforward deployment, improves latency, and boasts cost-effectiveness. While its onboarding process and documentation need enhancement, its value in content delivery and application shielding is notable. Despite challenges in integrating Cloudflare Access with existing VPNs and the need for better automation and support, it remains vital for DNS and infrastructure protection.

What features make Cloudflare One stand out?

Rate Limiting: Controls the traffic rate to prevent abuse.
DDoS Protection: Shields applications from distributed denial-of-service attacks.
Secure Web Gateway: Provides secure internet access with seamless operation.
Zero Trust Network Access: Ensures secure, application-based connectivity without relying on traditional VPNs.
Access for Connectivity: Facilitates access to internal applications securely.

What benefits should users look for in reviews?

Security: Robust measures for DNS and browsing protection.
Performance: Enhanced site accessibility and communication speed.
Cost-Effectiveness: Offers competitive pricing for its features.
Ease of Deployment: Straightforward and efficient setup process.

In industries like finance, retail, and technology, Cloudflare One is crucial for enabling secure remote access and protecting web applications against dynamic threats. It supports compliance access policies and enhances content delivery, playing a key role in safeguarding digital infrastructure.

Cloudflare

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense offers robust email security with features like east-west traffic visibility and seamless SaaS deployment. It enhances cloud email protection by integrating Threat Grid sandboxing and AMP for malware defense, supported by Cisco Talos threat intelligence.

Enhancing email security for Microsoft 365 and cloud emails, Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense acts as an email gateway, blocking phishing, malware, and business email compromise. Users benefit from a centralized management console, efficient graymail administration, and strong filtering capabilities. Despite its strengths, it requires improvements in integration, spam detection accuracy, and enhances phishing protection.

What are the most important features of Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense?

East-West Traffic Visibility: Offers insight into email tenant interactions.
SaaS Application Deployment: Simplifies deployment processes.
Threat Grid Sandboxing: Provides advanced malware protection.
AMP Integration: Enhances malware defense capabilities.
Anti-Spam and Antivirus: Powered by Cisco Talos threat intelligence.
Cloud Mailbox Features: Includes robust email filtering and management.

What benefits or ROI should be evaluated in reviews?

Enhanced Security: Provides protection against advanced threats.
Operational Efficiency: Reduces reliance on help desk services.
User-Friendly Management: Streamlines email administration tasks.
Improved Email Filtering: Ensures effective threat blocking.

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense is highly applicable in industries requiring stringent data protection, such as finance and healthcare. It serves cloud-based environments by closely monitoring email activity to prevent unauthorized access and breaches. Tailored deployment options cater to both on-premise and cloud architectures, allowing flexible integration in existing workflows.

Cisco

Fortinet FortiMail is a robust email security platform offering anti-spam, antivirus, and anti-phishing capabilities. It integrates with Fortinet products to ensure seamless protection against email threats in on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments, enhancing secure communication for businesses.

Fortinet FortiMail is designed to protect against a range of email threats including spam, phishing, and malware, ensuring email safety for organizations. It operates as both a gateway and server, allowing for secure filtering of incoming and outgoing emails. The integration with Fortinet’s suite of security tools provides a comprehensive approach to managing threats effectively, while user-friendly interfaces and detailed reporting systems aid in threat monitoring and management. Frequent updates are implemented, though scalability and web console enhancements are necessary for improved performance.

What are the key features of Fortinet FortiMail?

Anti-Spam: Provides reliable filtering to block unwanted emails.
Antivirus: Ensures protection against harmful viruses.
Anti-Phishing: Prevents phishing attempts through advanced detection.
Sandboxing: Enhances threat detection to manage email security efficiently.
Integration: Seamlessly works with other Fortinet products for unified security.

What benefits should users expect from Fortinet FortiMail?

Comprehensive Security: Offers robust protection against multiple email threats.
Ease of Use: Features a user-friendly interface for better accessibility.
Detailed Reporting: Provides insights into threat management activities.
Reliable Performance: Delivers consistent updates for maintaining email protection.

Fortinet FortiMail is implemented by companies across industries seeking to secure their email communications. In healthcare, it protects sensitive patient information, while in finance, it safeguards transactional data against phishing attacks. Retailers utilize FortiMail to prevent data breaches from fraudulent emails, demonstrating its versatility in diverse sectors.

Fortinet

Sample Customers

23andMe

Luiss University, Lone Star College, T-Systems, Magyar Telekom

Magromer Cueros y Pieles S.A.

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense vs. Fortinet FortiMail

June 2026

Free Report: Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense vs. Fortinet FortiMail

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense vs. Fortinet FortiMail and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.

DOWNLOAD NOW

905,601 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense vs. Fortinet FortiMail report.

See our list of best Email Security vendors.

We monitor all Email Security reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.