--- title: FortiGate-VM NGFW Reviews meta_title: 'FortiGate-VM NGFW Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2' meta_description: Filter 296 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: 4.6 review_count: 296 scale: '5' date_modified: '2026-10-02' parent_category: name: Network Security url: https://www.g2.com/categories/network-security --- # FortiGate-VM NGFW Reviews **Vendor:** Fortinet **Category:** [Firewall Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/firewall-software) **Average Rating:** 4.6/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 296 **AI Verified:** At least 10 G2 reviewers have confirmed using this product's AI features and functionality. ## About FortiGate-VM NGFW FortiGate-VM is a virtual firewall solution designed to help users secure their cloud environments and on-premises networks. As a next-generation firewall developed by Fortinet, FortiGate-VM integrates advanced security features with the flexibility of virtualization, making it suitable for deployment in various public and private cloud infrastructures. This solution is particularly beneficial for organizations looking to enhance their cybersecurity posture while leveraging the scalability and efficiency of cloud technologies. Targeted at enterprises and organizations of all sizes, FortiGate-VM is ideal for IT security teams that require robust protection against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. Its deployment across diverse environments allows businesses to maintain consistent security policies and practices, regardless of whether their infrastructure is on-premises, in the cloud, or a hybrid of both. Specific use cases include protecting sensitive data in cloud applications, securing remote access for employees, SD-WAN, and ensuring compliance with industry regulations. One of the key features of FortiGate-VM is its AI-powered threat intelligence. FortiGuard utilizes machine learning algorithms to analyze vast amounts of data, enabling the identification of emerging threats in real time. This proactive approach to threat detection ensures that organizations can respond swiftly to potential vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. Additionally, the behavioral analysis capabilities of FortiGate-VM allow for the identification of anomalous activities, further enhancing its ability to mitigate risks associated with cyberattacks. FortiGate-VM stands out in the virtual firewall category due to its seamless integration with existing Fortinet security solutions, providing a comprehensive security architecture. The solution offers advanced features such as intrusion prevention, web filtering, and application control, all of which contribute to a multi-layered defense strategy. Furthermore, its scalability allows organizations to easily adjust their security resources in response to changing business needs, ensuring that they remain protected as they grow. FortiGate-VM delivers unmatched security and value, making it a vital component for organizations seeking to fortify their defenses against the evolving landscape of cyber threats. Its combination of advanced threat protection, AI-driven insights, and flexible deployment options positions it as a critical tool for maintaining a secure and resilient network environment. ## FortiGate-VM NGFW Pros & Cons Pros and Cons are compiled from review feedback and grouped into themes to provide an easy-to-understand summary of user reviews. **What users like:** - Users find FortiGate-VM's **user-friendly interface and easy configuration** streamline their security management effectively. (12 reviews) - Users appreciate the **intuitive UI and rich features** of FortiGate-VM NGFW, streamlining their networking experience. (10 reviews) - Users highlight the **exceptional security features** of FortiGate-VM NGFW, providing robust protection against various threats. (8 reviews) - Users value the **comprehensive all-in-one security** of FortiGate-VM NGFW, enhancing visibility and threat detection. (7 reviews) - Users value the **all-in-one security stack** of FortiGate-VM NGFW, enhancing performance and simplifying policy management. (6 reviews) - Easy Setup (6 reviews) - Users commend the **fast and secure firewall efficiency** of Fortigate VM NGFW, enhancing their organizational security. (6 reviews) - Performance Speed (6 reviews) - Users value the **comprehensive security protection** of FortiGate-VM NGFW, ensuring robust defense against sophisticated threats. (6 reviews) - Threat Detection (6 reviews) **What users dislike:** - Users experience a **difficult learning curve** with FortiGate-VM NGFW, finding the interface and settings complex initially. (4 reviews) - Users find the **pricing and licensing** of FortiGate-VM NGFW to be quite high, impacting overall affordability. (4 reviews) - Users experience **update issues** with FortiGate-VM NGFW, facing challenges with OS updates and performance slowdowns. (4 reviews) - Users face significant **upgrade issues** with firmware, requiring downtime and complicating integration and configurations. (4 reviews) - Users find the **limited advanced features** in FortiGate-VM NGFW restricts its overall performance and usability. (3 reviews) - Users express frustration with **poor customer support** , as simple issues often take too long to resolve. (3 reviews) - Poor Interface Design (3 reviews) - Compatibility Issues (2 reviews) - Complex Configuration (2 reviews) - Complexity (2 reviews) ## FortiGate-VM NGFW Reviews ### 1. Flexible, Feature-Rich Virtual Firewall That Scales Easily **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Ayush K. | Network engineer, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** September 27, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** What I like about FortiGate-VM is its flexibility and the wide range of security features available in a virtual environment. It provides firewalling, NAT, routing, IPS, application control, web filtering, IPsec VPN, SD-WAN, and centralized management through FortiManager. I particularly like its scalability because it can be deployed in cloud or virtualized environments without requiring dedicated hardware. Its CLI troubleshooting capabilities, packet capture, flow debugging, and integration with FortiAnalyzer are also useful for monitoring and troubleshooting network issues. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** One thing I dislike about FortiGate-VM is that its performance depends heavily on the underlying virtual infrastructure, such as CPU, memory, network interfaces, and hypervisor configuration. Licensing can also become a consideration when scaling deployments. In addition, troubleshooting in a complex virtual or cloud environment can sometimes be more challenging because issues may involve the FortiGate configuration as well as the hypervisor, virtual networking, or cloud platform. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** FortiGate-VM helps us secure the network and applications while giving us the flexibility to run the firewall in a virtual environment. It helps with VPN connectivity, traffic control, security policies and troubleshooting. For me, it also makes day-to-day network security work easier and helps me gain more practical experience with firewall and cloud networking. ### 2. Powerful Virtual Firewall with a Great UI, but Complex Licensing **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Mohamed M. | Freelance Software & Cybersecurity Consultant, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **AI Translated:** This review has been translated from English using AI. **Reviewed Date:** August 06, 2026 At G2, we prefer fresh reviews and we like to follow up with reviewers. They may not have updated their review text, but have updated their review. **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** The biggest advantage of FortiGate-VM is how easy it is to deploy in a virtualized cloud environment, without needing to purchase expensive physical hardware. The FortiOS GUI is very intuitive and feels much cleaner than older Cisco firewalls I’ve worked with. Creating standard IPv4 policies, managing NAT, and setting up SSL VPNs for remote workers can be done in just a few clicks, rather than having to wrestle with complex CLI commands. I also like that routing, SD-WAN features, and deep packet inspection are integrated into a single pane of glass, which makes it easier to monitor threats and investigate logs. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** The licensing model for the VM versions can be confusing and expensive, especially when you’re trying to scale CPU or RAM allocations in a virtualized cluster. Another pain point is that firmware upgrades can be buggy at times. It’s a common rule among network engineers to wait for more mature patch releases, since early firmware updates can sometimes break existing VPN or routing configurations. Finally, while the GUI is excellent for day-to-day tasks, it doesn’t expose all of the advanced diagnostic logs. When you need to do deeper troubleshooting for dropped packets or complex IPSec VPN failures, you’re forced to switch to the CLI, which comes with a fairly steep learning curve. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** Before implementing FortiGate-VM, it was challenging to maintain consistent security policies across our on-premise servers and cloud environments. After deploying the virtual NGFW, we were able to integrate security controls smoothly throughout our hybrid network. The initial setup and onboarding were surprisingly straightforward, largely thanks to the strong Fortinet documentation and the helpful support forums. Now we can manage traffic inspection and SD-WAN routing from a single place, which saves us hours of configuration time each week. In addition, the FortiGuard AI-driven threat intelligence feed automatically blocks malicious IPs and zero-day signatures without manual intervention, which has significantly reduced the day-to-day workload for our SOC team. ### 3. Easy Virtual Deployment and a User-Friendly, Responsive Interface **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Thabet A. | Cloud and Security Engineer, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through a business email account added to their profile **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** August 25, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** What I like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW is how easy it is to deploy in virtual environments. The setup process is straightforward, and routing configuration is simple and clear compared to other firewalls I’ve used. The user interface is very user-friendly and responsive, which makes daily management and policy changes much faster and less complicated. FortiGate-VM NGFW works well with other tools in our environment. We use it alongside Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Sentinel, and Fortinet FortiAnalyzer. The integration is smooth, especially with logging and monitoring tools, which helps us centralize security visibility and manage policies more efficiently. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** One thing I dislike is that the HA setup can be a bit complicated, especially when configuring it for the first time in a virtual environment. Some advanced features also take time to fully understand. Additionally, the licensing and feature activation process could be more straightforward, and the documentation for certain HA and virtual deployment scenarios is not always clear enough. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** FortiGate-VM NGFW helps us secure our virtual and cloud environments by providing strong firewall protection, intrusion prevention, and traffic control. It solves the problem of managing security across different virtual infrastructures in a simple way. The main benefit is better network security with easier policy management and good performance, which gives us more confidence in protecting our systems without needing complex physical hardware. ### 4. Effective Virtual Firewall Solution for Network Security Testing and Management **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Koffi Jacques A. | Déveoppeur Full Stack & Développeur Odoo, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** July 21, 2026 At G2, we prefer fresh reviews and we like to follow up with reviewers. They may not have updated their review text, but have updated their review. **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** What I like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW is how easy it is to deploy and test in a virtual environment. I installed it on a Proxmox server to learn firewall administration and evaluate its security features. I particularly liked the web interface for managing firewall policies, network interfaces, and NAT rules from a single dashboard. The real-time logs and traffic monitoring also made it easier to understand how security policies affect network traffic during testing. Even in a lab environment, the performance was smooth and responsive, making it a good platform for learning and evaluating enterprise network security. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** One thing I found challenging with FortiGate-VM NGFW is that the number of available configuration options can be overwhelming at first, especially for new administrators. During my initial setup in a Proxmox virtual environment, understanding the different firewall policies, interfaces, and security settings required some time to become familiar with the platform. However, the documentation and the organization of the interface helped make the learning process easier. Once the basic concepts are understood, managing the solution becomes much more straightforward. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** FortiGate-VM NGFW helps me address the challenge of securing virtual environments by providing better control and visibility over network traffic. In my testing environment deployed on Proxmox, I used it to learn how to manage firewall policies, control communication between networks, and test VPN configurations. The solution helped me better understand how to restrict unauthorized access, monitor traffic through logs, and apply security rules from a centralized interface. This has been beneficial for improving my network security skills and evaluating how an enterprise firewall can be integrated into a virtual infrastructure. ### 5. Intuitive Single-Pane Security with Powerful Threat Visibility **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Hermann Yunus K. | System Management Specialist, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** July 29, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** outstanding security solution that seamlessly brings enterprise-grade threat protection to virtual and cloud environments. It stands out thanks to its intuitive, "single pane of glass" user interface, which simplifies complex network management by centralizing all security policies and monitoring into one easy-to-navigate dashboard. Furthermore, its excellent readability features—such as clearly structured logs, real-time traffic visualizers, and interactive topology maps—allow administrators to quickly parse complex data, effortlessly troubleshoot issues, and instantly identify threats without being overwhelmed by dense information. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** One pain point is the inconsistency between what you can do in the graphical user interface (GUI) and what still requires the command-line interface (CLI). Specifically, when you need to configure multiple Syslog servers for logging, you quickly hit a wall in the GUI: the web interface only lets you set up a single remote Syslog server. If you want to integrate more than one FortiOS supports up to four Syslog servers in total—you have to switch over to the CLI to configure the second, third, and fourth instances (using commands like config log syslogd2 setting, config log syslogd3 setting, and so on). Having to bounce back and forth between the intuitive GUI and the CLI just to add additional logging endpoints is an annoying interruption to the workflow. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** It solves the critical challenge of securing hybrid IT environments by delivering advanced micro-segmentation to block lateral threat movement—for example, isolating a compromised cloud web tier from a backend database—and by using AI-powered inspection to detect zero-day threats hidden in encrypted traffic. It also addresses configuration bottlenecks by integrating smoothly with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools like Terraform, allowing DevOps teams to automatically spin up fully configured firewalls directly within their CI/CD pipelines and maintain consistent policy enforcement across multiple clouds. Finally, it reduces the pain of fragmented network data through deep observability: administrators can use granular application control to identify and throttle bandwidth-heavy, non-business apps that cause network drag, while unified logging provides the context needed to troubleshoot quickly and simplify compliance audits. ### 6. Strong Security with a Steep Learning Curve **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Sajan A. | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** This review contains authentic analysis and has been reviewed by our team **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** September 27, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** I love FortiGate-VM NGFW because it offers comprehensive security features and decentralized management, giving me strong visibility and control over the network traffic. It's easy to configure security policies and VPNs, and I appreciate its application controls. The solution can be deployed in virtual and cloud environments without needing specific physical hardware, which I find really valuable. I also like its centralized management and traffic visibility, allowing me to understand network activities while preventing unauthorized access and security risks. The VPN capability provides secure remote connectivity, and since it's virtual, it's flexible to deploy across different environments. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** I find most things about FortiGate-VM NGFW impressive, but if I had to change something, it would be the user interface and the ease of configuration. As a first-time user, some advanced features and security policies are a bit challenging to understand. Although the documentation is comprehensive, having more straightforward guides and clearer explanations for complex configurations would be helpful. Making the interface more user-friendly with a simple initial setup could guide new users like me through the configuration process more smoothly. Some advanced security policies and settings also require additional technical knowledge, so providing step-by-step guidance in those areas would be beneficial. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use FortiGate-VM NGFW to secure virtual and cloud environments without relying on physical hardware. It provides strong visibility and control over network traffic while making it easy to configure security policies. ### 7. Secure Virtual Environments with Comprehensive Protection **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Shubham Prashant P. | Trainee, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** September 24, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** I find FortiGate-VM NGFW incredibly valuable for securing virtual and cloud-based network environments, allowing me to control traffic and apply security policies centrally. I appreciate its comprehensive range of security features, including firewall policies, NAT, VPN connections, intrusion prevention, and application control. The device's ability to provide visibility through logs and monitoring capabilities is very useful for identifying unwanted traffic and troubleshooting issues. I like the flexibility of the VM-based deployment, as it eliminates the need for physical appliances, and I can deploy it wherever a virtual security appliance is more appropriate. Another aspect I enjoy is that FortiGate-VM NGFW integrates VPN, firewall, and other security requirements into one device, reducing the management complexity of multiple security appliances. The user interface is comprehensive and, with experience, makes tasks straightforward. Additionally, the manual and setup guides make the initial setup easier. Overall, FortiGate-VM NGFW is a practical solution with strong security controls, particularly for virtual and cloud environments. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** The main drawback is that it can take some time to learn and configure properly, particularly for admins who are not well acquainted with FortiGate and Network Security concepts. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use FortiGate-VM NGFW to secure virtual and cloud environments, manage VPN access, control traffic, and block threats. It gives me better network visibility and allows centralized security management without multiple appliances. ### 8. FortiGate-VM NGFW: Highly Customizable & User-Friendly **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Aavash D. | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** This review contains authentic analysis and has been reviewed by our team **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** September 23, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** I really like that with FortiGate-VM NGFW, I don't need to buy specific hardware. It's flexible, so I can host it on my server or local machine and tailor it to my needs. It's also available for cloud platforms. The dashboard is very clear, and I find monitoring it daily useful, as it allows me to keep track of logs and searches. The user interface is great, making it easy for network and security engineers like me. I also found the initial setup process to be easy and user-friendly, without any confusing steps. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** I don't have specific dislikes, but if I had to make a suggestion, it would be to add integration of some log correlation and SIM facilities, which would be highly beneficial. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use FortiGate-VM NGFW to secure our infrastructure, making our cloud and on-prem environments trustable. It's highly customizable, works without specific hardware, and is available on cloud platforms. The user-friendly interface and dashboard are great for monitoring and configuring security protocols. ### 9. Strong Security and Easy Management in One Flexible FortiGate-VM NGFW Solution **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Anshu kumar P. | Software Intern, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **AI Translated:** This review has been translated from English using AI. **Reviewed Date:** September 16, 2026 At G2, we prefer fresh reviews and we like to follow up with reviewers. They may not have updated their review text, but have updated their review. **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** What I like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW is its combination of strong security features and ease of management. It provides useful capabilities such as firewall policies, IPS, application control, VPN, and traffic monitoring in a single solution. I also like its flexibility for deployment in virtual and cloud environments, along with the visibility and logging features that make troubleshooting and monitoring network traffic easier. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** The main thing I dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW is that the initial setup and configuration can be a little complex, especially for new users. There are many security and networking options, so it can take some time to understand and configure everything correctly. Better documentation and simpler configuration workflows for certain advanced features would make the experience easier. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** FortiGate-VM NGFW helps solve network security challenges by providing centralized firewall protection, traffic control, and threat monitoring in virtual and cloud environments. It helps me secure network traffic, apply access policies, monitor connections, and identify potential security threats. This improves network visibility, makes security management easier, and helps reduce the risk of unauthorized access and network-based attacks. ### 10. Easy Policy Configuration and Fast, Helpful Support **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Mustafa K. | OT and Automation Intern, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **AI Translated:** This review has been translated from English using AI. **Reviewed Date:** September 16, 2026 At G2, we prefer fresh reviews and we like to follow up with reviewers. They may not have updated their review text, but have updated their review. **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** what I like best about FortiGate VM NGFW is how easy it is to configure and adjust security policies. During one of my tests i noticed that WebSocket connections were not being blocked as expected. I contacted the person handling the FortiGate deployment and they were able to tighten the connection policy quickly and easily. The fast response and ease of making security adjustments were particularly useful. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** So far I dont have any significant dislikes about FortiGate VM NGFW. while some advanced configurations may require additional guidance Fortinet provides support to help address them. I believe no product is perfect, but based on my experience so far I have been satisfied with FortiGate VM NGFW and the support around it. I also genuinely admire Fortinet and its work in cybersecurity which is one of the reasons I am interested in pursuing an internship opportunity with the company. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** FortiGate VM NGFW provides better control and visibility over network traffic while helping block unwanted or potentially harmful connections It benefits me by providing a secure environment to test applications and quickly adjust security policies when needed. ### 11. Reliable virtual firewall with strong security controls **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Michée N. | Lead IT Infrastructure & Hardware Technician, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 17, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** What I like most about FortiGate-VM NGFW is that it gives me a good level of control over network security without needing a physical firewall. I find the web interface fairly easy to work with when creating firewall policies, checking traffic, configuring VPNs, and monitoring security events. I also like the flexibility of the virtual appliance because it can be deployed in a virtual environment and managed from one place. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** One thing I find challenging is that some of the more advanced settings can take time to understand, especially when you are working with features you do not use regularly. The interface has many options, which is useful but can also make troubleshooting more difficult at times. I also think the documentation could be more straightforward for certain configurations, with more simple examples for common deployment scenarios. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use FortiGate-VM NGFW to improve network security and have better control over network traffic. It helps me manage firewall policies, control access between different parts of the network, monitor traffic, and handle VPN connections from a centralized interface. This makes it easier to identify unusual traffic and troubleshoot connectivity or security issues. The virtual deployment is also useful because it avoids the need for additional physical firewall hardware and gives me more flexibility when managing the network. ### 12. FortiGate-VM NGFW : simple, performant et bien intégré au cloud. **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Ahmed B. | Chef d’entreprise, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **AI Translated:** This review has been translated from English using AI. **Reviewed Date:** September 15, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** ce que j'aime avec FotiGate-VM NGFW est sa simplicité d'utilisation et ses bonne performances. l'interface est assez intuitive et les intégration avec les différents environnements cloud se font facilement. la solution reste performante même lorsque la charge augment tout en offrant un bon rapport qualité prix. la prise en main est relativement rapide et le support est très utile lorsqu'on rencontre des difficulté. les fonctionnalité de IA et de inintelligence de sécurité sont intéressantes pour mieux détecter les menaces et amélioré la protection globale. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** l'interface est globalement intuitive mais certains options demandent un peu de temps pour être maitrisées. le débit est plafonné limité par la bande passante de l'instance pas par le logiciel. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** En premier lieu, la limitation de notre dépendance au matériel physique nous a permis de réduire les délais de livraison lors d’un achat. En plus, cela nous a apporté une couche supplémentaire de cohérence en matière de sécurité dans des environnements hybrides et multiclouds. ### 13. Comprehensive Security Suite, Centralized Management **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Piyush S. | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** This review contains authentic analysis and has been reviewed by our team **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** September 15, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** I like the centralized management and the range of security features available in a single interface. The dashboard of FortiGate-VM NGFW makes it easier to monitor network traffic, manage policies, and review security events. I really appreciate having all these features in one place. I value the firewall policies, VPN, traffic monitoring, and security logs because they help control and restrict network traffic, provide secure connectivity, and make it easy to identify unusual activity and troubleshoot network security issues from a centralized interface. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** One area that could be improved is the complexity of the interface and configuration options. For new users, understanding and configuring advanced security policies can take some time. More guided configuration, clearer documentation, and a simpler workflow for common tasks would make FortiGate-VM NGFW easier to learn and manage. The interface can feel overwhelming because there are so many options and settings. It would be helpful to have a simpler setup mode for common tasks with step-by-step guidance and short explanations of what each setting does. Better tooltips and examples for firewall policies and other security features would also make it easier for beginners to get started without having to search through documentation for every step. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** FortiGate-VM NGFW helps me control and secure network traffic, restrict access, monitor activities, and protect against virtual threats. Its centralized interface simplifies policy management and enhances security oversight in a virtual environment. ### 14. VDOM Multi-Tenancy and SD-WAN That Just Works **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Khutso M. | Network & Security , Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **AI Translated:** This review has been translated from English using AI. **Reviewed Date:** September 09, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** VDOM-based multi-tenancy is the standout feature for me. I used it to simulate an MSP-style environment with dual tenants on one VM, each with its own firewall policies, NAT and VLAN segmentation, without needing separate appliances or instances per client. SD-WAN with SLA-based link steering was straightforward to configure and handled automated failover reliably in testing. Site-to-site IPsec IKEv2 and SSL VPN setup is well documented and behaves predictably once the phase 1/2 parameters are right. The REST API is genuinely useful in practice, I wrote a Python script against it to audit policy hit-counts and flag zero-hit rules, which cut down manual policy cleanup significantly. For troubleshooting, diagnose debug flow and the built-in packet sniffer cover most break/fix scenarios without needing external tools. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** Resource sizing matters more than the marketing suggests. SSL inspection and multiple VDOMs can hit vCPU and RAM hard, and if you undersize the VM upfront, performance degrades in ways that are hard to diagnose without knowing to check resource utilization first. There's also a real gap between what's easy to do in the GUI versus the CLI, some policy and routing tasks are far faster in CLI, which means new admins face a learning curve before they're productive. Policy hit-count and log data isn't exposed as cleanly in the GUI as I'd like, which is part of why I ended up scripting against the API instead. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** I used it to build a multi-tenant lab simulating MSP client isolation across a multi-site topology, with eBGP peering and route-map policy filtering handling inter-site routing. Having firewalling, SD-WAN and VPN in one platform reduced the number of separate boxes and tools needed for a segmented, multi-site setup. The API access also let me automate policy auditing rather than reviewing rule hit-counts manually, which is a recurring time sink in any environment with a large rule base ### 15. Versatile Virtual Solution with Resource Flexibility **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Khumbo K. | Junior System Engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** September 09, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** I like that FortiGate-VM NGFW doesn't differentiate much from the actual appliance and offers the flexibility to add resources and modules as needed. It's convenient since I can't easily buy a physical FortiGate appliance in my country, and using it virtually cuts down costs significantly. I also enjoy the ease of setup, as it was very straightforward, except for one setup page issue that I managed to resolve through a forum. Additionally, the ability to connect to a virtual distributed switch with multiple virtual NICs is a great benefit. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** The performance of FortiGate-VM NGFW is not as good as that of the actual appliance, mainly because the appliance has application-specific integrated circuits. Although I can use a powerful hypervisor, it still doesn't compare to a device specifically built for certain functionalities. Additionally, during the initial setup, there was an issue with the first setup page not loading, which I had to solve by changing a value in the URL after finding the solution in a forum. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** FortiGate-VM NGFW solves convenience issues by offering FortiOS in a virtual environment, reducing costs and providing feature flexibility similar to the physical appliance. It allows me to customize resources and expand capabilities without hardware limitations, unlike physical devices. ### 16. Agile, Affordable One-Stop Security with Strong Automation Flexibility **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Sohel S. | Senior Engineer IT Infrastructure, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 23, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** One stop solutions for VPN, Web Filtering and Deep pocket inspection. cheaper and more agile .. supports automation anf provide greater flexibility... **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** I found more complicated in terms of software stability and Licensing.. it should be simple f and user friendly..If you suddenly need to upgrade a firewall's hardware allocation to handle a traffic spike, you can't just change the VM size in your cloud console. You must also purchase and apply a brand-new Fortinet license tier to match the new vCPU count. Additionally, managing renewals for a fleet of virtual firewalls via FortiGuard token systems can be incredibly tedious. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** The FortiGate-VM NGFW solves the problem of fragmented cloud security by replacing weak native cloud firewalls and disjointed security tools with one unified platform. It bridges the gap between on-premise infrastructure and hybrid cloud networks, ensuring consistent, enterprise-grade protection everywhere. ### 17. Exceptional Security and Ease of Use **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Sivaraman R. | consultant, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **AI Translated:** This review has been translated from English using AI. **Reviewed Date:** September 23, 2026 At G2, we prefer fresh reviews and we like to follow up with reviewers. They may not have updated their review text, but have updated their review. **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** I like the IP filtering and MAC list features in FortiGate-VM NGFW. I also appreciate its great security for both the system and the user. The GUI of the easy access dashboard is a feature I value, and I find the firewall access really useful. Additionally, the IP address and network information tools stand out. The ease of installation and use is something I really like about it. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** about software need detailed information The some functions connect with different unexpected gui The software menu details having information of different expectations **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** FortiGate-VM NGFW solves security-related problems, protecting internet use and SSL data transfers while providing great system security. I value the easy-access GUI dashboard and features like IP filtering, MAC lists, and firewall access for managing IP and network information effectively. ### 18. Powerful FortiGate Security and Clear Network Visibility in One Place **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Computer & Network Security | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) This reviewer's identity has been verified by our review moderation team. They have asked not to show their name, job title, or picture. **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** September 18, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** The security features are what I find most valuable. Firewall policies, VPN, traffic monitoring, and threat protection tools are all easy to manage in one place. It also performs well under normal network loads and provides clear visibility into what’s happening across the network, which makes troubleshooting and ongoing monitoring much easier. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** The interface can feel a bit overwhelming at first, especially with the number of settings and features available. Some advanced configurations also take time to understand if you are new to FortiGate. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** It helps centralize network security by bringing firewall rule management, VPN access, traffic monitoring, and threat protection into a single platform. As a result, it’s easier to control who can access the network, spot suspicious traffic sooner, and troubleshoot problems without having to rely on multiple separate tools. ### 19. Seamless Integration with Strong Security Features **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Bamba S. | Cloud DevSecOps Engineer **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** August 11, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** I like FortiGate-VM NGFW for its strong balance of high speed and security capabilities, as well as its flexibility in a virtualized environment. Its intuitive interface is a major plus for me. I really appreciate the security features, including antivirus and web filtering, and the ease of deployment in both virtual and cloud environments. The strong threat detection and reliable VPN capabilities are crucial, along with the seamless integration with Fortinet security for centralized management. The accelerated deployment and scalability, simplified management and visibility, and cost-effectiveness are also big strengths. The low learning curve makes it easy to pick up and use effectively without much need for customer support. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** I don't have much to say about that aspect, we were very much pleased with it. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use FortiGate-VM NGFW for strong threat detection, reliable VPN capabilities, seamless integration with Fortinet for centralized management, high speed, and security in virtual environments. It's intuitive, easy to deploy in cloud setups, and offers efficient centralized control with a low learning curve. ### 20. Flexible, Easy-to-Deploy FortiGate VM for Cloud and Virtual Firewalls **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Mani s. | Information Technology Support Engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** September 02, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** FortiGate VM is Fortinet's virtualized next-generation firewall, essentially the same FortiOS software that runs on their physical appliances, but packaged to run on hypervisors (VMware, Hyper-V, KVM) or in cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP, OCI). Here's what makes it valuable: **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** Great for flexible, cloud-based firewall needs — easy to deploy and cost-effective. Performance drops under heavy traffic. Best for small/medium setups overall. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** FortiGate VM NGFW helps secure cloud and virtualized environments without needing physical hardware. It solves problems like protecting multi-cloud/hybrid infrastructure, segmenting workloads (VPC/VNet), enabling secure remote access (VPN), enforcing consistent security policies across on-prem and cloud, and reducing hardware costs while scaling firewall capacity as business grows. It's especially useful for organizations expanding into cloud, needing quick disaster recovery setups, or managing distributed branch offices without deploying physical appliances everywhere. ### 21. Centralized Security, Visibility, and Control with FortiGate **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Furkan . | Senior Cybersecurity & Network System Specialist, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** July 24, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** What I like most about FortiGate NGFW is that it combines network security and network management in a single platform. I can manage firewall policies, VPN connections, routing, SD WAN, IPS, and web filtering through both the GUI and CLI. The logging and FortiView features help me investigate traffic problems and security events quickly. I also appreciate the consistency of FortiOS across different FortiGate deployments, which makes configuration and troubleshooting more efficient. The platform provides good performance and a user friendly management experience. It also integrates well with other Fortinet solutions, such as FortiManager, FortiAnalyzer, and FortiSwitch, which simplifies centralized monitoring and management. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** Some advanced technical configurations can only be performed through the CLI and are not available in the GUI. This increases the time and manual effort required for configuration, especially for less experienced administrators. Expanding GUI support for advanced settings and providing clearer contextual guidance would improve usability and reduce configuration errors. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** Product helps us consolidate firewalling, VPN, routing, SD WAN, IPS, web filtering, and traffic visibility into a single platform. Previously, managing these functions through separate tools required more manual effort and made troubleshooting more time consuming. Centralized policies, FortiView, and detailed logs help us identify network and security issues faster and apply consistent security controls across different environments. This reduces operational effort, improves incident response time, and provides better value by reducing the need for multiple standalone solutions. ### 22. Powerful Automation with Cost Concerns **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Kwadwo Yeboah A. | QA Automation Tester, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through a business email account added to their profile **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** July 21, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** I like FortiGate-VM NGFW for its robust REST API and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) support, which integrate perfectly with automation tools like Terraform and Ansible. This allows me to fully automate network configuration without touching a manual dashboard. The REST API and IaC support are incredibly valuable because they let me treat network security just like software code. Using Terraform, I can automate the deployment and setup of the firewall directly inside our CI/CD pipelines, removing all manual configuration. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** Running multiple firewall instances simultaneously across parallel CI/CD pipelines demands a high amount of CPU and RAM, which quickly inflates our cloud infrastructure cost. I think this can be looked at and improved. Additionally, the REST API documentation sometimes lags behind major FortiOS firmware updates, forcing me to spend extra time troubleshooting broken API endpoints in my test scripts. The initial setup has a steep learning curve due to complex enterprise routing and licensing. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use FortiGate-VM NGFW to spin up secure, isolated environments for testing pipelines, solving environment instability by keeping test traffic isolated. It helps simulate network issues and validate app security with deep packet inspection and security alerts. ### 23. Comprehensive Cloud Security in One: FortiGate-Reliable NGFW for Azure and Hybrid Cloud Security ⭐ **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Sifaat Q. | Cloud Consultant, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** July 16, 2026 At G2, we prefer fresh reviews and we like to follow up with reviewers. They may not have updated their review text, but have updated their review. **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** What I like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW is its comprehensive security capabilities combined with ease of deployment in cloud environments like Microsoft Azure. It provides advanced features such as IPS, application control, web filtering, SSL inspection, and IPsec/SSL VPN within a single platform, reducing the need for multiple security solutions. I also appreciate its intuitive management interface, detailed logging, and seamless integration with Azure networking. The firewall has been reliable in securing virtual workloads while maintaining good performance, and creating or modifying firewall policies is straightforward once the initial setup is complete. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** While FortiGate-VM NGFW is feature-rich, the initial deployment and advanced configuration can be complex for users who are new to Fortinet products. Features such as SSL inspection, advanced routing, and policy-based NAT require a solid understanding of networking concepts. The licensing model can also be confusing, as some security services require separate subscriptions. Additionally, the management interface, although powerful, could be more intuitive for navigating advanced settings. Troubleshooting in large deployments may sometimes require deeper CLI knowledge alongside the GUI. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** ortiGate-VM NGFW helped us secure our Azure-based workloads and hybrid network by providing centralized firewall management, intrusion prevention, application control, web filtering, and secure VPN connectivity. Before implementing it, managing network security across cloud resources was more complex and required multiple tools. With FortiGate-VM, we were able to enforce consistent security policies, improve visibility into network traffic, and quickly identify potential threats through detailed logging and monitoring. It also enabled secure site-to-site VPN connectivity between cloud and on-premises environments while maintaining stable performance. Overall, it reduced operational overhead, strengthened our security posture, and gave us greater confidence in protecting business-critical applications and infrastructure. ### 24. Fast, Flexible FortiGate-VM Deployments with Powerful Automation and Threat Intelligence **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** KWIZERA E. | Full stack Developer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** July 14, 2026 At G2, we prefer fresh reviews and we like to follow up with reviewers. They may not have updated their review text, but have updated their review. **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** I love the flexibility and fast deployment. Being able to spin up a full-featured enterprise next-generation firewall using an OVF/OVA template, or directly in cloud environments like AWS or Azure, in just a matter of minutes is a major advantage. The licensing model is also very adaptable, so you can scale security resources as network demands grow without being locked into rigid physical hardware refresh cycles. What is most helpful about FortiGate-VM NGFW? What are the upsides? For me, the biggest benefit is its robust API support and overall automation friendliness. In modern infrastructure, the ability to bootstrap configurations and manage policies programmatically is a huge plus. It also provides top-tier threat intelligence (via FortiGuard Labs) that helps catch zero-day vulnerabilities effectively. On top of that, the built-in VPN capabilities—both SSL and IPsec—have been very stable, delivering secure, high-performing endpoints for remote teams without noticeably degrading system performance. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** Because the platform is so feature-rich, the web GUI can sometimes feel cluttered and overwhelming, especially for newer administrators. Locating specific advanced settings may require clicking through multiple sub-menus, and some granular configurations can only be performed through the Command Line Interface (CLI). Although the CLI is powerful, it comes with a steeper learning curve for teams transitioning from more visual-centric firewall platforms. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** It removes the bottleneck of slow infrastructure provisioning when we need to scale up environments. It also addresses the performance degradation that often occurs when virtual security layers try to decrypt modern HTTPS traffic. For me, the main benefit is agility. We can automate the deployment of these firewalls using infrastructure-as-code (for example, Terraform templates) and push them directly into our environments within minutes. It also handles heavy SSL/TLS inspection smoothly without dragging down host performance, so we don’t have to choose between strong security and fast application delivery. ### 25. Powerful, User-Friendly Security with Flexible Virtual Deployment **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Financial Services | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) This reviewer's identity has been verified by our review moderation team. They have asked not to show their name, job title, or picture. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** September 27, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** What I like most about FortiGate-VM NGFW is the combination of powerful security capabilities and a user-friendly, intuitive interface. It delivers strong network protection, effective traffic inspection, and a broad set of security features that are straightforward to configure and manage. I also appreciate its flexibility in virtual environments, which makes it easy to integrate into different infrastructures while still maintaining solid performance and clear visibility. Overall, it feels like a reliable, practical solution for securing modern networks. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** One area I would improve in FortiGate-VM NGFW is the complexity of some advanced configurations. For users who are new to the platform, certain security features and settings can require additional time and technical knowledge to understand and configure properly. The licensing model and some advanced features could also be made more straightforward and transparent. Overall, these are relatively minor points compared with the platform’s overall capabilities. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** FortiGate-VM NGFW helps us secure our virtual network infrastructure by providing centralized traffic control, firewall protection, and advanced security features. It helps us identify and block suspicious or unauthorized traffic, control access between network segments, and improve overall network visibility. This reduces security risks, simplifies network management, and allows us to respond more effectively to potential threats while maintaining a flexible virtualized environment. ### 26. Centralized Management with Challenging Setup **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Prabhat Kumar T. | Offensive Security Engineer, Computer & Network Security, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** September 15, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** I like the centralized management and visibility features of FortiGate-VM NGFW. They make it easier to manage firewall policies and security settings from one place instead of having to handle each environment separately. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** I find the initial setup for FortiGate-VM NGFW complex for new users. It requires understanding several networking and configuration concepts like routing, firewall policies, and NAT. I think the documentation should be improved to cover each feature and provide troubleshooting guides, as I didn't find any helpful documentation during my setup. I had to rely on AI assistance instead. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use FortiGate-VM NGFW to enforce security policies and for network segmentation. It makes managing firewall policies and security settings easier with centralized management and visibility. ### 27. Easy Virtual Deployment and Strong Security, but HA Setup Takes Effort **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Oumaima L. | Technical Solutions Specialist, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **AI Translated:** This review has been translated from English using AI. **Reviewed Date:** September 15, 2026 At G2, we prefer fresh reviews and we like to follow up with reviewers. They may not have updated their review text, but have updated their review. **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** Ease of Deployment and Virtualization, I appreciate FortiGate-VM NGFW for its easy deployment in virtual environments, user-friendly interface, robust security features, and seamless integration with cloud and other network tools. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** The HA setup is little bit complicated also very limited, but it does cover the basics of handling an NGFW. However, it doesn’t go into much depth on policies or on managing VPN IPsec tunnels. That was my experience during the trial. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** FortiGate-VM NGFW helps us secure our virtual and cloud environments without the complexity of deploying and managing physical firewall appliances. It addresses key challenges such as unauthorized access, network threats, limited traffic visibility, and the need for application-level control. ### 28. Reliable Virtual NGFW for Cloud and On Prem Security **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Information Technology and Services | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) This reviewer's identity has been verified by our review moderation team. They have asked not to show their name, job title, or picture. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **AI Translated:** This review has been translated from English using AI. **Reviewed Date:** September 17, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** What I like most about FortiGate-VM NGFW is how it combines strong security features with straightforward management. It gives me useful visibility into network traffic, simplifies firewall policy management, and provides a solid range of security controls in a virtualized environment. The interface is generally easy to work with, and the centralized configuration and monitoring tools are especially helpful for day-to-day network administration. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** One area that could be improved is the learning curve around some of the more advanced features and configuration options. Certain settings take extra time to fully understand and troubleshoot, especially for new administrators. Overall, the interface is solid, but finding and navigating some of the advanced options could be more intuitive. The documentation for more complex use cases could also be clearer, with more practical, step-by-step examples to help explain how to apply those settings in real scenarios. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** FortiGate-VM NGFW delivers a virtualized next-generation firewall with IPS, SSL inspection, and application-level controls across our cloud and on-prem environments. It helps us enforce segmentation and apply consistent policies, integrates smoothly with our SIEM and automation workflows, and accelerates provisioning for new workloads. Overall, this has led to fewer incidents, quicker investigations, and lower operational costs. ### 29. Flexible, Comprehensive Firewall with Easy Deployment and Control **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User | Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) This reviewer's identity has been verified by our review moderation team. They have asked not to show their name, job title, or picture. **Validated Reviewer:** This review contains authentic analysis and has been reviewed by our team **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **AI Translated:** This review has been translated from English using AI. **Reviewed Date:** September 16, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** I like FortiGate-VM NGFW for its feature parity and consistent security features across hardware and cloud environments, which makes it seamless to work with. The unified operating system, FortiOS, running the same on both cloud and hardware, is really convenient, eliminating any relearning curve. I appreciate the secure routing with advanced routing protocols and IAC automation, which supports frameworks like Terraform for flexible deployments. The hybrid security and fabric integration, along with real-time threat telemetry, really stands out. The performance offloading capabilities utilizing virtual testing and Intel Quick Assist technology adds great value. Overall, I find these features enhance my experience significantly. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** I find the default SIP ALG session helper configuration problematic as it often causes one-way audio or dropped calls on voice platforms until it is manually disabled via CLI. The need to address this for optimal operation can be frustrating. Another issue is the resource and DPI overhead; enabling deep packet inspection and full SSL inspection demands significant vCPU allocation and RAM scaling to prevent throughput bottlenecks. Additionally, the trial evaluation limitations, such as the strict cryptographic and bandwidth constraints on demo licenses, make pre-deployment testing tricky without a proper BYOL/PAYG license, which can be quite inconvenient. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** Honestly, the main win for us is to our multicloud mess.before VM managing secuirty between on prem and public was bottlenecks due to policy was fragmanted.the built in dw-wan is massive success. ### 30. Robust Security with Complex Setup **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Osamah A. | Computer Technician, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** July 14, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** I like FortiGate-VM NGFW for its strong security and easy management. It combines firewall protection, IPS, web filtering, application control, VPN, and network segmentation all in one platform. The user-friendly interface makes configuring security policies straightforward, and the monitoring tools offer clear visibility into network traffic and potential threats. I also appreciate its flexibility and scalability in virtual and cloud environments. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** I find the initial setup and advanced configuration complex for new users. Some advanced features require additional licenses, which can be pricey. Additionally, troubleshooting can be time-consuming, and I think Fortinet could improve by simplifying advanced configurations, providing clearer error messages and documentation, and offering more flexible licensing options. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use FortiGate-VM NGFW to secure enterprise networks, protect against cyber threats, and manage virtual environments. It centralizes visibility and management, controls traffic between segments, and its firewall and filtering features block threats. ### 31. Great GUI and Realistic VM Emulation with EVE-NG and PnetLab **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Mohammad Aktham Obaid A. | OT/ICS Cybersecurity Engineer - Intern, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** August 18, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** it can be connected to any virtual machine app like eveng and pnetlab with success real life emulation and we can add as much ram as wanted to emulate real life speed with a great, easy and helpful GUI **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** when i use the VM i could not buy the licence i need, for example i could not buy the ICS/OT license also when i connect it to a software like PnetLab sometimes i lose the access to my GUI and i lose the whole configurations i made but i am not sure if this is a pnetlab problem **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** its solve the "feel worried about changing problems" where you can safely build/emulate your own network to safely test the new configurations and testing new features ### 32. Easy Deployment, Solid Performance, and All-in-One Security with FortiGate-VM NGFW **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Computer Networking | Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) This reviewer's identity has been verified by our review moderation team. They have asked not to show their name, job title, or picture. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** September 08, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** FortiGate-VM NGFW is easy to deploy and manage, even for a virtualized environment. The centralized management through FortiManager makes handling policies and updates across multiple firewalls simple. Performance is solid, and the range of security features (IPS, web filtering, VPN) covered under one platform saves us from juggling separate tools. Documentation and community support are also strong when troubleshooting. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** The initial licensing and cost structure can be confusing, especially figuring out which bundles include the features you actually need. The web-based GUI, while functional, can feel a bit sluggish with larger rule sets. Some advanced configurations still require CLI access, which adds a learning curve for less experienced admins. Support response times have also been inconsistent depending on the ticket priority level. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** FortiGate-VM NGFW helps us consolidate network security into a single platform instead of managing separate tools for firewalling, VPN, and intrusion prevention. This has simplified our infrastructure and reduced overhead for the team managing it. It also gives us better visibility into traffic across our virtualized environment, which has improved our ability to spot and respond to potential threats quickly. Overall, it's saved us time on both deployment and day-to-day management. ### 33. Easy, Hardware-Free Deployment with Flexible Backup and Restore **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Information Technology and Services | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) This reviewer's identity has been verified by our review moderation team. They have asked not to show their name, job title, or picture. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** September 03, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** What I like most about FortiGate-VM NGFW is how it combines strong security features with the flexibility of a virtual appliance. It delivers next-generation firewall capabilities—such as intrusion prevention, application control, web filtering, VPN, and advanced threat protection—within a single platform, which makes overall security management much easier. The user interface is intuitive, and day-to-day administration stays straightforward even in more complex environments. Another key advantage is its smooth integration with cloud and virtualized infrastructures. We’ve been able to deploy it quickly and scale as needed without adding hardware, which saves time and reduces operational costs. Performance has been consistent, and the visibility into network traffic and security events helps us spot and respond to potential threats more effectively. Overall, FortiGate-VM NGFW strikes a solid balance between security, performance, and ease of management, and it has become a valuable part of our network security strategy.With flexible pricing options and premium support and integrated ai features **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** While FortiGate-VM NGFW is a strong security solution overall, there are a few areas that could be improved. One limitation I have experienced is that restoring configurations from a physical FortiGate appliance to a VM deployment is not always seamless. In some cases, I had to manually reconfigure settings, which increased deployment time and operational effort. VM management can also be challenging, especially in larger environments where multiple virtual firewalls need to be monitored and maintained. Although the interface provides a good range of features, some workflows could be more intuitive and require several steps to complete routine administrative tasks. Integration with certain third-party platforms and cloud environments may require additional customization compared to what some competing products offer. From a performance perspective, resource utilization can become high under heavy traffic loads, requiring careful sizing of CPU and memory resources. Licensing and pricing can be difficult to understand, particularly when multiple security services and subscriptions are involved. The initial onboarding process also has a learning curve for administrators who are new to the Fortinet ecosystem. Finally, while FortiGuard's threat intelligence is valuable, I would like to see more AI-driven automation and smarter recommendations for threat analysis and policy optimization to reduce manual effort and improve operational efficiency. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** Before implementing FortiGate-VM NGFW, managing network security across our virtual and cloud environments was becoming increasingly complex. We needed a solution that could provide strong protection without adding more physical hardware or creating additional management overhead. FortiGate-VM NGFW has helped us centralize security controls by combining firewalling, IPS, web filtering, VPN, and application control into a single platform. This has made it much easier to monitor traffic, enforce security policies, and respond to potential threats. The deployment process was straightforward, and the flexibility of the virtual appliance allowed us to scale as our requirements changed. One of the biggest benefits has been improved visibility into network activity and better control over remote access. We spend less time managing multiple security tools, and troubleshooting is much faster because everything is available from a single console. Overall, it has strengthened our security posture while reducing operational complexity and infrastructure costs. ### 34. Future of Fortigate VM NGFW **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Computer & Network Security | Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) This reviewer's identity has been verified by our review moderation team. They have asked not to show their name, job title, or picture. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** September 01, 2026 **Describe the project or task FortiGate-VM NGFW helped with:** FortiGate VM is a virtualized version of the FortiOS firewall, designed to provide comprehensive security features in environments where deploying physical hardware is not feasible. It operates on major hypervisors and public clouds, offering identical functionality to its physical counterparts. Key features include full Layer 7 inspection, built-in SD-WAN, and support for various tunneling protocols. Licensing is based on vCPU, allowing for flexible scaling according to throughput needs. FortiGate VM is particularly beneficial for cloud edge firewalling, disaster recovery sites, and hybrid infrastructure management. **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** FortiGate VM is basically the full FortiOS firewall packaged as a virtual machine instead of dedicated hardware. It runs on the usual hypervisors (VMware, KVM, Hyper-V) and all the major public clouds, and because it’s the same OS as the physical boxes, the CLI, policies, and features are identical — nothing to relearn or reconfigure differently. On the NGFW side you get full Layer 7 inspection: IPS, application control, SSL inspection, antivirus, web filtering, plus built-in SD-WAN and support for BGP/OSPF and overlay tunnels like IPsec, GRE, and VXLAN. Licensing scales by vCPU, so you size it to the throughput you actually need rather than being stuck with a fixed hardware tier. Practically, it’s most useful for cloud edge firewalling, DR sites where you can’t wait on hardware lead times, lab testing before pushing changes to production units, and management of FortiManager/FortiAnalyzer across a mixed fleet of physical and virtual firewalls. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** The biggest downside of FortiGate VM, in my experience, is performance. Without the dedicated ASICs (NP/CP chips) found in physical FortiGates, all packet processing is handled in software on the hypervisor’s CPU. That means throughput is ultimately constrained by the host’s available resources as well as the vCPU licensing tier you’re on. SSL inspection is especially impacted, since there’s no hardware crypto offload to absorb that workload. Licensing is vCPU-based, which initially sounds flexible, but it can get expensive fast if you need additional cores to achieve the throughput you’re aiming for. In practice, scaling up this way can end up costing more over time than buying an equivalent physical appliance. **Recommendations to others considering FortiGate-VM NGFW:** To maximize the benefits of FortiGate VM, consider the following recommendations: 1. **Resource Allocation**: Ensure that your hypervisor has sufficient resources to handle the expected traffic load, especially if SSL inspection is a priority. 2. **Licensing Strategy**: Plan your vCPU licensing carefully to avoid unexpected costs. Consider your current and future throughput needs. 3. **Hybrid Deployment**: Use FortiGate VM in conjunction with physical appliances to balance performance and flexibility. 4. **Regular Updates**: Keep your FortiGate VM updated with the latest firmware to benefit from security patches and new features. 5. **Monitoring and Management**: Utilize FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer for centralized management and monitoring to streamline operations across your network. 6. **Testing Environment**: Leverage the VM for testing configurations and updates before deploying them to production environments. By following these recommendations, you can effectively leverage FortiGate VM to enhance your network security posture. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** FortiGate VM addresses the challenge of extending consistent, enterprise-grade NGFW security into environments where physical hardware either can’t be deployed or simply doesn’t make sense. For cloud coverage, there’s no rack to mount a box in, so VM firewalls can inspect traffic directly inside AWS/Azure/GCP VPCs. It also helps maintain consistency across hybrid infrastructure by keeping the same policies, logging, and FortiManager/FortiAnalyzer-based management across on-prem, colo, and multiple clouds, rather than juggling different tools in each environment. Another big advantage is speed and elasticity: you can deploy in minutes instead of waiting weeks for hardware procurement, shipping, and racking. That’s especially useful for DR sites, temporary environments, M&A integration, or scaling up and down with demand. On the cost side, vCPU-based licensing provides flexibility to pay for what you actually need, instead of over-provisioning hardware for peak capacity—helpful when traffic is unpredictable or seasonal. Finally, FortiGate VM supports east-west segmentation by inspecting traffic between VMs and microservices inside a virtual network, which a perimeter hardware appliance can’t effectively cover. Overall, it delivers enterprise-grade firewalling that’s quick to deploy, consistent across environments, and elastic—ideal for places where physical hardware can’t go or isn’t practical. ### 35. Full FortiOS Security in a Flexible Virtual PackageOS Security with Intuitive Management **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Telecommunications | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) This reviewer's identity has been verified by our review moderation team. They have asked not to show their name, job title, or picture. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **AI Translated:** This review has been translated from English using AI. **Reviewed Date:** September 15, 2026 At G2, we prefer fresh reviews and we like to follow up with reviewers. They may not have updated their review text, but have updated their review. **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** The key strength is comprehensive FortiOS security in virtual form, with management identical to that of physical appliances. The interface is intuitive, automation is robust (via Terraform, Ansible, and REST APIs), and performance is solid on modern instances like AWS Graviton3. Pricing is competitive, although the licensing model is complex. Support is good and responsive when needed. The FortiAI assistant represents a significant step forward for diagnostics. It is an excellent solution if you are already operating within the Fortinet ecosystem. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** IPsec is pinned to a single vCPU, so tunnel throughput can bottleneck regardless of instance size, and enabling the full security stack causes a significant performance drop. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** Before: Physical firewall redundancy across locations was complex, expensive, and hardware failures caused site downtime. After FortiGate VM: Virtual clustering and automated session failover deliver zero-downtime availability during host or cloud failures. ### 36. FortiGate-VM: Full Security Stack in One Lightweight VM with Fast Deployment **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in E-Learning | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) This reviewer's identity has been verified by our review moderation team. They have asked not to show their name, job title, or picture. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** August 25, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** What I appreciate most is the seamless integration of the full security stack into a single VM. Unlike physical appliances or other virtual solutions that require separate boxes for different functions, the FortiGate-VM gives me IPS, web filtering, application control, and SSL inspection all in one lightweight instance. Deployment on our VMware cluster took under 10 minutes, and the Security Fabric visibility across our hybrid environment has been a game-changer for troubleshooting traffic flows. The SD-WAN features are also surprisingly robust—we're load-balancing two ISPs without needing an extra device. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** The licensing model is my biggest headache—the performance tiers (VM-02 vs. VM-04, etc.) are confusing, and upgrading to a higher tier requires a full VM reboot, which means scheduling maintenance windows just to adjust throughput. Also, the GUI is great for basic policies, but once you need advanced SD-WAN rules or policy-based routing, you're forced into the CLI, and the documentation often assumes you're coming from a physical box. The learning curve there is frustratingly steep. Lastly, onboard logging fills up way too fast—you practically need a separate FortiAnalyzer or external syslog server if you want to keep more than a few days of historical data. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** We were stuck with aging physical firewalls that were hitting CPU limits during peak traffic, and upgrading meant costly hardware replacements and long shipping delays. The FortiGate-VM completely solved that by letting us spin up additional capacity on our existing ESXi hosts in minutes—no hardware wait times. It's also helping us consolidate multiple point solutions; we no longer run separate proxy servers and intrusion detection boxes because the VM handles everything inline. The biggest benefit has been agility—when our remote offices grew, we deployed new virtual instances in under 15 minutes instead of waiting days for hardware to ship. Plus, the centralized policy management via FortiManager has cut our rule-review time by half, which frees me up for actual infrastructure improvements rather than just firefighting. ### 37. Centralized, All-in-One Security for Virtualized Environments **Rating:** 3.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Computer & Network Security | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) This reviewer's identity has been verified by our review moderation team. They have asked not to show their name, job title, or picture. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** August 19, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** FortiGate-VM NGFW stands out for centralized security management, comprehensive threat protection, and smooth integration with Fortinet’s security ecosystem. Having firewalling, IPS, web filtering, application control, and strong visibility all in one platform makes it well suited for monitoring and protecting virtualized environments, while keeping security operations consolidated and easier to manage. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** The main drawbacks are the complexity and cost of licensing, as well as the learning curve for more advanced configurations. The interface can also feel somewhat complicated when you’re managing larger environments, and troubleshooting certain issues may require fairly detailed knowledge of Fortinet-specific features and logs. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** FortiGate-VM NGFW provides centralized network security by bringing together firewalling, IPS, application control, web filtering, and traffic visibility in one place. It helps us detect and block threats, manage and control network traffic, investigate security events more effectively, and improve overall visibility across our environment. As a result, it reduces manual effort for our SOC, speeds up incident investigation, and strengthens our overall security posture. ### 38. Consistent Hybrid-Cloud Security and All-in-One Features with FortiGate VM **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Banking | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) This reviewer's identity has been verified by our review moderation team. They have asked not to show their name, job title, or picture. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** August 17, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** Several standout aspects make this a preferred choice for IT and security professionals. Consistent security across hybrid and multi-cloud environments is a big one. The same FortiOS everywhere means FortiGate VM runs the exact same operating system as physical FortiGate appliances, so administrators face virtually no learning curve when moving between on-premises hardware and cloud instances like AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, VMware, and KVM. With unified policies, organizations can enforce the same security posture, firewall rules, and threat protection standards no matter where workloads live. Another strength is deep feature consolidation. Instead of stitching together separate tools for routing, SD-WAN, VPN, intrusion prevention, and web filtering, FortiGate VM integrates these capabilities natively. Being able to manage firewall rules, review threat logs, and control secure access from a single dashboard reduces operational complexity and can save hours of management time each week. Built-in Secure SD-WAN is also a highlight. FortiGate VM includes robust Secure SD-WAN capabilities out of the box, enabling seamless and secure site-to-site connectivity along with intelligent path selection for cloud applications, without needing added hardware costs. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** Performance Drop with Full Security Features EnabledTurning on intensive security inspection features (such as deep packet inspection, antivirus, intrusion prevention, and web filtering) can cause a noticeable drop in throughput capacity. Careful sizing and resource allocation are required to prevent performance bottlenecks. High Cost and Complex Licensing StructureBoth the software licenses and the required security subscriptions (FortiGuard services) are expensive. Additionally, managing license activation files and tying them to specific virtual machine instances or cloud environments can sometimes be an overly rigid and frustrating process.Resource and Cloud Networking ComplexitiesInitial setup and networking configuration in public cloud environments (like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud) can be complex compared to traditional on-premises deployments. Administrators also report occasional CPU utilization spikes and packet latency during high-traffic events or simultaneous administrator logins. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** The FortiGate VM Next Generation Firewall solves several critical infrastructure and security challenges, and those solutions translate into major operational benefits: Solving Cloud Security Blind Spots and Inconsistency Problem: Managing security across a mix of on premises data centers and public clouds like AWS or Azure usually means dealing with disjointed tools and different vendor interfaces. Benefit: Because FortiGate VM runs the exact same operating system everywhere, it allows organizations to enforce uniform firewall rules and security policies across hybrid environments, eliminating blind spots and reducing human error. Solving Fragmented Infrastructure and Tool Sprawl Problem: Relying on separate point products for routing, virtual private networks, web filtering, and intrusion prevention creates high overhead and complex maintenance. Benefit: By consolidating these features natively into a single virtual appliance, it slashes the time spent managing multiple security vendors and simplifies daily administrative workflows. ### 39. Single Pane of Glass for IPS, VPN, SD-WAN, and Segmentation **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Information Technology and Services | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) This reviewer's identity has been verified by our review moderation team. They have asked not to show their name, job title, or picture. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** August 12, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** A single pane of glass for everything IPS, VPN, SD-WAN, and segmentation. It gives me consistent policies across both cloud and on-prem environments. There are no hardware hassles, the performance is solid, and everything runs through one management interface. Overall, it keeps my workload light and my networks tight. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** The license is quite pricey, especially with feature add-ons. Logging and monitoring could be more intuitive; going through CLI for certain features is a hassle sometimes. Occasional upgrade between versions. Great box, but not perfect. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** A virtual firewall that locks down multi-cloud workloads, removes the policy sprawl between AWS and Azure, handles IPS, VPN, and SD-WAN on the same box, scales up with a single click, costs is high but saves me from late night problem calls, and gives me a dashboard to keep all traffic in check so I can stop babysitting the network and focus on actually building things. ### 40. Flexible and Hardware-Free Next-Gen Security for Virtual Environments **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Logistics and Supply Chain | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) This reviewer's identity has been verified by our review moderation team. They have asked not to show their name, job title, or picture. **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through a business email account **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** August 14, 2026 **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. **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. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** It eliminates physical hardware dependency, allowing us to deploy fast and flexible security across our virtual and cloud environments. Additionally, its seamless backup capabilities simplify our disaster recovery processes, ensuring strong data and system security. ### 41. Ideal for Learning Network Security in a Cost-Effective Way **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Musa A. | Full Stack Engineer, Computer Software, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** July 20, 2026 **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. **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. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** It helps me practice real security problems safely and block unauthorized traffic without costly hardware. The easy-to-deploy VM, user interface, firewall policy management, and VPN setup wizard make it very valuable in my lab. ### 42. Powerful, Scalable NGFW—But Initial Setup and Licensing Can Be Complex **Rating:** 3.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Telecommunications | Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) This reviewer's identity has been verified by our review moderation team. They have asked not to show their name, job title, or picture. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** August 06, 2026 **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. **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. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** FortiGate-VM NGFW helps secure virtual and hybrid cloud environments by consolidating firewalling, intrusion prevention, VPN, application control, and web filtering into a single platform. This reduces the complexity of managing multiple security solutions while improving network visibility and policy enforcement. It has helped simplify security administration, strengthen threat protection, and provide consistent security across virtual workloads. ### 43. Cost-Effective Firewall with CLI Familiarity, GUI Challenges **Rating:** 3.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) This reviewer's identity has been verified by our review moderation team. They have asked not to show their name, job title, or picture. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** August 24, 2026 **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. **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. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** It replaced our VPN setup that didn't scale and was hard to manage. The price is great since IPS and web filtering are bundled, and the CLI is familiar for those with a Cisco background. ### 44. Flexible, feature-rich firewall in one platform **Rating:** 3.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Salman U. | System Network Administrator, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **AI Translated:** This review has been translated from English using AI. **Reviewed Date:** September 20, 2026 **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. **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 **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** Being virtual also means faster rollouts.normally mannual physical deployment require more time comparing to making it virtual.also more convinient considering the setup process and the speed of work completin ### 45. Reliable NGFW in a VM: Stable Protection with Minimal Downtime **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Computer & Network Security | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) This reviewer's identity has been verified by our review moderation team. They have asked not to show their name, job title, or picture. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** July 17, 2026 **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 **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 **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** it benefits me in trying to find another firewall better than this one i actually looked for one that works in a vm and iwas looking for one that tested and proved i used it in a server with a network card that have 4 portsd and after that the fw enabled me to do ip fail over from diffeent ISP and also create networks and implement ddos prevention system ### 46. User-Friendly NGFW That Simplifies Security Management **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** payal c. | Cyber Threat Investigator, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** September 23, 2026 **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. **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. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** Securing cloud workloads and controlling inner subnet traffic in setting up secure VPN tunnels for remote users connecting to cloud infrastructure. Web filtering saves significant operational effort. ### 47. Robust Security with Top-notch Performance **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Ramanaji B. | Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** August 11, 2026 **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. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** I find the usability of FortiGate-VM NGFW to be an area that could be improved. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use FortiGate-VM NGFW to secure enterprise networks by managing firewall policies, VPNs, and traffic monitoring, protecting our network from cyber threats. ### 48. Strong, All-in-One Firewall with IPS, SD-WAN, and VPN **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Utilities | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) This reviewer's identity has been verified by our review moderation team. They have asked not to show their name, job title, or picture. **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **AI Translated:** This review has been translated from English using AI. **Reviewed Date:** September 15, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** This firewall brings together many features in one software, including creating firewall policies, IPS, application control, SD-WAN, and VPN. It also offers strong security, which makes it a solid all-in-one solution. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** Probably the main downside is firmware upgrades. Advanced configurations can be complex, and troubleshooting sometimes takes a lot of time and requires technical knowledge. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** It helps verify and secure communication networks, manage access control, and make traffic monitoring easier. Most importantly, it helps protect critical smart-grid systems. ### 49. Simpler VM Experience with Helpful New AI Features **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Government Administration | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) This reviewer's identity has been verified by our review moderation team. They have asked not to show their name, job title, or picture. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through a business email account **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** August 17, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** I like the VM part of it, and it isn’t complicated compared to the traditional version. I also like the AI features that are enabled in the new version. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** As much as it’s a pro that it’s virtual that also acts as a double edged sword because of the complicated configuration set up as well as the fact that when I set up the fortigate firewall and make a mistake it usually requires me to start the whole process from scratch. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** What I like about it is that it really fits the landscape of the modern world by addressing AI attacks and related issues that are very prevalent right now. It also offers comprehensive features aimed at tackling deepfakes, AI-driven attacks, and spamming—things that many firewalls don’t cover. ### 50. Flexible FortiGate-VM Hybrid Management, but Firmware Updates Can Be Buggy **Rating:** 3.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Fakher R. | Solar Technician, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Incentivized:** This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Source: G2 invite:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was offered a nominal gift card as thank you for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** July 20, 2026 **What do you like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** As a network administrator and engineer, I’ve found that FortiGate-VM runs the exact same FortiOS as the physical hardware. Users appreciate the seamless hybrid management, the flexible licensing options, and the low RAM footprint, which makes it easy to fit into different environments. **What do you dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW?** Buggy firmware updates: Fortinet frequently releases firmware updates that include frustrating bugs. Because of this, engineers often steer clear of the newest “Feature” releases and instead stick with older “Mature” software tracks to keep things stable. **What problems is FortiGate-VM NGFW solving and how is that benefiting you?** FortiGate-VM stops advanced cloud malware via deep packet inspection, unifies hybrid security under one OS, and scales instantly to cut costs.and this is very helpful ## FortiGate-VM NGFW Discussions - [What is FortiGate NGFW used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-fortigate-ngfw-used-for) - 1 comment - [What is FortiGate-VM used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-fortigate-vm-used-for) - 3 comments - [Is FortiGate and fortinet the same?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-fortigate-and-fortinet-the-same) - 1 comment - [What three key additional security features do next generation firewalls provide that legacy firewalls do not?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-three-key-additional-security-features-do-next-generation-firewalls-provide-that-legacy-firewalls-do-not) - 1 comment - [View FortiGate-VM NGFW pricing details and edition comparison](https://www.g2.com/products/fortigate-vm-ngfw/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons§ion=pricing&secure%5Bexpires_at%5D=2026-10-04+10%3A25%3A40+-0500&secure%5Bsession_id%5D=c4415833-4ad0-487c-8a30-86c96ff3aa77&secure%5Btoken%5D=f9e0224a6ad6e6979c46068d232d5a89a89ee242c4fc76c46042623e593e441b&format=llm_user) ## FortiGate-VM NGFW Features **Additional Functionality** - Penetration Testing - Alerts/Notifications - Audit Trail - Anti Virus - Vulnerability Scanning - Remote Monitoring & Management - VPN - Behavior Analytics - Reporting/Analytics - Real-Time Notifications - Access Controls/Permissions - SSL Security - Patch Management - Event Logs - Anomaly/Malware Detection - DNS Leak Protection - Third-Party Integrations - Server Monitoring - Real-Time Monitoring - Compliance Management - Network Provisioning - API - Email Alerts - Security Auditing - Intrusion Detection System - Data Visualization - Two-Factor Authentication - Generative AI - Firewalls - AI Copilot - Anti Spam - Threat Response - Activity Monitoring - Risk Alerts - Data Loss Prevention - Single Sign On - Intrusion Prevention System - Secure Login - Policy Management - Activity Dashboard **Security - Unified Threat Management** - Antivirus - Whitelists - Antispam Filtering - Content Filtering - Web Filtering - Firewall **Prevention** - Intrusion Prevention - Firewall - Encryption - Security hardening **Administration** - Policy Management - Logging and Reporting - Application Gateway - Concurrent Sessions - Uptime Reporting - Web Traffic Reporting - Compliance Management - Access Management - Incident Management - Audit Management - Remote Monitoring & Management **Agentic AI - Firewall Software** - Autonomous Task Execution - Adaptive Learning - AI/Machine Learning **Compliance** - Access Management - At-Risk Analysis - DLP Configuration - Sensitive Data Compliance **Administration** - Reports & Analytics - Dashboard **Detection** - Intrusion Detection - Security Monitoring - Anti-Malware / Malware Detection **Functionality** - Virtual Private Network (VPN) - Antivirus - URL Filtering - Availability - IP Filtering - Content Filtering **Administration** - Database Management - Backup - API / integrations **Administration** - Compliance - Administration Console - - API / integrations **Monitoring** - Load Balancing - Continuous Analysis - Intrusion Prevention - Intrusion Detection - Intrusion Detection System - Intrusion Prevention System **Security ** - Multi-Factor Authentication - Data Transport - Security Tools **Generative AI** - AI Text Summarization - Generative AI **Artificial Intelligence - Firewall** - AI Firewall **Additional Functionality** - Spam Blocker - Alerts/Escalation - Role-Based Permissions - Network Monitoring - Visual Analytics - Customizable Reports - Real-Time Analytics - Reporting & Statistics - Anti Spam - Activity Dashboard - Real-Time Monitoring - Real-Time Notifications - Activity Tracking - Hardware Integration - Summary Reports - Alerts/Notifications - Access Controls/Permissions - Real-Time Data - Server Monitoring - Two-Factor Authentication - Log Access - Reporting/Analytics - Multi-Location - SSL Security - Behavior Tracking - AI Copilot - API - Event Logs - Vulnerability Scanning - Risk Alerts - Single Sign On - Dashboard Creation - Monitoring ## Top FortiGate-VM NGFW Alternatives - [Check Point Next Generation Firewalls (NGFWs)](https://www.g2.com/products/check-point-next-generation-firewalls-ngfws/reviews) - 4.5/5.0 (517 reviews) - [WatchGuard Network Security](https://www.g2.com/products/watchguard-network-security/reviews) - 4.7/5.0 (247 reviews) - [SonicWall Next Generation Firewall](https://www.g2.com/products/sonicwall-next-generation-firewall/reviews) - 4.1/5.0 (145 reviews)