Netgate 4200 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 Netgate 4200 pfSense+ Security Gateway scores 7.1/10 overall, ahead of the Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway Ultra (UCG-Ultra) at 6.6/10.

The Netgate 4200 pfSense+ Security Gateway leads on throughput, ports and networking and software and features.

The Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway Ultra (UCG-Ultra) leads on running costs.

They score the same on security record.

Netgate 4200 pfSense+ Security Gateway

7.1/10verdict: buy

The Netgate 4200 is a desktop pfSense Plus firewall with four 2.5GbE ports and published multi-gig firewall and VPN throughput. It suits anyone with a gigabit or faster line who wants four 2.5GbE ports and a firewall platform they can configure in depth. It is less clear-cut for buyers who need published IPS throughput, SFP+ ports or a documented advisory history.

Typically about £465 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK

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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 4200 pfSense+ Security Gateway	Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway Ultra (UCG-Ultra)
Throughput	25%	8/10	7/10
Ports and networking	20%	7/10	6/10
Software and features	20%	8/10	7/10
Security record	20%	5/10	5/10
Running costs	15%	7/10	8/10
Overall		7.1/10	6.6/10

Specifications

Spec	Netgate 4200 pfSense+ Security Gateway	Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway Ultra (UCG-Ultra)
Ports	Four 2.5GbE RJ-45 ports (PORT1WAN to PORT4); no SFP+ port listed	1x 2.5GbE RJ45 WAN, 4x GbE RJ45 LAN, no SFP+ port
Software	pfSense Plus, preinstalled	UniFi Network
VPN throughput	IPsec AES-GCM-128 3.2 Gbps (iPerf3) and 1.05 Gbps (IMIX); WireGuard supported	not listed
Processor	Intel Atom C1110, 4-core, 2.1 GHz with AVX2	Quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 at 1.5 GHz
Memory	4 GB LPDDR5	3 GB system memory, 16 GB on-board storage
Subscriptions needed	TAC Lite included; Professional $399/yr and Enterprise $799/yr; no paid subscription listed as required for core features	No required subscription appears in sources; CyberSecure paid status not stated

Strengths and weaknesses

Netgate 4200 pfSense+ Security Gateway

+ Firewall throughput of 8.61 Gbps (iPerf3) is well above gigabit
+ Four 2.5GbE ports
+ No paid subscription listed as required for core features
− IPS throughput not published
− No SFP+ port listed
− No firmware or advisory history in the research

Skip it if:

Buyers who need a published IPS throughput figure before committing
Anyone needing SFP+ or fibre ports on the firewall itself
Buyers who require a documented firmware and advisory history

Read the full Netgate 4200 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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