Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

Descope vs Fortinet FortiGate

Descope logo

Descope

Cybersecurity

No-code drag-and-drop authentication platform.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fortinet FortiGate logo

Fortinet FortiGate

Cybersecurity

Next-generation firewall with AI-powered threat protection

From
$500/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Descope has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Descope free tier capped at 7,500 MAU; Pro tier at 10,000 MAU, Growth tier at 25,000 MAU, forcing migration to Enterprise for larger organisations; Fortinet FortiGate security services are sold as separate FortiGuard subscription bundles, so ATP, UTP and ENT determine which protections are actually active
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Descope and Fortinet FortiGate actually diverge.

Attributes where Descope and Fortinet FortiGate differ
AttributeDescopeFortinet FortiGate
Starting priceFree$500/year
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, APIHardware, Virtual, Cloud
FoundedUnknown2000

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Descope

Nothing recorded that Fortinet FortiGate does not also cover.

Only in Fortinet FortiGate

  • Next-generation firewall
  • Intrusion prevention
  • SSL/TLS inspection
  • Application control
  • Web filtering
  • SD-WAN
  • Zero-trust network access
  • AI-powered threat detection

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Descope

  • Organisations seeking rapid identity implementation without custom developmentnot Fortinet FortiGate
  • Companies supporting multiple user types (consumers, partners, AI agents) in single platformnot Fortinet FortiGate
  • Multi-tenant B2B2C SaaS applications requiring per-organisation identity policiesnot Fortinet FortiGate
  • Teams building passwordless-first authentication experiencesnot Fortinet FortiGate
  • Healthcare and regulated industries requiring HIPAA-compliant identity managementnot Fortinet FortiGate

Fortinet FortiGate

  • Next-generation firewalling at data centre, campus and branch scalenot Descope
  • Secure SD-WAN across distributed sitesnot Descope
  • Zero trust network access to internal applicationsnot Descope
  • Virtual firewalls in AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and Oraclenot Descope
  • Ruggedised deployments in industrial environmentsnot Descope

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Descope

  • Free tier capped at 7,500 MAU; Pro tier at 10,000 MAU, Growth tier at 25,000 MAU, forcing migration to Enterprise for larger organisations
  • HIPAA compliance only available in Growth tier ($799/mo) and above; not included in lower-priced plans
  • No-code UI builder provides pre-built flows but still requires custom frontend development for fully-branded authentication experiences
  • All paid tiers billed annually; no monthly billing option for commitment-free flexibility
  • Bot protection features available only in Growth tier and above

Fortinet FortiGate

  • Security services are sold as separate FortiGuard subscription bundles, so ATP, UTP and ENT determine which protections are actually active
  • Throughput is tied to the appliance model, from 500 Mbps on the FortiGate 30G to 520 Gbps on the 7121F, so capacity planning is a hardware purchase
  • Pricing is not published and goes through partners

Pricing, plan by plan

Descope

Free
  • Free ForeverFree
    • 7,500 monthly active users
    • Basic authentication
    • Community support
  • Pro$249/month
    • 10,000 monthly active users
    • Custom domains
    • CI/CD integration
  • Growth$799/month
    • 25,000 monthly active users
    • Bot protection
    • Fine-grained authorisation
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited monthly active users
    • Tiered discounts
    • Premium support with dedicated CS engineer

Fortinet FortiGate

$500/year
  • FortiGate Entry$500/year
    • Basic firewall
    • VPN support
    • Threat protection
  • FortiGate Enterprise$2500/year
    • Advanced threat protection
    • SSL inspection
    • Application control
  • FortiGate Ultimate$10000/year
    • All Enterprise features
    • Zero-trust access
    • AI-powered analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Descope if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, API.
Descope review

Choose Fortinet FortiGate if

  • You need next-generation firewall.
  • You work on Hardware, Virtual, Cloud.
  • You also want intrusion prevention.
Fortinet FortiGate review

Questions people ask

Is Descope or Fortinet FortiGate better?
Neither clearly leads. Descope starts at Free and Fortinet FortiGate at $500/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Descope or Fortinet FortiGate?
Descope has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Descope and $500/year for Fortinet FortiGate.
Does Descope or Fortinet FortiGate run on more platforms?
Descope runs on Web, iOS, Android, API. Fortinet FortiGate runs on Hardware, Virtual, Cloud.
Can I use Descope for free?
Yes. Descope has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fortinet FortiGate starts at $500/year.
What is Descope best used for?
Descope is most often used for organisations seeking rapid identity implementation without custom development, companies supporting multiple user types (consumers, partners, ai agents) in single platform, multi-tenant b2b2c saas applications requiring per-organisation identity policies, teams building passwordless-first authentication experiences. Of those, organisations seeking rapid identity implementation without custom development and companies supporting multiple user types (consumers, partners, ai agents) in single platform are not what Fortinet FortiGate is typically brought in for.
What can Descope do that Fortinet FortiGate cannot?
Fortinet FortiGate covers Next-generation firewall, Intrusion prevention, SSL/TLS inspection, Application control.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Descope: Can I build custom authentication flows without code?

Yes. Descope's drag-and-drop workflow interface allows you to construct and modify signup, login, MFA and SSO flows without code changes.

Source
Fortinet FortiGate: What are the FortiGate security bundle options?

Fortinet offers three FortiGuard AI-Powered Security Services bundles: ENT Bundle (ultimate security for networks, web, file, SaaS, data, and devices), UTP Bundle (advanced web and network protection), and ATP Bundle (protection against network intrusions and malware with IPS, antivirus, and application control).

Source
Descope: Does Descope support AI agent authentication?

Yes. Descope supports building identity journeys for AI agents and MCP servers, including scoped OAuth tokens and delegation chains.

Source
Fortinet FortiGate: How do I get pricing for FortiGate?

Pricing is not published on the product page. To obtain a quote, you can request a free product demo or connect with a security expert through the contact options on the site.

Source
Descope: Is Descope HIPAA compliant?

HIPAA compliance is available in Growth tier and above, starting at $799/month.

Source
Fortinet FortiGate: Is there a free trial for FortiGate?

The product page does not mention a free trial. However, Fortinet offers a free product demo that allows you to evaluate the solution before committing to a purchase.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Descope

More on Fortinet FortiGate

Keep looking

Other head to heads