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When it comes to the realm of Best Small Business Firewalls, the market is teeming with choices tailored to cater to the diverse needs of businesses, ensuring effective solutions for their specific challenges. However, for small enterprises, several crucial considerations must be weighed, encompassing factors like functionalities, cost, ease of setup, and the installation process.
We offer a comparison of product scores based on reviews from enterprise users so that small businesses can find the best Firewall Software for their needs. Our team of buying advisors is also ready to help you find the best solutions in the category of Small Business Firewall Software. For a product to be in this group, at least 10 reviews from small business reviewers must have been written about it.
Best Small Business Firewalls Comparison Table
Product Name | Features | Scalability | Management | Integration | Support |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
WatchGuard Network Security | Advanced threat detection and prevention, network visibility | Scalable | Centralized management | Integration with WatchGuard’s Security Fabric | Comprehensive support and maintenance |
CrowdSec | Real-time threat detection and mitigation, behavior analysis | Scalable | Centralized management | Integration with various log sources and solutions | Community-driven support and development |
Perimeter 81 Firewall as a Service | Next-generation firewall, secure network access | Scalable | Cloud-based management platform | Integration with other Perimeter 81 services | Comprehensive customer support |
Cisco Firepower Threat Defense | Next-generation firewall, intrusion prevention | Scalable | Centralized management | Integration with other Cisco security solutions | Extensive customer support |
Fortinet Security Fabric | Integrated security architecture, centralized management | Scalable | Centralized management | Integration with other Fortinet security products | Comprehensive customer support |
WatchGuard Network Security

Specification | Details |
---|---|
Product Name | WatchGuard Network Security |
Features | Advanced threat detection and prevention, network visibility, VPN connectivity, web filtering, application control, and more |
Scalability | Scalable to accommodate growing network needs |
Management | Centralized management through WatchGuard Cloud or on-premises management system |
Deployment Options | Physical appliances, virtual appliances, and cloud-based options |
Security Services | Intrusion prevention, antivirus/anti-malware, URL filtering, data loss prevention, and more |
Integration | Integration with other security solutions through WatchGuard’s Security Fabric |
Support | Comprehensive support and maintenance options available |
WatchGuard has been a leader in cutting-edge cyber security technology for more than 20 years. Its solutions are easy to set up and handle. Our unique approach to network security focuses on bringing best-in-class, enterprise-grade security to any company, no matter how big or technical it is.
Our award-winning Unified Threat Management (UTM) appliances are perfect for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and distributed enterprise organizations (DEIs). They were built from the ground up to make deployment, use, and ongoing management as easy as possible while still offering the best security possible.
The Good
- Advanced threat detection and prevention capabilities.
- Scalable to meet the needs of growing networks.
- Centralized management for ease of administration.
- Multiple deployment options for flexibility.
- Integration with WatchGuard’s Security Fabric for enhanced security.
The Bad
- May require some technical expertise for initial setup and configuration.
CrowdSec

Specification | Details |
---|---|
Product Name | CrowdSec |
Features | Real-time threat detection and mitigation, behavior analysis, IP reputation management, adaptive response capabilities |
Scalability | Scalable to handle large-scale deployments |
Management | Centralized management through the CrowdSec dashboard |
Integration | Integration with various log sources and security solutions |
Support | Community-driven support and active development |
CrowdSec is an Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) software suite that lets people work together and is free and open source. It looks for bad behavior in applications and system logs so that it can be fixed at any level (firewall, reverse proxy, etc.) and in any way (MFA, Captcha, drop, etc.).
The product’s user network, where everyone can instantly share aggressive IP addresses that attack them, is another big plus. Crowd-sourced threat information (CTI) gives an extra layer of protection because it comes from a lot of different places. So, CrowdSec combines behavior and image so that everyone can look out for each other and make a global cyber defense shield.
The Good
- Real-time threat detection and adaptive response capabilities.
- Scalable for large-scale deployments.
- Centralized management through the user-friendly dashboard.
- Integration with various log sources and security solutions.
- Active community support and continuous development.
The Bad
- Limited commercial support options compared to enterprise solutions.
Perimeter 81 Firewall as a Service

Specification | Details |
---|---|
Product Name | Perimeter 81 Firewall as a Service |
Features | Next-generation firewall capabilities, secure network access, VPN connectivity, threat prevention, user and device management |
Scalability | Scalable to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes |
Management | Cloud-based management platform |
Deployment Options | Virtual instances deployed globally |
Security Services | Advanced threat prevention, web filtering, application control, DNS filtering, and more |
Integration | Integration with other Perimeter 81 services and third-party solutions |
Support | Comprehensive customer support options |
Perimeter 81 is a scalable security platform that doesn’t require any hardware. It helps companies protect access to their modern network infrastructure and digital assets, such as local and cloud resources, from the endpoint to the data center to the cloud. It also gives companies peace of mind in the cloud with network visibility, resource access segmentation, and full integration with major cloud providers.
Signing up, inviting your team, installing the apps, and making user groups are all you need to do to get started. You can give as many team members as possible access to the network, put them in certain groups, and add or remove user rights with just one click. Perimeter 81 has flexible payment plans, and you can choose to be billed once a year or once a month. Signing up for any plan doesn’t require a contract and comes with a 30-day money-back promise. A free online demo lets you try out the answer before you spend any money on it.
The Good
- Next-generation firewall capabilities for enhanced security.
- Scalable to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes.
- Cloud-based management for convenience and flexibility.
- Global deployment options for seamless network access.
- Integration with other Perimeter 81 services and third-party solutions.
The Bad
- May require reliable internet connectivity for optimal performance.
Cisco Firepower Threat Defense

Specification | Details |
---|---|
Product Name | Cisco Firepower Threat Defense |
Features | Next-generation firewall capabilities, intrusion prevention, advanced malware protection, URL filtering, VPN connectivity |
Scalability | Scalable to support various network sizes |
Management | Centralized management through Cisco Firepower Management Center |
Deployment Options | Physical appliances, virtual appliances, and cloud-based options |
Security Services | Advanced threat detection and prevention, network visibility, behavioral analysis, and more |
Integration | Integration with other Cisco security solutions |
Support | Extensive customer support options |
Cisco Systems is one of the largest and most important market leaders in networking technology. It makes some of the firewalls that are used most often today. After buying next-generation firewall maker SourceFire in 2013, Cisco combined the next-generation firewall (NGFW) features of the SourceFire FirePower with those of its ASA firewall software.
This led to the creation of Cisco Firepower Threat Defense, also called FTD. FTD is now the best next-generation firewall tool made by Cisco. The Cisco Firepower 1000 Series is a group of four Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) security platforms that are intended to protect small offices, home offices, and remote branch offices from threats.
The Good
- Next-generation firewall capabilities for robust security.
- Scalable to meet the needs of different network sizes.
- Centralized management
The Bad
- May require reliable internet connectivity for optimal performance.
Fortinet Security Fabric

Specification | Details |
---|---|
Product Name | Fortinet Security Fabric |
Features | Integrated security architecture, centralized management, real-time threat intelligence, automation and orchestration, multi-layered security |
Scalability | Scalable to support networks of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises |
Management | Centralized management through the Fortinet Security Fabric Management Center |
Security Services | Firewall, VPN, intrusion prevention, antivirus/anti-malware, web filtering, application control, and more |
Integration | Integration with other Fortinet security products for enhanced protection and visibility |
Support | Comprehensive customer support and maintenance options |
Hardware-driven routers from Fortinet are some of the most trusted and safest in the business. Not only does the company have a strong software backbone that gives both medium and small businesses important protections, but it is also one of the few companies that has made its own application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC) processors.
These security chips were made to offer high-speed network control and to be able to grow with your business without sacrificing security. For small companies, Fortinet has a number of great routers that all work with its Next-Generation Firewall. They have different bandwidths for different uses, and you’ll have to choose one based on what your business needs. Still, they can all use the strong firewall and other security features that Fortinet offers.
The Good
- Integrated security architecture for comprehensive protection.
- Centralized management for ease of administration.
- Real-time threat intelligence for proactive threat detection.
- Automation and orchestration capabilities for efficient security operations.
- Scalable to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes.
- Integration with other Fortinet security products.
The Bad
- Initial setup and configuration may require some technical expertise.
Questions and Answers
A: Yes, many small business firewalls can work with other security options like antivirus software, intrusion detection systems, and security information and event management (SIEM) platforms. This makes it possible to use multiple layers of security and handle the different security parts from one place.
A: Yes, scale is a very important thing to think about when choosing a firewall for a small business. Many firewall solutions come with options that make it easy to scale up the firewall’s speed and capacity as your business grows. It’s best to choose a firewall that can grow with your network and meet the needs of a growing network.
A: Yes, small business firewalls usually have tools that let you watch and control how people use the internet. With these features, businesses can set policies, control bandwidth, block certain websites or apps, and keep an eye on user behavior to make sure that the internet is used in a productive and safe way.