Is the UniFi UDM Pro comparable to Fortinet firewalls?

When you’re evaluating network firewalls, the UniFi Dream Machine Pro (UDM Pro) and Fortinet's FortiGate series often come up as contenders. On the surface, both can act as next‑generation firewalls (NGFW).

But dig a bit deeper and you'll see their strengths are different. Let's unpack what each one does well, where they fall short, and whether the UDM Pro can truly stand beside a FortiGate in real-world use.

Let's dive in !!

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what they are and who they’re built for

UniFi UDM Pro is Ubiquiti’s all‑in‑one security gateway, managed through UniFi OS. It combines routing, switching, intrusion detection/prevention (IPS), VPN, and some security services. Where it shines is its clean interface, easy setup, and low cost, great for small to mid-size businesses or tech enthusiasts.

FortiGate devices, made by Fortinet, are built for serious, scalable NGFW deployments. They deliver deep packet inspection, antivirus, web filtering, application control, SSL inspection, sandboxing, and centralized management. Their typical users include larger enterprises, service providers, and regulated industries.

In short:

• UDM Pro = friendly, affordable, easy to manage, ideal for smaller ops.
• FortiGate = full-blown enterprise-grade, rich feature set, higher cost.

performance and pricing

On performance, both platforms support gigabit speeds comfortably. From Reddit discussions, UDM Pro matches FortiGate on throughput, but that’s only part of the story. One Reddit user noted: \n> [!info]

“the throughput is comparable, but the cost comparison is like $380 vs $5000+” ([reddit.com][1])

Here’s how they stack up:

Feature	UDM Pro	FortiGate
Price	~$380 MSRP	Starts ~$600, business models can hit $5k+
Firewall speed	~1–3 Gbps (NG)	~1–10+ Gbps depending on model
VPN speed	hardware-accelerated IPSec	ASIC-accelerated IPSec

So you can match basic firewall throughput with UDM Pro—but if you need multiple gigabits of deep inspection, SSL decryption, and heavy anti-malware workloads, FortiGate lanes ahead.

core security features: a deeper dive

Here's how they compare on key NGFW capabilities:

1. Intrusion detection/prevention (IDS/IPS)

   • UDM Pro: Offers signature-based IDS/IPS powered by Suricata. Easy to enable in UniFi Network.
   • FortiGate: Advanced IPS with extensive threat library, custom tuning, and integration in FortiGuard.

2. Antivirus/Web filtering/Malware sandboxing

   • UDM Pro: No antivirus or sandboxing. Web filtering is based on DNS or protocol rules.
   • FortiGate: Includes antivirus, web filtering, APT sandboxing, application layer control.

3. SSL/TLS inspection

   • UDM Pro: Limited support, if any—SSL inspection isn’t a core feature.
   • FortiGate: Full SSL inspection with cert handling and deep-layer scanning.

4. Application control & DPI

   • UDM Pro: Basic L4 rules and DPI in UniFi interface.
   • FortiGate: Sophisticated application intelligence, profiling, user identity control.

5. High availability (HA)

   • UDM Pro: No native HA.
   • FortiGate: Supports Active-Passive/Active-Active HA with fast failover.

In short: UDM Pro ticks the boxes for intrusion prevention and IPS peak at layer 3–4, but lacks the advanced layers and flexibility that come with FortiGuard services.

support, updates, and ecosystem

One big reason enterprises lean FortiGate: rock-solid support and rapid replacement options. As one Reddit user explained:

“Enterprise customers are more concerned with support services…Fortinet support contracts can have failed hardware replaced within 4 hours… Dedicated support specialists…” ([en.wikipedia.org][2], [reddit.com][1])

In contrast, Ubiquiti expects you to DIY. For a UDM Pro, you rely on community forums, online documentation, and your own backup hardware.

Firmware & support:

• FortiGate: FortiOS updates, FortiGuard subscription, direct vendor support.
• UDM Pro: UniFi OS updates via Ubiquiti, community support, no premium SLA.

If uptime is critical, like in finance or healthcare, FortiGate’s ecosystem is a major plus.

use cases: who should use which?

when the UDM Pro is a great pick

• Small-to-medium businesses or tech-savvy teams wanting NGFW features with minimal setup cost.
• Deployments with simple routing, VLANs, site-to-site VPNs, IDS/IPS, and Ubiquiti Wi-Fi/switch gear.
• Users who value clean GUI and easy maintenance.
• Homelabs, branch offices, or easy-to-manage environments.

when FortiGate makes sense

• Mid-to-large enterprises, telcos, MSSPs, or regulated sectors needing:

  • Deep threat protection
  • Full SSL/AV scanning
  • Application control, sandboxing, and filtering

• Environments where HA, support contracts, and compliance are non-negotiable.

• Organizations with complex VPN and multi-WAN load balancing.

real-world echoes from the field

A few enthusiasts on Reddit and forums sum it up well:

• Ubiquiti Community said about using FortiGate in front of a UDM Pro setup:

  “If you are doing multi-WAN, any load balancing etc…and generally need to go beyond the scope of a basic setup, then the Fortigate will likely serve you better.” ([community.ui.com][3], [community.ui.com][4], [enterprisenetworkingplanet.com][5], [reddit.com][1], [en.wikipedia.org][2], [community.ui.com][6])

• Another noted:

  “The UniFi will enough if only need to setup VLANs, however for more security features the Fortigate is the winner here.” ([carbonite.co.za][7])

Both agree: UDM Pro works for standard networks, but FortiGate takes the lead in advanced scenarios.

cost of ownership & future growth

• UDM Pro: One-time hardware cost, UniFi OS updates, optional annual “Security & Support” plan.
• FortiGate: Hardware + licenses (IPS, AV, sandbox), subscription renewals, enterprise support contracts.

Even if FortiGate seems pricey up front, total cost of ownership might be justified if downtime or compliance risks are high.

FortiGate also scales modularly, you can add new FortiSwitch, FortiAP, Cloud management, etc.

UDM Pro is more static, great for its ecosystem, but not built for large-scale or high-availability environments.

summary: are they comparable?

Think of UDM Pro and FortiGate as serving two ends of the same spectrum.

UDM Pro is awesome for friendly interface, ease of use, and low cost. It delivers basic NGFW capabilities enough for many SMBs and tech-focused users.

FortiGate, meanwhile, is built for scale, compliance, deep security, and enterprise-grade support. It handles SSL decryption, sandboxing, and application control, features UDM Pro doesn't touch.

If you're managing a medium to large network where full security posture and rapid failover matter, FortiGate is worth the investment. But for smaller setups, UDM Pro delivers great value without overkill.

conclusion

• Performance: Comparable throughput, but FortiGate edges ahead under traffic load and advanced inspection.
• Security: UDM Pro provides baseline IDS/IPS; FortiGate delivers full NGFW.
• Support/HA: FortiGate wins with enterprise SLAs and failover capability.
• Ease of use: UDM Pro is user-friendly; FortiGate is more complex to configure.
• Total cost: UDM Pro is budget-friendly; FortiGate requires investment in features, maintenance, and support.