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Compare FortiGate-VM NGFW and Netgate pfSense 
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At a Glance
Market Segments
Mid-Market (62.6% of reviews)
Small-Business (68.7% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
No pricing available
FortiGate-VM NGFW
Star Rating
(206)4.7 out of 5
Market Segments
Mid-Market (62.6% of reviews)
Pros & Cons
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Free Trial is available
Learn more about FortiGate-VM NGFWNetgate pfSense
Star Rating
(322)4.8 out of 5
Market Segments
Small-Business (68.7% of reviews)
Pros & Cons
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Learn more about Netgate pfSenseSummary
AI Generated Summary
AI-generated. Powered by real user reviews.
- G2 reviewers report that FortiGate-VM NGFW excels in user experience, particularly with its intuitive GUI that is described as "best in class" compared to competitors. Users appreciate the speed and responsiveness of the interface, which enhances day-to-day usability.
- Users say that Netgate pfSense offers a highly configurable solution, allowing for extensive customization in areas like VLAN, DHCP, and routing. This flexibility is a significant advantage for those who need tailored network setups, with many praising its robust security features.
- According to verified reviews, FortiGate-VM NGFW has a slight edge in ease of setup and administration, with users noting that there is no lag when making modifications in the GUI. This efficiency can be crucial for teams needing to manage multiple tasks quickly.
- Reviewers mention that while Netgate pfSense has a strong support community and well-documented resources, FortiGate-VM NGFW's technical support is highlighted as particularly helpful, providing timely assistance that enhances the overall user experience.
- G2 reviewers highlight that both products have strong performance in meeting user requirements, but Netgate pfSense stands out with a higher score in this area. Users appreciate its security integration capabilities and the ability to repurpose old hardware, making it a cost-effective choice for small businesses.
- Users report that FortiGate-VM NGFW's advanced features, such as SD-WAN capabilities, allow for granular monitoring of application utilization, which is a significant benefit for mid-market companies looking to optimize their network performance.
Pricing
Entry-Level Pricing
FortiGate-VM NGFW
No pricing availableNetgate pfSense
No pricing availableFree Trial
FortiGate-VM NGFW
Free Trial is available
Netgate pfSense
Free Trial is available
Ratings
Meets Requirements
9.2
167
9.4
257
Ease of Use
9.1
168
8.5
264
Ease of Setup
9.0
134
8.8
243
Ease of Admin
9.1
131
8.8
241
Quality of Support
8.8
165
9.1
205
Has the product been a good partner in doing business?
9.1
127
9.1
195
Product Direction (% positive)
9.5
166
8.6
258
Features by Category
Security - Unified Threat Management
9.3
94
Not enough data
9.4
95
Not enough data
8.9
88
Not enough data
9.2
93
Not enough data
9.7
95
Not enough data
9.7
97
Not enough data
Administration
8.7
96
Not enough data
9.4
96
Not enough data
Prevention
9.5
55
Not enough data
9.6
56
Not enough data
9.2
54
Not enough data
9.4
55
Not enough data
Feature Not Available
Not enough data
Detection
9.4
54
Not enough data
9.4
53
Not enough data
9.4
53
Not enough data
Administration
9.4
53
Not enough data
9.4
56
Not enough data
9.0
48
Not enough data
Administration
9.3
97
8.7
185
8.9
97
8.3
208
9.2
92
8.4
178
9.3
97
9.0
199
Agentic AI - Firewall Software
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Functionality
9.4
97
9.1
215
9.1
94
6.5
135
9.3
94
7.9
166
9.5
96
9.3
199
Monitoring
9.2
92
8.5
162
9.0
90
8.2
167
9.2
95
8.7
187
9.2
95
8.4
180
Generative AI
8.2
20
6.7
73
Artificial Intelligence - Firewall
7.7
5
Not enough data
Usage
Not enough data
9.2
145
Not enough data
9.5
161
Not enough data
9.3
164
Not enough data
9.4
155
Not enough data
7.9
109
Not enough data
8.5
112
Not enough data
8.5
107
Miscellaneous
Not enough data
8.2
108
Not enough data
9.3
145
Not enough data
8.2
97
Compliance
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Administration
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Security
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Categories
Categories
Shared Categories
FortiGate-VM NGFW and Netgate pfSense are categorized as Firewall Software
Unique Categories
FortiGate-VM NGFW is categorized as Data Center Security Solutions and Unified Threat Management (UTM)
Netgate pfSense is categorized as Business VPN
Reviews
Reviewers' Company Size
FortiGate-VM NGFW
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Netgate pfSense
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Small-Business
(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market
(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise
(> 1000 emp.)
Reviewers' Industry
Information Technology and Services
23.2%
Computer & Network Security
11.6%
Telecommunications
8.9%
Financial Services
6.8%
Computer Software
5.3%
Other
44.2%
Information Technology and Services
20.4%
Computer & Network Security
10.5%
Computer Software
6.1%
Telecommunications
4.1%
Computer Networking
3.8%
Other
55.1%
Alternatives
Discussions
What is FortiGate-VM used for?
2 Comments
AP
FortiGate-VM is Fortinet's virtual appliance version of the FortiGate firewall, designed for deployment in virtualized environments. It serves as a...Read more
What three key additional security features do next generation firewalls provide that legacy firewalls do not?
1 Comment
HH
with FortiGate has many Features including SD-WAN, SSL-VPN, Video Filtering, integrated with Sandbox....Read more
Is FortiGate and fortinet the same?
1 Comment
MK
Fortinet is the company and FortiGate is their Firewall name :)Read more
Can pfSense be used as a router?
11 Comments
SG
pfSense is an open-source firewall and router software distribution based on FreeBSD. It supports NAT and different types of interfaces (WAN, LAN, DMZ). It...Read more
What is pfSense used for?
7 Comments
RB
pfSense is a a preconfigured operating system and suite of tools for directing traffic between your LAN and the Internet.
The community version of pfSense...Read more
Is pfSense still free?
5 Comments
JK
Yes, it is. There is a Community Edition and a Plus edition. The Community Edition is free. The Plus edition is free for home lab and comes pre-installed...Read more
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