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Check Point Application Control vs WatchGuard Application Control comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Check Point Application Con...
Ranking in Application Control
2nd
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
37
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
WatchGuard Application Control
Ranking in Application Control
8th
Average Rating
8.6
Number of Reviews
9
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2025, in the Application Control category, the mindshare of Check Point Application Control is 5.4%, down from 10.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of WatchGuard Application Control is 3.9%, down from 4.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Application Control
 

Featured Reviews

LuisNeves - PeerSpot reviewer
Useful VPN, high performance, and beneficial report monitoring
There are many aspects we do not like about the solution and there are a lot of alternatives available on the market. Some of the settings are buried deep within the solution making it a challenge to navigate. It would be helpful if it was more intuitive. Additionally, there can be some settings that are in multiple places, this leaves the user not knowing what settings are needed to be modified for the wanted result. I have lost confidence because I do not know if I change a setting or if it is going to have the desired result I intended it to do. I have used other solutions, such as Palo Alto and I did not experience these types of problems. When we apply a change in Check Point Application Control there can be some time for the changes to take effect. The time is too long, and we have experienced approximately five minutes on occasion for modifying some rules or filtering. When there are outside-of-the-network threats, such as DoS attacks, Check Point Application Control should have more integrated ways to deal with the attacks. We should not have to purchase add-ons or secondary solutions or patches. There is some functionality that is not working anymore as it once did, such as HTTP filtering. The complexity of application usage is increasing day by day, and it seems that at some point, we will need to initiate specific projects to tackle the issue of application filtering. Check Point Application Control has been instrumental in addressing this challenge, but with the continued growth in complexity, more advanced features would be necessary to make the solution even more effective.
ScottEastman - PeerSpot reviewer
Reliable with good blocking capabilities for enhanced security
We like the blocking capabilities on offer. I like the brand, and I know the product really well, which is what keeps me using it. I have a good knowledge of the solution. It is stable and reliable. The solution can scale well. Technical support has been helpful. We have witnessed an ROI as it has helped with security measures.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The best value we have is their actionable reports on user analytics, events, and activity that are extracted from their database."
"Check Point enables us to save internet bandwidth. The administration offers good guidance. We don't want the employees to access social networking on work computers because it will distract them from their jobs, so we can block that. It also helps us to implement changes very quickly and to get people to be more focused on the job."
"It improved the performance outcome for all our verticals due to more automation in system security, which helped in the identification and blockage of malware-affected applications and widgets."
"Check Point Application Control offers a wide selection of applications, and even within those, you can configure uploads, downloads, et cetera, on a very granular level."
"We can combine Application Control with Identity Awareness and URL Filtering to create security policies for users/groups based on characteristics about security, productivity and network bandwidth."
"The product offers easy-to-install policies and makes it simple to troubleshoot application-related traffic."
"The most valuable thing about the solution is that we get real-time visibility into the usage of an application and the granular control of the application."
"It also helps us implement changes very quickly and make people more focused on work."
"It does the job of what it says it does. We set it to what we want it to block and then it blocks it."
"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 solution is very stable. We've never had any problems with stability. Once a year we do a reboot just as a precaution. The solution never stops running otherwise."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is traffic management."
"Zero-trust and threat-hunting services are most valuable."
"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."
"We have witnessed an ROI as it has helped with security measures."
"I found several features valuable in WatchGuard Application Control such as the HTTP Proxy, DNSWatch, VPN, and HTTPS Content Inspection."
 

Cons

"The guides used today are a bit complex, and we need efficient and simple access to them so that any administrative or technical person can solve, analyze, and configure each of the rules and identities seamlessly."
"I would like to have a periodic update of the applications, perhaps based on a predefined calendar."
"Configuration and deployment are a little bit difficult."
"It's important that there is the option to validate the policies before applying them."
"We would like the product to be a bit more user-friendly in general."
"Check Point is a fairly complete security vendor, however we would like to have a better SLA for technical support issues."
"Most of the business applications stopped working, we don't know why and we have already escalated to the top level but we still haven't gotten any corrective action on this. They always take logs but after that, there is no resolution."
"The initial setup was a bit difficult."
"There should be more reports available on different subjects."
"There is no message displayed for the user on the desktop informing them that access to a web page has been blocked by Application Control."
"I believe there is room for improvement in policies, with the potential to enhance the margins further."
"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."
"The time they take to classify an application once they find that it is unknown can be better."
"The solution needs to improve the interface. I'm not able to easily find things using it."
"The licensing can be a bit expensive."
"They could expand the amount of applications that are on the list, but it's pretty intensive anyway, so it's pretty good."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I think application control has become a basic feature and it should be enabled automatically, without having to purchase a separate license for it."
"It's a bit expensive and it could be cheaper, but it's part of business politics."
"Check Point Application Control is expensive. The tool's licensing costs are yearly."
"The price of Check Point Application Control is high. The support and ecosystem around the solution are expensive."
"The blade has its cost but you can take advantage of the license package to pay less for it."
"The licensing model for WatchGuard Application Control is based on the number of users. WatchGuard Application Control also has licensing models with several features."
"Over the years, the costs have increased, especially since I cater to very small businesses."
"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."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
16%
Computer Software Company
12%
Government
10%
Construction Company
10%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Check Point Application Control?
It has many important features that have greatly helped the company and the IT department.
What needs improvement with Check Point Application Control?
At this time, Check Point Application control is the best on the market.
What do you like most about WatchGuard Application Control?
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 is your experience regarding pricing and costs for WatchGuard Application Control?
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 relat...
What needs improvement with WatchGuard Application Control?
I believe there is room for improvement in policies, with the potential to enhance the margins further.
 

Comparisons

No data available
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

SEB, Luma Arles, Terma, Aerospace, Midwest Rubber
Chester School District, Kensington Close Hotel
Find out what your peers are saying about Check Point Application Control vs. WatchGuard Application Control and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.
832,138 professionals have used our research since 2012.