Safing Portmaster is a free Next-Gen firewalls solution by Safing. Sophos Firewall is a commercial Next-Gen firewalls solution by Sophos. Features, integrations, deployment and the company behind each one, side by side.
What our shortlists say about the one we picked.
Best for: Small IT teams wanting firewalls and endpoints in one console
Sophos is here because the firewall, endpoints and MDR can act on the same threat together, which means fewer steps for a small IT team. It sells to all sizes but fits best where a few people run the whole network. The value depends on running Sophos endpoints too, so if you use another endpoint product, weigh it as a firewall alone.
From Best Next-Generation Firewall Solutions for Business, Fall 2026
Reviewed by Nika (Nikoloz) Kokhreidze.
An open-source application firewall that monitors network traffic with custom rules
Next-gen firewall with SD-WAN, ZTNA, and automated threat response capabilities
See more solutions in this category, or build a security stack from your picks.
Based on what each listing shows: deployment, company size, price and open source.
Safing Portmaster fits if you are a startup and you need a free product.
Sophos Firewall fits if you are a small business or a mid-market company or an enterprise.
Common questions when comparing Safing Portmaster vs Sophos Firewall for Next-Gen firewalls.
Safing Portmaster: An open-source application firewall that monitors network traffic with custom rules, built by Safing.
Sophos Firewall: Next-gen firewall with SD-WAN, ZTNA, and automated threat response capabilities, built by Sophos.
The table above shows where their features, integrations, deployment and company size fit differ.
Safing Portmaster is made by Safing. Sophos Firewall is made by Sophos. The vendor behind a product decides its roadmap, support, and longevity, so check each company's profile before you commit.
Often, yes. Safing Portmaster and Sophos Firewall are both Next-Gen Firewalls products. Key differences: Safing Portmaster is Free while Sophos Firewall is Commercial. Use the table above to see where features, deployment and company size fit differ.
Need the answer fast? Best Next-Generation Firewall Solutions for Business picks Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls, Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall, Cisco Secure Firewall and 4 more.See the shortlist
