How much does a firewall cost?

With the wide variety of vendors, models, and features available, firewall costs can range from a few hundred to several thousand pounds. But what represents good value for your business? How do you determine what your small business truly needs in a firewall?

Every small business with an internet connection needs a firewall to protect its network from cyber threats and secure its users. However, selecting the right firewall model can be challenging with so many options on the market.

Introduction to Firewalls

To learn about Small Business Firewalls, you can read our previous blog posts discussing the Best Small Business Firewall/Router and our Small Business Firewall Guide – which explains the differences and features of different firewalls. In other posts, we also outline the function of an internal network firewall.

What affects Firewall Costs?

Three main factors influence the cost of a firewall:

1. Firewall Model: Performance, capacity, and redundancy are key factors that impact the price of the hardware.
2. Ongoing Security and Support Subscriptions: Subscriptions for advanced security features like antivirus, web filtering, IPS (Intrusion Prevention System), and application control can add to the cost.
3. Configuration and Management: Firewall setup, ongoing monitoring, and maintenance should also be factored in. If you lack in-house IT expertise, it’s best to leave this to a managed service provider (MSP) as part of an IT support agreement.

How much does it cost?

We have illustrated some examples below with approximate pricing:

Small Office: 5-10 users

• Entry-level hardware firewall.
• Basic feature set (no advanced security filtering)
• 8×5 Support.
• £300-£500

Small Office: 5-10 users (With security subscription)

• Entry-level hardware firewall.
• Advanced security subscription (Antivirus, Web Filtering, IPS, Application Control, IP Reputation Blocking).
• 8×5 support with a 3-year contract
• £900 – £1100

Small/Medium Business: <25 users

• Entry-level hardware firewall.
• Standard feature set with higher throughput
• Built-in WIFI Access Point.
• 8×5 Support.
• £600 – £800

Small/Medium Business: <25 users

• Entry-level hardware firewall
• Advanced security subscription (Antivirus, Web Filtering, IPS, Application Control, IP Reputation Blocking).
• Higher throughput, built-in Wi-Fi
• 3-Year contract.
• £1700-£1800

Small/Medium Business: 25-50 users

• Mid-level hardware firewall.
• Advanced security subscription (Antivirus, Web Filtering, IPS, Application Control, IP Reputation Blocking).
• Local storage for reporting and advanced features
• 3-Year contract.
• £2,800-£3,000

Additional costs to consider

Beyond the hardware and subscription costs, consider the following:

• Installation and Configuration: Do you need an IT professional to install and configure the firewall? If your firewall has a simple setup with few policies, budget a few hours of labor. For more complex setups, like VPNs or custom rule sets, you may need half a day to a full day of work.
• Remote Access/VPN: Will your business use VPNs or remote access solutions?
• Ongoing Management: If you require ongoing management, costs will depend on the hours of cover, response times, and monitoring level. This can range from £50/month to several hundred.

Firewall-as-a-Service or Subscriptions

Many Managed Service Providers (MSPs) now offer Firewall-as-a-Service, where you can rent the firewall as part of a managed service. This monthly fee typically includes the hardware, security subscriptions, and ongoing management.

The monthly cost for firewall services can range from £80 to £500, depending on the firewall model, level of service, and coverage hours.