Next-Generation Firewall vs. Fortinet

Learn how Palo Alto Networks NGFWs powered by Precision AI stop highly evasive threats and keeps organizations more secure than Fortinet.

Palo Alto Networks offers real-time protection, superior performance and simplified operations


Palo Alto Networks inline deep learning capabilities offer industry-first prevention of evasive threats, stopping over 40% more DNS attack vectors than Fortinet and any other vendor.

Palo Alto Networks NGFWs consistently provide 30% higher performance with security services enabled in independent third-party testing, like the Miercom testing reports for all use cases, including branch and remote offices, campus and HQ and data center.

Our next-generation technology results in a $1.9M cost savings over other solutions with simplified operations, including unified management.

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“Palo Alto Networks firewalls are by far the most feature-rich and intuitive firewalls I have ever used.”

- Senior Network Architect, Financial Services
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"It's one of those rare platforms that comes along that actually allows you to be excited about technology again."

- Systems Engineering Architect, Infrastructure and Operations
Gartner Magic Quadrant

“The network visibility and ability to act automatically to mitigate threats is extremely powerful and the high availability of the hardware feature allows us to work flawlessly.”

- Senior Director, Professional Services
 Real-Time Protection Against Zero-Day and Highly Evasive Threats

Real-Time Protection Against Zero-Day and Highly Evasive Threats

Only Palo Alto Networks NGFWs offer protection with inline deep learning powered by Precision AI that stops more threats than other solutions.

  • Palo Alto Networks is the only NGFW vendor to stop patient zero, with industry-first real-time protection against zero-day and highly evasive threats.

  • With 15 years of industry-first innovations that continue with PAN-OS® 10.2 Nebula, we’ve changed how network security will be done forever – stopping never-before-seen threats without compromising performance.

True enterprise Zero Trust security for all users, all apps in all locations

Enterprise Zero Trust Security for All Users and All Apps in All Locations

Palo Alto Networks NGFWs deliver foundational Zero Trust components built on principles of least-privileged access, continuous trust verification and continuous security inspection.

  • Palo Alto Networks delivers true Zero Trust security with natively integrated solutions that provide continuous trust verification without compromising performance.

  • Palo Alto Networks provides continuous security inspection for all apps, users and devices, with inspection of traffic to prevent all threats, including highly evasive, never-seen-before threats.

Superior Performance

Superior Performance

Palo Alto Networks offers best-in-class security that outperforms Fortinet appliances.

  • Palo Alto Networks Single-Pass Parallel Processing architecture (SP3) enables high throughput even while incorporating unprecedented features and technology innovations.

  • In a third-party validation test, Palo Alto Networks NGFWs saw 30% higher performance compared to Fortinet across all parameters tested, including application traffic.

  • In the same test, Palo Alto Networks NGFWs maintained predictable throughput with Cloud-Delivered Security Services enabled, while Fortinet showed significant performance degradation.

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Compare Palo Alto Networks Precision AI NGFWs to Fortinet FortiGate

Palo Alto Networks
Fortinet
Real-Time Protection
Palo Alto Networks
  • Precision AI NGFW and inline deep learning stop more threats than traditional solutions, providing real-time protection against zero-daythreats.
  • Malware signature delivery in seconds or less, compared to minutes with Fortinet.
  • Best-in-class Cloud-Delivered Security Services. New innovations in web security, phishing, C2, DNS security, and Enterprise DLP.
  • Most comprehensive range of form factors: hardware, software, container, SASE and Cloud NGFW (managed service).
Fortinet
  • No machine learning or deep learning capabilities on the firewall for real-time prevention of the most advanced zero-day threats.
  • Slow security updates delivered in up to 60 minutes.
  • Legacy IPS to database-only URL and DNS security services, and a limited command-line DLP.
True Enterprise Zero Trust Security
Palo Alto Networks
  • Achieve Zero Trust with a comprehensive platform that includes foundational components of User-ID, App-ID, and Device-ID.
  • Continuous trust verification and security inspection without compromising performance.
  • Consistently enforce user-based policies throughout your organization with one simplified Cloud Identity Engine, regardless of where your users or their identity stores live.
  • Automatically detects, identifies and secures all applications used across the enterprise, including new SaaS apps, in real time.
Fortinet
  • Multiple disjointed products with inconsistent policies that require manual correlation.
  • Security services enabled leads to significant performance degradation, poor security outcomes, and unpredictable outcomes.
  • Multiple disjointed management consoles required to manage user identity security across infrastructure.
  • No ability to detect new SaaS applications in real time.
Superior Performance
Palo Alto Networks
  • Delivering better performance with security services, our Single-Pass Parallel Processing Architecture allows you to size the environment once and maintain performance as you enable more security over time.
  • 30% higher performance compared to Fortinet across all parameters in third-party testing, including application traffic.
Fortinet
  • Performance decreases as security services are enabled, forcing users to trade security capabilities for performance gains.
  • Fortinet firewalls see over a
    74% performance degradation with security services enabled.
Simplified Operations
Palo Alto Networks
  • Simplified management of entire infrastructure via a single console delivers $1.9M cost savings over three years, reducing opex and risk of breach.
  • Easy, simple design with built-in operational tools that can help customers reduce risk of a breach by 45%.
  • Built-in tools designed to proactively improve security posture and health.
  • Feature parity across all form factors and locations, including physical, virtual, containerized and cloud-delivered.
Fortinet
  • Multiple modes of operation with varying levels of security capabilities, decreasing productivity, adding complexity and increasing opportunities for error.
  • Even minimal operational efficiency services are fee-based.
  • Inadequate tools to improve security posture.
  • Lacks feature parity and consistency across management platforms.
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