Why organizations might seek Fortinet alternatives
Fortinet built its reputation in traditional network security, but as organizations move more workloads into the cloud, many are looking for modern, cloud-native security options. After acquiring Lacework in 2024, Fortinet expanded its CNAPP portfolio. At the same time, SaaS-delivered and agentless deployment models are gaining traction among cloud-first teams.
Common reasons organizations explore alternatives include:
Some organizations find that VM-based appliances provide less comprehensive visibility than SaaS, agentless solutions that were built for cloud environments.
The cost and management overhead of running security appliances in cloud environments.
A growing demand for unified platforms that connect risks across development, cloud infrastructure, and runtime environments, reducing the need to manage multiple overlapping products and licenses.
An increasing demand for API-first automation and seamless integration with DevOps workflows.
Simply put, security teams want unified platforms with modern deployment models that reduce friction and accelerate value.
2025 Gartner® Market Guide for Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP)
The Market Guide for Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP) explores this shift and outlines what security leaders should consider as the market matures.
Top Fortinet alternatives by use case
Fortinet has a broad portfolio, which means competitors vary: some specialize in network security, others in cloud-native protection, and some span multiple categories. Below is a snapshot of leading alternatives across three main use cases: cloud security, threat detection and response, and network security.
Cloud security and application protection platforms (CNAPPs)
Most firewall-centric security wasn’t designed to address cloud-native applications and infrastructure. That’s why CNAPPs have become a critical category, unifying posture, vulnerability, identity, data, and runtime into one platform.
A cloud native application protection platform (CNAPP) provides a single, unified platform across the entire lifecycle of a cloud-native application, consolidating what were once many fragmented and siloed security tools. This cuts down on false positives and duplicate alerts, easing your security team’s burden.
In the cloud security and application protection (CNAPP) category, we’ll discuss:
Wiz
Palo Alto Networks Cortex Cloud
CrowdStrike Falcon Cloud Security
Check Point CloudGuard
1.Wiz
Wiz is a leading cloud-native Fortinet alternative that provides comprehensive CNAPP capabilities. Agentless, API-based scanning provides full-stack visibility across cloud infrastructure; optional lightweight eBPF-based runtime sensor adds real-time threat detection with minimal overhead.
The Wiz Security Graph unifies CSPM, CWPP, CIEM, DSPM, and vulnerability management to prioritize real risks by connecting misconfigurations, vulnerabilities, and data exposure. Wiz’s rapid deployment model delivers value in minutes, making it easy for teams to move quickly compared to more infrastructure-intensive deployment models.
Best for: Enterprises and fast-growing organizations seeking a holistic, high-visibility security platform
2. Palo Alto Networks Cortex Cloud
As part of Cortex Cloud, the Prisma Cloud CNAPP offers broad capabilities, including strong DevSecOps integration across the entire development lifecycle. It has an established market presence, a large user base, and extensive platform coverage to support a wide range of cloud environments, operating systems, and deployment models.
Best for: Enterprises with mature DevOps practices and existing Palo Alto investments.
3. CrowdStrike Falcon Cloud Security
Falcon Cloud Security is a unified platform for cloud-native security, with a focus on threat detection and strong endpoint integration. Falcon provides real-time protection, automated remediation, and behavioral analytics, powered by a lightweight agent and AI-driven threat intelligence.
Best for: Businesses of all sizes that prioritize runtime threat detection with minimal hands-on effort from dedicated security staff
4. Check Point CloudGuard
This comprehensive cloud security platform from a veteran vendor provides unified threat protection and posture management across multi-cloud environments. CloudGuard’s strengths include automated governance, continuous compliance assessments, and automated remediation of misconfigurations.
Best for: Large enterprises with significant cloud operations and budgets that need traditional network security paradigms in the cloud
Security operations (threat detection and response)
Designed for on-premises data centers, traditional security information and event management (SIEM) systems struggle with the high volume and fluid nature of modern cloud environments. These systems, built on rules and signatures, have difficulty handling the fragmented visibility and inconsistency of multi-cloud setups.
This has prompted a shift toward cloud-native threat detection and response (TDR) platforms. Effective threat detection in the cloud requires understanding unique infrastructure context, which is why cloud-native alternatives to Fortinet go beyond known signatures to prioritize behavioral analytics in identifying threats.
In the security operations (TDR) category, we’ll look at:
Wiz Defend
CrowdStrike Falcon Cloud Security
Sysdig
Microsoft Defender for Cloud
1.Wiz Defend
Wiz Defend provides Cloud Detection & Response (CDR) as part of the broader Wiz CNAPP. It uses agentless, API-first visibility combined with optional eBPF runtime sensors for deep, kernel-level insights. Data from workloads, identities, and configurations flow into the Wiz Security Graph, where threats are correlated with posture gaps and sensitive data exposure.
This makes it possible to identify attack paths in real time, map blast radius, and prioritize response actions based on actual exploitability. Security teams benefit from unified detection and posture management, reducing the need to juggle multiple tools.
Best for: Large, security-conscious enterprises with complex multi-cloud environments seeking to unify posture, detection, and response in one cloud-native platform.
2. CrowdStrike Falcon Cloud Security
Falcon Cloud Security combines CNAPP features with CrowdStrike’s recognized EDR and threat intelligence. The platform offers both agentless and agent-based coverage, enabling organizations to choose the right deployment for their environment.
It delivers real-time behavioral analysis, automated remediation, and deep runtime visibility, powered by AI-driven analytics and continuous updates from the CrowdStrike threat intelligence network. Its strengths lie in runtime protection and strong integration with endpoint security operations, making it a good fit for organizations that already run Falcon EDR.
Best for: Mature security teams in regulated or high-risk industries that want a single platform for cloud-native and endpoint threat protection with advanced threat-hunting capabilities.
3. Sysdig
Sysdig is built on the open-source Falco runtime security engine and provides deep visibility for containerized and Kubernetes workloads. It leverages eBPF monitoring and runtime policies to detect anomalous behaviors and prevent threats inside cloud-native environments.
Sysdig is especially strong for DevSecOps workflows because it integrates directly with Kubernetes, CI/CD pipelines, and developer toolchains. By focusing heavily on containers and microservices, Sysdig helps teams prioritize risks in modern architectures and streamline remediation through runtime and compliance insights.
Best for: Organizations with high container adoption and DevSecOps practices that need dedicated runtime protection tightly aligned with Kubernetes and container workflows.
4. Microsoft Defender for Cloud
Microsoft Defender for Cloud delivers posture management and threat protection that integrates directly into the broader Microsoft ecosystem. It provides centralized visibility across Azure, multi-cloud, and hybrid environments, with unified dashboards and policy management. Defender leverages Microsoft’s threat intelligence to identify and mitigate risks, while offering compliance templates and automation to simplify governance.
For organizations already standardized on Microsoft, the seamless integration reduces friction and provides a single pane of glass for cloud security management and detection.
Best for: Enterprises heavily invested in Microsoft, particularly Azure, that want centralized visibility and consistent security controls across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
2025 IDC MarketScape for CNAPP
Wiz was named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP) 2025 Vendor Assessment
Network security and next-generation firewalls (NGFW)
The shift to cloud has changed the way enterprises approach network security. Traditional hardware appliances like firewalls are still important in many architectures, but they weren’t originally built for the scale, elasticity, and shared responsibility model of cloud environments.
To adapt, many vendors now offer virtualized firewall solutions or cloud-delivered security services (SSE, ZTNA, SWG). These approaches help organizations simplify operations, reduce appliance overhead, and extend consistent policies across distributed and hybrid environments.
Here are some of the alternatives in the NGFW and network security space:
Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls
Check Point Quantum
Cisco Firepower
Zscaler Internet Access
1.Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls
Palo Alto Networks is a longtime leader in next-generation firewalls (NGFWs) and offers both hardware appliances and cloud-delivered options through its VM-Series. Its NGFWs combine advanced application awareness, user identity integration, and threat prevention capabilities.
Centralized management is delivered through the Panorama platform, which provides consistent policy enforcement, logging, and visibility across global deployments. Palo Alto firewalls are widely used in data centers and enterprise networks that require high performance and robust security capabilities.
Best for: Enterprises and large organizations with significant budgets that need high-performance, feature-rich firewall capabilities for both on-premises and cloud-based environments.
2. Check Point Quantum
Check Point Quantum provides scalable NGFW and security gateway solutions designed for enterprise networks and data centers. It offers a full range of advanced threat prevention features, including intrusion prevention, sandboxing, anti-bot protection, and unified threat intelligence.
Quantum firewalls are supported by centralized management consoles that allow teams to apply policies consistently across multiple appliances and environments. This makes Quantum a strong choice for organizations that value comprehensive threat prevention in performance-intensive settings.
Best for: Large enterprises and data centers with complex network requirements that need scalable, high-performance firewalls and centralized policy management.
3. Cisco Firepower
Cisco Firepower is an integrated NGFW and security platform that combines advanced firewall capabilities with Cisco’s Talos threat intelligence. Firepower provides features such as application visibility, intrusion prevention, advanced malware protection, and sandboxing. Cisco also supports file trajectory tracking, which enables teams to follow malicious files across the network and understand the scope of potential compromise.
Firepower integrates well with Cisco’s broader infrastructure portfolio, which is a significant advantage for organizations already invested in Cisco networking.
Best for: Mid-to-large enterprises with existing Cisco infrastructure looking for an NGFW that integrates seamlessly with their current environment while benefiting from robust global threat intelligence.
4. Zscaler Internet Access
Zscaler represents a cloud-native approach to network security, delivering capabilities traditionally provided by firewalls and secure web gateways as a SaaS service. Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA) connects users securely to applications and the internet from anywhere, enforcing policies without backhauling traffic through centralized appliances.
With integrated zero trust network access (ZTNA) and secure web gateway (SWG) features, Zscaler helps organizations simplify network architecture and reduce reliance on hardware appliances. This approach is especially valuable for distributed or remote-first workforces.
Best for: Organizations of all sizes – particularly those with remote or hybrid workforces – that want a cloud-delivered alternative to traditional firewalls and network appliances.
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Choosing Wiz for Cloud-Native Application Protection
For organizations evaluating CNAPP options, Wiz offers a purpose-built platform designed for speed, scale, and unified context. While Fortinet is well known for its network security portfolio, cloud-first teams often want a platform built from the ground up to secure applications, infrastructure, and data in the cloud.
Wiz provides that with the Wiz Security Graph, which connects posture, vulnerabilities, identities, data, and runtime activity into complete attack paths. This gives security and engineering teams a clear, prioritized view of which risks matter most and how they connect across the environment.
Key benefits include:
Agentless, API-first coverage across AWS, Azure, GCP, and Kubernetes, enabling fast deployment and minimal friction.
Attack path visualization and blast radius mapping to focus on the most exploitable risks.
Optional runtime visibility through lightweight eBPF sensors for real-time detection.
Data security and AI-SPM capabilities to address sensitive data exposure and emerging GenAI risks.
Enterprises use Wiz when they want to consolidate fragmented security tools, reduce operational overhead, and achieve end-to-end visibility in their cloud environments.
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