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Check Point Email Security (formerly Harmony Email & Collaboration) vs WatchGuard Firebox comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 24, 2026

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
5.9
Fortinet FortiGate offers a high ROI through enhanced productivity, efficiency, security, cost savings, and simplified management.
Sentiment score
7.2
Check Point Email Security boosts ROI by reducing attacks, lowering costs, enhancing productivity, and safeguarding valuable business assets.
Sentiment score
6.6
Organizations gain ROI from WatchGuard Firebox through enhanced security, reduced costs, and improved efficiency, despite challenges in quantifying ROI.
Clients are now comfortable and not wasting productive hours on IT support.
Managing Director at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
The automation part is giving us a cost benefit and speed; we can react faster.
BDM Fortinet & BDM Teamlead at Exclusive Networks
It's a very useful tool to mitigate and protect your enterprise.
Staff Infrastructure & Security Engineer at Mozn Systems
The time saved during investigations is significant due to the neat dashboard that organizes everything related to alerts.
Pre Sales Consultant at Redington Group
We have gone from three to four successful phishing attacks every year to a maximum of one.
Network Cyber Security Specialist at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
There has been a 70% decrease in phishing emails and data breaches since implementing Check Point Harmony Email Security.
Account Manager at iValue Group
From a security standpoint, preventing even a single major security incident or prolonged outage can represent significant cost savings.
Professional Services Engineer at Nex7 IT
I do not see any return on investment after WatchGuard Firebox implementation in terms of cost reductions.
CEO at ajuntament del Prat
Reduced incidents and easier management helped lower operational cost.
Security Engineer at Antina Empleos
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.5
Fortinet FortiGate's 24/7 support is generally well-rated but needs improvement in response speed for urgent issues.
Sentiment score
6.8
Check Point Email Security support is praised for professionalism and effectiveness, with suggestions for faster response times and improved expertise.
Sentiment score
6.4
WatchGuard Firebox support is responsive and knowledgeable, but some regions experience delays with complex issue resolutions.
The quick resolution of issues with Fortinet FortiGate is due to the support of the company and the fact that the equipment is easy to work with.
IT Manager at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
I would rate the technical support for Fortinet FortiGate a ten out of ten.
NAC Support at Rah Infotech Pvt Ltd
As a solution provider, when I encounter problems, I connect directly with Fortinet support, and they provide solutions within a very short time.
Manager, Information Technology Operation/Presales at TechMonarch
Their technical support is proficient at resolving issues within their scope, providing excellent problem-solving assistance and guidance.
Manager, Information Technology at a hospitality company with 201-500 employees
We opted for the 24/7 premium support, which is very responsive and quick whenever we have configuration challenges or other inquiries.
Pre Sales Consultant at Redington Group
We understand that with respect to SLA, but we expect they can go beyond SLA and provide quick support for the client.
Sr. Technical Specialist at Softcell Technologies Limited
On a scale of one to 10, I would rate the technical support of the WatchGuard Firebox a 10.
Consultant at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
When comparing WatchGuard Firebox with other vendors such as Fortinet, SonicWall, Palo Alto, and Sophos, WatchGuard Firebox performs competitively.
Cyber Security Engineer at Underdefense
Most of the time, support engineers are knowledgeable and able to assist effectively with firewall configuration issues, VPN troubleshooting, firmware updates, and security-related concerns.
Professional Services Engineer at Nex7 IT
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.1
Fortinet FortiGate is praised for scalability and adaptability across enterprises, though some users face cloud scaling and upgrade challenges.
Sentiment score
7.7
Check Point Email Security efficiently scales with user growth, integrates with SaaS applications, and receives high ratings for scalability.
Sentiment score
6.8
WatchGuard Firebox offers scalability for diverse environments, balancing intuitive management with some performance restraints and hardware considerations.
They scale up really well from smaller models like the FortiGate 40 and 50 to bigger sites with the FortiGate 100 for more throughput - up to enterprise datacenters.
IT Manager at Daltons Limited
The variation comes in terms of the interfaces and throughputs, but from a security perspective, you get the same benefit, irrespective of whether you have an entry-level unit or an enterprise.
Cewa Solutions Architect at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
We determine sizing based on multiple factors: number of users, available links, traffic types, server count, services in use, and whether services will be published.
General Surgery Specialist at Helwan University Cairo
I would rate the scalability of Check Point Harmony Email and Collaboration as nine out of ten, indicating high scalability.
Cyber security manager at a government with 1,001-5,000 employees
Scalability is limited, being only integrated with Microsoft Office 365 and G Suite at present.
Technical Specialist at Softcell Technologies Limited
We have taken a SaaS platform, so availability and observability are there along with higher availability.
Associate Vice President at Novac Technology Solutions
Overall, WatchGuard Firebox offers strong scalability for SMBs, MSPs, branch offices, and hybrid environments while keeping deployment and management relatively straightforward.
Professional Services Engineer at Nex7 IT
The user interface and features compared to newer firewalls are not up to the mark, which includes functionalities such as filtering, web filtering, threat protection, user identity, and UTM features that need improvement.
Senior Network Consultant at NETOPS
You can choose different models based on throughput and features, which makes it easy to support growing environments.
Security Engineer at Antina Empleos
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.7
Fortinet FortiGate offers reliable and consistent performance, with quick resolution for occasional bugs, ensuring minimal downtime and high availability.
Sentiment score
8.1
Check Point Email Security is highly stable with robust security, seamless performance, and minimal downtime, earning positive feedback.
Sentiment score
8.0
Users praise WatchGuard Firebox for its stability, reliability, and consistent performance, with quick support solutions for any issues.
We're experiencing 99.999% availability consistently.
Manager, Information Technology at a consumer goods company with 11-50 employees
I would rate the stability of Fortinet FortiGate a ten out of ten.
NAC Support at Rah Infotech Pvt Ltd
Currently, we are experiencing a general outage of one of the main internet service providers of the Dominican Republic, and we have not been impacted in our operations because with SD-WAN, we have another internet service provider and we are working with the second WAN connection without any disruption.
CISO at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
The platform is very stable; we have not encountered any downtime or stability-related issues.
Ingeniero en seguridad informática at Elcatex
Over these eighteen months I have been working with the product, it has been very stable, and I would recommend it to most of my peers who have issues related to the email security piece.
Associate Vice President at Novac Technology Solutions
I have just one WatchGuard Firebox unit that is licensed, and I have no bugs on it, so I am happy with that.
Administrateur Systã¨Mes Et Rã©Seau at Btp Consultants
Once properly configured, the platform handles VPN connectivity, traffic inspection, and security services constantly, even in multi-site environments with remote users.
Professional Services Engineer at Nex7 IT
There are issues with traffic hitting the firewall, which could indicate performance problems related to throughput.
Senior Network Consultant at NETOPS
 

Room For Improvement

Fortinet FortiGate users face high costs, integration and stability issues, sluggish support, and need improvements in usability and security features.
Check Point Email Security requires improved integration, performance, support, and documentation to address user frustrations and enhance functionalities.
WatchGuard Firebox needs improved reporting, interface, performance, integration, support, pricing, security, and VPN/mobile management capabilities.
These sessions should be around five to ten minutes long, allowing users and partners to quickly grasp the information without disrupting their daily tasks.
Managing Director at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
The solution should be able to implement machine learning and analytics of all the logs for threat detection and protection.
Senior Systems Engineer at Caribbean Development Company
It would be better for customers to get immediate replacements even with a standard subscription.
Director at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Updates based on AI and reduced administrative overhead by adding or bulk adding new users, along with graphical enhancements to the GUI, would also be beneficial.
Technical Specialist at Softcell Technologies Limited
Enhancing reporting capabilities with customizable and advanced analytics features would greatly improve our ability to detect trends and proactively address emerging threats.
Pre Sales Consultant at Redington Group
The current system, being tied directly to the mailbox instead of requiring MX record verification, allows new mailboxes to function immediately after Microsoft activation.
Manager, Information Technology at a hospitality company with 201-500 employees
It gives good visibility and control over the traffic, and the UI makes it easy to manage policies and respond quickly when something comes up.
Manager at Cyvogenix
The cost for renewal after three years is 75% of the hardware cost, which is a significant problem.
Owner at it logic
When implementing a rule using a group of IPs, it is not possible to do that directly.
Solution Architect at Simvicitsolutions
 

Setup Cost

Fortinet FortiGate is cost-effective with a good feature set, ideal for mid to large enterprises, though complex licensing.
Check Point Email Security is costlier than some rivals but offers comprehensive features, making it competitively and fairly priced.
WatchGuard Firebox provides cost-effective pricing and flexible licensing for SMBs, making it ideal for budget-conscious enterprises.
Last year, I renewed the support for three years, which can sometimes be expensive but depends on the security benefits and how it helps us.
Network & System Admin at Invoke Studios
It offers cost savings as it is generally cheaper than the competition.
IT Infrastructure Architect at Apotek 1
It is about 20% cheaper.
Network Security Engineer at TD SYNNEX
Pricing is a bit expensive, but it is worth it considering the features that Check Point provides.
Technical Specialist at Softcell Technologies Limited
I consider the pricing to be a bit expensive, similar to other solutions.
Technical Director at Geekz Information Technology
The pricing is lower compared to what I used before.
Cyber security manager at a government with 1,001-5,000 employees
When we tried to renew the Palo Alto license, the cost was beyond any reasonable range.
Digital Solution Designer at Accenture
Fortinet is more expensive than WatchGuard.
Security Engineer at Antina Empleos
I find WatchGuard Firebox to be cost-effective.
Chief Technology Officer at Falcon Automation
 

Valuable Features

Fortinet FortiGate offers robust security, ease of use, and integration, with cost-effectiveness and reliable support, enhancing network efficiency.
Check Point Email Security provides AI-driven threat protection, seamless integration, and centralized management for enhanced email security and leak prevention.
WatchGuard Firebox provides comprehensive network security with advanced threat prevention, intuitive management, and reliable firewall and VPN features.
We got a firewall and gave an SSL VPN to my client to connect to their servers, after which, such kind of activities involving ransomware attacks stopped.
Owner at Mindware Computer Solutions
They put in a thing called the FortiCookbook, which is very easy to read with real-life scenarios that make networking tasks like joining networks very straightforward.
IT Manager at Daltons Limited
The firewall and VPN features are the most valuable in protecting our customers' networks.
Sales & Support at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
I haven't had any users accidentally click on something problematic since implementing the product, which speaks to its efficacy.
Manager, Information Technology at a hospitality company with 201-500 employees
For us, I prefer Check Point before Palo Alto and before other brands because Check Point is most effective in attack mitigation and attack detection.
Cybersecurity & Networking Professional at Quantic Technology
The most valuable feature is spam detection and phishing site prevention, which Microsoft couldn't catch, yet Check Point does.
Head of Operations at DNI
The Firebox offers valuable features such as network security, URL filtering, UTM features, intrusion prevention and detection, and authentication.
Solution Architect at Simvicitsolutions
The features of WatchGuard Firebox are most valuable for maintaining network security.
Cyber Security Engineer at Underdefense
Some of the best features of WatchGuard Firebox in my experience are its ease of management, strong VPN capabilities, and integrated security services.
Professional Services Engineer at Nex7 IT
 

Categories and Ranking

Fortinet FortiGate
Sponsored
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
592
Ranking in other categories
Secure Web Gateways (SWG) (2nd), Firewalls (1st), Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) (1st), Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions (1st), WAN Edge (1st), ZTNA (1st), Unified Threat Management (UTM) (1st)
Check Point Email Security ...
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
97
Ranking in other categories
Email Security (3rd), Data Loss Prevention (DLP) (3rd), Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP) (5th)
WatchGuard Firebox
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
135
Ranking in other categories
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) (11th), Firewalls (9th), Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) (4th), Anti-Malware Tools (6th), Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) (13th), Application Control (3rd), Unified Threat Management (UTM) (3rd)
 

Featured Reviews

Vasu Gala - PeerSpot reviewer
Manager, Information Technology Operation/Presales at TechMonarch
A stable solution with an intuitive interface and quick customer service
I have been working with Fortinet FortiGate, WatchGuard, Sophos, and SonicWall. I'm not as comfortable with SonicWall because of their UI and limitations. I prefer Fortinet above all other options. When it comes to configuration, I am confident in my ability to handle various tasks, including creating policies such as firewall rules, web policies, and application policies. Additionally, I can configure VPNs and implement load balancing, among other tasks. Overall, I feel much more comfortable working with Fortinet. Fortinet has made significant improvements by integrating AI with firewalls for threat analysis and prevention. In the past 2-3 years, they have launched FortiSASE and SIEM, and they also provide SOC services. Both Palo Alto and Fortinet FortiGate are excellent. While Fortinet FortiGate comes at higher prices, the functionality and support justify the cost. They promptly resolve firmware issues and inform all support providers about configuration changes.
PRADIPJOSHI - PeerSpot reviewer
Owner at Shree Atharva Sales Corporation
Email protection has stopped phishing and secured cloud collaboration across all devices
Deployment is very easy since it is API based and does not require any harsh configuration. The DMARC management and DMARC forensic is the best feature. Their security engine provides everything such as DLP and encryption. Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration provides almost 100% security for phishing emails. Their DMARC management is very standard compared with any other brand or any other email security provider. The best thing is that on a single tenant I can manage multiple services such as Harmony Endpoint, Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration, Harmony Browser, mobile security, EDR, XDR, which is endpoint security, and SaaS. All of these services have a single dashboard. When giving security to email, in Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration, I do not need to change any MX record or any DNS entry changes. I simply add one text record for DMARC and no changes are needed in the MX record of that particular domain. This is very easy because Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration is in the tenant of Microsoft Office 365 and Google Workspace only. Check Point works on zero trust network technology. They are not only giving a feature of artificial intelligence but also machine learning summary. Machine learning summary is also given when they catch any kind of incidents such as phishing attacks, malware attacks, and ransomware attacks. They always provide real-time alerts for that. Real-time URL analysis is provided for phishing links and all these things. It gives 100% output for that and shows the source from where the malicious URL comes from. Additionally, they always provide threat emulation. This means the simulation of what danger happens when I click that particular URL is also provided in their report. It gives 100% protection to all BYOD devices. For example, one single Microsoft 365 account can be configured on different five devices. Many companies give email access to their employees on their mobile as well. In that case, if any malicious file is on the mobile and the employee would like to save it on OneDrive, due to this security, the user and administrator will get a real-time alert that this file is malicious and cannot be uploaded to OneDrive. This not only saves money but also saves time and prevents the organization from such cyber attacks.
Abhishek Saini - PeerSpot reviewer
Professional Services Engineer at Nex7 IT
Centralized security management has improved VPN reliability and simplified daily operations
WatchGuard Firebox is a strong and reliable platform overall, but there are a few areas where improvements could make the experience even better. One area is the user interface and navigation in some management tools. While the platform is powerful, certain configurations and troubleshooting workflows can feel less intuitive compared to some newer cloud-native firewall platforms. Another point is reporting and log analysis. Although the logging features are very useful, deeper analytics and more customizable reporting dashboards would make security monitoring much more effective. Firmware upgrades and policy synchronization can sometimes require careful planning to avoid security interruptions. Overall, the core security and VPN functionality are very solid, but improving usability, reporting, and automation would make the platform even stronger. One area that could be improved is the learning curve for new administrators. While experienced engineers can work with the platform effectively, some advanced networking and security configurations can be a bit complex for junior technicians. More guided configuration workflows, smarter recommendations, and simplified troubleshooting tools would make onboarding easier. Another improvement would be more flexible reporting customization for executive-level and client-facing reports.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Computer Software Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Construction Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Comms Service Provider
12%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Computer Software Company
8%
Construction Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business370
Midsize Enterprise138
Large Enterprise195
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business63
Midsize Enterprise27
Large Enterprise32
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business100
Midsize Enterprise28
Large Enterprise16
 

Questions from the Community

Which is the better NGFW: Fortinet Fortigate or Cisco Firepower?
When you compare these firewalls you can identify them with different features, advantages, practices and usage a...
What is the biggest difference between Sophos XG and FortiGate?
From my experience regarding both the Sophos and FortiGate firewalls, I personally would rather use FortiGate. I know...
What are the biggest technical differences between Sophos UTM and Fortinet FortiGate?
As a solution, Sophos UTM offers a lot of functionality, it scales well, and the stability and performance are quite ...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Check Point Harmony Email & Office?
I am not the person to say what cost Check Point has for their products. However, for partners like us, if we could g...
What is your primary use case for Check Point Harmony Email & Office?
We are working with Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration not only for Harmony, but also for their SaaS solut...
What needs improvement with Check Point Harmony Email & Office?
Check Point must develop one mobile app for iPhone users, Android phone users, and Windows phone users or at least fo...
What is your primary use case for WatchGuard Firebox?
We are providing our services to all WatchGuard customers in the region.
What is your primary use case for WatchGuard Firebox?
We just use it as a secondary WiFi device. We're a small office and we needed to set up a WiFi device for a few of ou...
What is your primary use case for WatchGuard Firebox?
We're a hospital and we use it for developing our incoming and outgoing policies, and we also use it for VPN.
 

Also Known As

Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall
Check Point CloudGuard, Check Point CloudGuard SaaS , Check Point Harmony Email & Office
WatchGuard Threat Detection and Response, WatchGuard Application Control, WatchGuard Data Loss Prevention, WatchGuard Gateway AntiVirus, WatchGuard Intrusion Prevention Service
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, IBM, Cisco, Dell, HP, Oracle, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Vodafone, Orange, BT Group, Telstra, Deutsche Telekom, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, CenturyLink, NTT Communications, Tata Communications, SoftBank, China Mobile, Singtel, Telus, Rogers Communications, Bell Canada, Telkom Indonesia, Telkom South Africa, Telmex, Telia Company, Telkom Kenya
Helvetia, Denham Capital, Daymark Solutions, Neopharm Group
Ellips, Diecutstickers.com, Clarke Energy, NCR, Wrest Park, Homeslice Pizza, Fortessa Tableware Solutions, The Phoenix Residence
Find out what your peers are saying about Check Point Email Security (formerly Harmony Email & Collaboration) vs. WatchGuard Firebox and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.
899,283 professionals have used our research since 2012.