ESET Inspect vs WatchGuard Firebox comparison

ESET and WatchGuard are both solutions in the Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) category. ESET is ranked #33 with an average rating of 8.0, while WatchGuard is ranked #20 with an average rating of 7.6. Additionally, 80% of ESET users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of WatchGuard users who would recommend it.

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 5, 2025

WatchGuard Firebox and ESET Inspect compete in cybersecurity solutions, with each offering distinct benefits. WatchGuard Firebox is ahead in ease of use and comprehensive network management, while ESET Inspect's advanced security capabilities give it an advantage for those needing deep threat analysis.

Features: WatchGuard Firebox includes advanced threat detection, comprehensive network security with firewalls, VPN support, and customizable filtering options. ESET Inspect offers deep data inspection, endpoint detection capabilities, and significant threat analysis functions, suiting detailed security needs.

Room for Improvement: WatchGuard Firebox could enhance its advanced threat intelligence tools, improve scalability options, and expand integrated third-party support. ESET Inspect might improve user interface simplicity, streamline deployment processes, and lower licensing costs for broader market appeal.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: WatchGuard Firebox is known for its straightforward setup and excellent customer service, ensuring easy network integration. ESET Inspect, while highly capable, presents more complex deployment challenges due to its advanced features, though its technical support is well-regarded for effectiveness.

Pricing and ROI: WatchGuard Firebox is economically viable for small to mid-sized organizations with its competitive pricing offering substantial value. ESET Inspect requires higher initial investment due to its advanced features, delivering long-term ROI for enterprises seeking robust security frameworks.

To learn more, read our detailed ESET Inspect vs. WatchGuard Firebox Report (Updated: August 2025).

Buyer's Guide

ESET Inspect vs. WatchGuard Firebox

August 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

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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Cees Van Den Haak

ICT Manager at Bouwbedrijf de Vries en Verburg BV

A product with an easy setup phase that helps manage attacks and vulnerabilities

The most valuable features of the solution stem from the fact that you can manage and react to vulnerabilities and attacks on all the workstations or laptops. You can put certain workstations and isolation. With ESET PROTECT, you see only one machine that is protected, but with ESET Inspect, you see all the machines that are protected in an environment.

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Rajesh Makwana

Regional Pre-Sales Engineer at Roundrobin Tech

Efficient bandwidth management and secure network access with a strong firewall

The primary use case of the Firebox mainly revolves around bandwidth management, unnecessary web blocking, application control, and protection against brute force attacks. It is also implemented for load balancing, SD-WAN, and branch-to-branch connectivity from one location to another. We also use…

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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 simplicity of the configuration and the stability of the product are most valuable. The VPN concentrator is very useful."

"We use a lot of function on the IPS and it works well for us."

"I'm pretty happy with its reliability. It is also very scalable."

"The multi-tenancy feature is most valuable. It integrates very well with FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer."

"What's most important is the ease of use."

"From the firewall perspective, the rules and policies are very sufficient and easy to use."

"You can create multiple Virtual Domains (VDOMs), which are treated as separate firewall instances."

"It has upscaled our security posture, especially regarding external connectivity, because any access or connection from the company has to go through the Fortinet FortiGate firewall."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"The rules are the best and most useful features."

"ESET Enterprise Inspector's greatest asset lies in its user-friendly interface, which allows for easy navigation and thorough analysis of incidents."

"Scalability-wise, it is a very good solution."

"ESET Enterprise Inspector's most valuable feature is EDR."

"I find the multilayered endpoint security the most valuable feature."

"The product's most valuable features are its performance and stability."

"Rules are the most valuable feature of ESET Inspect. They are created through XML language, and they track and filter events from endpoints. If the event matches the rule, the rule is triggered. Exceptions are the second most valuable feature because it gives you the power to filter false positives in large numbers. The third most valuable feature is the Learning mode that facilitates making exceptions for known processes with a good reputation."

"The most valuable feature is the ease of use of the interface."

"The pricing of the solution is okay. It's not the most expensive option."

"The most valuable feature is the NAT-ing, the IP addresses... We can direct the traffic where it needs to go. We can control the traffic."

"I could still keep the data rates really high, up near the two gigahertz data speeds, without compromise on the security perimeters being acted simultaneously."

"It works right out of the box. You just have to enable it and you can start working."

"The set up of the VPN is pretty straightforward. Being able to build VPNs on the fly for certain users, if need be, is also valuable."

"It is the most effective on non-encrypted traffic and it is able to determine some threats through deep packet inspection."

"The solution has many security features. We have an intrusion provision system and filtering and block filtering."

More WatchGuard Firebox pros

Cons

"The stability of Fortinet FortiGate could improve."

"The technical support that Fortinet provides is not satisfactory. When we call Fortinet technical support, it takes too much time to connect with them."

"I believe one area that could be improved in Fortinet FortiGate is posturing, specifically for remote VPN users, as there are OS-based limitations I encountered with only Windows; adding domain restrictions for VPN access would make it more competitive and useful."

"In my experience, Fortinet FortiGate is not stable at all."

"The support structure needs to be improved because every time we contact them, there is a delay in the response."

"The things we require are already sorted out, so there isn't any scope for improvement as far as our requirements go. However, its price can be better."

"FortiLink is the interface on the firewall that allows you to extend switch management across all of your switches in the network. The problem with it is that you can't use multiple interfaces unless you set them up in a lag. Only then you can run them. So, it forces you to use a core type of switch to propagate that management out to the rest of the switches, and then it is running the case at 200. It leaves you with 18 ports on the firewall because it is also a layer-three router that could also be used as a switch, but as soon as you do that, you can't really use them. They could do a little bit more clean up in the way the stacking interface works. Some use cases and the documentation on the FortiLink checking interface are a little outdated. I can find stuff on version 5 or more, but it is hard to find information on some of the newer firmware. The biggest thing I would like to see is some improvement in the switch management feature. I would like to be able to relegate some of the ports, which are on the firewall itself, to act as a switch to take advantage of those ports. Some of these firewalls have clarity ports on them. If I can use those, it would mean that I need to buy two less switches, which saves time. I get why they don't, but I would still like to see it because it would save a little bit of space in the server rack."

"We would like to see a better training platform implemented."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"One area that needs improvement for the product is ransomware protection, which does not offer complete security."

"Every vendor is working on making the job of SOC analysts easier, with fewer false positives and more precise detections. ESET uses LiveGrid technology that provides feedback on the reputation of files and operations. It's hard to eliminate all of the false positives, but hopefully, we'll see some improvement with the advances in AI."

"It is not a stable product. We were disappointed in the stability of this product in comparison to McAffee."

"The product is complex to configure, and there are too many errors that are not errors, making it an area that can be considered for improvement."

"It may be difficult for a first-time customer to understand all of the functions that are available to him."

"The solution could improve the consumption of resources. The RAM and CPU usage increases during usage which can cause issues. We have three separate services and it would be beneficial if all were executed from one agent limiting the over usage of system resources."

"The platform's price could be better."

"I would like to see faster automatation."

"WatchGuard technical support requires a license."

"Once you start getting into proxy actions and setting up: "Okay, cool. Once this rule gets triggered, what actions have to happen?" I do know a few people who use WatchGuard and they still have to get assistance when they look at that. So I would file that as a con for WatchGuard. Proxy actions can be a little bit complicated."

"The main trouble is the price of the product."

"The VPN aspect of the WatchGuard Firebox is an area that could potentially benefit from improvement. We encountered difficulties while attempting to integrate Windows 11 laptops into the system, which resulted in unreliable connections. After some research, we discovered that this was primarily due to compatibility issues with Windows 11 and required a patch. However, it was still a challenge as it seemed that even when we tried to keep the laptops on Windows 10, they still exhibited the same issues as Windows 11 machines. Despite WatchGuard attributing the problem to Microsoft, we were eventually able to find a solution and all the machines are now functioning seamlessly."

"WatchGuard Data Loss Prevention catches so little. When I've implemented it, it just can't look at the traffic in a thorough enough manner to capture as much as it should. And I find that I'm disenchanted with all data loss protection solutions I've tested and looked at."

"When working with WatchGuard, specifically in configuring Panda Security on the portal for the first time, it was challenging for me."

"I believe there is a need for additional measures to connect mobile devices securely to the Firebox router."

More WatchGuard Firebox cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The licensing scheme of Fortinet is better than Cisco. It is more logical."

"As far as I'm aware, in our case, it's just a yearly pricing arrangement with no additional licensing costs."

"No comment."

"FortiGate's pricing falls within the mid-range when compared to other leading firewall solutions."

"If the price of the license in Fortinet FortiGate was less expensive it would be better."

"Fortinet FortiGate gives you most of the features in one license."

"The initial setup is super straight forward and as far as the licensing goes for the small product that we have, the pricing was pretty competitive. It wasn't as simple and as cheap as a SonicWall but for the service we would get it was a good price."

"A year or two years back, its price was competitive and reasonable. That was one of the reasons that people easily switched to Fortinet. Over the last two years, the prices have increased drastically. However, the prices of others have also increased. An advantage is there from the price point but not as much as it was previously."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"The platform is expensive; it could be cheaper."

"The pricing and licensing are the big issue now, in my opinion. If the price was less than other companies, or a one-time charge for service was available, I think there would be more users of this solution."

"I feel it is a very expensive product."

"The platform's licensing is affordable and straightforward."

"This is true in the case of licensing, we do not have the most expensive products, and we don't have the cheapest product, it's somewhere in the middle. Perhaps a little higher from the middle, but we are known for what we provide to our customers, and they are pleased."

"WatchGuard Firebox has good quality, but it is expensive."

"The licensing contract we have is on a three-year basis. There aren't any costs in addition to the standard licensing fees—usually, every three years, we just purchase or renew the same license and we are okay. Every six years, we completely change the firewall, but that's the usual schema. So after three years, we just renew the licenses for another three years, and then after that particular period of time, we just purchase another firewall equivalent to the ones that we currently use."

"The solution is not expensive and customers pay for a yearly license."

"The pricing is competitive."

"We only license our corporate one and the one we have at our DR site, we don't worry about the branches. It doesn't pay for us to license the ones at the branches. What they charge for what they call basic maintenance is extremely high for those little fireboxes."

"It has a very good price. It is not the most expensive one, and it is also not the cheapest one. It is just spot-on in terms of price."

"There is a license required to use the solution and we pay annually. The price could be reduced because it is a bit expensive."

"The price of WatchGuard is very good."

More WatchGuard Firebox pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

14%

Comms Service Provider

12%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

14%

Comms Service Provider

11%

Retailer

Manufacturing Company

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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What do you like most about ESET Enterprise Inspector?

ESET Enterprise Inspector's most valuable feature is EDR.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ESET Enterprise Inspector?

The platform is expensive; it could be cheaper. However, it is an essential part of our network's security.

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering ESET Enterprise Inspector?

I recommend ESET Enterprise Inspector to others and rate it an eight out of ten.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for WatchGuard Firebox?

We are providing our services to all WatchGuard customers in the region.

See all answers

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...

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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.

See all answers

Comparisons

Sophos XG vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 20% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 12% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 11% of the time

Meraki MX vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 5% of the time

OPNsense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

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HP Wolf Security vs ESET Inspect

Compared 32% of the time

Fortinet FortiEDR vs ESET Inspect

Compared 11% of the time

SentinelOne Singularity Complete vs ESET Inspect

Compared 10% of the time

CrowdStrike Falcon vs ESET Inspect

Compared 8% of the time

N-able EDR vs ESET Inspect

Compared 3% of the time

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OPNsense vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 6% of the time

SonicWall TZ vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 5% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 5% of the time

Sophos XG vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 5% of the time

Sophos UTM vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 4% of the time

More WatchGuard Firebox Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

August 2025

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

ESET Inspect

August 2025

Download ESET Inspect product report

Buyer's Guide

WatchGuard Firebox

July 2025

Download WatchGuard Firebox product report

Also Known As

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

ESET Enterprise Inspector

WatchGuard Threat Detection and Response, WatchGuard Application Control, WatchGuard Data Loss Prevention, WatchGuard Gateway AntiVirus, WatchGuard Intrusion Prevention Service

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

ESET Inspect is an essential component to help ensure the highest level of enterprise security. While standard ESET Endpoint Security provides strong protection, ESET Inspect takes your environment's security to a new dimension. A security tool is needed to help security professionals protect their sensitive data and detect and investigate security incidents, advanced threats, and targeted attacks or breaches on endpoint devices. ESET Inspect is a tool that offers the peace of mind of continuous protection and security monitoring in a powerful and easy-to-use solution.

ESET

WatchGuard Firebox is a high-performance firewall known for its ease of setup, offering robust security with layered protection and centralized management capabilities.

WatchGuard Firebox stands out for its intuitive management and high throughput, addressing security needs with features like VPN, web filtering, and threat detection. Its centralized control and reporting abilities, along with Active Directory integration, make it popular among varied organizations. Its user-friendly interface and ongoing updates enhance usability and reliability. However, there's a call for better cloud-based administration, scalability, and improved integration with third-party vendors.

What are the key features of WatchGuard Firebox?

Ease of Setup: Quick and straightforward installation process.
GUI: User-friendly graphical interface for simplified navigation.
VPN Features: Secure and efficient virtual private network management.
Web Filtering: Advanced filtering for safer browsing experiences.
Threat Detection: Proactive monitoring and detection of cyber threats.

What benefits or ROI should be evaluated?

Centralized Control: Streamlined management from a single point.
High Throughput: Efficient data handling and processing capacity.
Stable Performance: Consistent and reliable operational functionality.
Active Directory Integration: Seamless connection with user directories.
Customer Service: Strong support service for customer inquiries.

WatchGuard Firebox is implemented across industries to secure internet gateways and protect data in multi-site businesses. Its applications span from Unified Threat Management (UTM) and intrusion prevention to compliance support in business environments requiring secure connectivity through VPNs.

WatchGuard

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

Mitsubishi Motors, Allianz Suisse, Cannon, T-Mobile

Ellips, Diecutstickers.com, Clarke Energy, NCR, Wrest Park, Homeslice Pizza, Fortessa Tableware Solutions, The Phoenix Residence

Buyer's Guide

ESET Inspect vs. WatchGuard Firebox

August 2025

Free Report: ESET Inspect vs. WatchGuard Firebox

Find out what your peers are saying about ESET Inspect vs. WatchGuard Firebox and other solutions. Updated: August 2025.

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