There is no defensible universal lower-cost winner between FortiGate and Cisco Secure Firewall/Firepower. The total depends on the appliance and software you select, which security services and support are included, whether you need high availability, and the work required to deploy and manage the system. For a useful comparison, request itemized quotes for equivalent configurations over the same term—such as three years—and compare the included entitlements, not just the appliance price or package name.
First, define which products and software you are comparing
“Cisco Firepower” can refer to older product naming or hardware families; Cisco’s current materials use the Cisco Secure Firewall name and describe Firewall Threat Defense (FTD). Cisco ordering materials still use Firepower for some hardware families. Identify the hardware generation, software image, and management mode on the Cisco quote. On the Fortinet side, specify the FortiGate model and whether it is a physical appliance or a virtual deployment.
These details matter because a comparison between vendor names alone cannot establish equivalent capacity or licensing. Ask both vendors to size the proposed systems against the same expected traffic, encrypted inspection, VPN use, enabled security functions, and growth assumptions.
What the licenses and service bundles cover
Both vendors distinguish core firewall capability from additional security and support entitlements. A bundle name is not enough to show that two quotes include the same protection; compare the actual features, term, and support attached to each line item.
#1 Best Overall
- Compact and Efficient Design: The FortiGate 40F is designed for small to mid-sized businesses and enterprise branch offices, featuring a compact, fanless desktop form factor that ensures quiet operation and minimizes space usage.
- Robust Connectivity Options: Equipped with 5 GE RJ45 ports, including 1 WAN port and 4 internal ports, this model provides essential connectivity and flexibility for various network configurations in a small-scale environment.
- High-Performance Security: Offers up to 1 Gbps IPS throughput and 600 Mbps threat protection throughput, using Fortinet’s purpose-built security processor technology to deliver industry-leading performance and protection for SSL encrypted traffic.
- Advanced Threat Protection: Integrated with Fortinet’s AI-powered FortiGuard Labs, the FortiGate 40F offers comprehensive cybersecurity, identifying and mitigating both known and unknown threats to maintain robust security across your network.
- Simplified Management and Deployment: Features a user-friendly management console that provides comprehensive network automation and visibility, coupled with Zero Touch Integration with Fortinet’s Security Fabric for easy deployment.
| Comparison point | FortiGate | Cisco Secure Firewall/Firepower |
|---|---|---|
| Security services | Fortinet offers FortiGuard services à la carte and in bundles including ATP, UTP, and Enterprise. Confirm the exact services and device family on the quote. | Cisco’s licensing guidance describes a base firewall license plus advanced subscriptions for features such as IPS, malware defense, URL filtering, and carrier inspection. Confirm which features are included and which are optional. |
| Support in the presented options | Fortinet’s bundle page lists FortiCare Premium in its presented per-device service options, with Elite available as an upgrade. Check the quoted tier and contract. | Confirm the support contract and SKU on the quote. Cisco ordering guidance identifies Smart Net Total Care, but does not establish a particular support SLA for every design. |
| Subscription terms | Term and renewal details depend on the selected services and contract. | Cisco guidance identifies 1-, 3-, and 5-year subscription terms for advanced licenses. |
| Price for a matched configuration | Not stated in the cited vendor material; request an itemized, configuration-specific quote. | Not stated in the cited vendor material; request an itemized, configuration-specific quote. |
For a like-for-like feature comparison, list the security functions you actually need—such as intrusion prevention, malware or file inspection, URL filtering, and threat intelligence—and mark whether each is included, separately licensed, or absent from each proposal. Cisco’s guidance puts it plainly: “The number and type of licenses required depend on your deployment and the enabled features.”
Compare support by entitlement, not by tier name
A support label does not tell you whether two contracts offer equivalent help. Fortinet’s displayed Premium and Elite options distinguish critical and non-critical issue response times and list features such as firmware updates and replacement. Those details are specific to the presented service options; check the region, device family, and contract in your quote. A Fortinet response time is not directly comparable with a Cisco service level unless the Cisco contract and its applicable commitments are specified.
Rank #2
- INTEGRATED FIREWALL APPLIANCE AND SECURITY SERVICES: Comes with FortiGate-40F Firewall Appliance, 1 year of FortiCare Premium, and FortiGuard Unified Threat Protection.
- UTP SECURITY FEATURES: Offers protection from advanced threats with DNS filtering, URL filtering, video filtering, and controls against botnets.
- IDEAL FOR SMALLER SETTINGS: Best suited for small to mid-sized businesses needing reliable security without the complexity of larger systems.
- CONTINUOUS SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE: FortiCare Premium ensures that technical help is readily available to manage and troubleshoot issues.
- COMPACT AND EFFECTIVE: Provides a powerful, yet compact security solution that effectively protects against a wide range of cyber threats.
For each proposal, verify these support terms in writing:
- Response commitments, covered hours, escalation path, and support scope.
- Hardware replacement or RMA coverage and the conditions for replacement.
- Access to software, firmware, and security-signature updates.
- Which appliances are covered, how renewals work, and what happens if coverage lapses.
- Any management or platform entitlements included with the service.
What happens if a FortiGuard subscription expires?
Fortinet’s license-expiration documentation states: “The FortiGate will still function as a firewall if any or all of the FortiGuard licenses are expired.” That does not mean expired services continue to provide current protection. Fortinet says valid FortiGuard licenses are required for updated databases and signatures and for certain real-time or near-real-time lookups. Renewal continuity rules can also affect the cost or process of restoring coverage after a lapse, so ask the reseller to state any lapse or backdating conditions in the quote.
Rank #3
- Extensive Connectivity Options: The FortiGate 60F is designed with 10 GE RJ45 ports, including 2 WAN ports, 1 DMZ port, and 7 internal ports, offering broad flexibility and high-density connections for diverse enterprise networking needs.
- Superior Performance for Secure Networks: Features powerful system-on-a-chip acceleration to deliver top-tier security with 1.4 Gbps IPS throughput and 700 Mbps threat protection throughput, ensuring effective defense against advanced threats.
- Enhanced SSL Inspection and SD-WAN Capabilities: Utilizes purpose-built security processor technology to provide the industry's highest SSL inspection performance and robust SD-WAN functionality for secure, high-speed network operations.
- Simple and Effective Management: Comes equipped with a user-friendly management console that supports comprehensive network automation and visibility, alongside Zero Touch Integration with Fortinet's Security Fabric for streamlined deployment.
- Advanced Security Features: Leverages continuous threat intelligence from AI-powered FortiGuard Labs, identifying and mitigating both known and unknown threats, enhancing security across all network traffic, whether encrypted or not.
How high availability changes the license total
Do not price an HA design as though it were a single appliance. The bill of materials should show each device and every subscription or support entitlement needed for the intended configuration.
Cisco active-passive FTD pairs
Cisco’s ordering guide says an active-passive FTD high-availability pair requires two subscriptions. It also describes specially configured HA bundle SKUs with a 50% discounted price for the second software subscription in that bundle. This is an ordering-guide example, not a universal discount: confirm that the exact hardware, bundle, region, and contract qualify, and have both devices listed on the quote.
Rank #4
- HARDWARE PLUS SECURITY SERVICES: FortiGate-60F Firewall Appliance bundled with 1 year of FortiCare Premium and FortiGuard Unified Threat Protection.
- UNIFIED THREAT PROTECTION (UTP): Secures against advanced online threats with comprehensive web filtering and anti-botnet technologies.
- OPTIMIZED FOR MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES: Tailored for businesses needing robust security without the infrastructure of larger enterprises.
- RELIABLE CUSTOMER SUPPORT: FortiCare Premium ensures high-quality support and service continuity.
- EFFECTIVE PROTECTION: Employs advanced filtering technologies to safeguard against sophisticated threats.
FortiGate pairs
Request the quoted hardware and service entitlements for every FortiGate unit in the design. The available vendor material does not establish a directly comparable Fortinet HA subscription rule, so use the written quote rather than assuming the second device is treated like Cisco’s or that the licensing is identical.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Build a three- or five-year total cost comparison
Fortinet’s published TCO framework includes acquisition, deployment, management, annual vendor or partner support and services, installation, integration, and upkeep. Apply the same scope and time period to both vendors. A practical worksheet can use these rows:
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Best Value
- Robust Port Configuration: The FortiGate 120G is equipped with 18 GE RJ45 ports, including 1 management port and 1 HA port, alongside 16 switch ports. It also features 8 GE SFP slots and 4 10GE SFP+ slots, providing versatile connectivity options for complex network setups.
- Cutting-edge Performance with SP5 Acceleration: Powered by SP5 hardware acceleration, the device ensures unmatched performance, making it ideal for enterprises requiring rapid application identification, efficient business operations, and robust security.
- Dual AC Power Supplies: Designed with dual non-hot swappable AC power supplies, the FortiGate 120G ensures uninterrupted service and operational reliability, critical for maintaining mission-critical network activities.
- Superior Security Features: Integrated with Fortinet’s Security Fabric, the FortiGate 120G offers advanced threat protection, real-time SSL inspection, and AI-powered FortiGuard services, providing comprehensive defense against modern cyber threats.
- Streamlined Network Management: Features such as the FortiLink protocol allow seamless integration of security and network management, enabling centralized control and simplified operations across all networked FortiGate devices.
- Appliances: Record model, quantity, and the sizing assumptions for traffic, encrypted inspection, VPN, and growth.
- Security subscriptions: Itemize the same required functions on both sides, including their term and renewal amount.
- Resilience: Include the full node count and any licenses or services required for HA or clustering.
- Support: Include the selected support tier, replacement coverage, renewal terms, and any conditions after a lapse.
- Management and logging: Add management or logging products, recurring platform fees, integrations, and administrator effort.
- Deployment and upkeep: Include installation, migration, training, partner services, and ongoing maintenance. Add electricity and rack costs if they materially affect your scenario.
- Term and renewals: Use the same three- or five-year period for both options, and state how renewals are treated for each year.
Ask vendors or resellers for an itemized bill of materials showing every SKU, contract term, and annual recurring amount. Compare totals only after confirming that the systems are sized for comparable capacity and have equivalent enabled services. The available vendor material does not provide matched quotes for the same configuration, so it cannot establish which option costs less over three or five years.
How to interpret Fortinet’s published TCO figure
Fortinet’s network firewall pricing page attributes a historical comparison to the “most recent NSS Labs NGFW Comparative TCO Report,” stating that Fortinet’s TCO per protected Mbps was $2, compared with as much as $57 for some of nine other NGFW vendors. The page passage does not establish the report’s publication year, test configuration, exact comparison set, or a Cisco-specific result. Treat the numbers as a Fortinet-republished report claim, not as current quote evidence or proof that FortiGate is cheaper for your deployment.
Quick Recap
What to ask for before choosing
- Which exact appliance models, software images, and management modes are included?
- Which security features are included in the quoted base license, and which require subscriptions?
- What are the terms, renewal amounts, and support entitlements for each line item?
- Does the quote cover every node in the HA design, and what specific HA pricing or licensing applies?
- What are the deployment, management, integration, and ongoing service costs over the selected term?
- Are any discounts, support commitments, or renewal conditions tied to this particular region, SKU, or contract?
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
