FortiNAC vs PacketFence

FortiNAC9.3Visit PacketFence8.5Visit

Higher score FortiNAC #1 in Network Access Control Software 9.3/10 Pricing on request ✓ 4 of 4 features Visit FortiNAC

vs

PacketFence #7 in Network Access Control Software 8.5/10 Free plan · 30-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 4 of 4 features Visit PacketFence

• FortiNAC fits best

  Large hybrid networks needing broad NAC coverage

• PacketFence fits best

  Budget-conscious teams wanting full-featured NAC

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Side by side

Feature	FortiNAC 9.3/10 Visit ↗	PacketFence 8.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.3	8.5
Ranking	#1 in Network Access Control Software	#7 in Network Access Control Software
Best for	Large hybrid networks needing broad NAC coverage	Budget-conscious teams wanting full-featured NAC
Pricing model	Paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	Pricing on request	$5,000/yr
Free plan	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Free trial	—	30 days
Deployment	Self-hosted	Cloud, Desktop, Self-hosted
Integrations	10 integrations	20 integrations
Features FortiNAC 4/4 · PacketFence 4/4
Wired access control	✓	✓
Wireless access control	✓	✓
VPN access control	✓	✓
802.1X support	✓	✓
Specs
Deployment model	Hybrid	Hybrid
Device limit	Not checked yet	250 devices
Our review
Pros	Covers wired, wireless, VPN, 802.1X, profiling, and segmentation Supports Fortinet and major multivendor networking environments Adds onboarding, threat response, microsegmentation, and AI-assisted actions	802.1X, BYOD, guest access, profiling, posture, and remediation Free GPL-licensed Community Edition with unlimited devices Extensive directory, endpoint, firewall, and network integrations
Cons	Pricing and licensing require contacting sales Capacity planning centers on ports and concurrent wireless connections Its broad enterprise scope may exceed smaller network requirements	Cloud Starter is limited to 250 registered devices Self-hosted deployment requires internal infrastructure management Enterprise pricing is not listed with the plan details
Our verdict	FortiNAC is Fortinet’s network access control platform for identifying, profiling, monitoring, and controlling connected devices across enterprise networks. It is designed for IT, IoT, OT/ICS, and IoMT environments, with support for wired… Read the review →	PacketFence is a network access control platform for organizations managing wired and wireless networks. It authenticates, authorizes, profiles, quarantines, and remediates devices through 802.1X/EAP, MAC authentication bypass, RADIUS,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• FortiNAC — where it wins

  • Covers wired, wireless, VPN, 802.1X, profiling, and segmentation
  • Supports Fortinet and major multivendor networking environments
  • Adds onboarding, threat response, microsegmentation, and AI-assisted actions

  Where it doesn't

  • Pricing and licensing require contacting sales
  • Capacity planning centers on ports and concurrent wireless connections
  • Its broad enterprise scope may exceed smaller network requirements

• PacketFence — where it wins

  • 802.1X, BYOD, guest access, profiling, posture, and remediation
  • Free GPL-licensed Community Edition with unlimited devices
  • Extensive directory, endpoint, firewall, and network integrations

  Where it doesn't

  • Cloud Starter is limited to 250 registered devices
  • Self-hosted deployment requires internal infrastructure management
  • Enterprise pricing is not listed with the plan details

• FortiNAC9.3/10 · Pricing on request

  Broad NAC coverage for enterprise wired, wireless, VPN, and hybrid networks.

  Visit FortiNACFull verdict →
• PacketFence8.5/10 · Free plan · 30-day trial

  A broad NAC platform with strong open-source value and flexible paid support options.

  Visit PacketFenceFull verdict →