The best firewall software makes it simple and easy to set up a software firewall to protect your computer or IT systems.
BEST FIREWALL SOFTWARE OF 2024
Firewalls are traditionally a first line of defense, providing a secure perimeter. In the event of a malware infection, the attacker won’t be able to upload payload software to properly launch the attack and cannot download vulnerable data files from any compromised computer.
Even though developments in antivirus technology have improved significantly over that time, the best firewall services remain a key part of a user’s cybersecurity defenses as the risks have evolved rather than stopped entirely.
While some of the best firewall software is provided as a standalone product, often they come bundled with general internet security packages, especially from antivirus companies which can offer a wide range of additional tools. While these are aimed more at individual users and small businesses, larger ones and enterprises can instead benefit from the protection provided by cloud firewalls.
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BEST FIREWALL SOFTWARE OVERALL
1. Bitdefender Total Security
Best for all round security with firewall protection
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
Bitdefender Total Security $49.99
Bitdefender Total Security – 2 Years $154.99
Bitdefender Total Security – 3 Years $209.99
REASONS TO BUY
+High-end firewall protection+Anti-ransomware protection included+Microphone safeguarding+Up to 5 devices
REASONS TO AVOID
-Some alternatives offer more for your money
Bitdefender Total Security is a powerful internet security suite that offers a firewall among a range of featured security protections. There’s also anti-virus protection, but its multi-layered malware protection also protects against ransomware.
Other features include anti-phishing, anti-fraud, and anti-theft options, as well as a performance optimizer.
A wide range of privacy protection options include anti-tracking, file encryption, and shredder, parental controls, as well as protection for microphones to prevent them from being used by a third party.,
Bitdefender Total Security isn’t just for protecting Windows users either, but can also be used to protect against attacks on Android, macOS, and iOS as well. Even better, a single product license allows you to use the software on up to 5 different devices, so you can use Bitdefender Total Security for your home PC as well as smartphone.
Overall, Bitdefender Total Security pretty much does what its name suggests, offering a very wide range of security protections that goes beyond just a firewall. However, pricing is very reasonable at around $35 / £30 / AU$50 per year for up to five devices, making it cheap and easy to get peace of mind.
BEST LIGHTWEIGHT FIREWALL SOFTWARE
3. Webroot AntiVirus
Best lightweight internet security option
REASONS TO BUY
+Extremely light on system resources+Lightning fast speeds
REASONS TO AVOID
-No testing data from the top labs
Just about every antivirus tool claims to be ‘lightweight’, but Webroot AntiVirus is really the only one to deliver on this front. Installation takes seconds, the program files barely use 2MB of your hard drive, the RAM footprint is tiny, and there are no bulky signature updates to tie up your bandwidth.
Considering this, there’s no compromise on features, which makes it all the more impressive. Along with the core protection, there’s smart behavior monitoring, accurate real-time anti-phishing, network connection monitor, enhanced anti-ransomware, and of course firewall protection.
It’s not easy to compare Webroot’s accuracy with the competition, as the big testing labs rarely evaluate the company’s products. However, when they are reviewed, they generally score high, and our own tests show solid and reliable protection.
There’s a lot to love about Webroot AntiVirus, and the 70-day 100% money-back guarantee suggests the company is confident in the product as well. If you’re sick of overly complex and bloated engines, Webroot is a worthy contender for you.
Best free firewall
BEST FREE FIREWALL SOFTWARE OVERALL
3. ZoneAlarm
The best free firewall
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
REASONS TO BUY
+Easy to use interface+Great antivirus engine
REASONS TO AVOID
-Best features are paid-for
ZoneAlarm has been one of the most popular firewall solutions for more than 20 years and has been downloaded more than 20 million times.
ZoneAlarm comes in both Free and Pro versions. The former has ads and lacks several features, including expert rules, 24/7 support, component control, and other advanced settings. What it will do is identify potentially unsafe traffic, hide open ports, and disable malicious programs.
It also features a two-way firewall that monitors traffic coming into and going out of your network, makes your PC invisible to hackers, and stops spyware from broadcasting your personal data. Furthermore, early boot protection will protect your computer from being booted from a dangerous rootkit aimed at taking over your PC.
ZoneAlarm also includes anti-phishing scanning of URLs to make sure you don’t enter your personal information on websites identified as being security threats. And it will remove malicious code from any files you download.
BEST FREE FIREWALL SOFTWARE FOR FEATURES
4. Comodo Firewall
Best if all you need is a decent feature set
REASONS TO BUY
+Sandbox for testing apps+Low resource usage
REASONS TO AVOID
-Needs configuring
For a free product, Comodo Firewall offers a healthy serving of features. It will check that all incoming and outgoing traffic is legitimate, hide your computer’s ports from hackers, and block malicious software broadcasting your private data. If there is any suspicious activity, it will warn you immediately.
It also includes a secure browser, a ‘virtual kiosk’, and a host intrusion protection system (HIPS). The HIPS will detect suspicious behavior by a program and ask you whether to allow it, block it, or treat the program as an installer.
Comodo also includes its own more secure versions of popular browsers Chrome and Firefox, called Dragon and IceDragon respectively. The Comodo browsers offer security, privacy, and performance enhancements that aren’t available in standard browsers.
Comodo’s Virtual Kiosk is a virtualized sandbox, like an isolated operating environment for running unknown applications. Apps run in the Kiosk won’t affect anything on your real computer, which makes it ideal for testing out new, untrusted apps.
BEST LIGHTWEIGHT FREE FIREWALL SOFTWARE
3. TinyWall
Best if you want an unobtrusive free firewall
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
REASONS TO BUY
+No annoying popups+Lightweight compared to some rivals
REASONS TO AVOID
-Manual whitelisting-Not very attractive looks
TinyWall is actually designed to be used with Windows’ built-in Defender firewall, so its performance impact is minimal.
TinyWall will actively block trojans, viruses, worms, and other forms of malware, and prevent the modification of Windows firewall’s settings by malicious programs. And it will do all of this without you needing to know about ports, protocols, or application details.
But probably its most appealing feature is its no-popup approach. Most firewalls will display a popup asking you what you want to do whenever an application is trying to access the Internet. Not only is this annoying, but eventually you’ll just start granting access to everything to get rid of the popups, which isn’t very secure.
TinyWall gets around this problem by expecting you to whitelist programs that you actually want to be able to access the Internet. When you find a program has been blocked, it’s easy to add it to the whitelist, and then you can continue with what you were doing.
BEST BASIC FREE FIREWALL SOFTWARE
5. Windows Defender
Best if you don’t want to install anything
REASONS TO BUY
+Already installed with Windows+Low false positive rate
REASONS TO AVOID
-Lack of additional features
If you have a PC running a version of Windows more recent than XP, then you already have a free firewall installed, and unless you’ve changed any settings, it’s already active and running.
Known as Windows Defender since the release of Windows 10, the firewall is part of a suite of security tools included by default with Windows installations. Microsoft recommends that you leave the Defender on, even if you’re also using another firewall.
To manage its settings, simply search for ‘security’ in Windows and select the Security app. When it opens, set the Windows Defender Firewall toggle to on. Turning it off again simply involves clicking the same button.
You can also configure the firewall to allow a certain app through the firewall. From the same place as where you turn it on/off, you can select ‘Allow an app through firewall’ and then choose the app in question.