OPNsense Reviews

OPNsense has shown significant growth and improvement, despite external factors such as COVID, financial meltdowns, and cyber warfare. The return on investment can be achieved in less than three months. Comparatively, other solutions require yearly fees of around $5,000, whereas OPNsense eliminates recurring fees and allows for savings within three months, even after considering equipment and setup costs.

The pricing for OPNsense is generally considered affordable and many users mention that they are using the free open-source version of the solution. Others mention the availability of a paid version with additional features. There are costs associated with acquiring hardware, training people, and investing in resources for the solution even if the open-source version is used. The overall sentiment towards pricing is positive, with users rating it favorably compared to other solutions. 

The setup cost is dependent on factors such as whether it is deployed on-premises or in the cloud, with hardware costs also being a price consideration.

• "I've used the free version. My computer with two network cards at home allows me to try as many different software options as I want. I did pay for the license, but it was for the Zenarmor license, which is the packet inspection tool. They use AI for packet inspection, which integrates with OPNsense and pfSense."
• "It is free."
• "I would rate the pricing a nine out of ten, especially considering the availability of a free community edition."

The primary use case of OPNsense is for security purposes, such as network access, firewall functionality, intrusion detection and prevention, and securing servers. It can be deployed both in the cloud and on-premises, and it is used in various industries including financial and metropolitan. OPNsense is also utilized for VPN, content filtering, overcoming malware-virus attacks, and securing cloud instances/VMs. It is chosen as a more versatile alternative to other firewall solutions like Cisco or Fortinet. Additionally, OPNsense is used as a proxy in different scenarios.

Customers have mixed opinions about the customer service and support of OPNsense. Some users find the support to be lacking, mentioning that there isn't a central place to reach out to and that they have to rely on forums for assistance. However, they also acknowledge that the forums provide a lot of helpful information. Others mention that they have used the support while admitting there is room for improvement. 

The initial setup for OPNsense is described as straightforward, easy, and not overly complex. It can be completed relatively quickly, taking anywhere from one to four hours or even a couple of weeks depending on the specific requirements and familiarity with the solution. 

The setup process involves defining IP addresses, configuring menus, and ensuring the basic aspects of the network are in place. Some users recommend using commodity hardware-based motherboards with built-in NIC/Ethernet cards to simplify the setup. 

The deployment time varies based on individual circumstances, such as the number of endpoints or the complexity of the infrastructure. However, it is generally considered to be manageable and not excessively time-consuming.

OPNsense is easily scalable and can adapt to an organization's changing needs. It is flexible, highly available, and can support both vertical and horizontal scaling.  It has been used by a range of customers, from small companies with minimal users to large enterprise companies. 

OPNsense is highly stable and performs well without any bugs, glitches, or crashes. It has been proven to be reliable and dependable, although it may not be fully ready for enterprise use. 

There have been few instances of bugs or problems, however, updates are regularly prompted to address any issues. The solution has been successfully used in production for extended periods without any problems.