# Page 9 | WatchGuard Firebox Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Page 9 - Is WatchGuard Firebox the right Network Security solution for you? Explore 446 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/154706/Unified-Threat-Management/reviews --- WatchGuard Firebox 4.8 (446) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/154706/Unified-Threat-Management/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Page 9 - Reviews of WatchGuard Firebox ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 201-225 of 446 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use CH Clayton H. CIO Real Estate Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Watchguard firebox M270" February 8, 2024 5.0 I have been using Watchguard for over 15 years with 8 active firewall devices of differing models , I have never had a failure and only once did the system stop working because of an update to the software. The is problem was very quickly resolved by watchguard support and i was back up within a few hours. Great customer service. Pros The WatchGuard firebox is stable, the support is fantastic and the system is incredibly flexible to adapt to even the most complex environment. Cons There are still a few areas where watchguard could improve, an example would be when using the dhcp server for a given vlan and you needed to release the ip address, there is no easy way to perform this talk on a watchguard device. Also where the world is using cloud services, the end user should not havew to follow microsoft and its list of ip's in use and manually update them on the firebox. This should be automated for me as long as i maintain a security and support license. Review Source RJ Richard J. IT Manager Mechanical or Industrial Engineering Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Reliable product and company" October 19, 2023 5.0 I would always choose a WatchGuard firewall if given the choice, I've never had a unit fail and find them easy to configure and manage. I like the free Dimension service that helps monitor the firebox and activity reporting, and the support from WatchGuard is very helpful. Pros The interface and configuration are easy to understand and are quite intuitive, so integrating into existing infrastructure is relatively straightforward. Cons I would prefer a fully functional CLI functionality like a Cisco firewall has. Review Source TB Tyler B. Network and Systems Administrator Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Fantastic Business Class Appliance for the Money" November 28, 2023 5.0 Pros Very reliable devices with quick turn around in rare cases of issues. Easy to setup and configure vs some other comparable devices. Multiple different supported VPN types depending on your need. Good UTM feature set. Cons Some of the security features can be obtuse to configure and analyze the logs from. Not an insurmountable issue but will take a little time to learn initially. Alternatives considered [FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall](https://www.capterra.com/p/231835/FortiGate-Next-Generation-Firewalls/) Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox Based on using the devices we determined that Watchguard we're simplest to configure and maintain while sacrificing nothing in terms of reliability and feature set. Review Source jB james B. technical director Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A firewall that can work for anyone" November 8, 2023 5.0 A very positive experience spanning over a decade whereby the important core product still remains the same config just with added value over time. We hope they retain the policy manager software as this is almost essential for version control and offline prepping of configs which we all love. Pros The feature set is obtainable even for the smallest business. They have realised that for an MSP, having a single product range which can work in all environments is essential. The devices are intuitive, simple to setup and very easy to monitor traffic. Cons The requirement to reboot to install firmware updates and of course this also means its not automated. This is virtually mitigated in HA setups, however this doesn't suit smaller deployments. Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox The ease of use and skilled team we have who all find them to be the best devices to work with. Review Source TM Tom M. IT Retail Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Watchguard" November 2, 2023 5.0 Its been great, I've had to configure a few other devices since I got involved with Watchguard and I realize I've been spoiled! Pros It sets up easy, default settings out of the box are typical. The products updates all its definitions and protections numerous times daily, The protections seem rock solid, I pass all PCI compliance scans, I reboot occasionally for good measure, but there never is really a specific reason to. Cons I ended up taking a training on the device, some of the finer points for me were a little more difficult to understand. Watchguard is my first experience with a Firewall/VPN/Router more commercial device, so it took a little longer to wrap my head around a few things. Review Source TW Ted W. Information Systems Manager Hospital & Health Care Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Quality Product That Allows Peace of Mind" February 9, 2024 5.0 As described above. I love the product and am very thankful to have such a great security option. Pros In my opinion, the security of this product stands out more than anything. Once properly set up, it creates a peace of mind that we've taken another step in the right direction for our security needs. Cons I can't say there is anything that I don't like about WatchGuard Firebox. I will be honest, at first, the cost related to it I thought was a little high, but once I noticed everything that it does, that cost is nothing compared to everything it does and protects. That to me makes it worth more than it's weight in gold. So much so, I have installed one in each of my office locations. Switched from [Cisco Meraki](https://www.capterra.com/p/176649/Meraki-Systems-Manager/) I made the switch as my previous hardware was becoming old and outdated. With the change in times, and the fact that I administer a healthcare organization, I needed a product that was reliable and secure. I tried the WatchGuard product and never looked back. Review Source ARG Alejandro Ramon G. ENGINER Farming Used the software for: 2+ years ### "My Watchguard experience. " April 11, 2024 5.0 Watchguard has been our best ally in helping us defend and take care of our infrastructure, whenever we need its help it responds as quickly as possible, I always find a way to do what I need. Pros Watchguard is in my eyes and experience the most effective next generation firewall at the perimeter level, easy to use, the fastest security signature I have seen, all its characteristics and its usefulness are applied 100\*100 Cons I don't have any complaints, every time watchguars response me with the best solution. Alternatives considered [FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall](https://www.capterra.com/p/231835/FortiGate-Next-Generation-Firewalls/) Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox We chose watchguard because it was the most cost-effective option and it offers us the highest quality of services and response. Review Source DA David A. IT Manager Health, Wellness and Fitness Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great product. Does what is should." November 17, 2023 5.0 Pros I have had little issue with my T-35. I can see the threats it has prevented. The assurance I feel using my Firebox is well worth the cost. Cons I had the license expire prior to my reseller getting me the renewal. It completely stopped working leaving my business down for a day while the reseller scrambled to get it to me. Seems extreme to shut us down. Does take an experienced technician to setup. I have had a couple issues when setting up new services where the requirements were hard to determine. Alternatives considered [Sophos Phish Threat](https://www.capterra.com/p/254191/Sophos-Phish-Threat/) Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox Reviews on YouTube and recommendation of my reseller. Review Source AM Adnan M. Head Of Information Technology Media Production Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Simple, pragmatic network security device" September 14, 2023 5.0 Excellent support received Pros Easy to deploy, use and manage is the key feature of WatchGuard with built-in IDS7 IPS functions Cons Pricing needs to be gathered from scattered distrubutors Alternatives considered [FortiClient](https://www.capterra.com/p/151916/FortiClient/) Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox Because we have been using WatchGuard on our other sites and had a very good experience Switched from [Sonicwall Network Security Manager](https://www.capterra.com/p/219070/Sonicwall-Network-Security-Manager/) IKEv2 with DUO not being supported Review Source AJ Andre J. IT-Administrator Dairy Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Watchguard User for Decades" June 5, 2023 5.0 I would recommend any WatchGuard Firebox/Firewall to any user who wants to have a peace of mind. Pros The thing I like about the WatchGuard Firebox I have is that it's a configure and leave it alone and do its job kind of firewall. Cons The least think I used to like was the change of how easy it was to configure the older firewalls but then they had to do an overhaul due to the enormous amount of possibilities and that was quite the learning curve for me. Review Source AC Allen C. Network Administrator Financial Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Ease of Use, Great Protection" December 6, 2023 5.0 Great experience with watchguard and value of using the product. Pros We have Systems Manager for plotting configurations and preparing before deployment. Cloud deployment for centalizing configurations in each branch device. Cons Pricing a little high but negotiable. Our local partners of watchguard is approachable. Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox Ease of use Great Protection and value for money. Review Source JD Joseph D. IT Libraries Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Rock Solid WatchGuard" April 16, 2024 5.0 The Firebox works 24 hours a day, 7 days week., 52 weeks a year in four locations and no failures. Watchguard supports the product. Four locations, 20 years no failures. Pros The Firebox works 24 hours a day, 7 days week., 52 weeks a year in four locations and no failures. Watchguard supports the product. Cons There are no cons. The Firebox works 24 hours a day, 7 days week., 52 weeks a year in four locations and no failures. Watchguard supports the product. Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox Ease of purchasing, Good References, No complaints. Review Source PK Philip K. Sr. Director supply chain and IT Restaurants Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Challenging but worth it" April 19, 2024 5.0 Pros Powerful features however I find the UI to be challenging at times to navigate. Cons Dashboard layout and lack of description for some features, minimal support provided out of the box, and had to spend a lot of time teaching myself from the internet. Review Source dP diego P. ict manager Food & Beverages Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "safe and reliable firewall" February 8, 2024 5.0 a good experience, the passage from the old firewall was easy, thanks to out partner Pros Lot of options, ease of configuration, i love the vpn security with 2 factor autentication. A lot of log available Cons VPN: on android should be an official vpn app real time monitoring: not very easy to monitor Alternatives considered [XG Firewall](https://www.capterra.com/p/187688/Sophos-XG-Firewall/) Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox we choose watchguard due to our tech partner, we want to continue the tech update with this partner. Sophos was similar, but for a better compare we should use it. Switched from [KerioControl](https://www.capterra.com/p/32378/KerioControl/) kerio was old and not updated, no recent security features. We need a more reliable product. Review Source AG Adam G. IT Manager Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Effective Firewall Solution" November 10, 2023 5.0 They have been up and running for many years. Vulnerability tests have shown how effective they are. Pros Simple to set up and administer with great customer support. Initial setup was straight forward. Web interface is fine as is the System Manager Windows application. Cons The full security package is a little expensive for a small company like ours. System Manager is Windows only and we are a Mac based company. Alternatives considered [Cisco AnyConnect](https://www.capterra.com/p/169495/VPN-and-Endpoint-Security-Clients/)[LivePlan](https://www.capterra.com/p/142049/LivePlan/) Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox Good dealer service and reviews at similar price point. Review Source SC Scott C. operations manager Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Happy Customer and Partner" May 26, 2023 5.0 Pros We have been happy using watchguard and a happy partner for more than 5 years. It has been a solid product with only 1 or 2 failures and both of those were related to power not hardware. Cons I feel that some of there content filtering and blocking is lacking. We have a couple of edge case customers that want really restrictive filtering. the block all approach these customers take does get difficult in the WatchGuard. There are solutions that do make this better. especially since you cant import/export these rules. Alternatives considered [Next Generation Firewall](https://www.capterra.com/p/254223/Next-Generation-Firewall/)[FortiClient](https://www.capterra.com/p/151916/FortiClient/) Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox Partner program and support Switched from [NG Firewall](https://www.capterra.com/p/149070/NG-Firewall/) Better functionality, support, and features. Review Source BM Balakrishna M. Director Computer & Network Security Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Firebox review" August 17, 2023 5.0 awesome Pros watchguard dimension is very unique reporting structure, support and ruggedness of the hardware Cons none... really not found any issues with firebox Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox price and availability, without compromising security Switched from [FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall](https://www.capterra.com/p/231835/FortiGate-Next-Generation-Firewalls/) support and workflow while configuring and train the users Review Source HB Hugo B. IT Chief Leisure, Travel & Tourism Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Thank You for this great product" April 11, 2024 5.0 It is a great product, with a great pool of features. Pros Most products in the market offer about the same features, we'd like from WGF its web interfase and simplicity of use. Cons Really it is not a issue, but some interfase minor miss-usability such as NetWorkDiscovery... it would be nice to feature some thing like, Discover Network devices and click a device to manage it like adding its MAC to the Reservation Pool or view its current connections... I mean to integrate all this information a funcionalities that today are all of them in different screens or menus Alternatives considered [Cisco Jabber](https://www.capterra.com/p/212050/Cisco-Jabber/) Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox Seller main recommendation and it Web based administration interfase Review Source Mauro M. Mr Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "MM-watchguard" February 8, 2024 5.0 Pros flexibility, and completeness of features Cons the lack of an entry model at a lower price, for small businesses Review Source TS Tom S. Sr. Network Engineer Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Watchguard - powerful and easy to configure" April 14, 2023 5.0 I've installed and manage well over a hundred fire boxes. The cloud management tools make it super easy to manage updates across all the firewalls that I am responsible for. Pros My favorite feature of the watch guard is the ability of watch guard system manager to allow me to edit a configuration in an offline mode, make all the changes that I need to make, and then commit that configuration to the firewall. It also saves as a file on the system which gives me the ability to roll back to any previous configuration that I've had loaded on the firewall. Cons I'm not a big fan of the IP sec VPN client. Alternatives considered [FortiClient](https://www.capterra.com/p/151916/FortiClient/) Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox Ease of use and experience. Review Source RG Raphael G. Principal Technologist Computer & Network Security Used the software for: 2+ years ### "WG is truly a mixed bag" November 20, 2023 4.0 Same as above, really. They’re a bit more expensive than some of the competition, like Sonicwall and Fortinet, but build quality is outstanding. The support experience is derisory. Pros These appliances are well built and last a long time. There is also a high aesthetic appeal because of the bright red coloring. Cons WG technical does and always has left a lot to be desired and I’ve been a partner for ~16 years, so I know what I’m talking about here. They take longer than they should to get back to you and “solutions” are half-baked and agents are often not very warm and inviting. The support experience feels rushed. Alternatives considered [Next Generation Firewall](https://www.capterra.com/p/254223/Next-Generation-Firewall/)[NG Firewall](https://www.capterra.com/p/149070/NG-Firewall/)[FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall](https://www.capterra.com/p/231835/FortiGate-Next-Generation-Firewalls/) Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox Because the build quality is excellent and costs to renew and keep maintenance going are affordable. Review Source kH khazell H. Technology Coordinator Education Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Set it and forget it" December 8, 2023 5.0 Pros I have been using WatchGuard for 25 years and it is quit possibly the most stable device on my network. We are a School and nowadays we are tasks with taking care of anything with a plug. So having a product like watch guard that requires little to no maintenance is wonderful. Cons I don't have one. The product just works. Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox The customer support. When there is a Firewall issue it is a top priority. Support must be prompt and accurate. Review Source WS William S. IT Administrator Food Production Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Firewalls with VPN's that work out of the box" March 9, 2024 5.0 Our overall experience with WatchGuard is great. The 24/7 support is excellent. Pros The ease of BOVPN's and how they are implemented. Also the firewall function is second to none. Cons The price of implementing the WatchGuard system is very expensive. I also do not like how EOL hardware cannot be activated. Alternatives considered [Fortis](https://www.capterra.com/p/77341/fortis/) Review Source NB Nels B. VP of IT Management Consulting Used the software for: 2+ years ### "WatchGuard Firewall - What you need in protection, this device supplies." April 4, 2023 5.0 Very good. The product does what it is supposed to do, and the support staff are very good at what they do. Pros Customer service has always been a hallmark of WG. The product is good, the support is phenomenal. Cons I wish more of the alerts were deliverable to me rather than me having to login in to the device. Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox I inherited the first FW, learned it, and when the time came for an NG device, it was a no brainer. Review Source BS Benjielyn S. it administrator Financial Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Watchguard M370" August 16, 2023 5.0 As a company that is in financial industry is highly targeted by threat Actor with the use of watchguard firebox its really augmented our defenses to attacks. Over all our experience is good. Pros The most impactful features is the IP and Content Blocking. Also, the way you setup and implement the product is very straight forward. The interface is user friendly. Cons Currently, we don't find it difficult to use but i think the notifications and logging experience can be improved Alternatives considered [CheckPoint](https://www.capterra.com/p/252289/CheckPoint/)[FortiManager](https://www.capterra.com/p/246675/FortiManager/)[FortiCloud](https://www.capterra.com/p/10007502/FortiCloud/) Review Source Similar Products Featured