--- title: FortiGate-VM NGFW Reviews meta_title: 'FortiGate-VM NGFW Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2' meta_description: Filter 309 reviews by the users' company size, role or industry to find out how FortiGate-VM NGFW works for a business like yours. aggregate_rating: rating_value: 4.5 review_count: 309 scale: '5' date_modified: '2026-10-18' parent_category: name: Network Security url: https://www.g2.com/categories/network-security ---

FortiGate-VM NGFW Reviews & Product Details

Value at a Glance

Averages based on real user reviews.

Time to Implement

2 months

FortiGate-VM NGFW Reviews (309)

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Reviews

FortiGate-VM NGFW Reviews (309)

View 1 Video Reviews
4.5
309 reviews

What do users say?

Generated using AI from real user reviews
Users consistently praise the ease of use and strong security features of FortiGate-VM NGFW, highlighting its intuitive interface and effective management of firewall policies, VPNs, and traffic monitoring. Many appreciate its flexibility in virtual environments, allowing for quick deployment without the need for physical hardware. However, some users note that the licensing complexity can be a barrier for new users.

Pros & Cons

Generated from real user reviews
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Verified User in Logistics and Supply Chain
AL
Verified User in Logistics and Supply Chain
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"Flexible and Hardware-Free Next-Gen Security for Virtual Environments"
5/5
What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?

Since it is a virtual appliance, it eliminates all the common issues associated with physical hardware. Backing up the VM is significantly easier, and the same applies to license management. Furthermore, scaling resources up or down as needed is highly flexible and straightforward. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?

Occasionally, new firmware updates introduce stability issues and bugs. Additionally, the initial licensing and renewal costs are quite high, and the lack of flexible bundle licensing options makes cost management more difficult. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Musa A.
MA
Musa A.
Full Stack Engineer
Computer Software
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Ideal for Learning Network Security in a Cost-Effective Way"
4.5/5
What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?

I like FortiGate-VM NGFW's easy deployment as a VM and the user-friendly interface. The clear firewall policy management is something I appreciate, and I really love the VPN setup wizard, which makes configurations straightforward. These features make FortiGate-VM NGFW very valuable for use in a lab environment. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?

For me in the lab, the initial setup can be a bit confusing if you are new. I think the documentation could include step-by-step lab examples for beginners. Some advanced features require additional licenses, which can be expensive for personal learning. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Telecommunications
IT
Verified User in Telecommunications
Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)
"Powerful, Scalable NGFW—But Initial Setup and Licensing Can Be Complex"
3.5/5
What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?

What I like most about FortiGate-VM NGFW is its strong combination of security features and ease of deployment in virtual environments. It provides reliable firewalling, IPS, VPN, application control, and web filtering through a centralized interface. The policy management is straightforward, performance is consistent, and integration with cloud platforms and the broader Fortinet ecosystem simplifies network security management. Overall, it is a scalable and dependable NGFW solution for securing enterprise and hybrid cloud environments. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?

One drawback of FortiGate-VM NGFW is that the initial configuration and policy tuning can be complex, especially for organizations with large or segmented networks. Some advanced features require additional licensing, which can increase overall costs. The management interface, while functional, can feel overwhelming due to the number of available options, and troubleshooting complex policy or VPN issues may require a solid understanding of Fortinet-specific concepts. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User
G
Verified User
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"Cost-Effective Firewall with CLI Familiarity, GUI Challenges"
3.5/5
What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?

I mainly use FortiGate-VM NGFW as the main firewall for our AWS environment. I really like the price and performance of FortiGate-VM NGFW. The cost is a significant factor because at renewal, IPS and web filtering are bundled, so we're not paying per feature. The CLI is another aspect I appreciate; for admins coming from a Cisco background, it feels quite comfortable and familiar. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?

The GUI slows down under load, so I end up in the CLI more than I'd like. It's worst when I'm pulling logs or big policy lists; pages take several seconds. I would like better pagination and faster log search. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Salman U.
SU
Salman U.
System Network Administrator
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"Flexible, feature-rich firewall in one platform"
3/5
What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?

Being a VM makes deployment really flexible. I can spin it up in our virtual environment or the cloud without waiting on hardware, and scaling or moving it is painless. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?

Performance also depends heavily on the hypervisor and the resources.so it should have to be depending on whats the configuration is setup.minimum resource requirement is present Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Laith A.
LA
Laith A.
cyber security
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Effective Yet Complex for Beginners"
5/5
What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?

I like the simple interface and effective security monitoring of FortiGate-VM NGFW. I also appreciate its firewall policies, traffic monitoring, and alerts, which are particularly valuable features. The initial setup was fairly easy and straightforward, which I found quite convenient. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?

The interface could be simpler for beginners. Some settings can be complex for new users and take time to understand. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Computer & Network Security
AC
Verified User in Computer & Network Security
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Reliable NGFW in a VM: Stable Protection with Minimal Downtime"
4/5
What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?

it a vm so it wont go down unless the server is down so no component failure for the firewall if its in a VM so its a good thing to have a firewall in a vm rather then putting inside an actual component or a device Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?

to be honest i dont have any issues with NGFW so i dont think i have downsides to talk about concernaning this VM FW so if im pleased with the product so no downsides hahaha Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

payal c.
PC
payal c.
Cyber Threat Investigator
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"User-Friendly NGFW That Simplifies Security Management"
4.5/5
What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?

User-friendly interface compared to other complex NGFWs, having VPN, routeing, IPs and application filtering in one virtual image simplifies security management. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?

A full security fabric subscription can become expensive for smaller operations and firmware update issues. Enabling every security feature simultaneously can cause CPU spikes if the VM isn't sized properly. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

JUNIOR m.
JM
JUNIOR m.
Virtual Assistant
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Effortless Security and User-Friendly Interface"
5/5
What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?

I find FortiGate-VM NGFW easy to use, making it simple to do my research without stress. I appreciate its antivirus and malware protection features, which help me stay secure against known malware and bad networks. The initial setup was as easy as ABC, and I'm really happy with it just the way it is. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?

nothing Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Ramanaji B.
RB
Ramanaji B.
Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)
"Robust Security with Top-notch Performance"
5/5
What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?

I use FortiGate-VM NGFW to secure enterprise networks by managing firewall policies, VPNs, IPS, web filtering, and traffic monitoring. I appreciate its ability to protect our network from cyber threats by enforcing security policies. What I like most about FortiGate-VM NGFW is its security and performance, which stand out the most for me. Additionally, the initial setup was easy and straightforward. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?

I find the usability of FortiGate-VM NGFW to be an area that could be improved. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Questions about FortiGate-VM NGFW? Ask real users or explore answers from the community

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GU
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Last activity about 1 month ago

What is FortiGate-VM used for?

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GU
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Last activity almost 3 years ago

What is FortiGate NGFW used for?

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Pricing Insights

Averages based on real user reviews.

Time to Implement

2 months

Return on Investment

14 months

Average Discount

11%

FortiGate-VM NGFW Comparisons
FortiGate-VM NGFW Features
Antivirus
Whitelists
Content Filtering
Reports & Analytics
Dashboard
Policy Management
Continuous Analysis
Intrusion Prevention
Intrusion Detection
Virtual Private Network (VPN)
URL Filtering
Availability