Compare FortiGate NGFW and Netgate pfSense 
At a Glance
Market Segments
Mid-Market (62.7% of reviews)
Small-Business (68.8% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
No pricing available
FortiGate NGFW
Star Rating
(175)4.7 out of 5
Market Segments
Mid-Market (62.7% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Learn more about FortiGate NGFWNetgate pfSense
Star Rating
(320)4.8 out of 5
Market Segments
Small-Business (68.8% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Learn more about Netgate pfSenseSummary
AI Generated Summary
AI-generated. Powered by real user reviews.
- Users report that Netgate pfSense excels in its open-source nature, allowing for extensive customization and flexibility, which is particularly beneficial for tech-savvy users looking to tailor their firewall settings. In contrast, FortiGate NGFW is praised for its user-friendly interface and ease of setup, making it a preferred choice for businesses that prioritize quick deployment and minimal configuration.
- Reviewers mention that FortiGate NGFW offers superior multi-device usage capabilities, with a G2 rating of 9.5, which is higher than Netgate pfSense's 9.2. This makes FortiGate a better option for organizations that require robust support for various devices and connections.
- G2 users highlight the strong antivirus and anti-malware features of FortiGate NGFW, with a rating of 9.0, compared to Netgate pfSense's lower score of 6.5. This indicates that FortiGate may provide more comprehensive protection against threats, which is crucial for businesses focused on security.
- Users on G2 report that Netgate pfSense shines in its logging and reporting capabilities, scoring 8.3, which some users find more detailed compared to FortiGate's 9.0. However, FortiGate's reporting features are noted for being more intuitive and easier to navigate, appealing to users who prefer straightforward analytics.
- Reviewers say that FortiGate NGFW's proactive alerts and security monitoring features are highly rated at 9.5, providing users with timely notifications about potential threats. In contrast, Netgate pfSense's proactive alerts score lower, indicating that users may miss critical updates or alerts.
- Users report that while both products offer solid compliance features, FortiGate NGFW's access management and sensitive data compliance ratings of 9.2 are higher than Netgate pfSense's, making it a more reliable choice for organizations that need to adhere to strict regulatory standards.
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Pricing
Entry-Level Pricing
FortiGate NGFW
No pricing availableNetgate pfSense
No pricing availableFree Trial
FortiGate NGFW
No trial information availableNetgate pfSense
Free Trial is available
Ratings
Meets Requirements
9.2
140
9.4
256
Ease of Use
9.1
141
8.5
262
Ease of Setup
9.0
105
8.7
241
Ease of Admin
9.1
103
8.8
239
Quality of Support
8.7
141
9.1
204
Has the product been a good partner in doing business?
9.0
100
9.1
193
Product Direction (% positive)
9.6
139
8.6
257
Features by Category
Security - Unified Threat Management
9.2
86
Not enough data
9.4
88
Not enough data
8.9
81
Not enough data
9.2
86
Not enough data
9.6
88
Not enough data
9.7
89
Not enough data
Administration
8.7
88
Not enough data
9.3
88
Not enough data
Prevention
9.6
47
Not enough data
9.5
48
Not enough data
9.1
46
Not enough data
9.3
47
Not enough data
9.2
41
Not enough data
Detection
9.4
46
Not enough data
9.5
45
Not enough data
9.4
45
Not enough data
Administration
9.4
45
Not enough data
9.5
48
Not enough data
9.2
41
Not enough data
Administration
9.3
73
8.7
183
9.0
73
8.3
206
9.3
69
8.4
176
9.5
73
9.0
197
Functionality
9.6
73
9.1
213
9.0
71
6.5
133
9.4
72
7.9
164
9.6
72
9.3
197
Monitoring
9.3
69
8.5
160
9.0
67
8.2
165
9.1
72
8.7
185
9.2
71
8.4
178
Generative AI
Feature Not Available
Feature Not Available
Orchestration
9.1
53
Not enough data
9.0
50
Not enough data
9.1
55
Not enough data
9.1
49
Not enough data
Information
9.0
57
Not enough data
8.9
56
Not enough data
9.1
54
Not enough data
Personalization
8.7
54
Not enough data
9.1
54
Not enough data
8.9
48
Not enough data
Generative AI
Feature Not Available
Not enough data
Usage
Not enough data
9.1
143
Not enough data
9.5
159
Not enough data
9.3
162
Not enough data
9.4
153
Not enough data
7.9
107
Not enough data
8.5
110
Not enough data
8.5
105
Miscellaneous
Not enough data
8.2
106
Not enough data
9.3
143
Not enough data
8.2
95
Compliance
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Administration
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Security
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Categories
Categories
Shared Categories
FortiGate NGFW and Netgate pfSense are categorized as Firewall Software
Unique Categories
FortiGate NGFW is categorized as Threat Intelligence, Data Center Security Solutions, and Unified Threat Management (UTM)
Netgate pfSense is categorized as Business VPN
Reviews
Reviewers' Company Size
FortiGate NGFW
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Netgate pfSense
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Small-Business
(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market
(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise
(> 1000 emp.)
Reviewers' Industry
Information Technology and Services
23.0%
Computer & Network Security
10.6%
Telecommunications
8.7%
Financial Services
6.8%
Computer Software
5.0%
Other
46.0%
Information Technology and Services
20.2%
Computer & Network Security
10.6%
Computer Software
6.1%
Telecommunications
4.2%
Computer Networking
3.8%
Other
55.1%
Most Helpful Reviews
FortiGate NGFW
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Gerardo F.
Verified User in Insurance
In the insurance company mpiramide we have implemented as a firewall the fortigate team of Fortinet as a security barrier against the WAN network. Fortigate equipment provides security configurations to provide a secure environment in our business network....
Most Helpful Critical Review
Netgate pfSense
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Chris G.
Verified User in Internet
pfSense is easy and fast to deploy on a variety of platforms, depending on the use case. As an enterprise service provider, we assist our customers with the deployment and hosting of systems in our cloud environment as well as on-prem datacenters. These...
Most Helpful Critical Review
Brian C.
Verified User in Computer Networking
It bricked itself on a reboot. It is impossible to configure. Devices intermittently had internet access even with only the most basic features enabled.
Gerardo F.
Verified User in Insurance
In the insurance company mpiramide we have implemented as a firewall the fortigate team of Fortinet as a security barrier against the WAN network. Fortigate equipment provides security configurations to provide a secure environment in our business network....
Chris G.
Verified User in Internet
pfSense is easy and fast to deploy on a variety of platforms, depending on the use case. As an enterprise service provider, we assist our customers with the deployment and hosting of systems in our cloud environment as well as on-prem datacenters. These...
Brian C.
Verified User in Computer Networking
It bricked itself on a reboot. It is impossible to configure. Devices intermittently had internet access even with only the most basic features enabled.
Alternatives
Discussions
What three key additional security features do next generation firewalls provide that legacy firewalls do not?
1 comment
HH
with FortiGate has many Features including SD-WAN, SSL-VPN, Video Filtering, integrated with Sandbox....Read more
Is FortiGate and fortinet the same?
1 comment
MK
Fortinet is the company and FortiGate is their Firewall name :)Read more
FortiGate NGFW has no more discussions with answers
Can pfSense be used as a router?
10 comments
SG
pfSense is an open-source firewall and router software distribution based on FreeBSD. It supports NAT and different types of interfaces (WAN, LAN, DMZ). It...Read more
What is pfSense used for?
7 comments
RB
pfSense is a a preconfigured operating system and suite of tools for directing traffic between your LAN and the Internet.
The community version of pfSense...Read more
Is pfSense still free?
5 comments
JK
Yes, it is. There is a Community Edition and a Plus edition. The Community Edition is free. The Plus edition is free for home lab and comes pre-installed...Read more
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