ferm vs IPFire
ferm
github.com
IPFire
ipfire.orgSide by side
| Figure | ferm | IPFire |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $91.58/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 6 |
| Spec score · Firewall Software | 7.9 (#43) | 9.3 (#2) |
| Documentation | The ferm(1) manual page provides documentation about ferm syntax, and the README suggests starting from example files. | Official documentation covers installation, WebGUI administration, firewalling, IPS, networking, VPNs, add-ons, hardware and development. |
| Support | The documentation directs bug reports to the project's GitHub issues page. | Lightning Wire Labs offers professional support, and the project points users to documentation, community forums, mailing lists, and a bug tracker. |
Plans
IPFire
- IPFireFree
- IPFire softwareFree
- IPFire Nano Appliance$749, paid once
- IPFire Mini Appliance (US)$979, paid once
- IPFire Standard Support$1,099 a year
- IPFire Enterprise Appliance (US)$4,299, paid once
In their own words
IPFire
IPFire is a free, open-source firewall and security platform for networks from home offices to global enterprises. Its Linux Netfilter-based firewall supports network zones, port forwarding, NAT, and stateful packet inspection. VPN options include IPsec, WireGuard, and OpenVPN for site-to-site or remote access. A Suricata-powered intrusion prevention system detects and blocks malicious traffic using updated rule sets. IPFire includes a Squid web proxy with optional URL filtering through URLFilter or SquidGuard, and uses Red, Green, Blue, and Orange zones for roles such as trusted networks, DMZs, and Wi-Fi. Its web interface monitors bandwidth, connections, and intrusion attempts. Proxy authentication can use Microsoft Windows Active Directory, LDAP, or RADIUS. The download page offers x86_64 and aarch64 images for bare metal, virtual machines, embedded hardware, USB sticks, and SD cards; cloud images are available for AWS, Exoscale, and other providers. The project says it releases frequent security updates. Documentation, forums, mailing lists, and a bug tracker are available, and Lightning Wire Labs offers professional support.