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Cybersecurity · head to head

Fortinet FortiGate vs Springbrook Software

Fortinet FortiGate logo

Fortinet FortiGate

Cybersecurity

Next-generation firewall with AI-powered threat protection

From
$500/year
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Springbrook Software logo

Springbrook Software

Government

Cloud ERP built only for small and mid-sized local governments and utility districts

From
On request
Free plan
No
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; Springbrook Software nothing is publicly priced, and public sector quotes bundle licence, implementation and conversion so tightly that comparing two vendors requires a formal procurement.
  • They diverge on capability: Fortinet FortiGate covers Next-generation firewall, Springbrook Software covers Cirrus cloud platform.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fortinet FortiGate and Springbrook Software actually diverge.

Attributes where Fortinet FortiGate and Springbrook Software differ
AttributeFortinet FortiGateSpringbrook Software
Starting price$500/yearOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsHardware, Virtual, CloudWeb
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment
Founded2000Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Springbrook Software

  • Cirrus cloud platform
  • Fund accounting
  • Utility billing
  • Payroll and human resources
  • Cashless payments
  • Permitting and land management

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

Springbrook Software

  • A city of a few thousand residents retiring an on-premises finance server nobody on staff can maintainnot Fortinet FortiGate
  • A water and sewer district needing meter-based utility billing tied directly to the general ledgernot Fortinet FortiGate
  • A town that must produce GASB-compliant annual financial reports without a full-time systems accountantnot Fortinet FortiGate
  • Adding online resident payment for utility bills and licences without integrating a third-party gateway by handnot 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

Springbrook Software

  • Nothing is publicly priced, and public sector quotes bundle licence, implementation and conversion so tightly that comparing two vendors requires a formal procurement.
  • It is scoped for small and mid-sized agencies, so grant accounting, capital project tracking and human resources depth fall short for larger cities.
  • Data conversion from a legacy municipal system is the largest risk and cost in the project, and historical utility billing data in particular frequently converts badly.
  • The integration list is short compared with entrenched public sector vendors, so agencies already committed to a large incumbent ecosystem will have gaps to bridge.
  • Being cloud-native means the agency cannot defer upgrades, which is an advantage for security but removes control over timing from finance teams working to a fiscal calendar.

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

Springbrook Software

On request
  • Springbrook Cirrus$undefined/year
    • Cloud ERP for local government
    • Priced by population, module selection and user count
    • Implementation, data conversion and training quoted separately

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 Springbrook Software if

  • You need cirrus cloud platform.
  • You also want fund accounting.
Springbrook Software review

Questions people ask

Is Fortinet FortiGate or Springbrook Software better?
Neither clearly leads. Fortinet FortiGate starts at $500/year and Springbrook Software at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fortinet FortiGate or Springbrook Software?
Fortinet FortiGate starts at $500/year and Springbrook Software at On request.
Does Fortinet FortiGate or Springbrook Software run on more platforms?
Fortinet FortiGate runs on Hardware, Virtual, Cloud. Springbrook Software runs on Web.
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 Springbrook Software is typically brought in for.
What can Fortinet FortiGate do that Springbrook Software cannot?
Fortinet FortiGate covers Next-generation firewall, Intrusion prevention, SSL/TLS inspection, Application control. Springbrook Software covers Cirrus cloud platform, Fund accounting, Utility billing, Payroll and human resources.

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
Springbrook Software: Who is Springbrook for?

Small and mid-sized cities, towns, water and sewer agencies and special districts, not counties or states.

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
Springbrook Software: Is Cirrus really cloud-native?

Yes, it is a multi-tenant rebuild rather than a hosted version of the older client-server product, which is the main reason agencies switch to it.

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
Springbrook Software: Is pricing published?

No. Local government ERP is quoted through procurement, bundling licence, implementation and data conversion.

Springbrook Software: What is the hardest part of implementation?

Converting historical data, particularly utility billing history, from the outgoing system.

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