I am an integrator of this solution, and I have installed it in small- and medium-sized businesses and schools.
Owner / IT operator at Fairview Schools
A stable solution that has excellent partner support, saves time, and has a reasonable price point
Pros and Cons
- "The security of the solution, thanks to the built-in unified threat management, is one of its most valuable features. Plus, one single pane of glass is all you need to manage the whole solution, and web management can be done from anywhere."
- "For the standard end user, self-based training is necessary. When you get into the Sophos XG firewall and try to start creating NAT rules, it can be a little cumbersome for a novice. It's pretty easy once you know how to do it, but it will be hard for anybody who doesn't have experience."
What is our primary use case?
How has it helped my organization?
My company now spends less time tracking issues because of the security provided by Sophos XG in conjunction with Sophos Endpoint protection.
What is most valuable?
The security of the solution, thanks to the built-in unified threat management, is one of its most valuable features. Plus, one single pane of glass is all you need to manage the whole solution, and web management can be done from anywhere. If I get a call and I'm at home, I can open the solution in a web browser and address the situation.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution since 2013.
Buyer's Guide
Sophos XG
November 2023

Learn what your peers think about Sophos XG. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2023.
745,775 professionals have used our research since 2012.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of this solution is excellent.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is available in different sizes. As long as you purchase a version that is larger than you currently need, there is room to grow. If you purchase one for your current needs, then the scalability is not good and you're going to have to repurchase if you want to scale up. On a scale of one to ten, I would give this solution a five or six for scalability.
How are customer service and support?
I would rate the technical support as a ten out of ten. I'm a Sophos partner, and their partner support is excellent.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I previously used Cisco Meraki, but Sophos XG has built-in web filtering and is a better overall security solution. Due to these features, I have tried to migrate as many of my schools to Sophos XG as possible.
How was the initial setup?
On a scale of one to five, with five being complex, I would rate the initial setup as a four. If you don't understand the terminology and how Sophos designates the way they do things, then it is a little confusing.
What about the implementation team?
Depending on the location, most deployments take a day. We leave the current firewall in place while we configure the new one, then we swing the cable over and fire up the new firewall. That way if we have to take it back offline, we can keep the client productive until we are done configuring the new firewall.
For deployment you really only need one person, and maintenance can easily be handled by one person, too.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing depends on the size. Each Sophos XG solution is custom fit to the size of the client's network. For example, for the XG 135, you're looking at a yearly subscription. You can get a one-year subscription for a few hundred dollars, or a three-year subscription for $1,500-$1,600, so it's not bad. There are no costs in addition to the standard licensing fees. I would rate the pricing as a three point eight on a scale of one to five.
I've had schools running different firewalls with subscriptions and different web filters with subscriptions, and I've found that it is less expensive for smaller schools to run Sophos XG with its unified threat management instead of multiple appliances.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have evaluated some other options. It really boils down to price, and I haven't had a chance to explore Palo Alto much. I've played with PortaNet a little bit, but I think that Sophos XG has better features for the price point.
What other advice do I have?
For the standard end user, self-based training is necessary. When you get into the Sophos XG firewall and try to start creating NAT rules, it can be a little cumbersome for a novice. It's pretty easy once you know how to do it, but it will be hard for anybody who doesn't have experience.
My advice to someone purchasing this solution would be to look closely at the licensing package to make sure they get what they need.
For small businesses and small schools, I would rate this solution as an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner/Reseller

Data Professional at a construction company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Is versatile and easy to install, and integrates well with other solutions
Pros and Cons
- "We can configure rules with the user, traffic, etc., making it a very versatile solution for our network."
- "Better instructions should be provided as part of the technical support so that we can understand the functionalities. This will help us to troubleshoot faster."
What is our primary use case?
We manage all the network services, like DHCP, of each branch office.
How has it helped my organization?
It has helped us because we have identified some of the loopholes in our assets that we did not know existed.
What is most valuable?
I like using the combination of XG firewalls and the XDR product with the end user. I also like the integration of all the solutions and the visual of all our clients and the traffic routing in to the network from inside the console. The synchronization and the integration with all the products in the central office, such as Office 365 or AWS, make it a valuable solution.
We can configure rules with the user, traffic, etc., making it a very versatile solution for our network.
What needs improvement?
Better instructions should be provided as part of the technical support so that we can understand the functionalities. This will help us to troubleshoot faster.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been using Sophos XG for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Sophos XG is a scalable solution. We have about 1,000 users.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is good, in general.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We used Fortinet, and we changed the solution because there were additional costs for reporting, licensing, and centralization. If we compare Fortinet to Sophos XG, the XG firewall costs less and performs better. That's one of the reasons that we moved to XG.
The other and the most important reason is the integration with our security solution, Sophos XDR.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was very easy. It's much easier than that for other products.
Deployment and maintenance can be done by one or two people. I am a specialist, and an engineer and I worked on the deployment and maintenance.
What about the implementation team?
The provider of the solution implemented it, and it took about a day.
What was our ROI?
We have seen an improvement in security not only in terms of technology but also in terms of internal practices in our company.
We predicted that it would take three years to obtain an ROI.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We bought the three-year license, and there are no additional costs.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We evaluated Check Point, Barracuda, and Palo Alto.
What other advice do I have?
It's a good product, and you should go ahead with it.
I would rate Sophos XG at nine on a scale from one to ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Buyer's Guide
Sophos XG
November 2023

Learn what your peers think about Sophos XG. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2023.
745,775 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Network Administrator with 1,001-5,000 employees
Offers a great reporting feature but throughput performance could be improved
Pros and Cons
- "Reporting is the most valuable feature."
- "Lacks improved throughput performance in a box."
What is our primary use case?
This product is our perimeter firewall with web filtering and application filtering, as well as also providing site-to-site VPN and SSL VPN. We are end-users and customers of Sophos. I'm a network administrator.
How has it helped my organization?
Sophos XG enabled our organization to establish site-to-site connectivity with our Branch offices and enabled work from home during pandemic through very easy to deploy SSL VPN solution for our employees.
What is most valuable?
Reporting is the most valuable feature. They also recently provided the SDWAN solution and we're currently working on implementing that.
What needs improvement?
I'd like to see improved throughput performance in a box. It's already a cost effective solution but I'd like to see the cost further reduced for annual renewals.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for four years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Sophos has the same issue as all firewalls where it's scalable for virtualization and for cloud deployment, but it's not so scalable when it comes to the hardware.
How are customer service and support?
Customer service is good but has room for improvement like all others.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was very straight forward.
What about the implementation team?
Vendor team has very good level of expertise, transfer of knowledge was excellent and we are managing firewalls at our own.
What other advice do I have?
I believe there are better products on the market so I rate this solution seven out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Network and Security Engineer at Datafox OÜ
Simple implementation, useful synchronized security, and helpful support
Pros and Cons
- "The stability of Sophos XG is very good. However, there have been some issues with other weaker models because they are limited in hardware in resources."
- "Sophos XG could improve the connectivity with Microsoft 365 or Azure Active Directory(AD). It doesn't work directly as other solutions do, such as Fortinet FortiGate. The client needs a separate AD server which is a problem."
What is our primary use case?
Sophos XG can be deployed on-premise and on the cloud.
We use Sophos XG as a network firewall for many use cases, such as offices, residential, and data centers.
What needs improvement?
Sophos XG could improve the connectivity with Microsoft 365 or Azure Active Directory(AD). It doesn't work directly as other solutions do, such as Fortinet FortiGate. The client needs a separate AD server which is a problem.
There is no endpoint software for Linux systems, only the server version runs on Linux.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos XG for approximately fours years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of Sophos XG is very good. However, there have been some issues with other weaker models because they are limited in hardware in resources.
How are customer service and support?
We had an issue, but after speaking to the technical support, I understood it was a problem with Sophos, not a firewall problem, but with the endpoint that was related to the encryption of the disc. The problem is if you have a computer controlled by Azure at the same time as Sophos, then there may be some incompatibility problem between them because both of them are trying to control the computer and the encryption of the hard drive.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used other firewall solutions, such as Fortinet Foregate and Check Point.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of Sophos XG is simple, but Cisco Meraki is easier.
Since I have used Sophos XG long time it is easier than Fortinet FortiGate or Check Point.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Sophos XG is not an expensive solution. If you are willing to pay more, then there is the Check Point firewall which is the best out of all the vendors.
What other advice do I have?
I would advise other Sophos XG is a great solution because it is synchronized security between the endpoint and firewall which is unique. I'm not sure if Fortinet FortiGate has this technology, but it is a good technology in Sophos XG. Sophos was perhaps the first to use this kind of technology. What it does is if your computer gets infected, then the endpoint tells the firewall that, it is infected and the firewall doesn't allow the use of the network at all. It'll lock it down on this computer.
I rate Sophos XG a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Branch Manager at Shakti Foundation
Helpful support, secure, and user-friendly
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features of Sophos XG are user-friendliness and it is highly secure."
- "Sophos XG could improve by making the remote access and VPN better."
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of Sophos XG are user-friendliness and it is highly secure.
What needs improvement?
Sophos XG could improve by making the remote access and VPN better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used Sophos XG within the last 12 months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Sophos XG is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of the solution is good. We have approximately 4,000 concurrent users.
How are customer service and support?
The Sophos XG technical support we receive from our local vendor, they are very helpful.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others. I have recommended it to many organizations already. I have had a very good experience with the Sophos XG.
I rate Sophos XG an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Associate Technical Director at INTELEC3
Simple to configure and implement, good pricing, and suitable for medium-sized enterprises
Pros and Cons
- "I like it for its simplicity. It is very simple to configure and implement. It is a very good product for medium-sized organizations."
- "There should be web caching to improve bandwidth utilization. It should have a very good caching feature. That's because we are in a very poor continent, and the connectivity cost is very high. We have low bandwidth, and the intensive usage of bandwidth is not easy here in Africa. If they improve services for web caching, it would be better."
What is our primary use case?
We use it for network protection. We use Sophos XG as a firewall in our own company, and we have also implemented it for customers. I have been using Sophos XG for a small office for my own family.
We have also implemented Sophos Email Gateway for government mailing servers. It is not so elaborate, but for basic usage, it works very well.
We have implemented version 17 to the latest version of Sophos XG.
What is most valuable?
I like it for its simplicity. It is very simple to configure and implement. It is a very good product for medium-sized organizations.
What needs improvement?
There should be web caching to improve bandwidth utilization. It should have a very good caching feature. That's because we are in a very poor continent, and the connectivity cost is very high. We have low bandwidth, and the intensive usage of bandwidth is not easy here in Africa. If they improve services for web caching, it would be better.
It should also support a feature for Virtual Domains. Similar to FortiGate, we should be able to use a single device to create two or more virtual units. Such a feature is useful for separating the traffic between departments in a large enterprise.
When I try to use Sophos for Email Gateway, it's not easy to check a user in the LDAP directory. It's not as good as other products, such as HCL Domino. Sophos is good, but it is not so good. When we use the LDAP filter to select some users, we have small problems, but overall, Sophos is very good for me.
Their support in Africa is not so good, which is a problem. Their support can be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos technology for four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Generally, when we implement a Sophos product, we do the sizing and plan the resources based on the expected traffic. We anticipate the resource usage for one or two years, which helps with scalability, but it is a product for medium enterprises. In my company, we have around 20 employees.
How are customer service and support?
Their account manager and support in Africa are not so good. Their community support is very good, and a lot of times, I use their community when I need any kind of support, and I get a response for my issue.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I use Sophos and Fortinet. I sometimes also use Cisco Firepower. We are an integrator in West Africa, and my choice also depends on a customer's choice. Sometimes, they are telecom operators, and sometimes, they are small companies, such as non-governmental organizations.
How was the initial setup?
It is very easy to implement.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Its price is good. All features are grouped in the same license. It is an all-in-one license, and the license price is acceptable.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate it a nine out of 10.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Architect of solutions at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
User-friendly security with quality disk encryption but lacks on-premise deployment options and firewall rules could use improvement.
Pros and Cons
- "Sophos offers great disk encryption, anti protection, and the interface is very user-friendly."
- "I would like to next release to be able to support on-premise deployment. The construction of the rules within the firewall could also use some improvement."
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution to secure the computers within our environment.
What is most valuable?
Sophos offers great disk encryption, anti protection, and the interface is very user-friendly.
What needs improvement?
I would like to next release to be able to support on-premise deployment. The construction of the rules within the firewall could also use some improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos XG for about two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is a stable solution, I have not had any issues in regards to stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This is a scalable solution. We have about two hundred users in our company.
How are customer service and support?
I have not needed to contact support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We were using ESET prior to switching to Sophos. ESET was a very simple solution that was unable to detect malware or ransomware. We had an attack and needed to switch to a solution that supported ransomware.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was very straightforward and took about one week to complete.
What about the implementation team?
We used an integrator to compete the deployment. We have a contract with them so we do not need any in-house team members for maintenance.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution as it offers good protection.
I would rate the solution a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Director
User-friendly, good load-balancing functionality, and it's easy to manage
Pros and Cons
- "The interface is very user-friendly and it's easy to manage."
- "All of the options should be available when I renew my subscription for the year. As it is now, there are some limitations."
What is our primary use case?
We are a digital design agency. We offer services such as website design and development, mobile applications, and more. We use Sophos XG to protect our network. It is also used for reporting and load-balancing.
What is most valuable?
The interface is very user-friendly and it's easy to manage.
The load-balancing capabilities are good.
What needs improvement?
All of the options should be available when I renew my subscription for the year. As it is now, there are some limitations.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Sophos XG for between two and three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is a stable product and we use it on a daily basis.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I have not tried to scale this product.
How are customer service and support?
I have not had issues that required contacting technical support.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is simple. It takes approximately one hour to install, create the policies, and deploy.
What about the implementation team?
I deployed it myself.
If there are any issues then I can fix them because I have the expertise.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The subscription costs approximately $300 yearly. I am satisfied with the price.
What other advice do I have?
Feature-wise, this is a good product.
I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

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Updated: November 2023
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