We use Fortinet FortiGate to prevent intruder connections to our internal network.
Head of IT at a educational organization with 51-200 employees
Is easy to integrate and configure with our ERP and other applications
Pros and Cons
- "The signature database and zero-day detection are Fortinet FortiGate's most valuable features."
- "Currently, without the additional reporting module, we only have access to basic reporting."
What is our primary use case?
How has it helped my organization?
Fortinet FortiGate's unified view around network operations and security operations is good.
The solution is easy to integrate and configure with our ERP and other applications. I am satisfied with the integrated application protection provided by Fortinet FortiGate.
The Fortinet FortiGate 60E Series resolved the bottleneck problem and CPU usage that was previously experienced with the 60D Series. Now, our employees can check their emails without encountering any bottleneck issues, and the CPU usage remains stable at around 50 percent.
We are satisfied with the ability to remediate threats more quickly.
We are pleased with the amount of time saved in detecting our mean time.
What is most valuable?
The signature database and zero-day detection are Fortinet FortiGate's most valuable features.
What needs improvement?
The Fortinet FortiGate 60D Series poses a problem by causing a bottleneck when several users access their emails simultaneously, as the device consistently consumes 90 percent of the CPU resources.
The reporting could be improved. Currently, without the additional reporting module, we only have access to basic reporting. However, reporting is crucial for network security, and it should be included as a standard feature.
The price and technical support have room for improvement.
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate
February 2025

Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: February 2025.
838,713 professionals have used our research since 2012.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Fortinet FortiGate for three years.
How are customer service and support?
The local vendor support needs improvement.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previously, I have utilized few other brands of NG Firewalls, which offer certain advantages. However, when comparing their price and performance to that of Fortinet FortiGate, Fortinet proves to be a strong competitor.
How was the initial setup?
The time required for a basic deployment is roughly three weeks, whereas a full deployment involving customizations and optimization of rules and policies may take up to two and a half months.
What was our ROI?
We experienced a return on our investment, however, when it comes to security, it is challenging to determine a precise value.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price is high compared to some of the other solutions.
What other advice do I have?
I give Fortinet FortiGate an eight out of ten.
We saw time to value within the first month of using Fortinet FortiGate.
We deployed Fortinet FortiGate in one location and the maintenance was mostly handled by internally and sometimes a third party.
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.

EVP, Product Line Management & Growth at Kropmann Communications Ltd
Increases operation efficiency, offers integrated application protection, and has excellent support
Pros and Cons
- "The security fabric is excellent."
- "I haven't had a single issue since using Fortinet."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for security. I've deployed it for some customers for protection. It is used for firewalls. I have experience with the secure SD-WAN version.
How has it helped my organization?
Our customers are happy, and when they are happy, it means they are happy with us. It helps our organization. Many customers are migrating to this solution as it increases efficiency.
What is most valuable?
The security fabric is excellent. It's great on Fortinet, generally.
It is easy to deploy.
Our impression of a unified view of NetOps and SecOps is positive. It has a single pane of glass. It's excellent and very effective. We've been quite impressed with the visibility on the devices. We've been happy with it.
The integrated application protection provided by the solution is good. It's worth the investment. However, it does depend on how you apply it. It can help save on costs, depending on the setup. If you have it in a bank environment, each individual bank would have its own devices, and you can optimize everything. You can have some of the connections go direct from one customer to another. You can save a lot of money with a specific setup.
It's helped out operational efficiency. It helps us waste less time. A typical scenario helps us save time. Having a good connection at the head office allows other offices to maintain a good connection as well. It also has normal security features and more to help keep us safe while staying connected.
We can remediate threats more quickly. We have a single pane of glass that helps simplify the protection and visibility. We can monitor other components, even Macs or data centers. We can address items automatically, no matter where they are located. Visibility really helps.
It is helped us to reduce the mean time to detect. It can reduce the time to locate and detect effectively. It is remarkably shorter when using Fortinet. It's also reduced the time it takes to resolve problems.
The solution has helped us reduce Help Desk tickets.
We have been able to future-proof businesses with branches. We don't have branches in our office. However, we have seen benefits ourselves in terms such as load balancing, et cetera. A fiber connection helps ensure backups are seamless. We can run a backup at less cost, and knowing that we have a backup help with peace of mind. Accessing a secure network ensures this.
What needs improvement?
I haven't had a single issue since using Fortinet.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution since 2018.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable product.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is always top-notch. I always get good support.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was pretty easy. It was not difficult.
Everything I did was in one day. If I have to do some fine-tuning, that takes a little bit longer. Typically, one day is enough to deploy.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is moderate. You get good value for money. Of course, any solution could be less expensive. For a company like ours, we'd always like to pay less.
What other advice do I have?
We are partners with Fortinet. We also use the solution ourselves.
Assessing the secure SD-WAN with its interoperability with other systems is hard to say. I've not deployed it with other OEMS as of yet. We haven't consolidated any tools or applications as of yet.
I'd rate the solution nine out of ten overall.
I'd recommend the solution to others.
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: customer/partner
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate
February 2025

Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: February 2025.
838,713 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Deputy Technical Director at Space Hellas S.A.
Useful URL filtering, scalable, and quick installation
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature of Fortinet FortiGate is URL filtering."
- "Fortinet FortiGate could improve the user interface. There should be more functionality and options through the GUI."
What is our primary use case?
I am using Fortinet FortiGate as a firewall appliance.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of Fortinet FortiGate is URL filtering.
What needs improvement?
Fortinet FortiGate could improve the user interface. There should be more functionality and options through the GUI.
For how long have I used the solution?
I used Fortinet FortiGate within the last 12 months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Fortinet FortiGate is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I have found Fortinet FortiGate to be scalable. We have not had any problems.
We have approximately 150 people using Fortinet FortiGate in my organization. Everyone is using it.
How are customer service and support?
I rate the technical support from Fortinet FortiGate a three out of five.
There is room for improvement.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have used many other solutions, such as Check Point and Cisco Firepower. I have found Fortinet FortiGate is much easier to configure. However, some others solutions have more functionality, such as Check Point and Cisco Firepower.
How was the initial setup?
I rate the initial setup of Fortinet FortiGate a four out of five.
If we properly designed the installation beforehand, the installation would take us 10 to 15 minutes.
What about the implementation team?
We did the implementation in-house.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We are on an annual license to use Fortinet FortiGate.
I rate the price of Fortinet FortiGate a four out of five.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate Fortinet FortiGate an eight 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
President at Sovereign Managed Services
Very complete with good capabilities and very good stability
Pros and Cons
- "The main reason why I purchased the particular unit was that it had good reviews and what other people were saying as far as its completeness and its leading capabilities in terms of endpoint security was very good."
- "To some degree, it's almost a question as to why some of this stuff isn't simpler. For example, for an AP deployment, while it's integrated, the number of steps that you have to go through in order to get the AP up, seems like a lot."
What is our primary use case?
The purpose of this solution is to provide intrusion protection and more robust endpoint security for small offices. We are providing an enterprise solution for a small business by adding endpoint protection coupled with Intrusion Detection and Protection. For small offices needing HIPAA compliance, we need to make sure we are providing robust protection instead of the default modem gateway provided by the ISP.
How has it helped my organization?
The Fortinet product provides enterprise capabilities in a small footprint at a price point that is more attainable for a small business. The product meets the IPS/IDS/Endpoint protection that small organizations need for their HIPAA and PCI compliance. While the end user may not understand the true capabilities, the managed service provider can more easily deploy and maintain this small footprint product.
What is most valuable?
The main reason why I purchased the particular unit was based on other reviews and leadership in this space. Being able to have a VPN solution as well as integrated access points is a plus. For me, it's all about simplicity. When you look at my particular model for a managed service provider, it's basically to help simplify, protect, and remain compliant. When you're trying to implement something, it's about making sure it is simplified. This seems to fit the bill.
What needs improvement?
The product has enterprise capabilities, which means there are a ton of configurations possible. What I'd like to see in the product is more of a branch in the box wizard deployment for those that are not as well versed in firewall and routing. For a small business, the firewall should be able to self-configure for a Unified Threat Management configuration with 2 SSIDs for protected wireless network for internal gear and a guest wireless network for employee cell phones and guests. I'd like to open the box, plug in the router behind the cable modem, and check a few boxes, and the rest is done automatically. I don't want to have to build a configure VLANs, SSIDs, security protocols for each port, and try to figure out and understand all the layers in an effort to deploy a solution. It's great to have those capabilities in case you need them, but for most of the offices I am trying to deploy these into--it should be a branch in a box.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've only been using the solution for a few weeks. It's very new for us.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Stability has been fine. I've had no questions about the stability of it. It seems so far it is staying up. I haven't had any issues to speak of.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I haven't really pushed this product from a scalability perspective. Certainly, if you look at the performance metrics, the F series appears to have really expanded the capacity and capabilities beyond past models. If you look at 40E versus 40F, there's a fairly substantial difference. For a small office, it's going to be just fine.
How are customer service and technical support?
I haven't reached out to technical support and therefore can't speak to their level of responsiveness.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
N/A
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is complex for me due to my lack of experience with the Fortinet FortiGate product. The complexity can be a good thing, however, as there's a lot of really good features associated with it. Where it could be simplified is in having that easy deployment option, and then you can start going down and trying to get into the nitty-gritty and figure out when do you need the extra features.
Right now, I'm just in a test environment getting all the firmware up and tested. Then, once I have it tested, I'll take it to the client location and yank out their WiFi mechanism, their WiFi router, and put this in.
What about the implementation team?
I'm currently handling the implementation for a client.
What was our ROI?
ROI is somewhat difficult to measure when you are mostly talking about deploying a product for endpoint security. If your environment stays protected, then it was a good return on investment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
When you look at these endpoint security systems and firewalls, these products a few years were way too expensive for a small business. Now we have enterprise level security in a footprint that is less than $1,000. For offices that have 10-25 computers needing protection, this is a better solution.
What other advice do I have?
The good news is that Fortinet does have a good support network as well as their education academy to help someone get up to speed on their product.
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.
Director, Information Systems at Ohio Art Co
Outstanding HA Failover capabilities and strong integrated protection with the security fabric
Pros and Cons
- "This solution has helped our organization by having strong functions and a reliable firewall."
What is our primary use case?
This solution is configured as our primary gateway to the internet in and out of the network.
How has it helped my organization?
Fortinet delivers high-performance network security solutions that
protects our network, users, and data from continually evolving threats.
What is most valuable?
The features I found most valuable are the high availability rollover/fail-over capabilities. The integration with other Fortinet products is worth a look at the lineup.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for about two years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I would say that the scalability possibilities of this solution are first-rate.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
In the past, we have used Cisco and WatchGuard Firewalls.
How was the initial setup?
Our model of deployment is on-premises. I would say the initial setup process was complex. Integrating the security fabric with multiple firewalls, FortiClient, and FortiMail was slightly more complex than originally anticipated. The results are great.
What about the implementation team?
Our implementation strategy was to hire vendors with expertise.
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.
Chief Engineer at Hilton Worldwide
A next-generation firewall solution with a useful FortiManager feature
Pros and Cons
- "Whenever I need something, Fortinet improves and updates the software for me."
What is our primary use case?
We use Fortinet FortiGate for VPN. We connect the branches together for the HQ. That's why we are using the VPN, and we publish some of the websites in the HQ, and the users can access that website from outside with the two-factor authenticator and a token key. We are using FortiGate to control the connection between the branches. But, for the software, we are using this to collect the data to extract reports.
What is most valuable?
I like FortiManager.
What needs improvement?
Improvements depend on your specific needs. Currently, it meets my requirements. Whenever I need something, Fortinet improves and updates the software for me.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Fortinet FortiGate for about ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Fortinet FortiGate is a stable solution.
On a scale from one to five, I would give its stability a five.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Fortinet FortiGate is scalable. If you are familiar with it, you can work from anywhere and do whatever you want. It is very easy to scale. We have about 500 users in our organization. It is not only engineering and not IT because we publish many websites from HQ to other branches. End-users use the Fortinet username and password to log in with two-factor authentication and the token.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is good.
On a scale from one to five, I would give technical support a five.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was very easy. We had two third-party members and four of my team members implement this solution. It took us five to six days to install and deploy both the software and hardware. For the software alone, it took us about two days to implement. You need two people to manage and maintain this solution.
What about the implementation team?
We had a third-party company help us with this implementation. They came and did the first setup, and after that, I followed the technical support from Fortinet.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Licensing costs are acceptable. I think it's cheaper than Cisco. We pay for the license on a yearly basis.
What other advice do I have?
On a scale from one to ten, I would give Fortinet FortiGate a ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Sr. Network Engineer at a pharma/biotech company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Great VPN feature with IPS providing excellent stability
Pros and Cons
- "The VPN is the most valuable feature."
- "Fortinet doesn't provide multiple virtual firewalls which would facilitate end users and customers."
What is our primary use case?
We have created a virtual cloud on-prem, providing services to our different IT domains in terms of software, database and ERP. We've also created a virtual firewall handling the security and protecting servers in the network. No unwanted or unauthorized user can access the servers. That's a good sign of security and the handling of the network. It provides us with oversight. I'm a senior network engineer and we are customers of Fortinet.
What is most valuable?
With the Covid pandemic, the VPN has become the most valuable feature. With the majority of traffic connecting from remote locations, the VPN provides stability and reliability. The antivirus and its IPS, intrusion prevention system, also helps with stability.
What needs improvement?
In our environment, we need multiple virtual firewalls to facilitate end users and customers. Fortinet doesn't provide that but they really should include that feature.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Overall stability of the solution is good. I am totally dependent on this device. Basically, it's deployed on the edge of our network. All the software and HR, admin, every department is behind this network. And every user connects their internet services via the VPN.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability of this solution is good, we can add devices whenever we like.
How are customer service and technical support?
Whenever there's an issue and we contact support, the response is positive. The support is impressive.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used Cisco ASA but that model didn't support the latest technology, and was also very expensive. The main issue that caused us to switch solutions was the throughput of the interface. Cisco was providing us with one gig interface. Because of our gradually increasing bandwidth and network requirements, we had to move to more bandwidth and a 10 gig interface, which Fortinet provides. Although Cisco provides the same on a different model, that model was very expensive. That's why we chose to switch to Fortinet Firewall.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is simple. It's only complex if the design hasn't been sorted or tested. If we're deploying, we study the network, traffic patterns, and traffic path, which is, I think, the most important thing about deploying any network device. We can easily create or delete, modify or customize and optimize the feature, the network, the routing, the policy, and the different features of this device. Most of the time we carry out the implementation ourselves, deploying in different phases; firstly connecting the network, and then partially shifting the traffic phase by phase. When we removed ASA and shifted all the traffic to Fortinet, the overall performance and overall working was very impressive. Downtime probably came to a total of 15 to 20 hours. We have multiple groups using this product - I would estimate somewhere between 12,000 to 13,000 users and the solution is used continuously.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I think the licensing of Fortinet is in the middle range. We also had a demonstration from the vendor that gave us the confidence to work with these devices. We purchased the solution on a bundle basis which the vendor offered us. There are additional costs if we enable a new feature not included in the bundle.
What other advice do I have?
I think Fortinet is a cheaper, stable, scalable, and reliable device.
From my experience, I would rate this solution a nine out of 10.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
CEO at Acme Technologies
Good application control, web filtering, and anti-spam features, affordable price, and good support
Pros and Cons
- "Customers are more inclined towards FortiGate because of application control, web filtering, and anti-spam features. The support from the FortiGate team is good, and price-wise, it is affordable."
- "They are doing good, but they can improve the distributor assignment. The availability of the product and the timeline of delivery are the main things. The distribution should be swift, and the distributor should not reach out to end customers directly. They should work as a distributor. There should also be one more local distributor. Currently, there is only one distributor in Pakistan, and the rest of them are in UAE. It is difficult to work with only one distributor. Sometimes, you don't get along with the same distributor, and that's why they should have one more distributor. Their licensing should also be improved. The activation or renewal of the product should be done from the date of renewal, not from the date on which the license expired."
What is our primary use case?
We are selling FortiGate 60E and 200E. I mostly look after imports and finance, and my sales team and my corporate manager look after the business. Currently, we are buying renewals for our customers from a local distributor.
What is most valuable?
Customers are more inclined towards FortiGate because of application control, web filtering, and anti-spam features. The support from the FortiGate team is good, and price-wise, it is affordable.
What needs improvement?
They are doing good, but they can improve the distributor assignment. The availability of the product and the timeline of delivery are the main things. The distribution should be swift, and the distributor should not reach out to end customers directly. They should work as a distributor. There should also be one more local distributor. Currently, there is only one distributor in Pakistan, and the rest of them are in UAE. It is difficult to work with only one distributor. Sometimes, you don't get along with the same distributor, and that's why they should have one more distributor.
Their licensing should also be improved. The activation or renewal of the product should be done from the date of renewal, not from the date on which the license expired.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for almost two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is 100% stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable. We have more than a thousand users.
How are customer service and technical support?
The support from the FortiGate team is good. My engineers never complained that they are facing any problem with Fortinet in terms of support.
How was the initial setup?
It is very easy to install. It is way easier than Cisco.
The deployment duration varies from customer to customer. It depends on what features they want to utilize, what is their scenario for IP addressing, and what security level they want to implement. It also depends on the policy and the planning of the technical teams. My engineers and the customer's engineers sit together, and they plan the activity and take care of everything. After that, they decide what to implement and how long it will take. Sometimes there are physical, logical, or IP addressing problems, so it all depends on the customer and our implementation planning. I have three guys for deployment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Its price is affordable and lesser than Cisco. Cisco is expensive.
In terms of licensing, there is only one issue. If a customer's license has expired a month ago and they do the renewal after one month, Fortinet renews the license from the start of the previous month. The activation of the product is done from the previous month, not from the date of renewal. The customers usually shout and complain that because they are paying today, the renewal should start from today. The support contract renewals or licensing should be renewed from the date of renewal, but Fortinet starts from the day it had expired. It is a loss for customers. They might have had some problems because of which they did not take the license one month before. Fortinet should work on this. Cisco doesn't do this. Cisco always starts from the day they apply for the license.
What other advice do I have?
We plan to keep selling this solution. Fortinet has launched new partnership levels. They have removed the silver partnership. We were a silver partner previously, and we have now become a premier partner or something like that. So, we have to improve our partnership on new levels.
I would definitely recommend this solution. We always support customers and recommend buying Fortinet. It is a better, more stable, and relatively cheaper product than Cisco. We supply Cisco only when a customer forces us to go for Cisco.
I would rate Fortinet FortiGate a nine 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: Reseller

Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiGate Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Updated: February 2025
Popular Comparisons
Netgate pfSense
OPNsense
Cisco Secure Firewall
Sophos XG
Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls
Check Point NGFW
Azure Firewall
WatchGuard Firebox
SonicWall TZ
Juniper SRX Series Firewall
SonicWall NSa
Fortinet FortiGate-VM
Untangle NG Firewall
Sophos XGS
Fortinet FortiOS
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiGate Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Quick Links
Learn More: Questions:
- Comparison of Barracuda F800, SonicWall 5600 and Fortinet
- Sophos XG 210 vs Fortigate FG 100E
- Looking Into Implementing a Web Security Solution.
- Cyberoam or Fortinet?
- Fortinet, Palo Alto or Check Point?
- Which would you recommend to your boss, Fortinet FortiGate or Sophos UTM?
- What Is The Biggest Difference Between Cisco ASA And Fortinet FortiGate?
- Cisco Firepower vs. FortiGate
- We're trying to choose between Fortinet or Checkpoint UTM firewalls. Can you help?
- What Is The Biggest Difference Between Fortinet FortiGate and Meraki MX Firewalls?