--- title: "FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra" description: "With the help of Capterra, learn about FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Firewall products and more." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/231835/FortiGate-Next-Generation-Firewalls/" page_type: "product" language: "en" publication_date: "2026-10-13" --- # FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on October 13, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[FAQs](#faqs)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall ## What is FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall? FortiGate VM delivers complete content and network protection by combining stateful inspection with a comprehensive suite of powerful security features. Application control, antivirus, IPS, Web filtering and VPN along with advanced features such as an extreme threat database, vulnerability management and flow-based inspection work in concert to identify and mitigate the latest complex security threats. The security-hardened FortiOS operating system is purpose-built for inspection and identification of malware. FortiGate delivers: \* End-to-end security across the full attack cycle \* Top-rated security validated by third-party testing \* Tight integration and multi-tenancy with public cloud providers \* Centralized management across physical, virtual, and cloud deployments \* Automation templates for rapid deployment ## What is FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall used for? [Firewall](https://www.capterra.com/firewall-software/)[Network Security](https://www.capterra.com/network-security-software/) Top alternative Featured Overall rating Based on 44 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive 100% Neutral 0% Negative 0% Contact vendor for pricing Free trial not available Free version not included Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall?[Manage this product listing](https://www.g2.com/products/fortigate-vm-ngfw/claim_requests/new?auto=true) ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall 4.7 (44) VS. [4.5 (247)](https://www.capterra.com/p/172277/ManageEngine-Firewall-Analyzer/reviews/) Starting Price Contact vendor Starting Price $395 Other, One Time Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 4.7 (44) Ease Of Use 4.5 (247) Value For Money 4.4 (40) Value For Money 4.6 (219) Customer Service 4.4 (40) Customer Service 4.6 (234) ## FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall alternatives [4.6 (34)](https://www.capterra.com/p/203059/NordLayer/reviews/) Starting price $8.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 94% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars Highest Rated [ESET Endpoint Security](https://www.capterra.com/p/151915/ESET-Endpoint-Security/) [4.7 (1,171)](https://www.capterra.com/p/151915/ESET-Endpoint-Security/reviews/) Starting price $396.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 94% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/151915/ESET-Endpoint-Security/) [GlassWire](https://www.capterra.com/p/136163/GlassWire/) [4.7 (69)](https://www.capterra.com/p/136163/GlassWire/reviews/) Starting price $35.88 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 99% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/136163/GlassWire/) [CrowdStrike](https://www.capterra.com/p/147662/CrowdStrike-Falcon/) [4.7 (56)](https://www.capterra.com/p/147662/CrowdStrike-Falcon/reviews/) Starting price $8.99 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 95% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/147662/CrowdStrike-Falcon/) ## FAQs about FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall Overview ### Which roles and teams benefit most from FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall? FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall is most used by IT administrators, network engineers, and cybersecurity teams that manage secure connectivity, traffic inspection, and threat prevention across on-premise and cloud environments. IT leaders and security executives rely on it for policy control, risk reduction, compliance support, and centralized visibility into network performance and incidents. Answer based on 44 reviews Overview ### What company size and industries is FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall built for? FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall is built mainly for small businesses, which make up 55% of reviewers, and is most common in Information Technology and Services at 23%. It also serves enterprises, government agencies, SMBs, and MSSPs, with strong adoption in Computer and Network Security and Telecommunications at 11% each, primarily for firewall use. Answer based on 44 reviews Features and Usability ### What are the key features of FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall? FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall includes firewalls, intrusion detection system, intrusion prevention system, VPN, and SSL security for traffic control and encrypted connections. It also offers content filtering, filtering, network monitoring, activity monitoring, vulnerability scanning, threat response, and reporting/analytics for inspection, visibility, and response. Integrations ### Which third-party tools and platforms does FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall integrate with? FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall integrates with FortiClient, FortiAuthenticator, FortiClient EMS, FortiAnalyzer, Cisco Secure Endpoint, Intercept X Endpoint, and Microsoft Authenticator. These integrations cover endpoint protection, authentication, and log management, giving FortiGate connections to key security and identity platforms used in network environments. Answer based on 11 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What training and onboarding options does FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall offer? FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall provides live online sessions, webinars, documentation, and videos to help teams get started. Live online sessions and webinars support guided learning, videos offer visual walkthroughs, and documentation gives written reference material for setup and feature review. Answer based on 3 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What customer support options does FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall offer? FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall provides email/help desk, FAQ/forum, knowledge base, phone support, 24/7 live rep, and chat. Users describe the support community as helpful, and some say tech support responds immediately to questions. Overall, support appears accessible and practical for quick setup and ongoing use. Answer based on 2 reviews Security ### How does FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall handle data security and access control? FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall uses VPN and SSL VPN for secure remote access, AD/LDAP authentication, IPS, web filtering, application control, antivirus, antispam, malware and ransomware detection, and data loss prevention. It also protects inbound and outbound traffic and perimeter services, though some reviewers report firmware bugs, unpatched vulnerabilities, and inconsistent web filtering. Answer based on 17 reviews Features and Usability ### How easy is the FortiGate firewall interface to use? FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall offers a clear, user-friendly interface that makes daily firewall management easier for many IT teams. Small business admins and enterprise network teams often like the straightforward GUI, policy views, and centralized controls, though some advanced settings still require CLI access and careful attention during configuration. Answer based on 14 reviews Features and Usability ### Is FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall easy to use? FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall works well for teams that want simple day-to-day management without giving up advanced security features. Many administrators find deployment, policy editing, backups, and restores easy to handle, especially in small and midsize businesses, though advanced configurations and some firmware changes can add complexity for less experienced users. Answer based on 10 reviews ## Features AI summary Based on 762 Firewall reviews Capterra reviewers highlight these as the features buyers care about most when choosing a firewall: - **Intrusion Prevention System** (**56%** of reviewers rated this feature as critical) - **Intrusion Detection System** (**51%**) - **Policy Management** (**49%**) FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall supports **Intrusion Prevention System** and **Intrusion Detection System**, giving security teams tools to block threats and detect suspicious activity across the network. However, it does not include **Policy Management**. Instead, it offers **VPN** (**50%**), another feature reviewers rate highly. This gives businesses secure remote connectivity while still covering core threat detection and prevention needs, helping teams protect network traffic and maintain safer access for users and locations. Intrusion Prevention System 4.7 (34) 70.59% of 34 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important System that monitors network traffic to prevent malicious activity. Intrusion Detection System 4.4 (35) 68.57% of 35 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Identify and alert about security breaches by third parties VPN 4.4 (5) 100.00% of 5 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Extend virtual private network over public networks to enable protected information exchange Content Filtering 4.6 (36) 69.44% of 36 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Control or restrict access to web content or applications Network Monitoring 4.5 (34) 70.59% of 34 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Tracks and makes accessible data on the health of servers and other network components. Reporting/Analytics 4.5 (30) 70.00% of 30 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important View and track pertinent metrics to find patterns and gain insights from data FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall 12 features ### All Features - Activity Monitoring: Track and report on everything that happens within the system or network - Content Filtering: Control or restrict access to web content or applications - Filtering: Find & retrieve relevant data or documents - Firewalls: Monitor and control network/web traffic based on predetermined rules, protecting against unauthorized access and threats - Intrusion Detection System: Identify and alert about security breaches by third parties - Intrusion Prevention System: System that monitors network traffic to prevent malicious activity. - Network Monitoring: Tracks and makes accessible data on the health of servers and other network components. - Reporting/Analytics: View and track pertinent metrics to find patterns and gain insights from data - SSL Security: Security protocol that ensures secure, encrypted communication over the internet, safeguarding sensitive data from unauthorized access - Threat Response: Identifying, analyzing, and mitigating security issues and taking appropriate action to protect systems and data from potential harm - VPN: Extend virtual private network over public networks to enable protected information exchange - Vulnerability Scanning: Discover patch statuses and vulnerabilities --- Features 4.6 (44) 4.6 Based on 44 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.4 (40) Value for money 4.4 (40) 4.4 Based on 40 reviews ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 4.4 (40) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 4.4 (40) 4.4 Based on 40 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.7 Based on 44 reviews Filter by rating 5(31) 4(13) 3(0) 2(0) 1(0) Mentioned topic Sorted by most recent TM Tony M. IT Banking ### "Great forewall hardware on operating system" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 September 23, 2026 Having used Fortigates for a bunch of years, they are a great firewall platform. Fixes for them tend to be quick and AV, IDS etc updates are also quick. The platform very stable. I am not a fan of the cloud management however. Pros Fortigate Firewalls are fantastic nextgen firewalls. The Fortiguard updates are critical to the firewalls effectiveness and are generally on top of the latest threats. I like the ASIC usage in the platform and generally the support is good. Cons Some models of the Fortigates get EOS way too early and as a result newer versions of the OS are not available for them. Also Fortinet does not properly provide incentives to upgrade to a newer model when they do this so you are stuck running a model with an older FortiOS. Alternatives considered [Next Generation Firewall](https://www.capterra.com/p/254223/Next-Generation-Firewall/) Reasons for choosing FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall At the time better value for the money. Now they are about equal value-wise Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. Abhinandan Y. Network Security Engineer Computer Networking ### "Reliable and Feature-Rich Firewall for Enterprise Security" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 May 14, 2026 My overall experience with Fortinet’s FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall has been very positive due to its strong security features, reliable VPN connectivity, easy management interface, and stable performance for enterprise network environments. Pros I liked most about Fortinet’s FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall is its strong security performance combined with easy management. It provides advanced features like IPS, VPN, web filtering, application control, and SD-WAN in a single platform, which simplifies network security operations. The user interface is straightforward, deployment is quick, and the firewall delivers stable performance even in large environments. I also found the integration with other Fortinet products very useful for centralized monitoring and management. FortiGate provides strong security features, SD-WAN, VPN, IPS, and web filtering in a single appliance, which makes it cost-effective compared to managing multiple solutions separately FortiGate provides strong security features, SD-WAN, VPN, IPS, and web filtering in a single appliance, which makes it cost-effective compared to managing multiple solutions separately Some firmware releases may introduce bugs or compatibility issues, especially after upgrades, so proper testing before production deployment is important. Cons I liked least about Fortinet’s FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall is that some firmware updates occasionally introduce bugs or stability issues, so upgrades need proper testing before deployment. Alternatives considered [Next Generation Firewall](https://www.capterra.com/p/254223/Next-Generation-Firewall/) [Quantum Force](https://www.capterra.com/p/10020441/Quantum-Force/) [XG Firewall](https://www.capterra.com/p/187688/Sophos-XG-Firewall/) Reasons for choosing FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall We chose mainly because it provided better value for performance, security features, and licensing costs compared to alternatives like Palo Alto, Sophos, and Check Point. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. PR Prasad R. Regional IT Specialist Machinery ### "Fortinet easy path to better enterprise security" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 July 30, 2025 We are able to control the sites visited by our users and ensure that the staff are using most of their time doing what the business expects from them. By doing so we have ensured that no one visits sites that can pose a danger to our network and systems. Pros 've been using FortiGate for 6 years now and compared to other vendors we had been working with for decades. We found this brand to be the best solution in terms of performance, security and ease of management. Please note: we often hear that FortiGate may be poor in the face of too many vulnerabilities being published. Maybe instead because other vendors keep it more under wraps? From my perspective, FortiGate has always been a transparent vendor. Think of it that in some cases even EoS appliances have been included within the vulnerability patching program. Cons Not face major yet, until, there is no auto-arrangement of policies based on how specific a policy is. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AN Anonymous User Network and System Engineer Computer & Network Security ### "Great firewall but some drawbacks" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 June 4, 2025 Pros One of the easiest to manage, performs well, and is generally pretty reliable. Pretty feature-rich and flexible, suitable for tons of use cases Cons Shifting names of features, support for features, design/functionality, UI and CLI changes, makes keeping up a challenge. To say nothing of all the vulnerabilities, or the bugs which plague new releases. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. KR Kiran R. Vulnerability Assessor Computer & Network Security ### "Reliable and Feature Rich Security Solution" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 February 15, 2025 Pros FortiGate NGFW is great product and I like most about deep packet inspection and AI based threat detection. Also easy it is to manage everything from a single dashboard. The integration with other Fortinet products helps with smooth workflow in our organisation. Cons Configuring of advanced features sometimes is a bit complex. Nothing apart at this moment. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. FS Fatema S. Technical Manager Computer Networking ### "Affordable and Easy to use" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 February 3, 2025 overall best for small and mid size company, In build SD wan is best Pros Easy to use and affordable price and simple gui management Cons No advanced features like Checkpoint, Palo alto and Cisco Firewall Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. CD Cristiano D. CISO Hospitality ### "Fortinet easy path to better enterprise security" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 January 27, 2025 With fortiner we have been able to provide more security in our MPLs and accesss such as vpnssl of clients. Pros More robust permiter security for my company Cons Easy management, integration with other platforms. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. TC Timothy C. IT Engineer Information Technology and Services ### "FortiGate - The best value firewall?" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 December 12, 2024 Pros All FortiGates comes with free dyndns that is useful for companies that do not have static public IP address. The VPN accounts also comes with free 2FA option. Cons Although FortiGate has GUI, many of the features still rely on CLi to unlock or configure. 3 different path of firmware can be confusing. Reasons for choosing FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall FortiGate comes with 1 free dyndns out of the box. Easy to configure. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. MG Murali G. Architect Telecommunications ### "Fortinet review" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 December 6, 2024 I have used this product for all years and the features it offers has been amazing Pros Robustness of the product and the features that it offers. Simple to use with centralised management. ability to further virtualise and set boundries and scope. Cons So far so good, but as an improvement logging could be improved. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. Amey M. M. Technology Analyst Information Technology and Services ### "Best Firewall is FortiGate Firewall " 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 December 2, 2024 Pros FortiGate is the best firewall for the beginner, It is easy to understand and very Userfriendly UI. Cons No complication as compared to other Next Generation Firewall. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. [View all Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/231835/FortiGate-Next-Generation-Firewalls/reviews/) ## Top-rated software of 2026 ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox. Popular comparisons [ESET Endpoint Security vs FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall](https://www.capterra.com/compare/151915-231835/ESET-Endpoint-Security-vs-FortiGate-Next-Generation-Firewalls)