Cisco Meraki MX
7.7/10
MSP Compared score
- Starting price
- Custom quote
- Reviews
- 4.3/5 (G2)
- Free trial
- 30 days
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Best for
- Multi-site organizations wanting cloud-managed, "set-and-forget" security with Auto VPN
Best Firewall (Small Business) · 2026
Cisco Meraki MX vs 
Sophos Firewall (XGS) Cisco Meraki MX vs Sophos Firewall (XGS): on our data-weighted scoring, Sophos Firewall (XGS) edges ahead (8.2 vs 7.7/10). Cisco Meraki MX starts at Custom quote and is best for multi-site organizations wanting cloud-managed, "set-and-forget" security with Auto VPN; Sophos Firewall (XGS) starts at Custom quote and is best for SMBs and MSPs wanting strong NGFW protection with free cloud management and a low TCO. Choose Sophos Firewall (XGS) for the stronger overall track record; consider Cisco Meraki MX if its pricing model or fit matches your environment better. Side-by-side table below.
Affiliate disclosure: Some links may be affiliate or partner links. If you sign up through one, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This never changes our scores or rankings. Learn more.
Sophos Firewall (XGS)
8.2/10
MSP Compared score
- Starting price
- Custom quote
- Reviews
- 4.6/5 (~404 G2 reviews)
- Free trial
- 30 days
- Deployment
- On-prem
- Best for
- SMBs and MSPs wanting strong NGFW protection with free cloud management and a low TCO
Strengths at a glance
Six criteria, each scored 0–10 on the same scale from real review data, public pricing and feature coverage. See our methodology →
| Criterion | Cisco Meraki MX | Sophos Firewall (XGS) |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial | 7.7 | 8.2 |
| User reviews | 8.6 | 9.2 |
| Adoption | 0.0 | 6.9 |
| Affordability | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Feature breadth | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| Ease of trial | 6.0 | 6.0 |
Cisco Meraki MX vs Sophos Firewall (XGS): head-to-head
| Cisco Meraki MX | Sophos Firewall (XGS) | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Custom quote | Custom quote |
| Pricing model | quote | quote |
| Free trial / tier | 30 days | 30 days |
| Best for | Multi-site organizations wanting cloud-managed, "set-and-forget" security with Auto VPN | SMBs and MSPs wanting strong NGFW protection with free cloud management and a low TCO |
| Deployment | Cloud | On-prem |
| G2 rating | 4.3/5 | 4.6/5 (404) |
| Capterra rating | — | — |
| Our score | 7.7 | 8.2 |
Choose Cisco Meraki MX if…
You need multi-site organizations wanting cloud-managed, "set-and-forget" security with auto vpn.
✓ Pros
- Effortless multi-site management
- Strong Talos threat intelligence
- Best-in-class "set and forget" simplicity
✕ Cons
- Mandatory per-device licensing (stops if it lapses)
- Quote-only pricing
- Pricey at scale
Choose Sophos Firewall (XGS) if…
You need smbs and msps wanting strong ngfw protection with free cloud management and a low tco.
✓ Pros
- Free Sophos Central management lowers TCO
- Easy to use + deploy
- Strong MSP licensing model
✕ Cons
- Quote-only pricing
- Some models lack built-in reporting
- Performance trails FortiGate at top end
In depth
Pricing: Sophos Firewall (XGS) vs Cisco Meraki MX
Sophos Firewall (XGS) bills on a quote model from Custom quote (30 days trial), while Cisco Meraki MX uses a quote model from Custom quote (30 days trial). Because the models differ, the cheaper option flips depending on your fleet size — model both at your seat/endpoint count.
Features & deployment
Sophos Firewall (XGS) ships 6 headline capabilities (Xstream NGFW + deep packet inspection, Sophos Central management (free), Synchronized Security with endpoint, IPS + web + app control) and deploys On-prem. Cisco Meraki MX ships 6 (100% cloud-managed dashboard, Auto VPN site-to-site meshing, Cisco Talos threat intelligence, SD-WAN + application-aware routing), deploying Cloud.
Ratings & verdict
Sophos Firewall (XGS) holds 4.6/5 (~404 G2 reviews); Cisco Meraki MX holds 4.3/5 (G2). On our data-weighted score, Sophos Firewall (XGS) edges ahead (8.2 vs 7.7/10). Pick Cisco Meraki MX instead when multi-site organizations wanting cloud-managed, “set-and-forget” security with auto vpn. See Sophos Firewall (XGS) alternatives or Cisco Meraki MX alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
- Cisco Meraki MX vs Sophos Firewall (XGS): which is better?
- Cisco Meraki MX vs Sophos Firewall (XGS): on our data-weighted scoring, Sophos Firewall (XGS) edges ahead (8.2 vs 7.7/10). Cisco Meraki MX starts at Custom quote and is best for multi-site organizations wanting cloud-managed, "set-and-forget" security with Auto VPN; Sophos Firewall (XGS) starts at Custom quote and is best for SMBs and MSPs wanting strong NGFW protection with free cloud management and a low TCO.
- Is Cisco Meraki MX cheaper than Sophos Firewall (XGS)?
- Cisco Meraki MX starts at Custom quote and Sophos Firewall (XGS) starts at Custom quote (see the pricing rows for models and limits).
Data as of September 17, 2026. Sources: meraki.cisco.com, sophos.com. Figures are pulled from public vendor and security data and refreshed automatically.