# Palo Alto Networks NGFW vs pfSense

| Attribute | Palo Alto Networks NGFW | pfSense |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 20.1 (3% (low)) | 42.3 (26% (low)) |
| deployment.options | `{"cloud":true,"hybrid":true,"on_prem":true}` | `{"cloud":true,"on_prem":true,"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | A network security solution that provides consistent protection across physical data centers, virtualized environments, containerized workloads, and cloud deployments. The platform uses machine learning to detect and prevent known and zero-day attacks in all network traffic, including encrypted communications. | A comprehensive network security solution offering firewall, VPN, and routing capabilities. Deployed across millions of installations globally, it serves organizations from small businesses to large enterprises and government agencies. |
| integrations.count | 4 | 10 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"AWS"},{"name":"Kubernetes"},{"name":"Palo Alto Networks Cortex suite"},{"name":"Strata Cloud Manager"}]` | `[{"name":"AWS Marketplace"},{"name":"Azure Marketplace"},{"name":"FreeBSD"},{"name":"FD.io VPP"},{"name":"DPDK"},{"name":"OpenVPN"},{"name":"IPsec"},{"name":"WireGuard"},{"name":"Snort"},{"name":"Suricata"}]` |
| market.availability | `{"hqCountry":"US","primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | `{"hqCountry":"US","primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | - | `{"cli":true,"web":true}` |
| pricing | - | `{"type":"hybrid","summary":"Free community edition (pfSense CE) plus subscription-based pfSense Plus with cloud marketplace options","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://www.netgate.com/company/press-releases/product-availability-update-upcoming-pricing-changes-across-multiple-netgate-appliances","retrievedAt":"2026-08-19T13:09:54.176Z","billingPeriods":["month","year"]}` |
| pricing.free_tier | - | yes |
| pricing.model | commercial | freemium |
| pricing.price_level | - | low |
| pricing.transparent | - | no |
| security.gdpr | - | yes |

## Capabilities (Firewalls)

| Capability | Palo Alto Networks NGFW | pfSense |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Capabilities** |  |  |
| Form factor | - | - |
| Ips ids inline | - | - |
| App id l7 filtering | - | - |
| Tls ssl inspection | - | - |
| Sdwan integrated | - | - |
| Threat intel feed | - | - |
| Central management console | - | - |
| Ha clustering | - | - |
| Site to site VPN | - | - |
| Remote access VPN ZTNA | - | - |
| Fips 140 validated | - | - |
| Common criteria certified | - | - |
| Open source | - | - |
| Pricing model | - | - |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T15:15:56.438Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*