TrustRadius: an HG Insights company

Fortinet FortiGate vs. ThreatDown, powered by Malwarebytes vs. Sophos Firewall

Save this comparison

Save this comparison

Add Product

Recommended Comparisons

    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    FortiGate

    Score8.5 out of 10
    N/AFortiNet FortiGate is a firewall option with high integrability. It offers a variety of deployment options and next-gen firewall capabilities, including integration with IaaS cloud platforms and public cloud environments.N/A

    ThreatDown, powered by Malwarebytes

    Score9.5 out of 10
    N/AThreatDown (formerly Malwarebytes for Business), combines Malwarebytes' endpoint security capabilities in four bundles. The basic Core tier includes incident response, Next-gen AV, device control, vulnerability assessments, and the ability to block unwanted application.

    $345

    per year 5 endpoints (minimum)

    Sophos Firewall

    Score8.7 out of 10
    N/ASophos XG Firewall provides comprehensive next-generation firewall protection powered by deep learning and Synchronized Security. Sophos Firewall supplies insights and exposes hidden user, application, and threat risks on the network, and say the product is differentiated by its ability to respond automatically to security incidents by isolating compromised systems, with Security Heartbeat™.N/A
    Pricing
    FortiGateThreatDown, powered by MalwarebytesSophos Firewall
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    Core
    $345
    per year per endpoint (minimum 5)
    Advanced
    $395
    per year per endpoint (minimum 5)
    Elite
    $495
    per year per endpoint (minimum 5)
    Ultimate
    $595
    per year per endpoint (minimum 5)
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    FortiGateThreatDown, powered by MalwarebytesSophos Firewall
    Free Trial
    YesYesYes
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoNoNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional DetailsFortiGate pricing starts at $250 for home office use, up to $300,000 for large enterprise appliances. Must contact sales team for pricing.Optional Add-Ons include server and mobile device protection. Server protection ranges from $129 to $179 per annum depending on service tier. Mobile security is $10 per device, no matter the service tier. A 10% discount is offered for choosing a two-year billing plan.—
    More Pricing Information
    Features
    FortiGateThreatDown, powered by MalwarebytesSophos Firewall
    Firewall
    Comparison of Firewall features of Fortinet FortiGate and ThreatDown, powered by Malwarebytes and Sophos Firewall
    Feature
    Fortinet FortiGate
    8.7
    53 Ratings
    1% above category average
    ThreatDown, powered by Malwarebytes
    -
    Ratings
    Sophos Firewall
    9.1
    15 Ratings
    6% above category average
    Identification Technologies8.951 Ratings00 Ratings9.515 Ratings
    Visualization Tools8.351 Ratings00 Ratings9.315 Ratings
    Content Inspection8.852 Ratings00 Ratings8.915 Ratings
    Policy-based Controls8.953 Ratings00 Ratings8.915 Ratings
    Active Directory and LDAP8.750 Ratings00 Ratings9.313 Ratings
    Firewall Management Console7.752 Ratings00 Ratings9.115 Ratings
    Reporting and Logging8.353 Ratings00 Ratings9.315 Ratings
    VPN9.152 Ratings00 Ratings9.115 Ratings
    High Availability9.348 Ratings00 Ratings8.915 Ratings
    Stateful Inspection9.251 Ratings00 Ratings9.515 Ratings
    Proxy Server8.539 Ratings00 Ratings8.712 Ratings
    Endpoint Security
    Comparison of Endpoint Security features of Fortinet FortiGate and ThreatDown, powered by Malwarebytes and Sophos Firewall
    Feature
    Fortinet FortiGate
    -
    Ratings
    ThreatDown, powered by Malwarebytes
    8.8
    15 Ratings
    3% above category average
    Sophos Firewall
    -
    Ratings
    Anti-Exploit Technology00 Ratings8.514 Ratings00 Ratings
    Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)00 Ratings9.215 Ratings00 Ratings
    Centralized Management00 Ratings9.715 Ratings00 Ratings
    Hybrid Deployment Support00 Ratings8.08 Ratings00 Ratings
    Infection Remediation00 Ratings8.614 Ratings00 Ratings
    Vulnerability Management00 Ratings8.713 Ratings00 Ratings
    Malware Detection00 Ratings8.815 Ratings00 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    FortiGateThreatDown, powered by MalwarebytesSophos Firewall
    Small Businesses
    SonicWall NSA Series
    Score8.3 out of 10
    SentinelOne Singularity
    Score9 out of 10
    SonicWall NSA Series
    Score8.3 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    Barracuda CloudGen Firewall
    Score9.6 out of 10
    BlackBerry Protect (CylancePROTECT)
    Score9.1 out of 10
    Barracuda CloudGen Firewall
    Score9.6 out of 10
    Enterprises
    Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software
    Score9 out of 10
    ESET PROTECT
    Score8.8 out of 10
    Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software
    Score9 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    FortiGateThreatDown, powered by MalwarebytesSophos Firewall
    Likelihood to Recommend
    8.7
    (79 ratings)
    8.4
    (15 ratings)
    9.1
    (15 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    7.0
    (5 ratings)
    10.0
    (3 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Usability
    8.7
    (21 ratings)
    10.0
    (3 ratings)
    9.8
    (6 ratings)
    Availability
    8.0
    (3 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Performance
    9.0
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Support Rating
    9.0
    (27 ratings)
    10.0
    (5 ratings)
    9.1
    (2 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    5.0
    (5 ratings)
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Configurability
    7.0
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Contract Terms and Pricing Model
    8.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    7.0
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    7.0
    (3 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    8.0
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    8.0
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    FortiGateThreatDown, powered by MalwarebytesSophos Firewall
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Fortinet
    Fortinet FortiGate addressed an immediate security issue we had a few years ago. The device gave us a much clearer picture of the activities on our network and also more importantly, increased our awareness of threats from the internet as a whole. Fortinet FortiGate helps us to mitigate these threats with regular signature updates from Fortiguard labs, identifying certain characteristics which, once recognised by Fortinet FortiGate, can be harnessed to deploy powerful 'playbooks'.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Malwarebytes
    I think Malwarebytes is the best anti-malware company. I think it is well-suited for any situation and any device. I think Malwarebytes does the best on Windows and on MacOS. Also, Malwarebytes is always improving, and you can tell they are a company that stays on top of cybersecurity trends. If you have a tight budget or looking for the cheapest solution, then Malwarebytes may not be the solution for you. To clarify, I don't think Malwarebytes is that much more expensive compared to its closest competitors.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sophos
    It is well-suited for small, medium, and large organizations looking for comprehensive cybersecurity protection. It will not only safeguard their network from cyberattacks but also provide them with many advanced features like deep packet inspection, centralized management, web filtering, application control, etc. in one place. It will help them optimize bandwidth and ensure continued connectivity.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Fortinet
    • SD-WAN - Load balancing of Internet traffic is a USP of Fortigate and makes it stand tall in the competition. Be it 3 or more Internet Links, multiple Subnets/segments of users to distribute and bandwidth load balancing for links and users. SLA based monitoring of Internet Links / MPLS links, makes it even better to choose the links on the basis of performance (Latency, packet loss, Jitter etc).
    • SSL VPN configuration - As we all have WFH force (to some extend or all employee) during Covid-19, it is impossible to plan BCP without having a SSL VPN. In Fortigate, the SSL VPN configuration is very easy with the help of wizard. The deep CLI-level debugging is also very helpful in troubleshooting. Type of tunnel can be easily configured - Full Tunnel or Split Tunnel for SSL.
    • Explicit Proxy - This is also a great feature to shape and re-route the traffic, configuring the Proxy on the Firewall itself. We are using this feature in Pilot for now, and planned to rollout in few weeks looking at the success rate of the POC.
    Read full review
    Malwarebytes
    • Protects against malware - No matter how much training you give end users on social hacking, there is always a breach at some point.
    • Protects against ransomware - Ransomware could spell disaster for a company...it could literally shut the doors for good.
    • Centralized administration - Without a terrific centralized method to manage all the systems being protected, it would require an extra position just to maintain all endpoints.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sophos
    • Web filtering. This allows us to monitor web usage and block certain categories from being access at the perimeter.
    • Application Control. With application control we can block certain applications that get categorized from working accessing the Internet.
    • Synchronized Security. When utilizing the Sophos Endpoint product you can use Synchronized Security to minimize Lateral Movement in a network. If a machine is shows a Red status you can auto-isolate it and it is unable to communicate with anything else on the network.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Fortinet
    • Documentation is missing a great deal of detail and assumes the customer and just guess and fill in the blanks themselves
    • Fortinet has lots and lots of video guides on topics that only a small percentage of customers would ever need
    • The documentation and video guides do not get updated so most is only relevant to older software versions
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Malwarebytes
    • poor customer service
    • dashboard says product is working EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT!
    • slow response to concerns that should be easy to remedy
    • creates baggage which caused certain computers and the network to run more slowly
    • caused 3 computers on our network top have windows errors and network issues
    Read full review
    Sophos
    • If using Endpoint security and the Firewall it would be nice to have an easier back and forth between the portals rather than have two separate tabs open. Especially if using more than one in multiple locations.
    • If dealing with different revisions options are moved around and sometimes in places that doesn't normally seem like they should be there.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Fortinet
    Fortinet's products have kept improving with new software releases and they continue to deliver great value. Their support is also very good. I believe that as a small enterprise, their products have given us competitive advantage delivering features and functionality that enable us to innovate and do things better. They also continue to be a leader in the markets they serve.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Malwarebytes
    When I first used the tool in my home systems MANY years ago, I wished for a Business version. I was once at a focus group for a major antivirus company, and one attendee’s feedback to “what could we do better?” was “buy out MalwareBytes and add it to your tool”. I’ve used the Business version since it first became available, and have continued to be a dedicated user through the many iterations and improvements
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sophos
    No answers on this topic
    Usability
    Fortinet
    The firewall runs very well, firmware updates are fairly quick but you must follow the upgrade path. Neglecting this step will cause a lot of pain. If you decide to go with Fortinet FortiGate switches and/or access points, they can be managed within the firewall which is great. We're also using the FortiAnalyzer which easily plugs into the firewall for any reporting you may require.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Malwarebytes
    It simply works. It doesn't require the hand-holding and monitoring that some other solutions do. It's simple to deploy and maintain, and adding custom content such as Exceptions require minimal effort. I’ve had to add a few exceptions for internal-use, in-house-developed tools, but it’s quite simple to do so within the online interface
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sophos
    Because this is a user-friendly interface, and anyone can use it there are multiple articles and guidelines available, it has advanced-level security features. they provide VPN solutions all the features are very practical, SSID MAC-based authentications web control, Firewall rules segregation of the rules and policies, On-premises Active directory single sign-on feature is also available.
    Read full review
    Reliability and Availability
    Fortinet
    We had didn't any hardware failures at our two main office locations and upgraded our units last year after using them for about 5-6 years
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Malwarebytes
    No answers on this topic
    Sophos
    No answers on this topic
    Performance
    Fortinet
    Good performance and really good integration. We have integration with Microsoft AD.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Malwarebytes
    No answers on this topic
    Sophos
    No answers on this topic
    Support Rating
    Fortinet
    The Support team at Fortinet is excellent. They can not only help you configure the device for what you are trying to do, they offer suggestions on improving rules, and troubleshooting issues. Their response time is fast, ensuring you are up and running immediately with no questions asked. We had a hard drive failure in one of our Fortinet Fortigate appliances. The tech answered immediately, and started rebuilding the drive after some preliminary investigations. After rebuilding, there were still errors and issues, so they dispatched a brand new Fortinet Fortigate appliance. The tech then backed up the configurations for when the new device came in, which showed up in a few hours. A restore of the configuration took less than a minute, and there were no more errors or issues.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Malwarebytes
    As I mentioned, we have only email support. Their phone support was very expensive. If we ever have any issues, we have to email them and wait for their response. In most cases, I have figured out the issue on my own. The software is very stable so we haven't used their support much.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sophos
    As we are all addicted to graphics-oriented interfaces for all our life products. Easy to manage and access as a good way of using anything
    Read full review
    In-Person Training
    Fortinet
    I received it a couple years afters use it and it was just to confirm my knowledge about the tool.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Malwarebytes
    No answers on this topic
    Sophos
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation Rating
    Fortinet
    Make sure that you have the most current version of FortiOS. Make sure all Fortigates are on the same version
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Malwarebytes
    I first implemented this more than 10 years ago, when it required an in-site setup with SQL Server (or SQL Express), and even that was pretty easy. With the move to centralized web management some treats ago, it’s become even easier to deploy
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sophos
    No answers on this topic
    Alternatives Considered
    Fortinet
    [Fortinet] FortiGate is not only cost effective but it gives the comprehensive security against the APT attacks and gives the complete traffic visibility and granular control. You can easily create the VDOMs (Virtual firewall) within a Fortigate firewall and customize the dashboard as per your requirement if you have multiple VDOMs within a single firewall.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Malwarebytes
    It's no contest. Cisco AMP, Umbrella and Endpoint use vast amounts of resources and provide little protection when compared with Malwarebytes. One client recently replaced Cisco with MWB and found over 7,300 vulnerabilities on 352 endpoints, including 120 listed as Critical and 7,180 listed as High, with CVE's dating back to 2008.
    Read full review
    Sophos
    I was a big fan of Cisco ASA products, but when I saw all of the security feature differences between both firewalls, I moved to Sophos devices. Its sandbox, IPS, and many more features are really advanced. Cisco does not provide features like this.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Contract Terms and Pricing Model
    Fortinet
    No changes needed to terms and conditions.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Malwarebytes
    No answers on this topic
    Sophos
    No answers on this topic
    Scalability
    Fortinet
    My environments are pretty small (less than 100 users per location) so no issues here.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Malwarebytes
    No answers on this topic
    Sophos
    No answers on this topic
    Return on Investment
    Fortinet
    • The pricing given to us for our firewall was well within what we were already spending for other vendors solutions and had the added value of eliminating a separate expense for a dedicated web filtering appliance.
    • We have also adopted Fortinet's security fabric approach and thus changed vendors for our switch and AP devices. These devices have come at reduced prices as compared to another previous vendor we were using, particularly in relation to ongoing annual maintenance costs.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Malwarebytes
    • The ease of remediation has saved our IT team a number of hours manually installing, for example, the free version of Malwarebytes to remove infections, and then cleaning the machine up. Being able to centrally send commands to clean the device is much more efficient.
    • The centralised management has also alerted us to infections on machines that we might not otherwise have known about, as the existing AV had not detected them, saving us potential data loss, or system damage.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sophos
    • True UTM device.
    • Very Active customer help for any help.
    • Easy license and cost effective.
    • Should [do] more work on logging and reporting.
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    Sophos Firewall Screenshots

    Screenshot of Sophos Firewall v17.5 Control Center