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McAfee 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

McAfee Application Control
Ranking in Application Control
6th
Average Rating
7.6
Number of Reviews
2
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 April 2025, in the Application Control category, the mindshare of McAfee Application Control is 11.6%, down from 24.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of WatchGuard Application Control is 3.8%, down from 4.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Application Control
 

Featured Reviews

reviewer1437648 - PeerSpot reviewer
Easy to configure, reliable, secure, and has good support
With some specific versions, we are experiencing some issues where the policy configuration has some problems with the parent and child processes. There have been problems with the relationship between the parent and child process, from time to time. I would like to see better reporting and alerting features in the future.
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

"We also like the Change Control. We can control how things get executed. It has signatures for different kinds of protocols."
"This is a basic solution; the policy screen is okay, and it's easy to configure."
"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."
"I found several features valuable in WatchGuard Application Control such as the HTTP Proxy, DNSWatch, VPN, and HTTPS Content Inspection."
"The most valuable feature is the category control."
"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."
"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."
 

Cons

"The intrusion detection features should also be improved. It is a very good feature but it should be maximized."
"I would like to see better reporting and alerting features in the future."
"The control software is currently only available for Windows, which can be a little annoying for Linux users."
"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."
"They could expand the amount of applications that are on the list, but it's pretty intensive anyway, so it's pretty good."
"There should be more reports available on different subjects."
"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 solution needs to improve the interface. I'm not able to easily find things using it."
"I believe there is room for improvement in policies, with the potential to enhance the margins further."
"The licensing can be a bit expensive."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available
"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
Manufacturing Company
14%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Computer Software Company
11%
Energy/Utilities Company
10%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

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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.
 

Also Known As

McAfee Application, Change Control
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Contec
Chester School District, Kensington Close Hotel
Find out what your peers are saying about McAfee Application Control vs. WatchGuard Application Control and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
845,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.