Compare Fortinet FortiGate vs Netgate pfSense (2024)

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We performed a comparison between pfSense and Fortinet Fortigate based on our users’ reviews in five categories. After reading all of the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.

• Ease of Deployment: Fortinet Fortigate users overwhelmingly agree that deployment is easy and the initial setup is straightforward. Some pfSense users say deployment is easy while others say it is rather complex.

• Features: Reviewers of the two solutions say they both have good stability.

  Valuable features of Fortinet Fortigate include a good user interface, great templates and good web filtering, application control, and intrusion protection. Users would like to see better monitoring and reporting, and improved performance and speed.

  Valuable features of pfSense include flexibility and good documentation. Users express that the interface as well as the ease of use need to be improved.

• Pricing: Fortinet Fortigate users share mixed opinions, with some users expressing they think the pricing is affordable and fair and some users mentioning they think it is on the more expensive side. In contrast, pfSense is open source.

• Service and Support: Fortinet Fortigate users are satisfied with the service and support they receive. Users of pfSense say they are able to rely on community forums and discussions when necessary.

• ROI: Users of both solutions report seeing an ROI.

Comparison Results: Based on the parameters we compared, it seems that pfSense is the more favorable solution because it is open source and also offers great features.

To learn more, read our detailed Fortinet FortiGate vs. Netgate pfSense Report (Updated: March 2024).

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"The solution is extremely reliable.""The next-gen features, the unified threat management capabilities are something that just about everybody is interested in at this point.""With FortiClient, you can easily connect when you are home, check out what you want to do, and connect to your network when you are not at work. You can switch on servers and you can check what is wrong.""One of the nice things about FortiGate is that it can be deployed on the cloud or on-premises. You can actually do both. That's the biggest reason why I stick with this solution as opposed to something like Cisco Meraki. Another nice thing is that I can log directly into a FortiGate or get to it through their FortiCloud access products. They're pretty reliable and consistent.One of the reasons why I started using the product was their single pane of management. I can deploy their line of firewalls in conjunction with their switching and access points, and I can manage the entire network from one interface. I don't have to log into one interface for the firewall, another one for the access points, and another one for the switches. These firewalls have access point controller functionality built right into the system, so I don't even have to purchase additional devices to manage them.""The inspection and web security features are most valuable.""Fortinet FortiGate is a scalable solution.""The solution is very user-friendly.""The reporting you receive out of this appliance is excellent. You will not need an external management system."

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"The initial setup is not complex.""Stability has been excellent. We have experienced no issues; it never fails.""Sophos Intercept X is scalable. Currently, we have almost 30 people using it in our company.""I have found the most valuable features to be antivirus and malware protection.""The interface is straightforward and easy to use.""What I like about pfSense is that it works well and runs on an inexpensive appliance.""We can run it on any hardware.""Its scalability is a strong point."

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"They need faster serviceability and more security features.""It needs more available central management.""I would like to see improvements in the product's application rules.""Some features of Fortinet FortiGate are actually fee enabled that are inconvenient for deploying in production. Other issues relate to isolation with Cisco products and your server.""We would like to see an upgrade to the VPN feature, we are using the VPN from outside of our office and there is a limitation to 10 connections, more connections would be suitable.""Its reporting can be improved. Sometimes, I don't get proper reports.""I would like to see more advanced developments of a wireless controller in the future.""When we cluster the two Fortinet FortiGate boxes together we have some issues."

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"It was difficult to configure our web printer through the solution. This process could be easier. Additionally, integration with SD-WAN solution.""They could improve their commercial stance and be more agile when it comes to the commercial pricing of enterprise deals.""The GUI. There are TONS of plugins for pfSense, as such, if a user wants to add quite a bit of functionality, the GUI will feel a little congested.""Many people have problems setting up the web cache for the web system.""Also, simplifying the rules for the GeoIP. Making it simpler to understand would be an improvement.""I've never tried it in large environments. All my clients are small businesses with a handful of employees, so I am not sure how it works in large environments. I keep up with recent versions, and there's nothing I'm waiting for, and nothing breaks when I get a new version.""Web interface could be enhanced and more user friendly.""The usage reports can be better."

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Fortinet

Netgate

pfSense is a powerful and reliable network security appliance primarily used for security purposes such as firewall and VPN or traffic shaping, network management, and web filtering. It is commonly used by small businesses and managed service providers to protect their customers' networks and enable remote access through VPNs.

The solution is praised for its stability, user-friendly interface, scalability potential, open-source nature, free cost, easy installation, firewall capabilities, security features, flexibility, and simplicity. Overall, pfSense is a cost-effective solution for enterprises that need a VPN for their employees.

pfSense Key Features

pfSense has many key features and capabilities, including:

• Strength and accuracy: pfSense is able to always follow either default or custom rules, making it a stronger firewall than some of its competitors. It also filters traffic separately, whether it’s coming from your internal network of devices or the open internet, allowing you to set different rules and policies for each.
• Flexibility: pfSense can work both as a basic firewall and as a complete security system because it gives you the flexibility to integrate additional features as code where necessary.
• Open-source: Because it is open-source, not only is pfSense free to use, but community members can contribute to the code to make it a better software.
• User-friendly: Usually firewall products are not user-friendly because they often include complex settings, options, and features that require fine-tuning. pfSense’s interface is simple, direct, and easy to use.
• WireGuard Support: Instead of building your own VPN using pfSense, or settling for a commercial VPN provider, you can directly integrate WireGuard with the pfSense firewall.
• Speed Management and Fault Tolerance: pfSense’s multi-WAN feature allows your system to continue operating in case components fail.
• Well-supported: pfSense regularly has security and feature updates. It also has a documentation site and a well-informed and knowledgeable support forum.

Bojan O., CEO at In.sist d.o.o., says, “The classic features, such as content inspection, content protection, and the application-level firewall, are the most important."

Another PeerSpot user, a chef at a media company, explains what he finds most valuable about pfSense: "The plugins or add-ons are most valuable. Sometimes, they are free of charge, and sometimes, you have to pay for them, but you can purchase or download very valuable plugins or add-ons to perform internal testing of your network and simulate a denial-of-service attack or whichever attack you want to simulate. You can also remote and monitor your network and see where the gap is."