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Change Tracker Gen7 R2 vs WatchGuard Firebox comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 9, 2025

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
Sponsored
Ranking in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
1st
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
580
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)
Change Tracker Gen7 R2
Ranking in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
28th
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
WatchGuard Firebox
Ranking in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
4th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
127
Ranking in other categories
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) (11th), Firewalls (11th), Anti-Malware Tools (7th), Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) (18th), Application Control (5th), Unified Threat Management (UTM) (4th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiGate is 13.9%, down from 19.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Change Tracker Gen7 R2 is 0.5%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of WatchGuard Firebox is 6.8%, down from 11.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Fortinet FortiGate13.9%
WatchGuard Firebox6.8%
Change Tracker Gen7 R20.5%
Other78.8%
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.
reviewer2322963 - PeerSpot reviewer
Security Engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
A stable solution that can be used for secure configuration management and file integrity monitoring
We use Change Tracker Gen7 R2 for secure configuration management and file integrity monitoring Whitelisting services are the most valuable feature of Change Tracker Gen7 R2. The solution could include more integrations. Change Tracker Gen7 R2 is a stable solution. The solution's initial setup…
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.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"We are a visual effects company, and there have been a number of high profile security issues in our industry. This has brought us to a higher standard of security, which our clients are very keen on these days."
"Their interface is very easy to use, it is without bugs."
"The simplicity of the product is great. It's very easy to use, which is a compliment we get all the time in terms of feedback."
"I like that you are able to manage FortiGate from the FortiManager to create a more centralized environment."
"It is stable and easy to use. There are a lot of good resources available on the web."
"Fortinet FortiGate appears to be scalable."
"When I survey FortiGate products, I see that they have a good performance, especially in terms of next generation firewalls."
"Regionally, we are well covered. Technical support is good in this area."
"Whitelisting services are the most valuable feature of Change Tracker Gen7 R2."
"I have contacted the support once and the experience was good, I was satisfied."
"I haven't a problem with anti-virus stability using WatchGuard for over two years."
"The most valuable feature is the GUI, especially the real-time bandwidth usage report. Also, its integration with WiFi access points is nice."
"I find that their tech support is excellent. And as a reseller, my relationship with my point of contact is also strong. WatchGuard does a good job of maintaining that."
"The set up was quite straightforward and we handled it in-house. It took a few hours to deploy the product."
"The tool's most valuable feature is the dashboard."
"It's pretty simple to use. It's pretty simple to understand, and there's plenty of documentation. It does a pretty good job of what it is meant to do."
"As a whole, it has a very low requirement for ongoing interaction. It's very self-sufficient. If properly patched, it has very high reliability. The total cost of ownership once deployed is very low."
"Management and visibility are the most valuable features."
 

Cons

"They should offer special pricing to premium partners and customers."
"Fortinet FortiGate is not a scalable solution, as they give you a number and each box comes with concurrent connections; if you need to expand, you have to change the box."
"Areas of improvement for Fortinet FortiGate include the need for more training and certification, especially when dealing with distributors globally, which presents challenges in product availability and delivery timelines."
"Their support can be better, and there should be better policies for immediate replacement in critical situations."
"FortiOS is not simple."
"I would like to see better pricing in the next release, as well as a simplification of the installation."
"The user interface could be improved."
"It could use better throughput on some of the smaller boxes for the branch offices."
"The solution could improve by being more secure and have better integration."
"The solution could include more integrations."
"A 12-hour power outage... got our batteries."
"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."
"It doesn't offer the best protection and it's incompatible with a lot of China's websites. It makes a lot of mistakes when it is detecting items as it's not recognizing items correctly."
"One area for improvement could be making the interface even more user-friendly."
"The only downside is that it is missing an API, that you can use to easily collect information from it."
"The website must provide more information on the product."
"Some of the configuration options are somewhat confusing."
"The level of support from WatchGuard is not as good."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"FortiGate Next Generation Firewall is a very cheap solution."
"The Indian market is different than the European and American markets. When you compare they need to be a bit more aggressive on pricing."
"The price of Fortinet FortiGate is reasonable."
"Fortinet FortiGate is expensive."
"It is an expensive solution."
"We just pay a flat monthly fee to the vendor for the support."
"I rate FortiGate Next Generation Firewall a five out of ten for pricing."
"For the price, I'd rate it a ten because it's very cost-effective."
"There is a license required for this solution."
"The licensing can be a one-time purchase unless you need the extra services for example twenty-four seven support."
"WatchGuard Firebox is a cheap solution."
"It's an affordable tool"
"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."
"The pricing is competitive."
"It's in the medium range. Its price is pretty good considering the functions and add-ons that are used."
"There is a license required to use the solution and we pay annually. The price could be reduced because it is a bit expensive."
"We only license our corporate one and the one we have at our DR site, we don't worry about the branches. It doesn't pay for us to license the ones at the branches. What they charge for what they call basic maintenance is extremely high for those little fireboxes."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
6%
No data available
Computer Software Company
11%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Retailer
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business357
Midsize Enterprise133
Large Enterprise188
No data available
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business92
Midsize Enterprise27
Large Enterprise15
 

Questions from the Community

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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 ...
Ask a question
Earn 20 points
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
NNT Change Tracker Enterprise
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
US Army, Xerox, Hewlett Packard, LiveTV, Universal Studios, Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative, ACAS, Chanel, Live Nation, Union Bank, Ohio Valley Electric Corporation, Bank of China, Cornell University, Jetblue, Royal Albert Hall, Chaparral Energy, RyanAir
Ellips, Diecutstickers.com, Clarke Energy, NCR, Wrest Park, Homeslice Pizza, Fortessa Tableware Solutions, The Phoenix Residence
Find out what your peers are saying about Change Tracker Gen7 R2 vs. WatchGuard Firebox and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.