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Cybersecurity · head to head

Fortinet FortiGate vs Sophos Intercept X

Fortinet FortiGate logo

Fortinet FortiGate

Cybersecurity

Next-generation firewall with AI-powered threat protection

From
$500/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sophos Intercept X logo

Sophos Intercept X

Cybersecurity

Advanced endpoint protection with deep learning

From
$28/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; Sophos Intercept X sophos publishes no price for endpoint protection: the product page names editions but gives no per user rate, no minimum seat count and no contract length, and routes buyers to a sales enquiry
  • They diverge on capability: Fortinet FortiGate covers Next-generation firewall, Sophos Intercept X covers Deep learning AI.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fortinet FortiGate and Sophos Intercept X actually diverge.

Attributes where Fortinet FortiGate and Sophos Intercept X differ
AttributeFortinet FortiGateSophos Intercept X
Starting price$500/year$28/year
PlatformsHardware, Virtual, CloudDesktop, Mobile, Api
Founded20001985

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 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 Sophos Intercept X

  • Deep learning AI
  • Anti-ransomware
  • Exploit prevention
  • CryptoGuard
  • WipeGuard
  • Root cause analysis
  • Active adversary mitigation
  • Synchronized security

Both cover

  • Common Criteria
  • On-premise deployment
  • 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 Sophos Intercept X
  • Secure SD-WAN across distributed sitesnot Sophos Intercept X
  • Zero trust network access to internal applicationsnot Sophos Intercept X
  • Virtual firewalls in AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and Oraclenot Sophos Intercept X
  • Ruggedised deployments in industrial environmentsnot Sophos Intercept X

Sophos Intercept X

  • Endpoint protection across Windows, macOS, and Linux devicesnot Fortinet FortiGate
  • Ransomware detection with CryptoGuard file encryption monitoringnot Fortinet FortiGate
  • AI-powered zero-day exploit mitigation with 60+ proprietary techniquesnot Fortinet FortiGate
  • Shadow AI and generative AI tool usage control across the organizationnot Fortinet FortiGate
  • Mobile device encryption and managed detection and response servicesnot 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

Sophos Intercept X

  • Sophos publishes no price for endpoint protection: the product page names editions but gives no per user rate, no minimum seat count and no contract length, and routes buyers to a sales enquiry
  • Extended detection and response requires the Advanced with XDR edition rather than the base endpoint product
  • 24x7 monitored detection and response is sold as the separate Sophos MDR service on top of the endpoint licence
  • The Intercept X name has been retired in favour of Sophos Endpoint, so older documentation refers to a brand the vendor no longer uses

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

Sophos Intercept X

$28/year
  • Intercept X Essentials$28/year
    • Per user
    • Deep learning
    • Anti-ransomware
  • Intercept X Advanced$44/year
    • All Essentials features
    • Root cause analysis
    • Sophos Central
  • Intercept X with XDR$55/year
    • All Advanced features
    • Extended detection
    • Live Discover

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 Sophos Intercept X if

  • You need deep learning ai.
  • You work on Desktop, Mobile, Api.
  • You also want anti-ransomware.
Sophos Intercept X review

Questions people ask

Is Fortinet FortiGate or Sophos Intercept X better?
Neither clearly leads. Fortinet FortiGate starts at $500/year and Sophos Intercept X at $28/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fortinet FortiGate or Sophos Intercept X?
Fortinet FortiGate starts at $500/year and Sophos Intercept X at $28/year.
Does Fortinet FortiGate or Sophos Intercept X run on more platforms?
Fortinet FortiGate runs on Hardware, Virtual, Cloud. Sophos Intercept X runs on Desktop, Mobile, Api.
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 Sophos Intercept X is typically brought in for.
What can Fortinet FortiGate do that Sophos Intercept X cannot?
Fortinet FortiGate covers Next-generation firewall, Intrusion prevention, SSL/TLS inspection, Application control. Sophos Intercept X covers Deep learning AI, Anti-ransomware, Exploit prevention, CryptoGuard. Both handle Common Criteria, On-premise deployment, Cloud deployment.

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
Sophos Intercept X: How much does Sophos Endpoint cost?

Sophos does not publish Endpoint pricing on its website. The vendor directs customers to contact sales or request a quote for pricing.

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
Sophos Intercept X: Does Sophos Endpoint offer a free trial?

Sophos provides a free 30-day trial of Sophos Endpoint for customers with an active Sophos Fusion account. Trial activation does not require payment information.

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
Sophos Intercept X: What support levels are available for Sophos Endpoint?

Sophos Fusion customers receive 8x5 support included with subscriptions. Extended support tiers and costs are not listed on the public website.

Source
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