LuLu vs Untangle NG Firewall
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
LuLu is a free and open-source firewall for macOS built by Objective-See, designed to monitor and control outgoing network connections rather than inbound traffic. It alerts users whenever an unknown or unrecognized process attempts to connect out to the network, helping catch malware trying to exfiltrate data or reach command-and-control servers.
Untangle NG Firewall is a modular next-generation firewall platform that consolidates network security functions like content filtering, intrusion prevention, ransomware protection, and VPN into a single console instead of requiring multiple separate vendor products. Following its acquisition, the product now operates under Arista Networks as part of the Edge Threat Management (ETM) platform, with NG Firewall remaining the core product and a cloud-based ETM Dashboard, including a mobile app, for centralized management. The platform is aimed at organizations that need enterprise-style network security without a large in-house security team, and it is used across education (K-12 and higher ed), government, healthcare, financial services, nonprofits, and hospitality. Special pricing is available for qualifying public institutions, nonprofits, and government organizations, and a free trial and online purchase configurator are offered directly on the site.
- Completely free and open source, including the source code on GitHub
- Effective at catching malware attempting outbound data exfiltration
- Built by Objective-See, a developer with a strong reputation in Mac security tooling
- Granular per-app, per-destination rule control
- Modular design lets organizations pay only for needed security functions
- Discounted pricing available for education, nonprofit, and government buyers
- Cloud dashboard with mobile app simplifies remote management
- Backed by Arista's networking infrastructure following acquisition
- macOS only, no Windows or Linux version
- Frequent connection alerts can be noisy until rules are tuned
- Requires some technical familiarity with network processes to configure effectively
- Public list pricing is not shown; requires going through a configurator or sales
- Brand transition (Untangle to Arista Edge Threat Management) can cause naming confusion
- Best suited to organizations comfortable managing their own modular security stack
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The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataLuLu is a free, open‑source macOS‑only firewall for personal use; Untangle NG Firewall is a paid, modular, enterprise‑grade solution for self‑hosted networks.
Key differences
- •Platform scope: LuLu runs only on macOS desktops, Untangle is self‑hosted for any network environment.
- •Cost model: LuLu is free and open source; Untangle requires a quote and has modular pricing.
- •Target audience: LuLu suits individual Mac users; Untangle targets SMBs, schools, and public‑sector orgs.
- •Feature breadth: LuLu focuses on outbound connection control; Untangle bundles firewall, content filtering, IPS, VPN, etc.
- •Management: LuLu is configured locally per device; Untangle offers a cloud dashboard and mobile app for remote management.
Pricing & value
LuLu is completely free and open source; Untangle’s pricing is undisclosed and requires a sales process.
Ease of use / learning curve
Untangle provides a cloud dashboard and mobile app; LuLu can be noisy and needs technical familiarity to tune.
Features & depth
Untangle bundles firewall, content filtering, IPS, VPN, ransomware protection; LuLu only handles outbound connection blocking.
Integrations & ecosystem
Untangle integrates multiple security modules and a cloud management platform; LuLu offers only VirusTotal integration.
Scalability
Untangle is self‑hosted for networks of many devices; LuLu runs on a single macOS machine.
Support
Untangle is backed by Arista with enterprise support; LuLu provides community support only.
Security & privacy
Both are security‑focused; LuLu is open source, Untangle is a commercial firewall with enterprise features.
Choose LuLu if…
Individual Mac users needing a free, open‑source outbound firewall.
Choose Untangle NG Firewall if…
SMBs, schools, or government groups needing a modular, centrally managed network security platform.
Common questions
Is there any cost to use LuLu or Untangle?
LuLu is free and open source; Untangle requires a quoted price and offers a free trial but no public pricing.
Can I run these firewalls on Windows or Linux?
LuLu supports macOS only; Untangle is self‑hosted and can run on standard server hardware regardless of OS.
Which product is easier to manage for multiple devices?
Untangle provides a cloud dashboard and mobile app for centralized management; LuLu must be configured on each Mac individually.