At a glance

• Price the appliance plus security subscriptions, support and management for the full term.
• Size with threat protection enabled: the FortiGate 70F lists 800Mbps threat-protection throughput.
• A firewall subscription is not a staffed monitoring service.

FortiGate vs Palo Alto: what is in the purchase?

Swipe or scroll sideways to compare all options.

Sources: Fortinet’s FortiGuard bundle and Secure SD-WAN documentation; Palo Alto’s subscription and management documentation. The table compares commercial and operational differences, not independently measured security effectiveness.

Match the security functions before comparing cost

Ask both proposals to identify the same required functions: intrusion prevention, malicious-file analysis, URL controls and the appropriate logging and support. Then verify the selected products actually provide them. The existence of a service somewhere in the vendor’s catalog does not put it in the quoted subscription.

For a three-year comparison, include all required renewals across the period. If one proposal includes central management or log retention and the other does not, show the difference explicitly. Otherwise, a supposedly cheaper firewall may simply be an incomplete order.

Also distinguish a subscription from an operated security service. A firewall can generate alerts without anyone investigating them. If the business needs monitoring and response, identify who performs that work, during which hours and under what scope. Neither vendor’s logo supplies that staffing automatically.

Size the appliance with inspection enabled

Raw firewall throughput is not the same as throughput with the required security inspection. Fortinet’s 70F data sheet, for example, lists 800Mbps threat-protection throughput under its stated test conditions. That figure should not be replaced with the larger basic firewall number when sizing inspected traffic.

Do not rank competing appliances by two headline numbers taken from different test methods. Ask for the relevant security-enabled capacity, TLS inspection assumptions, VPN demand and expected traffic mix. Validate the proposed model under a representative workload when performance is important.

Encrypted traffic also introduces implementation decisions. The business needs a supported inspection approach, certificate deployment where relevant, and exceptions for applications that cannot be inspected as proposed. A promise to “inspect everything” without examining the applications is not a complete design.

Existing skills can change the better choice

FortiGate deserves a shortlist when the business already uses Fortinet switching, wireless or management tools and wants the associated integration. Palo Alto deserves a shortlist when the team already operates PAN-OS or has a policy and logging workflow that its platform supports well. Reusing an existing operating model can reduce transition work.

That is not a reason to preserve a poor configuration indefinitely. Have the provider explain how existing rules will be reviewed, which are still needed and how the new policy will be tested. Copying every old rule into a new appliance can preserve the same problems under a new product name.

Availability and remote access

If the office requires high availability, compare the complete redundant design: appliances, licensing, power, connections and failover behavior. Two firewalls do not protect against a single upstream failure unless the rest of the path is considered.

Remote-access requirements also belong in the initial comparison. Identify how employees connect, which devices are permitted and what additional software or identity service is required. A basic VPN checkbox does not describe the full user experience or access-control policy.

What a useful demonstration should show

Use a small set of intended rules and business applications. Demonstrate an allowed connection, a blocked category, a logged security event and the process for investigating it. Then have the administrator locate the relevant record without relying on a scripted sales presentation.

For multiple branches, demonstrate how a change reaches selected sites, how an exception is approved and how the team reverses a mistake. Those are operational differences the buyer can evaluate. Generic claims such as “enterprise-grade” do not answer them.

Choose the complete protection service

Choose FortiGate when its required bundle, integration and management work fit the environment at the stronger complete price. Choose Palo Alto when its required subscriptions and demonstrated operating model justify the proposal. A final recommendation should name the appliance, licenses, support term and implementation scope.

Questions to ask before you buy

• What throughput do we need with threat protection and TLS inspection turned on?
• Which security subscriptions are included, and for how many years?
• Is central management and log retention included?
• Who monitors alerts and responds to incidents?
• What is the replacement process if an appliance fails?

What Hawaiʻi businesses should check

If you run several Hawaiʻi locations, include each site’s internet circuits and a plan for replacing a failed appliance quickly, since overnight shipping may not reach every island next day.

Frequently asked questions

Is one brand universally more secure?

The reviewed company material does not establish that. Configuration, coverage, maintenance and response all affect the result.

Can Sigma prepare comparable firewall quotes?

Yes. Sigma defines the internet capacity, sites, users and required inspection first, then compares complete configurations over the same term.

Sources and pricing notes

Prices and specifications checked September 27, 2026 against the providers’ published sources below. Prices are US list or published rates before taxes, fees and equipment unless stated; offers change, so confirm the current terms before you buy.

1. Fortinet. FortiGuard security bundles for FortiGate
2. Fortinet. FortiGate 70F series data sheet and benchmark conditions
3. Palo Alto Networks. NGFW compatible subscriptions

How Sigma is paid. Sigma is a Hawaiʻi technology advisor. Provider or reseller partners compensate Sigma; product and service prices may include a margin. No procurement fee applies. Standalone consulting is quoted separately.

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