RAIT position: We exclusively deploy OPNsense for our Irish clients. This article explains the technical and practical reasons behind that choice, not a sales pitch.
Background: Same roots, different paths
OPNsense was forked from pfSense in 2014 by Deciso, a Dutch company. Its first official release followed in January 2015, and since then the two projects have been developed separately, by different companies with different priorities.
Since then, both platforms have matured. But the differences that mattered in 2015 have become more pronounced, not less.
OPNsense: What it does better
1. Security patch cadence
OPNsense ships minor updates about every two weeks, and two major releases each year, on a published schedule. pfSense (Community Edition) typically patches on a less frequent schedule.
For a business firewall protecting a live network, patch speed is not a nice-to-have. Every week between vulnerability disclosure and patch deployment is a week of exposure.
2. Modern UI and plugin architecture
OPNsense has a clean, well-structured web interface that's genuinely intuitive for engineers who didn't grow up on pfSense. Its plugin system lets you add capabilities (Zenarmor, WireGuard and more) without touching the core.
3. Built-in WireGuard support
OPNsense added WireGuard support in version 19.7, as a plugin. pfSense CE added it later, and the implementation has been more fragmented. For Irish businesses where we're deploying VPN + firewall together, having both on one platform under one interface matters.
4. Fully open development
OPNsense's entire development process (roadmap, issues, commits) is public on GitHub. pfSense's Community Edition is open-source, but Netgate (the company behind it) has blurred the line between CE and pfSense Plus (their commercial version), leading to uncertainty about CE's long-term direction.
pfSense: Where it still wins
1. Larger community and documentation
pfSense has been around longer and has a larger installed base. If you have an obscure configuration question, there's a higher chance someone on the pfSense forums has asked it before. This gap is narrowing as OPNsense matures.
2. Netgate hardware integration
If you're buying a Netgate appliance, pfSense is the natural choice: it's pre-loaded and supported by the same vendor. For Irish businesses buying third-party hardware (which is typically cheaper), this advantage disappears.
The practical comparison for Irish SMEs
| Factor | OPNsense | pfSense CE |
|---|---|---|
| Update cadence | About every 2 weeks | Slower, less predictable |
| WireGuard support | Native, stable | Added later, less integrated |
| UI quality | Modern, well-organised | Functional but dated |
| Paid edition | Business Edition | pfSense Plus |
| Commercial pressure | Lower (community-first) | Netgate pushing Plus edition |
| Hardware cost | Works on any x86 | Works on any x86 |
| Price | Free | Free (CE) |
Our recommendation
For any new firewall deployment for an Irish business, RAIT recommends OPNsense. The reasons are practical, not tribal:
- Frequent, scheduled updates reduce your exposure window
- Better WireGuard integration means one platform for firewall + VPN
- Less commercial pressure means the free version stays genuinely full-featured
- Deciso, the developer, is based in the EU
If you're already running pfSense and it's working, there's no urgent reason to migrate. But for a new installation or if you're replacing end-of-life hardware, OPNsense is the stronger choice in 2026.
What does a professional OPNsense deployment actually cost?
Hardware for a single-site SME installation typically runs €200-€400 (purpose-built x86 appliance). RAIT's installation and configuration service starts from €399 for a single location.
For most Irish SMEs, the full cost (hardware + installation) is under €1,000.
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