OPNsense vs pfSense
OPNsense
opnsense.orgpfSense
pfsense.orgSide by side
| Figure | OPNsense | pfSense |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 6 | 5 |
| Spec score · Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software | 9.1 (#2) | 8.1 (#9) |
| Spec score · Network Firewall Software | 9.0 (#2) | 8.0 (#11) |
| Spec score · Operating Systems | 9.0 (#3) | 8.1 (#12) |
| Spec score · Business VPN Software | 8.8 (#17) | 8.1 (#42) |
| Spec score · Virtual Private Network Software | 9.0 (#10) | 8.1 (#24) |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Headquarters | Middelharnis, the Netherlands | Austin, Texas, USA |
| Support | Commercial support offers network-design advice, issue solving, and custom development for an annual fee. | Netgate Global Support covers installation, deployment, and configuration issues, and is available for self-installed and virtual pfSense software. |
| VPN | Built-in VPN support covers IPsec, OpenVPN, and pluggable Tinc and WireGuard implementations. | It supports IPsec, OpenVPN, and WireGuard, including site-to-site and remote-access VPN capabilities. |
Plans
OPNsense
- Business EditionPrice not published
- Business Edition 3YrPrice not published
- Community EditionFree
- OPNsense Business Edition 1yr subscription€149 a year
- OPNsense Business Edition (3Yr)€399, paid once
- OPNsense Business Edition 3Yr€399 a year
pfSense
- pfSense Plus SoftwarePrice not published
- pfSense Community EditionFree
- pfSense Plus CloudPriced on request
- pfSense Plus on third-party hardware$129 a year
- pfSense Plus on Netgate appliances$189, paid once
In their own words
OPNsense
OPNsense is an open-source firewall and routing platform based on FreeBSD, available for self-hosted, web, and API use. Its stateful firewall supports IPv4 and IPv6 and provides live views of passed and blocked traffic. VPN integrations include IPsec, OpenVPN, Tinc, and WireGuard. CARP supports automatic hardware failover with state synchronization, and inline intrusion prevention uses Suricata with Proofpoint Emerging Threats Open rules. The modular Model View Controller framework supports extensions and API functionality. Authentication options include LDAP, Active Directory, RADIUS, captive portal authentication, and 802.1X through a plugin. Community Edition is free at free under the 2-clause BSD license, and installation is limited to x86-64 architecture. Official setup guides cover AWS images, OVA images, and an Azure Virtual Appliance. Business subscriptions add commercial features and support; listed prices are €149 a year or €399 a year for three years. The project began in 2014 as a fork of pfSense and m0n0wall, with its first official release in January 2015.
pfSense
pfSense is a free, open-source firewall and router distribution based on FreeBSD, managed through a web interface. Its firewall uses stateful packet inspection and can block traffic based on policy matches. Routing features include policy-based routing, static routes, and concurrent IPv4 and IPv6 support. Security options include IDS/IPS, Snort packet analysis, Suricata rules, IP block lists, and application detection. It supports IPsec, OpenVPN, and WireGuard for site-to-site and remote-access VPNs. The software can run on selected hardware, virtual machines, and cloud instances, and is available in the Azure and AWS Marketplaces, including their US GovCloud regions. The Community Edition is free and open source. pfSense Plus on third-party hardware starts at $129 a year; on Netgate appliances it starts at $189, paid once, with the software included at no charge with an appliance. The USB installer overwrites the entire hard drive and does not support dual booting.