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

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center vs Ubiquiti UniFi Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

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

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
15th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
24
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Ubiquiti UniFi Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
4th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
54
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is 1.7%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Ubiquiti UniFi Switches is 6.4%, down from 7.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Rias Majeed - PeerSpot reviewer
Enables easy management of traffic and enhances security
FortiSwitch Data Center allows for centralized management of both Fortinet switches and firewalls from a single interface. This integration makes network management streamlined and secure. Additionally, the controllers are built into the firewall, which enables easy management of traffic and enhances security. Unlike some solutions, a Fortinet firewall is not just a firewall; it also acts as a full-fledged router.
John Balogh - PeerSpot reviewer
Centrally managed solution makes it easy to build one configuration and apply it to new devices
We have one or two UniFi switches, but they don't really compete with the Ciscos. It's a nice environment as far as keeping track of things and being able to manage ports, turn off rogue users, and stuff like that. The access points have been pretty convenient compared to Meraki, Lucent, Cisco, or any of the other bigger vendors that I used to deal with for other consulting projects. Ubiquiti is one step above the consumer level. They cost a little bit more, but they just seem to be drop-dead reliable, and they're keeping up with the latest standards. Their latest versions of access points are all Wi-Fi 6, and they don't take very much power when there aren't a lot of users. It's really easy to build one configuration and just apply it to new devices. It's a check mark box: Do I want this to be the staff VLAN, or the public VLAN, or the Voice over IP VLAN, or the security VLAN, or the house wiring VLAN, or the building logistics VLAN? You just check things off and then you make groups, so if you click on it, it applies all the appropriate things automatically. It makes it very easy. This solution is good for the prosumer, small office, medium office, under 500 people range, but probably over 50 people and maybe distributed around five or 10 sites. That's a pretty good sweet spot as far as the price for the equipment and the configurability, and it's just drop-dead reliable. It's been boring, which is what I love because I don't get any calls in the middle of the night that something isn't working.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I have found the solution to be scalable."
"The single pane of glass that helps us manage everything through FortiManager is the most important feature."
"FortiSwitch Data Center allows for centralized management of both Fortinet switches and firewalls from a single interface."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center's scalability is good."
"An affordable and stable solution for small-medium companies."
"It is very stable."
"When configuring FortiSwitch with a FortiGate firewall, I can consider all FortiSwitch's ports as a part of the FortiGate firewall."
"It integrates well."
"Ubiquiti UniFi Switches is a stable solution."
"I would gladly recommend Ubiquiti UniFi Switches."
"The product’s most valuable features are stability and scalability."
"The best feature of Ubiquiti is the intuitive interface for managing day-to-day work."
"It is very easy to deploy. The deployment time for a single device is a near instant."
"The customers who buy the access points use the standard Ubiquiti management systems because they're freeware tools. We usually get all the requests and materials from the customer, who knows exactly what he wants."
"It's very easy to deploy – much easier than MikroTik. It's very seamless and well-designed."
"I like the control one has with this solution."
 

Cons

"The product must improve the latency in the management center."
"Fortinet could have the ability to authenticate users like Aruba offers because managing ten or twelve SSIDs for different clients is complicated."
"The stability of the solution is impacted when integrating parts from different vendors such as Cisco, which can lead to performance problems and disconnections."
"The FortiSwitch product was initially quite complex."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center needs to improve its UI and stability."
"Enhancing security on the firewall and the switches, as well as focusing on price segment issues, would make it a better solution for the future."
"Managing the VLANs is an area where the solution lacks and needs to improve."
"There could be more porting software options for easy deployment in the product."
"There is currently an issue with supply of switches which needs to be sorted out."
"The price could be lower."
"We've had issues with the power supply. I've had to change the power supply twice. I'm not sure what the issue is. We're still trying to work out why we're having problems with the switches and the cutting of the power supply. The solution should look into this to see if there is something wrong with the product."
"It's difficult to manage the WiFi on the edge switches in the same console."
"Ubiquiti UniFi Switches’s pricing could be less expensive."
"It would be beneficial for us if Ubiquiti had a team of advanced data transportation specialists that we could get feedback from. We are not experts in data transportation, so having this sort of resource would be helpful for us."
"It would be helpful to have better visibility into exactly what is going on in the network."
"I would like to see improvements in their PBX-related features. The current setup is closed and does not allow for integration with non-Ubiquiti VoIP devices or providers outside their ecosystem."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Cost-wise, Fortinet solutions are cheaper than those offered by Cisco."
"The solution is not expensive."
"The tool's pricing is lower than Cisco's."
"We pay a yearly licensing fee for the solution, which is expensive."
"The product has a mid-range price."
"The product is less expensive than one of its competitors."
"The solution's pricing is a little high. The solution deserves the current price it receives from its users."
"It is reasonably priced."
"Ubiquiti switches are quite affordable and you don't have to pay extra for support."
"The price could be improved."
"The price should be improved."
"Ubiquiti UniFi Switches is one of the most cost-effective solutions in the market"
"Everything was bought in a one-time buy as a capital investment, so there isn't any licensing."
"I rate the tool's pricing a five out of ten."
"The solution only offers one-year warranties but should offer three-year or limited-loss warranties."
"Apart from the basic licensing costs, there are no additional charges attached to the product."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Ethernet Switches solutions are best for your needs.
847,862 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
19%
Government
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Retailer
6%
Computer Software Company
11%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Educational Organization
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center?
The Fortinet switches come with no additional cost as they are open source, with only hardware warranties applicable.
What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center?
There is room for improvement in customer support and device speed. Sometimes, customer support does not provide prompt assistance, leaving projects hanging. Additionally, improving the speed of th...
Which switches are better - Ubiquiti Unifi or Netgear?
Ubiquiti Unifi offers a great set of features. For starters, it is easy to configure and implement, and also doesn’t require a learning curve because it is easy to use. It is also simple to reconfi...
Which are better - Ubiquiti UniFi switches or MikroTik routers and switches?
Ubiquiti Unifi is a great solution. For starters, it is easy to configure and implement, and doesn’t require a learning curve because it is easy to use. It is also simple to reconfigure an AP or ga...
What do you like most about Ubiquiti UniFi Switches?
We have integrated the tool for PoE switches and non-PoE switches. Its most valuable feature is SD-WAN. UniFi SD-WAN can access all statistics and performance data in one interface, enabling us to...
 

Also Known As

No data available
UniFi Switches
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Staypineapple
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center vs. Ubiquiti UniFi Switches and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
847,862 professionals have used our research since 2012.