Netgate 2100 pfSense+ Security Gateway vs Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway Ultra (UCG-Ultra)

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

all judged against firewalls at a similar price

The Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway Ultra (UCG-Ultra) scores 6.6/10 overall, ahead of the Netgate 2100 pfSense+ Security Gateway at 5.9/10.

The Netgate 2100 pfSense+ Security Gateway leads on software and features and running costs.

The Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway Ultra (UCG-Ultra) leads on throughput and ports and networking.

They score the same on security record.

The biggest difference is throughput, where the Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway Ultra (UCG-Ultra) scores 7/10 to the Netgate 2100 pfSense+ Security Gateway's 4/10.

Netgate 2100 pfSense+ Security Gateway

5.9/10verdict: good, not the best

The Netgate 2100 is for people who want a supported, fanless pfSense Plus firewall for a small office or home network. It suits those who value low running costs and a no-subscription core over inspection headroom. Buyers planning IPS on a full gigabit line should check the throughput evidence first.

Typically about £436 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway Ultra (UCG-Ultra)

6.6/10verdict: good, not the best

The Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway Ultra suits home, homelab and small-office networks that already use or plan to use UniFi. It lists 1 Gbps of IDS/IPS throughput, so it matches a gigabit line with inspection switched on. Buyers who need SFP+, several multi-gig LAN ports or a published firewall throughput figure should look at the details first.

Typically about £99.96 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	Netgate 2100 pfSense+ Security Gateway	Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway Ultra (UCG-Ultra)
Throughput	25%	4/10	7/10
Ports and networking	20%	5/10	6/10
Software and features	20%	8/10	7/10
Security record	20%	5/10	5/10
Running costs	15%	9/10	8/10
Overall		5.9/10	6.6/10

Specifications

Spec	Netgate 2100 pfSense+ Security Gateway	Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway Ultra (UCG-Ultra)
Ports	One 1 GbE WAN (RJ45/SFP combo) plus four 1 GbE LAN ports, five total	1x 2.5GbE RJ45 WAN, 4x GbE RJ45 LAN, no SFP+ port
Software	pfSense Plus with lifetime upgrades	UniFi Network
VPN throughput	IPsec VPN, 254 Mbps iPerf3	not listed
Processor	Marvell Armada 3720 (88F3720) dual-core ARMv8-A Cortex-A53 at 1.2 GHz	Quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 at 1.5 GHz
Memory	4 GB DDR4, not expandable	3 GB system memory, 16 GB on-board storage
Subscriptions needed	No subscription required for core software; TAC Lite included; TAC Professional $399/yr; TAC Enterprise $799/yr	No required subscription appears in sources; CyberSecure paid status not stated

Strengths and weaknesses

Netgate 2100 pfSense+ Security Gateway

+ No subscription needed for core software
+ Fanless, with an owner report of 6 W
+ Near line-rate iPerf3 firewall throughput of 964 Mbps
− IMIX firewall throughput is only 249 Mbps
− IPS throughput is not published
− Five 1GbE ports only, no faster options listed

Skip it if:

Buyers wanting full gigabit throughput with IPS enabled
Anyone who needs 2.5GbE or SFP+ ports
Buyers who need more than five 1GbE ports without adding a switch

Read the full Netgate 2100 pfSense+ Security Gateway review ›

Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway Ultra (UCG-Ultra)

+ Lists 1 Gbps IDS/IPS throughput
+ WireGuard as both VPN server and client
+ Maximum power draw of 6.2 W
− No SFP+ port; LAN ports are all gigabit
− Firewall throughput figure not published
− CyberSecure paid status not stated

Skip it if:

Buyers who need SFP+ or multi-gig LAN ports on the gateway
Anyone running IPS on a line faster than 1 Gbps
Buyers who need a published firewall throughput figure before purchase

Read the full Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway Ultra (UCG-Ultra) review ›

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