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Fortinet FortiGate vs Windscribe

Fortinet FortiGate logo

Fortinet FortiGate

Cybersecurity

Next-generation firewall with AI-powered threat protection

From
$500/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
W

Windscribe

Cybersecurity

VPN and firewall service with a generous free data tier and a customizable Build-A-Plan option

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Windscribe 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; Windscribe free tier's 10GB cap still requires email confirmation and social sharing to unlock, unlike some no-strings-attached competitors.
  • They diverge on capability: Fortinet FortiGate covers Next-generation firewall, Windscribe covers Firewall / default block.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Fortinet FortiGate and Windscribe differ
AttributeFortinet FortiGateWindscribe
Starting price$500/yearFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsHardware, Virtual, Cloudwindows, mac, linux, ios, android, web
Founded2000Unknown

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 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 Windscribe

  • Firewall / default block
  • Unlimited simultaneous devices
  • Build-A-Plan
  • R.O.B.E.R.T. content blocker
  • Static IP and port forwarding add-ons

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

Windscribe

  • Running a free VPN across unlimited personal devicesnot Fortinet FortiGate
  • Buying access to just a few specific server locations cheaplynot Fortinet FortiGate
  • Blocking ads and trackers at the DNS level while browsingnot Fortinet FortiGate
  • Preventing IP leaks with a default-block firewall rulenot 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

Windscribe

  • Free tier's 10GB cap still requires email confirmation and social sharing to unlock, unlike some no-strings-attached competitors.
  • Build-A-Plan's low cost only covers selected locations, so broad global coverage still requires the full Pro plan.
  • Server speeds and streaming reliability are inconsistent compared to larger premium VPN providers.
  • Customer support is primarily ticket/community-based rather than live chat for lower tiers.

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

Windscribe

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 10GB of data per month with confirmed email
    • 10 server countries
    • Unlimited devices
  • Build-A-Plan$3/month
    • Pay per selected server location ($1/location)
    • $3 minimum purchase
    • Unlimited data on selected locations
  • Pro$9/month
    • Unlimited data
    • 69+ countries
    • $69/year on annual billing

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 Windscribe if

  • You need firewall / default block.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on windows, mac, linux, ios, android, web.
  • You also want unlimited simultaneous devices.
Windscribe review

Questions people ask

Is Fortinet FortiGate or Windscribe better?
Neither clearly leads. Fortinet FortiGate starts at $500/year and Windscribe at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fortinet FortiGate or Windscribe?
Windscribe has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $500/year for Fortinet FortiGate and Free for Windscribe.
Does Fortinet FortiGate or Windscribe run on more platforms?
Fortinet FortiGate runs on Hardware, Virtual, Cloud. Windscribe runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android, web.
Can I use Windscribe for free?
Yes. Windscribe 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 Windscribe is typically brought in for.
What can Fortinet FortiGate do that Windscribe cannot?
Fortinet FortiGate covers Next-generation firewall, Intrusion prevention, SSL/TLS inspection, Application control. Windscribe covers Firewall / default block, Unlimited simultaneous devices, Build-A-Plan, R.O.B.E.R.T. content blocker.

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
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
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
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