Comparison of firewalls

This is a comparison of firewalls.

Software firewalls

Firewall	License	Cost and usage limits	OS
Avast Internet Security	Proprietary	Paid	Windows
Comodo Internet Security	Proprietary	Trialware^[a]	Windows
G Data Internet Security	Proprietary	Paid^[1]	Windows
Intego VirusBarrier	Proprietary	Paid	macOS on an Xserve
IPFilter	GPLv2	Free	UNIX-like
ipfirewall	BSD	Free	*BSD
Kaspersky Internet Security	Proprietary	Trialware	Windows
Lavasoft Personal Firewall	Proprietary	Paid	Windows
Microsoft Forefront Threat Management Gateway	Proprietary	Discontinued	Windows
Netfilter	GPL	Free	Linux
NetLimiter	Proprietary	Paid	Windows
nftables	GPL	Free	Linux
Norton 360	Proprietary	Paid	Windows
NPF	BSD	Free	NetBSD
PF	BSD	Free	*BSD
Online Armor Personal Firewall	Proprietary	Discontinued	Windows
Outpost Firewall Pro	Proprietary	Discontinued	Windows
PC Tools Firewall Plus	Proprietary	Discontinued	Windows
PeerBlock	GPL	Free	Windows
Shorewall	GPL	Free	Linux
Sygate Personal Firewall	Proprietary	Discontinued	Windows
Windows Firewall	Proprietary	Included with Windows XP SP2 and later	Windows
ZoneAlarm	Proprietary	Freemium	Windows

Notes

^ It was freemium until 2019

Appliance firewalls

Firewall	License	Cost	OS
Clavister	Proprietary	Included on all Clavister NGFWs	Proprietary operating system cOS Core
Check Point	Proprietary	Included on Check Point security gateways	Proprietary operating system Check Point IPSO and Gaia (Linux-based)
FortiGate	Proprietary	Included on all Fortigate devices	Proprietary, FortiOS, Based on the Linux kernel
Palo Alto Networks	Proprietary	Included on Palo Alto Networks firewalls	Proprietary, PAN-OS, Based on the Linux kernel
Sophos	Proprietary	Included on Sophos UTM	Linux-based appliance
Cisco Firepower	Proprietary	Included on newer CISCO ASA devices which support the Firepower services module or Firepower Threat Defense	Proprietary operating system. Based on the Linux kernel.
Cisco PIX	Proprietary	Included on all CISCO PIX devices	Proprietary operating system
Juniper SSG	Proprietary	Included on Netscreen security gateways	Proprietary operating system ScreenOS
Juniper SRX	Proprietary	Included on SRX security gateways	Proprietary operating system Junos
SonicWall	Proprietary	Included on Dell appliance	Proprietary operating system SonicOS Based on the Linux kernel
Barracuda Firewall	Proprietary	Included Firewall Next Generation appliance	Windows-based appliance embedded firewall distribution
Cyberoam	Proprietary	Included Firewall Sophos appliance	Windows-based appliance embedded firewall distribution
D-Link	Proprietary	Included Firewall DFL	Windows-based appliance embedded firewall distribution
Endian Firewall	Proprietary	Free / Paid	Linux-based appliance
Forcepoint NGFW	Proprietary	Included on all Forcepoint NGFW devices	Proprietary operating system
OPNsense	Simplified BSD / FreeBSD License	Free / Paid	FreeBSD-based appliance firewall distribution
pfSense	Apache 2.0 / Proprietary (Plus)	Free / Paid	FreeBSD-based appliance firewall distribution
Zeroshell	GPL	Free / Paid	Linux/NanoBSD-based appliance firewall distribution
SmoothWall	GPL	Free / Paid	Linux-based appliance embedded firewall distribution
IPFire	GPL	Free (Donations welcomed)	Linux-based appliance embedded firewall distribution
WatchGuard	Proprietary	Included on all Firebox devices	Proprietary, Fireware OS, Based on the Linux kernel
WinGate	Proprietary	Free / Paid	Windows-based appliance embedded firewall distribution

Appliance-UTM filtering features comparison

Can Target:	Changing default policy to accept/reject (by issuing a single rule)	IP destination address(es)	IP source address(es)	TCP/UDP destination port(s)	TCP/UDP source port(s)	Ethernet MAC destination address	Ethernet MAC source address	Inbound firewall (ingress)	Outbound firewall (egress)
Trend Micro Internet Security	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes
Vyatta	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes
Windows XP Firewall	No	No	Yes	Partial^[a]	No	No	No	Yes	No
Windows Vista Firewall	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes
Windows 7 / Windows 2008 R2 Firewall	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
WinGate	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes
Zeroshell	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Zorp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
pfSense	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes
IPFire	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Notes

^ can target only single destination TCP/UDP port per rule, not port ranges.

Advanced features comparison

Can:	work at OSI Layer 4 (stateful firewall)	work at OSI Layer 7 (application inspection)	Change TTL? (Transparent to traceroute)	Configure REJECT-with answer	DMZ (de-militarized zone)	Filter according to time of day (quota)	Redirect TCP/UDP ports (port forwarding)	Redirect IP addresses (forwarding)	Filter according to User Authorization	Traffic rate-limit / QoS	Tarpit	Log
Sidewinder	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
WinGate	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Zeroshell	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
OPNsense	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
pfSense	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
IPFire	Yes	Yes	?	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	No	Yes

Features:	Configuration: GUI, text or both modes?	Remote Access: Web (HTTP), Telnet, SSH, RDP, Serial COM RS232, ...	Change rules without requiring restart?	Ability to centrally manage all firewalls together
WinGate	GUI	Proprietary user interface	Yes	—
ClearOS	both	RS232, SSH, WebConfig,	Yes	Yes with ClearDNS
Zeroshell	GUI	SSH, Web (HTTPS), RS232	Yes	No
OPNsense	both	SSH, Web (HTTP/HTTPS), RS232	Yes	No
pfSense	both	SSH, Web (HTTP/HTTPS), RS232	Yes	No
IPFire	both	SSH, Web (HTTPS), RS232	Yes	No

Miscellany comparison

Features:	Modularity: supports third-party modules to extend functionality?	IPS : Intrusion prevention system	Open-Source License?	supports IPv6?	Class: Home / Professional	Operating Systems on which it runs?
Vyatta	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Professional	Vyatta OS (built on Debian)
WinGate	Yes^[a]	?	No	No	Professional	Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows 2008. 32bit and 64bit.
OPNsense	Yes	Yes, with Snort and Suricata (modules)	Yes	Yes	Both	FreeBSD/NanoBSD-based appliance
pfSense	Yes	Yes, with Snort and Suricata (modules)	Yes	Yes	Both	FreeBSD/NanoBSD-based appliance
IPFire	Yes	Yes, with Suricata	Yes	Yes (manual setup needed)	Both	Linux (based on Linux From Scratch)

Notes

^ WinGate 6.x supports 3rd party modules for data scanning only (e.g. antivirus and content filtering).

Non-Firewall features comparison

These are not strictly firewall features, but are sometimes bundled with firewall software or appliance. Features are also marked "yes" if an external module can be installed that meets the criteria.

Can:	NAT^[a]	NAT64, NPTv6	Intrusion Detection System (IDS)^[b]	Virtual Private Network (VPN)^[c]	Antivirus (AV)	Packet capture	Profile selection^[d]
Vyatta	Yes (three NAT types)	?	Yes (integrated Snort)	Yes (IPsec and OpenVPN)	Yes (with clamav, Sophos Antivirus (optional))	Yes (with wireshark or tcpdump)	?
WinGate	Yes	?	Yes (with NetPatrol)	Yes (proprietary)	Yes (Kaspersky Labs)	Yes (filtered capturing to pcap format)	No
OPNsense	Yes	Yes (NPt)	Yes (integrated Suricata)	Yes (WireGuard, OpenVPN, IPsec, L2TP, IKEv2, Tinc, PPTP)	Yes (with squid and clamav)	Yes (tcpdump)	No
pfSense	Yes	Yes (NPt)	Yes (with Snort)	Yes (WireGuard, OpenVPN, IPsec, L2TP, IKEv2, Tinc, PPTP)	Yes (with squid and clamav)	Yes (tcpdump)	No
IPFire	Yes	?	Yes (with Suricata)	Yes (OpenVPN, IPsec, IKEv2)	Yes (with squid and clamav)	Yes (tcpdump)	No

Notes

^ static, dynamic w/o ports, PAT
^ monitors for malicious activity or policy violations
^ types include: PPTP, L2TP, MPLS, IPsec, SSL
^ store sets of firewall settings to switch between

References

^ AG, G. DATA CyberDefense (2022-12-23). "Internet Security – strong online protection for all of your devices". gdata-software.com. Retrieved 2023-07-10.

[1] It was freemium until 2019

[3] target only single destination TCP/UDP port per rule, not port ranges.

[4] WinGate 6.x supports 3rd party modules for data scanning only (e.g. antivirus and content filtering).

[5] static, dynamic w/o ports, PAT

[6] tors for malicious activity or policy violations

[7] types include: PPTP, L2TP, MPLS, IPsec, SSL

[8] store sets of firewall settings to switch between

[2] AG, G. DATA CyberDefense (2022-12-23). "Internet Security – strong online protection for all of your devices". gdata-software.com. Retrieved 2023-07-10.

[a]

[1]

[a]

[a]

[a]

[b]

[c]

[d]