Netgate pfSense Reviews

Name: Netgate pfSense
Brand: Netgate
Rating: 4.3 (214 reviews)

Vendor: Netgate

4.3 out of 5

214 reviews
94% willing to recommend

12K followers

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What is Netgate pfSense?

Netgate pfSense is widely leveraged by organizations for its comprehensive capabilities in firewalls, VPN servers, and bandwidth management. It suits LAN, WAN, and DMZ networks, offering secure, scalable, and efficient networking solutions.

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Netgate pfSense is the #1 ranked solution in best firewalls. PeerSpot users give Netgate pfSense an average rating of 8.6 out of 10. Netgate pfSense is most commonly compared to Fortinet FortiGate: Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate. Netgate pfSense is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 44% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 15% of all views.

Helped 839,164 peers since 2012

Featured reviews

Vincent Hamm

CIO and President at Aim High! Inc.

PfSense gives our customers high security, and it's easy to implement. Most customers are looking for a VPN, so we set up a static IP that makes the VPN easy. The benefits of pfSense are immediate. It has a few features that prevent data loss, such as backups and creating rules. It does packet inspection to ensure large known malware does not get through to the end users. It offers features that help us prevent downtime, but that doesn't apply to our customers. It has failover, so if an internet line were to go bad, you could failover to another line. That doesn't apply to our customers because they can't afford a second internet line.

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Jean-Pierre DAREYS

Director, Latin America at Bradmark Technologies, Inc.

I received a great deal of guidance and help from the technical user group, the forums are awesome and the community is outstanding. Netgate technical support is also very good although it incurs a cost. The software is easy to use and rather flexible, it is just a matter of getting to know it. You can buy the appliance pre-configured, there are many models available, to suit your needs and your budget. However, you don't need to buy the hardware, which is what I'm really excited about, in other words, you can buy the service on the AWS cloud. Since I purchased the service, I have not had as many denial of service attacks, it minimizes downtime by reducing the number of computer crashes, so yes, it increases uptime. The solution is very flexible, you can configure as much or as little security into it as you want, a lot is available right out of the box, you can fine-tune it. I saw results of using the solution immediately. You can start restricting IP addresses by country right away. That's very useful. It's easy to restrict regions. Overall, I have experienced fewer problems since using the solution. pfSense does provide a configurable dashboard, however, you have to connect to it through a browser. I can see a lot of stats in a single pane that is quite flexible. It does what I need it to do so far, you can add or remove sections. It doesn't directly minimize downtime, however it does indirectly, by minimizing the number of DDoS attacks. This increases uptime. Since using pfSense, I don't have as many attacks. I use pfSense on an Amazon EC2 virtual machine. It works well in the cloud. This implementation optimizes resource utilization because it doesn´t rely on static hardware which quickly reached EOL support, I can grow/re-size easily. I can take it with me wherever I go - as long as I have a network connection, laptop or cell phone without being tied to hardware.

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Jacob Sylvia

Cybersecurity Engineer at a consultancy

In the time that I've used pfSense, I'm continuously blown away by the quality of the product, its attention to security, and all of the features it has. It's easy to use. The web-based interface is great. The tutorials on the website are fantastic. I wouldn't say it's necessarily one feature. It's the full offering of all of the features that make it for me. I use firewalling, intrusion detection, and two of the VPN features: WireGuard and OpenVPN. The flexibility is great. PfSense will run on homebrew hardware and Netgate. The interface is excellent on the web and through the console. There's a lot of flexibility through the console. It lets you get into a low bandwidth environment to do the things that you need to do when you're remotely administering some of these things. I enjoy the fact that the web interface is customizable. A seldom-used feature is the ability to change to one of several built-in themes. I use those themes to tell which system I'm administering because they're all remote to me, and the interfaces all look the same. I don't have those little tells about changing the colors of certain things. Sometimes, it takes some back and forth to figure out which one I'm on. I never thought the themes would be a feature I would use. I use it all the time. The user interface is fantastic and responsive. The tooltips are in the right areas and help you build out your firewall and boundary device. The ease of deploying and configuring features depends on the feature. Most of their features are designed to be implemented with some basic knowledge level, but some are super-advanced, and you need that knowledge level. They have excellent guides for just about every feature on their website or that's inside pfSense. They're great. They explain all the different things about adding new features and each package's function. I don't think that there has been a feature that I wanted that someone didn't already have a package built for.

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Netgate pfSense mindshare

As of March 2025, the mindshare of Netgate pfSense in the Firewalls category stands at 15.2%, down from 22.1% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewalls

PeerAnalyst reports

Type	Title	Date
Category	Firewalls	Mar 1, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Mar 1, 2025	Download
Comparison	Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate	Mar 1, 2025	Download
Comparison	Netgate pfSense vs OPNsense	Mar 1, 2025	Download
Comparison	Netgate pfSense vs Sophos XG	Mar 1, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Fortinet FortiGate	4.2	20.8%	90%	318 interviews Add to research
OPNsense	4.1	12.8%	97%	39 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

Netgate pfSense's valuable features include performance, scalability, customization, and ease of use. It offers robust firewall capabilities, VPN support, load balancing, and integration flexibility. Users appreciate its open-source nature and affordability, with strong community support and extensive feature set including intrusion detection, content filtering, and high availability. The GUI is intuitive, making it ideal for various enterprise applications, ensuring reliable security and network management without licensing constraints, while benefiting from dynamic features and plugins.

"The quality of support is great."
"pfSense's user interface is very nice for simpler configs and monitoring. It is very stable, and it works very well."
"For me, pfSense is a ten out of ten."

Room for Improvement

Netgate pfSense users mention the need for improved user-friendliness and interface design, alongside better reporting and monitoring tools. They emphasize the importance of streamlined plugin management and enhanced VPN capabilities. Centralized management across multiple devices and more intuitive configuration options are also sought after. Better security integration and more responsive customer support are recommended. Improved documentation and more efficient updating processes are also highlighted.

"They have abandoned the Community edition. There has not been an update in a year."
"They could do better with their licensing in the home use space. For me, that has been a struggle."
"The user interface needs improvement. Even though it's a system that's easy to get working upon installation, the configurations are not intuitive."

ROI

Users experience positive outcomes with Netgate pfSense thanks to its cost-effectiveness and flexibility. Many achieve high ROI by using old hardware, cutting down on expenses associated with other brands such as Cisco and Juniper. Cost savings include reduced licensing fees and maintenance costs. Companies enjoy enhanced security, improved uptime, and efficiency. The upfront investment yields continuous benefits, with configurations easily managed and offering a reliable choice for small to medium-sized businesses.

Pricing

Netgate pfSense attracts enterprise buyers with its cost-effective and flexible open-source solution, which is free to download and use. While the software itself has no licensing fees, setup and hardware costs vary, depending on the deployment scale. Buyers who need appliances or enterprise support incur additional expenses ranging from a few hundred to over a thousand dollars. Despite these costs, users consistently find the total cost of ownership reasonable compared to other enterprise firewall solutions.

"The licensing model needs improvement, especially for home users. There should be more flexibility to change licenses with hardware changes. The pricing model could be more accessible for home users."
"Their pricing is quite reasonable."
"Hardware costs more than $500. The cloud version costs me $50 a month."

Popular Use Cases

Netgate pfSense is mainly implemented as a firewall and VPN solution. Organizations utilize it for bandwidth management, ISP load balancing, and network security, covering LAN, WAN, and DMZ setups. It provides security for various sectors, including education and healthcare. Users configure IPsec site-to-site VPNs and employ it for intrusion detection, web filtering, and network monitoring. pfSense offers a scalable, cost-effective alternative to expensive appliances, with configurations for home to enterprise environments.

Service and Support

Users find Netgate pfSense's customer service and support satisfactory. Many rely on its extensive online resources, forums, and community support for assistance, often without needing direct contact. Paid support receives mixed feedback, with users noting quick response times and knowledgeable staff, but some report inconsistencies in service quality and access. The support is generally praised for responsiveness, especially at higher subscription levels, although some experience challenges with complex issues or older hardware.

Deployment

Netgate pfSense's initial setup is widely considered straightforward, especially for those with technical expertise. Many users find it similar to installing an operating system, with wizards and extensive documentation aiding the process. Some mention a learning curve for more advanced configurations, but basic deployment is quick and manageable. Experienced users note the setup is intuitive and low-maintenance, though challenges may arise for complete novices or in complex network environments.

Scalability

Netgate pfSense is widely regarded as scalable by various users. Clients highlight its flexibility depending on hardware capabilities, allowing adaptation from small setups to enterprise levels. Many users note its effective performance across diverse environments, often without issues, as long as the hardware supports desired capacities. However, some mention challenges in large-scale settings compared to certain competitors, yet appreciate its potential for seamless expansion through hardware improvements.

Stability

Netgate pfSense is described as highly stable by many, though some experience minor issues related to hardware or configurations. Users highlight its reliability even under heavy usage. Occasional setbacks stem from package deployment or infrastructure issues. High availability and virtualization receive praise, ensuring consistent performance. While some encounter glitches during updates, these are often resolved swiftly. Common praise includes its resilience to crashes and reliability over extended periods. Overall, stability rates are consistently high among users.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Netgate pfSense Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Educational Organization

Government

University

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Media Company

Hospitality Company

Retailer

Healthcare Company

Construction Company

Energy/Utilities Company

Non Profit

Real Estate/Law Firm

Insurance Company

Wholesaler/Distributor

Outsourcing Company

Legal Firm

Performing Arts

Transportation Company

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Consumer Goods Company

Compare Netgate pfSense with alternative products

Learn more about Netgate pfSense

Netgate pfSense stands out in diverse environments with its enterprise-grade features and cost-effective operations compared to competitors like Cisco. Deployed as an edge device, it optimizes routing, ad-blocking, content filtering, and traffic shaping. Users benefit from its versatile configurations, robust firewall protection, VPN functionality, and ISP load balancing. The open-source nature allows for extensive customization, integrating plugins like Snort and pfBlockerNG, and compatibility with third-party tools enhances its utility. The intuitive GUI combined with detailed logging and centralized management fortifies network security.

What features define Netgate pfSense?

Firewall: Provides robust network security through advanced filtering and stateful packet inspections.
VPN: Ensures secure remote access with high-performing VPN capabilities.
Load Balancing: Efficiently distributes traffic across multiple ISPs, ensuring uptime and performance.
Customization: Supports various plugins for enhanced functionality, tailor-made to specific needs.
Scalability: Adapts easily to varying network demands, providing high availability and flexibility.

What benefits should be considered for ROI?

Cost-Effectiveness: Delivers premium features at a fraction of the cost of traditional network appliances.
Flexibility: Offers a customizable solution that integrates well with existing infrastructure.
Community Support: Backed by a strong user community offering insights and troubleshooting resources.
Security: Supports VLAN segmentation, enhancing protection and management of network traffic.

Organizations in industries such as finance, healthcare, and education find Netgate pfSense integral due to its advanced security features and cost benefits. Its scalable architecture and strong VPN support are crucial for industries requiring stringent data protection and reliable remote access. The adaptability of pfSense makes it suitable for dynamic environments seeking comprehensive, secure networking solutions.

Netgate pfSense customers

Nerds On Site Inc., RKC Development Inc., Expertech, Fisher's Technology, Ncisive, Consulting, CPURX, Vaughn's Computer House Calls, Imeretech LLC, Digital Crisis, Carolina Digital Phone, Technigogo Technology Services, The Simple Solution, SwiftecITInc, Rocky Mountain Tech Team, Free Range Geeks, Alaska Computer Geeks, Lark Information Technology, Renaissance Systems Inc., Cutting Edge Computers, Caretech LLC, GoVanguard, Network Touch Ltd, P.C. Solutions.Net, Vision Voice and Data Systems LLC, Montgomery Technologies, Techforce, Concero Networks, ASONInc, CPS Electronics and Consulting, Darkwire.net LLC, IT Specialists, MBS-Net Inc., VOICE1 LLC, Advantage Networking Inc., Powerhouse Systems, Doxa Multimedia Inc., Pro Computer Service, Virtual IT Services, A&J Computers Inc., Envision IT LLC, CommunicaONE Inc., Bone Computer Inc., Amax Engineering Corporation, QPG Ltd. Co., IT 101 Inc., Perfect Cloud Solutions, Applied Technology Group Inc., The Digital Sun Group LLC, Firespring