# Palo Alto Networks NGFW alternatives: what AI models name instead, October 2026

IT AI Recommendation Index, October 2026 Edition. 178 of the 252 answers in the 1 category where Palo Alto Networks NGFW holds a standing named it neither first nor as an alternative; these are the first choices those answers made. Page: https://it-ai-index.com/vendors/palo-alto-networks-ngfw/alternatives/

## Named instead, most often (every category and segment added)

- Fortinet FortiGate: 70
- Sophos Firewall: 16
- WatchGuard Firebox: 16
- Palo Alto Networks PA-Series: 8
- Palo Alto Networks VM-Series: 3
- Check Point Quantum: 2

## Next-generation firewalls

**Small business**: 76 of 84 answers did not name Palo Alto Networks NGFW (Palo Alto Networks NGFW is #7 of 8 at 2%).

- Fortinet FortiGate: first choice in 31 of those 76
- WatchGuard Firebox: first choice in 16 of those 76
- Sophos Firewall: first choice in 14 of those 76
- Cisco Meraki MX: first choice in 2 of those 76
- Cisco Meraki: first choice in 1 of those 76
- Firewalla: first choice in 1 of those 76
- FortiGate 50G: first choice in 1 of those 76
- FortiGate 90G: first choice in 1 of those 76

**Mid-market**: 62 of 84 answers did not name Palo Alto Networks NGFW (Palo Alto Networks NGFW is #3 of 8 at 2%).

- Fortinet FortiGate: first choice in 29 of those 62
- Palo Alto Networks PA-Series: first choice in 3 of those 62
- Sophos Firewall: first choice in 2 of those 62
- Check Point Quantum: first choice in 1 of those 62
- FortiGate 50G: first choice in 1 of those 62
- FortiGate VM: first choice in 1 of those 62
- FortiGate-100F/200F: first choice in 1 of those 62
- FortiGate-80F: first choice in 1 of those 62

**Enterprise**: 40 of 84 answers did not name Palo Alto Networks NGFW (Palo Alto Networks NGFW is #2 of 5 at 35%).

- Fortinet FortiGate: first choice in 10 of those 40
- Palo Alto Networks PA-Series: first choice in 5 of those 40
- Palo Alto Networks VM-Series: first choice in 3 of those 40
- Check Point Quantum: first choice in 1 of those 40
- Cisco Secure Firewall: first choice in 1 of those 40
- FortiGate: first choice in 1 of those 40
- FortiGate-VM NGFW: first choice in 1 of those 40
- Fortinet FortiGate-VM: first choice in 1 of those 40

Published under CC BY 4.0. The output is the models' output; nothing here is a recommendation by the index.