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Fortinet FortiGate vs Postgres

Fortinet FortiGate logo

Fortinet FortiGate

Cybersecurity

Next-generation firewall with AI-powered threat protection

From
$500/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Postgres logo

Postgres

Technology

The world's most advanced open source database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Postgres 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; Postgres each major version is supported for only 5 years after its initial release, after which it is end-of-life
  • They diverge on capability: Fortinet FortiGate covers Next-generation firewall, Postgres covers ACID compliance.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Fortinet FortiGate and Postgres differ
AttributeFortinet FortiGatePostgres
Starting price$500/yearFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsHardware, Virtual, CloudLinux, Windows, Macos, Docker
CategoryCybersecurityTechnology
Founded20001996

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

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 Postgres

  • ACID compliance
  • Complex queries
  • Foreign keys
  • Triggers
  • Views
  • Stored procedures
  • JSON/JSONB support
  • Full-text search

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 Postgres
  • Secure SD-WAN across distributed sitesnot Postgres
  • Zero trust network access to internal applicationsnot Postgres
  • Virtual firewalls in AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and Oraclenot Postgres
  • Ruggedised deployments in industrial environmentsnot Postgres

Postgres

  • Running a general purpose relational database for applicationsnot Fortinet FortiGate
  • Self-hosting an open source SQL database with no licence feenot Fortinet FortiGate
  • Workloads needing extensions, JSON and full text search in one enginenot 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

Postgres

  • Each major version is supported for only 5 years after its initial release, after which it is end-of-life
  • Major version upgrades break on-disk compatibility and require a full dump and reload or the pg_upgrade tool
  • New major versions ship about once a year, so staying supported means a disruptive upgrade cycle
  • Minor releases contain only frequently-encountered bug fixes, low-risk fixes, security issues and data corruption fixes, so feature gaps are not addressed within a major version
  • There is no vendor SLA; commercial support must be bought separately from third party professional services listed by the project

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

Postgres

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Full database features
    • No limitations
    • Community support

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 Postgres if

  • You need acid compliance.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Macos, Docker.
  • You also want complex queries.
Postgres review

Questions people ask

Is Fortinet FortiGate or Postgres better?
Neither clearly leads. Fortinet FortiGate starts at $500/year and Postgres at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fortinet FortiGate or Postgres?
Postgres has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $500/year for Fortinet FortiGate and Free for Postgres.
Does Fortinet FortiGate or Postgres run on more platforms?
Fortinet FortiGate runs on Hardware, Virtual, Cloud. Postgres runs on Linux, Windows, Macos, Docker.
Can I use Postgres for free?
Yes. Postgres 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 Postgres is typically brought in for.
What can Fortinet FortiGate do that Postgres cannot?
Fortinet FortiGate covers Next-generation firewall, Intrusion prevention, SSL/TLS inspection, Application control. Postgres covers ACID compliance, Complex queries, Foreign keys, Triggers.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Postgres: How much does PostgreSQL cost to use?

PostgreSQL is completely free to download, install, and use. No licensing fees, subscription costs, or per-seat charges apply. The database is open source under the PostgreSQL License. Source: https://www.postgresql.org

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
Postgres: Are there commercial PostgreSQL support options available?

Official PostgreSQL (the project) is free. Commercial PostgreSQL services such as hosting, professional support, training, and managed database services are offered by third-party vendors, not the PostgreSQL project itself. Source: https://www.postgresql.org

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
Postgres: Do I need a license to use PostgreSQL commercially?

No. PostgreSQL is open source under the PostgreSQL License, which permits free commercial use without royalties, licensing fees, or support obligations. Source: https://www.postgresql.org

Source
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