The solution pretty much is our only firewall security at the moment. It handles the integration with our active directory and makes sure that all communications are channeled through a secure network.
Manager, Operations at SUS-TECH Limited
Robust but complex and requires quite a bit of technical knowledge
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is very robust."
- "The solution pretty much is our only firewall security at the moment, handling the integration with our active directory and making sure that all communications are channeled through a secure network."
- "The solution requires a lot of administration."
- "The solution can be complex. It needs a bigger team with more coding skills than what we have at our disposal."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The solution is very robust.
What needs improvement?
The solution can be complex. It needs a bigger team with more coding skills than what we have at our disposal. With our skillsets, we're facing a lot of limitations. We're a team of four who handles 12 independent companies under a larger umbrella. Our workload is already quite high. We need solutions that lessen it, not enhance it.
The solution requires a lot of administration.
The solution would work better for us if the user interface had some kind of unifying feature that didn't just do firewalls. Sophos, for example, offers so much more. You get one license and you're good to go. Everything's handled from the anti-virus to the network and the traffic and monitoring. Sophos is really user friendly and easy to master. It's easy to get rules put in. pfSense offers none of these things beyond just the firewall capabilities.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been using pfSense as of early last year, around about February 2019. It's been just over a year.
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What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have about 350 people at our organization that this solution covers.
How are customer service and support?
Although the solution offers a lot of documentation, has a large knowledge base, and has a support forum, when it comes to actually contacting technical support directly, we didn't have access to that level of attention. Everything, therefore, was really on the team. We had to figure out how to troubleshoot on our own and tried to use documentation to guide us.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We originally used this solution way back in 2011. We used it for about 18 months. Then we then migrated on to a system called Kerio Control. We realized that we needed something a little bit more robust than Kerio Control. So we then moved back to pfSense as of last year.
How was the initial setup?
The deployment didn't take too long. I have experience in pfSense, as does my junior. We were able to deploy it within a couple of hours - at least for what we wanted it to do off the bat.
Basically, you need to get all the rules together. We were able to do that within a couple of hours. Obviously, I must say, if we wanted to do a lot more, it would take us quite some time. Unfortunately, we're quite a small team, so we've got quite a lot on our plate and we just honestly did not have the time to get really granular.
That's the reason why we're moving to something a little bit more user friendly for our size.
What other advice do I have?
We're just users of the product. We're not consultants or resellers.
It's your basic firewall setup. However, when we looked at Sophos, we found that Sophos offered a lot more as it's a fully unified solution and had a firewall, as well as anti-virus and network monitoring capabilities.
This solution really gives us a greater extensive array of modules or features than we would not necessarily see in managing the system as administrators. The solution is quite extensive in that there was a lot of material that we had to read about. It just was not user-friendly for the team. We needed a solution that can handle itself without our intervention.
I'd rate the solution five out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
IT Support Specialist at SWATX
A load balancing solution that needs to improve VPN configuration
Pros and Cons
- "The tools' most valuable feature is load balancing."
- "Netgate pfSense needs to improve the configuration for a VPN."
What is our primary use case?
We use Netgate pfSense for load balancing.
What is most valuable?
The tools' most valuable feature is load balancing.
What needs improvement?
Netgate pfSense needs to improve the configuration for a VPN.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with the product for three months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the product's stability a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate Netgate pfSense's scalability a seven out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
I have used online documentation and hence haven't contacted the support yet.
How was the initial setup?
I rate the tool's deployment a nine out of ten. Its deployment takes only a few hours to complete.
What about the implementation team?
We did the deployment in-house.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I use the product's free version.
What other advice do I have?
I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Buyer's Guide
Netgate pfSense
September 2026
Learn what your peers think about Netgate pfSense. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: September 2026.
915,817 professionals have used our research since 2012.
IT Manager at a consultancy with 1-10 employees
Simple installation, easy to use, and the performance is good
Pros and Cons
- "It is much simpler than other solutions such as Fortinet."
- "I expect a better interface with more log analysis because I create my own interface."
What is our primary use case?
pfSense is used as our firewall and router.
What is most valuable?
The performance is good.
It is easy to use.
I have been working with this solution for so long now that it has become easy. It is much simpler than other solutions such as Fortinet.
What needs improvement?
I expect a better interface with more log analysis because I create my own interface.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using pfSense for a long time. Since the beginning.
I have the latest version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
pfSense is a stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
pfSense is a scalable solution.
How are customer service and support?
I have not contacted technical support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previously, I worked with Fortinet FortiGate, Linux, and OPNsense.
I have tested all that are available on the market and pfSense is more.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is easy.
The first installation took an hour to complete, but the configuration is another part. It's about the complexity of my network because I have provided services from a firm and every company has a different setup.
What about the implementation team?
I was able to complete the installation myself.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I am not aware of the licensing costs.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend pfSense to others who are interested in using it.
I would rate pfSense an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
System Implementer at a tech vendor with 201-500 employees
Highly scalable, open source solution, fast and simple to set up
Pros and Cons
- "The initial setup was simple and fast."
- "It is highly scalable, from graphic monitoring services to load balancing or captive portal, and OpenVPN has helped me to interconnect the company network in a secure and manageable way."
- "ClamAV AntiVirus can cause some crashes. That service should be improved."
What is our primary use case?
At a custom company with several locations.
How has it helped my organization?
It has improve my organization through the services that can be added, which makes it highly scalable, from graphic monitoring services to load balancing or captive portal.
What is most valuable?
It is very difficult to decide one, as they all complement each other, from the DHCP administration to the captive portal. in my case, I would say OpenVPN has helped me to interconnect the company network in a secure and manageable way.
What needs improvement?
ClamAV AntiVirus can cause some crashes. That service should be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
For two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I consider it very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is highly scalable. All services are free.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
No, there was no firewall implemented.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was simple and fast.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is an open source firewall.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Yes, OPNsense. It is very similar and better than PfSense.
What other advice do I have?
You should try it.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Sans emploi at a pharma/biotech company with 51-200 employees
Simple no-cost solution
Pros and Cons
- "pfSense allows us to spread the hours of connection and do the filtering on the pfSense site."
- "The most valuable feature of this solution is its simplicity."
- "The integration could be improved."
How has it helped my organization?
pfSense allows us to spread the hours of connection and do the filtering on the pfSense site.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of this solution is its simplicity.
What needs improvement?
The integration could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for more than ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is a very stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This solution is scalable.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was easy and took about 50 minutes.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
This is a no-cost solution.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution as eight out of ten because it's a central solution.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
System Administrator at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Affordable and scalable but some features are difficult to configure and enable
Pros and Cons
- "Sophos Intercept X is scalable. Currently, we have almost 30 people using it in our company."
- "My opinion about pfSense's pricing is good."
- "It would be great to add more to security."
- "I'm currently struggling with deploying pfSense more extensively. Right now, we are not getting much support on their end."
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use case for this solution is Endpoint Advanced. I have set it up for the firewall and the open VPN connections.
What needs improvement?
It would be great to add more to security.
I know that pfSense has a lot of features, but I don't know how to configure and enable them. That is why I am looking into my support options. I am looking for better security and performance.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for almost two years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
pfSense is scalable. Currently, we have almost 30 people using it in our company.
How are customer service and support?
I'm currently struggling with deploying pfSense more extensively. Right now, we are not getting much support on their end.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
My opinion about pfSense's pricing is good. They are open source.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
IT Infrastructure Analyst at TranspoTech Equipamentos
Good security features
Pros and Cons
- "I like pfSense's security features."
- "The integration of pfSense with EPS and EDS could be better. Also, it should be easier to get reports on how many users are connecting simultaneously and how sections connect in real-time."
What is our primary use case?
I use pfSense for OpenVPN and DNS.
What is most valuable?
I like pfSense's security features.
What needs improvement?
The integration of pfSense with EPS and EDS could be better. Also, it should be easier to get reports on how many users are connecting simultaneously and how sections connect in real-time.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using pfSense for about 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
PfSense is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
PfSense is scalable.
How was the initial setup?
It's easy to set up pfSense. But it generally takes two or three days, depending on the environment.
What other advice do I have?
Eight out of 10
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Sr. Network Administrator at ACMC
Stable, scalable, and effective traffic blocking
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features of pfSense are the reports, monitoring, filtration, and blocking incoming and outgoing traffic."
- "I have been 100% satisfied with the solution."
- "The usage reports can be better."
What is our primary use case?
I am using pfSense as a secondary firewall and network management.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of pfSense are the reports, monitoring, filtration, and blocking incoming and outgoing traffic.
What needs improvement?
The usage reports can be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using pfSense for approximately six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I had 20 to 30 users using the solution.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used Sophos and Cyberoam solutions.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is very easy.
What about the implementation team?
I did the implementation of the solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I am using the free version of pfSense.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others.
I have been 100% satisfied with the solution.
I rate pfSense an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Vice President - Engineering & Delivery at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Useful customization, highly scalable, and plenty of features
Pros and Cons
- "The solution has good customization abilities and plenty of features."
- "Our security in our organization was previously provided by our ISP and since we have been using pfSense it has provided me more abilities to manage my network in a secure way, and we have much better controls and security."
- "In an upcoming release, the reporting could be more user-friendly. For example, the reporting in graphs and charts for the host can be cumbersome."
What is our primary use case?
We are a small business and we use pfSense as our interface for the WAN. We use it for a Firewall and to ensure that all devices are operating. It provides our basic network routing needs, reporting on usage, such as IDS, and for managing individuals on network devices for controlling bandwidth and destinations.
How has it helped my organization?
Our security in our organization was previously provided by our ISP and since we have been using pfSense it has provided me more abilities to manage my network in a secure way. We have much better controls and security.
What is most valuable?
The solution has good customization abilities and plenty of features.
What needs improvement?
As an IT leader, it would be a benefit to have a mobile application to have certain features, such as mobile application notifications when a new device is added, or the ability to turn off or on firewall policies. Having these simple features would be very convenient and reduce the need to have to log into the console. I can use a web browser on my phone to access the pfSense site but I would prefer to have an application where I can toggle things, such as the policies. Some simple features within a mobile application would be valuable to me. I have evaluated other solutions and have determined this feature does not currently exist. However, Untangle has an application but it was not enough to compel me to change at this point.
In an upcoming release, the reporting could be more user-friendly. For example, the reporting in graphs and charts for the host can be cumbersome.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using pfSense for approximately five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of the solution is very good. My only complaint is when there is a power outage pfSense requires a manual reset.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of this solution is perfect.
I am the administrator of the solution and the rest of my organization are end-users.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have not needed to contact technical support. I have not had any problems with pfSense.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward. The whole process took approximately eight hours and one hour of that was in front of the computer using the keyboard.
What about the implementation team?
We did the implementation of the solution ourselves.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have evaluated Untangle.
What other advice do I have?
My advice to the IT manager is to do your research, and make sure that pfSense meets your needs. If you are not technical enough, then looking at other solutions. pfSenseis needs a bit more tech-savvy IT manager to manage it. It is a very important business tool for me.
I rate pfSense an eight out of ten.
I rated pfSense an eight because it did everything I wanted it to do which makes it an awesome solution but not a ten because of a few minor shortcomings. However, I recognize it is open-source and it is not going to have everything.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Owner at it logic
Easy to use, open-source, stable, and easy to install
Pros and Cons
- "pfSense is very easy to use, it is a better firewall than others and it has better features."
- "The security could be improved."
What is our primary use case?
We use pfSense as a firewall in the healthcare sector, education sector, and banking sector.
What is most valuable?
pfSense is very easy to use.
It is a better firewall than others and it has better features.
What needs improvement?
They do not provide support in India.
The security could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been selling pfSense for 12 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
pfSense is a very stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have 50 customers who use this solution.
How are customer service and technical support?
We provide local support to our customers.
How was the initial setup?
It is very easy to install.
We only need one person to install and maintain this solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
When compared with other firewalls, the price is reasonable.
There is an open-source community version that is available.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate pfSense a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Buyer's Guide
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Updated: September 2026
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