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Compare Netgate pfSense and WatchGuard Network Security 
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At a Glance
Market Segments
Small-Business (68.7% of reviews)
Mid-Market (53.9% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
No pricing available
Netgate pfSense
Star Rating
(322)4.8 out of 5
Market Segments
Small-Business (68.7% of reviews)
Pros & Cons
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Learn more about Netgate pfSenseWatchGuard Network Security
Star Rating
(262)4.7 out of 5
Market Segments
Mid-Market (53.9% of reviews)
Pros & Cons
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Free Trial is available
Learn more about WatchGuard Network SecuritySummary
AI Generated Summary
AI-generated. Powered by real user reviews.
- Users report that WatchGuard Network Security excels in its Firewall capabilities, receiving a high score of 9.5, while Netgate pfSense's Firewall functionality is rated lower, indicating that WatchGuard may provide more robust protection against threats.
- Reviewers mention that the Quality of Support for Netgate pfSense is rated at 9.1, which is higher than WatchGuard's 8.8, suggesting that users may find more responsive and helpful customer service with Netgate.
- G2 users highlight that WatchGuard's Antivirus feature is rated at 8.8, significantly outperforming Netgate pfSense's lower score of 6.5, indicating that WatchGuard may offer better malware protection.
- Users on G2 appreciate WatchGuard's ease of use, scoring 9.0 compared to Netgate pfSense's 8.5, suggesting that WatchGuard may be more user-friendly for those who are not as technically inclined.
- Reviewers say that both products offer strong Virtual Private Network (VPN) capabilities, with WatchGuard scoring 9.3 and Netgate pfSense at 9.1, indicating that both are reliable options for secure remote access.
- Users report that WatchGuard's Content Filtering feature is rated at 9.2, which is higher than Netgate pfSense's performance in this area, suggesting that WatchGuard may provide more effective tools for managing web content access.
Pricing
Entry-Level Pricing
Netgate pfSense
No pricing availableWatchGuard Network Security
No pricing availableFree Trial
Netgate pfSense
Free Trial is available
WatchGuard Network Security
Free Trial is available
Ratings
Meets Requirements
9.4
257
9.3
182
Ease of Use
8.5
264
9.1
185
Ease of Setup
8.8
243
9.0
160
Ease of Admin
8.8
241
9.1
157
Quality of Support
9.1
205
8.8
174
Has the product been a good partner in doing business?
9.1
195
9.1
154
Product Direction (% positive)
8.6
258
9.2
167
Features by Category
Security - Unified Threat Management
Not enough data
9.0
94
Not enough data
9.1
99
Not enough data
8.7
84
Not enough data
9.2
100
Not enough data
9.1
101
Not enough data
9.5
103
Administration
Not enough data
8.5
102
Not enough data
8.9
103
Administration
8.7
185
8.9
105
8.3
208
8.3
103
8.4
178
8.6
99
9.0
199
8.7
102
Agentic AI - Firewall Software
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Functionality
9.1
215
9.3
104
6.5
135
8.8
88
7.9
166
8.9
103
9.3
199
9.4
99
Monitoring
8.5
162
8.8
87
8.2
167
8.7
89
8.7
187
9.1
100
8.4
180
9.0
99
Generative AI
6.7
73
Not enough data
Artificial Intelligence - Firewall
Not enough data
Not enough data
Usage
9.2
145
Not enough data
9.5
161
Not enough data
9.3
164
Not enough data
9.4
155
Not enough data
7.9
109
Not enough data
8.5
112
Not enough data
8.5
107
Not enough data
Miscellaneous
8.2
108
Not enough data
9.3
145
Not enough data
8.2
97
Not enough data
Encryption
Not enough data
9.0
18
Not enough data
8.5
17
Not enough data
8.9
24
Not enough data
9.1
25
Not enough data
9.0
20
Not enough data
8.3
14
Compliance
Not enough data
9.0
34
Not enough data
9.0
36
Not enough data
9.0
36
Management
Not enough data
8.2
25
Not enough data
8.5
25
Not enough data
8.5
23
Not enough data
8.9
28
Categories
Categories
Shared Categories
Netgate pfSense and WatchGuard Network Security are categorized as Firewall Software
Unique Categories
Netgate pfSense is categorized as Business VPN
WatchGuard Network Security is categorized as Unified Threat Management (UTM) and Encryption
Reviews
Reviewers' Company Size
Netgate pfSense
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
WatchGuard Network Security
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
20.4%
Computer & Network Security
10.5%
Computer Software
6.1%
Telecommunications
4.1%
Computer Networking
3.8%
Other
55.1%
Information Technology and Services
12.9%
Computer & Network Security
7.5%
Telecommunications
3.7%
Hospital & Health Care
3.3%
Computer Networking
3.3%
Other
69.3%
Alternatives
Discussions
Can pfSense be used as a router?
11 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
why i cant block Youtube
1 Comment
MS
You must run deep inspection so you can use application control with deep inspection.Read more
Is WatchGuard any good?
1 Comment
FO
In my opinion I think it is a good brand with which to work and continue learning, as well as collaborating.Read more
How do I block sites on WatchGuard?
1 Comment
MH
First possibility:
On the Watchguard firebox web interface.
Second possibility:
In the Panda Adaptive Defense web console.Read more
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