# Page 5 | WatchGuard Firebox Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Page 5 - 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 5 - Reviews of WatchGuard Firebox ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 101-125 of 446 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use MW Max W. IT Support Technician Pharmaceuticals Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Review of watchguard" September 5, 2024 4.0 Pros Powerful, easy-to-use network security Excellent performance and scalability Comprehensive protection (firewall, VPN, antivirus) Centralized management for multi-site businesses Cons Complexity, requires a learning curve to use VPN could do with a pointer to tell user authenticate using their mobile devices Review Source HR HENRY R. President Computer Networking Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Watgaurd Review" August 19, 2024 4.0 We've used Watchguard for about 15 years now. Good product over all EOL comes quickly, prices are high and support ok. Pros I like the ease of use, all in one subscription and offline configuration changes. It really is a good product. Cons Technical support has unfortunately gotten worse. They used to be on point you'd call and get an actual tech. Now you get a customer service rep and hopefully get a call back sometime. Alternatives considered [FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall](https://www.capterra.com/p/231835/FortiGate-Next-Generation-Firewalls/) Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox Better support and integration. Easier to get assistance frm many more blog, forums etc. Review Source JR John R. Systems Administrator Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Reliable yet frustrating." September 18, 2024 3.0 Works well overall, management is confusing and painful. Pros We've been using WatchGuard firewall appliances since 2010, and they are very reliable and efficient. Cons I find their management software to be antiquated and very outdated! They have done a horrible job when it comes to modernizing the WatchGuard System Manager and using the Policy Manager and Firebox System Manager is an exercise is a very frustrating exercise! Contacting support is a painful process. We don't have a super expensive support subscription so it's time intensive to open a ticket with WatchGuard technical support. I also have a very difficult time wading through their support or community pages to find relevant information. Overall, it's very frustrating. Review Source JR Jeff R. IT Lead Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Effective but Could Use UI Improvements" September 5, 2024 5.0 Setting up a cluster and managing policies has been a breeze Pros The option to fully prepare a configuration without changing the current config Cons The software interface sometimes feels outdated or unintuitive Switched from [FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall](https://www.capterra.com/p/231835/FortiGate-Next-Generation-Firewalls/) Wanted to try something else and Watchguard was recommended Review Source MD Michael D. Senior IT Network and Security Engineer Banking Used the software for: 2+ years ### "CCCU WG Review" August 13, 2024 5.0 Overall experience has been great. We use them for client access VPNs and they are so much easier to work with than the Ciscos we used before. Pros Very easy to setup and manage. They are also really stable. Cons I don't have any cons with this product, it handles our functionality perfectly. Alternatives considered [Cisco AnyConnect](https://www.capterra.com/p/169495/VPN-and-Endpoint-Security-Clients/) Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox Better price, and much easier to setup and administer Switched from [Cisco AnyConnect](https://www.capterra.com/p/169495/VPN-and-Endpoint-Security-Clients/) Cisco was going EOL, and we wanted a different solution. Review Source FO Frank O. Systems Admin Computer & Network Security Used the software for: 2+ years ### "WatchGurard Review" September 5, 2024 5.0 Overall very positive, many of our clients use Watchguard Pros Ease of use of the GUI, configuration was a breeze Cons I felt that some of the BOVPN's were a little hard to interpret settings etc Alternatives considered [Cisco Meraki](https://www.capterra.com/p/176649/Meraki-Systems-Manager/) Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox Pricing and support were better than the others Review Source CP Chloe P. IT Technician Computer & Network Security Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "WG Firebox and WSM Review" August 22, 2024 4.0 Pros As a level 1 IT support, the wsm UI is easy to locate stuff and troubleshoot. Cons For WSM, that I have to install updates to open it whenever new update comes up. Sometimes I can't connect when I need to quickly check something while I'm on a phone with customer. Review Source ND Nick D. Network Admin Farming Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Simple, does what it needs to." September 12, 2024 4.0 I have to look for settings and figure out wording compared to other systems. Pros It works, does what it is suppose to. Not a lot of graphics, simple text interface. Cons After using: SonicWall, Fortinet, Meraki I found the web interface lacking and a little hard to navigate. Alternatives considered [Opensense](https://www.capterra.com/p/164956/OpenSense/) Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox It was pre-existing, and here when I started. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer IT Director Health, Wellness and Fitness Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Feature rich with great customer support" August 13, 2024 5.0 Very happy with the features they provide along with their amazin gcustomer support Pros The feature rich suite of total secruity suite Cons Cannot easily move an interface from a 1gb port to a 10gb port. Review Source JD Jared D. Engineering Entertainment Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great product to add to your I.T. environment." July 29, 2024 5.0 Overall, I love Watchguard and its firewall products. I've used others in different applications and Watchguard's by far offers a lot for the money and makes it easy to monitor the traffic to figure out what's going on and where. Pros I love the ease of configuring policies, monitoring traffic and also the use of the built-in vpn environments. Watchguard makes a solid product that is easy to navigate and deploy. Cons The least liked item on the Watchguard is editing a port in a custom policy. You have to hit add a policy, then click the custom tab, then the policy you want to edit and then hit edit. It would be nice to be able to just edit the policy to add port numbers without having to go through the add tab to create a new policy. It seems like there should just be an edit button directly within the policy for ports. Review Source DT Drew T. CEO Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Unmatched technology solution" August 19, 2024 5.0 Pros The setup and management of the WatchGuard cloud is so easy! Cons I honestly do not have anything bad to say about WatchGuard. They have been my go to firewall vendor for over 10 years Review Source SR Seana R. Associate Wealth Advisor Financial Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Robust Firewall that even a Non-Tech Person Can Use" July 24, 2024 5.0 Pros Watchguard was helpful in assisting with the system setup. I'm not a tech person, but I was able to understand their instructions and have been able to use their firewall and monitoring to keep our cybersecurity tight. It's easy to set custom policies and monitoring traffic, blocked sites and attempted intrusions. Cons It is helpful if you have a tech-savvy person when transitioning from one firebox to the next. There were a couple of hiccups, but nothing that a call to our IT person and some assistance from Watchguard couldn't fix. Review Source AM Andrew M. Network Manger Security and Investigations Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Total security is not total security" July 16, 2024 5.0 Overall. Its a great device. It does what it says. It protects the company. Cant argue with that. Pros I love the security features that come on the devices. I love being able to show the staff. Employers what staff is doing/looking at. I love the ease of the VPN and Brach office VPN's Cons When you buy "total Security" Package and you find out there is SO much more that isn't provided. When you buy something for $1000 per device for a year, that SAYS total security and you find out there is still features you need to pay more for. That isn't very pleasant. Be upfront and honest. When I go to the site, I find SOO many features that aren't available and pay the amount I am. BLOWS my mind. Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox I trust them. Ive used their support for issues MANY times and always have had great results. Switched from [Sonicwall Network Security Manager](https://www.capterra.com/p/219070/Sonicwall-Network-Security-Manager/) Because Ive used Watchguards for 10 years. Review Source KI Kir I. It consultant Computer Hardware Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Good business firewall " August 13, 2024 4.0 Good firewall for business use with the most of the features you would need. Pros Site to site vpn feature and overall firewall function Cons Interface and dashboard. Dhcp leases information could be expanded. Alternatives considered [FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall](https://www.capterra.com/p/231835/FortiGate-Next-Generation-Firewalls/) Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox More familiar technology that integrates into the existing infrastructure Review Source BM Brian M. IT and Facility Manager Religious Institutions Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A very trustworthy device" July 22, 2024 5.0 We have had no issues whatsoever with our WatchGuard Firewall. Our old firewall would let some threats through, but we have had no issues ever since we installed the WatchGuard Firewall. Pros I love the stability of this device. We have had two WatchGuard Fireboxes they are rock solid. We have had no intrusions ever since we first implemented this as our firewall. Cons Like any sophisticated device, the complexity can be overwhelming. Review Source SB Sylvain B. Head IT Cosmetics Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Once set up, everything runs smoothly" July 10, 2024 5.0 I'm quite satisfied with the product in general. When I look at the competition, they don't necessarily have the same features that I use, which reassures me to stay with Watchguard. Pros The various analysis services (IPS, AV, Webblocker, etc.) update themselves, so you can trust the product and have peace of mind. Cons The commercial policy that forces you to use the Cloud (Wifi) and you get the impression that they're making their product obsolete with the latest update. Alternatives considered [Sophos UTM](https://www.capterra.com/p/141127/Sophos-UTM/)[pfSense Plus](https://www.capterra.com/p/230104/pfSense-Plus/) Review Source RC Russell C. IT Associate Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A good mid-range firewall for small businesses" July 23, 2024 4.0 Pros The Watchguard Firebox firewall has been around for a long time, so community support and knowledge is vast. Owning and maintaining a Watchguard Firewall is fairly easy once the initial setup and configuration is done. Cons VPN can be an issue. I have had several instances where users cannot get a stable connection to the VPN even with solid internet connections. Configuring the unit can be cumbersome and complicated and isn't intuitive. Other brands of firewall make configuration much simpler and less convoluted. Review Source SR Shawn R. IT Director Consumer Goods Used the software for: 2+ years ### "WatchGuard Firewall review" July 16, 2024 5.0 Overall my experience has been good with WatchGuard, I feel they have blocked significant threats and kept my company safe. Pros I like using the features included and with the subscription. I use the office VPN to connect my sites together. Cons At times it can be cumbersome to get support from WatchGuard and they are slow to respond Switched from [Sonicwall Network Security Manager](https://www.capterra.com/p/219070/Sonicwall-Network-Security-Manager/) Better features, better support from their customer service. Review Source EC Eric C. President Computer Networking Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great devices" August 13, 2024 5.0 Very positive. Transitioned all my SMB clients from Cisco devices Pros Ease of use and administrative flexibility with the cloud-based management. Cons EOL came quickly for products sold. SMBs prefer solutions that last a few years. Switched from [Cisco Data Center](https://www.capterra.com/p/150131/Cisco-Data-Center/) The ease of transitioning and cost of deployment. Review Source AS Agis S. DIRECTOR Computer & Network Security Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The best overall firewall for your company" July 9, 2024 5.0 The overall experience is great due to the fact that it gives too much customization on rules and very advanced features like DPI, oAuth and geolocation Pros The web interface is very useful to manage the firewall Cons Can not add custom ips rules on firewall policies Review Source ED Earl D. IT Director Architecture & Planning Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Firebox features & reliability" November 13, 2023 5.0 EXCELLENT! Once I understood how to set up the boxes, it was easy to maintain the Corporate network. I set up the Firewalls with minimum effort, and added more later to refine the security for the company. I've set up others, and while they are easier, the Fireboxes have all the features you would ever need to protect your environment. Pros The ease of which I can set it up, the VPN reliability, Speed that it works at. It saved us through the Pandemic. We have been using Watchguard products since 2009, and rely on them 100%. They're simply outstanding for what they are. Cons The manual is about 2000 pages and took me about a month to absorb, but once I finished, I know much more than I ever knew about security, and setting up Corporate tunnels and VPN's. Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox I like the features available and how they are implemented. They are very reliable, and easy to set up once you've done on or two. We use them for our Branch offices and 24/7 VPN's. They are very secure and reliable. Switched from [Cisco AnyConnect](https://www.capterra.com/p/169495/VPN-and-Endpoint-Security-Clients/) I liked the features and throughput of the Fireboxes over the competitors. The cost was very reasonable as well, and they seem to last for many years. Review Source CS Carmine S. IT Admin Education Management Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Super great" July 5, 2024 5.0 Pros Friendly easy and intuitive interface. SSL VPN, Ikev2 configuration on in 5 minutes. Great security system and firewall. Switching to Watchguard had been a really smart moove. Cons What did you like least about WatchGuard Firebox? Alternatives considered [FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall](https://www.capterra.com/p/231835/FortiGate-Next-Generation-Firewalls/) Review Source KH Kimber H. Systems Engineer and Administrator Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Firebox for everyone!" February 8, 2024 5.0 good, I have been using them since 1999, and Im still not bee driven completely insane by the stress of IT! Pros Red Color is the best feature! Cons Red Color is the worst feature! Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox Watchguard is better and affordable! okay? Switched from [Sonicwall Network Security Manager](https://www.capterra.com/p/219070/Sonicwall-Network-Security-Manager/) Brands I have used: Sonicwall, Fortinet, Netgear, Cisco/Linksys, PF Sence, Mikrotik, Ubiquity, Nitix, IP Cop, Zero Shell, and others! But Watchguard is better and more affordable than most NGFWs! Review Source MG Miek G. System Specialist Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "just my 5c" November 15, 2023 4.0 so far 12 Fireboxes deployed, and I love the central console. I have deployed 2 devices with the pre-deployment option and had a few issues, but each and every issue we have had has been swiftly dealt with by WatchGuard support. Pros Ease of deployment, remote live monitoring, Full feature set, cost, Central management, I loved the fact that I did not need to have a training course to figure out the Firebox. Cons I had to be that person, but.... I honestly do not have any gripes. Reason for choosing WatchGuard Firebox we had an audit done and had to install a Cisco firewall to meet Canadian government standards, we had offered the WatchGuard but due to time constraints they could not test the WatchGuard. after deployment they advised that the WatchGuard met their requirements, the WatchGuard looks better on paper for features and price over the Fortinet and well, no way I am deploying another Cisco. Review Source OS Omar S. Sys Admin Logistics and Supply Chain Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Watchguard " July 29, 2023 4.0 Watchguard has facilitated all our branches connectivity. We have an improved and clear view of our network traffic and utilization. Pros The firebox is fast and easy to setup, Availability of 2 modes of firewall access: web interface and watchguard system manager application.BO VPN services is stable and is not bandwidth thirsty. Free Watchguard dimension server logs all network traffic for monitor purposes. Cons Support is not always timely and can take several hours to receive response. Alternatives considered [Sonicwall Network Security Manager](https://www.capterra.com/p/219070/Sonicwall-Network-Security-Manager/) Review Source Similar Products Featured ## Related categories [Network Security](https://www.capterra.com/network-security-software/)[Firewall](https://www.capterra.com/firewall-software/)