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When it comes to securing your business network, choosing the right security gateway is critical. Three popular options in the UK are Netgate (pfSense+), Fortinet (FortiGate), and Cisco (ASA/Firepower series). Each offers strong protection, but they differ in price, flexibility, and target market.
Netgate’s pfSense+ appliances are an open-source powered solution trusted by businesses worldwide. They provide advanced firewalling, VPN, and routing features with no hidden license costs.
Fortinet is well-known for its all-in-one UTM firewalls. They include antivirus, web filtering, and intrusion prevention. However, they usually require a paid subscription to unlock their full potential.
Cisco has been a leader in enterprise networking for decades. Their ASA and Firepower series firewalls are powerful but often expensive and complex to manage.
| Feature / Brand | Netgate (pfSense+) | Fortinet (FortiGate) | Cisco (ASA/Firepower) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Low upfront, no license | Medium–High + subscription | High upfront + license |
| Ease of Use | Medium (technical setup) | Easy with subscription | Complex, enterprise-focused |
| Flexibility | Very high (customisable) | Medium (preset features) | Low–Medium (vendor lock-in) |
| Best For | SMEs, consultants, IT experts | SMEs–Enterprises | Large enterprises, gov/ISP |
| VPN Support | Strong (OpenVPN, IPsec, WireGuard) | Strong (IPsec, SSL VPN) | Strong (IPsec, AnyConnect) |
| Performance Range | 1–40 Gbps | 1–100+ Gbps | 1–100+ Gbps |
For many UK businesses, Netgate provides the best balance of performance, affordability, and flexibility. At Computer Assistance, we specialise in Netgate appliances with pfSense+, offering expert installation, setup, and support tailored to your needs.
👉 Learn more: Netgate Security Appliances – Computer Assistance
Yes, Netgate is often the best choice for small and medium businesses due to its low cost, open-source flexibility, and lack of mandatory licensing fees.
Yes. While Fortinet devices work without subscriptions, most of their advanced security features (antivirus, intrusion detection, web filtering) require ongoing subscriptions.
Cisco targets large enterprises and government organisations. Their solutions come with high reliability and scalability, but also complex licensing and setup costs.
Absolutely. Higher-end Netgate appliances, like the 6100 and 8300 series, provide performance ranging from multi-gigabit to enterprise-scale throughput.
Fortinet is easiest out of the box (with subscriptions).
Netgate requires some technical setup but is highly customisable.
Cisco is the most complex, generally requiring dedicated IT staff.
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We believe choosing an IT partner is one of the most important decisions a business can make, which is why reputation in the industry is so crucial.
