I use the solution in my company as an edge device on our network.
Faculty of Technical Sciences at a university with 201-500 employees
User-friendly and easy to manage but needs improvement in the throughput area
Pros and Cons
- "The solution's most valuable feature stems from its ability to protect our organization's web servers."
- "In Sophos XG, the throughput for larger networks is an area of concern where improvements are required."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The solution's most valuable feature stems from its ability to protect our organization's web servers.
What needs improvement?
In Sophos XG, the throughput for larger networks is an area of concern where improvements are required.
I hope the product comes up with some better prices and offers for the tools provided to academic institutions.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos XG for two years.
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Stability-wise, I rate the solution a six out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a seven out of ten.
There are around 200 to 300 users in our institution.
Though our institution plans to increase the solution's use, we are unsure about the vendor we want to approach.
How was the initial setup?
I rate the product's initial setup phase a seven on a scale of one to ten, where one means it is a difficult process and ten means it has an easy setup phase.
The solution is deployed on an on-premises model.
The solution can be deployed in two to three days.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The product is expensive.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
My company considers Fortinet as an option against Sophos XG.
What other advice do I have?
The product has improved network security for all the networks in my organization. The product also offers endpoint security since my organization has been using the anti-virus software from Sophos for the past ten years.
Sophos XG's interface is very user-friendly.
The performance of Sophos XG's VPN to meet the organization's remote access needs is an area that cannot be discussed due to security concerns. Though the product can meet our organization's current requirements, we are considering alternate solutions since we have plans to improve our network.
The reporting and analytics functionalities helped identify security incidents in our company.
I recommend the product to those who plan to use it because it is easy to manage and solve network-related problems.
I rate the product a seven 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.

System Specialist at Databros
Provides comprehensive protection against a wide range of cyber threats
Pros and Cons
- "One feature of Sophos XG that I found incredibly beneficial for threat prevention is its endpoint protection."
- "There could be some room for improvement in its pricing since my clients usually feel like the product is on the expensive side."
What is our primary use case?
Sophos XG has greatly strengthened our network security and threat management. Its integrated EDR capabilities and seamless integration with firewalls, along with additional services like their NOC services, provide a comprehensive solution. With all these features working together, it is a complete package that ensures robust security for our clients.
What is most valuable?
One feature of Sophos XG that I found incredibly beneficial for threat prevention is its endpoint protection. It monitors all activities on our devices and effectively blocks any harmful files from infecting our machines. It has been a game-changer in preventing troubles for our customers.
What needs improvement?
While Sophos XG is a great product overall, there could be some room for improvement in its pricing since my clients usually feel like the product is on the expensive side.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Sophos XG for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Overall, the solution is stable, and we rarely encounter glitches. Any issues that arise are usually related to Microsoft updates rather than the Sophos software itself.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I would rate the scalability of the solution as an eight out of ten. The clients I work with who use Sophos are typically small enterprises.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have worked with other firewalls like Cisco and Fortinet over my 20 years of experience. Comparing Sophos to other solutions, I have seen significant improvements over the years. While it may not have been the easiest or best software three years ago, it is continually getting better with updates. Overall, Sophos is moving in the right direction, becoming more competitive with its counterparts.
How was the initial setup?
Installing Sophos XG is straightforward and typically takes around one hour for configuration, excluding the physical setup. Usually, only one person is needed to complete the installation and configuration process. It is quite easy to maintain it.
What other advice do I have?
There was a time when our network faced a sophisticated malware attack that bypassed traditional security measures. However, with Sophos XG in place, it quickly detected and mitigated the threat before it could cause any damage. The seamless integration of software and hardware ensured there were no vulnerabilities or gaps in our defense.
The interface of Sophos XG is user-friendly and suitable for new users. It is continually improving, with updates addressing any issues promptly.
Deploying Sophos XG has led to noticeable improvements in network performance.
Overall, I would rate Sophos XG as an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Reseller
Buyer's Guide
Sophos XG
May 2025

Learn what your peers think about Sophos XG. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: May 2025.
857,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Information Technology Specialist at stelios@biolandenergy.com
A stable and scalable firewall solution that provides effective threat prevention
Pros and Cons
- "The firewall feature of Sophos XG has been the most effective for threat prevention."
- "The solution’s reporting could be improved."
What is most valuable?
The firewall feature of Sophos XG has been the most effective for threat prevention.
What needs improvement?
The solution’s reporting could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos XG for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the solution an eight out of ten for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Around 200 users are using the solution daily in our organization.
I rate the solution an eight out of ten for scalability.
How was the initial setup?
On a scale from one to ten, where one is difficult and ten is easy, I rate the solution's initial setup a nine out of ten.
What about the implementation team?
We implemented the solution through an in-house team in half an hour. One person was involved in the solution’s deployment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing a seven out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
Sophos XG has sufficiently improved the security of our network. We found the solution's user interface very user-friendly for our daily operations.
Overall, I rate the solution 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.
Director at Bhudeo Khadya Udyog Pvt Ltd
Stable product with an efficient user management system
Pros and Cons
- "The product’s most valuable feature is the user management system."
- "The product's technical support services could be better."
What is most valuable?
The product’s most valuable feature is the user management system.
What needs improvement?
The product's technical support services could be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Sophos XG for three to four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the product’s stability an eight or nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have 15 to 20 Sophos XG users. I rate its scalability an eight or nine.
How are customer service and support?
We do not receive enough technical support services from Sophos XG.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was complicated because we didn’t have executives with proper expertise. It took us two months to complete.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I rate Sophos XG’s pricing a seven out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Sophos XG an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Easy to install, reliable, with helpful technical support
Pros and Cons
- "The SD-WAN feature stands out as the most valuable aspect."
- "Fortinet surpasses Sophos in terms of support, particularly with its comprehensive five-one feature console."
What is our primary use case?
We are resellers.
What is most valuable?
The SD-WAN feature stands out as the most valuable aspect.
What needs improvement?
Fortinet surpasses Sophos in terms of support, particularly with its comprehensive five-one feature console.
Additionally, there are notable differences between appliance models, including variations in hardware, utility, and product offerings.
It is essential to compare these aspects to ensure optimal performance and functionality.
While Sophos may not excel in the support aspect, it still provides satisfactory performance overall.
However, other solutions may offer better support and resource availability.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Sophos XG for three years.
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?
Sophos appliances typically offer a fixed level of throughput, which means their scalability may be limited compared to more flexible solutions.
It is important to consider this aspect when implementing Sophos for your organization.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is good.
When considering master gold names, it is evident that they offer a competitive package.
I would rate technical support an eight out of ten.
Microsoft's protection has received positive feedback and strong on-site support from both customers and partners.
Their response to cases, including targeted remediation, has been prompt and efficient.
In certain instances, there is a reliance on Microsoft's expertise and direct involvement to ensure a satisfactory resolution.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. It is easy.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price is reasonable.
The licensing cost in the final currency amount, is 163,080, with three years of support.
Support costs are approximately 50 percent.
What other advice do I have?
As for advice on implementing Sophos, it would depend on your specific requirements and the desired features you seek in a security solution.
Evaluating factors such as support, performance, compatibility, and cost-effectiveness is essential when making a decision.
It is recommended to carefully assess your organization's needs and consult with Sophos representatives or IT professionals to determine if Sophos is the right fit for your environment.
It is recommended to carefully assess your organization's needs and consult with Sophos representatives or IT professionals to determine if Sophos is the right fit for your environment.
I would rate Sophos XG an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Reseller
Tech Doctor at a recruiting/HR firm with 11-50 employees
Easy to manage, reasonable price, and very stable
Pros and Cons
- "Compared to other firewalls that I had looked at, I thought Sophos was the better solution. It just seems to be easier to manage versus Cisco, Fortinet, or one of the other options I was looking at."
- "I'm just a sole proprietor for IT support, and from my perspective, there could be better ways to educate a proprietor, such as myself, on how to set it up, and program it, and manage it. They do tend to have support, but a lot of times, it is for larger networks. I need something that is simpler and more rudimentary as to how to go about setting up and configuring the firewall, setting up the rules, and that type of thing. So, if there is a missing component there, that would be it."
What is our primary use case?
I implemented this firewall for my clients. They're small offices. One has got half a dozen computers, and the other one has about 30 computers on the network. Both utilize VPN to remotely access their workstations in the office.
It is sized based on the client. So, there are actually two different versions that I've utilized.
How has it helped my organization?
VPN setup is great and easy to implement for outside users to access data or workstations in the network. Easy to manage and set up. No major glitches. Runs reliably. Setting up iPhones and Macs is a bit more involved since you have to use VPN apps that are compatible with Apple for VPN and remote desktop.
What is most valuable?
Compared to other firewalls that I had looked at, I thought Sophos was the better solution. It just seems to be easier to manage versus Cisco, Fortinet, or one of the other options I was looking at.
I'm not going to say that it's easy to configure, but I can understand how to configure it. There is a certain amount of support available to do the configurations.
What needs improvement?
I'm just a sole proprietor for IT support, and from my perspective, there could be better ways to educate a proprietor, such as myself, on how to set it up, program it, and manage it. They do tend to have support, but a lot of times, it is for larger networks. I need something simpler and more rudimentary to set up and configure the firewall, set up the rules, and that type of thing. So, if there is a missing component there, that would be it.
Any firewall will need rules for how it protects the network against a variety of threats or various degrees of protection. My comments are not aimed at Sophos specifically. As a new person just learning about firewall protection, it would be helpful for any vendor to have an education area that runs through various scenarios and implements them in the firewall. Videos would be helpful. From my initial research on which firewall to choose, Sophos appeared to have the most straightforward interface.
I purchased the units from www.firewalls.com, and they worked with me to do the initial setup. That was very helpful to get started
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos XG for 4 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?
It is scalable. There are different models, and you really need to choose a model that is appropriate for your current situation. You can buy something with a certain degree of scalability. Because I purchased it through firewalls.com, I was able to have that discussion, describe the application, and then choose a model that would suit that particular client with a degree of scalability. Now, for instance, if they went from 20 employees to 500 employees, then it is not scalable to that degree, but if they went from 20 employees to 50 employees, then it would be scalable. So, you've got to define the criteria in terms of what you're trying to protect, the number of users, the bandwidth that is going through it, the speed, etc. When I purchased them through firewalls.com, they explained and helped me choose the most appropriate appliance for what I'm doing.
How are customer service and support?
I did have a circumstance where the firewall had been damaged during a lightning storm or something like that, and I called them to help me diagnose what the issue was. They were good about the diagnostic. They were good about spending the time with me to figure out what was wrong. In the particular case that I was researching, it turned out that one of the ports was bad for some reason. It was either because of the lightning storm or some other reason. It was under warranty, and they replaced it with a new unit. So, I'm satisfied with Sophos' support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previously used a small $100 cisco unit. Not easy to implement VPN. They may have an app, now, but at the time it was problematic and way too complicated.
How was the initial setup?
I purchased it through firewalls.com. They're an online vendor, and they did the initial setup and configuration on both firewalls. My experience with them was good.
What about the implementation team?
I used firewalls.com and they were excellent
What was our ROI?
Fewer management headaches
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing was reasonable. VPN licensing is included.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I looked at Cisco, Fortinet, and one of the others, and compared to them, I thought Sophos was the better solution. It seemed to be easier to manage. After the implementation, I could figure out what to do with a Sophos interface. If it was something like Cisco or other vendors, it would be far more complicated to deal with. So, that's one of the reasons why I chose Sophos.
What other advice do I have?
For someone who is not acquainted with firewalls, whether it is Sophos or anything else, dealing with a third party for the implementation is kind of a must.
I am satisfied with this solution. I don't really have any hands-on experience with other firewalls that I can compare it against, but I'm satisfied with it. I like it, and I'd buy it again.
I would rate Sophos XG a 10 out of 10.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Revenue Development Manager at Integrity by CELT
Extremely intuitive, user friendly with a great reporting feature and excellent technical support
Pros and Cons
- "Great reporting feature and great customer support."
- "The user interface could be improved and more bandwidth management would be helpful."
What is our primary use case?
The primary use case of this solution is to protect the perimeter, the edge of the network, as well as providing anti-virus protection. There are also RED devices that can be deployed and connect to Sophos and they go back to VPN connectivity. We've mainly worked with schools which is different to working with companies because they have particular guidelines to follow. I'm an engineer/revenue development manager and we partner with Sophos.
What is most valuable?
In terms of hardware, I think Sophos is definitely the easiest to work with. It's very intuitive and easy to learn how to use. The reporting feature is great and they have great customer support.
What needs improvement?
In terms of improvement, I think the UI could be faster. Sometimes the system freezes and there's a lag. It seems there were some issues with the firmware but it's not a big problem. The user interface could also be improved. It would be great if they could include a little bit more bandwidth management. If they would integrate FatPipe into their product, it would be closer to what Fortinet does.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for 12 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is a very stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Sophos has different size appliances, so they're scalable regardless of whether you have 10,000 workstation nodes to any device down to the 1/10, which will provide up to 100 nodes. It's very scalable. I have implemented this mainly in K through 12 educational institutions and some other types of accounting businesses as well as in a wide variety of organizations and companies. In terms of physical maintenance it's a matter of once every six months blowing out the fans. The rest is done for you with Up2Date, which carries out all the firmware upgrades, and rolls it back if there's a problem. Once in a while, an update will get stuck and you'll have to manually push the update.
How are customer service and technical support?
Dealing with Sophos technical support is a very easy process, from the regional business directors all the way up to the president. They have very good people and their customer support is amazing. That's one of the big things I love about Sophos. Their customer support and the group of people that run that company are amazing people, great people. I've never seen the support on any other platform that I've seen with Sophos.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was very straightforward. They give you an 800 number to call. The licensing portal has improved greatly over the years. So Sophos now has a new license platform which makes things a lot easier than previously and you can now buy individual licensing.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I haven't evaluated other options but I know that Fortinet does much more in terms of protection and uses AI. They do a lot more now they have another platform that sits in the cloud and provides clients with AI, whereas Sophos only recently implemented AI. Fortinet has a much better reporting function, but Sophos has stepped up and is now providing the customer with the information they need to feel secure in the product.
What other advice do I have?
My advice would be to download the VMware and get to know the interface because running one of these devices is probably not as difficult as you'd think. If you have an onsite level one user, YouTube has online training and Sophos support will help you through it. It's a very easy device for a level one engineer to manage. My advice is to download the free VMware for 30 days and then either buy the platform or install the VMware product.
I rate this solution a 10 out of 10.
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
IT Manager at k sera sera
Easy to navigate and create rules with helpful technical support on call 24/7
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is easy to set up and configure."
- "The pricing can be high unless you choose a longer contract."
What is most valuable?
The solution is very easy to use. It's easy to navigate.
I like that I can create new rules and policies quite easily.
The solution works quite well overall.
The solution is easy to set up and configure.
Technical support has been very good.
The solution is scalable.
The product so far has been quite stable.
What needs improvement?
We are in the movie industry. We're a movie distribution company. Currently, we are affected badly by corona, since March of 2020. We are working from home, however, this solution is for on-premises tasks.
The pricing can be high unless you choose a longer contract.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been using the solution for about two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We have no complaints in regards to the stability. It doesn't crash or freeze. There are no bugs or glitches. It's good. We find it to be reliable in terms of performance.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability potential is very good. If a company needs to expand it, it can do so with ease.
We have 100 users on the solution.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have 24/7 help if we need it. The technical support on offer is quite helpful. The offices are also in Mumbai, and that makes it very easy to connect with them and get help when we need it.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previous to Sophos, we worked with Cyberoam. We switched due to the fact that Sophos took over Cyberoam and the Cyberoam model we had was outdated. Therefore, we were upgraded in Sophos.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is quite easy. it's not overly complex. The configuration process is also very simple.
We have a team within our organization that can handle any maintenance that is required.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is not an issue. We pay almost it's $40,000 per year. Longer contracts offer better pricing. I'm taking a renewal with a four-year core contract.
What other advice do I have?
I'd recommend the solution to other users and companies. Sophos has been great so far.
I'd rate the solution at an eight out of ten. It loses some marks due to the fact that I have had some technical issues with it. I also don't use it that much and wouldn't consider myself a Sophos expert. I need to spend more time with it.
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: Distributor

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