# Cato SASE Cloud vs Netgate pfSense Comparison

| | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Star Rating** | 4.5 out of 5 | 4.7 out of 5 | 
| **Total Reviews** | 83 | 325 | 
| **Largest Market Segment** | Mid-Market (52.5% of reviews) | Small-Business (68.7% of reviews) | 
| **Entry Level Price** | Contact Us | No pricing available | 

---
## Top Pros & Cons

### Cato SASE Cloud

Pros:
- Ease of Use (5 reviews)
- Customer Support (4 reviews)

Cons:
- Limited Features (3 reviews)
- Connection Issues (2 reviews)

### Netgate pfSense

Pros:
- Ease of Use (3 reviews)
- Customizability (2 reviews)

Cons:
- Complex Configuration (2 reviews)
- Difficult Learning Curve (2 reviews)

---
## Ratings Comparison
| Rating | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
  | **Meets Requirements** | 8.6 (76 reviews) | 9.4 (260 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Use** | 9.1 (76 reviews) | 8.5 (267 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Setup** | 8.8 (70 reviews) | 8.7 (246 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Admin** | 8.9 (70 reviews) | 8.8 (243 reviews) | 
  | **Quality of Support** | 8.9 (73 reviews) | 9.1 (208 reviews) | 
  | **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?** | 9.0 (70 reviews) | 9.2 (197 reviews) | 
  | **Product Direction (% positive)** | 9.4 (74 reviews) | 8.6 (261 reviews) | 

---
## Pricing

### Cato SASE Cloud

#### Entry-Level Pricing

Plan: Cato SASE Platform

Price: Contact Us

Description: 
Cato converges security, networking, and access technologies into a single, cloud-native SASE platform—reducing cost, complexity, and risk across the enterprise.
With one platform, one management console, and one unified policy framework, Cato strengthens security, improves performance, simplifies operations, and helps enterprises advance Zero Trust at scale.
By replacing fragmented stacks with an elegant SASE architecture—often funded through existing IT budgets—Cato eliminates upfront costs, refresh cycles, management overhead, and vendor sprawl. The result: lower total cost of ownership, greater agility, and a future-ready infrastructure

Key Features:
- Comprehensive Security with Cato SSE 360
- Global Private Backbone with 80+ Points of Presence
- Unified Management via Cato Management Application (CMA)

[Learn more about Cato SASE Cloud](https://www.g2.com/products/cato-networks-cato-sase-cloud/reviews)

#### Free Trial

No

### Netgate pfSense

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

Yes

---
## Features Comparison By Category

### WAN Edge Infrastructure

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Cato SASE Cloud** | 8.3/10 | 14 |
| **Netgate pfSense** | N/A | N/A |

#### Network

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Overlay and Underlay** | 8.2 (13 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Connectivity** | 8.3 (14 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Availability** | 8.6 (12 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Application

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Integration** | 9.0 (13 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Performance** | 8.7 (14 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Health** | 8.3 (14 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Self-Heal** | 8.0 (14 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Simplify** | 8.9 (14 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Expenses** | 7.6 (14 reviews) | Not enough data | 

### Zero Trust Networking

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Cato SASE Cloud** | 9.1/10 | 13 |
| **Netgate pfSense** | N/A | N/A |

#### Network Management

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Network Segmentation** | 9.3 (12 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Network Mapping** | 9.4 (13 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Security Analytics** | 9.4 (13 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **API/Integrations** | 8.9 (12 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Security

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Security Automation** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | 
| **Application Security** | 9.4 (13 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Workload Protection** | 9.0 (12 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Data Protection** | 8.9 (12 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Identity Management

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Adaptive Access Control** | 9.2 (12 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Identity Scoring** | 9.0 (12 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **User Monitoring** | 9.4 (12 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Generative AI

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **AI Text Summarization** | 8.8 (12 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **AI Text Generation** | 8.6 (12 reviews) | Not enough data | 

### Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Cato SASE Cloud** | 9.0/10 | 12 |
| **Netgate pfSense** | N/A | N/A |

#### Analysis

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **User Analytics** | 8.9 (11 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Cloud Gap Analytics** | 9.0 (10 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Anomoly Detection** | 8.7 (9 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Functionality

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **SSO** | 9.3 (10 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Cloud Registry** | 9.1 (11 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Mobile Device Mangement** | 8.2 (10 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Security

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Governance** | 8.8 (10 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Data loss Prevention** | 9.7 (10 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Data Encryption/Security** | 9.5 (10 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Access Control** | 9.0 (10 reviews) | Not enough data | 

### Firewall Software

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Cato SASE Cloud** | N/A | N/A |
| **Netgate pfSense** | 8.3/10 | 243 |

#### Administration

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Policy Management** | Not enough data | 8.8 (188 reviews) | 
| **Logging and Reporting** | Not enough data | 8.3 (209 reviews) | 
| **Application Gateway** | Not enough data | 8.4 (179 reviews) | 
| **Concurrent Sessions** | Not enough data | 9.0 (200 reviews) | 

#### Agentic AI - Firewall Software

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Autonomous Task Execution** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Adaptive Learning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Functionality

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Virtual Private Network (VPN)** | Not enough data | 9.1 (217 reviews) | 
| **Antivirus** | Not enough data | 6.6 (136 reviews) | 
| **URL Filtering** | Not enough data | 7.9 (167 reviews) | 
| **Availability** | Not enough data | 9.3 (200 reviews) | 

#### Monitoring

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Load Balancing** | Not enough data | 8.5 (163 reviews) | 
| **Continuous Analysis** | Not enough data | 8.2 (168 reviews) | 
| **Intrusion Prevention** | Not enough data | 8.7 (188 reviews) | 
| **Intrusion Detection** | Not enough data | 8.4 (181 reviews) | 

#### Generative AI

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **AI Text Summarization** | Not enough data | 6.7 (73 reviews) | 

#### Artificial Intelligence - Firewall

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **AI Firewall** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Cloud Edge Security

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Cato SASE Cloud** | 8.8/10 | 11 |
| **Netgate pfSense** | N/A | N/A |

#### Management

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Multicloud Management** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | 
| **DLP Configuration** | 9.4 (11 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Dynamic Scaling** | 8.3 (11 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Policy Enforcement** | 9.2 (11 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Monitoring

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Data Center Networking** | 8.8 (11 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Multicloud Visibility** | 8.6 (11 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Anomaly Detection** | 8.2 (10 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Protection

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Firewall-as-a-Service** | 9.1 (11 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Cloud Application Brokerage** | 8.5 (11 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Web Gateway** | 9.1 (11 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Adaptive Access Control** | 8.9 (11 reviews) | Not enough data | 

### Network as a Service (NaaS) Platforms

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Cato SASE Cloud** | N/A | N/A |
| **Netgate pfSense** | N/A | N/A |

#### Scalability & Deployment - Network as a Service (NaaS)

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Cloud-Based Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Multi-Cloud & Hybrid Support** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **On-Demand Scalability** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Security & Compliance - Network as a Service (NaaS)

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Integrated Security Features** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Compliance & Regulatory Support** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **DDoS Protection & Threat Intelligence** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Network Performance & Optimization - Network as a Service (NaaS)

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Quality of Service (QoS) & Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **SD-WAN Functionality** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Zero-Touch Provisioning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Remote Connectivity & Access - Network as a Service (NaaS)

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **AI-Powered Policy Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Adaptive Network Security** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **AI-Driven Network Optimization** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Secure Remote Access** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **5G & Private LTE Support** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Edge Computing Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### AI-Driven & Adaptive Features - Network as a Service (NaaS)

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **AI-Powered Policy Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Adaptive Network Security** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **AI-Driven Network Optimization** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platforms

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Cato SASE Cloud** | 8.6/10 | 8 |
| **Netgate pfSense** | N/A | N/A |

#### Components - Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)** | 8.8 (8 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Wide Area Network (WAN)** | 8.5 (8 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)** | 8.5 (8 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Secure Web Gateway (SWG)** | 8.8 (8 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Firewall as a Service** | 9.0 (8 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Artificial Intelligence - Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Predictive Capabilities** | 8.3 (8 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Real-Time Threat Detection** | 8.5 (8 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Automation** | 8.1 (8 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Agentic AI - Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platforms

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Autonomous Task Execution** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Cross-system Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Proactive Assistance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Decision Making** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Secure Service Edge (SSE) Solutions

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Cato SASE Cloud** | N/A | N/A |
| **Netgate pfSense** | N/A | N/A |

#### Components - Secure Service Edge (SSE)

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Secure Web Gateway (SWG)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Firewall as a Service** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Artificial Intelligence -Secure Service Edge (SSE)

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Automation** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Predictive Capabilities** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Real-Time Threat Detection** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Agentic AI - Secure Service Edge (SSE)

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Decision Making** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Autonomous Task Execution** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Cross-system Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Proactive Assistance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Cloud Security

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Cato SASE Cloud** | N/A | N/A |
| **Netgate pfSense** | N/A | N/A |

#### Cloud Visibility

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Data Discovery** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Cloud Registry** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Cloud Gap Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Security

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Data Security** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Data loss Prevention** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Security Auditing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Identity

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **SSO** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Governance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **User Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Business VPN

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Cato SASE Cloud** | N/A | N/A |
| **Netgate pfSense** | 8.8/10 | 181 |

#### Usage

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Multi-Device Usage** | Not enough data | 9.2 (146 reviews) | 
| **Multiple Concurrent Connections** | Not enough data | 9.5 (162 reviews) | 
| **Protocol Choices** | Not enough data | 9.3 (165 reviews) | 
| **Unlimited Bandwidth** | Not enough data | 9.4 (156 reviews) | 
| **No Log Storage** | Not enough data | 7.9 (110 reviews) | 
| **Varied Server Locations** | Not enough data | 8.5 (113 reviews) | 
| **Unlimited Server Switches** | Not enough data | 8.5 (108 reviews) | 

#### Miscellaneous

| Feature | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Live Customer Support** | Not enough data | 8.1 (109 reviews) | 
| **Open Source Code** | Not enough data | 9.3 (147 reviews) | 
| **Multiple Payment Methods** | Not enough data | 8.2 (97 reviews) | 

---
## Categories

**Unique to Cato SASE Cloud (8):** [Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platforms](https://www.g2.com/categories/secure-access-service-edge-sase-platforms), [Network as a Service (NaaS) Platforms](https://www.g2.com/categories/network-as-a-service-naas-platforms), [Cloud Edge Security Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/cloud-edge-security), [Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/cloud-access-security-broker-casb), [WAN Edge Infrastructure Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/wan-edge-infrastructure), [SD-WAN Solutions](https://www.g2.com/categories/sd-wan), [Zero Trust Networking Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/zero-trust-networking), [Secure Service Edge (SSE) Solutions](https://www.g2.com/categories/secure-service-edge-sse-solutions)

**Unique to Netgate pfSense (2):** [Firewall Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/firewall-software), [Business VPN Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/business-vpn)


---
## Reviewer Demographics

### By Company Size

| Segment | Cato SASE Cloud | Netgate pfSense | 
|---|---|---|
| **Small-Business** | 23.8% | 68.7% | 
| **Mid-Market** | 52.5% | 25.0% | 
| **Enterprise** | 23.8% | 6.3% | 

### By Industry

#### Cato SASE Cloud

- **Information Technology and Services:** 16.3%
- **Financial Services:** 10.0%
- **Logistics and Supply Chain:** 6.3%
- **Construction:** 6.3%
- **Transportation/Trucking/Railroad:** 5.0%
- **Marketing and Advertising:** 5.0%
- **Computer Software:** 3.8%
- **Computer Hardware:** 3.8%
- **Hospital & Health Care:** 2.5%
- **Machinery:** 2.5%
- **Other:** 38.8%

#### Netgate pfSense

- **Information Technology and Services:** 20.2%
- **Computer & Network Security:** 11.0%
- **Computer Software:** 6.3%
- **Telecommunications:** 4.1%
- **Computer Networking:** 3.8%
- **Non-Profit Organization Management:** 3.5%
- **Education Management:** 3.2%
- **Government Administration:** 3.2%
- **Higher Education:** 2.8%
- **Health, Wellness and Fitness:** 1.9%
- **Other:** 40.1%

---
## Alternatives

### Alternatives to Cato SASE Cloud

- [Check Point SASE](https://www.g2.com/products/check-point-sase/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (218 reviews)
- [Netskope One Platform](https://www.g2.com/products/netskope-one-platform/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (74 reviews)
- [Aryaka Networks](https://www.g2.com/products/aryaka-networks/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (77 reviews)
- [Cisco Umbrella](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-umbrella/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (284 reviews)
- [Check Point Next Generation Firewalls (NGFWs)](https://www.g2.com/products/check-point-next-generation-firewalls-ngfws/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (583 reviews)
- [Okta](https://www.g2.com/products/okta/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (1227 reviews)
- [Cisco Duo](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-duo/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (515 reviews)
- [BetterCloud](https://www.g2.com/products/bettercloud/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (482 reviews)
- [Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration](https://www.g2.com/products/check-point-harmony-email-collaboration/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (511 reviews)
- [ThreatLocker Allowlisting](https://www.g2.com/products/threatlocker-allowlisting/reviews) — 4.8/5 stars (474 reviews)

### Alternatives to Netgate pfSense

- [Sophos Firewall](https://www.g2.com/products/sophos-firewall/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (633 reviews)
- [Check Point Next Generation Firewalls (NGFWs)](https://www.g2.com/products/check-point-next-generation-firewalls-ngfws/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (583 reviews)
- [WatchGuard Network Security](https://www.g2.com/products/watchguard-network-security/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (267 reviews)
- [FortiGate-VM NGFW](https://www.g2.com/products/fortigate-vm-ngfw/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (230 reviews)
- [Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls](https://www.g2.com/products/palo-alto-networks-next-generation-firewalls/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (167 reviews)
- [SonicWall Next Generation Firewall](https://www.g2.com/products/sonicwall-next-generation-firewall/reviews) — 4.1/5 stars (153 reviews)
- [Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv)](https://www.g2.com/products/cisco-secure-firewall-threat-defense-virtual-formerly-ngfwv/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (93 reviews)
- [CrowdSec](https://www.g2.com/products/crowdsec/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (87 reviews)
- [GlassWire Firewall](https://www.g2.com/products/glasswire-firewall/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (50 reviews)
- [Comodo Firewall](https://www.g2.com/products/comodo-firewall/reviews) — 4.0/5 stars (38 reviews)

---
## Top Discussions

### Cato SASE Cloud

No discussions available for this product.

### Netgate pfSense

- Title: [Can pfSense be used as a router?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/can-pfsense-be-used-as-a-router) — 11 comments
  > **Top comment:** "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..."
- Title: [What is pfSense used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-pfsense-used-for) — 7 comments
  > **Top comment:** "router, firewall, vpn server"
- Title: [Is pfSense still free?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-pfsense-still-free) — 5 comments
  > **Top comment:** "yes its available in both free and paid version "
- Title: [What is pfSense software?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-pfsense-software) — 4 comments
  > **Top comment:** "It's a firewall/firewall."
- Title: [Is pfSense any good?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-pfsense-any-good) — 3 comments
  > **Top comment:** "Yes, it's excellent "

---
**Source:** [G2.com](https://www.g2.com) | [Comparison Page](https://www.g2.com/compare/cato-networks-cato-sase-cloud-vs-netgate-pfsense)