IPFire vs Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls comparison

Why PeerSpot?

IPFire Project and Palo Alto Networks are both solutions in the Firewalls category. IPFire Project is ranked #29 with an average rating of 8.0, while Palo Alto Networks is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.9. IPFire Project holds a 0.9% mindshare in Firewalls, compared to Palo Alto Networks’s 5.3% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of IPFire Project users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Palo Alto Networks users who would recommend it.

IPFire

Read 4 IPFire reviews

4,097 Views
4,015 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Palo Alto Networks NG Firew...

Read 200 Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls reviews

27,267 Views
26,176 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

IPFire

Palo Alto Networks NG Firew...

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 25, 2026

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls and IPFire compete in the network security domain. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls seem to have the upper hand in advanced security features and enterprise-level support, while IPFire benefits from open-source flexibility and cost-effectiveness.

Features: Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls offer threat prevention, application control, and advanced security analytics, suitable for large enterprises. IPFire provides versatility, ease of use, and modularity, with features like intrusion detection and customizable firewalls.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls offer comprehensive customer support and detailed deployment guides suitable for extensive infrastructures. IPFire is praised for simplicity and easy installation, with community-driven support valuable for flexible setups.

Pricing and ROI: Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls have higher setup costs, offering substantial ROI by improving security measures. IPFire, as an open-source solution, has lower setup costs, delivering high ROI through its cost-effective approach, ideal for small to medium-sized networks.

To learn more, read our detailed IPFire vs. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls Report (Updated: November 2026).

Buyer's Guide

IPFire vs. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

November 2026

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

IPFire

Ranking in Firewalls

29th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Palo Alto Networks NG Firew...

Ranking in Firewalls

5th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

200

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the Firewalls category, the mindshare of IPFire is 0.9%, down from 2.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls is 5.3%, up from 4.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewalls Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls	5.3%
IPFire	0.9%
Other	93.8%

Firewalls

Featured Reviews

Agharinma Ehiedu

Chief Technology Officer at Agileware Limited

Firewall deployment has secured mission-critical public apps and simplifies Linux-based management

The best features IPFire offers include its very intuitive nature because, even though it has a Linux back-end, in terms of configuration, it has a very rich GUI interface. The GUI and configuration features of IPFire have made my work easier and more efficient because their positioning and the sequence with which I follow is easy. In terms of all the processes, what you need to do at first and the next thing that you need to do is clear. The GUI is well arranged in sequential order, so you can follow that from whatever you want to do until you get the target objective. IPFire includes features with a very robust and rich community that is very much valid in terms of content. IPFire has positively impacted my organization by giving us some mileage. At least, a lot of organizations now know that we have a solution that can deliver the same value.

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Nitin Yadav

Network & Security Engineer at Arrow PC Network Pvt.Ltd.

Strong threat prevention has reduced phishing and malware while I monitor traffic in depth

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls offers application and user awareness, which allow me to control traffic based on threats. The product includes threat prevention, advanced threat prevention, and deep packet inspection that really helps prevent issues in our network. Deep packet inspection inspects full traffic content, even inside applications and encrypted sessions. Deep packet inspection makes a very practical difference day to day because it lets me see and control what is actually inside the traffic, not just the open port or IP. I have real visibility of which application is running instead of just seeing HTTPS. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls WildFire sandboxing is really good at detecting and blocking zero-day malware automatically, along with its GlobalProtect and DNS security features. Using Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls positively impacts my organization by providing strong security, better visibility, faster response, and simplified operations. After deploying Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls in our network, it blocks malicious traffic and prevents compromises that occurred before Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls. I can now block outside IPs to prevent issues. After Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls installation, I reduced 60 to 70 percent of malware and phishing attacks. Its threat prevention and DNS security features detect these attacks, block malicious domains, and reduce manual efforts for the security team.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"IPFire has prevented any kind of hacking and enables us to comply with customer requirements."

"I would rate the stability as ten out of ten for IPFire."

"Regarding IPFire's AI capabilities, I think they are quite focused; in all the deployments I have done, I have not had any incidents or breaches."

"What I appreciate the most about IPFire is that it is simple, and I learned it when I was in school, so that is really something simple and I know it, so I continue to use it."

"This is the best firewall."

"With its single pane of glass, it makes monitoring and troubleshooting a bit more homogeneous. We are not looking at multiple platforms and monitoring management tools. It is more efficient from that perspective. It is more of a common monitoring and control system for multiple aspects of what used to be different systems. It provides efficiency and time savings."

"URL filtering and WildFire features are most valuable. It is very user-friendly. It is a very solid product, and it definitely works."

"With Palo Alto NG Firewalls, we can pass all compliance requirements; we trust it and we are building the security of our environment based on it, and we feel that we are secure in our network."

"This solution doesn't compromise your network's performance for security, which is a good trade-off."

"From my experience, comparing it to other products, the granularity you can have in the application is very good, the application detection is excellent, and it's certainly one of the best."

"The configuration is quite simple to understand."

"The stability is fire and forget; you don't have to worry about it."

More Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls pros

Cons

"I would rate IPFire 8 out of 10 because I do not think there is any solution anywhere in the world that is 100 percent efficient."

"The graphical interface could be much better."

"Accessing the internet was a bit complicated."

"If anything, a graphical interface would be what I want."

"Palo Alto needs to adjust their pricing a little bit."

"PA-220 Next-Generation Firewall would be perfect if it has spam filtering."

"Functional and very futureproof but a bit hard to manage, and the worst thing is that it takes almost 20 mins to boot up, and to commit a config takes half that time."

"Palo Alto Firewalls could improve by introducing more features, particularly in load balancing."

"If you want to improve your network security device, Palo Alto could help, but the programming is not so easy."

"The price of the solution is very high."

"It's too expensive."

"Customers don't want to buy extra things for extra capabilities"

More Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available

"If you compare Palo Alto with other firewalls, it's a bit expensive."

"That solution's pricing and/or licensing are very convoluted."

"In terms of price, the user finds it expensive, rating it around nine."

"Compared to other solutions, it's very expensive to set up and maintain."

"We are on an annual license for this solution. I am happy with the price and when comparing it to other solutions it is priced competitively."

"Palo Alto is like Mercedes-Benz. It is quite expensive, but the price is definitely justified."

"On the lower end, it's likely to cost $15,000 for renovation and support."

"It's very expensive. However, we usually use all of the subscriptions and threat alerts on any firewall that uses the internet. For each edge security endpoint, we use all subscriptions. Otherwise, we just utilize the threat alert, the antivirus, WildFire, etc."

More Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Comms Service Provider

18%

University

Computer Software Company

Outsourcing Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	77
Midsize Enterprise	56
Large Enterprise	89

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with IPFire?

To be honest, I have not made the updates of IPFire since a long time, so I continue to use the 2017 asset. I do not know if today there is something I can add on it. I am just comfortable with it ...

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What is your primary use case for IPFire?

I am still using IPFire, but at home, not at work. I have my own servers at home, and I have my test infrastructure here. I have my VPN, my DMZ, and my LAN actually on IPFire. I connect to my home ...

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What advice do you have for others considering IPFire?

I would give IPFire a good eight on a scale from one to ten. This review reflects my overall rating of eight.

See all answers

What is a better choice, Azure Firewall or Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls?

Azure Firewall Vs. Palo Alto Network NG Firewalls Both solutions provide stellar stability and security. Azure Firewall is easy to use and provides excellent support. Valuable features include int...

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Features comparison between Palo Alto and Fortinet firewalls

In the best tradition of these questions, Feature-wise both are quite similar, but each has things it's better at, it kind of depends what you value most. PA is good at app control, web filtering a...

See all answers

Which is better - Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls or Sophos XG?

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls have both great features and performance. I like that Palo Alto has regular threat signatures and updates. I also appreciate that I can just import addresses and URL...

See all answers

Comparisons

OPNsense vs IPFire

Compared 49% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs IPFire

Compared 10% of the time

Sophos Firewall vs IPFire

Compared 6% of the time

Fortinet FortiGate vs IPFire

Compared 6% of the time

KerioControl vs IPFire

Compared 3% of the time

More IPFire Competitors

Cisco Meraki MX vs Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

Compared 23% of the time

Fortinet FortiGate vs Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

Compared 22% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

Compared 10% of the time

Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) vs Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

Compared 7% of the time

Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) vs Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

Compared 4% of the time

More Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Firewalls

October 2026

Download IPFire product report

Buyer's Guide

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

October 2026

Download Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls product report

Also Known As

No data available

Palo Alto NGFW, Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall

Overview

IPFire enhances network security and protects against cyber threats. It provides a secure firewall, secure remote access, and customizable options. Users praise its ease of use, flexibility, and reliability for network monitoring and traffic shaping. Its valuable features include efficient firewall capabilities, a user-friendly interface, and reliable network performance.

IPFire Project

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls provide advanced security with features like machine learning threat prevention and centralized management, ensuring protection across network environments.

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls are structured to enhance security by engaging users with machine learning for real-time threat prevention, comprehensive application and user visibility, and secure VPN connections. They work seamlessly with SIEMs and cloud services, providing centralized management through Panorama for diverse environments. Despite high pricing and configuration complexity, they are instrumental for organizations aiming to secure network perimeters, data centers, and cloud environments effectively.

What key features define Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls?

Machine Learning: Provides real-time attack prevention.
Application Visibility: Enhances visibility into user and application activity.
WildFire Sandboxing: Offers advanced threat sandboxing techniques.
Panorama Management: Centralized management for consistent security policies.
Advanced Threat Prevention: Incorporates URL filtering and threat intelligence for comprehensive protection.

What benefits should users expect in reviews?

Integrated Security: Seamless integration with SIEMs and other tools enhances system protection.
Zero Trust Models: Effective for controlling east-west traffic and implementing zero trust security models.
Comprehensive Protection: Secures internal network segmentation and provides advanced threat prevention.

Organizations across industries rely on Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls to secure network perimeters with advanced threat prevention features. They are deployed extensively for application-level visibility, managing internal network segmentation, and securing VPN connections. These firewalls play a crucial role in implementing zero trust security and integrating with other security tools to offer comprehensive protection.

Palo Alto Networks

Sample Customers

1. Siemens 2. IBM 3. Cisco 4. Dell 5. HP 6. Intel 7. Oracle 8. Google 9. Microsoft 10. Amazon 11. Apple 12. Facebook 13. Twitter 14. Netflix 15. Adobe 16. SAP 17. VMware 18. Juniper Networks 19. Ericsson 20. Nokia 21. AT&T 22. Verizon 23. T-Mobile 24. Vodafone 25. Orange 26. Deutsche Telekom 27. British Telecom 28. Comcast 29. Time Warner 30. Sony 31. Samsung 32. LG

SkiStar AB, Ada County, Global IT Services PSF, Southern Cross Hospitals, Verge Health, University of Portsmouth, Austrian Airlines, The Heinz Endowments

Buyer's Guide

IPFire vs. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

November 2026

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