We performed a comparison between Netgate pfSense and Sophos XGS based on real PeerSpot user reviews.
Find out in this report how the two Firewalls solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI."We are using the FortiGate 100D series. VPN, firewall, anti-malware, OTM, and intrusion prevention are useful features."
"It's very easy to configure."
"The features that prevent internet connections, the filtering are the most valuable because we did not have any internet protection before."
"One of the nice things about FortiGate is that it can be deployed on the cloud or on-premises. You can actually do both. That's the biggest reason why I stick with this solution as opposed to something like Cisco Meraki. Another nice thing is that I can log directly into a FortiGate or get to it through their FortiCloud access products. They're pretty reliable and consistent. One of the reasons why I started using the product was their single pane of management. I can deploy their line of firewalls in conjunction with their switching and access points, and I can manage the entire network from one interface. I don't have to log into one interface for the firewall, another one for the access points, and another one for the switches. These firewalls have access point controller functionality built right into the system, so I don't even have to purchase additional devices to manage them."
"It is useful for protecting and segregating the internal networks from the internet. Most of our customers also use the FortiGate client to connect to their offices by using the VPN client, and of course, they usually activate the antivirus, deep inspection, and intrusion prevention services. They are also using it for web filtering and implementing various policies dealing with forwardings, NAT, etc."
"FortiGate firewalls are user-friendly, and I like the security profiling features."
"The solution is stable."
"The simplicity of the product is great. It's very easy to use, which is a compliment we get all the time in terms of feedback."
"I handle the scanning for the finance department. I recently encountered an issue with the PCL bills, our company bills. I resolved the matter, cleared the bill, and received calls regarding it using pfsense.The user interface is extremely user-friendly, which is why we use it across various plant sites. Our IT representatives at the plants find it easy to use and manage because of its straightforward interface."
"It is effective. We have not had any problems."
"The concurrent users are perfect for us."
"It has a very nice web interface, and it is very simple to use. The way policies are working is also good."
"The initial setup was straightforward, therefore I wanted to continue using the product."
"The ability to create a VPN allows me to monitor branch offices from a central location."
"The main features of this solution are customization and ease to use."
"Centralized administration with multiple services, which allows for execution in several important functionalities of information security."
"I like the Sophos UI. It interface has a more comfortable feel than the competitors."
"Sophos XGS' best features are simplicity and its built-in reporting tool."
"It is a scalable solution."
"The centralized security is very good."
"The initial setup is very user-friendly because they have graphical user interface options and command line interface options. I would give the initial setup a rating of five out of five."
"The most valuable features in Sophos XGS are identity and VPN. It is a very good solution that is able to detect and prevent a lot of malicious activity."
"One of the main advantages of Sophos XGS is the processor. You don't have to wait a long time for when you are managing the firewall and the traffic is faster now."
"It's easy to use, and the service is good. If anything goes wrong, their support system is very reliable."
"The updates Fortinet provides are sometimes unstable."
"I would prefer to have more detailed logs within the FortiGate products themselves rather than relying on a separate tool."
"The user interface could be improved to make it less confusing and easier to set up."
"I'm not sure if it's something that they already have or are developing something, however, we need some dedicated features for container security."
"Fortinet FortiGate could improve by having better visibility. Palo Alto has better visibility."
"It could use better throughput on some of the smaller boxes for the branch offices."
"I feel that the reporting needs to be improved."
"Monitoring and reporting could be better."
"Their support could be better in terms of the response time."
"The user interface can be improved to make it easier to add more features. And pfSense could be better integrated with other solutions, like antivirus."
"Many people have problems setting up the web cache for the web system."
"There are some bias issues and some intrusions in our network that have to be addressed. So, we're thinking of changing this firewall to something like a professional hardware-enabled firewall."
"I expect a better interface with more log analysis because I create my own interface."
"It requires more attention to provide a better alternative for open source to small government or educational institutions with reduced budgets in terms of technology."
"The stability could be improved."
"The solution could be more user-friendly, and the graphical interface needs some work so that someone without an IT background can use the application. I would like the ability to manage the on-premise appliance from the cloud. When I'm not in the office, it would be great to connect to the pfSense server and administer the network remotely."
"When it comes to different interfaces there is some speed issue that can be improved in Sophos XGS."
"Compared to Fortinet, the cost is high."
"Sophos XGS could improve by having a Network Access Control(NAC). This feature is a basic function in other firewalls and should be added, such as Palo Alto."
"Support could be improved."
"The reporting could be better."
"It has recently started to suddenly block and crash."
"In future releases, this solution could have more graphical elements on the dashboard to make it easier to understand."
"They should customers who are facing issues with their product reviews; they found bots in it. If they can do their proper research and use the user analysis and testing, that would greatly help the clients."
Netgate pfSense is ranked 1st in Firewalls with 128 reviews while Sophos XGS is ranked 17th in Firewalls with 60 reviews. Netgate pfSense is rated 8.6, while Sophos XGS is rated 7.8. The top reviewer of Netgate pfSense writes "User-friendly, easy to manage the firewall, rule-wise and interface-wise". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Sophos XGS writes "Easy to use, simple to learn, and offers great reporting". Netgate pfSense is most compared with OPNsense, Sophos XG, KerioControl, Sophos UTM and Cisco Secure Firewall, whereas Sophos XGS is most compared with Sophos XG, OPNsense, WatchGuard Firebox, Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls and Meraki MX. See our Netgate pfSense vs. Sophos XGS report.
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