# Best Next-Generation Firewall Solutions for Business (2026) Compare 7 next-generation firewalls, like Palo Alto Networks NGFW, FortiGate and Cisco Secure Firewall, on threat prevention, TLS inspection and cloud use. We pick every solution on this list [on merit](https://cybersectools.com/methodology#shortlist-order). Featured vendors that made the list are shown first. Source: https://cybersectools.com/shortlists/best-next-generation-firewalls Updated: 2026-11-01 Edition: Fall 2026. Reviewed by Nika (Nikoloz) Kokhreidze, CybersecTools. ## Executive summary As of November 2026, CybersecTools tracks 279 companies that sell network security solutions as their main business. Next-Gen Firewalls is part of that family. The largest groups are based in the United States, Israel and the United Kingdom. In the last 12 months they raised $51M across 10 funding rounds, 5 companies were acquired and 4 new companies started in the last two years. We chose seven firewalls that inspect traffic by application and user, block intrusions and malware, and protect sites, data centers and clouds. Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls suit large companies that want hardware, virtual, container and cloud firewalls under one policy. FortiGate fits companies that want SD-WAN and zero trust access built into the firewall. Sophos Firewall suits small IT teams, because one console runs firewalls and endpoints. The main choice is how you want to run the firewall. Check Point, Juniper and Forcepoint offer hardware, virtual and cloud versions, and Juniper also covers containers. Cisco fits teams that already run Cisco networks. Forcepoint stands out for one management console and updates without service breaks. Ask each vendor how fast the firewall runs with TLS inspection and threat prevention turned on, because speed can drop sharply when both are on. ## How we evaluated We looked at 67 next-gen firewalls solutions from 46 companies, and the 7 on this page made the cut. We combined our judgment from years of leading enterprise security programs with market data from [Mandos](https://mandos.io/data/companies?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist), our market intelligence platform, and with the vendor and review pages listed under Sources at the end of this page. For customer feedback, we left out paid reviews, reviews by vendor staff or partners, review campaigns and anything older than two years, so you get an accurate view of what customers say. Four traits mattered most: control by application and user; intrusion prevention and malware blocking with TLS inspection; hardware, virtual and cloud options; and central management across sites. We left out load balancers, decryption appliances and firewall policy management products. The order follows how widely each product is used by teams like yours. Company momentum shows how the vendor itself is growing, so a market leader can rank first with a lower score. Read the full method: https://cybersectools.com/methodology#why ## What is Next-Gen Firewalls Next-generation firewalls (NGFWs) control traffic in and out of your network by application, user and content, not just by port. They add intrusion prevention, malware blocking, web filtering and TLS inspection, so threats hidden in encrypted traffic can be caught. Many now run as hardware, virtual machines in your cloud or a cloud service. This matters because the firewall still sits at the boundary of every office, data center and cloud network. A modern firewall stops many attacks before they reach a device, and it gives you one place to set rules for who can reach what. Its logs also help you trace an attack after the fact. ### Compare Next-Gen Firewalls solutions This analysis focuses on seven next-generation firewall solutions. The table compares them on vendor, who each one is best for, deployment model and the NIST CSF functions they cover. | # | Solution | Best for | Starting price | Deployment | Company size | NIST CSF functions | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | [Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls](https://cybersectools.com/tools/palo-alto-networks-strata-network-security-platform) | Large companies wanting one policy across all firewall types | Contact sales | Hybrid | Mid-Market to Enterprise | Protect, Detect | | 2 | [Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall](https://cybersectools.com/tools/fortinet-fortigate-ngfw) | Companies wanting SD-WAN and ZTNA built into the firewall | Contact sales | Hybrid | Mid-Market to Enterprise | Protect, Detect | | 3 | [Cisco Secure Firewall](https://cybersectools.com/tools/cisco-secure-firewall) | Cisco networks wanting a firewall that fits in | Contact sales | Hybrid | Mid-Market to Enterprise | Protect, Detect | | 4 | [Check Point Quantum Firewalls](https://cybersectools.com/tools/check-point-quantum-ngfw) | Companies of any size wanting growable throughput and AI protection | Contact sales | Hybrid | SMB to Enterprise | Protect, Detect | | 5 | [Juniper SRX Series Firewalls](https://cybersectools.com/tools/juniper-srx-series-firewalls) | Teams wanting physical, virtual and container firewalls together | Contact sales | Hybrid | Mid-Market to Enterprise | Protect, Detect | | 6 | [Sophos Firewall](https://cybersectools.com/tools/sophos-firewall) | Small IT teams wanting firewalls and endpoints in one console | Contact sales | On-Premises | SMB to Enterprise | Protect, Detect, Respond | | 7 | [Forcepoint Next-Generation Firewall](https://cybersectools.com/tools/forcepoint-ngfw) | Mid-sized and large sites wanting one console and steady uptime | Contact sales | Hybrid | Mid-Market to Enterprise | Protect, Detect | Vendors change prices, so check before you buy. **See every Next-Gen Firewalls solution we list** The full Next-Gen Firewalls market, filtered by company size, deployment and NIST coverage. [Browse Next-Gen Firewalls solutions →](https://cybersectools.com/categories/next-generation-firewalls) ### 1. Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls **[Palo Alto Networks](https://mandos.io/data/companies/palo-alto-networks?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos)**. AI-powered network security platform with unified firewall and SASE capabilities Santa Clara, United States · Founded 2005 · Public company · Momentum 85/100 (Mandos) Certifications: SOC 2, ISO 27001, FedRAMP, PCI DSS, HIPAA **Best for:** Large companies wanting one policy across all firewall types Product page: https://cybersectools.com/tools/palo-alto-networks-strata-network-security-platform #### At a glance - Vendor: Palo Alto Networks - Headquarters: Santa Clara, United States - Founded: 2005 - Ownership: Public company (PANW) - Deployment: Hybrid - Company size: Mid-Market, Enterprise - NIST CSF: Protect, Detect - Pricing: Contact sales #### Our take Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls come as hardware, virtual, container and cloud firewalls under shared policy and threat prevention. Palo Alto calls this a hybrid mesh firewall. They use Precision AI to detect and stop threats, including zero-day attacks, and add IoT and OT security. They include SD-WAN, connect to Prisma SASE for remote users, protect the use of AI apps and add quantum-safe cryptography in PAN-OS 12.1. Integrations include Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Kubernetes Engine and VMware NSX. It leads this list because one policy runs across every form factor, so your data center, cloud and container firewalls do not drift apart. That suits mid-market and enterprise estates with many sites and clouds. Ask which of the added services, such as SASE, AI app security and IoT, you need now, because each one widens the deal. #### Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls main features - Hybrid mesh firewall combining hardware, virtual, cloud-native, and firewall-as-a-service - AI-powered threat detection and prevention using Precision AI - Unified management interface for centralized policy and security control - SD-WAN integration for network connectivity - Enterprise AI application security including GenAI, chatbot, and LLM protection - Real-time network traffic analysis for zero-day threat detection - IoT and OT security capabilities - Quantum-safe cryptography in PAN-OS 12.1 #### Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls main integrations Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, PingFederate, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), Cisco ACI, Cisco TrustSec, Cisco pxGrid, Nutanix Prism Central, VMware NSX, VMware vCenter, Terraform #### What customers say Sentiment: 100% positive · 0% mixed · 0% negative (from first-hand public reviews and comments, 2024 to 2026). Most praised: Access control, Integrations, Reports. Most criticized: Ease of use, Price. What customers like most is writing firewall rules by application and user instead of by port or IP address, which shows them what is really moving across the network. Threat prevention and central management also get steady praise, and several teams report little or no downtime. The catch is cost and effort, because features like DNS security and threat intelligence are sold as separate subscriptions, and setting up policies well takes trained staff. #### Before you buy Where it is strong: - Hardware, virtual, container and cloud under one policy - AI-based threat prevention - IoT, OT and AI app security Ask in the demo: - Price each subscription you need for threat prevention - Ask which form factors fit each of your sites - Test speed with TLS inspection turned on ### 2. Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall **[Fortinet](https://mandos.io/data/companies/fortinet?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos)**. Next-generation firewall that protects hybrid networks with built-in SD-WAN and ZTNA. Sunnyvale, United States · Founded 2000 · Public company · Momentum 75/100 (Mandos) Certifications: SOC 2, ISO 27001, FedRAMP, PCI DSS, HIPAA **Best for:** Companies wanting SD-WAN and ZTNA built into the firewall Product page: https://cybersectools.com/tools/fortinet-fortigate-ngfw #### At a glance - Vendor: Fortinet - Headquarters: Sunnyvale, United States - Founded: 2000 - Ownership: Public company (FTNT) - Deployment: Hybrid - Company size: Mid-Market, Enterprise - NIST CSF: Protect, Detect - Starting price: Contact sales #### Our take Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall protects data, assets and users across hybrid networks. It runs on Fortinet's own security processors, so it can inspect large volumes of cloud and data-rich traffic. It includes SD-WAN to connect offices and zero trust network access (ZTNA), so users can reach applications from any location. FortiManager gives one set of policies across hybrid infrastructure, and FortiGuard services add threat response. It comes as appliances for data centers, campuses, branches and rugged sites, as a virtual firewall in clouds and as a cloud service. It lists Dragos as an integration. FortiGate earns its spot by folding SD-WAN and ZTNA into the firewall, so many branches can run on one box per site. That fits mid-market and enterprise networks with lots of offices. If you already run separate SD-WAN or ZTNA products, decide first whether you want to merge them. #### Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall main features - Patented security processors (ASICs) - Unified management - Integrated SD-WAN - Built-in ZTNA - Intrusion prevention system - Antivirus - Application control - URL and DNS filtering #### Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall main integrations Dragos #### What customers say FortiGate puts the firewall, VPN, intrusion blocking and web and app filtering in one box, on hardware or as a virtual machine, so teams run their network edge and the links between offices from one place. Customers find it easy to pick up, even as newer admins, and the detailed traffic logs make it quick to trace why something is blocked or slow. The catch comes with growth, because large rule sets and advanced setups like high availability take real time to learn and keep in order. #### Before you buy Where it is strong: - Custom security processors for heavy traffic - SD-WAN and ZTNA built in - Appliances, virtual and cloud-hosted options Ask in the demo: - Ask which security bundles you need and price them - Test speed with threat prevention turned on - Plan time to learn high availability and detailed rules ### 3. Cisco Secure Firewall **[Cisco](https://mandos.io/data/companies/cisco?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos)**. Enterprise firewall solution for network security and traffic control San Jose, United States · Founded 1984 · Public company · Momentum 59/100 (Mandos) Certifications: SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS **Best for:** Cisco networks wanting a firewall that fits in Product page: https://cybersectools.com/tools/cisco-secure-firewall #### At a glance - Vendor: Cisco - Headquarters: San Jose, United States - Founded: 1984 - Ownership: Public company (CSCO) - Deployment: Hybrid - Company size: Mid-Market, Enterprise - NIST CSF: Protect, Detect - Pricing: Contact sales #### Our take Cisco Secure Firewall protects the network edge and distributed sites with application visibility and control. It offers several deployment options and central management, and it helps with regulatory compliance. It connects to Splunk and Active Directory and works closely with other Cisco products. It is on the list because it slots into Cisco networks and sends its data to Splunk, so your network and security teams keep one vendor and one log pipeline. That suits mid-market and enterprise shops with a lot of Cisco already in place. Its published detail is thin, so ask Cisco for detail on threat prevention, cloud firewalls and the management console before you compare it with the rest of the list. #### Cisco Secure Firewall main features - Network security - Application visibility and control - Scalability - Simplified management - Flexible deployment - Regulatory compliance support #### Cisco Secure Firewall main integrations Splunk, Active Directory #### What customers say Sentiment: 47% positive · 29% mixed · 24% negative (from first-hand public reviews and comments, 2025 to 2026). Most praised: Stability. Most criticized: Stability, Updates and fixes. Opinions on Cisco Secure Firewall split by software version, because admins on the 7.x releases call it stable and much improved, while some long-time users lost trust during years of trouble on older releases. Teams lean on it for remote-access VPN and steady threat intelligence updates, and it fits best where the network already runs on Cisco gear. The catch is day-to-day management, since the central console is slow to push changes and run upgrades, and many say support takes too long to reach an answer. #### Before you buy Where it is strong: - Stable on recent 7.x releases - Fits well with other Cisco products - Remote access VPN and URL filtering Ask in the demo: - Ask which software version you will run - Test how long policy changes take to deploy - Check the licensing for each feature you need ### 4. Check Point Quantum Firewalls **[Check Point Software Technologies.](https://mandos.io/data/companies/check-point-software-technologies?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos)**. Next-generation firewalls with threat prevention for data center, branch and cloud. Tel Aviv, Israel · Founded 1993 · Public company · Momentum 57/100 (Mandos) Certifications: SOC 2, ISO 27001, FedRAMP, HIPAA, FIPS 140, Common Criteria **Best for:** Companies of any size wanting growable throughput and AI protection Product page: https://cybersectools.com/tools/check-point-quantum-ngfw #### At a glance - Vendor: Check Point Software Technologies. - Headquarters: Tel Aviv, Israel - Founded: 1993 - Ownership: Public company (CHKP) - Deployment: Hybrid - Company size: SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise - NIST CSF: Protect, Detect - Starting price: Contact sales #### Our take Check Point Quantum Firewalls protect the network edge, the data center, branch offices and the cloud. The line has models for large enterprises, small and medium businesses, industrial sites and branches. It provides intrusion prevention, application control and zero-day protection, including inspection of encrypted HTTP traffic. Files can run through sandboxing and threat emulation. Check Point Maestro clusters several firewalls and balances the load, so throughput can grow. One policy console manages on-premises, cloud and remote sites, and it works with CrowdStrike, Microsoft Defender and Okta. It earns a place on prevention depth and on Maestro, which lets you add capacity by adding firewalls instead of replacing them. The range runs from small business to enterprise, so it fits a wide spread of sizes. Ask how Maestro is licensed if you expect traffic to grow fast. #### Check Point Quantum Firewalls main features - AI-driven threat prevention - Intrusion prevention and application control - Zero-day protection with sandboxing and threat emulation - Inspection of encrypted HTTP traffic - Security for AI prompts, agents and applications - Maestro firewall clustering with load balancing - Unified policy across on-premises, cloud and remote sites - SD-WAN and SASE services #### Check Point Quantum Firewalls main integrations CrowdStrike, Microsoft Defender, Okta #### Before you buy Where it is strong: - Models from small business to large enterprise - Maestro clustering to grow throughput - Sandboxing and threat emulation for zero-day files Ask in the demo: - Ask which bundled services you need, like SD-WAN or SASE - Test speed with encrypted traffic inspection on - Choose where management runs: appliance, cloud or your servers **Alternatives to each solution on this list** The closest Next-Gen Firewalls alternatives for every pick, matched on features and integrations. [See Next-Gen Firewalls alternatives →](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives) ### 5. Juniper SRX Series Firewalls **[Juniper Networks](https://mandos.io/data/companies/juniper-networks?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos)**. Physical, virtual and container next-generation firewalls for edge, data center and cloud. Sunnyvale, United States · Founded 1996 · $50M raised Certifications: SOC 2, ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, FedRAMP, PCI DSS **Best for:** Teams wanting physical, virtual and container firewalls together Product page: https://cybersectools.com/tools/juniper-srx-series-firewalls #### At a glance - Vendor: Juniper Networks - Headquarters: Sunnyvale, United States - Founded: 1996 - Deployment: Hybrid - Company size: Mid-Market, Enterprise - NIST CSF: Protect, Detect - Starting price: Contact sales #### Our take Juniper SRX Series Firewalls, from Juniper, now part of HPE, protect the network edge, the data center and cloud applications. They come as physical appliances, virtual firewalls (vSRX) and container firewalls (cSRX). Policies are identity-based, and the line adds microsegmentation and VPN connectivity. Advanced Threat Prevention uses AI and machine learning to detect attacks and analyzes encrypted traffic. vSRX runs in AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, IBM Cloud and Oracle Cloud. Security Director Cloud manages all forms from one view, and Juniper Secure Connect gives remote workers access. It makes the list because physical, virtual and container firewalls share one management view, which helps if you run workloads in several clouds. It fits mid-market and enterprise teams that already run Juniper networks. Juniper is now part of HPE, so ask how the SRX line fits HPE's plans. #### Juniper SRX Series Firewalls main features - Identity-based security policies - Microsegmentation - VPN connectivity - Advanced Threat Prevention with AI and machine learning - Analysis of encrypted traffic - SecIntel threat intelligence feeds - Physical, virtual (vSRX) and container (cSRX) firewalls - Central management with Security Director Cloud #### Juniper SRX Series Firewalls main integrations Microsoft Active Directory, Microsoft Entra ID (Azure), Okta, Microsoft Exchange, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, VMware ESXi, VMware NSX, VMware vRealize Orchestrator, OpenStack #### What customers say The SRX shines as a router that also enforces firewall rules, and teams that run it at the network edge say it handles serious routing work without trouble. Engineers who know Junos rate its command line highly. The catch is the web interface, which several call outdated and clunky, so it suits a team comfortable on the command line more than one that manages policy by clicking. #### Before you buy Where it is strong: - Physical, virtual and container firewalls - Identity-based policies and microsegmentation - One management view across all forms Ask in the demo: - Ask how the HPE purchase affects support and roadmap - Test speed with threat prevention and encrypted traffic analysis on - Check how Policy Enforcer works with your other products ### 6. Sophos Firewall **[Sophos](https://mandos.io/data/companies/sophos?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos)**. Next-gen firewall with SD-WAN, ZTNA, and automated threat response capabilities Abingdon, United Kingdom · Founded 1985 · $60M raised · Momentum 43/100 (Mandos) Certifications: SOC 2, ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, PCI DSS, HIPAA **Best for:** Small IT teams wanting firewalls and endpoints in one console Product page: https://cybersectools.com/tools/sophos-firewall #### At a glance - Vendor: Sophos - Headquarters: Abingdon, United Kingdom - Founded: 1985 - Deployment: On-Premises - Company size: SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise - NIST CSF: Protect, Detect, Respond - Starting price: Contact sales #### Our take Sophos Firewall inspects traffic with intrusion prevention, web protection, application control and TLS decryption. Active Threat Response blocks active threats using SophosLabs data, Sophos MDR analysts or third-party feeds. Synchronized Security lets the firewall and Sophos endpoints isolate a threat together. It adds built-in network detection and response, automatic patching, zero-touch deployment and a ZTNA gateway. It works with products such as Aruba ClearPass and Citrix ADC. 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. #### Sophos Firewall main features - Automatic patching - Configuration health check - Remote integrity monitoring - AI zero-day threat protection - TLS decryption - Built-in NDR - Active Threat Response - Synchronized Security #### Sophos Firewall main integrations Aruba ClearPass, Citrix ADC, TXOne EdgeOne, Viptela, Interscan WebSecurity, Human Security, Conceal.io #### What customers say Sentiment: 67% positive · 33% mixed · 0% negative (from first-hand public reviews and comments, 2025 to 2026). Most praised: Ease of use, Support, Integrations. Most criticized: Integrations, Setup. Day-to-day management is where Sophos Firewall earns its praise, because Sophos Central lets teams run their firewalls and Sophos endpoints from one console. When both are in place they share health signals, so the firewall can act on an infected computer without someone stepping in. The catch is depth, since advanced settings like VPN, NAT and SSL rules take time to learn, and the reports are too thin to trace traffic or show blocked threats clearly. #### Before you buy Where it is strong: - Easy to run for a small IT team - One console for firewalls and endpoints - Firewall and endpoints respond to threats together Ask in the demo: - Check whether the reports meet your audit needs - Test VPN and NAT setup in a pilot - Ask which features need extra subscriptions ### 7. Forcepoint Next-Generation Firewall **[Forcepoint](https://mandos.io/data/companies/forcepoint?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos)**. Next-generation firewall with intrusion prevention, malware checks and central control. Austin, United States · Founded 1994 · Momentum 39/100 (Mandos) Certifications: SOC 2, ISO 27001, FedRAMP, PCI DSS, HIPAA **Best for:** Mid-sized and large sites wanting one console and steady uptime Product page: https://cybersectools.com/tools/forcepoint-ngfw #### At a glance - Vendor: Forcepoint - Headquarters: Austin, United States - Founded: 1994 - Deployment: Hybrid - Company size: Mid-Market, Enterprise - NIST CSF: Protect, Detect - Pricing: Contact sales #### Our take Forcepoint Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) protects networks from known and unknown threats. Admins manage policy, incident response and reporting from the Secure Management Console. The firewall includes deep packet inspection, application control, intrusion prevention and Advanced Malware Detection and Protection, plus zero trust network access controls. Virtual appliances run on KVM and VMware, with cloud images for AWS and Azure. Integrations include Microsoft Entra ID, Microsoft Sentinel, Splunk and AWS Security Hub. It earns its place on uptime, because clustering, multi-ISP load balancing and updates without service breaks keep sites online while you change them. It comes in nine appliance models, so it fits mid-sized sites through large data centers. Forcepoint is owned by TPG, so ask about the support model and roadmap before you sign. #### Forcepoint Next-Generation Firewall main features - Central management with the Secure Management Console - Deep packet inspection - Application control - Intrusion prevention - Advanced Malware Detection and Protection (AMDP) - Zero trust network access controls - Load balance clustering and multi-ISP load balancing - Application-aware routing #### Forcepoint Next-Generation Firewall main integrations Microsoft Entra ID (Azure Active Directory), Microsoft Sentinel, Splunk, Amazon GuardDuty, AWS Security Hub, AWS Transit Gateway, Azure Resource Manager, Azure Virtual WAN, Ansible, VMware ESX #### What customers say Forcepoint NGFW is mostly praised for its central console, which lets teams run all their firewalls and policies from one place, and customers rely on its built-in intrusion prevention to stop attacks at the edge. The catch is support, because it can be slow to respond, so problems take longer to resolve. #### Before you buy Where it is strong: - One console for policy, response and reporting - Clustering and multi-ISP load balancing - Updates without service breaks Ask in the demo: - Ask which appliance model fits each of your sites - Test speed with malware protection and inspection on - Check how the Secure Management Console scales across sites ## How they fit your cybersecurity program (NIST CSF) NIST CSF 2.0 has six functions: Govern, Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond and Recover. The grid shows which functions each pick maps to in our record, so you can see where a solution sits in your program and what it leaves to other controls. All 7 solutions map to Protect and Detect. 1 of 7 maps to Respond. None map to Govern, Identify or Recover. | Solution | Govern | Identify | Protect | Detect | Respond | Recover | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | All solutions on this list | 0 of 7 | 0 of 7 | 7 of 7 | 7 of 7 | 1 of 7 | 0 of 7 | | Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls | – | – | 2 of 5 (Platform Security, Technology Infrastructure Resilience) | 1 of 2 (Continuous Monitoring) | – | – | | Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall | – | – | 3 of 5 (Identity Management, Authentication, and Access Control, Platform Security, Technology Infrastructure Resilience) | 1 of 2 (Continuous Monitoring) | – | – | | Cisco Secure Firewall | – | – | 1 of 5 (Technology Infrastructure Resilience) | 1 of 2 (Continuous Monitoring) | – | – | | Check Point Quantum Firewalls | – | – | 3 of 5 (Data Security, Platform Security, Technology Infrastructure Resilience) | 1 of 2 (Continuous Monitoring) | – | – | | Juniper SRX Series Firewalls | – | – | 2 of 5 (Platform Security, Technology Infrastructure Resilience) | 1 of 2 (Continuous Monitoring) | – | – | | Sophos Firewall | – | – | 1 of 5 (Technology Infrastructure Resilience) | 2 of 2 (Continuous Monitoring, Adverse Event Analysis) | 1 of 4 (Incident Mitigation) | – | | Forcepoint Next-Generation Firewall | – | – | 2 of 5 (Platform Security, Technology Infrastructure Resilience) | 1 of 2 (Continuous Monitoring) | – | – | Each cell shows how many of the function's NIST CSF 2.0 categories the solution maps to, with the category names. A product helps you reach these outcomes, but it does not make you compliant on its own. Your people and processes do the rest. ## CISO checklist for selecting a Next-Gen Firewalls product Work through these steps in order to go from an aging firewall to a contract you can defend. 1. **List your sites, data centers and clouds.** Form factor and count drive the design. 2. **Measure your traffic and how much is encrypted.** TLS inspection needs much more capacity. 3. **Decide between on-site firewalls and a cloud service.** It changes who runs and patches the firewall. 4. **Ask for speeds with threat prevention and TLS inspection on.** Speed can drop when both are on. 5. **Test central management across several sites.** Policy changes should reach every site quickly. 6. **Check how it fits your SD-WAN and remote access plans.** Many firewalls now handle both. 7. **Confirm how logs reach your SIEM.** Firewall logs matter in every investigation. 8. **Run a pilot at one site.** Real traffic shows problems a demo hides. 9. **Price hardware, subscriptions and support for five years.** Renewals often cost more than the hardware. **Compare Next-Gen Firewalls solutions side by side** Features, integrations, NIST coverage and deployment for every Next-Gen Firewalls solution we list, in one table. [Compare Next-Gen Firewalls solutions →](https://cybersectools.com/compare) ## Other solutions we considered for this shortlist We looked at 46 products for this list. These did not make the 7 above but are worth a look for the right team. 1. [Endian UTM](https://cybersectools.com/tools/endian-utm) · Endian UTM security gateway for IT networks with threat management and connectivity 2. [Tacitine NGFW](https://cybersectools.com/tools/tacitine-ngfw) · Tacitine Indian-made firewall with SD-WAN, Wi-Fi hotspot login and central control 3. [Sangfor Athena NGFW](https://cybersectools.com/tools/sangfor-network-secure-next-generation-firewall-ngfw) · Sangfor Technologies AI-powered NGFW with integrated WAF, threat detection, and SOC Lite 4. [Cato Networks Network Firewall](https://cybersectools.com/tools/cato-networks-network-firewall) · Cato Networks Cloud-native FWaaS solution providing NGFW capabilities for network security 5. [Barracuda CloudGen Firewall](https://cybersectools.com/tools/barracuda-cloudgen-firewall) · Barracuda Networks, Inc. Firewall for on-premises and multi-cloud networks with threat detection and SD-WAN. 6. [Versa Next Generation Firewall](https://cybersectools.com/tools/versa-next-generation-firewall) · Versa Networks NGFW with threat protection, app visibility, and AI-driven security 7. [Positive Technologies PT NGFW](https://cybersectools.com/tools/positive-technologies-pt-ngfw) · Positive Technologies Russian FSTEC-certified NGFW with IPS, app control, and TLS inspection. 8. [AhnLab Network PLUS](https://cybersectools.com/tools/ahnlab-network-plus) · AhnLab Integrated network security platform with firewall, IPS, DDoS, and sandbox Explore all Next-Gen Firewalls solutions: https://cybersectools.com/categories/next-generation-firewalls ## Conclusion Start with your sites and your team. If you want one policy across hardware, virtual and cloud firewalls, Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls cover that. If you want SD-WAN and zero trust access inside the firewall, FortiGate fits. Small IT teams often find Sophos Firewall easiest to run. Cisco Secure Firewall fits Cisco networks. Check Point Quantum suits companies that want to grow throughput by clustering firewalls. Juniper SRX suits teams that want physical, virtual and container firewalls, and Forcepoint NGFW suits sites that want one console and updates without downtime. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What makes a firewall next-generation? It controls traffic by application, user and content, not just by port and address. It also adds intrusion prevention, malware blocking and TLS inspection. ### Should I choose a hardware firewall or firewall as a service? Hardware or virtual firewalls suit data centers and large sites you control. Firewall as a service suits many small offices and remote users, because the provider runs the firewall in its cloud. Palo Alto and FortiGate offer both. ### Why does TLS inspection matter? Most web traffic is encrypted, so threats can hide inside it. TLS inspection lets the firewall look inside, but it slows the device, so size your firewall with it turned on. ### Do I still need a firewall with zero trust? Yes. Zero trust changes how users reach apps, but sites, data centers and clouds still need a firewall at their edge. Many vendors here offer both. ### How do I size a firewall? Use the throughput the vendor publishes with threat prevention and TLS inspection on, not the plain firewall number. Plan for growth over the life of the device. ## Sources These are the pages we reviewed for each pick: the vendor's own product page and website, its market data on Mandos, and every review page we read for customer feedback. 1. **Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls** · Palo Alto Networks: [Product page](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/network-security/next-generation-firewall) · [Palo Alto Networks website](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/) · [Market data on Mandos](https://mandos.io/data/companies/palo-alto-networks?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md-sources&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos) · [G2: palo alto networks next generation firewalls](https://www.g2.com/products/palo-alto-networks-next-generation-firewalls/reviews) · [G2: palo alto networks cloud ngfw](https://www.g2.com/products/palo-alto-networks-cloud-ngfw/reviews) · [PeerSpot](https://www.peerspot.com/products/palo-alto-networks-ng-firewalls-reviews) · [Gartner Peer Insights](https://www.gartner.com/reviews/product/strata-network-security-platform) · [TrustRadius](https://www.trustradius.com/products/paloalto-networks-virtualized-next-generation-firewalls/reviews) · [Reddit: next generation firewalls](https://www.reddit.com/r/AZURE/comments/16ymqmy/next_generation_firewalls/) · [Reddit: which version of panos would you install](https://www.reddit.com/r/paloaltonetworks/comments/1ctk1cb/which_version_of_panos_would_you_install/) · [Reddit: next generation firewall devices](https://www.reddit.com/r/networking/comments/60yfp4/next_generation_firewall_devices/) 2. **Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall** · Fortinet: [Product page](https://www.fortinet.com/products/next-generation-firewall) · [Fortinet website](https://www.fortinet.com/) · [Market data on Mandos](https://mandos.io/data/companies/fortinet?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md-sources&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos) · [Gartner Peer Insights](https://www.gartner.com/reviews/product/fortigate-next-generation-firewall-2077436483) · [PeerSpot](https://www.peerspot.com/products/fortinet-fortigate-reviews) · [G2](https://www.g2.com/products/fortigate-vm-ngfw/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons) · [Reddit: fortigate in azure documentation](https://www.reddit.com/r/fortinet/comments/1jefse6/fortigate_in_azure_documentation/) · [Reddit: azure fortinet fortigate nextgeneration firewall](https://www.reddit.com/r/fortinet/comments/1da7bru/azure_fortinet_fortigate_nextgeneration_firewall/) · [Reddit: spectrums fortigate firewall offering](https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/1ekpa39/spectrums_fortigate_firewall_offering/) · [Reddit: spectrums fortigate firewall offering](https://www.reddit.com/r/fortinet/comments/1ekqdnc/spectrums_fortigate_firewall_offering/) 3. **Cisco Secure Firewall** · Cisco: [Product page](https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/products/security/firewalls/index.html) · [Cisco website](https://www.cisco.com/) · [Market data on Mandos](https://mandos.io/data/companies/cisco?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md-sources&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos) · [Gartner Peer Insights](https://www.gartner.com/reviews/product/cisco-secure-firewall) · [PeerSpot](https://www.peerspot.com/products/cisco-secure-firewall-reviews) · [Reddit: 2025 firepower ftd secure firewall update on](https://www.reddit.com/r/Cisco/comments/1izi3jo/2025_firepower_ftd_secure_firewall_update_on/) · [Reddit: what is cisco fw missing when compared to other](https://www.reddit.com/r/networking/comments/1sz3x17/what_is_cisco_fw_missing_when_compared_to_other/) · [Reddit: new cisco secure firewall are insane 1250](https://www.reddit.com/r/Cisco/comments/1jvef0q/new_cisco_secure_firewall_are_insane_1250/) · [Reddit: cisco securityfirewall experience](https://www.reddit.com/r/Cisco/comments/1ttay5x/cisco_securityfirewall_experience/) 4. **Check Point Quantum Firewalls** · Check Point Software Technologies.: [Product page](https://www.checkpoint.com/quantum/next-generation-firewall/) · [Check Point Software Technologies. website](https://www.checkpoint.com/) · [Market data on Mandos](https://mandos.io/data/companies/check-point-software-technologies?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md-sources&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos) · [G2](https://www.g2.com/products/check-point-next-generation-firewalls-ngfws/reviews) · [Gartner Peer Insights](https://www.gartner.com/reviews/product/check-point-quantum) · [Reddit: thoughts about checkpoint](https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/199l7sj/thoughts_about_checkpoint/) · [Reddit: the new check point quantum security gateway](https://www.reddit.com/r/checkpoint/comments/if0bu4/the_new_check_point_quantum_security_gateway/) · [Reddit: if you are using checkpoint firewall how goodbad](https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/mdq9o1/if_you_are_using_checkpoint_firewall_how_goodbad/) · [Reddit: the company i work for is moving to checkpoint](https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/z7xnsm/the_company_i_work_for_is_moving_to_checkpoint/) 5. **Juniper SRX Series Firewalls** · Juniper Networks: [Product page](https://www.juniper.net/us/en/products/security/srx-series.html) · [Juniper Networks website](https://www.juniper.net/) · [Market data on Mandos](https://mandos.io/data/companies/juniper-networks?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md-sources&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos) · [Reddit: would you consider replacing palo alto andor](https://www.reddit.com/r/networking/comments/1wqsbsk/would_you_consider_replacing_palo_alto_andor/) · [Gartner Peer Insights](https://www.gartner.com/reviews/product/srx-series) · [G2](https://www.g2.com/products/vsrx/reviews) · [PeerSpot](https://www.peerspot.com/products/juniper-srx-series-firewall-reviews) · [Reddit: do juniper firewalls still exist](https://www.reddit.com/r/networking/comments/blzcfx/do_juniper_firewalls_still_exist/) · [Reddit: implementing juniper firewall for my home](https://www.reddit.com/r/Juniper/comments/svn3h1/implementing_juniper_firewall_for_my_home/) 6. **Sophos Firewall** · Sophos: [Product page](https://www.sophos.com/en-us/products/next-gen-firewall/) · [Sophos website](https://www.sophos.com/) · [Market data on Mandos](https://mandos.io/data/companies/sophos?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md-sources&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos) · [G2](https://www.g2.com/products/sophos-firewall/reviews) · [Gartner Peer Insights](https://www.gartner.com/reviews/product/sophos-firewall) · [PeerSpot](https://www.peerspot.com/products/sophos-firewall-reviews) · [Reddit: why use sophos firewalls](https://www.reddit.com/r/sophos/comments/11tbqng/why_use_sophos_firewalls/) · [Reddit: sophos firewalls gotten better](https://www.reddit.com/r/networking/comments/1eho9ki/sophos_firewalls_gotten_better/) 7. **Forcepoint Next-Generation Firewall** · Forcepoint: [Product page](https://www.forcepoint.com/product/ngfw-next-generation-firewall) · [Forcepoint website](https://www.forcepoint.com/) · [Market data on Mandos](https://mandos.io/data/companies/forcepoint?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md-sources&utm_campaign=explore-in-mandos) · [Gartner Peer Insights](https://www.gartner.com/reviews/product/forcepoint-next-generation-firewall) · [G2](https://www.g2.com/products/forcepoint-next-generation-firewall-ngfw/reviews) · [PeerSpot](https://www.peerspot.com/products/forcepoint-next-generation-firewall-reviews) · [Reddit: enterprise datacenter firewall recommendations](https://www.reddit.com/r/networking/comments/95258k/enterprise_datacenter_firewall_recommendations/) · [Reddit: your opinion of socalled nextgen firewalls](https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/98dh1q/your_opinion_of_socalled_nextgen_firewalls/) · [Reddit: forecpoint does anyone know this manufacturer](https://www.reddit.com/r/networking/comments/kyiwi9/forecpoint_does_anyone_know_this_manufacturer/) --- For AI agents: every CybersecTools shortlist is listed at https://cybersectools.com/shortlists.md. More on the vendors on this list: funding, momentum, hiring and news, plus the full product and company record, are available through the Mandos MCP Server (paid plans), which connects to AI assistants: https://mandos.io/mcp?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=shortlist-md