AccuKnox Platform vs Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) comparison

Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP)

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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

Qualys TotalCloud

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP) category, the mindshare of Qualys TotalCloud is 2.4%, up from 1.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of AccuKnox Platform is 1.5%, up from 0.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) is 4.1%, up from 3.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Qualys TotalCloud	2.4%
Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security)	4.1%
AccuKnox Platform	1.5%
Other	92.0%

Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP)

Featured Reviews

reviewer2859021

Sr Security Engineer at a tech vendor with 5,001-10,000 employees

Risk-based triage has transformed container security and now prioritizes high-impact threats

The best features Qualys TotalCloud offers currently include managing cloud infrastructure and container security while facing major challenges such as alert fatigue. Traditional vulnerability scanners flag hundreds of CVEs on short-lived Kubernetes containers, some of which have no internet exposure or are gone before we can even triage them. I leverage Qualys TotalCloud to move beyond static CVSS. I use it to implement runtime exposure, correlation risk reprioritization, and shift-left integration. This notifies developers to fix a base image upstream rather than patching live ephemeral instances. In my work with cloud and container security, the biggest operational hurdle was alert fatigue. I use Qualys to shift left from static CVSS severity to context-aware risk prioritization. I correlated raw vulnerability data with real-time risk factors such as public network exposure, active runtime execution, or overly permissive IAM roles. This allows us to immediately drop the priority of isolated containers and escalate lower-severity CVEs that sit on an exposed, high-risk path. We can map these findings directly back to our CI/CD pipelines so developers can patch the root base images upstream. We have drastically cut down the signal-to-noise ratio, saved a lot of manual hours doing triage work, and ensured engineering effort goes directly towards high-impact risk reduction.

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RaviUpadhyay

Security Consultant at HCLSoftware

Uses unique technologies for container security, flexible integration but lacks good user experience

There should always be some customized reports included. The dashboard is one thing, and the second is a report. Based on that, users can assist their environment. For example, for some Terraform code, customers want end-to-end things with their tool. They don’t want multiple tools. For a specific purpose, we need to look at different tools. They will look for a solution in one platform only so that the cost can be saved. If we use multiple tools, it means we need to give access to different ports in their environment. It is basically a kind of security compromise happening. Users have a lot of ports being used. So, basically, users don’t want to use multiple tools. They want a single tool that includes multiple features. The report part was missing. Also, some kind of clarity [flow clarity] is not in the tool as of now, but they are working on it. For example, if somebody manages the tool in their environment, the tool should be user-friendly. But this tool is not user-friendly as of now. This tool needs some kind of improvement so that new users or new security engineers can understand all the things in a short period of time. They can understand what is happening and how we can provide. They are catching the customer needs and working along with their development team. For example, some of the policies customers wanted to be placed at the organization level were missing. But AccuKnox have projections as well. Some of the good things they have used are flexible to integrate with other tools. For example, not from the security point of view, but maybe CI/CD, some third-party tools helping out to optimize the container image in terms of being lightweight or having a very low surface level. Basically, it protects against surface attacks. If a heavier image is used, it takes time to upload and impacts overall application performance. So, some tools are good for optimization.

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Oscar Nunez

Ingeniero en redes y Telecomunicaciones at K-IT

Centralized management has reduced policy time and provides reliable multitenant protection

What I would like, what I think they should improve a little is the management of objects at large scale. When you work with multiple domains, there are thousands of network objects. Detecting duplicates and consistency across domains is a very manual process that should be more automated. Another thing: the SmartConsole interface is very powerful and very good, but the learning curve, compared to other solutions in the market from other manufacturers, could be modernized. I think it does not necessarily have to be done from a client application; it could be done via web, because via web I know that not all the options you have in SmartConsole are available. So it would be good if it could also be done from the web and all the options were available. Another thing that I would really like is more automation with Ansible or Terraform. I know it has improved in recent versions, but I think it is still not mature enough. Compared to other manufacturers that do have a bit more in terms of automation capabilities in integration flows with Ansible or Terraform, Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) could improve. Another thing that could be improved a little would be the TAC response time, because when there are very complex cases, I think there should be more speed initially, more ownership of those urgent cases, and not leave the customer waiting. This has happened to me: when I have cases open with Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) TAC, sometimes they do not respond and I have to keep insisting, and I think that part should improve. I do not know if it depends on who takes the ticket or on the severity of the ticket, but sometimes I have had to insist a lot, and that would be the only problem. Once they attend to me and become involved in the case, the responses they give are very professional and really help directly resolve the problems when there is a bug or troubleshooting to do. As I said, I would like to see a specific improvement in SmartConsole. I think if they improved it—how to say it—gave it a facelift so you could access all the options directly from a browser, that would be great, because sometimes, for one reason or another, you cannot download SmartConsole or, for some reason, the SmartConsole client does not start correctly, and you could do it directly from the browser. I think that would be a good option to improve. Another thing would be that in multidomain environments, I would like a global search function for objects and rules. That is, you could enter and search across all domains at once, because right now you have to go domain by domain, and in environments with many customers, you spend quite a bit of time; you have to exit one domain and enter another. So those would be the improvements I would like to see.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The vulnerability management feature is the one I like the most because it provides a clear picture of all vulnerabilities."

"I highly recommend Qualys TotalCloud to other users."

"My main use case for Qualys TotalCloud is to find misconfiguration in the cloud, and I am focused on identifying misconfiguration in cloud configuration."

"TruRisk Insights is the most important innovation they've released this year."

"CSPM is currently the most used feature, and we are enjoying the new feature, FlexScan, which is valuable for Internet-facing VMs."

"The ability to identify cloud misconfigurations, prioritize security risks, and monitor cloud resources from a single platform is quite valuable."

"The dashboards are particularly valuable as they offer a comprehensive view of the environment, highlighting any misconfigurations."

"One of the most valuable features of Qualys TotalCloud is FlexScan, which is specifically for internet-facing VMs. We found this feature to be very useful. It was a key differentiator for us."

More Qualys TotalCloud pros

"The platform is strong in container and kernel-level security."

"The most valuable features are the ability to create pipeline rules, the enhanced NetOps security, and the deep visibility across our entire infrastructure."

"It offers security insights and recommendations to assist organizations in acting and remediating issues swiftly."

"The platform's full visibility and control across many cloud environments allows us to effectively monitor the security posture, uncover vulnerabilities, and consistently enforce security standards."

"The most valuable feature is the separate environment."

"The automatic learning and an AI engine help to find more modern vulnerability problems."

"Most of the features are pretty valuable, whether that's a description of the attacks or the attack graph showing the vulnerabilities. If a single tool does all this work, the value is centralizing all these functions on a single tool. These are the cloud-native applications we talk about — containers, Kubernetes, and cloud infrastructure — and all those things are the primary focus of the CNAPP solution."

"The comprehensive security for IaaS and PaaS cloud assets provides efficient security awareness to all the teams."

"We managed to reduce the effort and workload as well as the attack surface across our infrastructure. We now have a more continuous policy."

More Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) pros

Cons

"In my opinion, what can be improved in Qualys TotalCloud includes pricing and container scanning."

"TotalCloud could improve its scanning of niche devices like Wi-Fi dongles and USB modems because they are often untested. It covers everything else, like laptops, mobile devices, and Bluetooth IoT devices. They can improve on the small IoT devices because hackers and testers use these."

"Some major banks and insurance companies require an on-premises solution for comprehensive vulnerability management, which TotalCloud does not offer."

"Regarding technical support from Qualys, they respond, but the response time can be too long. Sometimes we need to wait weeks for solutions to simple questions."

"We encountered challenges identifying the correct resource category for certain items, such as those in containers or storage."

"An area for improvement would be to focus on risks related to AI, such as large language models and potential data leakage."

"The vulnerability part is good, but the policy compliance module needs improvement because it involves a lot of manual work. Specifically, the remediation part of the controls requires enhancements."

"In my opinion, the combination of detection and protection features in Qualys TotalCloud cannot protect but can only detect."

More Qualys TotalCloud cons

"AccuKnox platform have AI-based features, but those aren’t fully developed yet."

"From my experience, the failover times are unsatisfactory when dealing with HA failovers in the cloud, but this is connected to API calls within Azure. While this is largely due to limitations of the cloud architecture, an improvement in this area would be beneficial."

"Its price is fair, but it can be more favorable."

"There is a lack of functionalities and usability."

"I would like an interface more adapted to cell phones or tablets."

"The initial deployment using the ARM template in Azure was straightforward, but migrating to Terraform added complexity, although we managed to make it work."

"The management console can be simplified because at the moment, it is a bit of a challenge to use."

"Where I do think there are some scalability limitations is in the management of objects and rules; when the system grows a lot, I see that policy compilation does get stuck and it feels there is a bottleneck, which is a very significant operational bottleneck in very large environments with many client companies."

"Our experience with technical support can be improved in terms of response time."

More Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Qualys TotalCloud is expensive, but it offers a premier solution with no headaches."

"I am not sure about the pricing. From what I understand, it is a bit on the higher side, but I do not have the exact numbers."

"TotalCloud's price is about right where I would expect it to be."

"Qualys TotalCloud offers competitive pricing given its comprehensive suite of features, including integration, assessment, remediation, and detection capabilities, all within a single platform."

"The pricing for TotalCloud is attractive and competitive in the market. Given the features, especially the dashboard, I have no concerns regarding pricing."

"Qualys TotalCloud is expensive."

"Qualys TotalCloud offers cost-effective licensing flexibility."

"Qualys TotalCloud is cost-efficient and was selected for its value compared to other products."

More Qualys TotalCloud pricing and cost advice

Information not available

"The product's licensing costs are yearly."

"The solution's licensing is based on the number of users of the VMs. We follow a pay-as-you-go model. Its pricing is competitive."

"The solution’s pricing is a little bit high."

"Check Point CloudGuard Posture Management is always known as a good solution but an expensive one. When you're using Cisco, Check Point, or Palo Alto, you know that you will pay more, but you know that it will work."

"Check Point CloudGuard Posture Management is expensive."

"Handling costs is not my department. Licensing has been quite acceptable. It is a bit easier now, but when I began working with CloudGuard, it was a bit too technical."

"It is not expensive."

"Although I am not in sales and cannot comment extensively on pricing, it is known that Check Point’s licensing can be complex. However, it is a similar experience to other gateways and not particularly unique for cloud protection."

More Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) pricing and cost advice

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921,523 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Comms Service Provider

18%

Outsourcing Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Comms Service Provider

14%

Manufacturing Company

14%

Media Company

13%

Construction Company

10%

Outsourcing Company

16%

Construction Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	16
Midsize Enterprise	11
Large Enterprise	39

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	133
Midsize Enterprise	56
Large Enterprise	146

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Qualys TotalCloud?

We purchased Qualys TotalCloud for GCP and Azure as well. It is comparatively better than others regarding pricing. T...

What needs improvement with Qualys TotalCloud?

I am unsure about how Qualys TotalCloud can be improved. I do not have anything else to add about the needed improvem...

What is your primary use case for Qualys TotalCloud?

My main use case for Qualys TotalCloud is telemetry, although I am unsure about the specifics. A quick specific examp...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Check Point CloudGuard Network Security?

Ask a question

Earn 20 points

Since we use a unified standard for using policies and modules in Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Net...

What needs improvement with Check Point CloudGuard Network Security?

The main limitations of Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) are not in Check Point itse...

What is your primary use case for Check Point CloudGuard Network Security?

Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) is the main manager that provides network security ...

Microsoft Defender for Cloud vs Qualys TotalCloud

Comparisons

Wiz vs Qualys TotalCloud

Compared 11% of the time

Compared 7% of the time

JupiterOne vs Qualys TotalCloud

Compared 6% of the time

Orca Security vs Qualys TotalCloud

Compared 6% of the time

Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks vs Qualys TotalCloud

Compared 5% of the time

More Qualys TotalCloud Competitors

Wiz vs AccuKnox Platform

Compared 19% of the time

Aqua Cloud Security Platform vs AccuKnox Platform

Compared 16% of the time

Sysdig Secure vs AccuKnox Platform

Compared 9% of the time

CrowdStrike Falcon Cloud Security vs AccuKnox Platform

Compared 8% of the time

Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks vs AccuKnox Platform

Compared 3% of the time

More AccuKnox Platform Competitors

Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks vs Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security)

Compared 6% of the time

Azure Firewall vs Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security)

Compared 2% of the time

Fortinet FortiGate vs Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security)

Compared 2% of the time

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security)

Compared 2% of the time

Check Point Email Security (formerly Harmony Email & Collaboration) vs Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security)

Compared 2% of the time

More Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) Competitors

Product Reports

Qualys TotalCloud

Download Qualys TotalCloud product report

Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP)

Download AccuKnox Platform product report

Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security)

November 2026

Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) report

Download Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) product report

Also Known As

Qualys TotalCloud with FlexScan

No data available

CloudGuard IaaS, Check Point vSEC, CloudGuard IaaS, Check Point Virtual Systems, Check Point CloudGuard Network Security, Check Point CloudGuard CNAPP

Overview

Qualys TotalCloud enhances security posture across cloud environments with continuous monitoring, vulnerability management, and risk visualization, ensuring efficient threat assessment and automated remediation for improved cyber risk reduction.

Qualys TotalCloud offers a robust suite of security tools essential for organizations managing multi-cloud infrastructures. By integrating cloud accounts and automating workflows, it supports AWS, Azure, and GCP, offering comprehensive vulnerability management and zero-day detection. The platform's user-friendly design, combined with its extensive risk management and unified threat assessment capabilities, enables organizations to prioritize and remediate vulnerabilities effectively. TruRisk Insights provides clear insights on cyber risks, while the automation options streamline patch management and scanning processes. API integration across IaaS and SaaS environments further enhances resource allocation efficiency and saves time, addressing misconfigurations across cloud environments.

What are the most important features of Qualys TotalCloud?

Accurate Vulnerability Reports: Delivers precise and actionable insights for risk mitigation.
Zero-Day Detection: Identifies and addresses zero-day vulnerabilities proactively.
Unified Threat Assessment: Offers comprehensive evaluation of threats across the environment.
Extensive Risk Management: Manages risks effectively with advanced insights and prioritization.
Continuous Monitoring: Provides non-stop surveillance for vulnerabilities and threats.
Cloud-Native Automation: Streamlines processes and reduces manual efforts using automation.
FlexScan for Internet-Facing VMs: Scans external VMs efficiently to detect vulnerabilities.
Dashboard Risk Visualization: Clear visualization helps prioritize vulnerabilities.

What benefits and ROI should users look for?

Improved Security Posture: Enhances threat detection and response across clouds.
Time Savings: Automation reduces time spent on manual vulnerability management.
Resource Efficiency: Better allocation of resources through streamlined workflows.
Enhanced Risk Prioritization: Focus on critical vulnerabilities for effective mitigation.
Integrated Cloud Accounts: Facilitates seamless cloud management and security.

Qualys TotalCloud is deployed in sectors needing rigorous vulnerability management, such as finance and healthcare. Companies utilize it to secure multi-cloud environments like AWS, Azure, and GCP, focus on compliance, and integrate security into CI/CD pipelines to detect and remedy threats pre-deployment.

Qualys

AccuKnox Platform enhances application security and compliance by focusing on container security, network activity monitoring, and security policy enforcement. Its seamless Kubernetes integration and real-time alerts are highly valued.

AccuKnox Platform offers robust performance in threat detection and simplifies policy management, aiding users in reducing vulnerabilities and securing workloads efficiently. Its seamless deployment and compatibility with cloud environments, combined with comprehensive monitoring and reporting tools, contribute to enhanced operational efficiency. Users also appreciate the platform's real-time threat detection and easy deployment.

What are the key features of AccuKnox Platform?

Robust Security Features: Protects applications and workloads with advanced threat detection and mitigation.
Seamless Integration: Easily integrates with Kubernetes environments for streamlined operations.
Real-time Alerts: Provides instant notifications on potential security threats.
Comprehensive Monitoring: Offers detailed insights and analytics on network activity and performance.
Detailed Reporting: Generates in-depth reports to support compliance and audit requirements.

What benefits and ROI can users expect from AccuKnox Platform?

Enhanced Security: Reduces vulnerabilities and improves threat detection.
Operational Efficiency: Streamlines policy management and monitoring processes.
Ease of Deployment: Quick and straightforward setup compatible with cloud environments.
Compliance Support: Helps maintain regulatory standards through comprehensive reporting.

AccuKnox Platform is implemented across industries such as finance, healthcare, and technology, where high levels of security and compliance are essential. Organizations leverage its robust features to protect sensitive data, ensure regulatory compliance, and maintain operational efficiency even during peak times.

AccuKnox

Check Point Cloud Firewall, previously known as CloudGuard Network Security, provides advanced threat prevention, centralized management, and VPN capabilities, enabling robust cloud security across various platforms including Azure and AWS.

Check Point Cloud Firewall delivers seamless cloud integration with advanced automated threat prevention and centralized management to enhance security posture. It offers auto-scaling for dynamic environments and a comprehensive policy enforcement framework in hybrid settings. The unified interface streamlines administration across cloud infrastructures, ensuring consistent protection and reducing risk.

What important features does it offer?

Advanced Threat Prevention: Safeguards against sophisticated threats.
Centralized Management: Simplifies control for cloud infrastructures.
Auto-scaling: Adapts to changing workloads seamlessly.
VPN Capabilities: Enables secure connections across environments.
Integration with Azure and AWS: Ensures compatibility with leading cloud services.
Visibility Tools: Enhanced monitoring and management for security enforcement.

What benefits can users expect?

Enhanced Security: Comprehensive threat management reduces risk.
Operational Efficiency: Automation capabilities streamline processes.
Cost Management: Efficient resource usage with auto-scaling reduces expenses.
Integration Flexibility: Adapts easily into existing cloud platforms.
Simplified Administration: Unified management reduces complexity.

In manufacturing and conglomerate sectors, Check Point Cloud Firewall is utilized for protecting cloud environments and implementing network segmentation. It supports secure cloud migration on AWS, Azure, and GCP, ensuring compliance, perimeter defense, and traffic inspection, facilitating sophisticated threat prevention strategies.

Check Point Software Technologies

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Physicians Choice Laboratory Services, Helvetica Insurance

Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP)