Netgate 4200 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 4200 pfSense+ Security Gateway at 7.1/10.

The Netgate 4200 pfSense+ Security Gateway leads on software and features.

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

They score the same on security record and running costs.

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

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 4200 pfSense+ Security Gateway	Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max
Throughput	25%	8/10	9/10
Ports and networking	20%	7/10	8/10
Software and features	20%	8/10	7/10
Security record	20%	5/10	5/10
Running costs	15%	7/10	7/10
Overall		7.1/10	7.3/10

Specifications

Spec	Netgate 4200 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	Four 2.5GbE RJ-45 ports (PORT1WAN to PORT4); no SFP+ port listed	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, preinstalled	UniFi Application Suite (Network, Protect, Access, Talk, Connect); proprietary
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
Subscriptions needed	TAC Lite included; Professional $399/yr and Enterprise $799/yr; no paid subscription listed as required for core features	not listed

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 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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