Internet security is simply a part of life on the Internet, even after the release of Windows Vista. Today, firewalls are being incorporated into the Internet security suites more and more. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t get a top notch, stand alone, personal firewall with all the features you’d expect. On the other hand, paying good money for a security suite doesn’t mean you are getting a firewall that will protect you system and personal information against all of today’s online threats.

For these reasons, I have listed only the best (as rated by software experts and testing companies), Windows personal firewalls for 2008. You can consider these the best of the best, whether they are free, paid, stand-alone, or included in a full security suite. I’m providing this information to help my readers quickly and easily determine the best firewall for their needs and budget.

Use the table to do a quick side-by-side comparison of features and pricing, and see below that to get some additional information on each firewall download. All links at the top of the table go directly to the software home site.

Personal Firewalls

Features & Specs	Outpost Pro	Online Armor Paid Version	COMODO	Kaspersky Suite
Host Protection
Email Protection
File Protection
Registry Protection
Network Traffic
Data Filtering
Stealth Mode
Application Monitor
Automatic Updates
Intruder Alerts
Intruder Log
Self Protection
Virus Protection
Prevents Tracking Cookies
Web Filter
Spyware Protection
32 & 64 bit Windows
Windows Vista
Windows XP
Windows Server 2003
Windows 2000
Price	$39.95	$39.95	Free	$79.95

The Kaspersky firewall is actually include in their full 2009 security software suite. I included it in this list because it received a score of 85% after serious testing by matousec.com. The suite includes the quality, 2-way firewall, virus protection, configuration and privacy tools, personal information protection, parental controls, whitelisting, and much more. A great solution if you’re looking for an all-in-one package.

As you can see from the table above, COMODO personal firewall has all the features you’re looking for in a firewall and it’s 100% free. This is not a watered down or limited version. COMODO is able to do this by working with online merchants to help create consumer confidence when making online purchases. There are a few complaints, and you can read about those on our COMODO review page.

The Online Armore personal firewall received the highest score of 98% after matousec.com testing. They do offer a free version, but it is very limited compared to the paid version. There is also an AV version which includes virus protection, but it costs $30.00 more than the version priced above.

Outpost Pro personal firewall received a score of 98% and “Excellent” rating and offers the most features at the best price among paid firewalls.

There’s no need for “information overload” when shopping for a Windows firewall. This list is fairly short and you’ll only need to judge which one is best for you by considering your Internet use, budget, and possibly the amount of shopping and/or online banking you do. Good luck and feel free to ask any further questions below.