Portnox vs Sophos Network Access Control comparison

Portnox Security and Sophos are both solutions in the Network Access Control (NAC) category. Portnox Security is ranked #6 with an average rating of 7.7, while Sophos is ranked #11 with an average rating of 7.3. Portnox Security holds a 5.2% mindshare in NAC, compared to Sophos’s 2.2% mindshare. Additionally, 94% of Portnox Security users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 94% of Sophos users who would recommend it.

Portnox

Read 24 Portnox reviews

2,070 Views
1,697 Comparison Views

94% willing to recommend

Sophos Network Access Control

Read 23 Sophos Network Access Control reviews

1,018 Views
987 Comparison Views

94% willing to recommend

Portnox

Sophos Network Access Control

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 28, 2025

Portnox and Sophos Network Access Control compete in network access management. Sophos, with its comprehensive features, often edges out Portnox, known for cost-effectiveness and customer support.

Features: Portnox stands out with agentless visibility, integrated threat detection, and seamless network segmentation, all enhancing security without complex setups. Sophos, on the other hand, offers advanced threat protection, detailed reporting, and exceptional scalability, appealing to large enterprises. While Portnox focuses on simple integration, Sophos is known for comprehensive protection.

Room for Improvement: Portnox can benefit from enhancing advanced threat protection, scalability for larger enterprises, and deeper analytics capabilities. Sophos could improve its cost-efficiency, streamline its user interface, and simplify initial configuration processes to cater to smaller businesses and quicker deployments.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Portnox offers cloud-based deployment with easy customer support for quick adoption. Sophos provides both on-premise and cloud options, focusing on thorough documentation and tailored support for complex environments. Portnox is noted for ease of deployment, while Sophos excels in configuring solutions for intricate setups.

Pricing and ROI: Portnox provides a straightforward pricing model, ensuring a high return on investment due to its cost-effectiveness and reduced setup costs. Sophos demands a higher initial investment but justifies this through enhanced security outcomes and long-term value. Portnox attracts budget-conscious businesses, and Sophos is favored by those needing an extensive feature set and security management.

To learn more, read our detailed Portnox vs. Sophos Network Access Control Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Portnox vs. Sophos Network Access Control

December 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

Portnox

Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)

6th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

ZTNA (12th), Passwordless Authentication (1st)

Sophos Network Access Control

Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)

11th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2025, in the Network Access Control (NAC) category, the mindshare of Portnox is 5.2%, up from 2.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Sophos Network Access Control is 2.2%, up from 1.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Access Control (NAC) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Portnox	5.2%
Sophos Network Access Control	2.2%
Other	92.6%

Network Access Control (NAC)

Featured Reviews

Scott Kerr

President at TrackerSoft

It is seamless and integrates well with our Azure setup

We use devices like PLCs and controllers, and when we receive a request to allow one on the network, we bypass typical authentication, associate it with a group account, and push it to a firewalled VLAN. However, problems arise when the same MAC address is requested for a different project. Our current system only finds authenticated MAC addresses, making it difficult to troubleshoot when the same device is used for multiple purposes. Ideally, we should be able to search for any MAC address in the database, regardless of its authentication status, to see all its associated groups and potential conflicts.

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HirenPatel2

Manager at rspl

Have faced delays in support despite strong multi-layer policy configuration

I have observed some disadvantages as we have experienced one particular problem. We were facing an issue of synchronization of the endpoint with our firewall with help on a cloud for heartbeat syncing. However, it was not syncing as per our requirement. The user has to connect our firewall with the help of VPN. We were supposed to assume a solution on a cloud, which has good synchronization on a cloud with Sophos Central. It will sync with our firewall as well with the help of Sophos Central. Endpoint and firewall synchronization is not as smooth as we are expecting from Sophos Network Access Control. We have to connect with VPN. We are expecting that if we have already installed an endpoint on our system and it is connected to the internet, then it must be synchronized on a cloud with Sophos Central. Through Sophos Central, it must connect with our firewall. If the endpoint is configured on Sophos Central and the firewall is also configured in Sophos Central, then there should be no need to connect to VPN.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Portnox ensures system compliance through policy enforcement, including antivirus updates, Windows operating system updates, and system patches, helping network administrators maintain system health and security across the network."

"The cloud-based feature is very nice. We use Meraki for our switching, and it is simple to point all of our networks and offices to Portnox. It is pretty seamless."

"The product is a valuable solution within zero-trust architecture, enhancing network security and visibility."

"The simplicity of the product is commendable."

"It's easy to manage and troubleshoot thanks to the lightweight components."

"It's a stable product."

"Previous to the deployment we didn't have complete visibility of all the endpoints, all the devices that are connected to the network. But with the deployment of portnox, we could see all the devices and where they're connecting. We can equally segregate and apply different rules, policies to each location that we didn't monitor specifically."

"With Portnox, you have a large-scale view of the systems on your estate, and you can use the ID of that user to search and get substantial information about a user."

More Portnox pros

"The platform's most valuable features include robust reporting and analytics capabilities, which provide deep insights into our sales performance and customer behavior."

"The biggest advantage of Sophos Network Access Control is that it is very synchronized with the security on both the endpoint and the firewall on a single platform, and it is easy to maintain."

"The pricing is very reasonable and you can negotiate on the price."

"Sophos' technical support is great, very fast and responsive, and they always know how to fix the problem."

"We get full visibility into the network as a product, which is one of the key features of the product because recently they have acquired another product called Secure Wave, which is integrated into Sophos Network Access Control and provides advanced capabilities for managed detection and remediation, MDR, a major plus for customers."

"I am very satisfied with this solution overall. All of the features that we use have been working successfully."

"Web protection, URL filtering, and application filtering are the most valuable features of Sophos Network Access Control."

"The scalability of the system and the performance of the system and the solution's most valuable features."

More Sophos Network Access Control pros

Cons

"Portnox can occasionally knock out a switch port, causing network downtime and requiring manual reset."

"We have seen instances where the older version stops working properly, and we have to update each system individually."

"Portnox CORE can improve on support for unmanaged switches (or hubs) and other brands of network devices. These kinds of devices are still in use in organisations, especially SMEs who cannot afford to buy a managed switch."

"It might be beneficial to improve the ease of integrating the product with firewalls."

"The licensing is based on a per-port price, even when you are not using all of the ports, and this is something that could be improved."

"As there are no agents in Portnox Clear, the customers of the product cannot download any agents on their devices, making them unsure if the product offers proper security."

"Now, the way security is viewed, maybe including something like AI, to automate some of the things that are required to be done would be great."

"From a resource perspective, the OEM can do better in terms of resource utilization."

More Portnox cons

"The difficult thing was finding the metrics."

"The solution can improve the for applying policies. They can be complex depending don't the group they are applied to."

"I would like to see mobile administration capabilities in the next release so that we can administer the device from a mobile device."

"The solution could increase the integration with other platforms or other systems. This would be very useful."

"Sophos Network Access Control requires a lot of resources to work, which is an area for improvement. Pricing could also be improved because it's costly."

"There is room for improvement in pricing."

"The solution could offer more useful documentation."

"I would like to be able to fully customize the reports."

More Sophos Network Access Control cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The users are not very happy with the new licensing option where there is only a subscription license. There is no perpetual license."

"Pricing is quite reasonable."

"Pricing is not cheap. It is based on licenses per port. After licensing is purchased, you only pay for support."

"The cost of Portnox Clear is reasonable."

"The pricing is a bit high, possibly due to the cloud features and running instances across regions like the US, Asia, and Europe."

"We pay for port licensing and support on a yearly basis, and it's not cheap."

"The licensing module should be reviewed to count the number of devices instead of port numbers of total switches. There is a case for this where not all ports for a switch are used by devices. Unused ports are calculated in the license, then the customer pays for license for those unused ports."

"The vendor price is fair."

More Portnox pricing and cost advice

"I rate the price of Sophos Network Access Control a five out of ten."

"Sophos Network Access Control is costly but has a similar price range as CrowdStrike and Check Point. The product can get more market share if Sophos can play around with Sophos Network Access Control pricing and improve it."

"Sophos Network Access Control is an expensive solution."

"It provides a moderate pricing option for all of its features and benefits."

"Sophos Network Access Control is very cheap compared to other solutions like Cisco, Barracuda, and Palo Alto."

"It is quite expensive."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

15%

Financial Services Firm

Healthcare Company

Computer Software Company

11%

Government

10%

Manufacturing Company

Healthcare Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	12
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	7

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	15
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	3

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Portnox CORE?

It's easy to manage and troubleshoot thanks to the lightweight components.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Portnox CORE?

It's not cheap. It's not expensive. It's in the middle, so I'll probably give it a seven out of ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Portnox CORE?

We have been having some issues with it. That's why we're considering migrating to Portnox Clear due to some limitations with CORE. At the end of the day, Portnox Clear's capabilities are much more...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Sophos Network Access Control?

I think the pricing of the solution is expensive.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Sophos Network Access Control?

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Sophos Network Access Control?

I am currently using the product as a customer. We are using Sophos Network Access Control solution for security purposes and security analysis only.

See all answers

Comparisons

Aruba ClearPass vs Portnox

Compared 21% of the time

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs Portnox

Compared 19% of the time

Fortinet FortiNAC vs Portnox

Compared 16% of the time

Forescout Platform vs Portnox

Compared 15% of the time

Ruckus Cloudpath vs Portnox

Compared 3% of the time

More Portnox Competitors

Aruba ClearPass vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 33% of the time

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 23% of the time

Twingate vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 11% of the time

Fortinet FortiNAC vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 10% of the time

Forescout Platform vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 9% of the time

More Sophos Network Access Control Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Portnox

December 2025

Download Portnox product report

Buyer's Guide

Sophos Network Access Control

December 2025

Download Sophos Network Access Control product report

Also Known As

Access Layers Portnox, Portnox CLEAR

No data available

Interactive Demo

Portnox Security

Demo not available

Sophos

Overview

Portnox provides advanced network visibility and proactive security without complexity, ensuring easy setup and scalability. Its agentless nature and intuitive design enable seamless device management and system integration, promoting efficient network operations and endpoint security.

Portnox is known for offering comprehensive network access control, providing firms with vital tools for managing authentication and securing endpoint devices. It's praised for ease of use in integrating with systems such as RADIUS servers and offering detailed analytical capabilities to ensure compliance and control unauthorized access. While users appreciate the intuitive interface and device management, improvements have been suggested in the areas of better GUI, integration with firewalls, and enhanced configuration methods. Portnox aids in handling dynamic VLAN assignments and securing access in both wired and wireless networks, proving particularly valuable for on-premises and remote environments.

What are the key features of Portnox?

Network Visibility: Offers comprehensive oversight of network activities.
Agentless Setup: Ensures easy implementation with minimal disruption.
Compliance Checks: Provides tools for compliance verification and incident reporting.
Integration: Seamlessly connects with existing IT systems for efficient management.

What benefits should users look for?

Enhanced Security: Prioritizes proactive measures to secure endpoints.
Easy Management: Facilitates straightforward device handling and network control.
Efficiency: Streamlines network operations for better performance.
Scalability: Adapts to organizational growth without complexities.

In industries where network security is paramount, such as finance and healthcare, Portnox is implemented to fortify access control and manage endpoint connections effectively. Its ability to secure both on-premises and remote environments makes it a versatile choice across sectors that require stringent access management, particularly where unauthorized device connections pose significant risks.

Portnox Security

Sophos NAC Provides comprehensive, easy-to-deploy network access control that protects enterprise networks from the threats posed by non-compliant, compromised, or misconfigured endpoint computers. The software solution is vendor-neutral and works with existing network infrastructure and security applications. Computers are permitted or denied access to the network, based on a centrally defined, policy-driven assessment - and isolated, quarantined for remediation, automatically remediated, or sent alerts. Administrators can define and manage policies uniquely for managed and guest computers, including checking their security status and ensuring that no unwanted applications are run.

Sophos

Sample Customers

Data Realty, Royal London, Wales Millennium Centre, McLaren Construction Group, EL AL Israeli Airlines,

Rushmoor Borough Council

Buyer's Guide

Portnox vs. Sophos Network Access Control

December 2025

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