Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Aruba Instant vs Fortinet FortiAP comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 31, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
3.5
Aruba Instant enhances productivity, stability, and user experience, supporting many connections despite high cost, providing a competitive business edge.
Sentiment score
8.0
Fortinet FortiAP provides a cost-effective, secure network, enhancing productivity and reliability with significant security and operational benefits.
I do not have to continuously manage them, and their reliability means they are consistently up and running.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.9
Aruba Instant support is generally satisfactory, with prompt assistance noted, though enterprises occasionally experience delays, especially post-HPE transition.
Sentiment score
7.8
Fortinet FortiAP support receives mixed reviews; responsive with premium but often delayed or declining without enhanced services.
The technical support from Aruba is of high quality, and I would rate it a ten.
We keep a support contract open with Fortinet, so we have instantaneous response from them.
The technical support from Fortinet FortiAP is rated 7.5 out of ten.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
6.7
Aruba Instant offers scalable solutions for small to medium businesses, enhancing performance and compatibility for diverse environments.
Sentiment score
7.4
Fortinet FortiAP is highly scalable, supports diverse environments, but may face complexity and model dependency limitations.
I find Aruba Instant to be highly scalable.
We have good scalability with Fortinet FortiAP because we have multiple ISPs connected to it through FortiManager.
There could be constraints where a product can't be scaled further without purchasing a new model.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
9.2
Aruba Instant is highly praised for its stability and reliability, outperforming competitors despite minor access point and latency issues.
Sentiment score
7.2
Fortinet FortiAP stability varies, with experiences ranging from high performance to instability due to updates and specific conditions.
I have not experienced any issues, outages, or problems and have not had to interfere with them at all.
The stability of the solution is very high.
 

Room For Improvement

Aruba Instant needs enhanced documentation, UI, more security, better IoT compatibility, improved features, and competitive pricing.
Fortinet FortiAP users want better security, lower prices, improved configuration, enhanced performance, and automated features without dependency on other tools.
An important missing feature is the console port, which allows direct management without the cloud.
I know they're going up to six soon, which will enhance reliability.
Security is always a concern for any business, and the network should not be compromised easily.
 

Setup Cost

Aruba Instant offers competitive pricing with one-time costs, appreciated for its enterprise functionality and minimal licensing complexity.
Fortinet FortiAP is competitively priced, offering a fair cost-to-value ratio between pricier options and more affordable alternatives.
We do not sell very expensive devices as we move to other products.
However, when compared to entry-level market segments, the price is higher.
The license costs for Fortinet are more affordable when considering licensing costs with other leaders like Cisco.
The pricing is much better than Cisco pricing.
The pricing is a little bit high, and I would rate it a ten on the scale where ten is the highest price.
 

Valuable Features

Aruba Instant provides scalable, user-friendly network management with robust security and seamless integration, ideal for small to medium businesses.
Fortinet FortiAP ensures centralized management with FortiGate, providing strong performance, security, and seamless integration for enterprise deployments.
I highly value Aruba Instant for its ClearPass feature, which is an exceptional product for network access control and works as a NAC solution.
The most beneficial features for network management are the price and the cloud console.
Compatibility with Fortinet firewalls allows clients to set up new businesses with integrated firewalls and access points, offering a cost-effective solution while providing excellent wireless coverage.
FortiAPs are an enterprise-level device capable of handling a large number of users and connections, ensuring quality.
We can do more with one Fortinet FortiAP in two areas instead of having multiple devices.
 

Categories and Ranking

Aruba Instant
Ranking in Wireless LAN
10th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
51
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Fortinet FortiAP
Ranking in Wireless LAN
9th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
14
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Aruba Instant is 2.0%, down from 2.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiAP is 5.6%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Wireless LAN
 

Featured Reviews

Alessandro Salvadori - PeerSpot reviewer
Comes at a good price and has a good cloud console
We usually sell Aruba Instant where there is no need for more than four or five switches. It is generally recommended for very small companies where we don't need more than three or four switches We are using it only for very small companies. We have had a reduction in time, but it is not that…
Brian M. - PeerSpot reviewer
Enterprise-level control simplifies wireless management and increases reliability
FortiAPs are an enterprise-level device capable of handling a large number of users and connections, ensuring quality. A benefit is their controllability by local firewalls, which simplifies management and eliminates the need to buy separate hardware or virtual appliances. The integration is efficient, allowing for management through the firewall. Firmware updates are also pushed to Fortinet access points. The lack of maintenance needs and their reliability means I almost never experience wireless problems in the campuses where they are deployed.
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Wireless LAN solutions are best for your needs.
856,856 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Healthcare Company
6%
Computer Software Company
11%
Government
10%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Manufacturing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

Which is better - Ubiquiti WLAN or Aruba Instant?
We researched Ubiquiti and Aruba when looking for a WLAN solution. Ubiquiti offers good WLAN access both indoors and outdoors. It provides an enterprise-level WIFI while remaining cost-effective. U...
What do you like most about Aruba Instant?
I find network management features related to monitoring Wi-Fi usage and visited sites particularly valuable. Content filtering is also important to prevent access to malicious or inappropriate web...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aruba Instant?
In my experience, Aruba Instant's price is reasonable compared to premium products like Ruckus, Cisco, or Juniper. However, when compared to entry-level market segments, the price is higher. Overal...
What do you like most about FortiAP?
If we have FortiClient installed on multiple devices, it is seamless to connect with FortiAP. It supports passwordless authentication as well. That is a great thing about it.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for FortiAP?
Fortinet solutions are more cost-effective compared to Cisco. The license costs for Fortinet are more affordable when considering licensing costs with other leaders like Cisco.
What needs improvement with FortiAP?
I cannot pinpoint the exact improvements needed at the moment. However, security is always a concern for any business, and the network should not be compromised easily. There should be alerts to in...
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Purdue University, Orlando Magic, Brussels Airport Company, Molecaten Holiday Parks
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Aruba Instant vs. Fortinet FortiAP and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
856,856 professionals have used our research since 2012.