Sophos increases prices for XGS hardware and related subscriptions
Sophos has informed its partners by email about a global price increase. From July 1, 2026, a flat 10 % increase will apply to XGS hardware and the related subscriptions. Virtual appliances and software-only subscriptions are not affected.
What is getting more expensive
The increase of +10 % affects the following product groups:
- Sophos XGS hardware appliances and accessories
- Bundles with XGS hardware and subscriptions
- Sophos Firewall term and MSP subscriptions for XGS hardware (new purchases and renewals)
- Promotional bundles for XGS desktop appliances (North America only)
Sophos is distributing the 10 % proportionally across the hardware and the related subscriptions so that the existing ratio between appliance and license remains intact. In practice, this means that both the hardware and the licenses sold with it are becoming more expensive, not just one or the other.
What is not changing
Anyone running a virtual Sophos Firewall or a software-only subscription is not affected by this adjustment. The license adjustment for virtual and software versions introduced a year ago therefore remains unchanged. This is a clear signal: Sophos is applying the increase where its own hardware costs have risen and is leaving the software side untouched.
Explanation from Sophos
The official explanation follows the current situation in the semiconductor market: global supply chains for DRAM and NAND flash are under pressure because demand for AI infrastructure is rising sharply. Manufacturers are shifting production capacity from traditional DDR4/DDR5 to High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), which is used in AI accelerators. Geopolitical factors are also affecting global logistics. Sophos says its own inventory measures can now only partially cushion the shortages and that increased component costs can no longer be fully absorbed.
The reasoning is understandable and matches what we are currently seeing from other hardware manufacturers. Spot prices for DRAM and NAND have been rising for months, and the HBM shift among major memory manufacturers is real. An adjustment in the single-digit to low double-digit range was therefore foreseeable. At 10 %, the increase is at the lower end of what could currently have been expected. Even so, it is still painful for existing customers who will now pay more for their XGS license.
A final thought
Sophos explicitly states in the announcement that it will continue to monitor the situation and that further adjustments cannot be ruled out. This suggests that the 10 % increase may not necessarily be the end of the road if component prices continue to rise. Anyone planning larger hardware purchases would therefore be well advised to start procurement now rather than in the second half of the year. At the same time, it is important to remember that Sophos can raise license prices at any time. Buying hardware at the lower price before the deadline does not mean that subscriptions will remain cheaper as well. A separate license price adjustment is possible at any time and has happened regularly in recent years.
