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Head-to-head · Virtual Routers Software

Check Point CloudGuard Network Security vs Palo Alto Networks VM-Series

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 3 checks side by side
Higher score Check Point CloudGuard Network Security #7 in Virtual Routers Software 8.3/10 Pricing on request ✓ 2 of 2 features Visit Check Point
Palo Alto Networks VM-Series #8 in Virtual Routers Software 8.2/10 Pricing on request ✓ 2 of 2 features Visit site

Check Point CloudGuard Network Security leads on 0 checks, Palo Alto Networks VM-Series on 0, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreCheck Point CloudGuard Network Security · 8.3/10

Check Point CloudGuard Network Security scores higher on our rubric for virtual routers software: 8.3 against 8.2 out of 10; our editors rank them #7 and #8.

Check Point CloudGuard Network Security is the better fit for cloud teams prioritizing routing plus security controls. Palo Alto Networks VM-Series is the better fit for cloud teams needing virtual firewall and basic routing.

  • Check Point CloudGuard Network Security fits best

    Cloud teams prioritizing routing plus security controls

  • Palo Alto Networks VM-Series fits best

    Cloud teams needing virtual firewall and basic routing

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Check Point CloudGuard Network Security 8.3/10 Visit ↗ Palo Alto Networks VM-Series 8.2/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.3 8.2
Ranking #7 in Virtual Routers Software #8 in Virtual Routers Software
Best for Cloud teams prioritizing routing plus security controls Cloud teams needing virtual firewall and basic routing
Pricing model Paid Paid
Starting price Pricing on request Pricing on request
Free plan Not checked yet —
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Self-hosted Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms Web Web
Integrations 15 integrations 12 integrations
Built for Mid-market, Enterprise Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Check Point CloudGuard Network Security 2/2 · Palo Alto Networks VM-Series 2/2
VPN support ✓ ✓
High availability ✓ ✓
Specs
Deployment type Virtual machine Not checked yet
Routing protocols OSPFv2, BGP, RIP, static routes, multicast routes, policy-based routing, PIM-SM, PIM-DM, IGMP v2 and v3 BGP, OSPF, OSPFv3, RIP, static routing
Max throughput Not checked yet Not checked yet
Cloud platforms AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, Alibaba Cloud
Our review
Pros
  • Unified firewall policy across AWS, Azure, GCP and OCI
  • Threat prevention includes IPS, antivirus, Anti-Bot and malware defenses
  • Routing, VPN and high-availability gateways support complex cloud networks
  • Inspects traffic at Layer 7 with inline security controls
  • Supports BGP, OSPF, OSPFv3, RIP and static routing
  • Runs across major public clouds and virtualization platforms
Cons
  • Pricing uses a contact-sales process with PAYG and BYOL licensing
  • Routing sits within a broader security stack rather than a routing-first product
  • Documented support is provided through the docs channel
  • Security-focused rather than a deep standalone routing platform
  • Pricing requires a sales conversation
  • No general free plan
Our verdict

Check Point CloudGuard Network Security is a virtual security gateway and cloud firewall for workloads and traffic across public, private and hybrid clouds. It fits mid-market and enterprise teams that need centralized policy management…

Read the review →

Palo Alto Networks VM-Series is a virtualized next-generation firewall for protecting workloads and inspecting traffic across public and private clouds, virtualized data centers, and enterprise branches. It is aimed at mid-market and…

Read the review →
  1. Check Point CloudGuard Network SecurityVirtual Routers Software 8.3Pricing on request
  2. Palo Alto Networks VM-SeriesVirtual Routers Software 8.2Pricing on request

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Check Point CloudGuard Network Security — where it wins

    • Unified firewall policy across AWS, Azure, GCP and OCI
    • Threat prevention includes IPS, antivirus, Anti-Bot and malware defenses
    • Routing, VPN and high-availability gateways support complex cloud networks

    Where it doesn't

    • Pricing uses a contact-sales process with PAYG and BYOL licensing
    • Routing sits within a broader security stack rather than a routing-first product
    • Documented support is provided through the docs channel
  • Palo Alto Networks VM-Series — where it wins

    • Inspects traffic at Layer 7 with inline security controls
    • Supports BGP, OSPF, OSPFv3, RIP and static routing
    • Runs across major public clouds and virtualization platforms

    Where it doesn't

    • Security-focused rather than a deep standalone routing platform
    • Pricing requires a sales conversation
    • No general free plan
  • Check Point CloudGuard Network Security8.3/10 · Pricing on request

    A cloud firewall and virtual gateway that pairs extensive routing with threat prevention.

    Visit Check PointFull verdict →
  • Palo Alto Networks VM-Series8.2/10 · Pricing on request

    A cloud-ready virtual firewall with core routing protocols, VPNs and high availability.

    Visit siteFull verdict →

More comparisons

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update