Side by side

FortiGate vs NethSecurity

Both stand on unified threat management. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.

FortiGate

Free trial Self-hosted

FortiGate combines firewall security, networking, centralized management, and cloud deployment options across hybrid environments. Buyers should review FortiGuard bundle contents, especially the ENT limitation for OT-specific device and protocol recognition.

Visit FortiGate

NethSecurity

Free plan Open source APILinuxSelf-hosted+1

NethSecurity combines several network security and traffic management functions, with an optional remote management controller. Check the hardware requirements and subscription limits, especially for backups and controller registration.

Visit NethSecurity

The facts

	FortiGate	NethSecurity
Free plan	A free trial	Yes
Open source	Not published	Yes
Runs on	Self-hosted	API, Linux, Self-hosted, Web
Lowest paid plan	Not published	Personal: €150 a year
Plans published	None	5
Maker	FortiGate	NethSecurity
Website	fortinet.com	nethsecurity.org
On unified threat management	#3 of 14	#1 of 14

FortiGate: what it does well

Physical, virtualized, and cloud deployments
Integrated SD-WAN and built-in ZTNA
FortiGuard AI-powered threat protection
Unified operating system and policies
FortiGate-as-a-Service cloud option

What to know first

Pricing is on request
No free plan
ENT bundle lacks OT-specific recognition
Self-hosted platform

NethSecurity: what it does well

Includes firewall and intrusion prevention
Supports IPsec, OpenVPN, and WireGuard
Threat Shield blocks known malicious IP addresses
Open-source project
Optional Controller manages multiple installations remotely

What to know first

Available only for x86-64
Cloud backup requires a subscription
Trial does not allow commercial support requests
Minimum hardware includes two Ethernet cards

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