# pfSense: how AI models rank it, September 2026

IT AI Recommendation Index, September 2026 Edition. Named in 4 judge labels across 2 categories by 3 of 12 models. Page: https://it-ai-index.com/vendors/pfsense/

## Standing by category

| Category | Share | Rank | Negative rate | Labels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Next-generation firewalls | 0% | 27 | 0% | 3 |
| SD-WAN | 0% | 28 | 0% | 1 |

## What the models said for it

- "Best for the tightest budget: pfSense — free/open-source, but usually requires more technical skill" (Perplexity Sonar, Firewalls)
- "pfSense: More mature ecosystem, deeper documentation, Netgate hardware integration" (Kimi K2, Firewalls)
- "Best Open-Source / DIY ... $0 for software." (Gemini 3.5 Flash, SD-WAN)

## Record

- Method: https://it-ai-index.com/methodology/
- Raw judge labels and full responses: https://it-ai-index.com/data/
- License: CC BY 4.0. Cite as IT AI Recommendation Index, September 2026 Edition, it-ai-index.com.