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 #36 with an average rating of 8.7, 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.

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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: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Palo Alto Networks K2-Series vs. Sophos XGS

September 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 October 2025, in the Firewalls category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiGate is 20.4%, up from 19.1% 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 1.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewalls Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Fortinet FortiGate	20.4%
Sophos XGS	2.4%
Palo Alto Networks K2-Series	0.1%
Other	77.1%

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

"We have a redundant setup for failover, however, it has not had to fail over ever and we have not had a capacity issue."

"Security management tool that's easy to integrate and easy to work with. No issues found with its stability and scalability."

"It offers web filtering capabilities at a more affordable price compared to other solutions like PSMs or NETGEAR."

"The most valuable feature of Fortinet FortiGate is security. They are known for efficiency and are on the top of Gartner Quadrant reviews. Fortinet FortiGate has an easy-to-use platform with a good graphical interface. The configuration is simple and the solution provides an overall good layer of security."

"Easy to use support and licensing portal as well as activation process."

"Fortinet FortiGate IPS has an easy-to-use interface and configuration."

"I appreciate the ease of use, ease of setup, and the different abilities it has; I have been very pleased with it over SonicWall, the interface of Fortinet FortiGate is a lot easier to use and more robust, plus their VPN option is much better."

"Initial setup is easy to configure."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"Palo Alto firewalls are scalable enough. We have about 110 employees in our company, and we are about to expand to 130."

"Everything I could possibly want has already been implanted in the new version."

"The most valuable feature of Palo Alto Networks K2-Series is the performance which is above their competitors. The throughput they have delivered is good. When we used other solutions they failed the deployment when we were using different rules. They have a theory perform performance light and performance degradation. However, Palo Alto Networks K2-Series never fails in that scenario."

"Palo Alto has an approach that makes the configuration easier not only for the customers but also for the IT help for the customers."

"Overall, this is a very simple and very effective firewall, and I am satisfied with it."

"As long as the solution is kept updated, it's pretty stable."

"Simple integrations with the domain controllers and other inventories"

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

More Palo Alto Networks K2-Series pros

"The solution is stable."

"The most valuable features of Sophos XGS are its integration into Software Central and its threat intelligence capability."

"Sophos XGS is cost effective and provides all necessary security features and throughput."

"The solution is stable."

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

"The product was easy for us to install."

"Sophos XGS' best features are simplicity and its built-in reporting tool."

"The stability of Sophos XGS is very high."

More Sophos XGS pros

Cons

"Stability and technical support are the two major issues I have found with Fortinet."

"Not all features are available in the web UI. Features such as enabling multiple MPLS circuits can only be accomplished through the command line, so these need to be made available in the web UI."

"I would like to see more advanced developments of a wireless controller in the future."

"It claims it does DLP, but the degree and level of controls are very basic."

"The AI part needs improvement to enhance its functionality."

"One area for improvement is the licensing policy. If support licenses are not renewed, the product's functionality ceases, which can be disruptive."

"The IPS monitoring can be improved."

"The performance can be improved."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"They should implement the features that the other firewalls have."

"The licensing cost is a typical complaint with many clients. The solution is expensive."

"Higher levels of support are excellent but new users may need additional options."

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

"The technical support, and how they provide it to the client, needs to be improved."

"The product should get frequent updates allowing us to add new signatures."

"I'd like to see more data protection on the system."

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

More Palo Alto Networks K2-Series cons

"There is no option for right-clicking on any feature after logging into the firewall."

"It has recently started to suddenly block and crash."

"Support could be improved."

"Sophos XGS is quite expensive, potentially a nine out of ten in terms of cost, making it much pricier than other firewalls."

"The customer service response time can be improved."

"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."

"There are some bugs relating to the product that allow VPN users to bypass the firewall."

"I feel Sophos should add more telemetry data to its products...Right now, I think there are only less than a dozen vendors or OEMs supported by Sophos."

More Sophos XGS cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution could be better priced."

"It is not the cheapest one, but its price is very competitive."

"For our organization, the licensing costs are approximately $7,000 per year."

"Our licensing costs are on a yearly basis."

"The product is a little bit expensive."

"Fortinet prices are around $600 for the small 40F model, and for licenses, the simplest option is about $300 for a year. They sell licenses that can last for 1, 2, 3, or 5 years."

"It was probably about $2,500 per firewall. It was all included. It included support, services, threat management software, and 24/7 FortiCare on it. Cisco products are more expensive."

"If the price of the license in Fortinet FortiGate was less expensive it would be better."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

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

"If you compare K2-Series' quality with its price, I think it is reasonable."

"It is an expensive solution."

"When comparing Palo Alto Networks K2-Series with other solutions it is on the higher end of the price scale."

"This is an expensive solution, although you will get value for the price."

"The price of the solution is expensive."

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

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

More Palo Alto Networks K2-Series pricing and cost advice

"I can't recall the exact amount that was paid. It was likely around $12,000 or less - around $4,000 a year."

"A central firewall on the cloud with a cluster might be 70,000 to 80,000 euros for a three-year license."

"Once you pay for the Sophos XGS hardware there is no license required. There are additional costs if you want the support. We have purchased support for three years."

"I pay close to $10,000 per year, which I find to be expensive compared to the other similar solution or equivalent solutions."

"The licensing is reasonable. Comparing the cost of Sophos XGS with that of Fortinet or Palto Alto firewalls, for instance, it's not that expensive. However, the overall cost depends on the hardware you're using in addition to the licensing cost."

"Sophos XGS is a cost-effective solution."

"The price of the solution is reasonable and their target market is small to medium-sized companies."

"We paid around 17,000 pounds for a three-year package."

More Sophos XGS pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Performing Arts

24%

Computer Software Company

16%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Educational Organization

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	350
Midsize Enterprise	130
Large Enterprise	187

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	13
Midsize Enterprise	8
Large Enterprise	13

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	61
Midsize Enterprise	10
Large Enterprise	17

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 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 needs improvement with Palo Alto Networks K2-Series?

The graphical user interface is a little complex and difficult to manage. L1 engineers cannot work on the Palo Alto N...

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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 find the cost of the firewall to be moderate; it's reasonable.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Sophos XGS?

To improve Sophos XGS for the next release, I recommend enhancing visibility as it's the biggest challenge. There sho...

See all answers

Comparisons

Sophos XG vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 17% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 11% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 9% of the time

OPNsense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

Cisco Meraki MX vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

More Fortinet FortiGate Competitors

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Palo Alto Networks K2-Series

Compared 52% of the time

Juniper SRX Series Firewall vs Palo Alto Networks K2-Series

Compared 48% of the time

More Palo Alto Networks K2-Series Competitors

OPNsense vs Sophos XGS

Compared 15% of the time

Sophos XG vs Sophos XGS

Compared 12% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Sophos XGS

Compared 9% of the time

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Sophos XGS

Compared 7% of the time

Cisco Meraki MX vs Sophos XGS

Compared 6% of the time

More Sophos XGS Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

October 2025

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Palo Alto Networks K2-Series

September 2025

Download Palo Alto Networks K2-Series product report

Buyer's Guide

Sophos XGS

September 2025

Download Sophos XGS product report

Overview

Fortinet FortiGate excels in providing integrated VPN, firewalling, and Unified Threat Management (UTM) with centralized management and high availability. It supports remote access and comprehensive threat protection, making it a preferred choice for securing networks.

Fortinet FortiGate offers a robust security platform with features such as strong intrusion prevention, application control, and web filtering. Its integration with Active Directory and SD-WAN functionality provides scalable solutions for large networks. Users appreciate its ease of use through centralized management interfaces, ensuring robust security with flexible configurations. However, FortiGate could enhance its graphical interface and technical support responsiveness, address firmware bugs and costly licensing, improve logging, integrate better with third-party tools, and strengthen scalability and memory for log storage. Complexity in configuration and the need for intuitive features are noted challenges, and there's a demand for advanced security, zero-trust capabilities, and AI integration.

What are the key features of Fortinet FortiGate?

VPN: Secure remote access and connectivity.
Firewalling: Protects networks from unauthorized access and attacks.
UTM: Offers a comprehensive approach to threat management.
SD-WAN: Optimizes traffic routing for efficient network performance.
Web Filtering: Controls and monitors web access and ensures Internet security.

What benefits or ROI should be considered?

Centralized Management: Simplifies administration and monitoring.
High Availability: Ensures consistent security and network availability.
Scalability: Adapts to the needs of growing networks.
Comprehensive Threat Protection: Provides robust security measures.
Ease of Use: Minimizes the complexity of security management.

Fortinet FortiGate is widely implemented across industries like education, finance, and government. Companies use it for firewall protection, VPN, and SD-WAN capabilities, ensuring secure perimeter and data center security. It facilitates remote access management and traffic routing optimization, offering reliable security and connectivity solutions.

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

September 2025

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

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