pfSense Plus logo

pfSense Plus

by Netgate · Since 2002
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ActiveAvailable globallyCloud
Quick facts
VendorNetgate
Year launched2002
StatusActive
Location4616 West Howard Lane #900 Austin, TX 78728 USA
Countries servedGlobal
Languages8
Integrations2+
Free tier
Free trial
Contact sales

About pfSense Plus

PfSense Plus is a firewall, router, and VPN software from Netgate that provides reliable networking solutions. It includes features like stateful packet filtering, advanced VPN capabilities, and comprehensive reporting tools so users can secure and manage their network infrastructure effectively. With its open-source foundation, pfSense Plus is widely adopted across various industries, such as healthcare, education, and manufacturing, for its cost-effectiveness and flexibility. Additionally, it supports both hardware appliances and cloud deployments, ensuring adaptability to different business needs. Key capabilities: stateful packet filtering VPN support reporting tools multi-WAN configuration backups Best for: IT professionals and network administrators that need reliable network security and management solutions.

pfSense Plus is a highly capable firewall and VPN gateway solution known for delivering enterprise-grade security, routing, and connectivity features at a far lower cost than proprietary alternatives. Built on FreeBSD and enhanced by Netgate, it offers stability and strong performance, especially when paired with capable hardware that supports cryptographic acceleration for IPsec, OpenVPN, and WireGuard, making it suitable for everything from small offices to large enterprise environments. Its web-based interface provides a unified view for managing firewall rules, VPN tunnels, routing, and system monitoring, with customizable dashboards and setup wizards that simplify basic tasks, even though advanced configurations may feel overwhelming for less experienced users. As a VPN platform, pfSense Plus stands out with multi-protocol support, site-to-site and remote access capabilities, automatic VPN tunnel failover, and modern performance optimizations like OpenVPN DCO, allowing high throughput on supported systems. Integration is another strength, with smooth compatibility across cloud platforms such as AWS and Azure, support for virtualized deployments, and enterprise authentication through RADIUS or LDAP.

Pros & Cons

What users like
  • +Free and open-source which makes it a cost-effective solution especially for SMBs and small organizations
  • +Large community support with an active user base that helps with troubleshooting and knowledge sharing
  • +Rich in features including firewall, router, IDS/IPS, VPN, captive portal, load balancing, and more
  • +Extensible with packages allowing the addition of third-party tools like Snort for intrusion detection and prevention
  • +Integration options that work with LDAP and Active Directory and can act as a certificate authority
What users flag
  • Support limitations where the official support policy may not suit every user
  • Complex for beginners since it requires strong networking knowledge and the GUI can be confusing for novices
  • Not ideal for large enterprises as it is better suited for SMBs and smaller organizations
  • VPN limitations that some users note compared to commercial alternatives
  • Learning curve where advanced configurations often demand experienced administrators

Features

Key features

Comprehensive Network Services
Delivers essential edge firewall, router, and VPN functionality in a single solution.
Deployment Flexibility
Available for turnkey appliances, virtual machines, and major cloud environments like AWS and Azure.
Open Source Core
Built on open-source technology, promoting community trust and avoiding vendor lock-in.
All-in Pricing Structure
Offers simple, transparent software pricing without throughput, seat, or connection capacity charges.
Security Responsiveness
Proven to provide a faster response to critical network security vulnerabilities.
Low Total Cost of Ownership
Provides a security solution with an estimated 3x-5x lower total cost of ownership than traditional firewalls.

Additional features

Open-Source Driven Firewall
Functions as an open-source derived firewall and services solution for network security.
VPN Services Solution
Provides Virtual Private Network functionality for secure connectivity.
Secure Networking Solution
Offers security services for both network edge and cloud environments.
Edge Firewall Functionality
Delivers core firewall capabilities to protect the network perimeter.
Router Functionality
Capable of performing necessary network routing tasks.
Trusted Technology
The software is highly trusted and preferred by many businesses, government, and educational organizations.
Low TCO
Offers a significantly lower total cost of ownership than traditional firewall solutions.
Vendor Lock-in Avoidance
The open-source nature helps customers avoid being tied to a single vendor.
Fast Security Response
Ensures quick detection and mitigation of critical security vulnerabilities.
24/7 Global Support
Provides round-the-clock technical support options from Netgate experts.
Professional Services
Offers professional assistance and training for specialized or complex deployment needs.
Premises Deployment
Supports installation on-site at home, remote offices, headquarters, and data centers.
Turnkey Appliance Option
Available pre-installed on factory-built Netgate desktop and rack appliances.
Virtual Machine Instances
Deployable on third-party hardware as either bare metal or virtual machine instances.
Cloud Marketplace Availability
Can be purchased and deployed as virtual instances on the AWS and Azure marketplaces.
All-in Pricing Structure
Uses a 100% all-in software pricing model with no additional charges based on throughput, seats, or connections.

Pricing

Free trial
Free version
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Promo Offer

Annual plans

TAC Lite

USD 129

≈ USD 10.75/mo when billed annually

≈USD 10.75/mo when billed annually

Countries & Languages

Global
Countries served
8
Interface languages
10
Billing currencies

Interface languages

EnglishSpanishFrenchGermanItalianPortugueseRussianChinese.

Billing currencies

🇺🇸USD🇪🇺EUR🇬🇧GBP🇦🇺AUD🇨🇦CAD🇯🇵JPY🇨🇭CHF🇨🇳CNY🇮🇳INR🇷🇺RUB

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