We performed a comparison between Fortinet FortiGate-VM and OPNsense based on our users’ reviews in five categories. After reading all of the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.
Features: Fortinet FortiGate-VM is highly regarded for its robust security features, including geofencing, firewalling, IPS, and antivirus. Users also appreciate its user-friendly interface. OPNsense is notable for its scalability and ability to accommodate guest access. Its dashboards, IDS and IPS capabilities, and availability of a free version are also highlighted as valuable features.
Fortinet FortiGate-VM could benefit from enhancements in key activation, log management, IPsec failover, monitoring tools, hardening, availability, VPN connectivity, operating system stability, data center clustering, throughput, web application firewall integration, pricing model, troubleshooting forum, and guidance. OPNsense requires improvements in interface simplification, integration, DNS blocking, peer-blocking, installation, deployment, reporting, SSL inspection, and learning curve.
Service and Support: Fortinet FortiGate-VM's customer service has received both positive and negative feedback. Some customers appreciate the support team's quick response times and expertise. However, others have faced challenges in obtaining prompt assistance and finding information easily. OPNsense has been commended for its exceptional support, rapid response times, and helpful guidance. Nonetheless, a few users have noted the lack of easy accessibility to the support service and have recommended the addition of an associated support service.
Ease of Deployment: The setup process for Fortinet FortiGate-VM is typically simple. OPNsense is not overly complicated or difficult. FortiGate-VM may take more time for larger deployments, however, it provides a user-friendly installation and configuration experience. Clients can perform the OPNsense setup themselves, and it can be completed within a few hours.
Pricing: Fortinet FortiGate-VM requires licensing fees with no extra expenses. OPNsense, being open-source, doesn't require a license, however, hardware costs are involved.
ROI: Fortinet FortiGate-VM offers enhanced security and stability. Users consider its ROI to be highly satisfactory. OPNsense delivers a quick return on investment, typically within three months, and eliminates the need for ongoing fees.
Comparison Results: The analysis of user feedback indicates that Fortinet FortiGate-VM outperforms OPNsense in various aspects. Users highly value Fortinet FortiGate-VM for its robust security capabilities, user-friendly interface, effortless deployment, scalability, and extensive filtering options. Moreover, users appreciate the availability of support from Fortinet.
"It's very easy to configure."
"The solution is extremely reliable."
"It is useful for protecting and segregating the internal networks from the internet. Most of our customers also use the FortiGate client to connect to their offices by using the VPN client, and of course, they usually activate the antivirus, deep inspection, and intrusion prevention services. They are also using it for web filtering and implementing various policies dealing with forwardings, NAT, etc."
"This is a quality product with ok support, and it is better than the competition we've tried."
"It's great for capturing the traffic and troubleshooting it."
"The most valuable feature is the ease of configuration."
"Fortinet offers the latest versions to cater to the needs of enterprises."
"The dashboard I have found the most valuable in Fortinet FortiGate."
"We work in the archiving domain where a secure environment is very important. We have some special requirements regarding the security of infrastructure."
"The ROI is good since I get free support."
"I have worked on some of the largest and smallest solutions that Fortinet sells and they all scale really well."
"A top feature is the really good web interface and the classic Fortinet features, such as IPS, IDS, AV scanner, and spam filter."
"It’s easy to integrate the solution with our network infrastructure."
"High network throughput while providing leading edge network security technology for a competitive price."
"The best part about FortiGate-VM is its strong security."
"FortiGate is a nice and very good product."
"OPNsense could improve by making the configuration more web-based rather than shell or command-line-based."
"OPNsense is highly stable."
"We can open a new VPN connection easily. It's much easier than with Fortinet in our experience."
"It has firewall and VPN capabilities, which are very valuable features."
"The solution is good for a basic firewall for a small business or for home use."
"We have been operating here in our lab for several months, and everything appears to be extremely stable."
"The initial implementation process is simple."
"It has an open license. It works very well, and there is an update every month."
"The support from Fortinet FortiGate could improve. They are not easily accessible when we need them. They could improve their response time."
"Reporting is limited to providing an external appliance for improving the reporting capabilities of the FortiAnalyzer. It does not offer a central management and is also sold separably as an appliance."
"Tunnel flapping was one of the major things I had seen wherein your internet link remains but your VPN tunnel is down. However, since I got a fix from the TAC team, I have not noticed it, but the customer complained a few times that they couldn't access the internet because of this problem."
"It would be good if they had fewer updates."
"In some cases, its initial setup could be hard for customers."
"Fortinet FortiGate could improve by having better visibility. Palo Alto has better visibility."
"Fortinet FortiGate needs to improve to be on par with its competitors, such as Palo Alto and Sophos. They are the market leaders. Fortinet FortiGate needs to improve its capabilities. However, we are happy with Fortinet FortiGate."
"It should provide better visibility over the network and more information in the form of reports for the end users. Its installation should also be easier."
"The interface needs to be updated and simplified."
"I have worked on some of the largest and smallest solutions that Fortinet sells and they all scale really well."
"Some issues with connecting to the VPN from home after firmware updates."
"The reporting is not as good as it is with other firewalls and it should be improved."
"In terms of improvement, there have been some problems with the bandwidth of the security layer."
"There should be integration with an active directory — with Microsoft."
"It is difficult to size the VM in terms of machine resources, and for this reason, clients prefer the appliance."
"To improve FortiGate-VM, Fortinet needs to harden it more. For example, if you are using Hyper-V, then you need guidelines for hardening FortiGate-VM that are specific to the Hyper-V environment. If it's VMware, there should be at least a guideline on how to harden the firewall."
"There are issues with stability and reliability."
"In terms of improvement, the performance could be enhanced."
"OPNsense could improve by making the configuration more web-based rather than shell or command-line-based."
"The reporting part could be better."
"While they do have paid options that actually gives better features, for most of the clients, if they tend to take a paid option will instead opt for Fortinet."
"The support for OPNsense is good because we have documents available on the internet. The support could improve a little."
"When using the solution at the beginning was difficult. There was a steep learning curve."
"There is room for improvement in SSL inspection."
Fortinet FortiGate-VM is ranked 9th in Firewalls with 113 reviews while OPNsense is ranked 3rd in Firewalls with 36 reviews. Fortinet FortiGate-VM is rated 8.4, while OPNsense is rated 8.4. The top reviewer of Fortinet FortiGate-VM writes "An easy-to-manage and configure tool that provides ample documentation to help with the setup phase". On the other hand, the top reviewer of OPNsense writes "Robust network security and management offering a user-friendly interface, open-source flexibility, and cost-effectiveness, with challenges regarding initial setup and the absence of official support". Fortinet FortiGate-VM is most compared with Azure Firewall, Palo Alto Networks VM-Series, Fortinet FortiOS, Cisco Secure Firewall and Netgate pfSense, whereas OPNsense is most compared with Netgate pfSense, Sophos XG, Untangle NG Firewall, Sophos UTM and IPFire. See our Fortinet FortiGate-VM vs. OPNsense report.
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