How to Negotiate Fortinet FortiClient Pricing in 2026
What's negotiable on your Fortinet FortiClient contract — and what isn't
Fortinet FortiClient uses custom pricing as of July 2026 with 4 plans available. Contact Fortinet FortiClient directly for a personalized quote. Plan: FortiClient Free (VPN Only) (free). Enterprise pricing is available on request. Pricing depends on your chosen tier, contract length, and negotiated discounts.
Use the interactive pricing calculator to estimate your exact cost based on team size and requirements.
- Free tier: Yes
Fortinet FortiClient offers 4 pricing tiers: FortiClient Free (VPN Only), FortiClient EMS — VPN/ZTNA, FortiClient EMS — EPP/APT, Enterprise Agreement.
Fortinet FortiClient pricing negotiability depends on its billing model. Fortinet FortiClient has a free plan; paid plans are priced by quote. Best times to negotiate: quarter-ends (Mar, Jun, Sep, Dec). Verified from 2 sources by CostBench.
Negotiation Tactics
Use Competitor Quotes as Leverage
Obtain quotes from Palo Alto, Cisco, or other competitors and present them to Fortinet or your VAR. Multiple Reddit users note that having a competing quote from Fortinet significantly helps negotiate Palo Alto pricing down, and vice versa. Let both account teams know you are evaluating both vendors.
Source: reddit
Buy Multi-Year Terms Upfront
Purchasing 3 or 5-year terms at initial purchase locks in current pricing and avoids mid-contract price increases. Multiple users recommend going 5 years to avoid inflation and get better per-year cost. Renewals tend to be significantly more expensive than initial purchase bundles.
Source: reddit
Work Through a VAR, Not Direct
Fortinet pricing flows through VARs. A good VAR can access partner discounts, bundle deals, and competitive trade-in offers that are not available when buying direct. Hardware discounts of 50%+ off MSRP are available to partners for deals over $5k.
Source: reddit
Time Purchases to Fortinet Promotions
Fortinet runs end-of-quarter and end-of-year promotions. One example noted: buy 2 units and get the support contract free on the second. Ask your VAR or account manager about current promotions before closing a deal.
Source: reddit
Request Early Renewal Pricing
If renewal is approaching, initiate discussions early. Some customers have locked in current rates with early renewal before anticipated price increases. Fortinet's fiscal year influences when pricing changes take effect.
Source: reddit
Leverage Volume for Small Order Discounts
Fortinet is reported to give poor discounts on small add-on orders even for large existing customers. Explicitly reference your total installed base and existing spend when requesting quotes for small individual orders to push for better pricing consistency.
Source: reddit
Best Times to Negotiate
Pro tip: The last week of each quarter has the best discounts. Sales teams are most motivated to close deals right before quotas reset.
Use These Alternatives as Leverage
Mentioning these alternatives during negotiation shows you've done your research and have real options:
Cisco AnyConnect
Alternative to Fortinet FortiClient in the same category
Cloudflare Zero Trust
Alternative to Fortinet FortiClient in the same category
NordLayer
Alternative to Fortinet FortiClient in the same category
What's Negotiable vs. Non-Negotiable
Usually Negotiable
| List price / per-user cost | High |
| Multi-year discount | High |
| Free months / extended trial | High |
| Premium support inclusion | Medium |
| Professional services fees | Medium |
| Payment terms (Net 60/90) | Medium |
| Price lock for renewals | Medium |
| Custom contract terms | Low |
Rarely Negotiable
- Core product features (available to all customers)
- Data security & compliance standards
- Basic SLA commitments
- Platform architecture or roadmap
Focus your negotiation energy on pricing, terms, and fees rather than trying to change core product features or compliance requirements.
Sample Negotiation Email
Subject: Fortinet FortiClient Pricing Discussion - [Your Company Name] Hi [Sales Rep Name], We're evaluating Fortinet FortiClient for [use case] and are impressed with the platform. We're ready to move forward, but need to align on pricing for our [X]-person team. Our budget for this category is $[amount], and we're comparing Fortinet FortiClient with Cisco AnyConnect. Given our readiness to commit to a multi-year contract, I'd like to discuss: • Discount for [2-3] year commitment • Fee waiver or credit • Premium support (first year free) • Price lock to prevent increases during contract term Can we schedule a call this week to finalize terms? Best, [Your Name]
Email Tips:
- Be specific: Mention exact user count and budget range
- Show alternatives: Name 1-2 competitors you're evaluating
- Bundle requests: Ask for multiple concessions at once
- Create urgency: Mention your timeline or decision deadline
Common Mistakes
- Accepting the first price offered
- Negotiating without competitive quotes
- Revealing your budget too early
- Signing at the beginning of a quarter
- Forgetting to negotiate renewal terms upfront
Frequently Asked Questions
01 Is Fortinet FortiClient pricing negotiable?
Yes. Fortinet FortiClient has a free plan; paid plans are priced by quote. Leverage comes from deal size, contract length, and competing quotes.
02 When is the best time to negotiate with Fortinet FortiClient?
End of quarter (March, June, September, December) and especially end of fiscal year. Sales reps are motivated to hit quotas and more willing to offer discounts to close deals.
03 What discounts can I expect from Fortinet FortiClient?
We don't have verified Fortinet FortiClient-specific discount data yet, so we won't quote a number. Fortinet FortiClient has a free plan; paid plans are priced by quote. Actual discounts depend on deal size, commitment length, and timing.
04 Should I use a procurement team or negotiate directly?
For deals over $50K annually, consider involving procurement or a buying group. They have experience negotiating software contracts and may get better terms. For smaller deals, negotiating directly works well.
05 What if Fortinet FortiClient says the price is non-negotiable?
This is often a starting position. Ask to speak with a manager, mention you're evaluating competitors, or wait until quarter-end. If truly non-negotiable, negotiate on other terms like payment terms, support, or contract length.
Want the Full Negotiation Playbook?
Our comprehensive guide covers 12 proven tactics, email templates, timing strategies, and expert tips for negotiating any software contract.
Read the Complete Negotiation Guide →Draft Your Fortinet FortiClient Negotiation Email
Use our AI email generator to craft the perfect negotiation message for your Fortinet FortiClient renewal or new purchase.
Generate Negotiation Email →Check current Fortinet FortiClient pricing
Prices and terms change; verify against the live pricing page.
See Fortinet FortiClient Pricing