Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs WatchGuard XTM [EOL] comparison

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Palo Alto Networks and WatchGuard are both solutions in the Firewalls category. Additionally, 96% of Palo Alto Networks users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of WatchGuard users who would recommend it.

Palo Alto Networks NG Firew...

Read 200 Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls reviews

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96% willing to recommend

WatchGuard XTM [EOL]

Read 34 WatchGuard XTM [EOL] reviews

90% willing to recommend

Palo Alto Networks NG Firew...

WatchGuard XTM [EOL]

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 19, 2025

WatchGuard XTM [EOL] and Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls are competing in the firewall technology space. While WatchGuard XTM [EOL] offers simple configurations and appeal to budget-conscious businesses, Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls provide more advanced security features, making them preferable for enterprises prioritizing comprehensive protection despite higher costs.

Features: WatchGuard XTM [EOL] provides basic security features, ease of use in small environments, and straightforward rule configuration. It is known for robust VPN capabilities. Meanwhile, Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls offer advanced threat prevention, application visibility, and cloud integration. These features emphasize Palo Alto’s focus on delivering a comprehensive security package with robust application control and detailed traffic visibility.

Room for Improvement: WatchGuard XTM [EOL] could enhance its feature set by integrating more advanced threat prevention tools and improving scalability for larger enterprises. Its application visibility and cloud integration also need enhancement. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls, on the other hand, might improve in simplifying their deployment process and reducing the technical expertise required, as well as enhancing their initial cost-effectiveness.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: WatchGuard XTM [EOL] is praised for its straightforward deployment, appealing to businesses seeking quick and simple implementations. It is suitable for administrators with varying experience levels, offering intuitive management interfaces. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls offer extensive support services, crucial for facilitating complex and large-scale deployments, despite requiring more technical know-how initially. Their customer service is comprehensive, helping users navigate through advanced configurations.

Pricing and ROI: WatchGuard XTM [EOL]'s lower cost attracts cost-sensitive organizations aiming for immediate savings. However, Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls justify their higher prices through long-term security benefits and advanced features, leading to potentially higher ROI. Businesses prioritizing robust security over initial expenditures might find Palo Alto’s offerings more valuable despite their costly nature.

To learn more, read our detailed Firewalls Report (Updated: September 2026).

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Firewalls

September 2026

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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

Palo Alto Networks NG Firew...

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

200

Ranking in other categories

Firewalls (5th)

WatchGuard XTM [EOL]

Average Rating

8.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Featured Reviews

Nitin Yadav

Network & Security Engineer at Arrow PC Network Pvt.Ltd.

Strong threat prevention has reduced phishing and malware while I monitor traffic in depth

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls offers application and user awareness, which allow me to control traffic based on threats. The product includes threat prevention, advanced threat prevention, and deep packet inspection that really helps prevent issues in our network. Deep packet inspection inspects full traffic content, even inside applications and encrypted sessions. Deep packet inspection makes a very practical difference day to day because it lets me see and control what is actually inside the traffic, not just the open port or IP. I have real visibility of which application is running instead of just seeing HTTPS. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls WildFire sandboxing is really good at detecting and blocking zero-day malware automatically, along with its GlobalProtect and DNS security features. Using Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls positively impacts my organization by providing strong security, better visibility, faster response, and simplified operations. After deploying Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls in our network, it blocks malicious traffic and prevents compromises that occurred before Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls. I can now block outside IPs to prevent issues. After Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls installation, I reduced 60 to 70 percent of malware and phishing attacks. Its threat prevention and DNS security features detect these attacks, block malicious domains, and reduce manual efforts for the security team.

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Generalm4545

General Manager- IT & Automation - Serum at a pharma/biotech company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Protects from attack software and hacking but it doesn't provide the reports in a readable format

In my opinion, image clarity is very important, because I don't get the proper image product on reports. This means that functionality is not there. My engineer does not know how he can replace an order. We attach a log after any kind of keys using a utility instead. For the internet policies that we are implementing, the policy should be based on proper protocols. We use the default policies and there are a number of third-party protocols that appear here. Management with WatchGuard XTM means that out of policy is the problem from our side. In this way, we can not do effective services for people with this one. The policy definition with WatchGuard XTM is not proper for all use case requirements. I've got weekly business reports that I am expecting attachments with from WatchGuard XTM that display data for all kinds of consideration which should be required. Main User Functionality Level Order must adhere to using the admin functionality on the registry, or else our users publish their own name. Maybe these recommendations are irrelevant, but I say that the issue to improve most with WatchGuard XTM is the Main User Function.

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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 most valuable feature of Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls is its application visibility, which allows us to see all users and their accessed resources."

"Everything is easy in Palo Alto Networks NG Firewall. It is very stable, easy to configure, and easy to upgrade. It is also very easy to create custom policies and applications. Everything can be done with the click of a button. It is also good for the protection of web services. Nowadays, they have a rather new DNS security feature, which is pretty good and functional. We did a one-month trial, and it is the best product for the firewall network."

"The effectiveness of this technology improves with each release, bolstering confidence in the product's ability to provide robust security."

"There are plenty of features available in this solution, such as attack blocker and spam blocker. Additionally, it is very robust and in-depth."

"DNS Security is a good feature because, in the real world with web threats, you can block all web threats and bad sites. DNS Security helps to prevent those threats. It's also very helpful with Zero-day attacks because DNS Security blocks all DNS requests before any antivirus would know that such requests contain a virus or a threat to your PC or your network."

"The user experience is good and the configuration is very easy."

"The structure is much faster and more sophisticated than Cisco."

"The user ID, Wildfire, UI, and management configuration are all great features."

More Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls pros

"The product is easy to use and is the fastest way to learn about firewalls."

"After it is installed, you will have plenty of time to do something else, because it is stable and does not require you to reboot all the time."

"They have a reporting system which can store data over a very long period of time. Not many other firewall vendors provide a reporting system, but if they do, like Fortinet does, then you've got buy that as an additional product and that can be more than twice as expensive as the initial investment in the firewall. And without reporting over a long-term period, you're just about wasting your time."

"VPN tunnel creation in WSM is very easy to set up BOVPN tunnel between two sites by dragging and playing."

"Packet filters and proxy policies are valuable features, as they allow you to configure restrictions by domain name and are useful to block web pages that have multiple IP addresses, such as Facebook."

"We're really happy with WatchGuard."

"Simply, give this tool a try; it will generate great benefits in terms of the scalability and environment."

"This product is solid and has a great reputation behind it."

More WatchGuard XTM [EOL] pros

Cons

"It is working well. In my opinion, nothing can be added at this time. However, when it comes to the cost, Palo Alto firewalls are the most expensive."

"Palo Alto's various products need better integration to ensure they work harmoniously."

"The scalability is not so good because if you want to upgrade, you have to change the service completely."

"Palo Alto also has ION devices, and ION devices together with Prisma Access or Strata Cloud Manager now are more the way to go than using Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls on-premises."

"I don't think that product is really scalable. You have to either replace it with a higher version or use what you have."

"The biggest thing that needs to be improved with them is their training."

"I think they need to have a proper hardware version for a smaller enterprise. We had to go to a very high-end version which is very expensive. If we chose the lower-end version, it would not meet our goals. A middle-end is missing in its portfolio."

"The solution would benefit from having a dashboard."

More Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls cons

"Sometimes the local firebox management tool is flaky."

"Unfortunately, I could not disable the default Outgoing policy and if I do all clients could not access the internet even if I created another Outgoing Policy to replace the default one."

"Early models of the XTM2 (e.g. 21, 22, 23) line lacked sufficient memory, and caused a number of issues that required frequent reboots."

"Wireless throughput needs to be improved."

"The setting policies need improvement. It needs an easier way to do static NAT and check on what policy is being used for that specific traffic."

"It's a fine product, but some features like the max bandwidth don't work well. Also, the VPN errors are not helpful when troubleshooting."

"I think the anti-Spam feature, and the real time log to inspect the bandwidth users both need improving."

"The WatchGuard gateway wireless functionality for managing access points leaves much to be desired."

More WatchGuard XTM [EOL] cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The licensing leaves a lot to be desired. We buy the license and then we can't transfer the license without paying an exorbitant fee to our client if they leave us, and that just seems to be a bit of a pain point for us, and there's really no way to partner effectively to make that more reasonable."

"It has a yearly subscription."

"It's an expensive product."

"Its price is higher than other vendors. They need to re-think its pricing. With Fortinet, the SD-WAN feature is totally free, whereas, with Palo Alto, I need to pay for this feature. With Fortinet, there is one licensing, and I can get many things, whereas, with Palo Alto, I need to go for individual licensing."

"We would advise that this solution has a higher price point than other comparable products, however, the license fee covers all the features that the solution can provide and there are not extra costs involved."

"It is very expensive. You pay for a year."

"Cost-wise, I don't see much difference in network-related costs, but this is a premium-grade firewall. There is a cost involved, and you must pay for that to get the most out of it. Its licensing costs are straightforward. There aren't any hidden costs."

"The pricing is very high."

More Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls pricing and cost advice

"The licensing and renewal is very expensive."

"Like all other manufacturers, there are a lot of features and different pricing. The best is to talk to a representative."

"Get at least a maintenance contract for the updates and take a larger WatchGuard than you need. A WatchGuard creates new ways to secure your network."

"It costs less than the SO works and others (like SonicWall, Cisco, and Barracuda) without increasing so much CPU use."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Outsourcing Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

Construction Company

14%

Outsourcing Company

12%

Marketing Services Firm

10%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	77
Midsize Enterprise	56
Large Enterprise	89

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	24
Midsize Enterprise	7
Large Enterprise	3

Questions from the Community

What is a better choice, Azure Firewall or Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls?

Azure Firewall Vs. Palo Alto Network NG Firewalls Both solutions provide stellar stability and security. Azure Firewall is easy to use and provides excellent support. Valuable features include int...

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Features comparison between Palo Alto and Fortinet firewalls

In the best tradition of these questions, Feature-wise both are quite similar, but each has things it's better at, it kind of depends what you value most. PA is good at app control, web filtering a...

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Which is better - Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls or Sophos XG?

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls have both great features and performance. I like that Palo Alto has regular threat signatures and updates. I also appreciate that I can just import addresses and URL...

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Comparisons

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Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) vs Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

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Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) vs Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

Compared 4% of the time

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Fortinet FortiGate vs WatchGuard XTM [EOL]

Compared 20% of the time

Sophos UTM vs WatchGuard XTM [EOL]

Compared 15% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs WatchGuard XTM [EOL]

Compared 15% of the time

Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) vs WatchGuard XTM [EOL]

Compared 9% of the time

Hillstone X-Series Data Center Firewalls vs WatchGuard XTM [EOL]

Compared 6% of the time

More WatchGuard XTM [EOL] Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

September 2026

Download Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls product report

Buyer's Guide

WatchGuard XTM [EOL]

August 2026

Download WatchGuard XTM [EOL] product report

Also Known As

Palo Alto NGFW, Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall

No data available

Overview

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls deliver advanced threat protection with machine learning, enhancing security through real-time attack prevention. Known for application visibility and a user-friendly interface, they offer robust network protection and flexibility in rule creation.

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls are designed to secure environments with features like GlobalProtect VPN, WildFire malware detection, and unified platform integration. Their strong firewall capabilities and high-performance throughput make them suitable for perimeter and data center protection, VPN configurations, application control, and network segmentation. Users consistently highlight the ease of managing network security policies and integrating third-party tools, ensuring a comprehensive protection strategy. While enhancements in support, training resources, and configuration simplicity are needed, these firewalls are integral for securing both on-prem and cloud environments, aligning with platforms like Azure and AWS.

What are the key features of Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls?

Application Visibility: Provides insight into network traffic for better control.
Threat Prevention: Uses machine learning for real-time attack prevention.
GlobalProtect VPN: Secures remote access efficiently.
WildFire Malware Detection: Detects and prevents advanced threats.
Unified Platform Integration: Enhances network security through seamless integration with other tools.

What benefits should be evaluated when considering Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls?

Flexibility in Rule Creation: Allows customized security policies to meet specific needs.
High-Performance Throughput: Ensures efficient network operations under high load.
Comprehensive Policy Management: Simplifies overseeing and adjusting security policies.
Robust Endpoint Security: Protects endpoints against sophisticated threats.
Seamless Integration: Works well with third-party tools for a comprehensive solution.

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls are commonly implemented across industries for securing LAN environments, URL filtering, and ensuring Zero Trust security. They secure both on-premises and cloud infrastructures, often becoming integral parts of security frameworks within enterprises. Leveraging these firewalls in conjunction with Azure or AWS enhances the overall network protection strategies employed by organizations.

Palo Alto Networks

Small businesses need big security, too, and the WatchGuard XTM Series firewall/VPN appliances deliver that strong protection, but without the hefty price tag. Enterprise-grade security includes full HTTPS content inspection, VoIP support, and optional security subscriptions like Application Control and Intrusion Prevention Service.

WatchGuard

Sample Customers

SkiStar AB, Ada County, Global IT Services PSF, Southern Cross Hospitals, Verge Health, University of Portsmouth, Austrian Airlines, The Heinz Endowments

AVG, Cyren, Kaspersky Lab, Lastline, NCP engineering, Trend Micro, Websense

Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet, Netgate, Cisco and others in Firewalls. Updated: September 2026.

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