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# Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense vs FortiMail Comparison - What are their main differences?

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Cisco Secure Email Threat...FortiMail[+ Add Product](#)

Reviews

**Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense** [

4.3/5(28)

](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-secure-email-threat-defense/reviews#reviews)

**FortiMail** [

4.3/5(25)

](https://www.g2.com/products/fortimail/reviews#reviews)

Pricing

**Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense**
No pricing available

**FortiMail**
No pricing available

**Pricing Insights**
from reviews

Time to Implement

**Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense**
Not enough reviews yet

**FortiMail**
2 months

Based on 10 responses

Return on Investment

**Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense**
Not enough reviews yet

**FortiMail**
17 months

Based on 11 responses

Perceived Cost

**Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense**
$$$$$

**FortiMail**
$$$$$

Average Discount

**Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense**
Not enough reviews yet

**FortiMail**
Not enough reviews yet

Pros & Cons

**Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense**
Not enough data

**FortiMail**
[
Detection Efficiency (1)
](https://www.g2.com/products/fortimail/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2309294&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[
Easy Integrations (1)
](https://www.g2.com/products/fortimail/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2309315&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[
Configuration Difficulties (1)
](https://www.g2.com/products/fortimail/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2309233&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[
Difficult Setup (1)
](https://www.g2.com/products/fortimail/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2309246&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)

Integrations

**Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense**
Not enough data

**FortiMail**
[

 ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_b37b6ded30d6618261e77601c541937e/fortisandbox.png "Product Avatar Image")

FortiSandbox

](https://www.g2.com/products/fortisandbox/reviews)[
View all
](https://www.g2.com/products/fortimail/integrations)

Ratings

Meets Requirements

**Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense**

9.0

9.019

**FortiMail**

8.9

8.923

Ease of Use

**Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense**

8.4

8.419

**FortiMail**

8.6

8.623

Ease of Setup

**Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense**

8.5

8.58

**FortiMail**

8.2

8.218

Ease of Admin

**Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense**

9.0

9.08

**FortiMail**

8.7

8.717

Quality of Support

**Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense**

8.9

8.917

**FortiMail**

8.8

8.823

Has the product been a good partner in doing business?

**Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense**

9.6

9.68

**FortiMail**

9.0

9.017

Product Direction (% positive)

**Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense**

9.4

9.419

**FortiMail**

9.5

9.523

Features

Cloud Email Security[Hide 14 FeaturesShow 14 Features](javascript:void(0);)

9.0

5

8.2

9

Administration

Intelligence Reporting

9.7(won by 1.6)

5

|

Verified

 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors)

8.1

9

|

Verified

Email Integration Suppor

9.3(won by 0.8)

5

|

Verified

 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors)

8.5

9

|

Verified

Access Management

Not enough data

8.1(won by default)

9

|

Verified

Data Loss Prevention

9.3(won by default)

5

|

Verified

Not enough data

Maintenance

Compliance

9.0(won by 1.2)

5

 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors)

7.8

6

Auditing

Not enough data

7.6(won by default)

7

|

Verified

Allow and block lists

Not enough data

8.5(won by default)

8

|

Verified

Archiving

Not enough data

7.1(won by default)

7

|

Verified

Security

Anti-Malware/Anti-Spam

9.0(won by 0.5)

5

|

Verified

 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors)

8.5

8

|

Verified

Quarantine

8.3(tied score)

5

|

Verified

8.3(tied score)

8

|

Verified

Encryption

Not enough data

9.0(won by default)

8

Advanced Threat Protection (ATP)

8.7(won by default)

5

|

Verified

Not enough data

Anti-Phishing

9.0(won by default)

5

|

Verified

Not enough data

Account takeover prevention

Not enough data

Not enough data

Secure Email Gateway[Hide 60 FeaturesShow 60 Features](javascript:void(0);)

9.5

5

8.5

11

Functionality

Anti-Spam

9.3

5

|

Verified

9.4(won by 0.1)

11

|

Verified

Anti-Malware

8.0

5

|

Verified

9.2(won by 1.2)

10

|

Verified

 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors)

Anti-Phishing

10.0(won by 1.2)

5

|

Verified

 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors)

8.8

11

|

Verified

SURLB/URIBL Filtering

10.0(won by 1.5)

5

|

Verified

 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors)

8.5

9

|

Verified

Quarantine

9.7(won by 0.6)

5

|

Verified

 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors)

9.1

9

|

Verified

Outbound Email Monitoring

9.3(won by 0.8)

5

|

Verified

 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors)

8.5

10

|

Verified

Advanced Threat Intelligence/Protection

9.3(won by 0.6)

5

|

Verified

 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors)

8.7

9

|

Verified

Archiving

9.3(won by 1.9)

5

|

Verified

 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors)

7.4

7

|

Verified

Reporting

9.7(won by 2.4)

5

|

Verified

 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors)

7.3

8

|

Verified

On-prem deployment

10.0(won by 2.3)

5

|

Verified

 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors)

7.7

8

|

Verified

Email Attachment Protection

Not enough data

Not enough data

Phishing Protection

Not enough data

Not enough data

Single Sign On

Not enough data

Not enough data

Email Monitoring

Not enough data

Not enough data

Real-Time Monitoring

Not enough data

Not enough data

Agentic AI - Secure Email Gateway

Proactive Assistance

Not enough data

Not enough data

Additional Functionality

Activity Dashboard

Not enough data

Not enough data

Audit Trail

Not enough data

Not enough data

Allow/Block List

Not enough data

Not enough data

Generative AI

Not enough data

Not enough data

Vulnerability Scanning

Not enough data

Not enough data

Active Directory Integration

Not enough data

Not enough data

Threat Response

Not enough data

Not enough data

Search

Not enough data

Not enough data

Intrusion Detection System

Not enough data

Not enough data

Compliance Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Spam Blocker

Not enough data

Not enough data

Encryption

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Verification

Not enough data

Not enough data

Audit Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Alerts/Escalation

Not enough data

Not enough data

Policy Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Customizable Reports

Not enough data

Not enough data

Archiving & Retention

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Synchronization

Not enough data

Not enough data

Activity Tracking

Not enough data

Not enough data

Microsoft Outlook Integration

Not enough data

Not enough data

SSL Security

Not enough data

Not enough data

Secure Login

Not enough data

Not enough data

Third-Party Integrations

Not enough data

Not enough data

Spam Detection

Not enough data

Not enough data

Real-Time Notifications

Not enough data

Not enough data

Scheduled/Automated Reports

Not enough data

Not enough data

Email Tracking

Not enough data

Not enough data

Fraud Detection

Not enough data

Not enough data

Event Logs

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Retention Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Backup and Recovery

Not enough data

Not enough data

Threat Intelligence

Not enough data

Not enough data

Whitelisting/Blacklisting

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Import/Export

Not enough data

Not enough data

Two-Factor Authentication

Not enough data

Not enough data

Reporting & Statistics

Not enough data

Not enough data

Anti Virus

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Loss Prevention

Not enough data

Not enough data

Risk Alerts

Not enough data

Not enough data

Access Controls/Permissions

Not enough data

Not enough data

Password Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

AI Copilot

Not enough data

Not enough data

Authentication

Not enough data

Not enough data

Show 2 feature categories with incomplete data

Email Security[Hide 32 FeaturesShow 32 Features](javascript:void(0);)

Not enough data

Not enough data

Additional Functionality

Phishing Protection

Not enough data

Not enough data

Threat Response

Not enough data

Not enough data

Domain Check

Not enough data

Not enough data

Security Auditing

Not enough data

Not enough data

AI/Machine Learning

Not enough data

Not enough data

Third-Party Integrations

Not enough data

Not enough data

AI Copilot

Not enough data

Not enough data

Reporting/Analytics

Not enough data

Not enough data

Anomaly/Malware Detection

Not enough data

Not enough data

SURLB/URIBL Filtering

Not enough data

Not enough data

Activity Dashboard

Not enough data

Not enough data

Scheduled/Automated Reports

Not enough data

Not enough data

For MSPs

Not enough data

Not enough data

Whitelisting/Blacklisting

Not enough data

Not enough data

Fraud Detection

Not enough data

Not enough data

Spam Blocker

Not enough data

Not enough data

Spam Quarantine

Not enough data

Not enough data

API

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Leak Prevention

Not enough data

Not enough data

Encryption

Not enough data

Not enough data

Audit Trail

Not enough data

Not enough data

Real-Time Monitoring

Not enough data

Not enough data

Spam Analysis

Not enough data

Not enough data

Policy Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Alerts/Escalation

Not enough data

Not enough data

Email Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Vulnerability Scanning

Not enough data

Not enough data

Generative AI

Not enough data

Not enough data

Threat Protection

Not enough data

Not enough data

Email Attachment Protection

Not enough data

Not enough data

Email Filtering

Not enough data

Not enough data

Two-Factor Authentication

Not enough data

Not enough data

Intelligent Email Protection[Hide 12 FeaturesShow 12 Features](javascript:void(0);)

Not enough data

Not enough data

Administration

Compliance

Not enough data

Not enough data

Intelligence Reporting

Not enough data

Not enough data

Email Clients

Not enough data

Not enough data

Role-Based Rules

Not enough data

Not enough data

Detection

Data Exfiltration Detection

Not enough data

Not enough data

Activity Monitoring

Not enough data

Not enough data

Real-Time Detection

Not enough data

Not enough data

Protection

Targeted Attack Prevention

Not enough data

Not enough data

Policy Enforcement

Not enough data

Not enough data

Spam Filtering

Not enough data

Not enough data

Agentic AI - Intelligent Email Protection

Autonomous Task Execution

Not enough data

Not enough data

Adaptive Learning

Not enough data

Not enough data

User Insights

Reviewers' Company Size

[![Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_38b2594bf3660b0b77b70d2dd1b16fee/cisco-secure-email-threat-defense.jpg "Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense")](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-secure-email-threat-defense/reviews)

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)

19.2%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)

46.2%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)

34.6%

[![FortiMail](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_5837e273a4c3cb67895b3aa9d2e5953b/fortimail.jpg "FortiMail")](https://www.g2.com/products/fortimail/reviews)

FortiMail

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)

12.5%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)

75.0%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)

12.5%

Small-Business

(50 or fewer emp.)

19.2%

12.5%

Mid-Market

(51-1000 emp.)

46.2%

75.0%

Enterprise

(\> 1000 emp.)

34.6%

12.5%

Reviewers' Industry

[![Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_38b2594bf3660b0b77b70d2dd1b16fee/cisco-secure-email-threat-defense.jpg "Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense")](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-secure-email-threat-defense/reviews)
Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense

Information Technology and Services

19.2%

Higher Education

11.5%

Marketing and Advertising

7.7%

Architecture & Planning

3.8%

Computer Hardware

3.8%

Other

53.8%

[![FortiMail](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_5837e273a4c3cb67895b3aa9d2e5953b/fortimail.jpg "FortiMail")](https://www.g2.com/products/fortimail/reviews)
FortiMail

Retail

16.7%

Computer & Network Security

16.7%

Marketing and Advertising

12.5%

Accounting

8.3%

Transportation/Trucking/Railroad

4.2%

Other

41.7%

FAQs

## Cisco Secure Email Threat... vs FortiMail FAQs

Generated using AI

Last updated: August 14, 2026

### What is the difference between FortiMail vs Cisco Secure Email Threat...?

FortiMail and Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense are rated equally by G2 reviewers, but Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense scores higher on Ease of Setup, Quality of Support, and Ease of Admin, while FortiMail is noted for its integration compatibility.

| [FortiMail](https://www.g2.com/products/fortimail/reviews) | [Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-secure-email-threat-defense/reviews) |
| --- | --- |
| 4.3/5 (24 reviews) | 4.3/5 (28 reviews) |
| Mid-Market | Mid-Market |
| 8.1 | 8.5 |
| 8.7 | 8.9 |
| Integration Compatibility | Ease of Admin |

### How do the pricing models of FortiMail and Cisco Secure Email Threat... compare?

G2 reviewers rate Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense higher for value, with a stronger Price/Cost satisfaction score than FortiMail.

- **FortiMail:** In recent reviews, FortiMail is described as budget-friendly and a price-performance tool, especially for organizations with existing Fortinet infrastructure.
- **Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense:** Reviewers note the product is high in cost compared to alternatives, but they express satisfaction with its effectiveness and value.
- **Switching reasons:** Reviewers mention switching to FortiMail for its lower cost compared to competitors like Proofpoint, with one reviewer noting FortiMail was one-third the cost of Proofpoint for similar filtering performance.

### What are the best alternatives to FortiMail and Cisco Secure Email Threat...?

The best alternatives to FortiMail and Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense are Proofpoint Core Email Protection, Mimecast Advanced Email Security, and Microsoft Defender for Office 365.

| Product | G2 Rating (reviews) | Largest Segment | Pricing Insight | Top Reviewer-Cited Strength |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [FortiMail](https://www.g2.com/products/fortimail/reviews) | 4.3/5 (24) | Mid-Market | Budget-friendly, price-performance tool | Integration Compatibility |
| [Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-secure-email-threat-defense/reviews) | 4.3/5 (28) | Mid-Market | High cost, but strong value and effectiveness | Ease of Admin |
| [Proofpoint Core Email Protection](https://www.g2.com/products/proofpoint-core-email-protection/reviews) | 4.6/5 (601) | Enterprise | — | Comprehensive threat protection |
| [Mimecast Advanced Email Security](https://www.g2.com/products/mimecast-advanced-email-security/reviews) | 4.4/5 (350) | Mid-Market | — | Advanced email security features |

### Which Secure Email Gateway features should I prioritize when comparing FortiMail and Cisco Secure Email Threat...?

Buyers comparing FortiMail and Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense should prioritize Ease of Admin, Integration Compatibility, Reporting, Threat Protection, and Price/Cost satisfaction.

- **Ease of Admin:** Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense scores 9.0, FortiMail 8.6.
- **Integration Compatibility:** FortiMail is cited for integration compatibility and easy integrations in recent reviews.
- **Reporting:** FortiMail has reviewer-cited limitations in reporting, with mentions of inadequate and limited reporting.
- **Threat Protection:** Both products are praised for effective threat protection, with FortiMail specifically cited for phishing and malware protection.
- **Price/Cost satisfaction:** Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense scores higher on value satisfaction, while FortiMail is described as budget-friendly in recent reviews.

### What are the pros and cons of FortiMail vs Cisco Secure Email Threat...?

FortiMail's headline strength is integration compatibility, while Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense stands out for ease of administration.

- **FortiMail strengths:** Integration compatibility, easy integrations, effective email security, malware and phishing protection, and strong spam blocking.
- **FortiMail trade-offs:** Configuration difficulties, difficult setup, inadequate and limited reporting, outdated interface, and UX improvement needs (each cited once all-time).
- **Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense strengths:** Ease of administration, high effectiveness, advanced security features, and strong Office 365 integration.
- **Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense trade-offs:** High cost compared to alternatives, limited reporting customization, and frequent firmware patches increasing admin workload (recent reviews).

### Is FortiMail or Cisco Secure Email Threat... better for small businesses?

FortiMail is a better fit for small businesses, with recent reviews highlighting its budget-friendly pricing and suitability for organizations with limited budgets.

- **FortiMail:** Largest segment is Mid-Market, but recent reviews describe it as cost-effective and suitable for small organizations, especially those with existing Fortinet infrastructure.
- **Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense:** Largest segment is Mid-Market, and reviewers note its high cost, making it less attractive for small businesses despite its effectiveness.

### Which Secure Email Gateway platform has better integrations?

FortiMail is favored for integrations, with reviewers specifically citing its compatibility with FortiSandbox.

- **FortiMail:** Integrates with FortiSandbox, mentioned in recent reviews for enhancing threat detection and security fabric integration.
- **Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense:** Reviewers highlight integration with Office 365 and hybrid infrastructure support, but no specific third-party integration mention counts are provided.

### How do FortiMail and Cisco Secure Email Threat... compare on customer support?

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense and FortiMail are rated in parity on Quality of Support, with scores of 8.9 and 8.7 respectively, both above the materiality threshold.

- **FortiMail:** Reviewers describe support as good, responsive, and helpful, though some mention reliance on support for cloud platform issues.
- **Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense:** Reviewers consistently praise responsive and polite support, with several noting high satisfaction and effective assistance during setup and ongoing use.

### Which is easier to implement, FortiMail or Cisco Secure Email Threat...?

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense scores higher on Ease of Setup (8.5 vs. 8.1), with reviewers noting smoother implementation experiences.

- **FortiMail:** Reviewers frequently mention setup challenges, a learning curve, and the need for extensive tuning, especially for new administrators.
- **Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense:** Reviewers describe the setup as straightforward, with helpful support from Cisco engineers and easier onboarding for hybrid and Office 365 environments.

### Which product has better Reporting?

Reporting is more robust in Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense, as FortiMail reviewers cite limitations and a need for improvement.

- **FortiMail:** Reviewers mention inadequate and limited reporting, with all-time mentions for both themes; reporting flexibility is a noted area for improvement.
- **Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense:** Reviewers note limited customization in reporting, but do not cite reporting as a major weakness; the product scores 8.9 on Quality of Support, which supports reporting-related satisfaction.

Alternatives

**Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense Alternatives**

 ![Proofpoint Core Email Protection](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/8adf2eedd5616a9f5e200c4520f6d30d/proofpoint-core-email-protection.svg "Proofpoint Core Email Protection")

[
Proofpoint Core Email...
](/products/proofpoint-core-email-protection/reviews)

 ![Mimecast Advanced Email Security](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/4de3129d806e9580f2866c054f5a8591/mimecast-advanced-email-security.svg "Mimecast Advanced Email Security")

[
Mimecast Advanced Email...
](/products/mimecast-advanced-email-security/reviews)

 ![Microsoft Defender for Office 365](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/a8a99a96fda235658139f710592f8a53/microsoft-microsoft-defender-for-office-365.svg "Microsoft Defender for Office 365")

[
Microsoft Defender for...
](/products/microsoft-microsoft-defender-for-office-365/reviews)

 ![SpamTitan Email Security](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/1553620140/spamtitan-email-security.svg "SpamTitan Email Security")

[
SpamTitan Email Security
](/products/spamtitan-email-security/reviews)

**FortiMail Alternatives**

 ![Proofpoint Core Email Protection](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/8adf2eedd5616a9f5e200c4520f6d30d/proofpoint-core-email-protection.svg "Proofpoint Core Email Protection")

[
Proofpoint Core Email...
](/products/proofpoint-core-email-protection/reviews)

 ![Mimecast Advanced Email Security](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/4de3129d806e9580f2866c054f5a8591/mimecast-advanced-email-security.svg "Mimecast Advanced Email Security")

[
Mimecast Advanced Email...
](/products/mimecast-advanced-email-security/reviews)

 ![SpamTitan Email Security](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/1553620140/spamtitan-email-security.svg "SpamTitan Email Security")

[
SpamTitan Email Security
](/products/spamtitan-email-security/reviews)

 ![Microsoft Defender for Office 365](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/a8a99a96fda235658139f710592f8a53/microsoft-microsoft-defender-for-office-365.svg "Microsoft Defender for Office 365")

[
Microsoft Defender for...
](/products/microsoft-microsoft-defender-for-office-365/reviews)

## Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense vs FortiMail

When assessing the two solutions, reviewers found FortiMail easier to use. However, Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense is easier to set up and administer. Reviewers also preferred doing business with Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense overall.

- Reviewers felt that Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense meets the needs of their business better than FortiMail.
- When comparing quality of ongoing product support, reviewers felt that Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense is the preferred option.
- For feature updates and roadmaps, our reviewers preferred the direction of FortiMail over Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense.