Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office vs WatchGuard Firebox comparison

Acronis and WatchGuard are both solutions in the Anti-Malware Tools category. Acronis is ranked #22 with an average rating of 9.0, while WatchGuard is ranked #7 with an average rating of 8.0. Additionally, 100% of Acronis users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 94% of WatchGuard users who would recommend it.

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 9, 2025

WatchGuard Firebox and Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office are competing in security solutions. Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office is advantageous due to its comprehensive feature set, despite higher costs.

Features: WatchGuard Firebox provides robust network protection, firewall controls, and threat prevention, appealing to businesses with network security needs. Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office offers data backup, recovery, and anti-ransomware capabilities, making it ideal for users focusing on data safety and accessibility.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: WatchGuard Firebox requires more technical knowledge for installation and operation but offers comprehensive support services. Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office is recognized for easier deployment with intuitive setup processes, coupled with strong customer service, making it user-friendly for those with limited IT resources.

Pricing and ROI: WatchGuard Firebox has a higher upfront cost, justified by extensive network protection features. Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office, while similarly priced, potentially offers better ROI through its dual function of data protection and system recovery, appealing to buyers seeking comprehensive solutions.

To learn more, read our detailed Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office vs. WatchGuard Firebox Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office vs. WatchGuard Firebox

December 2025

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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

Fortinet FortiGate

Featured Reviews

Vasu Gala

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.

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Gerald Rodrigues

General Manager at Tilaknagar Industries Ltd

Reliable backups have protected our manufacturing data and now provide confident disaster recovery

Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office is used to take care of the data for our manufacturing company and its users. I work with CrowdStrike only for antivirus. We have antivirus products, but not as a main solution. The antiviruses we are using are from another vendor. For antiviruses, we are using Falcon CrowdStrike. My main experience is with CrowdStrike antivirus and Palo Alto firewall. These are the two things for security, and we are exploring other software solutions that will be beneficial for us. I track two levels of ransomware protection: one from Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office and one from CrowdStrike. I do not work with Cortex cloud by Palo Alto; I have the hardware on-premise at my location. I do not work with WildFire, Prisma Access, or Prisma SD-WAN, but I will be looking forward to it. This is the only firewall I am using, but very soon, I will be opting for another Palo Alto firewall of the same model that will be working on high availability. I am not knowledgeable about the CN-Series firewall; I can only talk about the one I have. We have acquired one particular brand, a company called Pernod Ricard, which manufactures products like Chivas Regal whisky and Beefeater. Endpoint Detection and Response is something we will explore after a certain period of time and we are looking for it very soon. I would rate this review an overall eight out of ten.

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Pedro Soteras

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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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Fortinet FortiGate has positively impacted our organization by providing stronger network security as it's a next-generation firewall, blocking known threats and vulnerabilities in real-time, detecting and controlling thousands of applications, scanning encrypted traffic, and improving VPN and remote access through automated failover and intelligent routing protocols like BGP over IPsec VPN."

"By utilizing features such as dynamic path selection and application-aware routing, we've been able to reduce latency for critical applications such as VoIP and video by 20-30% during peak times."

"Using this product makes the VPN seamless and almost invisible to me in the sense that I don't have to think about it."

"I love the interface."

"This version is stable. I don't have any issues with this solution, in our environment, it works well."

"The ease of use, concise reports, and threat identification are very user-friendly and valuable."

"It is a good source for firewall protection."

"The reporting you receive out of this appliance is excellent. You will not need an external management system."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"The customer service and support are excellent."

"The malware feature is most valuable."

"When it comes to backup, the biggest benefits of Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office are its reliability and the assurance it provides, which we have specifically tried and tested during disasters as it saved us from losing data."

"Acronis schedules in the background and does incremental images so it doesn’t take forever to backup."

"The reliable tool allows for quick restoration from backup copies, meaning I do not have to reload Windows or programs."

"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."

"It protects me against malicious websites, as well as malicious downloads, as a perimeter anti-virus. I've also seen it blocking a lot of pings and different probes."

"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."

"The GUI is easy and intuitive."

"We have witnessed an ROI as it has helped with security measures."

"WatchGuard Firebox is easy to configure and has a nice user interface."

"There are many fantastic features."

"The solution has increased productivity with our outside salespeople being able to connect into their computers and use those remotely."

More WatchGuard Firebox pros

Cons

"The interface could be better."

"The AI with Fortinet FortiGate is not very well integrated on their devices, and their cloud infrastructure is not as good as Cisco's."

"Fortinet FortiGate could be improved in terms of user friendliness at the policy level and assigning URL based and keyword based features."

"I need user-behavior analytics, to find threat scenarios from inside the organization, insider attacks. That would be very helpful for us. In addition, I would like next-generation features for small and medium businesses. These businesses require UTM, all in one product. Fortinet must include it."

"Improvements for Fortinet FortiGate could be made by making it easier to implement on networks and simpler to add users and accounts that utilize this solution. That's basically the only challenge that I see."

"Fortinet FortiGate is a very good device overall, though it can be improved in certain areas regarding the licenses, particularly the big one called unified threat management, which has many capabilities."

"The platform's compatibility with Wi-Fi equipment needs improvement."

"They should offer special pricing to premium partners and customers."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"I originally intended to use Acronis for cloud backup, however, the cloud backup had major problems."

"I had a couple of false positives, but that’s it."

"The configuration needs improvement."

"I originally intended to use Acronis for cloud backup, however, the cloud backup had major problems. After struggling with it for about two years, I switched to Carbonite and have not gone back."

"Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office needs to improve their reporting part, and the support provided is sometimes inadequate, which causes issues for customers."

"I would like to see more training become available for us."

"The level of support from WatchGuard is not as good."

"I believe there is a need for additional measures to connect mobile devices securely to the Firebox router."

"It's very hard to get information from their website, for exactly what I need to do. Sometimes I end up having to open a lot of support tickets... It's a navigational issue which makes it hard to find what I'm looking for and it's just so broad."

"Some of the configuration options are somewhat confusing."

"The only downside is that it is missing an API, that you can use to easily collect information from it."

"Setup of this solution is complex, it's not plug and play."

"I would like to see more tutorials on setting up the Firebox."

More WatchGuard Firebox cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Its pricing is good. It's average or normal as compared to Palo Alto and Check Point firewalls."

"This is not a cheap solution but it isn't expensive, either. It's a good solution for the right price."

"The pricing depends on the FortiGate model we are using, ranging from $3,000 to $20,000 US dollars."

"It's very competitive."

"The setup cost was good. The Egyptian pound is declining, and upgrading Fortinet FortiGate yearly costs about $2000 USD, which equals one hundred Egyptian pounds. I maintain a business relationship with the vendor and receive support from them."

"I rate the price of Fortinet FortiGate SWG a seven and a half out of ten since it is not a cheap solution, though I feel it is a good product for the money one pays."

"There is an annual license to use this solution. The prices have been increasing over the years."

"The pricing for this solution is good."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

Information not available

"I would rate the pricing at seven out of ten. As for the licensing costs, we typically have yearly licenses for our clients, but there are no additional costs beyond the standard licensing fees."

"The licensing contract we have is on a three-year basis. There aren't any costs in addition to the standard licensing fees—usually, every three years, we just purchase or renew the same license and we are okay. Every six years, we completely change the firewall, but that's the usual schema. So after three years, we just renew the licenses for another three years, and then after that particular period of time, we just purchase another firewall equivalent to the ones that we currently use."

"I think the tool is quite competitive compared to the other brands."

"WatchGuard had a very competitive price. It was only 10 to 20 percent more than a single instance device but with that extra cost it provided a second load balancing device... unlike other brands whose method of hardware and software licensing would have doubled our cost."

"I haven't seen the pricing since 2017, but it was competitive. SonicWall, Barracuda, and WatchGuard were all about the same price when we did our last pricing."

"We license the WatchGuard Firebox annually. There are different types of subscriptions available. We are paying approximately $15,000 annually. The cost can increase if you purchase different subscriptions."

"Firebox is priced reasonably."

"Over the years, the costs have increased, especially since I cater to very small businesses."

More WatchGuard Firebox pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

12%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

35%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

11%

Comms Service Provider

11%

Manufacturing Company

Retailer

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	357
Midsize Enterprise	133
Large Enterprise	188

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	92
Midsize Enterprise	27
Large Enterprise	15

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...

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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...

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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 ...

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What do you like most about Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office?

The malware feature is most valuable.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office?

I originally intended to use Acronis for cloud backup, however, the cloud backup had major problems. After struggling...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office?

I use Acronis for backups. I use it to back up to other drives on the network, back up the entire system, including s...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for WatchGuard Firebox?

We are providing our services to all WatchGuard customers in the region.

See all answers

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...

See all answers

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.

See all answers

Comparisons

Sophos Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 20% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 13% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 6% of the time

OPNsense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

Palo Alto Networks WildFire vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 2% of the time

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SentinelOne Singularity Complete vs Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office

Compared 15% of the time

ESET Endpoint Protection Platform vs Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office

Compared 13% of the time

R-Drive Image vs Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office

Compared 13% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office

Compared 11% of the time

Huntress Managed EDR vs Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office

Compared 9% of the time

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Sophos Firewall vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 7% of the time

OPNsense vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 7% of the time

Sophos UTM vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 4% of the time

SonicWall TZ vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 4% of the time

SonicWall NSa vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 4% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

January 2026

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Backup and Recovery

January 2026

Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office report

Download Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office product report

Buyer's Guide

WatchGuard Firebox

January 2026

Download WatchGuard Firebox product report

Also Known As

Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall

No data available

WatchGuard Threat Detection and Response, WatchGuard Application Control, WatchGuard Data Loss Prevention, WatchGuard Gateway AntiVirus, WatchGuard Intrusion Prevention Service

Overview

Fortinet FortiGate is a versatile network security tool offering features like VPN, firewall, web filtering, intrusion prevention, and scalability. It is known for its performance and integration with other Fortinet products, making it a preferred choice for robust cybersecurity.

Fortinet FortiGate stands out as a comprehensive cybersecurity solution with strong performance and ease of configuration. It delivers unified threat management, integrating features such as dynamic routing, SD-WAN support, and centralized management. Despite its strengths, improvements in the web interface's stability, pricing structures, and reporting capabilities are needed. Users seek better integration with third-party tools and automation advancements to enhance the experience further. These enhancements, alongside improvements in bandwidth management and the reduction of licensing costs, are points of interest for users looking to capitalize on FortiGate's extensive capabilities.

What are Fortinet FortiGate's key features?

VPN: Ensures secure remote connections.
Firewall: Protects against unauthorized access.
Web Filtering: Blocks malicious sites and content.
Application Control: Manages and controls applications.
Intrusion Prevention: Detects and prevents vulnerabilities.
SSL Inspection: Enhances security by inspecting encrypted traffic.

What benefits should be considered when evaluating Fortinet FortiGate?

Affordability: Offers cost-effective security solutions.
Reliability: Known for consistent and stable performance.
Integration: Seamlessly integrates with other Fortinet products.
Comprehensive Protection: Provides broad threat protection capabilities.

Fortinet FortiGate is widely implemented across industries as a primary firewall system for securing internet gateways and safeguarding data centers. It supports businesses in achieving SD-WAN integration and enhances cybersecurity by providing essential features like antivirus, web filtering, and application control. Enterprises utilize FortiGate for securing remote connections and ensuring compliance with security standards, making it adaptable for different network sizes and industries.

Fortinet

Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office is used primarily for data backup and recovery. Highlights include effective malware protection, ransomware defense, ease of use, and cloud storage integration.

Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office offers robust backup and recovery, advanced ransomware protection, and anti-malware features. Integrated tools such as disk cloning, image backup, and cloud storage enhance its functionality. Users benefit from automatic backups, flexible scheduling, intuitive operation, and hybrid cloud-local protection. Regular updates ensure threat detection and reliability.

What are the main features of Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office?

Backup and Recovery: Comprehensive options for safeguarding data.
Ransomware Protection: Advanced defenses against ransomware threats.
Anti-Malware: Strong malware detection and removal capabilities.
Disk Cloning: Efficient disk cloning tools for data migration.
Cloud Storage: Seamless integration with cloud storage solutions.
Automatic Backups: Convenient scheduling for regular backups.
Hybrid Protection: Combines cloud and local backups for added security.
Regular Updates: Ensures the latest threat protection and features.

What benefits and ROI should users expect?

Data Security: Ensured through comprehensive backup and recovery.
Reliability: Consistent performance with quick restoration processes.
Ease of Use: Simplified operation with intuitive tools and interfaces.
Cross-Platform Support: Compatible with multiple systems and devices.
Customer Support: Dependable assistance and regular software updates.

In specific industries such as healthcare, finance, and education, Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office is implemented to secure sensitive data and ensure business continuity. Its encryption capabilities and cross-platform support make it a versatile choice for handling large volumes of critical information while providing seamless integration with existing IT infrastructures.

Acronis

WatchGuard Firebox is a high-performance firewall known for its ease of setup, offering robust security with layered protection and centralized management capabilities.

WatchGuard Firebox stands out for its intuitive management and high throughput, addressing security needs with features like VPN, web filtering, and threat detection. Its centralized control and reporting abilities, along with Active Directory integration, make it popular among varied organizations. Its user-friendly interface and ongoing updates enhance usability and reliability. However, there's a call for better cloud-based administration, scalability, and improved integration with third-party vendors.

What are the key features of WatchGuard Firebox?

Ease of Setup: Quick and straightforward installation process.
GUI: User-friendly graphical interface for simplified navigation.
VPN Features: Secure and efficient virtual private network management.
Web Filtering: Advanced filtering for safer browsing experiences.
Threat Detection: Proactive monitoring and detection of cyber threats.

What benefits or ROI should be evaluated?

Centralized Control: Streamlined management from a single point.
High Throughput: Efficient data handling and processing capacity.
Stable Performance: Consistent and reliable operational functionality.
Active Directory Integration: Seamless connection with user directories.
Customer Service: Strong support service for customer inquiries.

WatchGuard Firebox is implemented across industries to secure internet gateways and protect data in multi-site businesses. Its applications span from Unified Threat Management (UTM) and intrusion prevention to compliance support in business environments requiring secure connectivity through VPNs.

WatchGuard

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

Information Not Available

Ellips, Diecutstickers.com, Clarke Energy, NCR, Wrest Park, Homeslice Pizza, Fortessa Tableware Solutions, The Phoenix Residence

Buyer's Guide

Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office vs. WatchGuard Firebox

December 2025

Free Report: Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office vs. WatchGuard Firebox

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