# Fortinet FortiSASE: how AI models rank it, September 2026

IT AI Recommendation Index, September 2026 Edition. Named in 42 judge labels across 2 categories by 12 of 12 models. Page: https://it-ai-index.com/vendors/fortinet-fortisase/

## Standing by category

| Category | Share | Rank | Negative rate | Labels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SASE platforms | 0% | 10 | 15% | 41 |
| Next-generation firewalls | 0% | 51 | 0% | 1 |

## What the models said for it

- "A high-performance platform that converges networking, security, and AI-driven protection into one solution." (Llama 4 Maverick, SASE)
- "If your company is already in the Fortinet ecosystem, FortiSASE is by far your most cost-effective path." (Gemini 3.5 Flash, SASE)
- "If your physical offices already use FortiGate firewalls, Fortinet's unified SASE is a strong option" (Gemini 3.5 Flash, SASE)
- "often recommended for SMB/mid-market balance, but ... higher spend than the cheapest entry options" (Perplexity Sonar, SASE)

## And against it

- "has historically suffered from a steep learning curve and complex setup compared to born-in-the-cloud alternatives" (Gemini 3.5 Flash, SASE)
- "it comes with a heavy caveat regarding interoperability... difficult to migrate away from once you start" (Qwen 3.7 Flash, SASE)
- "Fortinet FortiSASE: Pricing confusion... poor support response... below-average customer experience" (Grok 4.1 Fast, SASE)
- "FortiSASE: Users find customer support unhelpful, especially for complex implementations" (GLM 4.7 FlashX, SASE)

## Record

- Method: https://it-ai-index.com/methodology/
- Raw judge labels and full responses: https://it-ai-index.com/data/
- License: CC BY 4.0. Cite as IT AI Recommendation Index, September 2026 Edition, it-ai-index.com.