Cisco Meraki MX Alternatives (2026)
- Starting price
- Custom quote
- Free trial
- 30 days
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Best for
- Multi-site organizations wanting cloud-managed, "set-and-forget" security with Auto VPN
Our verdict
The top alternatives to Cisco Meraki MX are Sophos Firewall (XGS), WatchGuard Firebox, Fortinet FortiGate. Sophos Firewall (XGS) is the closest like-for-like option (4.6/5 (~404 G2 reviews), from Custom quote). People typically switch from Cisco Meraki MX over pricing model, complexity, or a missing capability — the table compares each alternative on exactly those axes.
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Sophos Firewall (XGS)
★ Editor's ChoiceBest for SMBs and MSPs wanting strong NGFW protection with free cloud management and a low TCO.
- Xstream NGFW + deep packet inspection
- Sophos Central management (free)
- Synchronized Security with endpoint
Free trial Free version - 2
WatchGuard Firebox
Best for Small offices and MSPs wanting all-in-one UTM with simple bundled licensing and cloud management.
- All-in-one UTM/NGFW
- WatchGuard Cloud + RapidDeploy
- IPS + AV + web filtering + sandboxing
Free trial Free version - 3
Fortinet FortiGate
Best for Businesses wanting top performance-per-dollar NGFWs with the broadest model range.
- NGFW with FortiOS
- FortiGuard threat intelligence
- Integrated SD-WAN
Free trial Free version -
Best for Budget-conscious small businesses wanting a feature-rich entry-level NGFW.
- Entry-level NGFW (TZ series)
- Network Security Manager cloud console
- Capture ATP sandboxing
Free trial Free version - 5
Ubiquiti UniFi Gateway
Visit Ubiquiti UniFi Gateway → From $129/one-time (Cloud Gateway Ultra) Cisco Meraki MX vs Ubiquiti UniFi Gateway →Best for SMBs wanting a capable, license-free gateway/firewall with no recurring subscription.
- License-free (no subscription)
- Stateful firewall + VLAN segmentation
- IDS/IPS + IPSec/WireGuard VPN
Free trial Free version
More alternatives detail
Teams usually move off Cisco Meraki MX for one of three reasons: pricing model, complexity, or a missing capability. The closest like-for-like options on the data we track are Sophos Firewall (XGS), WatchGuard Firebox, Fortinet FortiGate.
- Sophos Firewall (XGS) — SMBs and MSPs wanting strong NGFW protection with free cloud management and a low TCO; from Custom quote (4.6/5 (~404 G2 reviews)). Compare directly: Cisco Meraki MX vs Sophos Firewall (XGS).
- WatchGuard Firebox — Small offices and MSPs wanting all-in-one UTM with simple bundled licensing and cloud management; from Custom quote (4.7/5 (~261 G2 reviews)). Compare directly: Cisco Meraki MX vs WatchGuard Firebox.
- Fortinet FortiGate — Businesses wanting top performance-per-dollar NGFWs with the broadest model range; from Custom quote (4.7/5 (~179 G2 reviews)). Compare directly: Cisco Meraki MX vs Fortinet FortiGate.
- SonicWall TZ — Budget-conscious small businesses wanting a feature-rich entry-level NGFW; from Custom quote (4.1/5 (~144 G2 reviews)). Compare directly: Cisco Meraki MX vs SonicWall TZ.
- Ubiquiti UniFi Gateway — SMBs wanting a capable, license-free gateway/firewall with no recurring subscription; from $129/one-time (Cloud Gateway Ultra) (Not yet rated). Compare directly: Cisco Meraki MX vs Ubiquiti UniFi Gateway.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best alternative to Cisco Meraki MX?
- Sophos Firewall (XGS) is the top-rated alternative in our data-weighted ranking (from Custom quote).
- Why do people switch from Cisco Meraki MX?
- Usually pricing model, complexity, or a missing capability. The table compares each alternative on exactly those axes.