The firewall is used to maintain security. Basically, it's used to make sure that our clients' corporate network is secure. We want to make sure that their email is scanned, protected, and so on.
Owner at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Functionality is straightforward, but tech support could be improved
Pros and Cons
- "In terms of the functionality, I think it's pretty straightforward. It's easy to pick up. It's also user-friendly."
- "Support could be improved."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
In terms of the functionality, I think it's pretty straightforward. It's easy to pick up. It's also user-friendly.
What needs improvement?
Support could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been selling Sophos XG for two years. It is deployed on-premise.
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What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
When it comes to scalability, of course we can upgrade. A lot of firewalls don't allow upgrades. An upgrade would mean changing the box. For our customers, a lot of the functions of the firewall don't reduce. We just need to make sure they enable the security, and then make sure it's giving the protection to the client.
For scalability when it comes to the server, I can add the RAM, the hard disc, and the CPU to boost up the performance.
How are customer service and support?
The principal tech support is not very present in Malaysia. We are relying on the distributor. Most of the technical things we can handle on our own, like when it comes to setup. When it comes to the issues related to product hardware or software bugs, we will reach out to them. But the response is from the distributor.
The support could be a bit better.
How was the initial setup?
Installation for each version, like Fortinet and Next Generation Firewall, is simple. Based on how familiar we are with the client, it can take a day or two.
We only need one or two people for deployment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
For every firewall, you will need to pay the license for the following year. If they don't pay for the license renewal, they basically won't get the support from Sophos.
What other advice do I have?
They do have their own integration, so I don't really have much to comment about Sophos because we basically just maintain the Sophos Firewall that we supply. We don't do a lot of fancy design work.
We are currently still evaluating the solution.
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.
IT Support Engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Easy port configuration, scalable, but policies could improve
Pros and Cons
- "I have found configuring the ports to be easier in Sophos XG compared to the other devices."
- "Sophos XG could improve the policies, they are a bit confusing when creating them. There are many options that make it confusing and it could be simplified."
What is our primary use case?
We use Sophos XG for network security as a firewall for our company.
What is most valuable?
I have found configuring the ports to be easier in Sophos XG compared to the other devices.
What needs improvement?
Sophos XG could improve the policies, they are a bit confusing when creating them. There are many options that make it confusing and it could be simplified.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos XG for approximately two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The Stability and performance are quite good. We haven't seen any problems.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable.
I would rate the scalability of Sophos XG an eight out of ten.
We have approximately 10 people using this solution in my organization.
My customers are using this solution on a daily basis.
How are customer service and support?
I have contacted support once or twice to receive some clarification. I had a good experience.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used other solutions preciously and FortiGate's user interface is much easier to use when compared to Palo Alto and Sophos. Additionally, in Palo Alto, assigning the ports are more user-friendly.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
I did the implementation of Sophos XG myself and it took approximately 20 minutes.
There is no maintenance is required for this solution.
Our networking team is approximately 10 people that use the solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The Palo Alto solution is expensive and the FortiGate is less expensive than Palo Alto. The Sophos XG would be priced in the middle of the two.
There are some fees but you can purchase a bundle package.
What other advice do I have?
My advice to those wanting to use this solution is if you don't have experience, don't use it.
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate Sophos XG a seven 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. Partner
Buyer's Guide
Sophos XG
December 2025
Learn what your peers think about Sophos XG. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2025.
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Chief-Information-Technology-Officer at a non-profit with 1-10 employees
Good Protection, scales well, and is easy to setup
Pros and Cons
- "Web publishing is important, as well as the importance of the antivirus patch."
- "Our clients use Karios, and while it integrates well with it, the integration could be improved."
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution for VPN, client VPN, malware filtering, and antivirus scanning.
How has it helped my organization?
It has definitely improved the way our organization functions. Previously only using free tools, and once we started using Sophos XG, the number of threats dropped dramatically. We had a lot of threats to our network, but they have dramatically decreased since we started using this solution.
What is most valuable?
All of the features in Sophos XG are valuable.
Web publishing is important, as well as the importance of the antivirus patch.
The firewall is also essential, and the VPN.
What needs improvement?
Our clients use Karios, and while it integrates well with it, the integration could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos XG for three years.
We are using the XG version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We encountered an issue with the hardware when we first purchased this solution. We called Sophos, who replaced the device, and we have not had any issues since.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have no issues with the scalability of Sophos XG.
In our organization, we have 150 users, and all are required to maintain this solution.
We don't have plans to increase the usage at this time.
How are customer service and support?
We have not really used technical support. If we have an issue, we resolve it ourselves.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previously, we were using older versions of Microsoft. We used it for almost 10 years before switching to Sophos.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was easy.
We completed the installation ourselves. I took a maximum of two weeks.
What was our ROI?
I have not calculated our ROI.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We have a three-year license.
What other advice do I have?
I am the Chief IT Officer. I don't have all of the technical details of this product. We have technical staff who use this solution for their daily routines and activities.
It's a very good product. I would rate Sophos XG 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 Integrator IT Manager at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Integrates well with other Sophos solutions, efficient, and is reasonably priced
Pros and Cons
- "Sophos began with a basic version and evolved into something more efficient in terms of performance."
- "I would like to have a more efficient login process."
What is our primary use case?
This solution is used by both us and our customers.
What is most valuable?
As this product has recently changed, we are learning about the features of Sophos XG one step at a time.
Sophos began with a basic version and evolved into something more efficient in terms of performance.
It integrates well with other Sophos products, such as the Sophos Firewall, Sophos Endpoint, and other features in a cloud platform, to help the customer better manage security on their site.
What needs improvement?
I would like to have a more efficient logging process & real time analisys. The logging, expecially with EDR subscription, is something that needs improvement.
I would like to see email management improved to have more features and options for integrating with other solutions, expecially cloud based.
For how long have I used the solution?
We started working with Sophos XG when it was known as Astaro AG. I have been working with this solution for more than 10 years.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is always an issue, not just with Sophos but also with other brands. It is extremely difficult to interact with support within the time frame that the customer expects.
In general, it takes more time to solve a problem, and better independent actions are required.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup can be difficult. You should be familiar with Sophos or have prior knowledge of it, as it requires concepts from older versions of Sophos, the Sophos SG, the Cyberoam environment, and everything that has recently been introduced.
It is better to have some training before using this solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price is reasonable in my opinion.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I began looking into Fortinet solutions simply to compare some features.
What other advice do I have?
I would always recommend conducting a thorough analysis before deciding on a solution because Sophos may have some oversight for some of the tasks. It is beneficial to examine the environment that the Sophos product will be used, considering the integration with other features.
I would rate Sophos XG an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. partner
Technical Support Engineer at a tech vendor with 11-50 employees
Easy to set up with good technical support but takes a while to load
Pros and Cons
- "Technical support is responsive."
- "The user interface could be better."
What is most valuable?
The solution is mostly a good firewall.
The initial setup is pretty easy compared to other options on the market.
The product has been stable.
The solution can scale.
Technical support is responsive.
Sophos offers pretty good pricing.
What needs improvement?
The user interface could be better.
We find that the solution takes too long to load. It's slow.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been dealing with the product for six or seven years at this point. It's been a while.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution has been stable. We haven't had any bugs or glitches and it doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have customers of every size, including medium and enterprise-level.
The product can scale and if a company needs to expand it can do so.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is pretty good. We've been happy with their level of responsiveness. I have no complaints.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup isn't too difficult or complex. It's pretty straightforward.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We find the pricing to be reasonable and not overly expensive.
What other advice do I have?
We are a Sophos reseller.
I'd rate the solution at a seven out of ten. If the graphical user interface was better and the performance was stronger, I would rate it higher.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Pre-sales at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
A comprehensive solution which makes available heartbeat security
Pros and Cons
- "Sophos is a comrehensive solution which allows me to configure all the attendant products, such as Sophos' firewall, Endpoint and Encryption features."
- "The response time could stand improvement."
What is most valuable?
Sophos is a comprehensive solution which allows me to configure all the attendant products, such as Sophos' firewall, Endpoint and Encryption features.
A nice feature of Sophos is that it offers in sync and heartbeat security. When my clients have a perimeter involving Sophos firewall and endpoints with Sophos Endpoint, they can communicate with each other.
Heartbeat security is a great feature.
What needs improvement?
In light of all the firmware upgrades, maintenance, feature and general releases of firmware, I really appreciate the support offered by Sophos. It is really good.
However, the response time could stand improvement, as I do not benefit from immediate support. There is a delay involved. This can be problematic when I need urgent support, such as when my device is in a production environment.
How are customer service and support?
The support is really good. With all the firmware upgrades, maintenance, feature and general firmware releases which occur nowadays, I really appreciate Sophos support. It is really good.
This said, it could be faster, as it is not immediate. This can be problematic when I require urgent support, such as when my device is in a production environment.
How was the initial setup?
When it comes to the firewall, everything hinges on the configuration. Every firewall is good, but one can see the importance of the configuration in the firewalls of Sophos and SonicWall. This is the most important thing, since users occcasionally disable the app control, IPS or anti-spyware features. They do this out of a lack of familiarity with the security, something which allows attacks to occur. Therefore, the configuration is key. I configure every firewall I employ, be it Sophos, SonicWall or Fortinet.
I have not encountered any issues when it comes to the configuration.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I was a gold partner with Sophos XG. As such, I make suggestions about the appropriate model in line with my customer's requirements. Essentially, over the last two years of the COVID-19 crises, most users required an SSL VPN license, something for which SonicWall charges but which Sophos offers for free.
SSL VPN involves two factor authentication. This is free of charge. Both email and key OTP are options. While SonicWall also offers SSL VPN capabilities, it is problematic. When I needed a license, I purchased an additional perpetual SSL VPN license.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
SonicWall makes available all the different models, such as TZ and NSA. I am familiar with all the models. Sophos only has an entry-level model, which is actually 87, 107 and 116.
Fortinet offers the Forti ATF model.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend the solution to other clients, but make certain to first understand their individual needs. I would be doing them a disservice were it otherwise.
I really like Sophos.
In the past, when Sophos employed XG firewall, I was forced to deal with a slow GUI. This is because its back-end kernel is Linux. Now that XGS is provided, many changes can be seen in the hardware appliance. The hardware has been upgraded. The XGS firewall is faster than the XG series, so the problem has been resolved.
While I rate Fortinet as a nine out of ten, I give Sophos XG a rating of eight.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. partner
CEO at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Secure, affordable, scales well, and simple to install
Pros and Cons
- "Sophos is easy to use."
- "Some businesses require Dynamic IP. This feature would be useful if it worked."
What is our primary use case?
We are resellers. We provide solutions to our clients.
What is most valuable?
I like the connectivity and the security.
Sophos is easy to use.
The GUI is very simple.
What needs improvement?
Some businesses require Dynamic IP. This feature would be useful if it worked.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Sophos XG for approximately four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Sophos XG is a stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is easy to scale with Sophos XG.
Our customers have medium sized businesses
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is okay.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have also worked with Fortinet and one other solution.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is easy.
It can take one to two hours to install.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price is reasonable. It's not as expensive as other solutions.
What other advice do I have?
It's good, I would rate Sophos XG a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Senior Network Security Engineer | Project Manager at a consumer goods company with 10,001+ employees
Simple to use, easy installation, and performs well
Pros and Cons
- "The solution has good performance and is easy to use."
- "The solution could be more secure."
What is our primary use case?
We use Sophos XG for network threat protection in our data center.
What is most valuable?
The solution has good performance and is easy to use.
What needs improvement?
The solution could be more secure.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos XG for a few 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?
We have approximately 100 users using this solution.
How was the initial setup?
The installation of Sophos XG is easy.
What about the implementation team?
We have four technical engineers for installation and administrators for this equipment.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We have evaluated Palo Alto and FortiGate.
What other advice do I have?
We have replaced some of our hardware with Palo Alto and FortiGate solutions.
I am satisfied with this solution.
I rate Sophos XG 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.
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