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Firewalla Gold Plus vs Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against firewalls at a similar price

The Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max scores 7.3/10 overall, ahead of the Firewalla Gold Plus at 6.8/10.

The Firewalla Gold Plus leads on running costs.

The Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max leads on throughput, ports and networking and software and features.

They score the same on security record.

Firewalla Gold Plus

Firewalla Gold Plus

6.8/10verdict: buy

The Firewalla Gold Plus is for buyers who want a dedicated firewall with four 2.5GbE ports and IDS/IPS. It suits people who are happy to run Firewalla's own Linux-based OS. It is a poor match for anyone who needs built-in Wi-Fi, SFP+ or a low upfront cost.

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Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max

Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max

7.3/10verdict: buy

The UniFi Cloud Gateway Max is for people who want a compact router, firewall and IDS/IPS box running Ubiquiti's UniFi software. It suits a UK gigabit line or faster, thanks to a 2.5GbE WAN port and a vendor IDS/IPS figure of 2.3 Gbps. It is a better fit for existing or planned UniFi users than for anyone who wants non-proprietary software.

Typically about £272.40 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

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Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightFirewalla Gold PlusUbiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max
Throughput25%8/109/10
Ports and networking20%7/108/10
Software and features20%6/107/10
Security record20%5/105/10
Running costs15%8/107/10
Overall6.8/107.3/10

Specifications

SpecFirewalla Gold PlusUbiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max
Firewall / IPS throughput5 Gbit software packet processing2.3 Gbps IDS/IPS (vendor figure; no separate firewall-only figure published)
Ports4 x 2.5 Gbit RJ45 plus a console port; no SFP+Five 2.5G/1G/100M/10M RJ45 ports, one 2.5GbE WAN by default, up to four can be WAN; no SFP+ port listed
SoftwareFirewalla's own Linux-based OSUniFi Application Suite (Network, Protect, Access, Talk, Connect); proprietary
VPN throughputWireGuard 500 Mbps; OpenVPN 120 Mbpsnot listed
ProcessorQuad-core 64-bit Intel CPUQuad-core ARM Cortex-A53 at 1.5 GHz
Memory4 GB DDR RAM, 32 GB storage3 GB
Subscriptions neededNo subscription needed for core features; optional MSP web interface costs $40 per yearnot listed

Strengths and weaknesses

Firewalla Gold Plus

  • + Four 2.5GbE ports and 5 Gbit packet processing
  • + No subscription needed for core features
  • + Passive cooling and low power use, per owners
  • − No Wi-Fi included
  • − No SFP+ port
  • − Owners call it expensive once UK import fees and VAT apply

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who want to run a firewall OS other than Firewalla's own
  • Anyone who needs SFP+ or built-in Wi-Fi
  • Shoppers on a tight budget, given owner complaints about UK pricing
Read the full Firewalla Gold Plus review ›

Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max

  • + 2.3 Gbps IDS/IPS figure from the vendor
  • + Five 2.5GbE-capable ports, up to four usable as WAN
  • + Owners report roughly 8–10W idle draw
  • − No firewall-only throughput figure published
  • − Proprietary software; no SFP+ port listed
  • − Storage variants confuse buyers

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who want non-proprietary firewall software
  • Anyone who needs an SFP+ port on the gateway itself
  • Buyers who need a documented firmware and advisory track record before purchase
Read the full Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max review ›

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