The best use case of Sophos XGS is for customers who use CMGs that manage the gateway of Microsoft, which was made obsolete years ago. Clients want to replace their proxy with some solution, and Sophos is one of the best bets.
Regional Head Of Technical And Sales Team at Comstar - Information Systems Associates Ltd.
Great for web filtering and load balancing but needs better marketing
Pros and Cons
- "The initial setup is very simple."
- "The solution is good for web filtering; it's also possible to use it as a load balancer and a destination firewall and site-to-site channeling, and remote users can gain access via Sophos, so it solves a variety of uses that the client needs."
- "I would like to see them in third-party evaluation reports like Gartner, Magic Quadrant, or Forrester to make it easier for us to show our customers that Sophos is a leader in the market."
- "Unfortunately, on Gartner, Magic Quadrant, and Forrester, Sophos doesn't have a good presence."
What is our primary use case?
How has it helped my organization?
The solution is good for web filtering. It's also possible to use it as a load balancer and a destination firewall and site-to-site channeling. Remote users can gain access via Sophos. It solves for a variety of uses that the client needs.
What is most valuable?
In our market, they offer a web filter SSL VPN and they are very useful for the customer.
The initial setup is very simple.
It's stable and reliable.
We can scale the product.
What needs improvement?
Some firewall names like Palo Alto and FortiGate are very famous for security. People find them very secure. While Sophos is fairly secure, they aren't known for their security, and it's not an obvious selling point. Unfortunately, on Gartner, Magic Quadrant, and Forrester, Sophos doesn't have a good presence. They need to get better at marketing their abilities and expanding what they can do.
I would like to see them in third-party evaluation reports like Gartner, Magic Quadrant, or Forrester to make it easier for us to show our customers that Sophos is a leader in the market. It will be easier for us to sell them. Our market depends on what products are currently in Gartner and Forrester, and these platforms.
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Sophos Firewall
September 2026
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For how long have I used the solution?
We've been working with the solution for five to six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable and reliable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The product is scalable.
We have more than 100 clients on Sophos.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is good and above average.
How was the initial setup?
It is easy to set up the solution. It's not a complex process.
While it depends on the magnitude of the customer's environment, normally the deployment only takes a day or two.
What about the implementation team?
We do not require any outside assistance. We can handle the setup ourselves.
If the client needs us to, we can deploy the solution for them. Since we sell the solution, we have a good understanding of the process. We have been doing implementations for years.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is moderate. It's not overly expensive. They offer good licensing.
What other advice do I have?
We are using and selling the solution. We are deploying it for different customers.
When the customer wants to buy an appliance, definitely it's an on-prem solution. However, when it comes to an endpoint or a firewall as a service, they offer cloud solutions as well.
I'd recommend the solution to others.
I would rate the solution seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Reseller
Reliable with a nice interface and great documentation
Pros and Cons
- "It's easy to use and user-friendly."
- "It is very lovely to work with Sophos in general."
- "The licensing prices are too high. There are a lot of false-positive cases."
What is our primary use case?
We did buy access points, and we did use the WiFi configuration. We did create a configuration for the WiFi to the access points on the same interface. It's great for access point integration.
What is most valuable?
The user interface is fine.
The configuration and customization capabilities are good.
It is very lovely to work with Sophos in general. It's easy to use and user-friendly.
There is a lot of great documentation available to users.
The stability is good.
It's scalable.
What needs improvement?
The licensing prices are too high.
There are a lot of false-positive cases.
We'd like to see access point integration.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for four months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable and reliable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The product can scale.
We have about 150 users on the solution right now.
How are customer service and support?
I have not used any technical support services. There is so much documentation online, I do not need assistance.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I also use Microsoft products. I prefer Sophos for on-premises and Microsoft for cloud and antivirus products.
Microsoft Defender and the Microsoft Defender cloud panels admin portal are native, and we are using many Microsoft products, so it just makes sense due to the environment to use Microsoft products.
How was the initial setup?
While the deployment was done before I began work in the organization, I reset it and configured it completely.
There are a lot of Sophos post-configuration documents, Sophos videos, et cetera. It was the first time that I configured Sophos. However, it was all good.
The product is very easy to maintain.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost to license the product is a bit expensive. I'd rate the cost at a four out of five in terms of affordability. We pay about $150.
What other advice do I have?
I'm a consultant. I'm using the latest version of the solution.
Sophos is good for smaller companies. It might not be suitable for large ones.
I'd rate it seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Buyer's Guide
Sophos Firewall
September 2026
Learn what your peers think about Sophos Firewall. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: September 2026.
917,433 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Data Center Engineer at Emerging Communications Limited
Has security synchronization, a user-friendly setup, and competitive pricing
Pros and Cons
- "The initial setup is very user-friendly because they have graphical user interface options and command line interface options. I would give the initial setup a rating of five out of five."
- "It would be nice to have features like the network access control (NAC) that Cisco has for Identity Services Engine. In the next release, I would also like to see an increase in the performance of the processing units."
What is our primary use case?
We use it to secure the enterprise endpoint devices, whether they are servers, laptops, or mobile phones.
What is most valuable?
Security synchronization is one of the best features because it integrates the firewall with the endpoint devices.
What needs improvement?
It would be nice to have features like the network access control (NAC) that Cisco has for Identity Services Engine.
In the next release, I would also like to see an increase in the performance of the processing units.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using Sophos XGS for about four years now.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is good. They have a support portal where you can log in a case and have direct support from one of the experts.
They are responsive and follow up closely, so I would give them a ten out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very user-friendly because they have graphical user interface options and command line interface options. I would give the initial setup a rating of five out of five.
It has three modes of deployment. You can have it deployed as physical hardware, as a virtual machine, or as software in the cloud.
What about the implementation team?
We implemented it through an in-house team.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing for Sophos is much better compared to that of Fortinet and Check Point. On a scale from one to five with one being expensive and five being competitive, I would rate Sophos' pricing at four.
The pricing can be for the hardware appliance and the license, or it can be subscription-based. It can be around 3000 USD up to 25,000 USD per year depending on the model or series of the hardware you choose to buy.
What other advice do I have?
Sophos XGS is suitable for enterprise customers and SMBs.
Overall, I would rate Sophos XGS at eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
It manager at MMA2
Spam filtering is my favorite feature
Pros and Cons
- "Spam filtering is what I love most about XGS."
- "The reporting could be better."
What is our primary use case?
I use XGS for filtering and spam blocking. We have 255 users.
What is most valuable?
Spam filtering is what I love most about XGS.
What needs improvement?
The reporting could be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos XGS for about five years.
How was the initial setup?
Setting up Sophos XGS is straightforward, and it took us about four hours to deploy.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I pay for a yearly license for XGS. It's not cheap, but the price is okay compared to other gateway devices. It's in the middle.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Sophos XGS eight out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Vice President | Head of Information Systems & Manufacturing Engineering at a manufacturing company with 51-200 employees
A low-cost solution, customer service response time can be improved
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is easy to use and configure, once you know how to apply the policies."
- "The customer service response time is slow and could use improvement."
What is our primary use case?
The solution provides firewall protection.
What is most valuable?
The solution is easy to use and configure, once you know how to apply the policies.
What needs improvement?
The customer service response time can be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I am currently using the solution.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is good. I have not had any problems with it.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of the solution is good.
How are customer service and support?
The customer service response time is slow and could use improvement.
How was the initial setup?
The setup is straightforward if you know how to do iOS.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost is around $50 per endpoint, and there is a one-time purchase fee for the firewalls of $2,500, plus services. It is roughly around $4,000.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I am currently evaluating CrowdStrike. I like it better.
What other advice do I have?
I give this solution seven out of ten.
If you are looking for a low-cost solution, cheaper than Cisco I recommend this solution. You should also look at Fortinet.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Senior Engineer at Spectrum Engineering Consortium Ltd.
Excellent solution for security, traffic filtering, blocking websites and wireless protection
Pros and Cons
- "Sophos XGS is profound as a firewall and security product."
- "It would be good if we could do dual customization."
- "It is not a stable solution, and improvements can be made to firmware and hardware."
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution for security purposes, traffic filtering, voice filtering, blocking websites, traffic shaping, and wireless protection. We also use this solution to analyze malware threats and email protection logs.
How has it helped my organization?
Sophos XGS is profound as a firewall and security product. We have deployed Sophos XGS and Endpoint in several banking systems and government sites. Our customers are satisfied that Sophos XGS is continuously blocking websites and giving us reports on which apps, users or websites are vulnerable. As partners, we also benefit and have deployed several parallels on the customer side. In addition, Sophos has improved its technical support service, and customers are happy about the support.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is the network policy and SD-WAN policy.
What needs improvement?
There was a hardware conflict with the software. Recently we did five RMA of Sophos hardware, and several customers said the hardware and firmware were faulty, so there is a dependency on the hardware. For some customers, EQuIS is also an issue, and when we claim RMA from Bangladesh, it takes almost one month to get the product.
In addition, the firmware has some bugs because it continuously updates in 5.1, 5.3, and 5.7. So, if we randomly change the firmware, it's not fixable, and this should be improved.
In Sophos XG Firewall, we can create a different zone, like LAN, DMZ, and MZ, but we cannot customize the WAN dual, so it would be good if we could do dual customization.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this solution for five years. It was called Sophos XG Firewall Endpoint before Sophos XGS. Recently we deployed XGS version 4300. It is deployed on-premises.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is not a stable solution, and improvements can be made to firmware and hardware.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability could be improved.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is helpful, but the response time could be faster. When we raise a case, there is sometimes a delay in responding. There is no toll-free number to call for emergency support in Bangladesh, so we call a Singapore number and wait a long time for technical support. When they eventually answer, they ask us many questions, which consumes a lot of time, and they sometimes transfer us to other technical engineers. This is a significant issue for us in Bangladesh and should be improved.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Sophos XGS was a tender proposal, and we chose it.
How was the initial setup?
It was an easy setup, and it was not complex. The deployment depends on the customer's timeline, requirements and scope of work. Basic configuration takes about one or two days, and we deployed both in-house and in the customer environment. I rate the initial setup an eight out of ten. One person can do deployment because we're not doing any mounting, and mounting requires two people. So configuration can also be done by one person.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
They have annual licenses, and we have a three-year license. Unfortunately, I do not have information on the licensing costs.
What other advice do I have?
I rate this solution a nine out of ten, and I would recommend this solution to others.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
VP of Operations at Caprihans India Ltd
A stable firewall solution with a useful tunneling feature.
Pros and Cons
- "I like the tunneling part which we are using for the VOIP. We have various other sites where we connect via tunneling. The tunneling part is very fast and easy to implement."
- "The deployment is very easy for my network team, and it is very easy to implement policies."
- "It would be better if they made their own hardware like Palo Alto and Fortinet. They use their own ASICs and claim it is more secure."
What is our primary use case?
We use Sophos XG for the firewall.
What is most valuable?
I like the tunneling part which we are using for the VOIP. We have various other sites where we connect via tunneling. The tunneling part is very fast and easy to implement.
The deployment is very easy for my network team, and it is very easy to implement policies. The support that Sophos provides for the upgrade of new features and their interaction with the customer is very good.
Customer engagement is what I like about the product. We are very well informed about what is going on and new best practices. If anything new has gone wrong or anything in the world of cybersecurity we should know about, they will let us know.
Any firewall is dependent on how you use it. It's also on the user, how you configure it, what you allow, and what you don't allow, and so on. The ease of defining policies and the customer connect is what I appreciate about Sophos.
What needs improvement?
It would be better if they made their own hardware like Palo Alto and Fortinet. They use their own ASICs and claim it is more secure.
The SD-WAN can be improved. The traffic optimization somehow needs to be improved, or there is a scope for improvement in Sophos XG.
It would be better if they moved towards the cloud side of things. Now a lot of things are moving on to the cloud.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos XG for a couple of years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Sophos XG is a stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Sophos XG is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
The Sophos forum and Sophos direct support are excellent.
On a scale from one to ten, I would give Sophos support a ten.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We had Cyberoam, which Sophos took over.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward and took us about a week to deploy.
What about the implementation team?
An internal team made up of two people implemented Sophos XG.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We generally buy it for a three-year license.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend Sophos XG to potential users.
On a scale from one to ten, I would give Sophos XG an eight.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Director Of Information Technology at New Egypt Gold
Good performance and helpful support but it's hard to get devices in Egypt
Pros and Cons
- "It is scalable."
- "The performance is good and it is scalable, and technical support has been helpful in general."
- "We'd like an interface that can monitor everything."
- "I need one solution and one centralized interface to monitor all the switches, access points, firewalls, and everything. I found this in Fortinet. Sophos is falling short."
What is most valuable?
The performance is good.
It is scalable.
Technical support has been helpful in general.
What needs improvement?
The fabric solution, the access points, and the WiFi, is not being delivered to Egypt due to some regulations. It's hard to get any devices in Egypt right now. I need one solution and one centralized interface to monitor all the switches, access points, firewalls, and everything. I found this in Fortinet. Sophos is falling short.
We'd like an interface that can monitor everything.
The costs could be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used the solution for two to three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I can't speak to the stability, however, the performance is good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution can scale well. It's not a problem to expand it.
We have about 400 people on the solution currently.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We also worked with Fortinet. While we are on Sophos right now, we're also moving again towards Fortinet. I'm waiting on the delivery right now.
I am implementing a new public solution for access points and switches. I'm going to FortiGate since it offers a full solution, and it is already delivered to the country, Egypt. With the Sophos access points, they are not delivering regarding regulatory issues and something like that.
How was the initial setup?
We do have some people on the solution that maintains it. I don't handle the initial step myself. We have a team that does it.
What about the implementation team?
Our own team can handle the initial implementation.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing of Sophos is the same as Fortinet. In general, the solutions in the market are all around the same price.
When you go to finalize the project and include another competitor, the distributor tends to give a big discount on the solution to exit to another one.
What other advice do I have?
I'm a customer and end-user.
I don't know which version of the solution we're currently on. I'm the director of the department, and therefore, I'm not working with it directly. There's a team that's working on the versions and upgrading software and so on, while handling the technical issues.
I'm just dealing with the high level of design or decision-making.
It's not a bad solution. It's a good option and it takes a market share in Egypt. However, I like Fortinet as they have a device that's reaching in the market and the cost is not bad. They also have an impressive monitoring interface with FortiAnalyzer and FortiManager.
I'd rate Sophos seven out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Associate Director & Co-Owner at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees
Easy to use, responsive support, but price high
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature of Sophos XGS is its ease of use."
- "The price of Sophos XGS could improve, it is high."
What is our primary use case?
we are using Sophos XGS for full control over our network.
How has it helped my organization?
Sophos XGS has improved our organization.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of Sophos XGS is its ease of use.
What needs improvement?
The price of Sophos XGS could improve, it is high.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos XGS for approximately two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Sophos XGS is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of Sophos XGS is good.
We have approximately 10 technicians that know how to use the solution.
How are customer service and support?
The support from Sophos XGS was responsive. They solved the issues we had.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have not used another solution prior to Sophos XGS.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of Sophos XGS was easy. The time it took for us to implement the solution was approximately one month.
What about the implementation team?
We use a third party with our in-house team to do the implementation. We have 10 workers that maintain the solution.
What was our ROI?
I rate the return on investment for Sophos XGS a three out of five.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There is an annual licensing fee to use Sophos XGS. It is an expensive solution.
I rate the price of Sophos XGS a four out of five.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We did not evaluate another solution before choosing Sophos XGS.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Sophos XGS seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Director at INDSYS Infotech Services
A perfect product for small and medium businesses
Pros and Cons
- "XGS' most valuable feature is ransomware protection."
- "XGS is a perfect product for small and medium businesses."
- "Sophos' technical support has degraded in the last couple of years. They seem to need to ask a lot of questions, even with simple problems, and take a long time to provide solutions."
What is most valuable?
XGS' most valuable feature is ransomware protection.
What needs improvement?
In the next release, XGS should include mobile features like two-factor authorization.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using XGS for seven years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
XGS is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
XGS is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
Sophos' technical support has degraded in the last couple of years. They seem to need to ask a lot of questions, even with simple problems, and take a long time to provide solutions.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is simple.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
XGS' price could be lower, though it's moderately priced in the market.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I also evaluated SonicWall and FortiGate.
What other advice do I have?
XGS is a perfect product for small and medium businesses. I would rate it as eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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Updated: September 2026
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