Cisco Secure Firewall is a commercial next-gen firewalls solution by Cisco. Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall is a commercial next-gen firewalls solution by Fortinet. Features, integrations, deployment and the company behind each one, side by side.
What our shortlists say about each one.
Best for: Cisco networks wanting a firewall that fits in
It is on the list because it slots into Cisco networks and sends its data to Splunk, so your network and security teams keep one vendor and one log pipeline. That suits mid-market and enterprise shops with a lot of Cisco already in place. Its published detail is thin, so ask Cisco for detail on threat prevention, cloud firewalls and the management console before you compare it with the rest of the list.
From Best Next-Generation Firewall Solutions for Business, Fall 2026
Best for: Companies wanting SD-WAN and ZTNA built into the firewall
FortiGate earns its spot by folding SD-WAN and ZTNA into the firewall, so many branches can run on one box per site. That fits mid-market and enterprise networks with lots of offices. If you already run separate SD-WAN or ZTNA products, decide first whether you want to merge them.
From Best Next-Generation Firewall Solutions for Business, Fall 2026
Reviewed by Nika (Nikoloz) Kokhreidze.
Enterprise firewall solution for network security and traffic control
Next-generation firewall that protects hybrid networks with built-in SD-WAN and ZTNA.
See more solutions in this category, or build a security stack from your picks.
Common questions when comparing Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall for next-gen firewalls.
Cisco Secure Firewall: Enterprise firewall solution for network security and traffic control. Built by Cisco.
Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall: Next-generation firewall that protects hybrid networks with built-in SD-WAN and ZTNA. Built by Fortinet.
The table above shows where their features, integrations, deployment and company size fit differ.
Cisco Secure Firewall is made by Cisco. Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall is made by Fortinet. The vendor behind a product decides its roadmap, support, and longevity, so check each company's profile before you commit.
Often, yes. Cisco Secure Firewall and Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall are both Next-Gen Firewalls products, and both cover Network Protection. Use the table above to see where features, deployment and company size fit differ.
Need the answer fast? Best Next-Generation Firewall Solutions for Business picks Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls, Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall, Cisco Secure Firewall and 4 more.See the shortlist