# Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) vs FortiGate-VM NGFW Comparison
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## AI Generated Summary
- **G2 reviewers report** that FortiGate-VM NGFW excels in user experience, particularly highlighting its **intuitive GUI** which is described as "best in class" compared to competitors. Users appreciate the **speed and responsiveness** of the interface, making it easy to navigate and manage.
- **Users say** that Cisco ASAv offers robust **high availability features** , such as clustering and active/standby failover, which are crucial for maintaining network security during hardware or software failures. This reliability is a significant advantage for businesses that prioritize uptime.
- **According to verified reviews** , FortiGate-VM NGFW has a notably higher overall satisfaction score, reflecting its strong performance in areas like **ease of setup** and **administration**. Users have noted a seamless onboarding process and minimal lag when switching between tasks.
- **Reviewers mention** that while Cisco ASAv is easy to manage and track virtual traffic, it falls slightly behind FortiGate-VM in terms of **administrative ease** , with some users finding the interface less intuitive for day-to-day operations.
- **Users highlight** the quality of support from FortiGate-VM, noting that the **TAC support team** is very helpful, which enhances the overall user experience. In contrast, while Cisco ASAv has a solid support reputation, some users feel it could improve in this area.
- **G2 reviewers indicate** that FortiGate-VM NGFW is particularly well-suited for mid-market companies, with a significant portion of its reviews coming from this segment. This suggests that it effectively meets the needs of businesses looking for a reliable and user-friendly firewall solution.



| | Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) | FortiGate-VM NGFW | 
|---|---|---|
| **Star Rating** | 4.3 out of 5 | 4.6 out of 5 | 
| **Total Reviews** | 17 | 230 | 
| **Largest Market Segment** | Mid-Market (41.2% of reviews) | Mid-Market (58.9% of reviews) | 
| **Entry Level Price** | No pricing available | No pricing available | 

---
## Top Pros & Cons

### Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv)

**Not enough data**

### FortiGate-VM NGFW

Pros:
- Ease of Use (12 reviews)
- Features (10 reviews)

Cons:
- Difficult Learning Curve (4 reviews)
- Expensive (4 reviews)

---
## Ratings Comparison
| Rating | Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) | FortiGate-VM NGFW | 
|---|---|---|
  | **Meets Requirements** | 8.8 (14 reviews) | 9.2 (182 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Use** | 8.7 (14 reviews) | 9.0 (185 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Setup** | 8.9 (6 reviews) | 8.9 (151 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Admin** | 8.3 (6 reviews) | 9.1 (138 reviews) | 
  | **Quality of Support** | 9.1 (13 reviews) | 8.7 (180 reviews) | 
  | **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?** | 8.3 (6 reviews) | 9.1 (134 reviews) | 
  | **Product Direction (% positive)** | 8.3 (14 reviews) | 9.4 (182 reviews) | 

---
## Pricing

### Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv)

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

No information available

### FortiGate-VM NGFW

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

Yes

---
## Features Comparison By Category

### Unified Threat Management (UTM)

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv)** | N/A | N/A |
| **FortiGate-VM NGFW** | 9.3/10 | 118 |

#### Security - Unified Threat Management

| Feature | Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) | FortiGate-VM NGFW | 
|---|---|---|
| **Antivirus** | Not enough data | 9.3 (95 reviews) | 
| **Whitelists** | Not enough data | 9.4 (97 reviews) | 
| **Antispam Filtering** | Not enough data | 9.0 (89 reviews) | 
| **Content Filtering** | Not enough data | 9.3 (95 reviews) | 
| **Web Filtering** | Not enough data | 9.7 (96 reviews) | 
| **Firewall** | Not enough data | 9.8 (100 reviews) | 

#### Administration

| Feature | Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) | FortiGate-VM NGFW | 
|---|---|---|
| **Reports & Analytics** | Not enough data | 8.7 (96 reviews) | 
| **Dashboard** | Not enough data | 9.4 (98 reviews) | 

### Data Center Security Solutions

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv)** | N/A | N/A |
| **FortiGate-VM NGFW** | 9.4/10 | 74 |

#### Prevention

| Feature | Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) | FortiGate-VM NGFW | 
|---|---|---|
| **Intrusion Prevention** | Not enough data | 9.6 (58 reviews) | 
| **Firewall** | Not enough data | 9.5 (60 reviews) | 
| **Encryption** | Not enough data | 9.2 (54 reviews) | 
| **Security hardening** | Not enough data | 9.4 (55 reviews) | 
| **Cloud Data Protection** | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | 

#### Detection

| Feature | Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) | FortiGate-VM NGFW | 
|---|---|---|
| **Intrusion Detection** | Not enough data | 9.4 (56 reviews) | 
| **Security Monitoring** | Not enough data | 9.4 (53 reviews) | 
| **Anti-Malware / Malware Detection** | Not enough data | 9.3 (54 reviews) | 

#### Administration

| Feature | Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) | FortiGate-VM NGFW | 
|---|---|---|
| **Compliance** | Not enough data | 9.4 (53 reviews) | 
| **Administration Console -** | Not enough data | 9.4 (58 reviews) | 
| **API / integrations** | Not enough data | 9.0 (51 reviews) | 

### Firewall Software

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv)** | N/A | N/A |
| **FortiGate-VM NGFW** | 9.0/10 | 122 |

#### Administration

| Feature | Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) | FortiGate-VM NGFW | 
|---|---|---|
| **Policy Management** | Not enough data | 9.2 (101 reviews) | 
| **Logging and Reporting** | Not enough data | 8.9 (101 reviews) | 
| **Application Gateway** | Not enough data | 9.2 (92 reviews) | 
| **Concurrent Sessions** | Not enough data | 9.3 (98 reviews) | 

#### Agentic AI - Firewall Software

| Feature | Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) | FortiGate-VM NGFW | 
|---|---|---|
| **Autonomous Task Execution** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Adaptive Learning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Functionality

| Feature | Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) | FortiGate-VM NGFW | 
|---|---|---|
| **Virtual Private Network (VPN)** | Not enough data | 9.4 (104 reviews) | 
| **Antivirus** | Not enough data | 9.0 (96 reviews) | 
| **URL Filtering** | Not enough data | 9.4 (101 reviews) | 
| **Availability** | Not enough data | 9.5 (98 reviews) | 

#### Monitoring

| Feature | Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) | FortiGate-VM NGFW | 
|---|---|---|
| **Load Balancing** | Not enough data | 9.2 (92 reviews) | 
| **Continuous Analysis** | Not enough data | 9.0 (93 reviews) | 
| **Intrusion Prevention** | Not enough data | 9.2 (104 reviews) | 
| **Intrusion Detection** | Not enough data | 9.3 (98 reviews) | 

#### Generative AI

| Feature | Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) | FortiGate-VM NGFW | 
|---|---|---|
| **AI Text Summarization** | Not enough data | 8.2 (20 reviews) | 

#### Artificial Intelligence - Firewall

| Feature | Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) | FortiGate-VM NGFW | 
|---|---|---|
| **AI Firewall** | Not enough data | 7.7 (5 reviews) | 

### Data Security

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv)** | N/A | N/A |
| **FortiGate-VM NGFW** | N/A | N/A |

#### Compliance

| Feature | Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) | FortiGate-VM NGFW | 
|---|---|---|
| **Access Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **At-Risk Analysis** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **DLP Configuration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Sensitive Data Compliance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Administration

| Feature | Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) | FortiGate-VM NGFW | 
|---|---|---|
| **Database Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Deduplication ** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Backup** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **API / integrations** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Security 

| Feature | Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) | FortiGate-VM NGFW | 
|---|---|---|
| **Multi-Factor Authentication** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Data Transport** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Data Types** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Security Tools** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

---
## Categories
**Shared Categories (1):** [Firewall Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/firewall-software)


**Unique to FortiGate-VM NGFW (2):** [Data Center Security Solutions](https://www.g2.com/categories/data-center-security-solutions), [Unified Threat Management Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/unified-threat-management-utm)


---
## Reviewer Demographics

### By Company Size

| Segment | Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) | FortiGate-VM NGFW | 
|---|---|---|
| **Small-Business** | 29.4% | 18.7% | 
| **Mid-Market** | 41.2% | 58.9% | 
| **Enterprise** | 29.4% | 22.4% | 

### By Industry

#### Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv)

- **Information Technology and Services:** 17.6%
- **Higher Education:** 17.6%
- **Hospital & Health Care:** 11.8%
- **Retail:** 5.9%
- **Research:** 5.9%
- **Real Estate:** 5.9%
- **Outsourcing/Offshoring:** 5.9%
- **Entertainment:** 5.9%
- **Education Management:** 5.9%
- **Consumer Services:** 5.9%
- **Other:** 11.8%

#### FortiGate-VM NGFW

- **Information Technology and Services:** 22.2%
- **Computer & Network Security:** 11.6%
- **Telecommunications:** 10.1%
- **Financial Services:** 6.8%
- **Computer Software:** 6.3%
- **Computer Networking:** 4.8%
- **Education Management:** 2.9%
- **Construction:** 2.4%
- **Information Services:** 1.9%
- **Hospital & Health Care:** 1.9%
- **Other:** 29.0%

---
## Alternatives

### Alternatives to Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv)

- [Azure Firewall](https://www.g2.com/products/azure-firewall/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (31 reviews)
- [Netgate pfSense](https://www.g2.com/products/netgate-pfsense/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (326 reviews)
- [Sophos Firewall](https://www.g2.com/products/sophos-firewall/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (850 reviews)
- [Check Point Next Generation Firewalls (NGFWs)](https://www.g2.com/products/check-point-next-generation-firewalls-ngfws/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (590 reviews)
- [WatchGuard Network Security](https://www.g2.com/products/watchguard-network-security/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (267 reviews)
- [ThreatLocker Zero Trust Platform](https://www.g2.com/products/threatlocker-zero-trust-platform/reviews) — 4.8/5 stars (481 reviews)
- [Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls](https://www.g2.com/products/palo-alto-networks-next-generation-firewalls/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (173 reviews)
- [Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security)](https://www.g2.com/products/check-point-cloud-firewall-formerly-cloudguard-network-security/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (291 reviews)
- [SonicWall Next Generation Firewall](https://www.g2.com/products/sonicwall-next-generation-firewall/reviews) — 4.1/5 stars (153 reviews)
- [Zscaler Internet Access](https://www.g2.com/products/zscaler-internet-access/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (207 reviews)

### Alternatives to FortiGate-VM NGFW

- [Check Point Next Generation Firewalls (NGFWs)](https://www.g2.com/products/check-point-next-generation-firewalls-ngfws/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (590 reviews)
- [WatchGuard Network Security](https://www.g2.com/products/watchguard-network-security/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (267 reviews)
- [SonicWall Next Generation Firewall](https://www.g2.com/products/sonicwall-next-generation-firewall/reviews) — 4.1/5 stars (153 reviews)
- [Barracuda CloudGen Firewall](https://www.g2.com/products/barracuda-cloudgen-firewall/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (51 reviews)
- [Juniper Firewall](https://www.g2.com/products/juniper-firewall/reviews) — 3.9/5 stars (31 reviews)
- [Huawei Firewall](https://www.g2.com/products/huawei-firewall/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (15 reviews)
- [KerioControl](https://www.g2.com/products/keriocontrol/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (10 reviews)
- [Sophos Firewall](https://www.g2.com/products/sophos-firewall/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (850 reviews)
- [Netgate pfSense](https://www.g2.com/products/netgate-pfsense/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (326 reviews)
- [Cisco Meraki](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-meraki/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (217 reviews)

---
## Top Discussions

### Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv)

No discussions available for this product.

### FortiGate-VM NGFW

- Title: [What is FortiGate-VM used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-fortigate-vm-used-for) — 2 comments
  > **Top comment:** "FortiGate-VM is Fortinet's virtual appliance version of the FortiGate firewall, designed for deployment in virtualized environments. It serves as a..."
- Title: [What is FortiGate NGFW used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-fortigate-ngfw-used-for) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "It is a next generation firewall which has capability to do layer 7 insapaction "
- Title: [Is FortiGate and fortinet the same?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-fortigate-and-fortinet-the-same) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "Fortinet is the company and FortiGate is their Firewall name :)"
- Title: [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
  > **Top comment:** "with FortiGate has many Features including SD-WAN, SSL-VPN, Video Filtering, integrated with Sandbox...."

---
**Source:** [G2.com](https://www.g2.com) | [Comparison Page](https://www.g2.com/compare/cisco-adaptive-security-virtual-appliance-asav-vs-fortigate-vm-ngfw)