Portnox vs Sophos Network Access Control comparison

Portnox Security and Sophos are both solutions in the Network Access Control (NAC) category. Portnox Security is ranked #6 with an average rating of 7.7, while Sophos is ranked #10 with an average rating of 7.3. Portnox Security holds a 5.5% mindshare in NAC, compared to Sophos’s 2.2% mindshare. Additionally, 94% of Portnox Security users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of Sophos users who would recommend it.

Portnox

Read 24 Portnox reviews

2,234 Views
1,810 Comparison Views

94% willing to recommend

Sophos Network Access Control

Read 24 Sophos Network Access Control reviews

1,030 Views
999 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Portnox

Sophos Network Access Control

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 28, 2025

Portnox and Sophos Network Access Control compete in network access management. Sophos, with its comprehensive features, often edges out Portnox, known for cost-effectiveness and customer support.

Features: Portnox stands out with agentless visibility, integrated threat detection, and seamless network segmentation, all enhancing security without complex setups. Sophos, on the other hand, offers advanced threat protection, detailed reporting, and exceptional scalability, appealing to large enterprises. While Portnox focuses on simple integration, Sophos is known for comprehensive protection.

Room for Improvement: Portnox can benefit from enhancing advanced threat protection, scalability for larger enterprises, and deeper analytics capabilities. Sophos could improve its cost-efficiency, streamline its user interface, and simplify initial configuration processes to cater to smaller businesses and quicker deployments.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Portnox offers cloud-based deployment with easy customer support for quick adoption. Sophos provides both on-premise and cloud options, focusing on thorough documentation and tailored support for complex environments. Portnox is noted for ease of deployment, while Sophos excels in configuring solutions for intricate setups.

Pricing and ROI: Portnox provides a straightforward pricing model, ensuring a high return on investment due to its cost-effectiveness and reduced setup costs. Sophos demands a higher initial investment but justifies this through enhanced security outcomes and long-term value. Portnox attracts budget-conscious businesses, and Sophos is favored by those needing an extensive feature set and security management.

To learn more, read our detailed Portnox vs. Sophos Network Access Control Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Portnox vs. Sophos Network Access Control

December 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Portnox

Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)

6th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

ZTNA (11th), Passwordless Authentication (1st)

Sophos Network Access Control

Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)

10th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Network Access Control (NAC) category, the mindshare of Portnox is 5.5%, up from 2.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Sophos Network Access Control is 2.2%, up from 1.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Access Control (NAC) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Portnox	5.5%
Sophos Network Access Control	2.2%
Other	92.3%

Network Access Control (NAC)

Featured Reviews

Scott Kerr

President at TrackerSoft

It is seamless and integrates well with our Azure setup

We use devices like PLCs and controllers, and when we receive a request to allow one on the network, we bypass typical authentication, associate it with a group account, and push it to a firewalled VLAN. However, problems arise when the same MAC address is requested for a different project. Our current system only finds authenticated MAC addresses, making it difficult to troubleshoot when the same device is used for multiple purposes. Ideally, we should be able to search for any MAC address in the database, regardless of its authentication status, to see all its associated groups and potential conflicts.

Read full review

HirenPatel2

Manager at rspl

Have faced delays in support despite strong multi-layer policy configuration

I have observed some disadvantages as we have experienced one particular problem. We were facing an issue of synchronization of the endpoint with our firewall with help on a cloud for heartbeat syncing. However, it was not syncing as per our requirement. The user has to connect our firewall with the help of VPN. We were supposed to assume a solution on a cloud, which has good synchronization on a cloud with Sophos Central. It will sync with our firewall as well with the help of Sophos Central. Endpoint and firewall synchronization is not as smooth as we are expecting from Sophos Network Access Control. We have to connect with VPN. We are expecting that if we have already installed an endpoint on our system and it is connected to the internet, then it must be synchronized on a cloud with Sophos Central. Through Sophos Central, it must connect with our firewall. If the endpoint is configured on Sophos Central and the firewall is also configured in Sophos Central, then there should be no need to connect to VPN.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"It's agentless, and it's scalable."

"Previous to the deployment we didn't have complete visibility of all the endpoints, all the devices that are connected to the network. But with the deployment of portnox, we could see all the devices and where they're connecting. We can equally segregate and apply different rules, policies to each location that we didn't monitor specifically."

"The product is a valuable solution within zero-trust architecture, enhancing network security and visibility."

"The cloud-based feature is very nice. We use Meraki for our switching, and it is simple to point all of our networks and offices to Portnox. It is pretty seamless."

"It's a stable product."

"The solution has a valuable reporting feature."

"This is a self-sufficient network monitoring and security product that saves time and employee resources."

"It's so easy to set up, you don't need outside assistance."

More Portnox pros

"I am very satisfied with this solution overall. All of the features that we use have been working successfully."

"The pricing is very reasonable and you can negotiate on the price."

"Sophos' technical support is great, very fast and responsive, and they always know how to fix the problem."

"Sophos Network Access Control has a useful interface, and I like its dashboard, which is very useful for us to check everything."

"Sophos Network Access Control saves our clients time and money."

"The role-based access controls feature of Sophos Network Access Control allows persons at different positions in an organization to have different types of roles."

"The solution offers very good visibility."

"The most valuable features of Sophos Network Access Control are the quick response times to threats and reliable security."

More Sophos Network Access Control pros

Cons

"However, problems arise when the same MAC address is requested for a different project. Our current system only finds authenticated MAC addresses, making it difficult to troubleshoot when the same device is used for multiple purposes."

"The product should consider more integration with vendors like Huawei. It should also improve visibility. The solution should offer a partner portal that can provide customers training on the in and out of the solution."

"Their filtering system tends to lag quite a bit, so when I'm doing filtering at times, it doesn't filter the items properly."

"In terms of operational efficiency, things are more complicated now. It takes more time to get devices on the network, but we increased security quite a bit."

"The Wi-Fi integration could be done better from their end. If there is an improvement, it should be around having more functions on the integration with the Wi-Fi controller I used, which was a UniFi controller, also on-prem."

"As there are no agents in Portnox Clear, the customers of the product cannot download any agents on their devices, making them unsure if the product offers proper security."

"The licensing is based on a per-port price, even when you are not using all of the ports, and this is something that could be improved."

"The Wi-Fi integration could be done better from their end."

More Portnox cons

"One area in which the product could be improved is the user interface. While functional, it can be somewhat cluttered and unintuitive, especially for new users."

"Sophos Network Access Control needs improvement regarding its slow interface, loading time, and reporting."

"I would like to be able to fully customize the reports."

"Sophos Network Access Control requires a lot of resources to work, which is an area for improvement. Pricing could also be improved because it's costly."

"The solution could increase the integration with other platforms or other systems. This would be very useful."

"The solution can improve the for applying policies. They can be complex depending don't the group they are applied to."

"Users are not controlled by role-based access; it's basically device-based control. The definition of role-based control is a little vague here because on the cloud level, it regulates access rather than tasks."

"Endpoint and firewall synchronization is not as smooth as we are expecting from Sophos Network Access Control."

More Sophos Network Access Control cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Portnox CORE's pricing is adequate and cheaper compared to other complex solutions. Its licensing costs are yearly and include support. Cost is calculated per device."

"The solution is very expensive and I would rate it 10 out of 10."

"The tool is more expensive than Fortinet."

"The pricing is a bit high, possibly due to the cloud features and running instances across regions like the US, Asia, and Europe."

"The cost of Portnox Clear is reasonable."

"It's not cheap. It's not expensive. It's in the middle."

"We pay for port licensing and support on a yearly basis, and it's not cheap."

"Pricing is quite reasonable."

More Portnox pricing and cost advice

"Sophos Network Access Control is very cheap compared to other solutions like Cisco, Barracuda, and Palo Alto."

"Sophos Network Access Control is an expensive solution."

"It is quite expensive."

"It provides a moderate pricing option for all of its features and benefits."

"Sophos Network Access Control is costly but has a similar price range as CrowdStrike and Check Point. The product can get more market share if Sophos can play around with Sophos Network Access Control pricing and improve it."

"I rate the price of Sophos Network Access Control a five out of ten."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

15%

Financial Services Firm

Healthcare Company

Computer Software Company

11%

Government

10%

Manufacturing Company

Healthcare Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	12
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	7

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	16
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	3

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Portnox CORE?

It's easy to manage and troubleshoot thanks to the lightweight components.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Portnox CORE?

It's not cheap. It's not expensive. It's in the middle, so I'll probably give it a seven out of ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Portnox CORE?

We have been having some issues with it. That's why we're considering migrating to Portnox Clear due to some limitations with CORE. At the end of the day, Portnox Clear's capabilities are much more...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Sophos Network Access Control?

I think the pricing of the solution is expensive.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Sophos Network Access Control?

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Sophos Network Access Control?

I am currently using the product as a customer. We are using Sophos Network Access Control solution for security purposes and security analysis only.

See all answers

Comparisons

Aruba ClearPass vs Portnox

Compared 18% of the time

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs Portnox

Compared 17% of the time

Fortinet FortiNAC vs Portnox

Compared 15% of the time

Forescout Platform vs Portnox

Compared 14% of the time

SecureW2 vs Portnox

Compared 4% of the time

More Portnox Competitors

Aruba ClearPass vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 30% of the time

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 21% of the time

Fortinet FortiNAC vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 11% of the time

Twingate vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 11% of the time

Forescout Platform vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 9% of the time

More Sophos Network Access Control Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Portnox

December 2025

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Buyer's Guide

Sophos Network Access Control

December 2025

Download Sophos Network Access Control product report

Also Known As

Access Layers Portnox, Portnox CLEAR

No data available

Interactive Demo

Portnox Security

Demo not available

Sophos

Overview

Portnox provides advanced network visibility and proactive security without complexity, ensuring easy setup and scalability. Its agentless nature and intuitive design enable seamless device management and system integration, promoting efficient network operations and endpoint security.

Portnox is known for offering comprehensive network access control, providing firms with vital tools for managing authentication and securing endpoint devices. It's praised for ease of use in integrating with systems such as RADIUS servers and offering detailed analytical capabilities to ensure compliance and control unauthorized access. While users appreciate the intuitive interface and device management, improvements have been suggested in the areas of better GUI, integration with firewalls, and enhanced configuration methods. Portnox aids in handling dynamic VLAN assignments and securing access in both wired and wireless networks, proving particularly valuable for on-premises and remote environments.

What are the key features of Portnox?

Network Visibility: Offers comprehensive oversight of network activities.
Agentless Setup: Ensures easy implementation with minimal disruption.
Compliance Checks: Provides tools for compliance verification and incident reporting.
Integration: Seamlessly connects with existing IT systems for efficient management.

What benefits should users look for?

Enhanced Security: Prioritizes proactive measures to secure endpoints.
Easy Management: Facilitates straightforward device handling and network control.
Efficiency: Streamlines network operations for better performance.
Scalability: Adapts to organizational growth without complexities.

In industries where network security is paramount, such as finance and healthcare, Portnox is implemented to fortify access control and manage endpoint connections effectively. Its ability to secure both on-premises and remote environments makes it a versatile choice across sectors that require stringent access management, particularly where unauthorized device connections pose significant risks.

Portnox Security

Sophos NAC Provides comprehensive, easy-to-deploy network access control that protects enterprise networks from the threats posed by non-compliant, compromised, or misconfigured endpoint computers. The software solution is vendor-neutral and works with existing network infrastructure and security applications. Computers are permitted or denied access to the network, based on a centrally defined, policy-driven assessment - and isolated, quarantined for remediation, automatically remediated, or sent alerts. Administrators can define and manage policies uniquely for managed and guest computers, including checking their security status and ensuring that no unwanted applications are run.

Sophos

Sample Customers

Data Realty, Royal London, Wales Millennium Centre, McLaren Construction Group, EL AL Israeli Airlines,

Rushmoor Borough Council

Buyer's Guide

Portnox vs. Sophos Network Access Control

December 2025

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