I primarily use the solution as a firewall. It's running on our data centers and all of our offices.
Chief Technology Officer at a healthcare company with 501-1,000 employees
Simple to set up with a good GUI, but lacks features
Pros and Cons
- "The initial setup is pretty simple."
- "Their tech support is not great."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
It has a simple GUI, which is good.
The initial setup is pretty simple.
What needs improvement?
Unfortunately, there are quite a few negatives with them.
Their tech support is not great.
The features on offer are lacking.
Basically what they don't have is proper bandwidth management for multiple WAN ports and multiple WAN ports to multiple VPN WANs. Meaning, if I have it on both sides on both the main side and on the secondary side, two internet connections, I can't bond the two of them together into a single VPN and have bandwidth managed between the two of them.
If I want to go ahead and make a VPN, right now, I have two internet connections on each side. I have to make a failover a group of four VPNs for it to go ahead and failover between them.
You're getting into a lot of rules. It's a lot of extra rules, et cetera, that has to be done. They don't have simple pointing systems where you could go ahead and make rules saying, "Hey, here's the route". They're not fully route-based VPN rules yet. You literally have to take down all the routes all over the place in order to make updates. It's tedious.
Basically, we had the problem where we moved certain ranges from one data center to another data center. It took us about an hour of downtime to do that. We had to go ahead and we had to reset VLANs and we had re-setup all the VPNs in all the different places we reconnected. We don't have two sites, we have 25 sites. It was a lot of work.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used the solution for about three years at this point.
Buyer's Guide
Sophos XG
March 2025

Learn what your peers think about Sophos XG. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2025.
842,388 professionals have used our research since 2012.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It has its bugs and we can't get answers due to the fact that technical support is outsourced. There are some bugs that we keep running into that tech support can't figure out what to do. The bigger problem is the log systems aren't big enough for them to actually capture all the logs that happen.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is an issue. About six months after we bought it to a year after we bought it, they outsourced all their tech support to India. Literally beforehand, they were an American-based tech support company and they actually had full product knowledge. The Indian-based tech support doesn't have the product knowledge and there was a language barrier. They could speak English, however, they didn't understand us very well.
We were told that they stopped doing outsource and they are rehiring their own internal staff again for tech support. We're hoping that we're going to be able to get better tech support again.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is pretty straightforward and simple. It's not overly difficult. I don't consider it to be complex.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We bought it as is. We bought it with four years of support. However, I can't speak to how much it costs.
What other advice do I have?
I'd advise users considering the solution that, if you have quite a bit of sites, it's going to get a lot of work to do, to fix things up. It makes more sense if you have minimal sites.
I'd rate the solution at a six out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

IT Executive at Hotel Maluri Kuala Lumpur
User-friendly and easy to explore with many good features
Pros and Cons
- "The product is very easy to explore. It has a very good layout."
- "The solution is tied to the US dollar. You need to pay whatever the equivalent is in your own currency, and, if the exchange is bad, it can really add to the cost."
What is most valuable?
Overall, everything about the solution works well. We haven't had any issues at all.
The features on offer are great. It has pretty much everything we need.
The solution is very user-friendly.
The product is very easy to explore. It has a very good layout.
What needs improvement?
I need to do a bit more research on the product. I can't think of any features that are missing.
The solution is tied to the US dollar. You need to pay whatever the equivalent is in your own currency, and, if the exchange is bad, it can really add to the cost.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been using the solution for three years. It hasn't been an extremely long amount of time.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is great. We don't have any issues. I haven't come across bugs or glitches. There isn't crashing or freezing. It's reliable.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is quite good. That said, we really haven't had any issues with the product itself.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I used to use Fortinet. That was at a different company, however.
How was the initial setup?
The solution is very straightforward to set up. It's not too complex. Sophos Endpoint is similar in that respect. It's easy to implement.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is a bit expensive. That is mostly due to the US exchange. If the exchange is bad, it's quite an expensive option for us.
What other advice do I have?
We are Sophos customers. We're just end-users.
We also use Sophos Intercept X and Sophos Endpoint as well.
It's a good option. It's easy to explore and to use. Everything is pretty straightforward, especially if you compare it to other firewalls.
Overall, I would rate it at a nine out of ten. We've been very happy with it in general.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Buyer's Guide
Sophos XG
March 2025

Learn what your peers think about Sophos XG. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2025.
842,388 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Owner at Computer Services Professionals
Protects the environment, blocks uploading, and provides all the latest features
Pros and Cons
- "The product has all the latest features."
- "The vendor doesn’t publish the price on the website."
What is our primary use case?
We are developing a software. We use the solution to protect our environment. Our main concern is to block users’ uploading.
How has it helped my organization?
Sophos XG is a fantastic solution. We achieved our security target after installing the solution. Our main concern was to block uploading. We were able to achieve that using the custom rules.
What is most valuable?
The product has all the latest features. It has malware protection, ransomware protection, and zero-day protection. It helps block everything.
What needs improvement?
The vendor doesn’t publish the price on the website. We must contact the agents to know the price. It is a lengthy process. It would be easier if the price details were provided on the website.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for the last three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The tool’s stability is good. I rate the tool’s stability a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have 10 to 15 users in our organization. The tool’s scalability is high. I rate the scalability a ten out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is great.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was difficult. We must learn everything before implementation. In the beginning, everything seems difficult. For someone who has worked on other firewalls before, Sophos XG is not that complicated to implement.
I prefer the on-cloud versions because we have control systems on the cloud. It will be much easier to handle things. If we have it on-premises, we must maintain and look after the equipment. The cloud version is much more secure and easier to maintain.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is very high. The product could be a little cheaper. It will help Sophos to compete with other brands in the market. I rate the pricing a ten out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
We also use Sophos Intercept X. It is a fantastic tool. It protects PCs from malware attacks. Overall, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: MSP
Managing Director at GCET
Reliable, user-friendly, and provides good endpoint protection
Pros and Cons
- "Sophos XG is easy to use."
- "The only area that requires improvement is scalability."
What is our primary use case?
The majority of our customers use Sophos XG as a traditional firewall. Some use it for endpoint protection, which is similar to anti-virus.
We also have customers that have SD-WAN as part of their use case. For the most part, it is a firewall, it depends on what the customer environment looks like that would determine how you're going to configure the appliance to work for the customer.
Technology can deliver what you want based on your environment, what you do may differ from what others do.
We have customers from insurance, some oil, and gas, as well as some from the banking sector. Based on the technicality and the peculiarities of the environment, we must explain the technology, of how Fortinet delivers its own firewall, and also others such as Check Point, and Palo Alto deliver their own firewall.
With the explanation given the customer can choose the solution, they want in their environment.
What is most valuable?
Sophos XG is easy to use.
What needs improvement?
The only area that requires improvement is scalability.
I understand why scalability is difficult in all firewalls. I understand why it is difficult in our firewalls. If you want to scale, you can scale vertically or horizontally. That is the world of scalability. However, you cannot do so for the firewall. It's a forklift, you have to buy a new appliance.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been deploying Sophos XG for our customers for many years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is based on the environment.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Every firewall solution has a different level of scalability. The majority of firewalls are based on the user. Scalability, in Sophos XG, requires a forklift.
The scalability could be improved.
We have between 12 and 16 customers.
How are customer service and support?
I have never contacted technical support.
How was the initial setup?
We have deployed more Sophos this year than in any previous year.
I have six engineers dedicated to deploying and maintaining the solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is a price-based solution, not based on technology.
Licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others who are interested in using it.
I would rate Sophos XG an eight 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
Founder/Director at Augesys Solutions Pvt Ltd
Provides network visibility and reporting capabilities, constantly improving over time
Pros and Cons
- "The firewall provides network visibility and reporting capabilities, constantly improving over time. It can be integrated with the cloud console, allowing centralized management of multiple firewalls. integration with endpoint security products ensures seamless traffic flow and rule enforcement, even when endpoints are not directly connected to the firewall."
- "I've had experience with Sophos XG's threat intelligence features, and they provide good coverage, although I wouldn't say they're the best in the industry. The sandbox feature is available with top-tier subscriptions, allowing you to test content in a cloud sandbox. One improvement I'd suggest for Sophos XG is to make certain functionalities, like CR functionality, part of the default firewalling rather than exclusive to premium subscriptions. Enhancing DLP capabilities at the gateway level could significantly boost security for organizations."
What is our primary use case?
My clients use Sophos XG for deploying firewalls at corporate office and branch offices. The branches connect via site-to-site VPN, allowing outbound traffic from the central location.
What is most valuable?
The firewall provides network visibility and reporting capabilities, constantly improving over time. It can be integrated with the cloud console, allowing centralized management of multiple firewalls. integration with endpoint security products ensures seamless traffic flow and rule enforcement, even when endpoints are not directly connected to the firewall.
What needs improvement?
I've had experience with Sophos XG's threat intelligence features, and they provide good coverage, although I wouldn't say they're the best in the industry. The sandbox feature is available with top-tier subscriptions, allowing you to test content in a cloud sandbox.
One improvement I'd suggest for Sophos XG is to make certain functionalities, like CR functionality, part of the default firewalling rather than exclusive to premium subscriptions. Enhancing DLP capabilities at the gateway level could significantly boost security for organizations.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos XG for the past 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
As for stability, I'd give it a high score, maybe a nine, because it keeps running without much downtime.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I'd rate them an eight for stablity It's not to say they're perfect, but generally, it's pretty good I'd recommend it for companies of all sizes.
How was the initial setup?
Integrating Sophos XG into existing infrastructure was quite easy and straightforward. There were hardly any complexities involved in the process.you can use both options - cloud-based or hardware-based firewalls. When I mention hybrid, it means having both options available. While cloud-based firewalls offer convenience, they can be more expensive compared to hardware ones. Although I haven't personally worked with the cloud version, it seems similar in appearance but may have different features. Cloud-based firewalls may seem like an overkill in terms of price, especially when considering the cost of operation over time. They become more beneficial when additional security layers like zero trust, DLP, or secure web gateway functionalities are added. This expands security beyond physical location constraints, making it accessible from anywhere.
What other advice do I have?
I'd rate Sophos XG an 8. It's my first preference and confidently recommend it to other users.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
IT Manager MIS at a non-profit with 1-10 employees
The configuration complexity, limited port availability and higher price compared to competitors are the main drawbacks
Pros and Cons
- "The most significant aspect is the protection it offers."
- "The training manual provided to users lacks proper guidance on configuration procedures."
What is our primary use case?
We use Sophos XG for ensuring security, implementing web filtering, enforcing policies, and blocking traffic as needed.
How has it helped my organization?
I appreciate its interface, but I find that the available ports are insufficient. I've encountered limitations, often finding that three to four ports are not adequate for our needs.
It stands out with its side-to-side VPN and SSL VPN capabilities.
What is most valuable?
The most significant aspect is the protection it offers.
What needs improvement?
I encountered an issue while implementing web filtering for users. Specifically, when attempting to access reports detailing which sites users are visiting, the diagnostic report fails to display the complete URLs of the websites visited. This becomes particularly problematic when users utilize proxy software to bypass the firewall, as it renders tracking their website visits nearly impossible. Training presents a major challenge as there are numerous features available, such as IPS and IDS, which many network administrators are unfamiliar with and tend to leave disabled. Users are unable to enable these features themselves due to their lack of understanding of their functionalities and configuration processes. The training manual provided to users lacks proper guidance on configuration procedures. The content outlined in the user manual differs significantly from the live configuration process.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with it for approximately six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
There are several glitches in the new firewall. One particular issue arises when applying filtering settings. The firewall fails to unblock sites without requiring a restart to save and execute the changes properly.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have a multitude of distinct sites, amounting to a total of six to seven thousand users in total.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Our experience with Fortinet was better compared to Sophos. Also, configuring Fortinet is much easier than configuring Sophos.
How was the initial setup?
Installation is not straightforward; it's a bit complex. For instance, when setting up two ISP connections and terminating them on two firewalls, the process involves configuring LAN and WAN interfaces separately, along with DNS and routing configurations in different tabs. Many users may find these functions unfamiliar. It would be more convenient if all functions related to traffic routing were consolidated into a single tab for easier management. Maintenance is also challenging.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of Sophos in PTR is significantly higher compared to Fortinet.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I would rate it three out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
VP of Operations at Caprihans India Ltd
A stable firewall solution with a useful tunneling feature.
Pros and Cons
- "I like the tunneling part which we are using for the VOIP. We have various other sites where we connect via tunneling. The tunneling part is very fast and easy to implement."
- "It would be better if they made their own hardware like Palo Alto and Fortinet. They use their own ASICs and claim it is more secure."
What is our primary use case?
We use Sophos XG for the firewall.
What is most valuable?
I like the tunneling part which we are using for the VOIP. We have various other sites where we connect via tunneling. The tunneling part is very fast and easy to implement.
The deployment is very easy for my network team, and it is very easy to implement policies. The support that Sophos provides for the upgrade of new features and their interaction with the customer is very good.
Customer engagement is what I like about the product. We are very well informed about what is going on and new best practices. If anything new has gone wrong or anything in the world of cybersecurity we should know about, they will let us know.
Any firewall is dependent on how you use it. It's also on the user, how you configure it, what you allow, and what you don't allow, and so on. The ease of defining policies and the customer connect is what I appreciate about Sophos.
What needs improvement?
It would be better if they made their own hardware like Palo Alto and Fortinet. They use their own ASICs and claim it is more secure.
The SD-WAN can be improved. The traffic optimization somehow needs to be improved, or there is a scope for improvement in Sophos XG.
It would be better if they moved towards the cloud side of things. Now a lot of things are moving on to the cloud.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos XG for a couple of 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?
Sophos XG is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
The Sophos forum and Sophos direct support are excellent.
On a scale from one to ten, I would give Sophos support a ten.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We had Cyberoam, which Sophos took over.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward and took us about a week to deploy.
What about the implementation team?
An internal team made up of two people implemented Sophos XG.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We generally buy it for a three-year license.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend Sophos XG to potential users.
On a scale from one to ten, I would give Sophos XG an eight.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Cloud Technical Program Manager at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees
Scalable, simple the set up and easy to understand
Pros and Cons
- "The product offers many great features."
- "When upgrading the firewalls, the process could be easier."
What is our primary use case?
The solution is mostly used for setting up a firewall and policies.
What is most valuable?
The solution is very easy to understand.
It's simple to set up the firewall and policies. Setting rules is very easy on Sophos as compared to other solutions.
The product offers many great features.
Technical support is very good.
The initial setup is easy.
We have found the solution to be very stable.
A company can easily scale the product if they need to.
What needs improvement?
When upgrading the firewalls, the process could be easier.
While we do have network control, we don't have network monitoring. If I have 200 nodes and I want to see what's happening, I don't have visibility, especially if people are working remotely.
If we could control roaming users through the firewalls and make it so that it's more of a complete security solution, which we prefer, that would be ideal. If we have to install some clients on these machines, that's fine. The only concern is the DLP. We want to protect our data from being stolen. We'd also like to monitor activities from the perspective of productivity. We want to be able to track and calculate what users are doing on their machines.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for more than ten years.
Earlier, Sophos was known as Cyberoam, Before that, I use Cyberoam and now this has turned into Sophos.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is very good. It does not crash or freeze. There are no bugs or glitches. the solution is reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The level of scalability depends on the box. We do have the option to scale if we need to.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have found the technical support to be very helpful and responsive. I am pleased with the level of support I can get. They always provide proper solutions to all issues, whatever we face.
How was the initial setup?
It is not difficult to set up the solution. One ISP, internet service provider, is required, and that is sufficient. If you do have a landline, some switches are available, and we can add to that a firewall. That is secondary. However, the initial requirement is nothing. It is just a plug-and-play setup that is very straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
We had a vendor assist us with the installation.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There's no additional cost for installation. The provider from which we purchased, the vendor, himself arranged all installation and configuration. They helped us. However, even through customer care, a company can ask for assistance.
What other advice do I have?
I'm not providing any services. I'm using the product as a customer only. The company, one day, would like to become a partner, however.
I would recommend the solution to other companies.
I would rate the solution at a seven out of ten, specifically if I compare it to other options on the market. It's pretty good.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

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