Best Network Firewall Software in 2026
Updated
In short: NethSecurity is ranked #1 of 33 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of pfSense and Arista NG Firewall. The best-ranked option with a free plan is pfSense. The lowest first paid tier on this page is AWS Network Firewall at $0.07/mo.
Network firewall software helps manage the traffic moving through your network and the checks applied to it. Compared on concurrent connections and firewall throughput, these options also differ in deployment model, intrusion prevention, and SSL inspection. Site-to-site VPN, free-plan availability, and paid starting prices add further points to weigh against your needs. Names among the entries include NethSecurity, pfSense, and Arista NG Firewall. Consider the scale of traffic you handle, the inspection capabilities you require, and how the software would be deployed. The listed criteria can help you compare those practical requirements without treating every network environment as the same.
33 network firewall software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
6 of the 25 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NethSecurityWeb · Linux · Self-hosted | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 2 | pfSenseWeb · Linux · Self-hosted | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 3 | Arista NG FirewallWeb | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $22.50/mo | 6.4 | |
| 4 | IPFireWeb · Linux · Self-hosted | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 5 | OPNsenseWeb · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 6 | Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Secret ManagementWeb · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.3 | |
| 7 | Sangfor EasyConnectWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 6 of 6 | — | 5.8 |
| 8 | Cato SASE PlatformWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · API | Two bars | — | — | 6 of 6 | — | 5.7 |
| 9 | Check Point DDoS ProtectorWeb · Linux · Self-hosted | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 10 | Zscaler Private AccessWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 6 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 11 | Endian Firewall CommunityLinux | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 12 | WatchGuard FireCloudWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | — | 5 of 6 | $8.15/mo | 5.3 |
| 13 | Stormshield Management CenterWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 14 | WatchGuard FireboxWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 15 | Forcepoint Next Generation FirewallNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 16 | Forcepoint ZTNAWeb · Windows · Mac · Self-hosted | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 17 | OpenWrtLinux | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 18 | AWS Network FirewallWeb · API | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | $0.07/mo | 5.0 |
| 19 | Palo Alto Networks PanoramaWeb · Self-hosted · API | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.0 |
| 20 | FirewallaWeb · Android · iPhone | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 4.9 |
| 21 | FortiGateNo platforms listed | One bar | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 4.9 |
| 22 | Juniper Security DirectorWeb · Self-hosted | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 4.9 |
| 23 | Versa Cloud NGFWWeb | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 4.9 |
| 24 | Alibaba Cloud Cloud FirewallNo platforms listed | One bar | — | — | 0 of 6 | $0.36/mo | 4.8 |
| 25 | Huawei Cloud FirewallWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 4.8 |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which network firewall software is ranked first on Freedom251?
NethSecurity is ranked #1 of 33 with a score of 6.5. pfSense is second and Arista NG Firewall third.
How many of these have a free plan?
6 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, AWS Network Firewall has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.07/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.