Absolute Secure Access vs FortiClient (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, FortiClient grades higher than Absolute Secure Access: 2.2 against 1.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
FortiClient grades higher on the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Absolute Secure Access
Zero trust network access and SSE for hybrid workers
FortiClient
Fortinet endpoint agent for VPN, ZTNA and endpoint protection
Which one is for you
Pick Absolute Secure Access if
- Fits if you are an IT team with a Windows-only fleet needing zero trust access
- Makes sense if you already use Absolute for device management
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Macs or phones, as the client is described for Windows only
- Watch out: no prices are published and the page offers a demo request only
- Pricey if you need web gateway, DLP or endpoint compliance, which need Enterprise
- Not for you if you want to control a PC from another device, since it is a security product
Pick FortiClient if
- Fits if your company already runs Fortinet gateways and wants a matching client
- Makes sense if you want a free VPN-only client for a single device
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to control a desktop remotely, as it is a VPN and endpoint agent
- Watch out: no prices are published and editions are bought through Fortinet's channels
- Watch out: support, central management and posture assessment aren't in the VPN-only edition
- Tight if you manage many devices, since central management needs a separately deployed EMS
How we grade them
| 1.4GPAAbsolute Secure AccessWeak | 2.2GPAFortiClientFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo price is published: the page offers a demo request and a sales phone number, so value sits at C. | CPaid editions have no published price and go through Fortinet's buy channels, so value sits at C. The VPN-only edition has no subscription. |
| Free plan and trial | FNo free plan and no trial is listed on the product page. | CVPN-only is listed as a download with no subscription, but support and central management need an Enterprise tier. |
| Features | CZero trust access, a self-healing client, network visibility and edge additions are listed, but web security and compliance checks need Enterprise. | CVPN and ZTNA tunnels, posture checks, web filtering and endpoint protection are listed, but central management needs a separate FortiClient EMS. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. It is a managed business product that has to be deployed and configured by IT. | CNo store rating on record. The client installs easily, but a company setup needs gateways and EMS configured. |
| Platforms and integrations | DThe self-healing client is described for Windows only. No web, Mac, phone or integrations are listed. | BWindows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android, with FortiSASE, FortiClient EMS and FortiGuard. No web client is listed. |
| Best for | zero trust network access for Windows fleets | a VPN and endpoint agent for Fortinet setups |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Absolute Secure Access and FortiClient. How we grade
Where they differ
- Absolute Secure Access also covers dashboards.
- FortiClient also covers reports and malware protection.
At a glance
| Absolute Secure Access | FortiClient | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | None | FortiClient VPN-only is listed as a download with no subscription; support and central management need an Enterprise tier. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Absolute Security | Fortinet |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | fortinet.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Absolute Secure Access
- No prices are published; the page offers a demo request and a sales phone number.
- The self-healing client is described for Windows only.
- Web gateway, DLP and endpoint compliance features need the Enterprise edition.
- It is a business security product, not a tool for controlling a PC from another device.
FortiClient
- No prices are published; editions are bought through Fortinet's How to Buy channels.
- Support, central management and zero trust posture assessment are not in the VPN-only edition.
- Central management needs a separately deployed FortiClient EMS.
- It is a VPN and endpoint agent, not a tool for controlling a desktop remotely.
Key features
Absolute Secure Access
- Zero trust network access
- The Core edition provides zero trust access with dynamic policy enforcement and network access control for connections to public and private apps.
- Self-healing client
- A client for Windows acts as a distributed firewall and is built to keep the remote connection working despite network problems.
- Network visibility
- Absolute Insights for Network offers over 70 dashboards with drill-downs and 90-day data record retention.
- Edge edition additions
- Edge adds in-line CASB, digital experience monitoring, network performance diagnostics and AI-assisted threat notifications.
- Enterprise edition web security
- Enterprise adds a secure web gateway with multiple AV scans, remote browser isolation, content disarm and DLP.
- Comply to Connect
- Continuously checks device posture and blocks unhealthy devices from reaching sensitive applications.
FortiClient
- VPN and ZTNA tunnels
- The unified agent supports both zero trust application access and VPN-encrypted tunnels for remote workers.
- Endpoint posture checks
- ZTNA Edition includes real-time endpoint posture checks and VPN with continuous assessment.
- Web filtering and CASB
- URL and video filtering through FortiGuard, plus inline and API-based CASB, are part of the ZTNA Edition.
- Endpoint protection
- The EPP/APT Edition adds AI-powered antivirus and malware protection on top of the ZTNA features.
- Central management
- Editions are managed centrally from the FortiClient Endpoint Management Server, with central logging and reporting available.
- Fabric integration
- As a Fabric Agent it reports device information to the Fortinet Security Fabric for visibility and control.
Plans
Absolute Secure Access
Pricing could not be confirmed. See absolute.com.
FortiClient
VPN-only$0
VPN client without support or central management; the downloads page points to Enterprise tiers for those.
Standalone EditionCustom
Subscription with email support, aimed at small businesses. Sold through Fortinet's How to Buy channels.
ZTNA EditionCustom
Adds zero trust application access, posture checks, web filtering, CASB and management through EMS.
EPP/APT EditionCustom
Everything in ZTNA Edition plus AI-powered antivirus and malware protection.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Absolute Secure Access or FortiClient?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Absolute Secure Access has no price we could confirm, and FortiClient publishes no starting price.
Which has a free plan, Absolute Secure Access or FortiClient?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only FortiClient has a free plan. Absolute Secure Access does not.
Which platforms do Absolute Secure Access and FortiClient run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only FortiClient lists macOS, Linux, iOS and Android apps. Both list a Windows app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.