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Check Point IPS vs WatchGuard Firebox comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 15, 2026

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
5.8
Fortinet FortiGate offers high ROI with cost savings, enhanced security, and increased productivity, driving widespread user satisfaction.
Sentiment score
6.7
Users value Check Point IPS for enhancing security, reducing costs, increasing profitability, and providing peace of mind and ROI.
Sentiment score
6.6
Users praised WatchGuard Firebox for over 35% ROI, enhancing security, reducing costs, and facilitating remote work.
Clients are now comfortable and not wasting productive hours on IT support.
Managing Director at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
The automation part is giving us a cost benefit and speed; we can react faster.
BDM Fortinet & BDM Teamlead at Exclusive Networks
It's a very useful tool to mitigate and protect your enterprise.
Staff Infrastructure & Security Engineer at Mozn Systems
I have seen a return on investment as it results in money saved and time saved because the security tool is very complete and modern.
Networking Admin at a tech company with 51-200 employees
I have seen a return on investment more in the risk saved since it catches a lot of stuff security-wise that is good to catch.
Network Cyber Security Specialist at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
I have seen a return on investment since using Check Point IPS, as evidenced by fewer incidents.
Security Engineer at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees
I do not see any return on investment after WatchGuard Firebox implementation in terms of cost reductions.
CEO at ajuntament del Prat
Reduced incidents and easier management helped lower operational cost.
Security Engineer at Antina Empleos
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.6
Fortinet FortiGate support is generally well-rated for responsiveness and expertise, though experiences vary by region and complexity.
Sentiment score
6.0
Check Point IPS support is responsive and expert, with mixed reviews on resolution speed and effectiveness, ratings ranging 6-10.
Sentiment score
6.2
WatchGuard Firebox's customer service is generally praised for responsiveness and expertise, despite occasional slower responses for complex issues.
The quick resolution of issues with Fortinet FortiGate is due to the support of the company and the fact that the equipment is easy to work with.
IT Manager at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
I would rate the technical support for Fortinet FortiGate a ten out of ten.
NAC Support at Rah Infotech Pvt Ltd
As a solution provider, when I encounter problems, I connect directly with Fortinet support, and they provide solutions within a very short time.
Manager, Information Technology Operation/Presales at TechMonarch
Our technical teams have personal relationships with our account executives and direct support people.
Department Head - Security & IT Risk Management at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
The customer support for Check Point IPS is excellent.
Support at a security firm with 51-200 employees
I have had an excellent experience with Check Point IPS's customer team, as their technical knowledge and troubleshooting skills are excellent.
Cyber Security Analyst at Digitaltrack
On a scale of one to 10, I would rate the technical support of the WatchGuard Firebox a 10.
Consultant at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
When comparing WatchGuard Firebox with other vendors such as Fortinet, SonicWall, Palo Alto, and Sophos, WatchGuard Firebox performs competitively.
Cyber Security Engineer at Underdefense
Finally, we connected with someone, and I would rate their support as eight or nine out of ten once we were able to speak with them.
Senior Network Consultant at NETOPS
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.1
Fortinet FortiGate effectively scales for diverse enterprises, despite occasional hardware limitations and complexities in adding new devices.
Sentiment score
7.1
Check Point IPS efficiently scales for large networks, excelling in flexibility and cloud deployment, despite setup-dependent challenges.
Sentiment score
6.8
WatchGuard Firebox supports versatility and scalability, accommodating various sizes, though some experience performance impacts under heavy load.
They scale up really well from smaller models like the FortiGate 40 and 50 to bigger sites with the FortiGate 100 for more throughput - up to enterprise datacenters.
IT Manager at Daltons Limited
The variation comes in terms of the interfaces and throughputs, but from a security perspective, you get the same benefit, irrespective of whether you have an entry-level unit or an enterprise.
Cewa Solutions Architect at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
We determine sizing based on multiple factors: number of users, available links, traffic types, server count, services in use, and whether services will be published.
General Surgery Specialist at Helwan University Cairo
We have moved to a hyper-scale master environment, allowing us to scale by adding additional gateways to the clusters.
Department Head - Security & IT Risk Management at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
The scalability of Check Point IPS is on point.
Security Engineer at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees
The scalability of Check Point IPS is great because when I deploy gateways in the cloud, I create a cluster, which offers a very scalable option.
IT Cloud Learder at a security firm with 51-200 employees
The user interface and features compared to newer firewalls are not up to the mark, which includes functionalities such as filtering, web filtering, threat protection, user identity, and UTM features that need improvement.
Senior Network Consultant at NETOPS
You can choose different models based on throughput and features, which makes it easy to support growing environments.
Security Engineer at Antina Empleos
If we're going for more concurrent users, we need to change the entire box.
Owner at it logic
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.7
Fortinet FortiGate is stable, with minor issues mostly resolved by updates, and users rate its stability highly.
Sentiment score
7.9
Check Point IPS is highly reliable and stable, with users appreciating its performance despite occasional high CPU utilization.
Sentiment score
8.0
WatchGuard Firebox is stable and reliable, praised for long uptime, robust performance, and frequent updates, despite minor glitches.
We're experiencing 99.999% availability consistently.
Manager, Information Technology at a consumer goods company with 11-50 employees
I would rate the stability of Fortinet FortiGate a ten out of ten.
NAC Support at Rah Infotech Pvt Ltd
Currently, we are experiencing a general outage of one of the main internet service providers of the Dominican Republic, and we have not been impacted in our operations because with SD-WAN, we have another internet service provider and we are working with the second WAN connection without any disruption.
CISO at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Check Point IPS provides a very stable and reliable environment.
Department Head - Security & IT Risk Management at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
Check Point IPS is very stable.
Team Lead - Infra West Region at DigitalTrack Solutions Pvt Ltd
Check Point IPS is very stable with no problems regarding this solution.
Support at a security firm with 51-200 employees
I have just one WatchGuard Firebox unit that is licensed, and I have no bugs on it, so I am happy with that.
Administrateur Systã¨Mes Et Rã©Seau at Btp Consultants
There are issues with traffic hitting the firewall, which could indicate performance problems related to throughput.
Senior Network Consultant at NETOPS
We had many bottlenecks before deploying WatchGuard Firebox, but when we switched to a higher version of our firewalls, the bottlenecks were solved.
CEO at ajuntament del Prat
 

Room For Improvement

Fortinet FortiGate users face stability issues, high costs, complex interfaces, and desire improvements in support, integration, and features.
Check Point IPS needs better detection, reporting, automation, and efficiency while reducing costs and false positives for improved performance.
WatchGuard Firebox needs improvements in usability, integration, support, and pricing, with enhanced cloud, VPN, and endpoint features desired.
These sessions should be around five to ten minutes long, allowing users and partners to quickly grasp the information without disrupting their daily tasks.
Managing Director at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
The solution should be able to implement machine learning and analytics of all the logs for threat detection and protection.
Senior Systems Engineer at Caribbean Development Company
It would be better for customers to get immediate replacements even with a standard subscription.
Director at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Automated attack path correlation in SmartEvent to improve situational awareness.
Technical Specialist at Softcell Technologies Limited
At least 60% of all the alarms generated by the IPS are false positives or something that's not important to look at, and this generates a significant workload for my team.
Network Cyber Security Specialist at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
More granular policy customization for Check Point IPS would allow protection to be tailored more precisely to specific applications or services, which would reduce unnecessary overhead and improve accuracy.
Support at a security firm with 51-200 employees
The cost for renewal after three years is 75% of the hardware cost, which is a significant problem.
Owner at it logic
When implementing a rule using a group of IPs, it is not possible to do that directly.
Solution Architect at Simvicitsolutions
It is also difficult to diagnose issues if any devices get compromised; for example, if someone hacks our system, it becomes hard to trace who made changes or accessed the firewall.
Senior Network Consultant at NETOPS
 

Setup Cost

Fortinet FortiGate is cost-effective and flexible compared to competitors, but may be expensive for small businesses.
Check Point IPS's competitive pricing is offset by high setup fees, yet its quality and bundled deals offer good value.
WatchGuard Firebox is competitively priced, viewed as cost-effective compared to Cisco and Palo Alto, offering justified value.
Last year, I renewed the support for three years, which can sometimes be expensive but depends on the security benefits and how it helps us.
Network & System Admin at Invoke Studios
It offers cost savings as it is generally cheaper than the competition.
IT Infrastructure Architect at Apotek 1
It is about 20% cheaper.
Network Security Engineer at TD SYNNEX
Comparisons with Fortinet show that Check Point IPS is relatively more expensive, but we found it cheaper to retain it rather than switch.
Department Head - Security & IT Risk Management at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Check Point IPS is good; it's baked into the firewall licensing, so that's very good.
Network Cyber Security Specialist at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Check Point IPS is great, and I have no problem with the price.
Networking Admin at a tech company with 51-200 employees
When we tried to renew the Palo Alto license, the cost was beyond any reasonable range.
Digital Solution Designer at Accenture
Fortinet is more expensive than WatchGuard.
Security Engineer at Antina Empleos
I find WatchGuard Firebox to be cost-effective.
Chief Technology Officer at Falcon Automation
 

Valuable Features

Fortinet FortiGate offers robust security features, user-friendly interface, scalability, affordability, and centralized management, ideal for diverse applications.
Check Point IPS is valued for ease of use, real-time prevention, customizable policies, and effective threat management with low false positives.
WatchGuard Firebox offers user-friendly interface, robust security features, scalability, and excellent technical support, enhancing overall network protection and performance.
We got a firewall and gave an SSL VPN to my client to connect to their servers, after which, such kind of activities involving ransomware attacks stopped.
Owner at Mindware Computer Solutions
They put in a thing called the FortiCookbook, which is very easy to read with real-life scenarios that make networking tasks like joining networks very straightforward.
IT Manager at Daltons Limited
The firewall and VPN features are the most valuable in protecting our customers' networks.
Sales & Support at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
The integration with Check Point ThreatCloud ensures the IPS engine is updated with the latest attack signatures.
Technical Specialist at Softcell Technologies Limited
The solution employs behavioral heuristic analysis to block zero-day attacks using AI-powered engines.
Technical Specialist at Softcell Technologies Limited
Whenever any zero-day attack is detected, it downloads that signature into the firewall and prevents that threat.
Senior Network Security Engineer at DigitalTrack Solutions Pvt Ltd
The Firebox offers valuable features such as network security, URL filtering, UTM features, intrusion prevention and detection, and authentication.
Solution Architect at Simvicitsolutions
The features of WatchGuard Firebox are most valuable for maintaining network security.
Cyber Security Engineer at Underdefense
Basically, we have received a good return on investment.
Owner at it logic
 

Categories and Ranking

Fortinet FortiGate
Sponsored
Ranking in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
1st
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
588
Ranking in other categories
Secure Web Gateways (SWG) (2nd), Firewalls (1st), Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions (1st), WAN Edge (1st), ZTNA (1st), Unified Threat Management (UTM) (1st)
Check Point IPS
Ranking in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
3rd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
69
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
WatchGuard Firebox
Ranking in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
5th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
132
Ranking in other categories
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) (12th), Firewalls (10th), Anti-Malware Tools (6th), Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) (18th), Application Control (4th), Unified Threat Management (UTM) (4th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2026, in the Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiGate is 12.6%, down from 19.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Check Point IPS is 4.1%, down from 4.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of WatchGuard Firebox is 5.5%, down from 11.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Fortinet FortiGate12.6%
Check Point IPS4.1%
WatchGuard Firebox5.5%
Other77.8%
Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
 

Featured Reviews

Vasu Gala - PeerSpot reviewer
Manager, Information Technology Operation/Presales at TechMonarch
A stable solution with an intuitive interface and quick customer service
I have been working with Fortinet FortiGate, WatchGuard, Sophos, and SonicWall. I'm not as comfortable with SonicWall because of their UI and limitations. I prefer Fortinet above all other options. When it comes to configuration, I am confident in my ability to handle various tasks, including creating policies such as firewall rules, web policies, and application policies. Additionally, I can configure VPNs and implement load balancing, among other tasks. Overall, I feel much more comfortable working with Fortinet. Fortinet has made significant improvements by integrating AI with firewalls for threat analysis and prevention. In the past 2-3 years, they have launched FortiSASE and SIEM, and they also provide SOC services. Both Palo Alto and Fortinet FortiGate are excellent. While Fortinet FortiGate comes at higher prices, the functionality and support justify the cost. They promptly resolve firmware issues and inform all support providers about configuration changes.
GR
Support at a security firm with 51-200 employees
Real-Time Blocking Improves Response and Reduces Manual Logs
The best feature in my experience with Check Point IPS is the real-time prevention because it uses thousands of preventive protections based on both known exploit signatures and behavioral analysis to detect and block threats before they reach vulnerable systems. I find the behavioral analysis feature of Check Point IPS to be a most valuable feature because it can detect sophisticated threats that do not match known signatures. For example, when I need to view anomaly detections, instead of relying solely on known attack patterns, Check Point IPS monitors network traffic for unusual behavior such as unexpected protocol use, abnormal data flows, or suspicious command sequences. Check Point IPS impacts my organization positively because it has had a strong positive impact by strengthening our network defense, reducing manual work, and improving our incident response times.
PS
CEO at ajuntament del Prat
Network protection has improved with stronger VPN connectivity but administration remains complex
Deploying WatchGuard Firebox was quite easy, but we have had some problems regarding the VPN and the administration of the tool and the two firewalls that we have. When comparing WatchGuard Firebox with our previous solution, Palo Alto, we have had some problems in administration because of the tools. I think that they have some aspects in their system that are cloud-provided, but they also have an on-premise solution, which makes this combination good. Although I should say that when compared to Palo Alto, we have taken a step backwards. In general, I would rate WatchGuard Firebox around 6-7; it is a good firewall, but they lack good administration tools. We experience many problems with the performance and administration tools on the web, including several issues with VPNs.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
11%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Outsourcing Company
16%
Computer Software Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Security Firm
7%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Computer Software Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Construction Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business364
Midsize Enterprise135
Large Enterprise190
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business50
Midsize Enterprise22
Large Enterprise23
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business96
Midsize Enterprise28
Large Enterprise15
 

Questions from the Community

Which is the better NGFW: Fortinet Fortigate or Cisco Firepower?
When you compare these firewalls you can identify them with different features, advantages, practices and usage a...
What is the biggest difference between Sophos XG and FortiGate?
From my experience regarding both the Sophos and FortiGate firewalls, I personally would rather use FortiGate. I know...
What are the biggest technical differences between Sophos UTM and Fortinet FortiGate?
As a solution, Sophos UTM offers a lot of functionality, it scales well, and the stability and performance are quite ...
What do you like most about Check Point IPS?
The most valuable feature of the solution is called tunneling. Tunneling is one of the major security features that h...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Check Point IPS?
I have saved around two or three hours a week since I started using Check Point IPS. My experience with pricing, setu...
What needs improvement with Check Point IPS?
Check Point IPS is working well for our organization. In the future, more automated and more AI-based intelligence co...
What is your primary use case for WatchGuard Firebox?
We are providing our services to all WatchGuard customers in the region.
What is your primary use case for WatchGuard Firebox?
We just use it as a secondary WiFi device. We're a small office and we needed to set up a WiFi device for a few of ou...
What is your primary use case for WatchGuard Firebox?
We're a hospital and we use it for developing our incoming and outgoing policies, and we also use it for VPN.
 

Also Known As

Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall
Check Point Intrusion Prevention System
WatchGuard Threat Detection and Response, WatchGuard Application Control, WatchGuard Data Loss Prevention, WatchGuard Gateway AntiVirus, WatchGuard Intrusion Prevention Service
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, IBM, Cisco, Dell, HP, Oracle, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Vodafone, Orange, BT Group, Telstra, Deutsche Telekom, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, CenturyLink, NTT Communications, Tata Communications, SoftBank, China Mobile, Singtel, Telus, Rogers Communications, Bell Canada, Telkom Indonesia, Telkom South Africa, Telmex, Telia Company, Telkom Kenya
Morton Salt, Medical Advocacy and Outreach, BH Telecom, Lightbeam Health Solutions, X by Orange, Cadence, Nihondentsu, Datastream Connexion, Good Sam, Omnyway, FIASA, Pacific Life, Banco del Pacifico, Control Southern, Xero, Centrify
Ellips, Diecutstickers.com, Clarke Energy, NCR, Wrest Park, Homeslice Pizza, Fortessa Tableware Solutions, The Phoenix Residence
Find out what your peers are saying about Check Point IPS vs. WatchGuard Firebox and other solutions. Updated: March 2026.
885,667 professionals have used our research since 2012.