We work with two clients with Sophos XGS. One of our clients was replacing old firewalls, and they choose Sophos XGS. The other client has a new project that he's planning to move his endpoint solution to Sophos XGS.
Owner at a comms service provider with 11-50 employees
Fast processing, easy setup, and highly reliable
Pros and Cons
- "One of the main advantages of Sophos XGS is the processor. You don't have to wait a long time for when you are managing the firewall and the traffic is faster now."
- "Sophos XGS could improve by having better integration with Active Directory."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
One of the main advantages of Sophos XGS is the processor. You don't have to wait a long time for when you are managing the firewall and the traffic is faster now.
What needs improvement?
Sophos XGS could improve by having better integration with Active Directory.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos XGS for approximately one year.
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Sophos XGS is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I have found Sophos XGS to be scalable.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is good. However, they should provide quicker support in other languages, such as Spanish.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is easy.
What about the implementation team?
We do the implementation of the solution and the number of people we need depends on the project. However, typically we have two people that handle the implementation.
Since COVID we have been trying to work remotely as much as possible. After the initial setup, the solution can be managed remotely.
What was our ROI?
Sophos XGS is a good investment because these solutions work for a long time.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I live in Bolivia and the price of Sophos XGS is high. However, they have adjusted their price a little over the past while but the price could still be less expensive to be affordable.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have evaluated other solutions, such as Fortinet.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Sophos XGS a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Business Development Manager at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Secure, highly reliable, and good online support
Pros and Cons
- "The security of Sophos XG is very good."
- "Sophos XG could improve by coming out with more innovative feature developments."
What is our primary use case?
Sophos XG is used as a firewall to manage our WiFi connections.
What is most valuable?
The security of Sophos XG is very good.
What needs improvement?
Sophos XG could improve by coming out with more innovative feature developments.
The solution is secure, but security could always be better, they should work on perfecting the security of Sophos XG.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos XG for approximately a few years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have found Sophos XG to be very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of Sophos XG is great.
As our business grows we will increase the users using this solution.
How are customer service and support?
I have not connected the technical support from Sophos XG. I have only used online support from websites which was good.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very easy, it took less than one hour.
What about the implementation team?
We used an integrator for the implementation of the solution.
We have two engineers for the deployment and maintenance of Sophos XG.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of the Sophos XG is very good. There are not any licensing costs, it is a one-time purchase price.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend Sophos XG to others. It is a good solution and I am satisfied.
I rate Sophos XG an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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Sophos Firewall
December 2025
Learn what your peers think about Sophos Firewall. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2025.
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IT Manager at a engineering company with 201-500 employees
Reasonably priced, implementation straightforward, but could be more user-friendly
Pros and Cons
- "The stability of Sophos XG is good, it has good performance."
- "In the Sophos XG, the SD-WAN has all the rules done separately, such as net policy routing. In the previous version, they were all in a single rule and everything was done that way. The way it is now is difficult for us because we are not used to this newer version. The firewall rules should be easier to configure and create. Everything should be done with a single click."
What is our primary use case?
Sophos XG is used as a network firewall.
What needs improvement?
In the Sophos XG, the SD-WAN has all the rules done separately, such as net policy routing. In the previous version, they were all in a single rule and everything was done that way. The way it is now is difficult for us because we are not used to this newer version. The firewall rules should be easier to configure and create. Everything should be done with a single click.
In the next version, the solution would be more user-friendly overall.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos XG for approximately two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of Sophos XG is good, it has good performance.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Sophos XG has good scalability.
We have approximately 50 people that use the solution in my company.
We use this solution on a daily basis.
How are customer service and support?
We have contacted the support from Sophos XG but we do not require the support often.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used Sophos Cyberoam and we switched to Sophos XG because it was the end of life for the Sophos Cyberoam and the bandwidth was poor.
How was the initial setup?
The initial installation of Sophos XG was not difficult.
What about the implementation team?
We used an integrator to do the implementation of Sophos XG.
We only require one person for the implementation and maintenance of the solution.
What was our ROI?
The solution is very good and we have received a return on investment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of Sophos XG is reasonable.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate Sophos XG a six out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
CIO at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Useful VPN, helpful vendor implementation, and quick support
Pros and Cons
- "One of the most valuable features is the VPN."
- "Sophos XG should improve on the GDPR features involving data protection and encryption. Security regarding data protection is important."
What is our primary use case?
We use Sophos XG to protect our perimeter network and internet access.
What is most valuable?
One of the most valuable features is the VPN.
What needs improvement?
Sophos XG should improve on the GDPR features involving data protection and encryption. Security regarding data protection is important.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos XG since they bought Astaro, and it has been for approximately 15 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Sophos XG is stable. We've been using it for a long time. We had a lot of proposals from other vendors, but we decided to stick with Sophos.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have found Sophos XG to be scalable.
We have approximately 150 people using the solution which includes people that do not know they are using it, collaborators, and administrators that work on it.
How are customer service and support?
We had to use support a few times and the answers we received were straightforward and in a timely manner.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We were using other solutions previously. However, Sophos bought the companies that created them. We kept using the same solution but the name has changed.
How was the initial setup?
The implementation of Sophos XG is not as straightforward as we would expect in the latest versions.
What about the implementation team?
We used a company to do the implementation of Sophos XG. The process did not take very long, it took them approximately two weeks. It did not seem that difficult. Our experience with the vendor's support was very good.
We have a team of four that work on the Sophos XG for maintenance. They are not working on it full-time but they are all skilled to intervene if needed, and the first line of support for the solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Sophos XG is a very good solution, and it's cheaper than most of the other vendors. It is really affordable.
We are on a three-year license to use the solution.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have evaluated other solutions, such as Check Point.
What other advice do I have?
My advice to those wanting to implement this solution would be training is required for the implementation.
I rate Sophos XG an eight out of ten.
I'm aware that there are other solutions that are probably better than Sophos XG, such as Check Point. However, I still find that it's a very good solution for small to mid-size companies.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Senior IT Security Engineer at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees
Good filtering and application control features, but the bandwidth could be more effective
Pros and Cons
- "Some of the most valuable features are filtering and application control. The DDoS detection also shows traffic jamming and traffic shaping."
- "This solution could be improved with more effective bandwidth. I found that when I enable DDoS detection for our clients, bandwidth is reduced. If DDoS detection is disabled, the bandwidth will be high, but it isn't secure. We recommend that customers enable DDoS detection, but if they need high bandwidth, we recommend Palo Alto and FortiGate instead of Sophos."
What is our primary use case?
We provide Sophos XG to customers. We work at deploying this solution from scratch to the customer, from unboxing, racking, or stacking, and doing licensing and upgrades for the box. Then we establish the process and security profiles that the customer requires.
This solution is deployed on-prem.
What is most valuable?
Some of the most valuable features are filtering and application control. The DDoS detection also shows traffic jamming and traffic shaping.
What needs improvement?
This solution could be improved with more effective bandwidth. I found that when I enable DDoS detection for our clients, bandwidth is reduced. If DDoS detection is disabled, the bandwidth will be high, but it isn't secure. We recommend that customers enable DDoS detection, but if they need high bandwidth, we recommend Palo Alto and FortiGate instead of Sophos.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos XG for about six months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This solution is not as stable as other products. In terms of stability, our number one recommendation is Palo Alto, number two is FortiGate, and number three is Sophos.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Sophos is scalable, but not enough.
How are customer service and support?
Sophos technical support is effective.
How was the initial setup?
The installation takes two days. It is easy to deploy, and not as complicated as Palo Alto or FortiGate. We make it in our company labs and, for deployment and maintenance, we recommend one or two people.
What about the implementation team?
We provide and implement this solution for customers.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The licensing for Sophos XG is based on the number of users, so I get the module from the sizing of the customer.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We also recommend that customers use FortiGate and Palo Alto, since these solutions are more stable and have more effective bandwidth.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Sophos XG a seven out of ten. I would recommend it to others, based on their needs, but the stability could be better.
We have five to seven customers who are using Sophos XG.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Owner at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Functionality is straightforward, but tech support could be improved
Pros and Cons
- "In terms of the functionality, I think it's pretty straightforward. It's easy to pick up. It's also user-friendly."
- "Support could be improved."
What is our primary use case?
The firewall is used to maintain security. Basically, it's used to make sure that our clients' corporate network is secure. We want to make sure that their email is scanned, protected, and so on.
What is most valuable?
In terms of the functionality, I think it's pretty straightforward. It's easy to pick up. It's also user-friendly.
What needs improvement?
Support could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been selling Sophos XG for two years. It is deployed on-premise.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
When it comes to scalability, of course we can upgrade. A lot of firewalls don't allow upgrades. An upgrade would mean changing the box. For our customers, a lot of the functions of the firewall don't reduce. We just need to make sure they enable the security, and then make sure it's giving the protection to the client.
For scalability when it comes to the server, I can add the RAM, the hard disc, and the CPU to boost up the performance.
How are customer service and support?
The principal tech support is not very present in Malaysia. We are relying on the distributor. Most of the technical things we can handle on our own, like when it comes to setup. When it comes to the issues related to product hardware or software bugs, we will reach out to them. But the response is from the distributor.
The support could be a bit better.
How was the initial setup?
Installation for each version, like Fortinet and Next Generation Firewall, is simple. Based on how familiar we are with the client, it can take a day or two.
We only need one or two people for deployment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
For every firewall, you will need to pay the license for the following year. If they don't pay for the license renewal, they basically won't get the support from Sophos.
What other advice do I have?
They do have their own integration, so I don't really have much to comment about Sophos because we basically just maintain the Sophos Firewall that we supply. We don't do a lot of fancy design work.
We are currently still evaluating the solution.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
IT Support Engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Easy port configuration, scalable, but policies could improve
Pros and Cons
- "I have found configuring the ports to be easier in Sophos XG compared to the other devices."
- "Sophos XG could improve the policies, they are a bit confusing when creating them. There are many options that make it confusing and it could be simplified."
What is our primary use case?
We use Sophos XG for network security as a firewall for our company.
What is most valuable?
I have found configuring the ports to be easier in Sophos XG compared to the other devices.
What needs improvement?
Sophos XG could improve the policies, they are a bit confusing when creating them. There are many options that make it confusing and it could be simplified.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos XG for approximately two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The Stability and performance are quite good. We haven't seen any problems.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable.
I would rate the scalability of Sophos XG an eight out of ten.
We have approximately 10 people using this solution in my organization.
My customers are using this solution on a daily basis.
How are customer service and support?
I have contacted support once or twice to receive some clarification. I had a good experience.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used other solutions preciously and FortiGate's user interface is much easier to use when compared to Palo Alto and Sophos. Additionally, in Palo Alto, assigning the ports are more user-friendly.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
I did the implementation of Sophos XG myself and it took approximately 20 minutes.
There is no maintenance is required for this solution.
Our networking team is approximately 10 people that use the solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The Palo Alto solution is expensive and the FortiGate is less expensive than Palo Alto. The Sophos XG would be priced in the middle of the two.
There are some fees but you can purchase a bundle package.
What other advice do I have?
My advice to those wanting to use this solution is if you don't have experience, don't use it.
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate Sophos XG a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Chief-Information-Technology-Officer at a non-profit with 1-10 employees
Good Protection, scales well, and is easy to setup
Pros and Cons
- "Web publishing is important, as well as the importance of the antivirus patch."
- "Our clients use Karios, and while it integrates well with it, the integration could be improved."
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution for VPN, client VPN, malware filtering, and antivirus scanning.
How has it helped my organization?
It has definitely improved the way our organization functions. Previously only using free tools, and once we started using Sophos XG, the number of threats dropped dramatically. We had a lot of threats to our network, but they have dramatically decreased since we started using this solution.
What is most valuable?
All of the features in Sophos XG are valuable.
Web publishing is important, as well as the importance of the antivirus patch.
The firewall is also essential, and the VPN.
What needs improvement?
Our clients use Karios, and while it integrates well with it, the integration could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos XG for three years.
We are using the XG version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We encountered an issue with the hardware when we first purchased this solution. We called Sophos, who replaced the device, and we have not had any issues since.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have no issues with the scalability of Sophos XG.
In our organization, we have 150 users, and all are required to maintain this solution.
We don't have plans to increase the usage at this time.
How are customer service and support?
We have not really used technical support. If we have an issue, we resolve it ourselves.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previously, we were using older versions of Microsoft. We used it for almost 10 years before switching to Sophos.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was easy.
We completed the installation ourselves. I took a maximum of two weeks.
What was our ROI?
I have not calculated our ROI.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We have a three-year license.
What other advice do I have?
I am the Chief IT Officer. I don't have all of the technical details of this product. We have technical staff who use this solution for their daily routines and activities.
It's a very good product. I would rate Sophos XG an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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