Flexible, simple, and secure access for hybrid workforce
Grade: B — Score: 70/100
FortiSASE converges networking and security by integrating FortiSASE cloud-delivered security service edge (SSE) with SD-WAN, ensuring secure access for remote users while simplifying operations.
This solution offers a unique approach with a single operating system, client, and data lake, enabling seamless integration of zero trust, SD-WAN, and SSE, along with unified management and consistent security policy enforcement.
With a global network of over 170 Points of Presence (PoPs), FortiSASE ensures low-latency, high-performance connectivity while maintaining control and security through local integration of security capabilities.
Standard: Contact Sales (per user/year, minimum 50 users)
Advanced: Contact Sales (per user/year, minimum 50 users)
Comprehensive: Contact Sales (per user/year, minimum 50 users)
Consider switching to Cisco Umbrella: Cisco Umbrella offers similar SASE capabilities with a focus on DNS-layer security.
FortiSASE and Zscaler take fundamentally different approaches. FortiSASE runs on FortiOS and uses a single agent (FortiClient) that bundles SASE connectivity with endpoint protection (EPP, vulnerability scanning, sandboxing), making it strongest for organizations already in the Fortinet ecosystem. Zscaler is a cloud-native, proxy-based platform with a longer track record in zero trust access and over 150 data centers globally, but does not include native endpoint protection. On PeerSpot, reviewers note FortiSASE is easier to use and integrate if you have FortiGate firewalls, while Zscaler scores higher on standalone SSE features and scalability for non-Fortinet environments.
No. FortiSASE can be deployed as a standalone cloud-delivered SSE solution for any organization with at least 50 users. However, its deepest integrations are with Fortinet products: FortiGate NGFW for Secure Private Access via IPsec tunnels, FortiManager for centralized policy synchronization (version 7.4.4+), and FortiAnalyzer for logging and reporting. Organizations without Fortinet hardware can still use FortiSASE for Secure Internet Access and ZTNA through the FortiClient agent, but features like SD-WAN integration and thin edge support (FortiAP, FortiExtender) require Fortinet devices.
The standard FortiSASE subscription starts at a minimum of 50 users across all three tiers (Standard, Advanced, Comprehensive). Each user can register up to 3 devices. For existing FortiGate SD-WAN customers, Fortinet offers an SD-WAN Service Bundle that includes a starter kit of 10, 50, or 100 FortiSASE Standard users depending on the FortiGate model (100F+ gets 10, 700G+ gets 50, 1800F+ gets 100), allowing smaller-scale pilots before committing to a full deployment.
Fortinet was named a Leader in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for SASE Platforms (published July 2025) and ranked #1 in the Secure Branch Network Modernization use case in the accompanying Critical Capabilities report. For SSE specifically, Fortinet was named a Challenger in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Security Service Edge. Fortinet also received Gartner Peer Insights Customers' Choice recognition for SSE three years in a row, with a 4.9 out of 5 rating from 195 verified reviewers and 100% willingness to recommend.
FortiSASE bundles endpoint protection into the same FortiClient agent used for SASE connectivity. The Advanced and Comprehensive tiers include Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP), cloud sandboxing, and vulnerability management at no additional license cost. This means FortiSASE users get SASE access, ZTNA, and endpoint security from a single agent install, reducing client sprawl. The Standard tier covers SASE and ZTNA but does not include the EPP, sandbox, or vulnerability management features.
FortiSASE supports branch offices through three mechanisms. First, FortiAP wireless access points (up to 240 per account) and FortiExtender/FortiBranchSASE appliances (up to 1,024 per account) can tunnel traffic directly to the nearest FortiSASE PoP for cloud-based security inspection, eliminating the need for on-site firewalls. Second, Branch On-Ramp locations provide 1 Gbps shared bandwidth for up to 2,000 connections per location, with a maximum of 20 locations per account. Third, existing FortiGate SD-WAN deployments can connect to FortiSASE via IPsec for Secure Private Access.
Both are single-vendor SASE platforms from major firewall vendors. FortiSASE differentiates with its unified FortiOS operating system across all products, integrated endpoint protection in the SASE agent, and native thin edge support through FortiAP and FortiExtender hardware. Prisma Access differentiates with its cloud-native architecture, Autonomous Digital Experience Management (ADEM) with AIOps, and tighter integration with Cortex XDR/XSIAM for security operations. Prisma Access does not bundle endpoint protection into its SASE agent. On Gartner Peer Insights, FortiSASE holds a higher user rating (4.9 vs. approximately 4.4 for Prisma Access in the SSE market as of late 2025).
Fortinet holds SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, GDPR, HIPAA, CSA STAR, and Common Criteria certifications, documented on its Trust Resource Center at trust.fortinet.com. FortiSASE delivers a 99.999% uptime SLA with latency guarantees for security inspection across its 170+ global PoPs. For organizations with data residency requirements, FortiSASE Sovereign provides a turnkey private SASE deployment in the customer's own data center, keeping all security processing and data within designated jurisdictions.