Comparisons
Is OPNsense Better Than pfSense? The 2026 Verdict
Is OPNsense better than pfSense? For most new installs, yes: it is free, updates fortnightly and builds in ID…
Firewall Compare — OPNsense vs pfSense vs UniFi — side-by-side firewall comparisons for homelabs
Firewalls, side by side.
Independent
Est. 2026
Est. 2026
Comparisons
Firewall Cost Comparison 2026: 3-Year Cost of 8 Options
Three-year firewall costs at October 2026 prices: UniFi from $199, DIY OPNsense from $359, Netgate $829, FortiGate and SonicWall $1,486 to $2,729.
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Buyer's Guides
Best Firewall for Gigabit Internet Home: 2026 Picks
For gigabit home internet, an OPNsense box on Intel 2.5GbE hardware is the pick. We compare it with UniFi, Fi…
Comparisons
UniFi Dream Machine Pro vs pfSense: Hardware and Cost
How the UniFi Dream Machine Pro compares with a pfSense build on ports, IDS/IPS licensing, VPN protocol suppo…
Comparisons
Firewalla vs pfSense (2026): Features, Cost & Verdict
Compare Firewalla and pfSense on published throughput, VPN limits, setup, extensibility, maintenance, and tot…
Comparisons
pfSense Alternatives: 7 Platforms Compared for 2026
Seven pfSense alternatives compared on licensing, IDS/IPS, VPN and hardware, plus the once-popular names that…
Buyer's Guides
Best Mini PC for OPNsense 2026: A Buyer's Guide by Tier
A spec-driven guide to the best mini PC for OPNsense in 2026, covering NIC compatibility, AES-NI, IDS/IPS siz…
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The comparisons most readers arrive for, whatever their publication date. Numbers here come from vendor documentation, release notes and published specifications rather than our own bench runs.
- OPNsense vs pfSense in 2026
The head-to-head: UI, packages, upgrades, licensing, and which one a new build should start on.
- Best homelab firewall in 2026
Four platforms, budget tiers, and the hardware rule that outranks the tier you pick.
- pfSense alternatives compared
Seven live platforms on licensing and inspection, plus the two that are no longer maintained.
- Firewalla vs pfSense
Sealed appliance against a self-built box: published throughput, VPN ceilings, real cost.
- Protectli vs Netgate hardware
Appliance against appliance on NICs, OS support and price per gigabit.
- Firewall comparison: 8 platforms side by side
Eight platforms across 18 normalized attributes in one spec matrix, or answer seven questions for a ranked match.
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