Palo Alto Networks K2-Series vs Sophos XGS comparison

Palo Alto Networks and Sophos are both solutions in the Firewalls category. Palo Alto Networks is ranked #34 with an average rating of 8.3, while Sophos is ranked #10 with an average rating of 8.6. Palo Alto Networks holds a 0.1% mindshare in Firewalls, compared to Sophos’s 2.4% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of Palo Alto Networks users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 94% of Sophos users who would recommend it.

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 16, 2024

Palo Alto Networks K2-Series and Sophos XGS are leading firewall solutions. Sophos XGS has a higher rating for overall features, while Palo Alto Networks K2-Series offers better pricing and support.

Features: Palo Alto Networks K2-Series is praised for high-performance security measures, comprehensive threat intelligence, and straightforward features. Sophos XGS is noted for advanced threat prevention, integration capabilities, and an advanced feature set preferred by users.

Room for Improvement: Users request enhanced reporting, easier configuration, and more stable firmware for Palo Alto Networks K2-Series. Sophos XGS users desire better firmware stability, system updates, and improved configuration options. Stability issues are more pressing for Sophos XGS users.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Palo Alto Networks K2-Series offers a straightforward deployment process and responsive customer service. Sophos XGS has a more complex deployment but is backed by a commendable support team.

Pricing and ROI: Palo Alto Networks K2-Series is recognized for competitive pricing and good ROI. Sophos XGS, slightly more expensive, also provides strong ROI due to its advanced features. Users find the investment in Sophos XGS justified by its performance.

To learn more, read our detailed Palo Alto Networks K2-Series vs. Sophos XGS Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Palo Alto Networks K2-Series vs. Sophos XGS

June 2025

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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

Fortinet FortiGate

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Firewalls category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiGate is 21.2%, up from 17.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Palo Alto Networks K2-Series is 0.1%, up from 0.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Sophos XGS is 2.4%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewalls

Featured Reviews

Vasu Gala

Manager, Information Technology Operation/Presales at TechMonarch

A stable solution with an intuitive interface and quick customer service

I have been working with Fortinet FortiGate, WatchGuard, Sophos, and SonicWall. I'm not as comfortable with SonicWall because of their UI and limitations. I prefer Fortinet above all other options. When it comes to configuration, I am confident in my ability to handle various tasks, including creating policies such as firewall rules, web policies, and application policies. Additionally, I can configure VPNs and implement load balancing, among other tasks. Overall, I feel much more comfortable working with Fortinet. Fortinet has made significant improvements by integrating AI with firewalls for threat analysis and prevention. In the past 2-3 years, they have launched FortiSASE and SIEM, and they also provide SOC services. Both Palo Alto and Fortinet FortiGate are excellent. While Fortinet FortiGate comes at higher prices, the functionality and support justify the cost. They promptly resolve firmware issues and inform all support providers about configuration changes.

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Krishnakumar M

enterprise architect at a tech services company with 1-10 employees

One of the best tools for the prevention of evasive threats

There is a feature called granular application controls, which I liked. Instead of relying on ports and IP addresses, they use AMP ID. This kind of solution is very good. Another valuable feature is the prevention of evasive threats, which is one of the best tools I've encountered. SSL decryption and app ID-based SSL decryption are also impressive, along with the integration with user ID. Identity-based policies ensuring only authorized users can access specific resources are excellent features. Normally, there is something called SIM or SCIM in IDA IDM, but this feature is provided on the box, which is exemplary.

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Nassif Kaleny

IT Manager at Bavaria Egypt S.A.E.

Dynamic web and mail filtering contribute to improved security measures

The reporting system is very poor. I cannot trace any traffic to our site if it feels some threats. It just tells me that there is something during a certain time but does not provide information about the type of threats or how to get rid of them. This needs improvement.

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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

"Fortinet FortiGate is among the best options in the market."

"We use a lot of function on the IPS and it works well for us."

"Fortinet FortiGate's ease of management is the most valuable feature."

"The initial installation is very straightforward."

"There are great templates, so you don't have to customize them if you don't want to. You do have the option to custom create some folders and some reports, however, with what is there, you don't really need to go through extra effort, as they already give you a lot of predefined views of reports and so forth."

"I like several features that this product has, such as antivirus and internet navigation inspection. It is also simple to use."

"Security, SD-WAN, and Streetscape are valuable features."

"Our security improved from being able to put in rules and close off unwanted traffic."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"The application ID on the Palo Alto Networks K2-Series is able to understand the application traffic, and WildFire is also good."

"This is a very reliable firewall and we have never had problems with it."

"It is a stable solution."

"The most valuable feature of Palo Alto Networks K2-Series is its management abilities. Additionally, the updates are very good."

"K2-Series' best features include its scalability, which is the best on the market."

"Overall product rating: Nine out of ten."

"Mainly, it is very easy to understand, and the logs are very good."

"The scalability of the product is quite high."

More Palo Alto Networks K2-Series pros

"The most effective feature in enhancing our network security is the threat intelligence capability."

"The policies are the greatest feature. They allow us to configure granular control over our network traffic."

"It's much faster than the previous firewall, so you can do the work faster."

"The initial setup is straightforward."

"Web filtering and intrusion detection are essential features. As system integrators, we also like the dashboard because it's easier to configure all the features."

"It's user-friendly and quite easy to configure. It's easy to communicate with the Sophos support team."

"The UI for Sophos is very simple."

"The stability of Sophos XGS is very high."

More Sophos XGS pros

Cons

"The things we require are already sorted out, so there isn't any scope for improvement as far as our requirements go. However, its price can be better."

"With the addition of some features, it is possible that FortiGate can be used in all verticals."

"Its pricing can be better."

"Fortigate's hardware capacities could be improved."

"The support team for Fortinet FortiGate needs to be more customer friendly."

"FortiManager has not been my favorite. I don't use it and cannot say I really care for FortiManager for managing the firewalls."

"The main aspect of FortiGate that could be improved is load balancing. Our management team does not want to buy another appliance for only load balancing."

"It is quite new for us, and we need to go more in-depth into the monitoring tools. It provides different features that we need to do what we want. So far, it is okay for us. In terms of improvement, in the future, they can provide a faster implementation of features. Some of the features are first available in other solutions. Fortinet sometimes takes a little bit longer than other solutions, such as Check Point, to implement new features."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"The graphical user interface is a little complex and difficult to manage. L1 engineers cannot work on the Palo Alto Networks K2-Series because it's too complex, which requires L2 and above level of engineers."

"The scalability of Palo Alto Networks K2-Series is good. It is good for larger environments over smaller ones."

"Palo Alto doesn't have extended visibility to the end point in their firewalls."

"I would like to see the threat intelligence capability integrated with other vendors such as Cisco and Forcepoint."

"Palo Alto releases a lot of bug fixes for their firewalls, which means it's necessary to do frequent upgrades. They should work on decreasing their bugs so that upgrades aren't needed so often."

"The solution's commitment time could be reduced as it often takes a lot of time to execute."

"The scalability for on-premises version is limited as it depends on the model."

"Sometimes there are interactions with support or the provider that are not ideal."

More Palo Alto Networks K2-Series cons

"The reporting system is very poor. I cannot trace any traffic to our site if it feels some threats."

"Sophos pricing is very high. The last instance I purchased was for three years, around $3,700 for SDG 125."

"Reporting could be improved. The structure could be better because most of the reports aren't detailed."

"The technical support could be improved as it is currently not competent and pretty slow."

"I do not get notifications regarding ISP downtime."

"The VPN capability needs some improvement in Sophos XGS."

"The first time a person sets it up, they will need training."

"The support team are helpful when you eventually get hold of them which takes a long time. They can improve how quickly you get technical support."

More Sophos XGS cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"If you are looking for a quality product, it will come at a higher price. Expecting them to be significantly cheaper is unrealistic. In terms of pricing, it is a bit costly. However, the functionality and support offered are worth it."

"Compared to other firewall products, it's a little cheaper in terms of pricing."

"Fortinet's pricing is more straightforward than other solutions. If Fortinet doesn't stick out when you're searching for a solution, you are a glutton for punishment. You only need to know two things when purchasing a Fortinet solution: your total bandwidth and bandwidth at the site. You need to estimate the future bandwidth with other solutions if your customer plans to upgrade."

"Its price could be better."

"It is affordable. Palo Alto is much more expensive than Fortinet."

"The price of Fortinet FortiGate is reasonable."

"The price is highly competitive when compared to other brands that offer similar functionality."

"The price of the license and warranty can be better because it is very expensive."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"The overall price of Palo Alto Networks K2-Series could be reduced."

"Palo Alto Networks K2-Series is an expensive solution, the price could be reduced. They are more expensive than some of their competitors."

"Palo Alto firewalls are very expensive."

"It would be nice if they lowered their prices for small businesses."

"The price of this solution is too high."

"We are on an annual license to use Palo Alto Networks K2-Series."

"This product is designed for large companies. The price would not be suitable for a small or medium size company."

"This solution is expensive compared to other, similar products."

More Palo Alto Networks K2-Series pricing and cost advice

"It is roughly around $4,000."

"We must purchase separate web server licenses, as they are not included in the regular device license. I would rate the product an eight out of ten in terms of price. It's relatively affordable."

"Sophos XGS costs around $75,000 for fifty units."

"Sophos XGS is a cost-effective solution."

"We pay about $150."

"I would like to see them reduce the price."

"Sophos XGS's pricing is very affordable."

"XGS' price could be lower, though it's moderately priced in the market."

More Sophos XGS pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Educational Organization

12%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

19%

Performing Arts

13%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

13%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Educational Organization

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

Which is the better NGFW: Fortinet Fortigate or Cisco Firepower?

When you compare these firewalls you can identify them with different features, advantages, practices and usage a...

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What is the biggest difference between Sophos XG and FortiGate?

From my experience regarding both the Sophos and FortiGate firewalls, I personally would rather use FortiGate. I know...

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What are the biggest technical differences between Sophos UTM and Fortinet FortiGate?

As a solution, Sophos UTM offers a lot of functionality, it scales well, and the stability and performance are quite ...

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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...

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What do you like most about Palo Alto Networks K2-Series?

It is a stable solution.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Palo Alto Networks K2-Series?

The pricing for the Palo Alto Networks K2-Series solution is affordable and there are no complaints about the licensing.

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What do you like most about Sophos XGS?

The policies are the greatest feature. They allow us to configure granular control over our network traffic.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Sophos XGS?

I am satisfied with the price, rating it a nine. There are no extra expenses required after buying the product.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Sophos XGS?

There is room for improvement in Sophos XGS, specifically in three areas: slowness, centralized synchronization, and ...

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Comparisons

Sophos XG vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 20% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 12% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 12% of the time

WatchGuard Firebox vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 5% of the time

SonicWall TZ vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 5% of the time

More Fortinet FortiGate Competitors

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Palo Alto Networks K2-Series

Compared 100% of the time

More Palo Alto Networks K2-Series Competitors

Sophos XG vs Sophos XGS

Compared 16% of the time

OPNsense vs Sophos XGS

Compared 16% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Sophos XGS

Compared 8% of the time

Check Point NGFW vs Sophos XGS

Compared 6% of the time

Meraki MX vs Sophos XGS

Compared 6% of the time

More Sophos XGS Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

June 2025

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Palo Alto Networks K2-Series

June 2025

Download Palo Alto Networks K2-Series product report

Buyer's Guide

Sophos XGS

June 2025

Download Sophos XGS product report

Also Known As

FortiGate 60b, FortiGate 60c, FortiGate 80c, FortiGate 50b, FortiGate 200b, FortiGate 110c, FortiGate, Fortinet Firewall

No data available

Overview

Fortinet FortiGate offers comprehensive network security and firewall protection across multiple locations. It effectively manages data traffic and secures environments with features like VPN, intrusion prevention, and UTM controls.

Organizations rely on Fortinet FortiGate for its robust integration with advanced security policies, ensuring significant protection for enterprises, cloud environments, and educational sectors. It facilitates network segmentation, application-level security, and authentication management, securing communication within and between locations such as branches and data centers. Its efficient SD-WAN and UTM features enable streamlined data management and enhanced threat protection capabilities. Users appreciate its centralized management, facilitating seamless operations across diverse environments.

What are the key features of Fortinet FortiGate?

VPN Capabilities: Ensure secure remote access for users and seamless site-to-site connections.
Intrusion Prevention System (IPS): Detect and prevent security threats and vulnerabilities.
Advanced Firewall: Offers robust firewalling with application control and web filtering.
SD-WAN: Optimizes application performance and enhances bandwidth management.
SSL VPN: Provides reliable and secure access for remote workers.

What benefits should users expect from Fortinet FortiGate?

High-performance Security: Delivers effective threat mitigation with high availability.
Centralized Management: Simplifies network operations with cloud-based management tools.
Detailed Analytics: Provides comprehensive insights into network activity and security threats.
Load Balancing: Ensures optimal resource distribution and traffic management.

Fortinet FortiGate is crucial in sectors like education, offering robust networks for secure data flow between campuses and facilitating remote learning. In enterprise environments, it allows efficient management of application traffic and security across multiple branches, while in the cloud, it seamlessly integrates with diverse platforms to enhance security infrastructure.

Fortinet

Designed to handle growing throughput needs due to increasing amounts of application-, user-, and device-generated data, the K2-Series offers amazing performance and threat prevention capabilities to stop advanced cyberattacks and secure mobile network infrastructure, subscribers, and services.

Palo Alto Networks

Sophos XGS is a comprehensive network security solution designed to protect organizations from advanced threats. It combines next-generation firewall capabilities with advanced threat protection, web filtering, and application control.

XGS has powerful deep learning technology and can detect and block even the most sophisticated malware and ransomware attacks. It also offers granular control over web access, allowing organizations to enforce policies and prevent access to malicious or inappropriate websites. Additionally, XGS provides application control features, enabling organizations to manage and prioritize network traffic based on specific applications or user groups.

With its intuitive management interface and centralized reporting, XGS offers easy deployment and monitoring of network security.

Sophos

Sample Customers

Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, IBM, Cisco, Dell, HP, Oracle, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Vodafone, Orange, BT Group, Telstra, Deutsche Telekom, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, CenturyLink, NTT Communications, Tata Communications, SoftBank, China Mobile, Singtel, Telus, Rogers Communications, Bell Canada, Telkom Indonesia, Telkom South Africa, Telmex, Telia Company, Telkom Kenya

State of North Dakota, SEGA, Alameda County Office of Education, Temple University, VERGE, CAME

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

Palo Alto Networks K2-Series vs. Sophos XGS

June 2025

Free Report: Palo Alto Networks K2-Series vs. Sophos XGS

Find out what your peers are saying about Palo Alto Networks K2-Series vs. Sophos XGS and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.

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