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Check Point 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

Check Point Application Con...
Ranking in Application Control
4th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
39
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 June 2025, in the Application Control category, the mindshare of Check Point Application Control is 5.5%, down from 8.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of WatchGuard Application Control is 2.6%, down from 3.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Application Control
 

Featured Reviews

Ajenthan Aiyathurai - PeerSpot reviewer
Helps enforce policies and maintain compliance with good real-time monitoring
Firstly, enhancing the user interface and overall user experience could simplify configuration and management tasks, making it more intuitive for administrators to navigate and utilize the solution effectively. Additionally, improving the scalability and performance to handle larger networks and increasing traffic volumes would ensure consistent reliability under heavy usage conditions. Looking forward, additional features that could enhance Check Point Application Control in future releases might include more advanced machine learning and AI capabilities for threat detection and anomaly detection within application traffic. Integration with cloud services and applications, as well as enhanced reporting and analytics functionalities, could provide deeper insights into application usage patterns and security posture.
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

"It improved the performance outcome for all our verticals due to more automation in system security, which helped in the identification and blockage of malware-affected applications and widgets."
"Check Point enables us to save internet bandwidth. The administration offers good guidance. We don't want the employees to access social networking on work computers because it will distract them from their jobs, so we can block that. It also helps us to implement changes very quickly and to get people to be more focused on the job."
"The most outstanding feature is the Check Point APK wiki."
"The central management system provides a reliable platform for application control and URL filtering."
"We can control bandwidth and high-risk application access from our network using application control."
"The most valuable thing about the solution is that we get real-time visibility into the usage of an application and the granular control of the application."
"The automatic updates of new applications and signatures guarantee protection at all times without the need to apply a change manually."
"It has enhanced security posture."
"Zero-trust and threat-hunting services are most valuable."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is traffic management."
"The most valuable feature is the category 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."
"We have witnessed an ROI as it has helped with security measures."
"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."
"I found several features valuable in WatchGuard Application Control such as the HTTP Proxy, DNSWatch, VPN, and HTTPS Content Inspection."
"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."
 

Cons

"I think that the pricing for the Check Point products should be reconsidered - we found it to be quite expensive to purchase and to maintain (the licenses and the support services need to be prolonged regularly), or create some additional bundles of the software blades with significant discounts in addition to the current Next Generation Threat Prevention & SandBlast (NGTX) and Next Generation Threat Prevention (NGTP) offers."
"It would be nice if there was a platform and small application owners could come and send their own applications' name and IP information from there."
"The initial setup was a bit difficult."
"We would like the product to be a bit more user-friendly in general."
"Most of the business applications stopped working, we don't know why and we have already escalated to the top level but we still haven't gotten any corrective action on this. They always take logs but after that, there is no resolution."
"Something important to mention is the improvement at the support level. It could be more advanced."
"Check Point licenses are somewhat expensive."
"It is expensive."
"I believe there is room for improvement in policies, with the potential to enhance the margins further."
"The control software is currently only available for Windows, which can be a little annoying for Linux users."
"The solution needs to improve the interface. I'm not able to easily find things using it."
"They could expand the amount of applications that are on the list, but it's pretty intensive anyway, so it's pretty good."
"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."
"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 licensing can be a bit expensive."
"The time they take to classify an application once they find that it is unknown can be better."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of Check Point Application Control is high. The support and ecosystem around the solution are expensive."
"The blade has its cost but you can take advantage of the license package to pay less for it."
"I think application control has become a basic feature and it should be enabled automatically, without having to purchase a separate license for it."
"Check Point Application Control is expensive. The tool's licensing costs are yearly."
"It's a bit expensive and it could be cheaper, but it's part of business politics."
"The licensing model for WatchGuard Application Control is based on the number of users. WatchGuard Application Control also has licensing models with several features."
"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."
"Over the years, the costs have increased, especially since I cater to very small businesses."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
21%
Computer Software Company
17%
Construction Company
7%
Manufacturing Company
6%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Check Point Application Control?
It has many important features that have greatly helped the company and the IT department.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Check Point Application Control?
The experience with pricing, setup costs, and licensing for Check Point Application Control was straightforward.
What needs improvement with Check Point Application Control?
Check Point Application Control ( /products/check-point-application-control-reviews ) can be improved by offering more granular levels of control. For example, in WhatsApp, there should be deep-lev...
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.
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

SEB, Luma Arles, Terma, Aerospace, Midwest Rubber
Chester School District, Kensington Close Hotel
Find out what your peers are saying about Check Point Application Control vs. WatchGuard Application Control and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.