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Compare Netgate pfSense and Sophos Firewall 
At a Glance
Market Segments
Small-Business (68.8% of reviews)
Mid-Market (63.4% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
No pricing available
Netgate pfSense
Star Rating
(321)4.8 out of 5
Market Segments
Small-Business (68.8% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Learn more about Netgate pfSenseSophos Firewall
Star Rating
(563)4.6 out of 5
Market Segments
Mid-Market (63.4% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Free Trial is available
Learn more about Sophos FirewallSummary
AI Generated Summary
AI-generated. Powered by real user reviews.
- Users report that Sophos Firewall excels in its Antivirus capabilities, receiving a score of 9.0, while reviewers mention that Netgate pfSense falls short with a score of only 6.5, indicating a significant difference in malware protection effectiveness.
- Reviewers mention that Sophos Firewall's URL Filtering feature is highly rated at 9.2, providing robust web security, whereas users on G2 note that Netgate pfSense's URL Filtering is less effective, scoring only 7.9.
- G2 users highlight that Sophos Firewall offers superior Quality of Support with a score of 8.6, compared to Netgate pfSense's 9.1, suggesting that users may find more reliable assistance with pfSense.
- Users say that both products perform equally well in terms of Virtual Private Network (VPN) functionality, each scoring 9.1, making them both strong contenders for secure remote access.
- Reviewers mention that Sophos Firewall's Policy Management is rated at 9.0, providing a user-friendly experience, while Netgate pfSense's score of 8.7 indicates it may not be as intuitive for managing security policies.
- Users report that Sophos Firewall's Ease of Use is rated at 9.1, making it more accessible for everyday users, while Netgate pfSense's score of 8.5 suggests a steeper learning curve for new users.
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Pricing
Entry-Level Pricing
Netgate pfSense
No pricing availableSophos Firewall
No pricing availableFree Trial
Netgate pfSense
Free Trial is available
Sophos Firewall
Free Trial is available
Ratings
Meets Requirements
9.4
256
9.2
469
Ease of Use
8.5
262
9.2
474
Ease of Setup
8.7
241
9.1
442
Ease of Admin
8.8
239
9.1
410
Quality of Support
9.1
204
8.9
460
Has the product been a good partner in doing business?
9.1
193
9.1
405
Product Direction (% positive)
8.6
257
9.5
460
Features by Category
Administration
8.7
183
9.1
437
8.3
206
8.7
440
8.4
176
9.0
427
9.0
197
9.1
429
Agentic AI - Firewall Software
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Functionality
9.1
213
9.2
423
6.5
133
9.1
416
7.9
164
9.2
431
9.3
197
9.3
423
Monitoring
8.5
160
8.9
406
8.2
165
9.0
419
8.7
185
9.2
427
8.4
178
9.2
425
Generative AI
6.7
71
8.0
228
Artificial Intelligence - Firewall
Not enough data
7.8
129
Usage
9.1
143
Not enough data
9.5
159
Not enough data
9.3
162
Not enough data
9.4
153
Not enough data
7.9
107
Not enough data
8.5
110
Not enough data
8.5
105
Not enough data
Miscellaneous
8.2
106
Not enough data
9.3
143
Not enough data
8.2
95
Not enough data
Categories
Categories
Shared Categories
Netgate pfSense and Sophos Firewall are categorized as Firewall Software
Unique Categories
Netgate pfSense is categorized as Business VPN
Sophos Firewall has no unique categories
Reviews
Reviewers' Company Size
Netgate pfSense
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Sophos Firewall
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Small-Business
(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market
(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise
(> 1000 emp.)
Reviewers' Industry
Information Technology and Services
20.2%
Computer & Network Security
10.6%
Computer Software
6.1%
Telecommunications
4.2%
Computer Networking
3.8%
Other
55.1%
Information Technology and Services
12.6%
Computer & Network Security
9.0%
Manufacturing
4.4%
Higher Education
3.6%
Financial Services
3.2%
Other
67.2%
Most Helpful Reviews
Netgate pfSense
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Christian H.
Verified User in Higher Education
I have been using pfSense for many years. First on my own hardware and later on netgates hardware. The System is easy enough to use but also gives you the ability to have fine tuned rules. I think because the pfSense Firewall software is open source and...
Most Helpful Critical Review
Brian C.
Verified User in Computer Networking
It bricked itself on a reboot. It is impossible to configure. Devices intermittently had internet access even with only the most basic features enabled.
Sophos Firewall
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Verified User in Information Technology and Services
Amazing for the small it departments. Very easy to deploy and manage while providing great protection. To do not need a whole SOC to manage and monitor these.
Most Helpful Critical Review
Ashwani K.
Verified User in Health, Wellness and Fitness
Firmware updates can sometimes cause brief service interruptions, and the reporting features could be more customizable for in-depth analysis
Christian H.
Verified User in Higher Education
I have been using pfSense for many years. First on my own hardware and later on netgates hardware. The System is easy enough to use but also gives you the ability to have fine tuned rules. I think because the pfSense Firewall software is open source and...
Verified User in Information Technology and Services
Amazing for the small it departments. Very easy to deploy and manage while providing great protection. To do not need a whole SOC to manage and monitor these.
Brian C.
Verified User in Computer Networking
It bricked itself on a reboot. It is impossible to configure. Devices intermittently had internet access even with only the most basic features enabled.
Ashwani K.
Verified User in Health, Wellness and Fitness
Firmware updates can sometimes cause brief service interruptions, and the reporting features could be more customizable for in-depth analysis
Alternatives
Discussions
Can pfSense be used as a router?
10 comments
SG
pfSense is an open-source firewall and router software distribution based on FreeBSD. It supports NAT and different types of interfaces (WAN, LAN, DMZ). It...Read more
What is pfSense used for?
7 comments
RB
pfSense is a a preconfigured operating system and suite of tools for directing traffic between your LAN and the Internet.
The community version of pfSense...Read more
Is pfSense still free?
5 comments
JK
Yes, it is. There is a Community Edition and a Plus edition. The Community Edition is free. The Plus edition is free for home lab and comes pre-installed...Read more
Is Sophos XG free?
3 comments
MP
They do have a home edition that is free for non commerical use. Excellent for learning and to get a fully featured firewall for home.Read more
The Sophos firewall is generally considered a good option for network security. It offers a range of features such as advanced threat protection, web filtering, and application control. However, the suitability of the Sophos firewall depends on specific needs and requirements, so it's important to evaluate it based on your particular use case.
3 comments
AM
Yes Sophos is one of the best firewall I the market.
I will recommend my friends & family.
It's the most trust worthy cybersecurity product in the market Read more
What is Sophos Firewall used for?
3 comments
SP
Sophos firewall is used to have the control over the users in the organizations to restrict certain contents or protect from certain malicious activities....Read more
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