Netgate 2100 pfSense+ Security Gateway 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 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 UniFi Cloud Gateway Max leads on throughput and ports and networking.

They score the same on security record.

The biggest difference is throughput, where the Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max scores 9/10 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 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

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

Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	Netgate 2100 pfSense+ Security Gateway	Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max
Throughput	25%	4/10	9/10
Ports and networking	20%	5/10	8/10
Software and features	20%	8/10	7/10
Security record	20%	5/10	5/10
Running costs	15%	9/10	7/10
Overall		5.9/10	7.3/10

Specifications

Spec	Netgate 2100 pfSense+ Security Gateway	Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max
Firewall / IPS throughput	not listed	2.3 Gbps IDS/IPS (vendor figure; no separate firewall-only figure published)
Ports	One 1 GbE WAN (RJ45/SFP combo) plus four 1 GbE LAN ports, five total	Five 2.5G/1G/100M/10M RJ45 ports, one 2.5GbE WAN by default, up to four can be WAN; no SFP+ port listed
Software	pfSense Plus with lifetime upgrades	UniFi Application Suite (Network, Protect, Access, Talk, Connect); proprietary
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
Subscriptions needed	No subscription required for core software; TAC Lite included; TAC Professional $399/yr; TAC Enterprise $799/yr	not listed

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 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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