Sophos Firewall (XGS) vs UBIKA WAAP

Both Sophos Firewall (XGS) and UBIKA WAAP are capable WAF solutions. The right choice depends on your specific infrastructure, budget, and feature requirements.

View Sophos Firewall (XGS) Review View UBIKA WAAP Review

Overview

Sophos Firewall (XGS) and UBIKA WAAP are both popular web application firewall solutions. This comparison will help you understand the key differences and choose the right one for your needs.

Next-gen firewall (SFOS on XGS appliances) with a built-in reverse-proxy Web Application Firewall via its Web Server Protection module; the active successor to the end-of-life Sophos UTM.

European sovereign WAF offering comprehensive application and API protection with EU data residency guarantees and flexible SaaS or cloud deployment options.

Quick Comparison

Feature Sophos Firewall (XGS) UBIKA WAAP
Overall Rating 3.8/5 4.0/5
Free Tier Yes No
Pricing Model Appliance plus subscription (varies by appliance and subscription bundle) Subscription / Pay-as-you-go
Ease of Use 3.9/5 3.7/5
Value for Money 4.0/5 4.0/5
Support 3.8/5 4.1/5
Platforms XGS Series hardware appliances, virtual (VMware, Hyper-V, KVM), software/Home Edition, and cloud (Firewall in AWS and Azure) Any web application, AWS, Azure, on-premises, hybrid cloud
Compliance Common Criteria, FIPS-validated cryptography (model dependent) ISO 27001, HDS (Health Data Hosting), SecNumCloud, GDPR, PCI DSS

Pricing Comparison

Sophos Firewall (XGS)

Model: Appliance plus subscription (varies by appliance and subscription bundle)

Free Tier Available

Home Edition

Free

Xstream Protection (Commercial)

Custom pricing

View full pricing →

UBIKA WAAP

Model: Subscription / Pay-as-you-go

Cloud Protector SaaS

Subscription-based

WAAP Cloud

Pay-as-you-go / BYOL

Enterprise

Custom pricing

View full pricing →

Features Comparison

Sophos Firewall (XGS)

  • Reverse-Proxy WAF

    Apache-based reverse proxy that protects published web servers against SQL injection, cross-site scripting, directory traversal, and other common web attacks.

  • Form Hardening

    Signs and validates form fields to prevent manipulation of submitted web forms.

  • URL Hardening

    Restricts accessible URLs based on the learned structure of the protected application.

  • Cookie Signing

    Cryptographically signs cookies to detect and block tampering.

  • Reverse-Proxy Authentication

    Adds basic or form-based authentication policies in front of published web servers via WAF rules.

  • Antivirus Scanning

    Scans uploads and traffic to protected web servers for malware as part of Web Server Protection.

UBIKA WAAP

  • EU Data Sovereignty

    Hosted in OVHcloud European data centers, not subject to US Cloud Act or other extraterritorial laws.

  • Workflow Technology

    Unique visual workflow design for security policies allows tailoring protection to specific application requirements.

  • API Protection

    Advanced API security with JWT/OAuth support, JSON/XML filtering, and OpenAPI schema validation.

  • DDoS Protection

    Network and application-layer DDoS mitigation with global caching and acceleration.

  • DevOps Integration

    Infrastructure-as-Code support with REST API and gRPC (Appsecctl) for CI/CD pipeline integration.

  • Managed Security Services

    Optional MSS with proactive monitoring, false positive management, and monthly security reporting.

Which One Is Right for You?

The best WAF depends on your specific requirements, infrastructure, and team expertise.

Sophos Firewall (XGS)

  • You need: Organizations already running Sophos Firewall, businesses wanting WAF and network security in one appliance, home labs and educational users via the free Home Edition
  • You want to start with a free tier
  • You're using: XGS Series hardware appliances, virtual (VMware, Hyper-V, KVM), software/Home Edition, and cloud (Firewall in AWS and Azure)
Learn more →

UBIKA WAAP

  • You need: European enterprises, regulated industries (healthcare, finance), organizations requiring EU data residency, French public sector
  • You're using: Any web application, AWS, Azure, on-premises, hybrid cloud
Learn more →

We recommend evaluating both options with a trial or free tier before committing. Consider your existing infrastructure, team expertise, compliance requirements, and budget.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for startups: Sophos Firewall (XGS) or UBIKA WAAP?

Sophos Firewall (XGS) offers a free tier while UBIKA WAAP does not, which may be important for early-stage startups. Sophos Firewall (XGS) scores higher for ease of use (3.9/5), which is valuable for smaller teams. Consider your immediate security needs and growth plans when choosing.

Which has better support: Sophos Firewall (XGS) or UBIKA WAAP?

UBIKA WAAP has a higher support rating (4.1/5) compared to Sophos Firewall (XGS) (3.8/5). However, support quality can vary based on your plan tier - enterprise customers typically receive more responsive support from both providers. Consider evaluating support during a trial period.

Which is easier to implement: Sophos Firewall (XGS) or UBIKA WAAP?

Sophos Firewall (XGS) scores higher for ease of use (3.9/5) versus UBIKA WAAP (3.7/5). The actual implementation effort depends on your existing infrastructure and team expertise.

Which is more cost-effective: Sophos Firewall (XGS) or UBIKA WAAP?

Sophos Firewall (XGS) offers a free tier while UBIKA WAAP requires a paid plan. Total cost depends on your traffic volume, required features, and support level needs.

Which works better with AWS: Sophos Firewall (XGS) or UBIKA WAAP?

Both Sophos Firewall (XGS) and UBIKA WAAP support AWS deployments. Consider whether native AWS integration or cross-cloud portability matters more for your use case.