Best Smoothwall Express Alternatives in 2026
The top Smoothwall Express alternatives are FortiGate, Arista NG Firewall and Google Cloud NGFW: 15 firewall software our editors would look at instead of Smoothwall Express, in our ranking order.
Smoothwall Express: A free self-hosted firewall with core filtering, VPN, monitoring, and Snort IDS. Where it falls short: self-hosted installation requires supported 32-bit or 64-bit x86 hardware.
Switching from Smoothwall Express? For most firewall software buyers the best Smoothwall Express alternative is FortiGate, built for enterprise hybrid environments. On a budget, Alibaba Cloud Cloud Firewall starts at $420/mo. Arista NG Firewall has a free plan.
Why People Look for a Smoothwall Express Alternative
- Self-hosted installation requires supported 32-bit or 64-bit x86 hardware
- Feature depth and integrations are narrower than broader platforms
- Designed for home and small-office networks rather than wider environments
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallFortiGate9.4
Enterprise hybrid environments
Visit FortiGate - Lowest priceAlibaba Cloud Cloud Firewall8.4
Paid plans from $420/mo
Visit Alibaba Cloud Cloud Firewall - Best free optionArista NG Firewall9.3
Has a free plan
Visit Arista NG Firewall
All 15 Smoothwall Express 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 forEnterprise hybrid environments
- Better than Smoothwall Express:
- Editor score 9.4 vs 4.5
A broad hybrid firewall platform for organizations that need deep security and network controls.
9.4/10★★★★★Visit Fortinet -
Best forBroad firewall protection with strong value
- Better than Smoothwall Express:
- Editor score 9.3 vs 4.5
A broad firewall platform with a free plan and extensive network controls.
9.3/10★★★★★Visit Arista -
Best forGoogle Cloud-native firewall protection
- Better than Smoothwall Express:
- Editor score 9.2 vs 4.5
Google Cloud-native firewall protection with free rule evaluation and usage-priced advanced controls.
- Central management
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Google Cloud -
Best forOpen-source firewall with built-in IPS
- Better than Smoothwall Express:
- Editor score 9.1 vs 4.5
A broad, self-hosted firewall platform for teams that need IPS and network control.
9.1/10★★★★★Visit OPNsense -
Best forAzure-centric enterprise firewalling
- Better than Smoothwall Express:
- Editor score 9.0 vs 4.5
A deep Azure-native firewall for sensitive workloads, with consumption-based pricing.
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Microsoft -
Best forAWS network perimeter protection
- Better than Smoothwall Express:
- Editor score 8.9 vs 4.5
Centralized AWS perimeter protection with deep inspection and usage-based pricing.
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forHybrid enterprise firewall deployments
- Better than Smoothwall Express:
- Editor score 8.8 vs 4.5
A broad firewall platform for organizations combining branch, data center, and cloud security.
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Forcepoint -
Best forFree self-hosted firewall with IPS
- Better than Smoothwall Express:
- Editor score 8.7 vs 4.5
A free self-hosted firewall with IPS, VPNs, segmentation, and traffic controls.
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit IPFire -
Best forProgrammable open-source network security
- Better than Smoothwall Express:
- Editor score 8.6 vs 4.5
A programmable self-hosted firewall platform for complex network environments.
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit VyOS -
Best forGlobally distributed cloud filtering
- Better than Smoothwall Express:
- Editor score 8.5 vs 4.5
A programmable cloud firewall for globally distributed Layer 3 and 4 filtering.
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Cloudflare -
Best forAlibaba Cloud enterprise firewall deployments
- Better than Smoothwall Express:
- Editor score 8.4 vs 4.5
Broad Alibaba Cloud boundary protection with enterprise pricing and cloud-focused coverage.
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Alibaba Cloud -
Best forCentral management for Palo Alto firewalls
- Better than Smoothwall Express:
- Editor score 8.3 vs 4.5
A focused management center for policy, deployment, analysis, and updates across Palo Alto firewalls.
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forMulti-vendor firewall policy governance
- Better than Smoothwall Express:
- Editor score 8.2 vs 4.5
A governance layer for visibility, analysis, workflow, and automation across firewall environments.
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Tufin -
Best forMulti-vendor policy analysis and change control
- Better than Smoothwall Express:
- Editor score 8.1 vs 4.5
A strong fit for multi-vendor policy analysis, automation, and controlled change.
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit AlgoSec -
Best forEnterprise firewall governance and automation
- Better than Smoothwall Express:
- Editor score 8.0 vs 4.5
A governance platform for enterprises managing complex, multi-vendor firewall policies.
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit FireMon
Smoothwall Express Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Smoothwall Express?
FortiGate: #1 in our Firewall Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. A broad hybrid firewall platform for organizations that need deep security and network controls.
Is there a free alternative to Smoothwall Express?
Yes. Arista NG Firewall, Google Cloud NGFW, OPNsense, IPFire and VyOS have a free plan or a free tier.
Why do people look for Smoothwall Express alternatives?
Self-hosted installation requires supported 32-bit or 64-bit x86 hardware; Feature depth and integrations are narrower than broader platforms; Designed for home and small-office networks rather than wider environments.
How do I switch from Smoothwall Express?
Export your data from Smoothwall Express (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 Smoothwall Express.
How to Switch from Smoothwall Express
- Export your data from Smoothwall Express (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 Smoothwall Express.
Smoothwall Express vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 47 | Smoothwall Express | Yes | Free | 4.5 |
| 1 | FortiGate | No | 9.4 | |
| 2 | Arista NG Firewall | Yes | $270/yr | 9.3 |
| 3 | Google Cloud NGFW | Yes | $0.02/GB usage-based | 9.2 |
| 4 | OPNsense | Yes | 9.1 | |
| 5 | Azure Firewall Premium | No | 9.0 | |
| 6 | AWS Network Firewall | No | $0.07/GB usage-based | 8.9 |
| 7 | Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall | 8.8 | ||
| 8 | IPFire | Yes | Free | 8.7 |
| 9 | VyOS | Yes | 8.6 | |
| 10 | Cloudflare Magic Firewall | No | 8.5 | |
| 11 | Alibaba Cloud Cloud Firewall | No | $420/mo | 8.4 |
| 12 | Palo Alto Networks Panorama | 8.3 | ||
| 13 | Tufin | 8.2 | ||
| 14 | AlgoSec | 8.1 | ||
| 15 | FireMon | No | 8.0 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update