We use the solution to ensure that no data breach, such as credit card details and national insurance numbers, leaves the company. However, we have to allow some information to go through because we send a lot of information to the National Healthcare Service.
Project Consultant at SEVERN HOSPICE LIMITED
Reduces the risks of sending data where it shouldn't be going
Pros and Cons
- "If we don't want specific data sent out, the tool will stop that data based on the policy we have allocated to it. It has reduced the risks of sending data where it shouldn't be. I haven't faced any issues with the tool's integration capabilities."
- "WatchGuard Data Loss Prevention needs to improve its support."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
If we don't want specific data sent out, the tool will stop that data based on the policy we have allocated to it. It has reduced the risks of sending data where it shouldn't be. I haven't faced any issues with the tool's integration capabilities.
What needs improvement?
WatchGuard Data Loss Prevention needs to improve its support.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with the product for eight to nine years.
Buyer's Guide
WatchGuard Firebox
September 2025

Learn what your peers think about WatchGuard Firebox. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: September 2025.
868,787 professionals have used our research since 2012.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I haven't had any issues with the tool's stability, so I rate it a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the product's scalability a ten out of ten. My company has 380 users who use it daily.
How are customer service and support?
The tool's support is responsive and very helpful.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I chose the tool because it was easy to use and implement. I haven't faced any security breaches since implementing it.
How was the initial setup?
WatchGuard Data Loss Prevention's deployment is simple. You can complete the policies you want to run in a few hours. Once it's been set up, we only need to analyze it every now and then to ensure it's still functioning as intended.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
WatchGuard Data Loss Prevention's pricing is expensive. I rate it a seven out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend the solution to others. It's effective because it stops data from being sent out easily once set up. I rate the overall product a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

Administrator at Sulbana Oy
Reasonably priced and simple to use
Pros and Cons
- "It does its job very well, and it is quite easy to put to use."
- "There were a little bit of problems with the tool's updates, making it an area where improvements are needed."
What is our primary use case?
The solution is used when you want to handle policies with the file. There are different ways you can use it, like in the firewall rules and in proxy rules, and to secure emails. The tool was used very much when there were emails with other set files, and then it would all be checked in the firewall.
What needs improvement?
It is a basic tool tool, and it does very well for what it is supposed to do. It does simple checks against signatures. I think it is very much what it needs to be, and it is a basic tool that you just use.
There were a little bit of problems with the tool's updates, making it an area where improvements are needed. Sometimes, the firewalls did not get updated in the databases.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using WatchGuard Gateway AntiVirus for over ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The tool is so simple to use. Stability-wise, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability depends on how many firewalls you have, and you can put every firewall in it which takes part in the gateway on device checking. Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
In my company, there are around 50 people who use the tool. My company also has sister concerns and head offices using the tool. I know that sister concerns are using the same WatchGuard devices as the main company.
How are customer service and support?
I don't think I need any technical support from the website, as it is a basic product. You just plug it in where you need it and then use it. I went through some basic training, and after that, I don't think I ever had to ask someone something. You just put it on and make sure that it can connect to the outlet server.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I know about a lot of different tools, but I have been working with WatchGuard for almost all of my career, as it offers services with which you just connect to the ISPs and firewalls, after which you can put the settings on, but for most of my career, I have been working with WatchGuard.
How was the initial setup?
During the product's installation phase, you just put the tool in the right place, and it works.
The solution is deployed on an on-premises model.
The solution can be deployed in a couple of minutes. The installation process is so basic that I don't even remember what you need to do. You just put the tick marks in the tool and ask the tool to use them. In the rules, where you see the files go through is where you can think over what to do with the files. With the tool, you just need to put it on, and then the default rules make sure that there is some indication that something is wrong.
What about the implementation team?
My company manages everything associated with the tool by myself. I was also involved in the tool's maintenance. As a small team, we all can do it.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Every pair has a license, especially for commercial products. For what we use, the tool's price has been reasonable, but it is not the cheapest. The tool has been quite reasonable.
The tool's cost includes various things, like licenses and support. If you buy basic licenses for the device, everything is included, making it easy to use. If one is very expensive and ten is absolutely cheap, then I rate the tool's price as a six.
What other advice do I have?
It is the basic starting tool. We used different tools in the company. In our gateway, we used WatchGuard because we used WatchGuard's firewalls. It was very easy to set it up. It was used so that if there was anything you needed, you could just use the tool, and then we had different tools for workstations.
The tool is a basic product. You usually start with it, and you make sure that everything goes through your devices. If there is a possibility to check the file that is going through your firewall, you do it. If you catch something, then it is very good, and it is much easier to do when no user has access to it. You just need to use the tool at the start, as it makes the end part easier to manage. It doesn't distract your attention from other tasks. It just works, and you don't need to distract yourself.
If users are downloading something from somewhere, the tool makes sure that the easy issues don't get through. Everything else can work a little less because it takes the easy issues out, so it is the backbone for doing the checks. When it can do its checks and block the infected files, it does it very well and easily. When there are different cases where it cannot act as an antivirus gateway that cannot touch files, then you may need different tools, especially if you don't use WatchGuard products for your emails, so you will need to have something on the email side of things. If you are using web emails and trying to transfer them through your firewalls, then it checks the files and says what is not good.
There are bad elements trying to find different ways to get the files through, and they already know their bad deeds very well. They are finding ways to pass your checks and basic things, and so they are always training their people to find better tools to help them in their job to find what needs to be accessed, making it the biggest challenge for the tool to overcome. The tool is good at the start, but it is not so good until the end. You need to be vigilant about changes. I think what is needed is that one gets a view of his or her network so that you know what is happening in your network. Antivirus and firewall products can be a part of our network, and they provide logs so you can see the logs and what is happening in your network. Providing the big picture of your network is what I think we need to do a little bit of a job now.
I have not used the tool's AI features. Someday, I may use it.
It is a very good product for how it works and does its job, but it is not an all-inclusive solution. It does its job very well, and it is quite easy to put to use. You need to get different views of what is happening in your network and what is coming into your network. Suppose the network traffic is going to interrupt it. If you don't go to the SSE proxy settings or you aren't allowed to do it also, then it cannot take all the traffic. If there are possibilities for the traffic to go through, or it cannot check-in, then we need to understand that all the products cannot do it all.
I rate the tool an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Buyer's Guide
WatchGuard Firebox
September 2025

Learn what your peers think about WatchGuard Firebox. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: September 2025.
868,787 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Product Manager of IT Ops and Management at ManageEngine A division of Zoho Corporation.
Has an easy configuration and an intuitive user-interface with transparent licensing
Pros and Cons
- "WatchGuard Firebox offers a satisfying VM and hardware"
- "It's very difficult to find a reseller of WatchGuard Firebox to purchase a license"
What is our primary use case?
I have used WatchGuard Firebox for firewall testing purposes and setting up a couple of new projects for my company. I test the solution's efficiency in blocking IPs, role management and policy optimization.
What is most valuable?
The product can be configured very easily. The license model of WatchGuard Firebox is also simple and transparent. A purchaser can effortlessly obtain the required features through the license system.
WatchGuard Firebox offers a satisfying VM and hardware. The performance of the solution differs when it's deployed as a VM and a physical appliance.
All basic firewall-based tasks, such as creating a policy or role, can be effortlessly implemented using WatchGuard Firebox. The user interface is simple and intuitive, allowing even a beginner to complete tasks without difficulty.
What needs improvement?
It's very difficult to find a reseller of WatchGuard Firebox to purchase a license. The number of resellers for the solution should be increased through partnerships. The solution's network observability should be improved. The observance adaptability of different WatchGuard devices is minimal and it should be improved. The information or guidance provided by the vendor for using APIs, syslogs and exports should be enhanced.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using WatchGuard Firebox for eight years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate the stability an eight out of ten. It's a fairly stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I would rate the scalability a seven out of ten. In our company, when we perform some load tests on one interface, there is a requirement for multiple packet drops at times, which the firewall might not be able to handle, and the other interfaces might go down as well.
There are some performance issues in WatchGuard Firebox when the load is high, but within limits the solution works perfectly. There are seven users of WatchGuard Firebox in our organization for the network administrator cycle. The solution is used daily in our company. There are no plans to increase the usage of the product any time soon in our organization as it is being used only for testing purposes.
How was the initial setup?
The solution has a seamless initial setup process. I would rate the initial setup a nine out of ten. All the deployment aspects of WatchGuard Firebox are straightforward, and all basic features are available, but for advanced features, many professionals might prefer other solutions over WatchGuard Firebox.
The deployment process of the solution took about an hour in our company, it was a step-by-step configuration process but there were some issues with the VM otherwise it would have taken much less time. One professional is enough to deploy WatchGuard Firebox. For maintenance of WatchGuard Firebox only one person is required and multiple professionals monitors the solution in rotational shifts.
What about the implementation team?
The solution was implemented completely in-house.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I would rate the pricing as four out of ten. It's an affordable tool. The basic product license costs our company ₹400,000 per year. In our organization, we don't purchase any security add-ons with WatchGuard Firebox.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I am part of the research and development team, so I parallelly use competitor solutions from vendors like Palo Alto, Sophos and Check Point.
What other advice do I have?
Our company professionals claim that WatchGuard Firebox is competent with other firewall solutions in the market. For security purposes, our organization mostly relies on proxy software and other application firewalls.
Our company is majorly concerned with the application firewall and not the network security; this is why we choose application firewalls like WatchGuard Firebox, which can be used both as a VM and physical appliance. In our organization, we use the solution not only for testing purposes but also for data centers.
I would rate the product's performance and reliability for the remote workforce an eight out of ten. When I setup a data center and keep the solution as an entry point, then later on when I access it through a VPN, it will be flawless. It's very easy to configure a VPN using WatchGuard Firebox. The solution will showcase stability and easy accessibility even in remote functions.
For small and medium-scale networks, WatchGuard Firebox will be an ideal and cost-effective solution. I would rate the solution as eight out of ten. I would surely recommend the solution to others.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Managing Director at Getilock emea
Enables us to manage multiple sites within one console through the cloud
Pros and Cons
- "WatchGuard is easy to implement and inexpensive. When we get a bulk-off license, we get a very discounted price that is competitive with alternative or competitor solutions."
- "Since WatchGuard acquired Panda, there may be synergies in consolidating both solutions under a single name to reduce customer confusion."
How has it helped my organization?
WatchGuard is easy to implement and inexpensive. When we get a bulk-off license, we get a very discounted price that is competitive with alternative or competitor solutions.
What is most valuable?
We can manage multiple sites within one console through the cloud.
What needs improvement?
Since WatchGuard acquired Panda, there may be synergies in consolidating both solutions under a single name to reduce customer confusion. Additionally, WatchGuard must address the issue of commercial licenses available at very low prices online, creating conflicts and challenges during sales to end users.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using WatchGuard Gateway AntiVirus for five years. We are the distributor of WatchGuard in Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's stable. It does not cause any system crashes. Upgrading and updating are very easy and straightforward.
I rate the solution’s stability a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is high because we can add additional workstations or endpoints. It's very easy to add to the management console.
It is for all solutions because it will depend on the number of licenses. If it is an enterprise, the cost will be low as it depends on the number of licenses.
How are customer service and support?
We have some issues with technical support. They provide low responses.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
It is easy to implement and configure. It depends on the number of workstations that we will install. If we are going for one machine, it will not take more than ten to fifteen minutes.
I rate the initial setup an eight out of ten, where one is difficult, and ten is easy.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price is acceptable compared to competitors. It is the lowest price of all cybersecurity solutions.
I rate the product’s pricing a six out of ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive.
What other advice do I have?
The endpoint itself is an agent. It is implemented on-prem, but the management can be done on-prem or in the cloud.
We recommend the solution. Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Reseller
Project Manager, Information Technology at Telelago
Serves as the main firewall for customers' premises and data centers
Pros and Cons
- "Cloud integration is one of the best features."
What is our primary use case?
WatchGuard Firebox serves as the main firewall for customers' premises and data centers, a VPN server and a site-to-site VPN server. It is utilized for web filtering, and we have also deployed XDR solutions on it.
What is most valuable?
Cloud integration is one of the best features.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using WatchGuard Firebox as a partner for eight years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the solution’s stability a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We've deployed for companies with over one thousand people. Firebox is scalable. For instance, it supports high availability with a primary and secondary box configuration. You can purchase a high-availability device to enhance reliability. Additionally, if you need to expand, you can upgrade the device by paying for the upgrade, and they'll provide you with a more powerful unit.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is awesome. We are a scalable partner with them. Whenever we need expert assistance from WatchGuard, a whole team is connected with us, helping us when things get difficult. You have to work hand in hand with them.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. You can deploy it on-premises or using the cloud. If you configure the device to connect to the cloud, you can deploy the Firebox based on templates. You can add a template for a specific client and deploy it for a particular use case. For example, if you're setting it up for a restaurant or a cafe, you can have templates tailored for those businesses. This significantly reduces deployment time, especially if you have several customers of the same type of business.
One person is enough for the solution's deployment, but it will run in less than an hour.
A network security engineer meets with clients to gather configuration requirements. He prepares a configuration template before the implementation. When he arrives at the site, he turns on the device, applies the template, tests everything, and then migrates the settings from the existing router or firewall to the Firebox.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price is reasonable. It's a powerhouse. The device is stable and fast. Its software is excellent for deployment. It outperforms its stated capabilities. I haven't had any malfunction or damage in eight years due to power outages or similar issues.
What other advice do I have?
With WatchGuard Firebox, we have deployed IP as part of our security measures. Thanks to the additional layer of protection provided by the IPS, our clients and networks are more secure. Additionally, we benefit from a gateway antivirus and an intelligent antivirus that employs AI for enhanced protection. This intelligent antivirus scans all files and information flowing through the gateway.
WatchGuard Firebox's threat detection and response capabilities are highly effective and fast. We've witnessed its efficiency firsthand during various events, such as DNS service attacks. It swiftly halts the attack and notifies you of the details promptly.
The notification time usually doesn't take long, maybe around five minutes after the event.
We have two shifts of engineers monitoring our NOC. They look at the devices, check alerts, and can take action based on the alerts received. We have one expert for tier one and another for tier two.
You can have a powerhouse in a box with the best price on the market. WatchGuard Firebox offers the best price. We work with Cisco and other brands, but their firewall and UTM solution has the best price in the market.
If you deploy a UTM, you deploy Firebox. For example, if you deploy another solution for EDR, you’re going to have two separate EDR solutions. You’re going to have a UTM disconnected from whatever you use from another brand. What ends up happening is that when you purchase all the security solutions from WatchGuard, you’re going to have all solutions combined in a single pane of glass. The learning curve and investment you make will be solid, with one solution that is easy to use, understandable, reasonably priced, and highly effective in security.
Overall, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
IT Manager at Prologica
Easy to configure and has a nice user interface
Pros and Cons
- "WatchGuard Firebox is easy to configure and has a nice user interface."
- "The solution's pricing could be improved."
What is our primary use case?
I used WatchGuard Firebox for small configurations and to give Active Directory access to some users so they could bypass the firewall. I also used the solution as a VPN.
What is most valuable?
WatchGuard Firebox is easy to configure and has a nice user interface.
What needs improvement?
The solution's pricing could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using WatchGuard Firebox for one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the solution ten out of ten for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Around five users are using the solution in our organization.
I rate WatchGuard Firebox a seven out of ten for scalability.
How was the initial setup?
On a scale from one to ten, where one is difficult and ten is easy, I rate the solution's initial setup a six or seven out of ten.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing depends on the quality of the product we are buying and the support. WatchGuard Firebox has good quality, but it is expensive.
On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing a seven or eight out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
The solution has some specific rules that detect multiple traffic from the same IP address. It will generate a report and send it to the administration's account email address so that we can analyze it and give the correct feedback for us to take action.
With the high competition in the market with AI, everything is done a lot faster, and all the companies are trying to lower the cost of their IT solutions. Companies that don't make the correct investments in their IT solutions face malware attacks and ransomware attacks. Every company needs security because any kind of disruption will be extremely costly for the company to get out of.
The solution's VPN capabilities have greatly improved our remote work security. It was very easy to configure and use. It was a bit tricky to configure on the remote computer, but everything was okay.
The solution's management interface eases the setup and ongoing maintenance of the solution. I did an update a couple of months ago, and it was very easy. I rate the solution's documentation a six out of ten.
I would recommend WatchGuard Firebox to other users because it's a well-known company that has been in the market for quite some time. It might have some vulnerabilities, like every other product in the market. Once the vulnerability is detected, it quickly makes patches for the system.
Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Information Technology Services Manager at BRAVO CAPITAL
The solution provides automated responses and helps protect our systems
Pros and Cons
- "The tool provides automated responses."
- "The interface is not the best."
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution to protect our systems. We also use it for real-time detection.
What is most valuable?
The tool provides automated responses. It has a lot of features.
What needs improvement?
The interface is not the best. I do not like it. The reports must also be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I am currently using the solution.
How are customer service and support?
I have contacted the support team a couple of times. They solve our problems in a few hours.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The product is easy to install and manage. It is connected to our SOC.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution is cheap. I am satisfied with the price.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Our partners have asked us to try using FortiEDR. I don't know if we will change because we are quite happy with WatchGuard.
What other advice do I have?
Our partners integrated the solution with our SOC. We have not used the threat prioritization features. We can install the program. It is only used while developing applications. Overall, I rate the product an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
User-friendly network protection with robust security features, responsive technical support and efficient deployment
Pros and Cons
- "Centralization is a crucial feature for me as it allows me to have all sites and customers accessible under a single click, not limited to just one."
- "I believe there is room for improvement in policies, with the potential to enhance the margins further."
What is our primary use case?
Security use cases for on-premises deployment involve safeguarding my customer's internet connections to ensure the safety of their digital assets.
What is most valuable?
I appreciate the intuitive design of the dashboard, which is both clear and self-explanatory. Additionally, the ongoing efforts to update the product and the valuable feedback received from technical support hold significant importance for me. Centralization is a crucial feature for me as it allows me to have all sites and customers accessible under a single click, not limited to just one.
What needs improvement?
I believe there is room for improvement in policies, with the potential to enhance the margins further.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been familiar with WatchGuard products for over fifteen years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
In terms of stability, I haven't encountered any significant issues, so I would rate it a solid ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is very scalable, I would rate it eight out of ten. The majority of my clients are businesses with a maximum of up to twenty-five users.
How are customer service and support?
If I encounter any challenges, I promptly create a support ticket with WatchGuard. Typically, within less than twelve hours, I receive a response from a technical expert addressing the issue. In general, problems are resolved in less than forty-eight hours. I am highly satisfied with this aspect.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I experimented with Fortinet and SonicWall years ago, and the experience was not particularly successful. Consequently, I transitioned to WatchGuard due to my longstanding involvement in the project spanning almost two decades. The interface has consistently seemed logically structured to me. In comparison to other solutions where I often find myself needing to look up and search again, the technical aspects may be similar, but the installation, control, updates, management, and monitoring processes are significantly more straightforward for me with WatchGuard than with its competitors.
How was the initial setup?
The installation process was relatively straightforward for me.
What about the implementation team?
The deployment time varies depending on the site and the assistance available. For clients without an on-premise systems administrator, which is usually me, the process is quicker. However, for clients with their own IT systems administrator, deployment tends to take a bit longer due to the explanations and training required. The duration can range from a few hours to half a day.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Over the years, the costs have increased, especially since I cater to very small businesses. While they comprehend the necessity of investing in network protection, these features have become relatively expensive. I would rate it six out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I would rate it eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

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Updated: September 2025
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