Best Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Alternatives in 2026
The top Palo Alto Networks VM-Series alternatives are Arista CloudEOS, Juniper vMX and Nokia Virtualized Service Router: 15 virtual routers software our editors would look at instead of Palo Alto Networks VM-Series, in our ranking order.
Palo Alto Networks VM-Series: A cloud-ready virtual firewall with core routing protocols, VPNs and high availability. Where it falls short: security-focused rather than a deep standalone routing platform.
Switching from Palo Alto Networks VM-Series? For most virtual routers software buyers the best Palo Alto Networks VM-Series alternative is Arista CloudEOS, built for teams seeking an established cloud virtual router. VyOS has a free plan, which Palo Alto Networks VM-Series does not. MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) offers the most max throughput (1000 Mbps).
Why People Look for a Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Alternative
- Security-focused rather than a deep standalone routing platform
- Pricing requires a sales conversation
- No general free plan
- No free plan — 6 of the alternatives below have it
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallArista CloudEOS9.2
Teams seeking an established cloud virtual router
Visit Arista CloudEOS - Best free optionVyOS8.7
Has a free plan (Palo Alto Networks VM-Series has none)
Visit VyOS - Most max throughputMikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR)7.9
1000 Mbps
Visit MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR)
All 15 Palo Alto Networks VM-Series 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 forTeams seeking an established cloud virtual router
- Better than Palo Alto Networks VM-Series:
- Editor score 9.2 vs 8.2
A cloud-ready virtual router for enterprise WAN, VPN, and multi-cloud routing.
- VPN support
- High availability
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Arista -
Best forService providers needing Junos virtual routing
- Better than Palo Alto Networks VM-Series:
- Editor score 9.0 vs 8.2
Junos-based virtual routing for service providers and enterprises needing MX edge capabilities.
- VPN support
- High availability
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Juniper -
Best forOperators needing virtualized service-provider functions
- Better than Palo Alto Networks VM-Series:
- Editor score 8.9 vs 8.2
A service-provider-focused virtual router spanning IP/MPLS, broadband, NAT and IPsec functions.
- VPN support
- High availability
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Nokia -
Best forMid-market and enterprise multi-cloud teams
- Better than Palo Alto Networks VM-Series:
- Editor score 8.8 vs 8.2
A cloud-deployable router with broad cloud coverage, VPN, routing, and centralized management.
- VPN support
- High availability
8.8/10★★★★☆Contact Huawei -
Best forTeams automating routing across varied environments
- Better than Palo Alto Networks VM-Series:
- Free plan
- Editor score 8.7 vs 8.2
A flexible virtual router for teams automating network services across on-premises and cloud environments.
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit VyOS -
Best forFree Junos labs and small-scale virtual routing
- Better than Palo Alto Networks VM-Series:
- Free plan
- Editor score 8.5 vs 8.2
A capable free Junos lab router, limited by 100 Mbps throughput and single-VM design.
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Juniper -
Best forCloud teams prioritizing routing plus security controls
- Better than Palo Alto Networks VM-Series:
- Editor score 8.3 vs 8.2
A cloud firewall and virtual gateway that pairs extensive routing with threat prevention.
- VPN support
- High availability
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Check Point -
Best forHybrid teams combining firewall, VPN, and SD-WAN
A hybrid firewall platform that combines VPN, SD-WAN, inspection, and centralized controls.
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit FortiGate -
Best forTeams needing a free firewall with failover
- Better than Palo Alto Networks VM-Series:
- Free plan
A free, firewall-focused platform with multi-WAN failover and VPN capabilities.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit OPNsense -
Best forJuniper teams managing firewall policies centrally
A Juniper firewall management platform, not a virtual router.
7.9/10★★★★☆Contact Juniper -
Best forEmbedded-device users seeking configurable network firmware
Free, configurable router firmware with firewall and VPN packages for supported hardware.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit OpenWrt -
Best forBudget-conscious teams wanting a feature-rich virtual router
- Better than Palo Alto Networks VM-Series:
- Free plan
A perpetual-license virtual RouterOS with extensive routing, VPN, firewall and cloud options.
- VPN support
- High availability
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit MikroTik CHR -
Best forLinux operators seeking free routing and VRF
- Better than Palo Alto Networks VM-Series:
- Free plan
A free routing suite for Linux operators needing protocol breadth and VRF support.
- High availability
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit FRRouting -
Best forLinux routing deployments needing mature open-source tools
- Better than Palo Alto Networks VM-Series:
- Free plan
A free, self-hosted routing daemon for teams that need protocol breadth and routing control.
- VPN support
- High availability
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit BIRD -
Best forTeams needing programmable, hardware-agnostic routing
A broad routing and automation feature set for teams building software-defined networks.
- VPN support
- High availability
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit Arrcus
Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Palo Alto Networks VM-Series?
Arista CloudEOS: #1 in our Virtual Routers Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.2 out of 10. A cloud-ready virtual router for enterprise WAN, VPN, and multi-cloud routing.
Is there a free alternative to Palo Alto Networks VM-Series?
Yes. VyOS, Juniper vJunos-router, OPNsense, OpenWrt and MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) have a free plan or a free tier (7 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
Why do people look for Palo Alto Networks VM-Series alternatives?
Security-focused rather than a deep standalone routing platform; Pricing requires a sales conversation; No general free plan.
Which Palo Alto Networks VM-Series alternative has the most max throughput?
MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR), with 1000 Mbps.
How do I switch from Palo Alto Networks VM-Series?
Export your data from Palo Alto Networks VM-Series (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 Palo Alto Networks VM-Series.
How to Switch from Palo Alto Networks VM-Series
- Export your data from Palo Alto Networks VM-Series (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 Palo Alto Networks VM-Series.
Palo Alto Networks VM-Series vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Routing protocols | VPN support | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Palo Alto Networks VM-Series | No | BGP, OSPF, OSPFv3, RIP, static routing | Yes | 8.2 | |
| 1 | Arista CloudEOS | No | OSPFv2, BGPv4, IS-IS, RIPv2, OSPFv3, BGPv6 | Yes | 9.2 | |
| 2 | Juniper vMX | No | SPRING (segment routing) | Yes | 9.0 | |
| 3 | Nokia Virtualized Service Router | BGP, OSPF, IS-IS, RIP | Yes | 8.9 | ||
| 4 | Huawei NetEngine AR6700V-L Virtual Router | OSPFv2/v3, BGP/BGP4+, static routing | Yes | 8.8 | ||
| 5 | VyOS | Yes | 8.7 | |||
| 6 | Juniper vJunos-router | Yes | Free | BGP, IS-IS, OSPF, static routing | 8.5 | |
| 7 | Check Point CloudGuard Network Security | OSPFv2, BGP, RIP, static routes, multicast routes, policy-based routing, PIM-SM, PIM-DM, IGMP v2 and v3 | Yes | 8.3 | ||
| 8 | FortiGate | No | 8.1 | |||
| 9 | OPNsense | Yes | 7.9 | |||
| 10 | Juniper Security Director | 7.9 | ||||
| 11 | OpenWrt | Free | 7.9 | |||
| 12 | MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) | Yes | $45 one-time | RIP v1/v2, OSPFv2, BGP v4, RIPng, OSPFv3, BGP, BFD | Yes | 7.9 |
| 13 | FRRouting | Yes | Free | BGP, RIP, RIPng, OSPFv2, OSPFv3, IS-IS, Babel, EIGRP, LDP, PIM, OpenFabric | 7.8 | |
| 14 | BIRD Internet Routing Daemon | Yes | Free | BGP, OSPF, RIP, Babel | Yes | 7.7 |
| 15 | Arrcus ArcOS | BGP, OSPF, IS-IS, EVPN, SR-MPLS, SRv6 | Yes | 7.6 |
Head-to-Head
- Palo Alto Networks VM-Series vs Arista CloudEOS
- Palo Alto Networks VM-Series vs Juniper vMX
- Palo Alto Networks VM-Series vs Nokia Virtualized Service Router
- Palo Alto Networks VM-Series vs Huawei NetEngine AR6700V-L Virtual Router
- Palo Alto Networks VM-Series vs VyOS
- Palo Alto Networks VM-Series vs Juniper vJunos-router
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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