Fortinet versus Palo Alto (2024): Which Next-Gen Firewall is Ideal for Your Team?

Pricing for Fortinet FortiGate

Fortinet FortiGate firewall prices are influenced by the necessary hardware for each business category. Here’s a brief breakdown:

• Small-scale businesses (1–20 users): $700 to $1,000.
• Mid to large businesses (15–100 users): $1,500 to $4,000.

According to Fortinet, pricing also varies based on essential factors like chosen appliance model, ongoing service or support subscription costs, configuration, monitoring, and integration.

Fortinet extends a complimentary 30-day trial of its cloud NGFW for both AWS and Azure. Moreover, a free product demo can be accessed via its official product page.

Remember that you’ll need to furnish basic information and await Fortinet’s response to initiate the demo.

NGFW Pricing for Palo Alto Networks

In contrast to Fortinet, Palo Alto’s pricing is positioned at the higher end of the spectrum and similarly hinges on the particular hardware you invest in.

SEE: SentinelOne vs Palo Alto: Contrasting EDR Software (TechRepublic)

Based on my findings, Palo Alto NGFW hardware starts at roughly $1,400 and can escalate to $4,100 for premium-tier appliances – a substantially higher entry pricing than Fortinet.

Similar to Fortinet, Palo Alto offers a trial for its cloud NGFW for AWS and Azure. Official product demos for Palo Alto’s NGFW can also be requested through its official channels.

Fortinet vs. Palo Alto: Feature Face-off

Security Attributes

Both NGFWs present an array of security elements tailored for business and organizational applications. Fortinet prides itself on its FortiOS operating system, streamlining management and enhancing visibility as a unified OS for all network and security functionalities.

It seamlessly integrates zero-trust network accessor ZTNA policy enforcement nodes — a significant value-add considering the necessity to safeguard hybrid workforces in this post-pandemic era. Furthermore, Fortinet also includes SD-WAN capabilities, aiding in delivering optimal user experience and connectivity within an organization without compromising overall threat protection.

EXPLORE: Top 8 Advanced Threat Protection Tools and Software for 2024 (TechRepublic)

If we delve into Palo Alto, conversely, it boasts its Panorama centralized management framework that consolidates security tools, firewall regulations, and policies. This empowers managers and IT supervisors with a comprehensive overview of their NGFW configuration across their respective networks.

We also receive security policies that are aware of applications with Palo Alto, enabling administrators to establish detailed security regulations for different users within an organization. Finally, Palo Alto offers its rapid distribution of malware signatures that is capable of promptly recognizing and updating known threats to ensure utmost threat prevention.

Performance and third-party test outcomes

In terms of independent security evaluations, both NGFWs deliver exceptionally well. For their cloud-based firewall solutions, both Palo Alto Networks VM-Series NGFW and Fortinet’s FortiGate-VM achieved a flawless 100% score in security efficacy according to CyberRatings 2024 findings.

This denotes that both NGFW solutions showcased high-quality threat prevention, robust TLS/SSL functionality, and policy enforcement while maintaining consistency and dependability throughout CyberRatings’ assessments.

EXPLORE: Best Secure Access Service Edge Platforms in 2024 (TechRepublic)

Globally, users also highly rate the performance of both NGFWs. From this perspective, Fortinet’s more economical pricing excels for small businesses. This is because you can obtain comparable security performance at a lower price point.

On the contrary, Palo Alto’s broader array of security features might justify its higher price tag — particularly for securing larger organizations. Nonetheless, both NGFW providers deliver robust security performance.

User-Friendliness

On Gartner Peer Insights, both NGFW providers garnered high ratings for ease of use. Specifically, Fortinet’s FortiGate service acquired a 4.7 out of 5, while Palo Alto was rated a 4.6 out of 5.

Similar to performance, these ratings reveal that both Fortinet and Palo Alto offer refined user interfaces with their NGFW solutions.

Despite Palo Alto’s Panorama central management feature being well-suited for managing extensive organizational structures, its surplus of choices may overwhelm smaller teams. If ease of use is your primary concern, opting for a more scaled-down approach with Fortinet may be preferable.

Conversely, enterprise organizations might find Fortinet FortiGate’s integrated functionality lacking when compared to Palo Alto. In such instances, the scalability offered by Palo Alto can be more advantageous.

Fortinet FortiGate advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

• Cost-effective and offers good value for money.
• Maintains similar performance to pricier alternatives.
• Lowers the entry barrier for hardware.

Disadvantages

• Potential for improvement in customer support.

Palo Alto Networks NGFW advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

• Capable of catering to large organizations.
• Feature-rich NGFW solution.
• Offers detailed user-based rules and policies.

Disadvantages

• On the higher-priced spectrum.
• Demands considerable technical expertise for configuration.

Is Fortinet or Palo Alto the ideal choice for your organization?

As far as NGFWs are concerned, both Fortinet FortiGate and Palo Alto serve as top-tier solutions. The consensus among users is clear that you’ll be well-equipped regardless of your decision. That said, the determining factor between these two NGFW providers boils down to pricing and company size.

For small businesses, Fortinet FortiGate is highly recommended. Its more budget-friendly hardware options while delivering comparable performance and security efficacy make it a suitable choice for companies with limited budgets.

On the flip side, enterprises and larger organizations should opt for Palo Alto Networks NGFW. This choice is especially pertinent for firms where budget is not a concern, as its Panorama central management platform and user-specific roles are well-suited for addressing more intricate security requirements.

Irrespective of your selection of provider, most organizations are bound to find considerable value in either Fortinet or Palo Alto’s NGFW solutions.

Methodology

My evaluation of Fortinet and Palo Alto’s NGFW solutions involved an extensive scrutiny of their security attributes, pricing, and overall business value.

This comparative analysis entailed thorough research of each vendor’s official documents, product descriptions, and data sheets. Furthermore, I integrated user testimonials and reviews from reputable sites to supplement my conclusions and include practical usage scenarios in my definitive recommendations.

About Author

AndyC

Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.

See author's posts