SonicWall TZ
7.5/10
MSP Compared score
- Starting price
- Custom quote
- Reviews
- 4.1/5 (~144 G2 reviews)
- Free trial
- 30 days
- Deployment
- On-prem
- Best for
- Budget-conscious small businesses wanting a feature-rich entry-level NGFW
Best Firewall (Small Business) · 2026
SonicWall TZ vs 
Sophos Firewall (XGS) SonicWall TZ vs Sophos Firewall (XGS): on our data-weighted scoring, Sophos Firewall (XGS) edges ahead (8.2 vs 7.5/10). SonicWall TZ starts at Custom quote and is best for budget-conscious small businesses wanting a feature-rich entry-level NGFW; 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 SonicWall TZ 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 | SonicWall TZ | Sophos Firewall (XGS) |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial | 7.5 | 8.2 |
| User reviews | 8.2 | 9.2 |
| Adoption | 5.7 | 6.9 |
| Affordability | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Feature breadth | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| Ease of trial | 6.0 | 6.0 |
SonicWall TZ vs Sophos Firewall (XGS): head-to-head
| SonicWall TZ | Sophos Firewall (XGS) | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Custom quote | Custom quote |
| Pricing model | quote | quote |
| Free trial / tier | 30 days | 30 days |
| Best for | Budget-conscious small businesses wanting a feature-rich entry-level NGFW | SMBs and MSPs wanting strong NGFW protection with free cloud management and a low TCO |
| Deployment | On-prem | On-prem |
| G2 rating | 4.1/5 (144) | 4.6/5 (404) |
| Capterra rating | — | — |
| Our score | 7.5 | 8.2 |
Choose SonicWall TZ if…
You need budget-conscious small businesses wanting a feature-rich entry-level ngfw.
✓ Pros
- Strong feature breadth for the price
- Good fit for small single-site offices
- Cloud-managed via NSM
✕ Cons
- Lower G2 satisfaction than peers
- Performance issues on complex configs
- Patching discipline required
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 SonicWall TZ
Sophos Firewall (XGS) bills on a quote model from Custom quote (30 days trial), while SonicWall TZ 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. SonicWall TZ ships 6 (Entry-level NGFW (TZ series), Network Security Manager cloud console, Capture ATP sandboxing, SD-WAN support), deploying On-prem.
Ratings & verdict
Sophos Firewall (XGS) holds 4.6/5 (~404 G2 reviews); SonicWall TZ holds 4.1/5 (~144 G2 reviews). On our data-weighted score, Sophos Firewall (XGS) edges ahead (8.2 vs 7.5/10). Pick SonicWall TZ instead when budget-conscious small businesses wanting a feature-rich entry-level ngfw. See Sophos Firewall (XGS) alternatives or SonicWall TZ alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
- SonicWall TZ vs Sophos Firewall (XGS): which is better?
- SonicWall TZ vs Sophos Firewall (XGS): on our data-weighted scoring, Sophos Firewall (XGS) edges ahead (8.2 vs 7.5/10). SonicWall TZ starts at Custom quote and is best for budget-conscious small businesses wanting a feature-rich entry-level NGFW; 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 SonicWall TZ cheaper than Sophos Firewall (XGS)?
- SonicWall TZ 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: sonicwall.com, sophos.com. Figures are pulled from public vendor and security data and refreshed automatically.