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Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway Ultra (UCG-Ultra) 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 Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway Ultra (UCG-Ultra) at 6.6/10.

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

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

They score the same on software and features and security record.

Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway Ultra (UCG-Ultra)

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 (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

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

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)

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

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightUbiquiti Cloud Gateway Ultra (UCG-Ultra)Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max
Throughput25%7/109/10
Ports and networking20%6/108/10
Software and features20%7/107/10
Security record20%5/105/10
Running costs15%8/107/10
Overall6.6/107.3/10

Specifications

SpecUbiquiti Cloud Gateway Ultra (UCG-Ultra)Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Max
Firewall / IPS throughputnot listed2.3 Gbps IDS/IPS (vendor figure; no separate firewall-only figure published)
Ports1x 2.5GbE RJ45 WAN, 4x GbE RJ45 LAN, no SFP+ portFive 2.5G/1G/100M/10M RJ45 ports, one 2.5GbE WAN by default, up to four can be WAN; no SFP+ port listed
SoftwareUniFi NetworkUniFi Application Suite (Network, Protect, Access, Talk, Connect); proprietary
ProcessorQuad-core ARM Cortex-A53 at 1.5 GHzQuad-core ARM Cortex-A53 at 1.5 GHz
Memory3 GB system memory, 16 GB on-board storage3 GB
Subscriptions neededNo required subscription appears in sources; CyberSecure paid status not statednot listed

Strengths and weaknesses

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 ›

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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