Link copied to clipboard # Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs FortiGate SD-WAN Comparison - What are their main differences? Share [ Export ](/compare/cisco-catalyst-sd-wan/fortigate-sd-wan/export.csv) Cisco Catalyst SD-WANFortiGate SD-WAN[+ Add Product](#) Reviews **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN** [ 4.4/5(91) ](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-catalyst-sd-wan/reviews#reviews) **FortiGate SD-WAN** [ 4.6/5(57) ](https://www.g2.com/products/fortigate-sd-wan/reviews#reviews) Pricing **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN** No pricing available **FortiGate SD-WAN** No pricing available **Pricing Insights** from reviews Time to Implement **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN** 5 months Based on 6 responses **FortiGate SD-WAN** 3 monthsFaster Based on 12 responses Return on Investment **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN** 27 months Based on 7 responses **FortiGate SD-WAN** 17 months10 months sooner Based on 12 responses Perceived Cost **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN** $$$$$ **FortiGate SD-WAN** $$$$$ Average Discount **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN** 14%3% more **FortiGate SD-WAN** 11% Pros & Cons **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN** Not enough data **FortiGate SD-WAN** [ Management Ease (2) ](https://www.g2.com/products/fortigate-sd-wan/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2351761&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[ Affordable Pricing (1) ](https://www.g2.com/products/fortigate-sd-wan/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2391074&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[ Complex Implementation (2) ](https://www.g2.com/products/fortigate-sd-wan/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2351778&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[ Expensive (1) ](https://www.g2.com/products/fortigate-sd-wan/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2351784&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) Integrations **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN** [ ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_17d330a37bc2914fb3e2655da70c7a34/cisco-umbrella.png "Product Avatar Image") Cisco Umbrella ](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-umbrella/reviews)[ View all ](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-catalyst-sd-wan/integrations) **FortiGate SD-WAN** Not enough data Ratings Meets Requirements **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN** 8.9 8.957 **FortiGate SD-WAN** 8.8 8.840 Ease of Use **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN** 9.1 9.159 **FortiGate SD-WAN** 9.0 9.040 Ease of Setup **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN** 9.2 9.245 **FortiGate SD-WAN** 8.9 8.933 Ease of Admin **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN** 8.9 8.942 **FortiGate SD-WAN** 9.3 9.332 Quality of Support **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN** 9.0 9.056 **FortiGate SD-WAN** 8.8 8.840 Has the product been a good partner in doing business? **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN** 9.3 9.343 **FortiGate SD-WAN** 8.9 8.932 Product Direction (% positive) **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN** 7.7 7.757 **FortiGate SD-WAN** 10.0 10.040 Features WAN Edge Infrastructure[Hide 9 FeaturesShow 9 Features](javascript:void(0);) Not enough data 8.7 32 Network Overlay and Underlay Not enough data 8.5(won by default) 20 Connectivity Not enough data 8.9(won by default) 20 Availability Not enough data 9.1(won by default) 20 Application Integration Not enough data 8.2(won by default) 19 Performance Not enough data 9.1(won by default) 19 Health Not enough data 9.2(won by default) 19 Self-Heal Not enough data 8.4(won by default) 19 Simplify Not enough data 8.5(won by default) 19 Expenses Not enough data 8.1(won by default) 19 Software-Defined Perimeter (SDP)[Hide 11 FeaturesShow 11 Features](javascript:void(0);) Not enough data 9.2 11 Administration Network Segmentation Not enough data 9.1(won by default) 9 Scalability Not enough data 9.1(won by default) 9 Global Access Not enough data 9.6(won by default) 8 Protection Policy Enforcement Not enough data 8.9(won by default) 9 Security Audit Not enough data 9.1(won by default) 9 Access Control Not enough data 9.3(won by default) 9 User Authentication Not enough data 9.6(won by default) 9 Monitoring Compliance Monitoring Not enough data 9.6(won by default) 8 Vulnerability Monitoring Not enough data 9.1(won by default) 9 Configuration Monitoring Not enough data 9.8(won by default) 9 Observability Not enough data 9.1(won by default) 9 Show 1 feature category with incomplete data Network Security[Hide 40 FeaturesShow 40 Features](javascript:void(0);) Not enough data Not enough data Additional Functionality Penetration Testing Not enough data Not enough data Alerts/Notifications Not enough data Not enough data Audit Trail Not enough data Not enough data Anti Virus Not enough data Not enough data Vulnerability Scanning Not enough data Not enough data Remote Monitoring & Management Not enough data Not enough data VPN Not enough data Not enough data Behavior Analytics Not enough data Not enough data Reporting/Analytics Not enough data Not enough data Real-Time Notifications Not enough data Not enough data Access Controls/Permissions Not enough data Not enough data SSL Security Not enough data Not enough data Patch Management Not enough data Not enough data Event Logs Not enough data Not enough data Anomaly/Malware Detection Not enough data Not enough data DNS Leak Protection Not enough data Not enough data Third-Party Integrations Not enough data Not enough data Server Monitoring Not enough data Not enough data Real-Time Monitoring Not enough data Not enough data Compliance Management Not enough data Not enough data Network Provisioning Not enough data Not enough data API Not enough data Not enough data Email Alerts Not enough data Not enough data Security Auditing Not enough data Not enough data Intrusion Detection System Not enough data Not enough data Data Visualization Not enough data Not enough data Two-Factor Authentication Not enough data Not enough data Generative AI Not enough data Not enough data Firewalls Not enough data Not enough data AI Copilot Not enough data Not enough data Anti Spam Not enough data Not enough data Threat Response Not enough data Not enough data Activity Monitoring Not enough data Not enough data Risk Alerts Not enough data Not enough data Data Loss Prevention Not enough data Not enough data Single Sign On Not enough data Not enough data Intrusion Prevention System Not enough data Not enough data Secure Login Not enough data Not enough data Policy Management Not enough data Not enough data Activity Dashboard Not enough data Not enough data User Insights Reviewers' Company Size [![Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_897b66f083df6301cb1e3bd3f104aa74/cisco-catalyst-sd-wan.png "Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN")](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-catalyst-sd-wan/reviews) Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.) 17.9% Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.) 39.7% Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.) 42.3% [![FortiGate SD-WAN](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_802013de1efda091c669b4def8e81ea4/fortigate-sd-wan.jpg "FortiGate SD-WAN")](https://www.g2.com/products/fortigate-sd-wan/reviews) FortiGate SD-WAN Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.) 18.2% Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.) 43.2% Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.) 38.6% Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 17.9% 18.2% Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 39.7% 43.2% Enterprise (\> 1000 emp.) 42.3% 38.6% Reviewers' Industry [![Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_897b66f083df6301cb1e3bd3f104aa74/cisco-catalyst-sd-wan.png "Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN")](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-catalyst-sd-wan/reviews) Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Information Technology and Services 25.3% Hospital & Health Care 6.3% Retail 5.1% Automotive 5.1% Computer & Network Security 5.1% Other 53.2% [![FortiGate SD-WAN](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_802013de1efda091c669b4def8e81ea4/fortigate-sd-wan.jpg "FortiGate SD-WAN")](https://www.g2.com/products/fortigate-sd-wan/reviews) FortiGate SD-WAN Information Technology and Services 31.8% Computer & Network Security 18.2% Telecommunications 9.1% Insurance 6.8% Hospital & Health Care 6.8% Other 27.3% FAQs ## Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs FortiGate SD-WAN FAQs Generated using AI Last updated: August 14, 2026 ### What is the difference between Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs FortiGate SD-WAN? FortiGate SD-WAN stands out for its higher G2 rating and reviewer-cited reliability, while Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN is favored for its ease of setup and support quality. | [Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-catalyst-sd-wan/reviews) | [FortiGate SD-WAN](https://www.g2.com/products/fortigate-sd-wan/reviews) | | --- | --- | | 4.4/5 (91 reviews) | 4.6/5 (57 reviews) | | Enterprise | Mid-Market | | 9.2 | 8.9 | | 9.0 | 8.8 | | Ease of setup and robust support | Reliability and management ease | ### How do the pricing models of Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN and FortiGate SD-WAN compare? G2 reviewers rate Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN higher on value, with a stronger Price/Cost satisfaction score than FortiGate SD-WAN. - **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN:** In recent reviews, buyers describe the product as cost-effective for its feature set, though some note higher licensing costs compared to alternatives. - **FortiGate SD-WAN:** Recent reviewers mention high pricing compared to other vendors, with some noting that advanced features require higher licenses or versions. - **Switching reasons:** Reviewers have switched from Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN to alternatives like Telia SD-WAN primarily due to long-term cost considerations. ### What are the best alternatives to Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN and FortiGate SD-WAN? The top three alternatives to Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN and FortiGate SD-WAN are Cato SASE Cloud, VeloCloud SD-WAN, and Cisco Meraki. | Product | G2 Rating (reviews) | Largest Segment | Pricing Insight | Top Reviewer-Cited Strength | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-catalyst-sd-wan/reviews) | 4.4/5 (91) | Enterprise | Cost-effective for features, but licensing can be high | Ease of setup and robust support | | [FortiGate SD-WAN](https://www.g2.com/products/fortigate-sd-wan/reviews) | 4.6/5 (57) | Mid-Market | High pricing, advanced features require higher licenses | Reliability and management ease | | [Cato SASE Cloud](https://www.g2.com/products/cato-networks-cato-sase-cloud/reviews) | 4.5/5 (83) | Mid-Market | — | — | | [VeloCloud SD-WAN](https://www.g2.com/products/velocloud-sd-wan/reviews) | 4.7/5 (12) | — | — | — | | [Cisco Meraki](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-meraki/reviews) | 4.3/5 (217) | Mid-Market | — | — | ### Which SD-WAN features should I prioritize when comparing Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN and FortiGate SD-WAN? Buyers should prioritize ease of setup, quality of support, ease of administration, reliability, and cost-effectiveness when comparing Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN and FortiGate SD-WAN. - **Ease of Setup:** Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN scores 9.2, FortiGate SD-WAN scores 8.9. - **Quality of Support:** Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN scores 9.0, FortiGate SD-WAN scores 8.8. - **Ease of Admin:** Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN scores 8.9, FortiGate SD-WAN scores 9.3. - **Reliability:** FortiGate SD-WAN is specifically cited for reliability in recent reviews. - **Cost-effectiveness:** Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN is described as cost-effective for its features, while FortiGate SD-WAN is noted for high pricing and advanced features requiring higher licenses. ### What are the pros and cons of Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs FortiGate SD-WAN? Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN is strongest in ease of setup and support, while FortiGate SD-WAN is most recognized for reliability and management ease. - **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN strengths:** Reviewers highlight ease of setup, robust support, centralized management, and efficient WAN management. - **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN trade-offs:** Some reviewers note complex licensing, higher costs, and a learning curve for initial setup. - **FortiGate SD-WAN strengths:** Reliability, management ease, automation, scalability, and security are cited in recent reviews, with all-time mentions for management ease (2), reliability (1), and security (1). - **FortiGate SD-WAN trade-offs:** Reviewers mention complex implementation (2 all-time mentions), higher pricing, and limited customization. ### Is Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN or FortiGate SD-WAN better for small businesses? FortiGate SD-WAN is the better fit for small businesses, as its largest reviewer segment is Mid-Market and recent reviews highlight ease of use and scalability for smaller deployments. - **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN:** Largest segment is Enterprise; reviewers note robust features but mention higher costs and complexity, making it more suitable for larger organizations. - **FortiGate SD-WAN:** Largest segment is Mid-Market; reviewers describe it as easy to configure, scalable, and effective for connecting branch offices, with positive sentiment for small and mid-sized deployments. ### Which SD-WAN platform has better integrations? Reviewers indicate parity between Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN and FortiGate SD-WAN for integrations, with both products supporting integration within their respective ecosystems. - **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN:** Reviewers mention integration with other Cisco products and cloud service providers such as Google Cloud Platform, AWS, and Azure. - **FortiGate SD-WAN:** Reviewers highlight integration with the broader Fortinet suite, including firewalls, switches, wireless access points, and FortiAnalyzer. ### How do Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN and FortiGate SD-WAN compare on customer support? Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN and FortiGate SD-WAN score within 0.2 points on Quality of Support (9.0 vs 8.8), indicating near-parity in reviewer satisfaction. - **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN:** Reviewers consistently praise responsive and effective customer support, with multiple mentions of immediate assistance and robust support experiences. - **FortiGate SD-WAN:** Reviewers describe customer support as impressive and responsive, though a few note longer response times for complex issues. ### Which is easier to implement, Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN or FortiGate SD-WAN? Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN leads on Ease of Setup with a 0.3-point advantage (9.2 vs 8.9), while FortiGate SD-WAN is also rated highly for implementation. - **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN:** Reviewers highlight straightforward deployment, centralized management, and ease of implementation, though some mention a learning curve for initial setup. - **FortiGate SD-WAN:** Reviewers describe the setup as easy and scalable, with positive feedback on zero-touch deployment and centralized configuration, but note that advanced configurations can be complex. Alternatives **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Alternatives** ![VeloCloud SD-WAN](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_38db6e33e5c9a6eaf9481840870e53d7/velocloud.jpg "VeloCloud SD-WAN") [ VeloCloud SD-WAN ](/products/velocloud-sd-wan/reviews) ![Cato SASE Cloud](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/cdf75df7caeb59d6d89198f41767314b/cato-networks-cato-sase-cloud.svg "Cato SASE Cloud") [ Cato SASE Cloud ](/products/cato-networks-cato-sase-cloud/reviews) ![Versa SASE](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_84a2fbc05b5c33048ef962a99143ec6c/versa-networks-versa-sase.png "Versa SASE") [ Versa SASE ](/products/versa-networks-versa-sase/reviews) ![Oracle SD-WAN](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/72bb9f44ea7b3d1ac96a94263596e3cd/oracle-sd-wan.svg "Oracle SD-WAN") [ Oracle SD-WAN ](/products/oracle-sd-wan/reviews) **FortiGate SD-WAN Alternatives** ![Cato SASE Cloud](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/cdf75df7caeb59d6d89198f41767314b/cato-networks-cato-sase-cloud.svg "Cato SASE Cloud") [ Cato SASE Cloud ](/products/cato-networks-cato-sase-cloud/reviews) ![Cisco Meraki](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_8fce4cdac434b53f25936f9cbf18d3d1/cisco-meraki.jpg "Cisco Meraki") [ Cisco Meraki ](/products/cisco-meraki/reviews) ![Check Point SASE](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/64ff8da1b6e6ffabf4336ae2510e8e3e/check-point-sase.svg "Check Point SASE") [ Check Point SASE ](/products/check-point-sase/reviews) ![Versa SASE](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_84a2fbc05b5c33048ef962a99143ec6c/versa-networks-versa-sase.png "Versa SASE") [ Versa SASE ](/products/versa-networks-versa-sase/reviews) ## Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs FortiGate SD-WAN When assessing the two solutions, reviewers found Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN easier to use, set up, and do business with overall. However, reviewers preferred the ease of administration with FortiGate SD-WAN. - Reviewers felt that Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN meets the needs of their business better than FortiGate SD-WAN. - When comparing quality of ongoing product support, reviewers felt that Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN is the preferred option. - For feature updates and roadmaps, our reviewers preferred the direction of FortiGate SD-WAN over Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN.