Last updated: November 2026
Disclosure: WavesRank is reader-supported. Some links in this article may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. Waves Telecom, the IT company our founder runs, is a Fortinet Gold Partner and a Sophos Gold Partner and sells both brands. To keep this guide fair we compare all five firewalls on the same points, using published specifications and US reseller prices, and we say where a competitor is the better choice. This comparison is based on research and our IT experience, not side-by-side lab testing. See our Affiliate Disclosure and Editorial Policy.
A small business firewall sits between your internet connection and your office network. A basic router only blocks unwanted incoming connections. A business firewall (often called a next-generation firewall, or NGFW) also scans traffic for malware and attacks, blocks dangerous websites, gives staff secure remote access (VPN), and shows you what is happening on your network.
This guide compares five firewalls that small offices of roughly 5 to 50 people most often consider, with what they really cost in the first year and after, and which kind of business each one fits.
Quick answer
- Choose FortiGate if you want strong security scanning that keeps up with a fast internet line, and you have an IT provider to set it up.
- Choose Sophos XGS if you already use (or plan to use) Sophos endpoint protection on your PCs, so the firewall and antivirus work together.
- Choose UniFi if budget matters most and you want no mandatory yearly subscription, accepting lighter security features.
- Choose Netgate pfSense if you have someone technical who wants full control and no licence fees.
- Choose Meraki if you have several small branches and want everything managed from one simple cloud dashboard, and accept a licence that must never lapse.
Do you need a business firewall?
If your office has more than a handful of computers, holds customer data, or has staff working remotely, a business firewall is worth it. The router from your internet provider usually cannot scan for malware, filter websites, give you proper VPN access, or keep logs you can check after an incident. Many cyber insurance questionnaires and supplier security checks also ask whether you have a managed firewall.
If you are a two-person business working mostly in the cloud, a good router plus the basics in our small business cybersecurity checklist may be enough for now.
Side-by-side comparison
Specifications are the vendors’ published figures. Prices are US reseller or store prices found in November 2026 and vary by country and seller.
| Firewall | Year-1 price | Yearly after | Security scanning speed | Subscription needed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FortiGate 50G + 1-year UTP | About $1,058 | Renewal by quote | 1.1 Gbps threat protection | For security features, yes |
| Sophos XGS 88 + 1-year Xstream | About $778 | About $305 (Xstream Protection) | Up to 600 Mbps internet line recommended | For security features, yes |
| UniFi Dream Machine Pro Max | $599 | $0 (optional CyberSecure $99) | 5 Gbps IPS | No |
| Netgate 4200 (pfSense Plus) | $829 (TAC Lite support included) | $0 (optional TAC Pro $399) | 8.6 Gbps firewall | No |
| Cisco Meraki MX67 | Hardware + licence by quote | Advanced Security licence about $360 | 450 Mbps firewall, about 50 clients | Yes, always |
Speeds are not directly comparable between vendors, because each measures differently. As a rough guide, choose a model whose security scanning speed is at least your internet line speed.
What it really costs over three years
The hardware price is only part of the cost. FortiGate, Sophos and Meraki need a yearly subscription for their security features (and, for Meraki, for the device to work at all). UniFi and pfSense have no required subscription, but offer fewer built-in security services.
- Sophos XGS 88: about $778 in year 1, then about $305 a year for Xstream Protection, so roughly $1,390 over three years.
- UniFi Dream Machine Pro Max: $599 once, or about $800 over three years with the optional CyberSecure subscription.
- Netgate 4200: $829 once, or about $1,630 over three years if you add TAC Professional support.
- FortiGate 50G: about $1,058 in year 1. Ask for the 1-year UTP renewal price before you buy. For reference, the older FortiGate 60F’s 1-year UTP renewal was about $510 at a US reseller.
- Meraki MX67: the Advanced Security licence was about $360 a year at a US reseller, plus the hardware. Ask for a quote that includes 3 or 5 years of licence, which usually lowers the yearly cost.
Also budget for setup. Unless you have in-house IT, expect to pay an IT provider for a few hours of configuration.
FortiGate 50G: most security performance per dollar
Best for: offices of about 10 to 50 people with a fast internet line and an IT provider.
Fortinet uses its own security chips, which is why its small models keep their speed with scanning turned on. The FortiGate 50G lists 1.1 Gbps of threat protection throughput (firewall, intrusion prevention, application control and malware protection running together) and 5 Gbps of plain firewall throughput. With the Unified Threat Protection (UTP) bundle you get intrusion prevention, antivirus, web filtering, application control and FortiCare support for the year.
A US reseller listed the 50G with a 1-year UTP bundle at about $1,058. The older FortiGate 40F bundle was cheaper (about $575) but is a slower, older model, and the popular 60F is approaching end of sale, so for a new purchase the G series is the safer choice.
Watch out for: FortiOS is powerful but not beginner-friendly; most small businesses need an IT provider to set it up well. Without the UTP subscription, the security services stop updating.
Sophos XGS 88: best if you also use Sophos endpoint
Best for: small offices that use, or are open to, Sophos endpoint protection on their PCs.
Sophos’s strength is Synchronized Security: when Sophos endpoint protection on a PC detects a threat, the firewall can automatically isolate that PC from the network. The Xstream Protection bundle includes intrusion prevention, web and application control, zero-day sandboxing, DNS protection, Sophos Central management and enhanced support with hardware replacement.
The XGS 88 is the entry desktop model, recommended for internet lines up to about 600 Mbps. A US reseller listed it with 1 year of Xstream Protection at about $778, and a 1-year Xstream subscription for the XGS 88 at about $305. If your line is faster or you have more staff, look at the XGS 108.
Watch out for: the XGS 88 is small; its TLS inspection throughput is lower than its headline firewall speed, so check sizing with your reseller if you plan to inspect encrypted traffic.
UniFi Dream Machine Pro Max: lowest running cost
Best for: budget-conscious offices that already use, or want, UniFi Wi-Fi and switches.
Ubiquiti’s UniFi Dream Machine Pro Max costs $599 in the Ubiquiti US store and needs no subscription. It is a router, firewall, intrusion prevention system (listed at 5 Gbps IPS routing) and network controller in one rack-mount box, managed from the same UniFi app as UniFi access points and switches. An optional CyberSecure subscription ($99 a year) adds enhanced threat signatures powered by Proofpoint.
Watch out for: UniFi is a strong networking platform but its security features (web filtering, application control, reporting) are lighter than FortiGate or Sophos, and it has no equivalent of Sophos’s endpoint integration. Support is mainly community and online.
Netgate 4200 (pfSense Plus): best for technical teams
Best for: businesses with an in-house IT person who wants full control and no yearly licence.
pfSense is one of the most widely used open-source firewall platforms. The Netgate 4200 runs pfSense Plus and costs $829 in Netgate’s store, including TAC Lite support. It lists 8.6 Gbps of firewall throughput and four 2.5 Gbps ports. Packages such as Suricata (intrusion prevention) and pfBlockerNG (blocklists) add security features at no licence cost.
Watch out for: you configure and maintain those security packages yourself. There is no built-in cloud dashboard like Meraki’s or vendor threat research like Fortinet’s or Sophos’s, so it suits technical owners, not busy office managers.
Cisco Meraki MX67: easiest for several small sites
Best for: businesses with several small branches that want simple, central cloud management.
Meraki MX appliances are managed entirely from Cisco’s cloud dashboard, which makes multi-site setups and remote changes very easy. The MX67 lists 450 Mbps of stateful firewall throughput and is recommended for about 50 clients. The Advanced Security licence adds content filtering, intrusion prevention and malware protection; a US reseller listed the 1-year licence for the MX67 at about $360.
Watch out for: a Meraki licence is not optional. According to Meraki’s own documentation, if your licences expire and are not renewed within a 30-day grace period, your devices stop passing client traffic. Put licence renewal in your calendar.
Which one should you choose?
| Your situation | Our suggestion |
|---|---|
| 10–50 people, fast internet, IT provider | FortiGate 50G |
| Using Sophos endpoint protection | Sophos XGS 88 (or XGS 108 for faster lines) |
| Tight budget, no yearly fees | UniFi Dream Machine Pro Max |
| Technical in-house IT, wants full control | Netgate 4200 (pfSense Plus) |
| Several small branch offices | Cisco Meraki MX67 |
| Compliance or audit requirements (logs, reports) | FortiGate or Sophos with an active subscription |
Five setup mistakes to avoid
- Leaving the default admin password or exposing the admin page to the internet. Manage the firewall only from inside the network or through the vendor’s cloud portal, with MFA.
- Letting the subscription lapse. On FortiGate and Sophos, security updates stop; on Meraki, the network stops.
- Never updating firmware. Firewall vulnerabilities are a common way in for attackers. Turn on update notifications and patch promptly.
- Old-style VPN left open. Use MFA for remote access and remove accounts for people who have left. See our case study on a former IT provider who still had remote access.
- Buying too small. Size the firewall to your internet speed with security scanning turned on, not the headline firewall number.
How we compared
We used each vendor’s published specifications and US store or reseller prices checked in November 2026, and compared models that fit an office of roughly 5 to 50 people. We looked at first-year and ongoing cost, security features, scanning performance, management and support. Our founder’s company sells Fortinet and Sophos, so we applied the same criteria to every brand and noted where the others are the better fit. We did not lab-test these firewalls side by side.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best firewall for a small business? There is no single best one. FortiGate gives the most security performance for the price, Sophos is best alongside Sophos endpoint, UniFi has the lowest running cost, pfSense suits technical teams, and Meraki is easiest for multiple sites.
How much does a small business firewall cost? Roughly $600 to $1,100 in the first year for the models in this guide, plus about $0 to $500 a year afterwards depending on the subscription, and setup time from an IT provider.
Do I still need antivirus if I have a firewall? Yes. A firewall protects the network edge; endpoint protection protects each laptop, including when staff work from home. You need both.
Can I use my internet provider’s router instead? For very small offices, sometimes. But ISP routers rarely scan for malware, filter websites, provide proper VPN with MFA, or keep useful logs.
How long does a firewall last? Typically five to seven years, until the vendor ends support for the model. Check the end-of-sale and end-of-support dates before buying, as some popular models are being replaced.
Related guides
- Small business cybersecurity checklist: 20 essentials
- Microsoft 365 security: 12 settings to turn on
- Our client’s old IT provider still had remote access (case study)
- Best backup solutions for small business
Prices and features were checked in November 2026 and change often. Always confirm with the vendor or a reseller before buying.