Portmaster vs Untangle NG Firewall
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Portmaster, made by the Austria-based company Safing, is a free and open-source application firewall for Windows and Linux that gives users visibility into every network connection made by every application on their computer. Rather than just blocking traffic at the network edge, it lets users set per-application rules to allow, block, or restrict specific programs, and can completely isolate an app from the internet if desired. Beyond application-level control, Portmaster blocks ads and trackers system-wide at the DNS level, meaning the protection applies across all applications rather than just a browser. It supports restricting connections by country and blocking specific domains directly. Safing also offers SPN, a separate paid privacy network product, and a Pro tier for Portmaster itself, alongside the free core firewall application.
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.
- Free and open source with a transparent, publicly reviewable codebase
- System-wide DNS-level ad and tracker blocking, not limited to a single browser
- Granular per-application network control not found in most consumer firewalls
- Active development with recent updates and an engaged community
- 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
- No macOS support currently, only Windows and Linux
- More technical than typical consumer security software, aimed at privacy-focused users
- Optional Pro/SPN pricing (80 EUR/year) is not prominently broken down on the main site
- 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 dataPortmaster is a free, open‑source, per‑application firewall for Windows/Linux individuals; Untangle NG Firewall is a paid, modular, enterprise‑grade firewall platform for SMBs and institutions.
Key differences
- •Target audience: individual privacy‑focused users vs. SMB/education/government organizations.
- •Deployment model: desktop app installed on each PC vs. self‑hosted appliance/service.
- •Pricing transparency: free/freemium with optional 80 EUR/yr add‑on vs. contact‑only pricing with no public list.
- •Platform support: Windows and Linux only vs. no stated OS limitation (self‑hosted, likely broader).
- •Feature scope: basic per‑app firewall and DNS ad‑blocking vs. full UTM suite (IPS, VPN, content filtering, ransomware protection).
Pricing & value
Portmaster is free with optional 80 EUR/yr add‑on; Untangle requires contacting sales, no public pricing.
Ease of use / learning curve
Untangle offers a cloud dashboard and mobile app for centralized management; Portmaster is a technical per‑app firewall.
Features & depth
Untangle bundles firewall, IPS, VPN, content filtering, ransomware protection; Portmaster provides firewall and DNS ad‑blocking only.
Integrations & ecosystem
Untangle’s modular apps and Arista Edge Threat Management ecosystem enable extensions; Portmaster has no API or integrations.
Scalability
Self‑hosted Untangle can serve multiple sites/users; Portmaster runs on individual desktops.
Support
Untangle is backed by Arista’s enterprise support; Portmaster offers community support only.
Security & privacy
Portmaster is open‑source with publicly reviewable code; Untangle’s code is closed and not disclosed.
Choose Portmaster if…
Privacy‑conscious individuals needing a free per‑app firewall on Windows or Linux.
Choose Untangle NG Firewall if…
SMBs, schools, or government entities needing a managed, modular security stack with enterprise support.
Common questions
What is the cost to get started?
Portmaster is free; optional SPN add‑on costs 80 EUR per year. Untangle requires contacting sales; no public price listed.
Can I manage many devices from a single console?
Untangle provides a cloud dashboard and mobile app for centralized management; Portmaster is installed per device with no central console.
Is the software open‑source and auditable?
Portmaster’s source code is publicly available on GitHub. Untangle’s code is not open‑source.