WatchGuard integrates with our firewall to provide threat detection and remediation.
IT Manager at Piisa
It's easy to configure user policies
Pros and Cons
- "I like WatchGuard's network segmentation features. It's easy to configure user policies."
- "WatchGuard should offer more visibility into user activity. For example, we should have more details when WatchGuard denies a user access to a port."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
I like WatchGuard's network segmentation features. It's easy to configure user policies.
What needs improvement?
WatchGuard should offer more visibility into user activity. For example, we should have more details when WatchGuard denies a user access to a port.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used WatchGuard for about 10 years.
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WatchGuard Firebox
May 2026
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate WatchGuard nine out of 10 for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate WatchGuard nine out of 10 for scalability.
How was the initial setup?
WatchGuard is easy to set up.
What was our ROI?
We have seen an ROI.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price is excellent.
What other advice do I have?
I rate WatchGuard Threat Detection and Response nine out of 10. I recommend it.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Network Administrator at PT Lautan Luas Tbk
Provides good stability and high availability of devices
Pros and Cons
- "It is a scalable solution."
- "The performance of the solution's processor needs to be faster."
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution as an internet gateway. With its help, we can establish the connection between our company's HQ and branch.
How has it helped my organization?
The solution provided us with site connections and internet policies.
What is most valuable?
The solution's valuable feature is its pricing which is better than other competitors.
What needs improvement?
The performance of the solution's processor needs to be faster than other vendors. Also, it is time-consuming to configure it whenever multiple policies are involved. This area needs improvement as well.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution since 2012.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is highly stable. I rate its stability a nine.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have around 200-300 solution users in our organization. I rate its scalability a nine.
How are customer service and support?
The solution's technical support is excellent.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Fortinet is faster to configure and access policies than WatchGuard.
How was the initial setup?
The solution's initial setup process was simple, as I already have experience using it. It takes a month to complete. The process involves setting up the solution in a lab. Later, deploying it in a production environment once it meets all the configuration requirements.
What about the implementation team?
Initially, we took help from a third-party vendor to deploy the solution. Afterward, we did it in-house. It requires three to four network administrators for deployment and two network administrators for maintenance.
What was our ROI?
The solution is worth buying.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I rate the solution's pricing as an eight.
What other advice do I have?
I rate the solution as an eight. It offers more variable license bundles and has high availability than the other products.
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
May 2026
Learn what your peers think about WatchGuard Firebox. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: May 2026.
900,838 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Administrator at Sulbana Oy
Useful for network control and easy to setup
Pros and Cons
- "It's user-friendly. And if you are using a WatchGuard device and you want to test that side of the software, it's quite easy to get the license to test it."
- "The control software is currently only available for Windows, which can be a little annoying for Linux users."
What is our primary use case?
I've used it for network control, and it's been quite helpful.
What is most valuable?
We have used it to keep our network clean and only allow certain things to work. So, it's useful for network control.
What needs improvement?
The control software is currently only available for Windows, which can be a little annoying. However, it is painless to use. A future release that is more focused on Linux would be great. Also, it would be helpful if it provided more diagnostic information on the OS side. So, a Java application that works for every other OS would be helpful.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for more than ten years. We are using the latest version. I have experience working with it.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable product. I would rate the stability a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable product. I would rate the scalability a nine out of ten. While there are currently around 50 users, the number of users may vary depending on how the software is used in our particular environment. It's possible that there could be more users in a different environment, but we wouldn't be using the software concurrently. Additionally, some users in our network are currently submitting requests and utilizing the software, which could create a challenge or bottleneck for the software due to the increased demand.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was quite simple. We didn't face any bigger issues. For us, it was so simple that we had all we needed. I didn't have any big problems. You just need to decide what you want to have and which programs you want to work with, and then make those configurations work.
It's easy to do once you learn the WatchGuard side, but there's also the other side where you need to test the TCP ports, IDB boards, and other things that the program needs to work with. Depending on what you want to work with, it usually takes a bit longer, but it needs to be easy to modify and allow/disallow things in every software you're using.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
If you have the subscription system in the license, it can be included in your hardware subscription. So we usually purchase a big license that includes it. But it's always possible to take smaller subscriptions and then add those. You can choose between subscription plans.
What other advice do I have?
It's user-friendly. And if you are using a WatchGuard device and you want to test that side of the software, it's quite easy to get the license to test it. It's included when you purchase the WatchGuard device. Then there's the possibility to test the bigger software for a while and get the older things to happen. And, of course, if you need more, you can just call your support and ask if you can have a test license to try a little more.
Overall, the product is an eight out of ten because WatchGuard lacks diagnostic information on the OS side.
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.
IT Specialist/Admin at a legal firm with 11-50 employees
Fast, reasonably priced, and reliable
Pros and Cons
- "It has everything we need in terms of functionality."
- "The UI and web view aren't nice."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution to secure our networks in branch via SSL and VPN. We also use it for our web pages hosted on our servers. This product handled everything UTM.
How has it helped my organization?
The solution has benefitted us by offering a secure connection. We don't spend as much time analyzing when traffic goes somewhere. We have clearance capabilities. We see what happens in our network.
What is most valuable?
The hardware is quite good.
The solution is fast. When we commit and change items in Firebox. It just works and it is simple. When you drop a connection, it gets dropped in a second. The speed is important to us.
It has everything we need in terms of functionality.
The solution is scalable.
It is stable and reliable.
Pricing is reasonable.
What needs improvement?
The UI and web view aren't nice. The fonts are too small, for example.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is very stable. I haven't seen any issues with it. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It is reliable. I'd rate it nine out of ten in terms of stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution can scale quite well. If a company needs to expand, it can. I'd rate the ability to scale at an eight or a nine out of ten. It's easy.
How are customer service and support?
I've never directly reached out to technical support.
How was the initial setup?
When we need to make something really good, we need to take the time to ensure that's the case. However, the configurations are simple.
What about the implementation team?
We had a business help us implement the solution.
What was our ROI?
So far, the solution has been worth the cost.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The product isn't necessarily expensive to acquire. The pricing is reasonable.
There are no extra costs or hidden fees.
What other advice do I have?
I'd rate the solution nine out of ten. We've been pleased with the product overall.
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.
General Manager at CSTISA
Reasonable cost, very good support, and easy to use
Pros and Cons
- "Zero-trust and threat-hunting services are most valuable."
- "The time they take to classify an application once they find that it is unknown can be better."
What is our primary use case?
The main use case is to avoid zero-trust attacks because, from Application Control, I can only run known applications. Every unknown application is placed on hold or blocked.
What is most valuable?
Zero-trust and threat-hunting services are most valuable.
It is easy to use, and with the features it has, you feel that you are being protected.
What needs improvement?
The time they take to classify an application once they find that it is unknown can be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is very stable. I would rate it a nine out of ten in terms of stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable. I would rate it a nine out of ten in terms of scalability.
How are customer service and support?
Their technical support is very good. I would rate them a ten out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
I would rate it a nine out of ten in terms of the setup. The duration depends on the number of computers. For less than a hundred computers, it can take one or two days. We have one engineer for its deployment and maintenance.
What was our ROI?
Our clients have seen an ROI. Because of its ease of use, they don't have to invest a lot in human resources to maintain this solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Its cost is okay. It is not too expensive, not too low. I would rate it a nine out of ten in terms of pricing.
What other advice do I have?
To those who are planning to use WatchGuard Application Control, I would say that you can use it with confidence.
Overall, I would rate it a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
IT Officer at a manufacturing company with 1-10 employees
Organization improved exponentially, scaling at full capacity, and meets our needs specifically
Pros and Cons
- "I have found the DNS Watch feature for intrusion and prevention response and APT Locker most valuable to me."
- "WatchGuard Firebox has improved our organization one hundred percent from before we started using it."
- "I would like to see more training become available for us."
What is our primary use case?
My primary use case is for my network security even when I am out of the office.
How has it helped my organization?
WatchGuard Firebox has improved our organization one hundred percent from before we started using it.
What is most valuable?
I have found the DNS Watch feature for intrusion and prevention response and APT Locker most valuable to me.
What needs improvement?
I would like to see more training become available for us. I would like to see the port conflicts improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using WatchGuard Firebox for the past five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
There is excellent scalability and we are using it at full capacity.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is quite complex and difficult, especially for first-time users. You need to go on the website and study it before you start using the policy manager. Once you start using the policy manager it becomes easier.
What about the implementation team?
We used a third party and the deployment time takes less than ten minutes.
What was our ROI?
The return on investment is that it saves us a lot of time from intruders creating problems.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The licensing can be a one-time purchase unless you need the extra services for example twenty-four seven support.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I did try pfSense and FortiGate and decided WatchGuard Firebox was what I needed.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate WatchGuard Firebox a nine on a scale of one to 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.
Partner & Head of IT Strategy at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
Stable, good price, and good intrusion detection capability
Pros and Cons
- "I like intrusion detection the most."
- "Its price is pretty good considering the functions and add-ons that are used."
- "There could also be better reporting. For example, there should be more out-of-the-box management reports."
- "I'm pretty happy with it, but vulnerability management could improve a little bit in comparison to other parts, such as Cisco and so on."
What is our primary use case?
We are WatchGuard partners, and we also use it on our own. We are using it for general firewall purposes and vulnerability management. We are also using some of the additional security stacks such as intrusion detection and so on.
We are one version behind the latest version. We have it on-prem at the moment, but some of our customers have private cloud solutions.
What is most valuable?
I like intrusion detection the most.
What needs improvement?
I'm pretty happy with it, but vulnerability management could improve a little bit in comparison to other parts, such as Cisco and so on.
There could also be better reporting. For example, there should be more out-of-the-box management reports. These two improvements would be nice.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for around 10 to 15 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's scalable, but I haven't compared it with others.
There are five people who are using it from an administrative perspective, but everyone is using WatchGuard because of the VPN.
How are customer service and support?
I haven't interacted with them myself, but my colleagues state that their support line is good.
How was the initial setup?
Its setup is of medium complexity. It's not super easy. Everything is in its right place, but it's not as complicated as other vendors. It's in the middle.
The deployment duration varies. Depending on your needs, it could take a few hours.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It's in the medium range. Its price is pretty good considering the functions and add-ons that are used.
What other advice do I have?
I would advise having a proper look at the features because there are a lot of different versions, scales, and limits on different Fireboxes. You have to decide in advance which one is good for you in terms of performance, future needs, and so on. You shouldn't have too many changes in your landscape.
I would rate it an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Director of Production & Support Engineering at Famasete Lda
Multifeatured, stable, and is always improving through the addition of new features every year
Pros and Cons
- "I found several features valuable in WatchGuard Application Control such as the HTTP Proxy, DNSWatch, VPN, and HTTPS Content Inspection."
- "My advice to others looking into using WatchGuard Application Control is that it's a great solution."
- "What could be improved in WatchGuard Application Control is its price. It could be cheaper. You always want the best price for any solution, but for security products, pricing is usually on the higher side."
What is most valuable?
I found several features valuable in WatchGuard Application Control such as the HTTP Proxy, DNSWatch, VPN, and HTTPS Content Inspection.
What needs improvement?
What could be improved in WatchGuard Application Control is its price. It could be cheaper. You always want the best price for any solution, but for security products, pricing is usually on the higher side.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using WatchGuard Application Control for five years now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
WatchGuard Application Control is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
WatchGuard Application Control is a scalable solution.
How are customer service and support?
Whenever I need support for WatchGuard Application Control, I'm able to get it from the vendor.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup for WatchGuard Application Control is easy if you understand its UI and features. I would rate its setup as four out of five.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The licensing model for WatchGuard Application Control is based on the number of users. WatchGuard Application Control also has licensing models with several features.
On a scale of one to five, I would rate the price of this solution a five.
What other advice do I have?
The number of users for WatchGuard Application Control is currently five hundred, in several locations, for several clients.
My advice to others looking into using WatchGuard Application Control is that it's a great solution. It has several features, and every year, WatchGuard implements another solution that complements its security functions. WatchGuard Application Control is always improving through the addition of new features.
My rating for WatchGuard Application Control is nine out of ten because it's a good solution for me.
My company is a partner of WatchGuard.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Infrastructure Administrator at CFA-INSTA
Provides decent security, is user-friendly, and has a good traffic monitor feature
Pros and Cons
- "The solution has a useful traffic monitor."
- "It's very easy to use and provides good security."
- "We've found that sometimes the solution is not easy to understand and we need to bring in some specialist assistance."
What is our primary use case?
I'm a system administrator and we have a partnership with WatchGuard.
What is most valuable?
The solution has a useful traffic monitor. You can check if the packet in the unit works and analyze the proof quickly. It's very easy to use and provides good security.
What needs improvement?
We've found that sometimes the solution is not easy to understand and we need to bring in some specialist assistance.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We haven't needed to scale so I can't comment on that.
How are customer service and support?
The support is good but we've had some difficult situations because not everyone in support is good when it comes to specific problems such as VoIP.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used Cisco but there came a time when we needed to move to a more updated product.
How was the initial setup?
The solution is difficult to implement without a specialist, especially the first time. It requires an IT technician. It's become easier for us to deploy ourselves now that we've had some experience.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Licensing costs are very reasonable and paid annually. If you need additional options they can be bought separately.
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. partners
Assistant Manager IT Infrastructure at a manufacturing company with 501-1,000 employees
Great access portal but support and integration could be improved
Pros and Cons
- "Firebox's best feature is the access portal."
- "Firebox is priced reasonably."
- "Firebox would be improved with integration for endpoint protection solutions."
What is our primary use case?
I mainly use Firebox for SSL, VPN, internet proxy, site-to-site tunnels, and intrusion protection.
What is most valuable?
Firebox's best feature is the access portal.
What needs improvement?
Firebox would be improved with integration for endpoint protection solutions.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using Firebox for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Firebox is generally stable, with only some glitches here and there, and its performance is okay.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Firebox is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
WatchGuard's technical support is okay, but they could do more to push knowledge so the customer could solve their own problems.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
We used an in-house team.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Firebox is priced reasonably.
What other advice do I have?
I would give Firebox a rating of seven 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
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Updated: May 2026
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