Check Point NGFW vs Zscaler Cloud Firewall comparison

Check Point Software Technologies and Zscaler are both solutions in the Firewalls category. Check Point Software Technologies is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.6, while Zscaler is ranked #25 with an average rating of 8.3. Check Point Software Technologies holds a 3.0% mindshare in Firewalls, compared to Zscaler’s 0.4% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of Check Point Software Technologies users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 92% of Zscaler users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 6, 2025

Check Point NGFW and Zscaler Cloud Firewall compete in the network security category. Check Point NGFW holds an advantage in detailed application and content filtering, while Zscaler excels with its cloud adaptability and remote access capabilities.

Features: Check Point NGFW is known for detailed application filtering, content filtering, and IPsec VPN, which make it suitable for complex environments. Zscaler Cloud Firewall offers robust cloud adaptability, extensive remote access options, and comprehensive application control, benefiting cloud-first organizations.

Room for Improvement: Check Point NGFW users report stability issues, licensing complexity, and support-related challenges, suggesting improvements in automation and integration. Zscaler Cloud Firewall is noted for being costly for small businesses and presents limitations in customization and data center coverage, prompting desires for better support and geographic presence.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Check Point is strong in on-premise and hybrid cloud setups, offering robust support despite noted inconsistencies. Zscaler, while agile in cloud deployments, receives criticism for its limited geographic support reach and slower service resolutions.

Pricing and ROI: Both products are considered expensive but offer strong ROI through their security features. Check Point's cost is justified by comprehensive security offerings, while Zscaler presents licensing flexibility, though it remains a significant expense for smaller businesses.

To learn more, read our detailed Check Point NGFW vs. Zscaler Cloud Firewall Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Check Point NGFW vs. Zscaler Cloud Firewall

June 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

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

Categories and Ranking

Fortinet FortiGate

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Firewalls category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiGate is 21.2%, up from 17.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Check Point NGFW is 3.0%, down from 3.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Zscaler Cloud Firewall is 0.4%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewalls

Featured Reviews

Vasu Gala

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.

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Hailemichael Yigrem

Senior Cyber Security Engineer at Deliver ICT and Telecommunication Technology PLC

Advanced security features enhance threat detection and prevention

Check Point NGFW provides granular application control and detailed visibility over application and user activity. It integrates with the ThreatCloud ecosystem, enabling real-time threat detection and prevention. The User Identity Awareness blade integrates with Active Directory, identifying user traffic sources. Check Point NGFW is highly scalable and has centralized management through SmartConsole, which manages policies, logs, and threat data. It reduced our incidents and decreased the time to analyze cyber threats by 70 percent.

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Bhaskar Rao

Network manager admin at Yamaha

Though it helps deal with web traffic or any malicious traffic, it needs to work on its DC performance issues

The product's initial setup phase is moderate in level, so it is neither very complex nor very easy. For the deployment, my company first needs to gather all the requirements of the users and the domain names and consider how many users there are in the company. In the implementation and planning part, my company needs to consider what kind of policies we will create while ensuring that the policies are created based on the requirements of the users. There is a need to segregate the users' requirements since there are separate departments in the company, like the HR department, sales department, IT department, and manufacturing department, so that our company can create policies depending on their requirements. On-site, if you want a GRE tunnel, our company can handle GRE tunnel traffic routing and Zscaler Cloud Firewall, after which Zscaler will take action based on the policies created by our organization. For the deployments and maintenance, a team of five members consisting of two managers and three engineers is required.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The product is easy to use and is stable. The SV1 functionality is a benefit."

"Fortinet FortiGate is a very light product. It's easy to understand."

"Their web interface to manage it is excellent, even compared with other providers."

"It can expand easily."

"The best feature of Fortinet FortiGate is value for money. It is very easy to deploy and scale. It saves us costs and increases bandwidth throughput."

"With FortiClient, you can easily connect when you are home, check out what you want to do, and connect to your network when you are not at work. You can switch on servers and you can check what is wrong."

"One of the best features of Fortinet FortiGate is that it's a very powerful equipment that gives many security features in a single box with good performance, and the user interface is friendly to use and configure."

"It is easy to manage, and it doesn't need much knowledge from the team. It is a stable device, and there are many features that are included out of the box."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"The solution is scalable."

"On a scale of one to ten, I rate Check Point NGFW as ten."

"The packet inspections have been a strong point. Our identity collectors have also been helpful. In many ways, Check Point has been a step up from our SonicWalls that we had in-house before that. There's a lot of additional flexibility that we didn't have before."

"Provides very good performance."

"AV, IPS, AntiSpam, Sandbox. That's gentlemen set for any basic security, and it was implemented very well. In our reports, the most exciting results belong to AV and IPS. It can be explained by using ThreatCloud - a global knowledge base, which accumulates signatures for all existing and new coming malware, and all the Check Point solutions are always up to date with potential threats."

"The management interface is easy to operate and is a standardized way of managing different firewall modules in the same client application."

"The Smart Dashboard and other user interfaces are very easy to use and can be handled without any significant IT skills."

"The most valuable feature is the powerful, deep packet inspection engine."

More Check Point NGFW pros

"If malicious traffic attacks our on-premises servers, then it gets blocked by Zscaler Cloud Firewall."

"Includes advanced tech protection."

"Zscaler Cloud Firewall understands the applications in the current generation and adapts to the present generation cloud applications."

"Since it is really customizable, I can use it and avoid enabling access to the full network."

"Zscaler provides effective protection against various cyber threats ensuring a safe environment"

"Most of the features that Zscaler has to offer, we will deploy."

"The technical support from Zscaler was excellent."

"It is a stable solution."

More Zscaler Cloud Firewall pros

Cons

"The monitor and the visibility, in this proxy, is very weak."

"It needs more available central management."

"There are mainly two areas of improvement in Fortinet FortiGate— the licensing cost and the timing of upgrading licenses for boxes."

"They could simplify their deployment process, especially when customers have existing devices."

"It should come integrated or have its own type of network monitor tool in a module. There should just be one package, and you are good to go."

"The Wi-Fi controller needs a lot of improvement."

"I think they need to improve more in order to be a competitor with the leaders of the field."

"In my opinion, Fortinet FortiGate could be improved by making the appliance smaller than what we have here, as it is pretty big."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"I really want to see geo-blocking as a feature of NGFW."

"The client for the central tools is very big - maybe using web access in future releases, similar to other vendors should be possible."

"The first-time setup was difficult because when we looked at the documentation, I made a suggestion to get clearer guidance."

"It's too expensive for mid-market companies."

"IoT should be considered in future development."

"The platform's technical support services need enhancement."

"Something worth mentioning is the need for Spanish support and better representation for teams in the Latin American area."

"The level and availability of training should be improved."

More Check Point NGFW cons

"The product could improve its integration with some legacy systems."

"Data Leak Prevention is only for web filtering and there is no protection for email."

"Its technical support services could be better."

"When it comes to customer support, there is room for improvement in Zscaler's service."

"There are some areas it could improve when it comes to blocking, we have to block some things manually. For example, if we block a top-level domain we have seen that the new IPs come through, the IPs are not blocked. There should be some more granular way of doing it. My only request is if you're blocking something at a top level, the sub-level sub-domains and all those other IPs should be blocked too automatically."

"We are having some issues with internet access being denied when organizational ID-based policies change. For example, a lower level employee ends up getting the same level of access as that of a higher level employee."

"Certain criteria need to be met if you want to scale this solution."

"If I can get rid of Jetscaler, I will use Twingate for sure."

More Zscaler Cloud Firewall cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of FortiGate is good."

"Its licenses cost the same for different subscription plans."

"At the time we bought them, I was satisfied with their pricing; I don't know how the new pricing will be."

"It has been two years. I don't remember the actual price, but it was affordable. We buy the boxes and then use the license for three years."

"I think that the pricing is fair."

"The price could be lower."

"Its price is normal. If I compare it with other vendors, such as Palo Alto, it's normal. Palo Alto is expensive."

"It is too expensive for us. My organization is very small, and we have a total of ten users. We have three internal users and seven external users. The FortiGate 100D series is too expensive for renewing the licenses."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"The price is high in comparison to other solutions."

"Pricing is a little high compared to competitive firewalls, but it is easy to go through the licensing steps."

"The price could be better. I think Palo Alto pricing is high, and Check Point isn't much better. FortiGate is cheaper. I think when I implemented this solution, I recommended buying a yearly subscription."

"Check Point NGFW is not a cheap solution."

"The vendor has a very flexible licensing approach."

"Compared to Sophos and others, Check Point pricing is good for the current market."

"Check Point NGFW is a little expensive."

"It's expensive."

More Check Point NGFW pricing and cost advice

"The licensing is on a yearly basis. It is somewhere around 30 or 40 pounds per user for our organization."

"There are licensing costs, and I would not say that it's a cheap vendor."

"There is an annual license required for the use of the Zscaler Cloud Firewall."

"It comes at a significantly reduced cost while ensuring control and effectiveness."

"There are different subscription models available."

"It is expensive for small businesses."

"The product is a bit expensive compared to the solutions offered by its competitors, like Palo Alto. There is a need to make yearly payments towards the license in charges associated with the product."

"On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."

More Zscaler Cloud Firewall pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Educational Organization

12%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Educational Organization

37%

Computer Software Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Manufacturing Company

Retailer

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

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...

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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...

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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 ...

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How does Check Point NGFW compare with Fortinet Fortigate?

I have experience on both from Disti and channel experience. Please find below my comments (nothing new as such). -Ch...

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Which would you recommend - Azure Firewall or Check Point NGFW?

Azure Firewall is easy to use and provides excellent support. Valuable features include integration into the overall ...

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What do you like most about Check Point NGFW?

Check Point NGFW provides essential security, featuring no-obligation access for secure connections, strong intrusion...

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Which lesser known firewall product has the best chance at unseating the market leaders?

Netscope, Zscaler if they continue route they are on now. FIrewalls needs great deal of automation on each end, datac...

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What do you like most about Zscaler Cloud Firewall?

The product’s firewall and VPN package are fantastic compared to any other solution.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Zscaler Cloud Firewall?

Zscaler Cloud Firewall is quite expensive compared to competitors. However, it offered moderate value for money.

See all answers

Comparisons

Sophos XG vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 20% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 12% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 12% of the time

WatchGuard Firebox vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 5% of the time

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 2% of the time

More Fortinet FortiGate Competitors

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Check Point NGFW

Compared 13% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Check Point NGFW

Compared 8% of the time

Sophos XG vs Check Point NGFW

Compared 8% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Check Point NGFW

Compared 6% of the time

Sophos XGS vs Check Point NGFW

Compared 6% of the time

More Check Point NGFW Competitors

Azure Firewall vs Zscaler Cloud Firewall

Compared 14% of the time

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Zscaler Cloud Firewall

Compared 9% of the time

OPNsense vs Zscaler Cloud Firewall

Compared 7% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Zscaler Cloud Firewall

Compared 6% of the time

Sangfor NGAF vs Zscaler Cloud Firewall

Compared 5% of the time

More Zscaler Cloud Firewall Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

June 2025

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Buyer's Guide

Check Point NGFW

June 2025

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Buyer's Guide

Zscaler Cloud Firewall

June 2025

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Also Known As

FortiGate 60b, FortiGate 60c, FortiGate 80c, FortiGate 50b, FortiGate 200b, FortiGate 110c, FortiGate, Fortinet Firewall

Check Point NG Firewall, Check Point Next Generation Firewall

No data available

Overview

Fortinet FortiGate offers comprehensive network security and firewall protection across multiple locations. It effectively manages data traffic and secures environments with features like VPN, intrusion prevention, and UTM controls.

Organizations rely on Fortinet FortiGate for its robust integration with advanced security policies, ensuring significant protection for enterprises, cloud environments, and educational sectors. It facilitates network segmentation, application-level security, and authentication management, securing communication within and between locations such as branches and data centers. Its efficient SD-WAN and UTM features enable streamlined data management and enhanced threat protection capabilities. Users appreciate its centralized management, facilitating seamless operations across diverse environments.

What are the key features of Fortinet FortiGate?

VPN Capabilities: Ensure secure remote access for users and seamless site-to-site connections.
Intrusion Prevention System (IPS): Detect and prevent security threats and vulnerabilities.
Advanced Firewall: Offers robust firewalling with application control and web filtering.
SD-WAN: Optimizes application performance and enhances bandwidth management.
SSL VPN: Provides reliable and secure access for remote workers.

What benefits should users expect from Fortinet FortiGate?

High-performance Security: Delivers effective threat mitigation with high availability.
Centralized Management: Simplifies network operations with cloud-based management tools.
Detailed Analytics: Provides comprehensive insights into network activity and security threats.
Load Balancing: Ensures optimal resource distribution and traffic management.

Fortinet FortiGate is crucial in sectors like education, offering robust networks for secure data flow between campuses and facilitating remote learning. In enterprise environments, it allows efficient management of application traffic and security across multiple branches, while in the cloud, it seamlessly integrates with diverse platforms to enhance security infrastructure.

Fortinet

Check Point NGFW provides comprehensive firewall protection, managing VPNs, and securing network perimeters with advanced threat prevention techniques. It's widely used to protect businesses, data centers, and ensure secure traffic management.

Check Point NGFW offers robust security for companies, delivering security features like threat prevention, URL filtering, and intrusion prevention across both layer 3 and layer 7. It supports remote access, web filtering, application control, and safeguards against malware, botnets, and zero-day attacks. With its intuitive management console, deep packet inspection, centralized management capabilities, and sophisticated threat detection, Check Point NGFW enhances network security and productivity. The system integrates seamlessly with other technologies and provides real-time monitoring, detailed reporting, and automated policy management. Additionally, its setup is straightforward, it scales well, and offers comprehensive logging.

What are the key features?

VPN capabilities: Ensures secure remote access and encrypted communications.
Intuitive management console: Simplifies administration with an easy-to-use interface.
Application control: Provides extensive control over applications running on the network.
Deep packet inspection: Examines data packets in detail to detect and prevent threats.
Intrusion prevention system: Protects against unauthorized access and attacks.
Centralized management: Manages all security policies and devices from one location.
Automated policy management: Reduces administrative tasks through automation.
Advanced threat detection: Identifies sophisticated threats in real-time.
Real-time monitoring: Continuously monitors network traffic and security events.
Easy setup and scalability: Simplifies deployment and scales with business needs.

What are the benefits?

Enhanced security: Provides comprehensive protection against a range of cyber threats.
Increased productivity: Simplifies security management, allowing IT teams to focus on other tasks.
Improved visibility: Detailed reporting and monitoring provide insights into network activity.
Reduced risk: Automated threat detection and policy management mitigate potential risks.
Cost efficiency: Consolidates multiple security functions, reducing the need for additional solutions.

Check Point NGFW is implemented in industries like finance, healthcare, and retail, where protecting sensitive data and ensuring compliance are critical. Its advanced security features and ease of management make it suitable for large enterprises and data centers, ensuring reliable and secure network operations.

Check Point Software Technologies

Zscaler enables the world’s leading organizations to securely transform their networks and applications for a mobile and cloud first world. Its flagship services, Zscaler Internet Access and Zscaler Private Access, create fast, secure connections between users and applications, regardless of device, location, or network. Zscaler services are 100% cloud-delivered and offer the simplicity, enhanced security, and improved user experience that traditional appliances or hybrid solutions are unable to match. Used in more than 185 countries, Zscaler operates the world’s largest cloud security platform, protecting thousands of enterprises and government agencies from cyberattacks and data loss.

Check more details: https://www.zscaler.com/produc...

Zscaler

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

Control Southern, Optimal Media

Zenith Live, Azure, Carlsberg Group

Buyer's Guide

Check Point NGFW vs. Zscaler Cloud Firewall

June 2025

Free Report: Check Point NGFW vs. Zscaler Cloud Firewall

Find out what your peers are saying about Check Point NGFW vs. Zscaler Cloud Firewall and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.

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