First, this isn’t an attempt at an unfair shit on Netgate post. I’ve been a pfSense user (and member of their sub) for many, many years. I’ve endured (along with everyone else) their…unique PR strategy. I always told myself the software is good regardless of the company and their penchant for public trouble. I even defended them a couple of years ago when they announced pfSense+.
But, last week’s abrupt announcement about the end of pfSense+'s Home+Lab edition and a requirement to pay $399/yr to continue using + was the final dramatic incident for me. I’m not decided on what I’m doing, but I don’t think it’s pfSense+.
Today, they announced a price reduction to $129/yr. But 35 cents a day to stay on + still seems like a lot to me. Considering the free alternatives (CE & OPNsense), not because it’s unattainable pricing.
I’m curious how the greater pfSense community feels, but I don’t feel confident this post won’t just get taken down in r/pfSense.
For the unfamiliar, here’s the context:
Netgate is just the latest tech company to show that they’re run by short-sighted bean counters and MBAs that can’t think further than the next quarter and are perfectly happy to throw away years of good will and trust for no goddamn reason at all. The company’s dead to me.
I’m going to be moving to something else.
I decided to move to OPNsense over a year ago because I was afraid they would pull this shit. Now we get to watch netgates user base wither and die slowly. It will take time because of how popular it is, but you will likely see more and more people choosing the alternatives over the next few years.