pfSense
pfSense: A free, open-source firewall with routing, three VPN technologies, and optional IPS packages. Ranked #10 of 36 in Network Firewall Software by our editors (9.0/10); pricing: Free plan · 30-day trial; best for free firewalling with broad VPN options.
At a glance
- Editor score9.0 / 10
- PricingFree plan · 30-day trial
- Best forFree firewalling with broad VPN options
- Free planYes
- Deployment modelHybrid
- Facts checked21 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Free, open-source Community Edition
- Supports OpenVPN, IPsec, and WireGuard
- Deploys on hardware, virtual machines, AWS, and Azure
Where it doesn't
- Intrusion prevention requires Snort or Suricata packages
- Cloud deployment is limited to Amazon and Azure marketplaces
- The documented Squid proxy package is deprecated
Our verdict on pfSense
pfSense is firewall and router software based on FreeBSD, managed through a web interface. It is designed for home, small-office, business, enterprise, and cloud networking environments. Core capabilities include stateful firewall rules, packet inspection, routing, network address translation, site-to-site VPN connectivity, traffic monitoring, and web-based administration. Its free, open-source edition makes it particularly suitable for users who want control over deployment and configuration without a software charge.
The product line has three main paths. pfSense Community Edition is free, open source, and provides firewall and router software. pfSense Plus is Netgate’s commercial edition for third-party hardware, available through the Netgate Installer, with no feature or throughput upcharges. pfSense Plus Cloud is available through the Amazon and Azure marketplaces for virtual machine deployment, with 30-day software trials available. This gives buyers a choice between community software, commercial software on selected hardware, and marketplace-based cloud deployment.
Its ecosystem fit is a major strength for network teams choosing among deployment models. pfSense supports OpenVPN, IPsec, and WireGuard, while Snort and Suricata packages provide intrusion detection and prevention capabilities. AWS and Azure coverage extends the same product family into cloud environments, and traffic monitoring adds operational visibility through the web administration interface. Buyers should choose pfSense when they want broad VPN support, open-source flexibility, and control over hardware or virtual machine placement. Those seeking a narrowly packaged appliance experience or a current proxy inspection path may prefer an alternative, since the documented Squid proxy package is deprecated.
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pfSense pricing
All 3 pfSense plans and prices →
pfSense fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Deployment model | Hybrid |
| Intrusion prevention | Yes |
| SSL inspection | Not verified |
| Site-to-site VPN | Yes |
| Firewall throughput | Not verified |
| Concurrent connections | Not verified |
| Free trial | 30 days |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web |
| Support | Email, Phone, Docs · 24/7 |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 7 integrations: Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, OpenVPN, IPsec, WireGuard, Snort … |
| Pricing | Free plan · 30-day trial (source) |
| Website | pfsense.org |
| Facts checked | 21 Sep 2026 |
pfSense integrations
pfSense lists 7 integrations on its own site.
- Amazon AWS
- Microsoft Azure
- OpenVPN
- IPsec
- WireGuard
- Snort
- Suricata
Alternatives to pfSense
- Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation FirewallAn enterprise firewall family combining application control, threat prevention and centralized management.9.4
- FortiGateA broad hybrid firewall platform for enterprises that need integrated network security and automation.9.3
- Check Point Quantum Security GatewayA broad network security platform for enterprises that need clustered, policy-driven gateways.9.2
See all pfSense alternatives →
Also Ranked In
pfSense is ranked in 4 of our directories.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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