# Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls vs Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall Comparison

| | Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls | Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall | 
|---|---|---|
| **Star Rating** | 4.5 out of 5 | 4.3 out of 5 | 
| **Total Reviews** | 170 | 92 | 
| **Largest Market Segment** | Mid-Market (47.0% of reviews) | Enterprise (44.0% of reviews) | 
| **Entry Level Price** | No pricing available | No pricing available | 

---
## Top Pros & Cons

### Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls

Pros:
- Firewall Efficiency (14 reviews)
- Ease of Use (13 reviews)

Cons:
- Expensive (23 reviews)
- Difficult Learning Curve (12 reviews)

### Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall

Pros:
- Features (18 reviews)
- Threat Protection (18 reviews)

Cons:
- Expensive (26 reviews)
- Difficult Learning Curve (11 reviews)

---
## Ratings Comparison
| Rating | Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls | Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall | 
|---|---|---|
  | **Meets Requirements** | 8.9 (153 reviews) | 8.8 (85 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Use** | 8.3 (154 reviews) | 8.3 (86 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Setup** | 8.2 (138 reviews) | 8.2 (82 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Admin** | 8.4 (107 reviews) | 8.5 (63 reviews) | 
  | **Quality of Support** | 8.2 (145 reviews) | 8.3 (82 reviews) | 
  | **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?** | 8.8 (105 reviews) | 8.6 (63 reviews) | 
  | **Product Direction (% positive)** | 9.2 (149 reviews) | 9.4 (82 reviews) | 

---
## Pricing

### Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

No information available

### Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

No information available

---
## Features Comparison By Category

### Network Security

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls** | N/A | N/A |
| **Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall** | N/A | N/A |

#### Additional Functionality

| Feature | Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls | Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall | 
|---|---|---|
| **Penetration Testing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Alerts/Notifications** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Audit Trail** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Anti Virus** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Vulnerability Scanning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Remote Monitoring & Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **VPN** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Behavior Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Reporting/Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Real-Time Notifications** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Access Controls/Permissions** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **SSL Security** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Patch Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Event Logs** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Anomaly/Malware Detection** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **DNS Leak Protection** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Third-Party Integrations** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Server Monitoring** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Real-Time Monitoring** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Compliance Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Network Provisioning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **API** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Email Alerts** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Security Auditing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Intrusion Detection System** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Data Visualization** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Two-Factor Authentication** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Generative AI** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Firewalls** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **AI Copilot** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Anti Spam** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Threat Response** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Activity Monitoring** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Risk Alerts** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Data Loss Prevention** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Single Sign On** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Intrusion Prevention System** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Secure Login** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Policy Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Activity Dashboard** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS)

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls** | 8.8/10 | 68 |
| **Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall** | 8.8/10 | 37 |

#### Prevention

| Feature | Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls | Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall | 
|---|---|---|
| **Intrusion Prevention** | 9.1 (65 reviews) | 9.2 (36 reviews) | 
| **Firewall** | 9.3 (64 reviews) | 9.2 (37 reviews) | 
| **Encryption** | 8.9 (64 reviews) | 9.2 (35 reviews) | 
| **Security hardening** | 9.0 (64 reviews) | 9.1 (36 reviews) | 
| **Cloud Data Protection** | 8.3 (60 reviews) | 8.8 (32 reviews) | 

#### Detection

| Feature | Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls | Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall | 
|---|---|---|
| **Intrusion Detection** | 9.0 (65 reviews) | 9.0 (36 reviews) | 
| **Security Monitoring** | 8.9 (64 reviews) | 9.1 (35 reviews) | 
| **Anti-Malware / Malware Detection** | 8.9 (64 reviews) | 9.1 (36 reviews) | 

#### Administration

| Feature | Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls | Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall | 
|---|---|---|
| **Compliance** | 8.8 (62 reviews) | 9.0 (35 reviews) | 
| **Administration Console -** | 8.8 (64 reviews) | 8.8 (36 reviews) | 
| **API / integrations** | 8.6 (59 reviews) | 8.6 (35 reviews) | 

#### Generative AI

| Feature | Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls | Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall | 
|---|---|---|
| **AI Text Summarization** | 8.2 (20 reviews) | 7.7 (11 reviews) | 

#### Agentic AI - Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS)

| Feature | Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls | Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall | 
|---|---|---|
| **Autonomous Task Execution** | 8.9 (6 reviews) | 8.3 (5 reviews) | 
| **Proactive Assistance** | 8.6 (6 reviews) | 8.3 (5 reviews) | 

### Firewall Software

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls** | 8.3/10 | 113 |
| **Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall** | 8.7/10 | 70 |

#### Administration

| Feature | Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls | Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall | 
|---|---|---|
| **Policy Management** | 8.7 (105 reviews) | 8.8 (69 reviews) | 
| **Logging and Reporting** | 8.6 (105 reviews) | 8.9 (68 reviews) | 
| **Application Gateway** | 8.3 (97 reviews) | 8.6 (67 reviews) | 
| **Concurrent Sessions** | 8.4 (97 reviews) | 8.7 (66 reviews) | 
| **Uptime Reporting** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Web Traffic Reporting** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Compliance Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Access Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Incident Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Audit Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Remote Monitoring & Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Agentic AI - Firewall Software

| Feature | Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls | Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall | 
|---|---|---|
| **Autonomous Task Execution** | 8.0 (10 reviews) | 8.3 (12 reviews) | 
| **Adaptive Learning** | 7.5 (10 reviews) | 8.9 (11 reviews) | 
| **AI/Machine Learning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Functionality

| Feature | Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls | Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall | 
|---|---|---|
| **Virtual Private Network (VPN)** | 8.7 (102 reviews) | 8.8 (64 reviews) | 
| **Antivirus** | 8.4 (97 reviews) | 8.8 (65 reviews) | 
| **URL Filtering** | 8.8 (99 reviews) | 9.0 (64 reviews) | 
| **Availability** | 8.8 (98 reviews) | 9.0 (65 reviews) | 
| **IP Filtering** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Content Filtering** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Monitoring

| Feature | Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls | Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall | 
|---|---|---|
| **Load Balancing** | 8.4 (96 reviews) | 8.7 (65 reviews) | 
| **Continuous Analysis** | 8.6 (97 reviews) | 8.7 (65 reviews) | 
| **Intrusion Prevention** | 8.8 (101 reviews) | 8.9 (68 reviews) | 
| **Intrusion Detection** | 8.7 (98 reviews) | 8.9 (65 reviews) | 
| **Intrusion Detection System** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Intrusion Prevention System** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Generative AI

| Feature | Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls | Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall | 
|---|---|---|
| **AI Text Summarization** | 7.1 (29 reviews) | 7.9 (17 reviews) | 
| **Generative AI** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Artificial Intelligence - Firewall

| Feature | Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls | Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall | 
|---|---|---|
| **AI Firewall** | 7.4 (17 reviews) | 8.8 (14 reviews) | 

#### Additional Functionality

| Feature | Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls | Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall | 
|---|---|---|
| **Spam Blocker** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Alerts/Escalation** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Role-Based Permissions** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Network Monitoring** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Visual Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Customizable Reports** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Real-Time Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Reporting & Statistics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Anti Spam** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Activity Dashboard** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Real-Time Monitoring** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Real-Time Notifications** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Activity Tracking** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Hardware Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Summary Reports** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Alerts/Notifications** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Access Controls/Permissions** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Real-Time Data** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Server Monitoring** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Two-Factor Authentication** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Log Access** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Reporting/Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Multi-Location** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **SSL Security** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Behavior Tracking** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **AI Copilot** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **API** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Event Logs** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Vulnerability Scanning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Risk Alerts** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Single Sign On** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Dashboard Creation** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Monitoring** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

---
## Categories
**Shared Categories (2):** [Firewall Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/firewall-software), [Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS)](https://www.g2.com/categories/intrusion-detection-and-prevention-systems-idps)




---
## Reviewer Demographics

### By Company Size

| Segment | Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls | Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall | 
|---|---|---|
| **Small-Business** | 18.3% | 26.4% | 
| **Mid-Market** | 47.0% | 29.7% | 
| **Enterprise** | 34.8% | 44.0% | 

### By Industry

#### Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls

- **Information Technology and Services:** 20.2%
- **Computer & Network Security:** 13.5%
- **Banking:** 6.7%
- **Computer Software:** 6.1%
- **Financial Services:** 5.5%
- **Education Management:** 3.7%
- **Telecommunications:** 3.7%
- **Higher Education:** 3.7%
- **Airlines/Aviation:** 2.5%
- **Consulting:** 2.5%
- **Other:** 31.9%

#### Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall

- **Computer & Network Security:** 17.6%
- **Information Technology and Services:** 16.5%
- **Consulting:** 5.5%
- **Computer Software:** 5.5%
- **Insurance:** 4.4%
- **Telecommunications:** 3.3%
- **Hospital & Health Care:** 3.3%
- **Oil & Energy:** 3.3%
- **Banking:** 3.3%
- **Education Management:** 3.3%
- **Other:** 34.1%

---
## Alternatives

### Alternatives to Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls

- [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)
- [Sophos Firewall](https://www.g2.com/products/sophos-firewall/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (869 reviews)
- [Check Point Next Generation Firewalls (NGFWs)](https://www.g2.com/products/check-point-next-generation-firewalls-ngfws/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (595 reviews)
- [Netgate pfSense](https://www.g2.com/products/netgate-pfsense/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (326 reviews)
- [Zscaler Internet Access](https://www.g2.com/products/zscaler-internet-access/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (290 reviews)
- [WatchGuard Network Security](https://www.g2.com/products/watchguard-network-security/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (268 reviews)
- [FortiGate-VM NGFW](https://www.g2.com/products/fortigate-vm-ngfw/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (252 reviews)
- [SonicWall Next Generation Firewall](https://www.g2.com/products/sonicwall-next-generation-firewall/reviews) — 4.1/5 stars (154 reviews)
- [Check Point Quantum Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)](https://www.g2.com/products/check-point-quantum-intrusion-prevention-system-ips/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (69 reviews)
- [Barracuda CloudGen Firewall](https://www.g2.com/products/barracuda-cloudgen-firewall/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (52 reviews)

### Alternatives to Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall

- [Sophos Firewall](https://www.g2.com/products/sophos-firewall/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (869 reviews)
- [Check Point Next Generation Firewalls (NGFWs)](https://www.g2.com/products/check-point-next-generation-firewalls-ngfws/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (595 reviews)
- [Netgate pfSense](https://www.g2.com/products/netgate-pfsense/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (326 reviews)
- [ThreatLocker Zero Trust Platform](https://www.g2.com/products/threatlocker-zero-trust-platform/reviews) — 4.8/5 stars (514 reviews)
- [FortiGate-VM NGFW](https://www.g2.com/products/fortigate-vm-ngfw/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (252 reviews)
- [Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security)](https://www.g2.com/products/check-point-cloud-firewall-formerly-cloudguard-network-security/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (294 reviews)
- [Zscaler Internet Access](https://www.g2.com/products/zscaler-internet-access/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (290 reviews)
- [WatchGuard Network Security](https://www.g2.com/products/watchguard-network-security/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (268 reviews)
- [TrendAI Vision One - Cloud Security](https://www.g2.com/products/trendai-vision-one-cloud-security/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (187 reviews)
- [SonicWall Next Generation Firewall](https://www.g2.com/products/sonicwall-next-generation-firewall/reviews) — 4.1/5 stars (154 reviews)

---
## Top Discussions

### Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls

- Title: [What is Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-palo-alto-networks-next-generation-firewall-used-for) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "It is an enterprise firewall solution which provides secure connection between two zones with features of firewall, IPS, Antivirus, DDOS protection, SSL..."

### Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall

No discussions available for this product.

---
**Source:** [G2.com](https://www.g2.com) | [Comparison Page](https://www.g2.com/compare/palo-alto-networks-next-generation-firewalls-vs-palo-alto-networks-vm-series-virtual-firewall)