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
Best Firewall (Small Business) · 2026
Sophos Firewall (XGS) vs 
WatchGuard Firebox Sophos Firewall (XGS) vs WatchGuard Firebox: on our data-weighted scoring, Sophos Firewall (XGS) edges ahead (8.2 vs 8.1/10). 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; WatchGuard Firebox starts at Custom quote and is best for small offices and MSPs wanting all-in-one UTM with simple bundled licensing and cloud management. Choose Sophos Firewall (XGS) for the stronger overall track record; consider WatchGuard Firebox if its pricing model or fit matches your environment better. Side-by-side table below.
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WatchGuard Firebox
8.1/10
MSP Compared score
- Starting price
- Custom quote
- Reviews
- 4.7/5 (~261 G2 reviews)
- Free trial
- 30 days
- Deployment
- On-prem
- Best for
- Small offices and MSPs wanting all-in-one UTM with simple bundled licensing and cloud management
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 | Sophos Firewall (XGS) | WatchGuard Firebox |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial | 8.2 | 8.1 |
| User reviews | 9.2 | 9.4 |
| Adoption | 6.9 | 6.4 |
| Affordability | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Feature breadth | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| Ease of trial | 6.0 | 6.0 |
Sophos Firewall (XGS) vs WatchGuard Firebox: head-to-head
| Sophos Firewall (XGS) | WatchGuard Firebox | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Custom quote | Custom quote |
| Pricing model | quote | quote |
| Free trial / tier | 30 days | 30 days |
| Best for | SMBs and MSPs wanting strong NGFW protection with free cloud management and a low TCO | Small offices and MSPs wanting all-in-one UTM with simple bundled licensing and cloud management |
| Deployment | On-prem | On-prem |
| G2 rating | 4.6/5 (404) | 4.7/5 (261) |
| Capterra rating | — | — |
| Our score | 8.2 | 8.1 |
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
Choose WatchGuard Firebox if…
You need small offices and msps wanting all-in-one utm with simple bundled licensing and cloud management.
✓ Pros
- Simple bundled licensing
- MSP + multi-site friendly
- Competitive value for feature breadth
✕ Cons
- Quote-only pricing
- Top-tier suite excludes smallest models
- Performance trails FortiGate at scale
In depth
Pricing: Sophos Firewall (XGS) vs WatchGuard Firebox
Sophos Firewall (XGS) bills on a quote model from Custom quote (30 days trial), while WatchGuard Firebox 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. WatchGuard Firebox ships 6 (All-in-one UTM/NGFW, WatchGuard Cloud + RapidDeploy, IPS + AV + web filtering + sandboxing, ThreatSync (XDR) included), deploying On-prem.
Ratings & verdict
Sophos Firewall (XGS) holds 4.6/5 (~404 G2 reviews); WatchGuard Firebox holds 4.7/5 (~261 G2 reviews). On our data-weighted score, Sophos Firewall (XGS) edges ahead (8.2 vs 8.1/10). Pick WatchGuard Firebox instead when small offices and msps wanting all-in-one utm with simple bundled licensing and cloud management. See Sophos Firewall (XGS) alternatives or WatchGuard Firebox alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
- Sophos Firewall (XGS) vs WatchGuard Firebox: which is better?
- Sophos Firewall (XGS) vs WatchGuard Firebox: on our data-weighted scoring, Sophos Firewall (XGS) edges ahead (8.2 vs 8.1/10). 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; WatchGuard Firebox starts at Custom quote and is best for small offices and MSPs wanting all-in-one UTM with simple bundled licensing and cloud management.
- Is Sophos Firewall (XGS) cheaper than WatchGuard Firebox?
- Sophos Firewall (XGS) starts at Custom quote and WatchGuard Firebox starts at Custom quote (see the pricing rows for models and limits).
Data as of September 17, 2026. Sources: sophos.com, watchguard.com. Figures are pulled from public vendor and security data and refreshed automatically.