Sophos UTM provides core firewall features, plus sandboxing and AI threat detection for advanced network security. It has customizable deployment options.
Most Commonly Comparedto pfSense
Best pfSense Alternatives for Small Businesses
WatchGuard Network Security is a network security and firewall software. WatchGuard includes secure Wi-Fi, multi-factor authentication, and network intelligence products and services designed for SMB’s.
Higher Rated Features
- Active Directory and LDAP
- Policy-based Controls
- Proxy Server
Popular Integrations
The SonicWall NSA Series is the company's mid-range next generation firewall (NGFW).
Higher Rated Features
- VPN
- Active Directory and LDAP
- Policy-based Controls
Popular Integrations
Sophos XG Firewall provides comprehensive next-generation firewall protection powered by deep learning and Synchronized Security. Sophos Firewall supplies insights and exposes hidden user, application, and threat risks on the network, and say the product is differentiated by its ability to respond automatically to security incidents by isolating compromised systems, with Security Heartbeat™.
Higher Rated Features
- Firewall
- Active Directory and LDAP
- Proxy Server
Popular Integrations
SonicWall TZ is an entry to mid-tier NGFW for small to mid-sized companies. It is a Unified Threat Management solution, with additional native decryption and deep-packet inspection capabilities.
Higher Rated Features
- Identification Technologies
Popular Integrations
Best pfSense Alternatives for Medium-sized Companies

The Check Point Quantum Security Gateway Next Generation Firewall is a tiered firewall product. The base model includes the core firewall services, and can be upgraded to include anti-bot/virus/spam and sandboxing capabilities.
Higher Rated Features
Popular Integrations
Cisco Meraki MX Firewalls is a combined UTM and Software-Defined WAN solution. Meraki is managed via the cloud, and provides core firewall services, including site-to-site VPN, plus network monitoring.
Higher Rated Features
- Active Directory and LDAP
Popular Integrations
Palo Alto Network’s Next-Generation Firewalls is a firewall option integrated with other Palo Alto security products. Released in late 2023, the PA-7500 ML-Powered NextGeneration Firewall (NGFW) enables enterprise-scale organizations and service providers to deploy security in high-performance environments.
Higher Rated Features
- Active Directory and LDAP
- Policy-based Controls
- Identification Technologies
Popular Integrations
Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) software is the core OS for the ASA suite. It provides firewall functionality, as well as integration with context-specific Cisco security modules. It is scaled for enterprise-level traffic and connections.
Higher Rated Features
- Active Directory and LDAP
- VPN
- Policy-based Controls
Popular Integrations
Cisco offers the Firepower 2100 Series NGFW, designed to allow businesses to gain resiliency through superior security with sustained performance. The Firepower 2100 Series has a dual multicore CPU architecture that optimizes firewall, cryptographic, and threat inspection functions simultaneously, to achieve security doesn’t come at the expense of network performance.
Higher Rated Features
Popular Integrations
Sophos UTM provides core firewall features, plus sandboxing and AI threat detection for advanced network security. It has customizable deployment options.
Higher Rated Features
Popular Integrations
WatchGuard Network Security is a network security and firewall software. WatchGuard includes secure Wi-Fi, multi-factor authentication, and network intelligence products and services designed for SMB’s.
Higher Rated Features
- Active Directory and LDAP
- Policy-based Controls
- Proxy Server
Popular Integrations
The SonicWall NSA Series is the company's mid-range next generation firewall (NGFW).
Higher Rated Features
- VPN
- Active Directory and LDAP
- Policy-based Controls
Popular Integrations
Sophos SG Firewall Appliances are designed to provide optimal protection for organizations of all sixes from small remote offices, to global organizations requiring high-availability and
Higher Rated Features
- Firewall
- Active Directory and LDAP
- Proxy Server
Popular Integrations
FortiNet FortiGate is a firewall option with high integrability. It offers a variety of deployment options and next-gen firewall capabilities, including integration with IaaS cloud platforms and public cloud environments.
Higher Rated Features
- Active Directory and LDAP
- Proxy Server
- Identification Technologies
Popular Integrations
Best pfSense Alternatives for Enterprises
The VM-Series is a virtualized form of Palo Alto next-generation firewall that can be deployed in a range of cloud environments. The VM-Series natively analyzes all traffic in a single pass to determine the application identity, the content within, and the user identity.
Higher Rated Features
- Active Directory and LDAP
Popular Integrations

The Check Point Quantum Security Gateway Next Generation Firewall is a tiered firewall product. The base model includes the core firewall services, and can be upgraded to include anti-bot/virus/spam and sandboxing capabilities.
Higher Rated Features
Popular Integrations
Cisco Meraki MX Firewalls is a combined UTM and Software-Defined WAN solution. Meraki is managed via the cloud, and provides core firewall services, including site-to-site VPN, plus network monitoring.
Higher Rated Features
- Active Directory and LDAP
Popular Integrations
Palo Alto Network’s Next-Generation Firewalls is a firewall option integrated with other Palo Alto security products. Released in late 2023, the PA-7500 ML-Powered NextGeneration Firewall (NGFW) enables enterprise-scale organizations and service providers to deploy security in high-performance environments.
Higher Rated Features
- Active Directory and LDAP
- Policy-based Controls
- Identification Technologies
Popular Integrations
Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) software is the core OS for the ASA suite. It provides firewall functionality, as well as integration with context-specific Cisco security modules. It is scaled for enterprise-level traffic and connections.
Higher Rated Features
- Active Directory and LDAP
- VPN
- Policy-based Controls
Popular Integrations
Sophos UTM provides core firewall features, plus sandboxing and AI threat detection for advanced network security. It has customizable deployment options.
Higher Rated Features
Popular Integrations
FortiNet FortiGate is a firewall option with high integrability. It offers a variety of deployment options and next-gen firewall capabilities, including integration with IaaS cloud platforms and public cloud environments.
Higher Rated Features
- Active Directory and LDAP
- Proxy Server
- Identification Technologies
Popular Integrations
Zscaler Internet Access™ (ZIA) is a secure web gateway (SWG), delivering cloud native cyberthreat protection and zero trust access to the internet and SaaS apps.
Higher Rated Features
Popular Integrations
Juniper SRX is a firewall offering. It provides a variety of modular features, scaled for enterprise-level use, based on a 3-in-1 OS that enables routing, switching, and security in each product.
Higher Rated Features
- High Availability
Popular Integrations
The Cisco Firepower 4100 Series’ 1-rack-unit size is presented by the vendodr as ideal at the Internet edge and in high-performance environments. They further state that it shows what’s happening on your network, detects attacks earlier so you can act faster, and reduces management complexity.
Higher Rated Features
- Reporting and Logging
- High Availability