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Cybersecurity · head to head

SonicWall vs VIVOTEK VAST Security Station

SonicWall logo

SonicWall

Cybersecurity

Proven security, performance and simplicity for modern networks

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
VIVOTEK VAST Security Station logo

VIVOTEK VAST Security Station

Cybersecurity

Camera-vendor video management software with a free 32-channel tier for VIVOTEK devices

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: SonicWall product line page names no price for any firewall model, series or bundled security service; VIVOTEK VAST Security Station vAST 2 has entered end of maintenance with technical support and software files withdrawn, yet distributors still list VAST 2 licences, so a buyer can be quoted unsupported software without realising it.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SonicWall and VIVOTEK VAST Security Station actually diverge.

Attributes where SonicWall and VIVOTEK VAST Security Station differ
AttributeSonicWallVIVOTEK VAST Security Station
Pricing modelquoteOne-time purchase per camera channel
PlatformsWebWindows, Web, iOS, Android

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in SonicWall

Nothing recorded that VIVOTEK VAST Security Station does not also cover.

Only in VIVOTEK VAST Security Station

  • VSS Lite free tier
  • Per-channel licensing
  • Third-party camera support
  • Failover and TV matrix
  • Vision object analytics
  • Embedded NVR licensing
  • NDAA and TAA compliance

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

SonicWall

  • Network security and firewallsnot VIVOTEK VAST Security Station
  • Cloud securitynot VIVOTEK VAST Security Station

VIVOTEK VAST Security Station

  • A school or small public building with fewer than 32 VIVOTEK cameras that needs a VMS at no licence costnot SonicWall
  • A United States public sector site that must meet NDAA and TAA procurement restrictionsnot SonicWall
  • An existing VAST 2 site that needs to migrate before the software falls further out of maintenancenot SonicWall
  • A mid-sized site standardising on VIVOTEK hardware with a handful of third-party cameras to absorbnot SonicWall

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

SonicWall

  • Product line page names no price for any firewall model, series or bundled security service
  • Product tiers are segmented strictly by business size (TZ80 for micro-SMBs up to NSsp for large enterprises), so a growing business must migrate hardware series rather than scale within one model

VIVOTEK VAST Security Station

  • VAST 2 has entered end of maintenance with technical support and software files withdrawn, yet distributors still list VAST 2 licences, so a buyer can be quoted unsupported software without realising it.
  • The free Lite tier is hard capped at 32 cameras and VIVOTEK devices only, so a site that grows to 33 cameras or adds one third-party camera moves straight to paid Standard licensing.
  • VSS Professional includes no camera licences at all, so the edition that large deployments need starts from a higher effective price than the tier comparison suggests.
  • It is a camera manufacturer's VMS, so the third-party device list, analytics ecosystem and integration catalogue are all narrower than an independent platform like Milestone or Salient.
  • No pricing is published for Standard or Professional channels; everything runs through distribution, which makes budgeting a phased expansion difficult without repeated quotes.

Pricing, plan by plan

SonicWall

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the SonicWall review.

VIVOTEK VAST Security Station

On request
  • VSS LiteFree
    • Free of charge
    • Up to 32 VIVOTEK cameras per server
    • No third-party camera support
  • VSS Standard$undefined/one-time
    • Up to 256 cameras per server
    • Eight camera licences included for VIVOTEK or third-party devices
    • Additional channel licences purchased individually
  • VSS Professional$undefined/one-time
    • Large scale deployments with failover and TV matrix
    • No camera licences included at all
    • Every channel purchased or upgraded from Standard

Which should you pick?

Choose SonicWall if

Nothing in the data separates SonicWall from VIVOTEK VAST Security Station on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

SonicWall review

Choose VIVOTEK VAST Security Station if

  • You need vss lite free tier.
  • You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want per-channel licensing.
VIVOTEK VAST Security Station review

Questions people ask

Is SonicWall or VIVOTEK VAST Security Station better?
Neither clearly leads. SonicWall starts at On request and VIVOTEK VAST Security Station at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, SonicWall or VIVOTEK VAST Security Station?
SonicWall starts at On request and VIVOTEK VAST Security Station at On request.
Does SonicWall or VIVOTEK VAST Security Station run on more platforms?
SonicWall runs on Web. VIVOTEK VAST Security Station runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
What is SonicWall best used for?
SonicWall is most often used for network security and firewalls, cloud security. Of those, network security and firewalls and cloud security are not what VIVOTEK VAST Security Station is typically brought in for.
What can SonicWall do that VIVOTEK VAST Security Station cannot?
VIVOTEK VAST Security Station covers VSS Lite free tier, Per-channel licensing, Third-party camera support, Failover and TV matrix.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SonicWall: How much does SonicWall cost?

SonicWall does not publish pricing on its main website. The company directs customers to contact their sales team directly or access the partner portal for reseller pricing. Free trials are available through their sales channels.

Source
VIVOTEK VAST Security Station: Should I still buy VAST 2?

No. VAST 2 has entered end of maintenance with support and software files withdrawn. VSS is the current product, and any VAST 2 licence still on a distributor price list should be questioned.

SonicWall: Does SonicWall offer a free trial?

Yes, SonicWall offers free trials for their products. Contact their sales team through the Contact Sales button to request trial access and pricing information.

Source
VIVOTEK VAST Security Station: Is VSS Lite really free?

Yes, for up to 32 VIVOTEK cameras per server. It does not support third-party cameras and cannot exceed 32 channels.

VIVOTEK VAST Security Station: How many licences come with Standard?

Eight camera licences, usable for VIVOTEK or third-party devices. Professional includes none.

VIVOTEK VAST Security Station: Is VIVOTEK NDAA compliant?

VIVOTEK publishes an NDAA and TAA compliant product list, which is why it appears in United States public sector specifications where Section 889 excludes several other manufacturers.

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