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reviewer1389021 - PeerSpot reviewer
Workplace Support Services at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Easy to set up, fast to connect, and the technical support is good
Pros and Cons
  • "Compared to other similar solutions, it is faster in connecting."
  • "When we change our endpoint, we have to connect again, which means having to enter our credentials and permissions."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use case of this solution is to connect internal applications, as an internal data center.

What is most valuable?

Compared to other similar solutions, it is faster in connecting.

What needs improvement?

When we change our endpoint, we have to connect again, which means having to enter our credentials and permissions. Also, we are facing some connectivity issues after changing our mode of connection to a public base. It's slow in reconnecting.

I would like to see changes to the speed in the end-user connectivity improved in the next release of FortiClient.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for six months.

Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiClient
April 2025
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiClient. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2025.
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How are customer service and support?

I have contacted technical support and find they are helpful and have a quick response time.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is not as complex as other solutions.

You can deploy it easily, and you always have the technical support available should you need it.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing is reasonable.

What other advice do I have?

In terms of a traditional VPN, I can recommend this product.

I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Private Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer2144703 - PeerSpot reviewer
Principal Software Engineer at Infopulse
User
Unstable, with lots of false positives and poor filtering
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is easy to configure and manage."
  • "It has a horrible performance. It is one of the most unstable VPNs I have ever used."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use of Fortinet FortiClient is to protect endpoint devices against various types of cyber threats, such as viruses, trojans, spyware, and phishing attacks. It also helps to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data and networks and can be used to control access to specific applications and websites.

In addition to endpoint protection, FortiClient can also be used to create secure VPN connections to enable remote access to company resources like Jira, code repositories, corporate Wiki, etc. 

How has it helped my organization?

It has a horrible performance. It is one of the most unstable VPNs I have ever used. 

Since the project was pushed to use, many employees complained about its instability. 

Sure, it has some advanced features, and it is not fair to evaluate it as a VPN only. Unfortunately, the company policies bring most of the resources through protection, and without the VPN, you will be simply blocked. 

Therefore, we are paying so much attention to it. With a slow or unstable internet connection, Fortinet becomes a nightmare. I personally numerous times printed tasks from Jira to PDF for other employees due to VPN issues.

What is most valuable?

The solution is easy to configure and manage.

It is designed to bring additional safety to the machine (it is hard to uninstall by an ordinal user, and it has an in-built web filter). However, implementation is far behind industry standards. 

For instance, the Web filter is a component that provides protection against web-based threats by blocking access to malicious or inappropriate websites. It might bring additional safety. However, in the real world, it constantly produces:

  1. False Positives, which can result in legitimate websites being blocked. This can be frustrating for end-users and potentially impact their productivity.
  2. FortiClient's Web filter may also over-block certain websites, even if they are not malicious or inappropriate. This could result in users being unable to access legitimate websites that are important for their work, causing delays or disruptions.

What needs improvement?

The solution needs network stability, especially when the internet connection is not stable. 

Forticlient should provide proper polling functionality to try to keep the session alive by all possible means. We have seen certain improvements over the past year. However, it is simply not enough to be treated as a good yet even acceptable tool to use. It is currently producing more issues than adds value.

The web filter quite often blocks random sites, including online dictionaries, governmental sites, etc. Review of the wrong block reports simply doesn't work. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for around a year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is not stable enough.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution offers a weak performance.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

After the merger, our project was forced to use Forticlient.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I know nothing about pricing.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We had no options to choose from.

What other advice do I have?

If your employees might have a weak internet connection (for instance, mobile) think twice before choosing this configuration. If you decide to have FortiClient, never use the WebFilter component. Even Microsoft analog works better (if you really need it).

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiClient
April 2025
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiClient. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2025.
849,190 professionals have used our research since 2012.
reviewer1459728 - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Manager/systems engineer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Good integration with Fortigate but needs the USB key blocking function
Pros and Cons
  • "It is not at all interesting for me as a standalone product, but as a product that is integrated with FortiGate with all features, it is actually a great tool and a great experience. I had test installed FortiClient working from home. I remembered and knew which web categories were denied or allowed. All those policies were correctly reflected standalone, for example, on my laptop."
  • "For buying or deploying it with additional features, apart from VPN client, web security, or antivirus, I would like to see the USB key blocking function included in this solution for endpoint security. For endpoint security, you need antivirus and all of the features included in antivirus software these days, web security, and USB key locking feature. If it is implemented in a way that in one package, you have all the primary features needed for security these days, it would be nice. All of those features will probably be additionally charged as it is a web security feature on FortiClient."

What is our primary use case?

Initially, we needed a VPN client, but afterward, we needed some other functionalities included in FortiClient. The primary use is that users have to connect it to the VPN, and the secondary use is for web security.

We are using the latest version, which has become free to use recently. FortiClient released a version that includes web security and antivirus. 

What is most valuable?

It is not at all interesting for me as a standalone product, but as a product that is integrated with FortiGate with all features, it is actually a great tool and a great experience. I had test installed FortiClient working from home. I remembered and knew which web categories were denied or allowed. All those policies were correctly reflected standalone, for example, on my laptop. 

What needs improvement?

For buying or deploying it with additional features, apart from VPN client, web security, or antivirus, I would like to see the USB key blocking function included in this solution for endpoint security. For endpoint security, you need antivirus and all of the features included in antivirus software these days, web security, and USB key locking feature. If it is implemented in a way that in one package, you have all the primary features needed for security these days, it would be nice. All of those features will probably be additionally charged as it is a web security feature on FortiClient.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiClient for two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Sometimes, users cannot connect to the VPN, but this is very rare. When that happens, users just need to restart the computer or shut down FortiClient. In the last two years, out of a hundred users, two or three users reported this case. Afterward, nobody reported this. They know how to solve the issue.

How are customer service and technical support?

They are actually very good. I have contacted their global support prior to buying FortiGate because I had some questions. Afterward, we contacted the local support for the solutions asking how to do this, how to do that, and is it possible with FortiGate. That's all.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have been working with this company for two and a half years. When I joined as an IT manager, we weren't using FortiGate at all. They had ISA Server 2006, and I was looking for a replacement because ISA was not my cup of tea. It was old to handle the number of requests that we had. We had an increase in the number of users, and ISA couldn't handle the load. FortiGate was a logical replacement.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Generally, Fortinet is not cheap. The features that are available for free are only for FortiClient VPN clients, not other solutions. It includes web security, antivirus, and one more feature. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did some comparisons and decided to use Fortinet. One of the most important things was Gartner's recommendation related to Fortinet, which was actually very high in 2019. It also had a good position in the market in terms of the number of users using this solution and the user experience.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution, but it depends on the expectations of the users. There are so many solutions like Sophos and Palo Alto. We are looking for an extended solution to prevent unwanted problems with viruses on the internet. We would like to implement extended web security for other users, but we have a limited budget. We would like to implement FortiClient or Trend Micro USB key locket. We are expecting to get the price for Fortinet as well as Trend Micro endpoint security for about a hundred users.

I would rate Fortinet FortiClient a seven out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Manager at Inspira Enterprise
Real User
Easy to install with useful security features
Pros and Cons
  • "FortiClient's most valuable features are that it's easy to install and connect and has OTP on email IDs and two-factor authentication."
  • "FortiClient's encryption key could be stronger so that it's not broken too easily."

What is our primary use case?

I mainly use FortiClient to connect my laptop to my data centers.

What is most valuable?

FortiClient's most valuable features are that it's easy to install and connect and has OTP on email IDs and two-factor authentication. 

What needs improvement?

FortiClient's encryption key could be stronger so that it's not broken too easily.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using FortiClient for about three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

FortiClient is stable.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was easy.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate FortiClient nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Benny Sumitro - PeerSpot reviewer
GM Technical Management at PT. DATACOMM DIANGRAHA
Real User
Connects the data VPN from the remote office to the headquarters
Pros and Cons
  • "It works well and the performance is good."
  • "The solution could be more secure. I would like to see more safety features."

What is our primary use case?

We use this to connect the data VPN from the remote office to the headquarters.

This solution is deployed on-prem.

We have 20-30 users, and we plan on increasing usage.

What is most valuable?

It works well and the performance is good.

What needs improvement?

The solution could be more secure. I would like to see more safety features. They could integrate access scanning from the VPN account. We have servers integrated with our firewall. When we changed the firewall, we needed to change the VPN.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for a year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It's scalable.

How was the initial setup?

Installation is standard. You can do the installation in-house. Deployment takes about five minutes.

You need a technical team of two or three engineers for installation.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate this solution 8 out of 10.

I would recommend this solution for people who want to start using it.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Ahmet Coruk - PeerSpot reviewer
Co-founder at Korunet
Real User
Straightforward installation, scalable, and reliable
Pros and Cons
  • "Fortinet FortiClient can be used with FortiManager to observe all actions that are happening."
  • "The solution could improve by providing analytics or detailed reports."

What is our primary use case?

We are mainly using Fortinet FortiClient as a VPN solution and secure access in a single, modular lightweight clien.

How has it helped my organization?

The use of IoT devices is growing and it is important to manage data assets. We have to follow rules and standards from our organization that FortiClient has been helped with, it is an important tool on the end-users systems.

What is most valuable?

Fortinet FortiClient can be used with Report to the Security Fabric on the status of a device, including applications running and firmware version. It also send suspicious activities to Our Fortinet Security Fabric 

What needs improvement?

The solution could improve by providing analytics or more detailed reports.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiClient for approximately five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiClient is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable.

We have five endpoints that are using the solution.

How was the initial setup?

Fortinet FortiClient is easy to install for end users.

What about the implementation team?

We only needed one engineer that does the implementation and maintenance of the solution.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

FortiClient in standalone mode does not require a license. If there is no EMS license or FortiGate FortiClient Telemetry license, no Fortinet support is provided. A license is required to access Fortinet support.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I have evaluated other solutions, such as ZTNA Zero-Trust Network Access.

What other advice do I have?

I rate Fortinet FortiClient a ten out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Systems Engineer at Vernity
Real User
Free VPN connection included, stable, and easy to implement
Pros and Cons
  • "The VPN connection is the feature that I like the most."

    What is our primary use case?

    I am an IT integrator with my company.

    This solution is used both in our company and with our clients.

    What is most valuable?

    The VPN connection is the feature that I like the most.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been working with Fortinet FortiClient for one year.

    We use many versions but we use version 6.0 the most.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    It's a stable solution. I have not had any issues with stability.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    This is an area that I do not have a lot of experience with based on our clients it has not been a requirement.

    We have 30 people in our company who are using this solution.

    Our client's companies are small.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    I have not contacted technical support. Everything as been working efficiently.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    Previously, we worked with OpenVPN and Palo Alto.

    We switched to Fortinet FortiClient because of the advantage that the free VPN connection device. It has helped us with implementation. It adds value to the solution.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup was straightforward. It was easy to implement.

    I completed the installation and deployment myself. It took approximately 15 minutes.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    Pricing is an area that I would like to see improved, as it could be lower.

    They offer bundles for one year, two years, or five years. The one year bundle works for me.

    What other advice do I have?

    I would recommend that you have good preparation, and look into Fortinet Cookbook. You will have much more.

    I would rate Fortinet FortiClient a ten out of ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: partner
    PeerSpot user
    Network Security Manager at Onix-it solutions
    Real User
    Easy to set up and has good technical support
    Pros and Cons
    • "The initial setup of this solution is easy."
    • "FortiClient is not communicating with the new version of the firewall."

    What is our primary use case?

    We use this solution with our firewall.

    We have a hybrid-cloud deployment.

    What needs improvement?

    FortiClient is not communicating with the new version of the firewall.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using this solution for one year.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    This is a stable solution, although I get disconnected sometimes.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    This solution is scalable.

    We have approximately three hundred users.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    I am satisfied with the technical support for this solution.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup of this solution is easy.

    What about the implementation team?

    I took care of the deployment myself.

    What other advice do I have?

    This is a solution that I recommend.

    While there are some issues that need to be fixed, they are minor.

    I would rate this solution a ten out of ten.

    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Fortinet FortiClient Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
    Updated: April 2025
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Fortinet FortiClient Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.