We performed a comparison between Meraki MX and Sophos XG based on our users’ reviews in five categories. After reading all of the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.
Comparison Results: Based on the parameters we compared, Sophos XG received better user ratings. Although the two solutions are comparable in most areas, Meraki MX lacks a lot of features in comparison with Sophos XG.
"The most valuable feature is the ease of configuration."
"Layer-3 firewall and routing are the most valuable features."
"What's most important is the ease of use."
"Provides good firewall security and has great VPN features."
"The initial setup is straightforward."
"I only deal with it from a security analyst's point of view. I don't really get into the features of the actual FortiGate. From the security point of view, it works, and it does its job."
"The most valuable features are that it is very simple to configure and to manage."
"FortiGate improved our security. It's one of the best hardware firewalls."
"It is a robust SD-WAN solution."
"You can use your web browser to do the configuration which is easier than Cisco CLI transcripts."
"Dual WAN connections are greatly simplified and point-to-point VPNs automatically connect regardless of what WAN connection is active."
"When you try to create an IP or when you have an alert about when a website is banned, these features are helpful."
"I love the simplicity of Meraki MX — specifically, the simplicity of the dashboard."
"Point-to-point VPNs can dynamically follow IP changes with no need for static IPs."
"It has a helpful feature for database troubleshooting issues."
"Deployment takes no more than one working day."
"Web publishing is important, as well as the importance of the antivirus patch."
"The most valuable feature is the Intercept X. It is the advanced features that are used for malware detection, and antivirus."
"The most valuable is the synchronized security between Sophos XG and Sophos endpoint because it provides a lot of visibility about unknown applications. The endpoint shares the information of unknown applications, and you can learn about those applications and create policies to allow or block those applications."
"In my experience, the solution was easy to use, has lots of features, and is easy to configure."
"The product is very easy to explore. It has a very good layout."
"The most valuable feature of Sophos XG is the VBM."
"Sophos is a comrehensive solution which allows me to configure all the attendant products, such as Sophos' firewall, Endpoint and Encryption features."
"The most valuable feature is web filtering."
"The pricing could be a bit better, especially when you consider how they have the most basic offering priced."
"The license renewal process, annual renewal price, and the web application firewall features should be improved."
"The room for improvement is about the global delivery time period. Usually I need to wait for almost one month to deliver it overseas. So if you can shorten the deliver time it'd be great."
"The solution's framework needs to be frequently updated in order to have a stable solution."
"There is room for improvement related to the logging and reporting aspect."
"I would like to see better pricing in the next release, as well as a simplification of the installation."
"Fortinet FortiGate could improve the user interface. There should be more functionality and options through the GUI."
"It needs to improve its ISP load balancing."
"The solution's pricing should be reduced."
"We feel that Cisco provides smaller features, with fewer possibilities versus other solutions out there."
"We could have more reporting options and the ability to send alarms to the administrator."
"We can’t access GUI management and CLI opening features when the Internet is unavailable."
"More detail needed for configuration of the VPN."
"It would be great if the Meraki devices let us see, in real time, the internet demand on a single device."
"The configuration options for firewall and IPS have limitations."
"We do not have account managers in our region for the solution. Some governments don't use the product since it is attached to the internet."
"The MTR feature needs enhancing."
"The support from the vendor needs to be improved."
"Network security is in need of improvement."
"I am using the Azure Active Directory in my company and it was complicated to integrate this solution with Azure."
"The manuals or guides we are given are too simple. When we are implementing the product, it is difficult for us as we don't have more detailed information."
"Lacking network access control, user profiling and analytics dashboards."
"An area of improvement would be the reporting as diagnostic graphs take a long time to load and refresh. If there could be an option to show only select graphs, it may speed up the graphics."
"The uploading and downloading of reports should be included."
Meraki MX is ranked 2nd in Unified Threat Management (UTM) with 57 reviews while Sophos XG is ranked 7th in Firewalls with 192 reviews. Meraki MX is rated 8.2, while Sophos XG is rated 8.2. The top reviewer of Meraki MX writes "Cost-effective, simplified, easy to manage, and reliable with advanced security features and granular visibility". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Sophos XG writes "Easy to use and deploy with an improved pricing structure in place". Meraki MX is most compared with Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls, Cisco Secure Firewall, SonicWall TZ, Netgate pfSense and SonicWall NSa, whereas Sophos XG is most compared with Netgate pfSense, OPNsense, Sophos XGS, SonicWall TZ and Sophos UTM. See our Meraki MX vs. Sophos XG report.
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We monitor all Firewalls reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.
Meraki is designed for zero deployments and no in-house firewall specialist personnel. Best to secure Networks like remote offices, branches or home offices. Also to protect Internet Access (your computer accesses the internet).
Sophos is more of a professional firewall, not only protecting internet access but also providing security for publishing services like web servers, data centers, central services. They will need a specialist to install and support them. Therefore offer much more sophisticated protection features.
So, you can't really compare these solutions as they are targeting different markets.
Meraki MX is a small business product and lacks a lot of features compared to Sophos XG/XGS.
- IPsec IKEv2 does not work (it is in the menu, but does not work and can only be enabled by meraki support)
- no SSLVPN or IPsec VPN client. AnyConnect can only be tested with beta firmware.
Cisco Client VPN (L2TP) is a total joke - not sure for who it is meant for?
- no user based firewall rules (for VPN)
- no firewall rule grouping
- no masquerade option for DNAT (sometimes it is very useful if I can do a DNAT with masquerade to another subnet)
- no VLAN tagging support on WAN port (would be usable for IPTV - solvable if WAN is bypassed through a managed switch)
- no multiple IP support on WAN port (Sophos has alias support on every interface, which means that multiple IP addresses can be added on the same LAN or WAN port)
- no LAG or LACP support (would be usable to connect aggregation switch to firewall to bypass more traffic through the MX)
- no DAC cable support for SFP port (why I do have to use optical cable to connect aswitch?)
- no custom IPS policies - only on/off button
- no e-mail protection option (Sophos has it with extra license)
- no web server protection (Sophos has it with extra license)
- no sandstorm option (most firewalls have it with extra license)
- hardware may probably too weak compared to the user count
- no BGP, OSPF routing
- no multiple VPN user groups and LDAP servers
Cisco mx64, for example, has 2 WANs, is very practical and simple for the two services, has a balancing for two internet services and bandwidth control (by groups and users).