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Fortinet FortiGate vs Kaspersky Total Security

Fortinet FortiGate logo

Fortinet FortiGate

Software

Next-generation firewall with AI-powered threat protection

From
$500/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kaspersky Total Security logo

Kaspersky Total Security

Software

Complete protection for your digital life

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Kaspersky Total Security has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Fortinet FortiGate security services are sold as separate FortiGuard subscription bundles, so ATP, UTP and ENT determine which protections are actually active; Kaspersky Total Security uS sales banned since June 2024 with support ending September 29, 2024
  • They diverge on capability: Fortinet FortiGate covers Next-generation firewall, Kaspersky Total Security covers Real-time protection.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fortinet FortiGate and Kaspersky Total Security actually diverge.

Attributes where Fortinet FortiGate and Kaspersky Total Security differ
AttributeFortinet FortiGateKaspersky Total Security
Starting price$500/yearFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsHardware, Virtual, CloudWindows, macOS, iOS, Android
Founded20001997

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

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 Fortinet FortiGate

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

Only in Kaspersky Total Security

  • Real-time protection
  • Ransomware protection
  • Safe Money
  • Privacy protection
  • Parental controls
  • Password manager
  • VPN
  • File encryption

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Fortinet FortiGate

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

Kaspersky Total Security

  • Antivirusnot Fortinet FortiGate
  • Internet Securitynot Fortinet FortiGate
  • Parental Controlnot Fortinet FortiGate

Where each one falls short

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

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

Kaspersky Total Security

  • US sales banned since June 2024 with support ending September 29, 2024
  • VPN limited to 200 MB per day and servers in only 24 countries
  • Password manager has privacy concerns with questionable terms and policies
  • VPN and password manager only included in Plus and Premium tiers, not in Standard
  • Occasionally flags legitimate files as false positives
  • Firewall leaves open ports on public networks

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Kaspersky Total Security

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic antivirus
    • No real-time protection
  • Standard$38.99/year
    • Antivirus
    • Firewall
    • Anti-phishing
  • Plus$52.99/year
    • Standard features
    • Password manager
    • VPN with limit
  • Premium$74.99/year
    • Plus features
    • Identity protection
    • Unlimited VPN

Which should you pick?

Choose Fortinet FortiGate if

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

Choose Kaspersky Total Security if

  • You need real-time protection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
  • You also want ransomware protection.
Kaspersky Total Security review

Questions people ask

Is Fortinet FortiGate or Kaspersky Total Security better?
Neither clearly leads. Fortinet FortiGate starts at $500/year and Kaspersky Total Security at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fortinet FortiGate or Kaspersky Total Security?
Kaspersky Total Security has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $500/year for Fortinet FortiGate and Free for Kaspersky Total Security.
Does Fortinet FortiGate or Kaspersky Total Security run on more platforms?
Fortinet FortiGate runs on Hardware, Virtual, Cloud. Kaspersky Total Security runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
Can I use Kaspersky Total Security for free?
Yes. Kaspersky Total Security has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fortinet FortiGate starts at $500/year.
What is Fortinet FortiGate best used for?
Fortinet FortiGate is most often used for next-generation firewalling at data centre, campus and branch scale, secure sd-wan across distributed sites, zero trust network access to internal applications, virtual firewalls in aws, azure, google cloud and oracle. Of those, next-generation firewalling at data centre, campus and branch scale and secure sd-wan across distributed sites are not what Kaspersky Total Security is typically brought in for.
What can Fortinet FortiGate do that Kaspersky Total Security cannot?
Fortinet FortiGate covers Next-generation firewall, Intrusion prevention, SSL/TLS inspection, Application control. Kaspersky Total Security covers Real-time protection, Ransomware protection, Safe Money, Privacy protection. Both handle Cloud deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Kaspersky Total Security: What does Kaspersky Total Security include?

Kaspersky Total Security (Premium tier) includes antivirus, firewall, password manager, VPN with 200 MB daily limit, parental controls (Kaspersky Safe Kids), and anti-ransomware protection.

Source
Kaspersky Total Security: How much does Kaspersky Total Security cost?

Kaspersky Standard costs $38.99/year for 3 devices. Plus tier is $52.99/year for 5 devices. Premium is $74.99/year for 10 devices. Multi-year discounts available.

Source
Kaspersky Total Security: Is Kaspersky available in the United States?

No. The U.S. government banned Kaspersky software sales in June 2024, with support and software updates ceasing September 29, 2024, citing national security concerns regarding Russian government ties.

Source
Kaspersky Total Security: Does Kaspersky have parental controls?

Yes. Premium and Plus tiers include one year free access to Kaspersky Safe Kids parental controls app, which provides activity reports, app monitoring, usage limits, and geo-fencing with location tracking.

Source
Kaspersky Total Security: How much does the VPN provide?

Kaspersky's free VPN (Kaspersky Secure Connection) offers only 200 MB per day of traffic, limiting data usage. Full VPN is included in Plus and Premium plans but with limited servers in only 24 countries.

Source
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