Best AWS Network Firewall Alternatives in 2026
The top AWS Network Firewall alternatives are Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall, FortiGate and Check Point Quantum Security Gateway: 15 network firewall software our editors would look at instead of AWS Network Firewall, in our ranking order.
AWS Network Firewall: A cloud-managed firewall for inspecting and filtering traffic across Amazon VPC environments. Where it falls short: usage-based pricing can vary with endpoint hours and traffic volume.
Switching from AWS Network Firewall? For most network firewall software buyers the best AWS Network Firewall alternative is Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall, built for enterprises needing advanced threat prevention. Arista NG Firewall has a free plan, which AWS Network Firewall does not. Azure Firewall Premium offers the most firewall throughput (100 Gbps).
Why People Look for an AWS Network Firewall Alternative
- Usage-based pricing can vary with endpoint hours and traffic volume
- Designed for Amazon VPC and AWS ecosystem deployments
- No free plan is available
- No free plan — 3 of the alternatives below have it
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallPalo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall9.4
Enterprises needing advanced threat prevention
Visit Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall - Best free optionArista NG Firewall9.0
Has a free plan (AWS Network Firewall has none)
Visit Arista NG Firewall - Most firewall throughputAzure Firewall Premium9.0
100 Gbps
Visit Azure Firewall Premium
All 15 AWS Network Firewall Alternatives, Ranked
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.
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Best forEnterprises needing advanced threat prevention
- Better than AWS Network Firewall:
- Editor score 9.4 vs 9.0
An enterprise firewall family combining application control, threat prevention and centralized management.
- SSL inspection
- Site-to-site VPN
- Intrusion prevention
9.4/10★★★★★Visit site -
Best forHybrid enterprises needing broad security integration
- Better than AWS Network Firewall:
- Editor score 9.3 vs 9.0
A broad hybrid firewall platform for enterprises that need integrated network security and automation.
- SSL inspection
- Site-to-site VPN
- Intrusion prevention
9.3/10★★★★★Visit FortiGate -
Best forMature enterprises needing clustered firewalls
- Better than AWS Network Firewall:
- Editor score 9.2 vs 9.0
A broad network security platform for enterprises that need clustered, policy-driven gateways.
- SSL inspection
- Site-to-site VPN
- Intrusion prevention
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Check Point -
Best forDistributed teams using cloud-managed appliances
- Better than AWS Network Firewall:
- Editor score 9.1 vs 9.0
A broad hybrid firewall family for distributed teams that need centralized cloud management.
- SSL inspection
- Site-to-site VPN
- Intrusion prevention
9.1/10★★★★★Visit WatchGuard -
Best forHybrid networks needing SD-WAN and sandboxing
A broad firewall platform for hybrid networks that need SD-WAN, VPN, and sandboxing.
- SSL inspection
- Site-to-site VPN
- Intrusion prevention
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Barracuda -
Best forHybrid enterprises needing SD-WAN and sandboxing
A hybrid NGFW for enterprises that need SD-WAN, inspection, VPN, and sandboxing.
- SSL inspection
- Site-to-site VPN
- Intrusion prevention
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Forcepoint -
Best forCloud-first teams needing secure internet access
A cloud-native firewall for distributed teams that need centralized inspection and policy control.
- SSL inspection
- Intrusion prevention
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Zscaler -
Best forBudget-conscious teams needing a full NGFW
- Better than AWS Network Firewall:
- Free plan
A flexible NGFW with a free tier and broad controls for small and midsize organizations.
- SSL inspection
- Site-to-site VPN
- Intrusion prevention
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forOrganizations wanting a free, extensible firewall
- Better than AWS Network Firewall:
- Free plan
A free, extensible firewall with VPN, IPS, high availability, and centralized management.
- SSL inspection
- Site-to-site VPN
- Intrusion prevention
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit OPNsense -
Best forFree firewalling with broad VPN options
- Better than AWS Network Firewall:
- Free plan
A free, open-source firewall with routing, three VPN technologies, and optional IPS packages.
- Site-to-site VPN
- Intrusion prevention
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit pfSense -
Best forAzure environments needing premium inspection
Premium Azure inspection with TLS filtering, IPS, and centralized management.
- SSL inspection
- Intrusion prevention
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Azure Firewall -
Best forHybrid networks needing HA and SD-WAN
A broad hybrid firewall platform for segmented networks, VPN, SD-WAN, and high availability.
- SSL inspection
- Site-to-site VPN
- Intrusion prevention
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Stormshield -
Best forCloud-native L3/L4 perimeter filtering
A focused cloud firewall for global L3/L4 filtering, automation, and analytics.
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Cloudflare -
Best forTeams managing Juniper firewall policies centrally
A centralized policy and operations layer for teams managing Juniper SRX firewalls.
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Juniper -
Best forEnterprises needing deep traffic inspection and response
Deep inspection and centralized response for distributed enterprise networks.
- SSL inspection
- Intrusion prevention
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Forcepoint
AWS Network Firewall Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to AWS Network Firewall?
Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall: #1 in our Network Firewall Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. An enterprise firewall family combining application control, threat prevention and centralized management.
Is there a free alternative to AWS Network Firewall?
Yes. Arista NG Firewall, OPNsense and pfSense have a free plan or a free tier.
Why do people look for AWS Network Firewall alternatives?
Usage-based pricing can vary with endpoint hours and traffic volume; Designed for Amazon VPC and AWS ecosystem deployments; No free plan is available.
Which AWS Network Firewall alternative has the most firewall throughput?
Azure Firewall Premium, with 100 Gbps.
How do I switch from AWS Network Firewall?
Export your data from AWS Network Firewall (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel AWS Network Firewall.
How to Switch from AWS Network Firewall
- Export your data from AWS Network Firewall (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel AWS Network Firewall.
AWS Network Firewall vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Deployment model | Intrusion prevention | SSL inspection | Site-to-site VPN | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | AWS Network Firewall | No | $0.07/GB usage-based | Cloud | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.0 |
| 1 | Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.4 | ||
| 2 | FortiGate | No | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.3 | |
| 3 | Check Point Quantum Security Gateway | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.2 | ||
| 4 | WatchGuard Firebox | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.1 | ||
| 5 | Barracuda CloudGen Firewall | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.0 | ||
| 6 | Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.0 | ||
| 7 | Zscaler Cloud Firewall | Cloud | Yes | Yes | 9.0 | |||
| 8 | Arista NG Firewall | Yes | $270/yr | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.0 |
| 9 | OPNsense | Yes | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.0 | |
| 10 | pfSense | Yes | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | 9.0 | ||
| 11 | Azure Firewall Premium | No | Cloud | Yes | Yes | No | 9.0 | |
| 12 | Stormshield Network Security | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.9 | ||
| 13 | Cloudflare Magic Firewall | No | Cloud | 8.9 | ||||
| 14 | Juniper Security Director | Hybrid | 8.9 | |||||
| 15 | Forcepoint Network Security Platform | No | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | 8.9 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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