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Check Point CloudGuard Network Security vs SMX 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 CloudGuard Netw...
Ranking in Managed Security Services Providers (MSSP)
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
154
Ranking in other categories
Firewalls (8th), Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions (5th), Cloud and Data Center Security (4th), WAN Edge (3rd), Unified Threat Management (UTM) (3rd)
SMX
Ranking in Managed Security Services Providers (MSSP)
21st
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
8.5
Number of Reviews
1
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Managed Security Services Providers (MSSP) category, the mindshare of Check Point CloudGuard Network Security is 1.4%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SMX is 0.6%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Managed Security Services Providers (MSSP) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Check Point CloudGuard Network Security1.4%
SMX0.6%
Other98.0%
Managed Security Services Providers (MSSP)
 

Featured Reviews

Martin Raška - PeerSpot reviewer
Unification of security features strengthens network protection
The overall network security is good. It's big-picture, all in one bundle. It's valuable to have everything in one place instead of spreading across different products. Unified security management positively affects a company's security operations. They have one unified view of the security. I can connect multiple gateways to the management and have it in one place. I can have reporting and views in a single pane of glass on the consolidated platform. It's easy to use. The management is the best on the market. It's very easy to work with, read, understand, and navigate. It helps increase our customer's security posture. We can see in some cases CloudGuard improves our customers' posture overall.
AD
Real-time data access enhances compliance and contract coordination
There is room for improvement in enhancing AI capabilities for threat detection, especially in tracking different locations. It would be ideal to develop more in terms of databases for cross-checking performance across various locations. Additional improvements could be made in post-hacking capabilities, KPIs, specific APIs, and data structures for a product manager.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"We get good insights into security, and we are more secure because we have more insights than we would get from other products."
"We have very good visibility or granularity regarding security."
"It's a high-performance device. The network performance is also really good. We check how much time it takes for the servers. Our network performance has increased since using this solution."
"The tool's deployment is rapid. Its dashboard is also useful. It's easy to deploy both on-premises and in Azure. In an office with VMware running, deployment is a simple process. Similarly, in Azure, deployment is easy and scalable. Adding more CPUs is a straightforward task – just shut it down, modify the security, and restart. This ease of use translates into cost and resource savings, and faster deployment times."
"Its centralized control, ease of use, and flexibility are the most valuable for our data center security."
"The product gives analytic reports."
"It gives us all-encompassing security and overview. Previously, we did not have any kind of overview of what was happening with the network."
"The solution helps protect network security by offering threat prevention, addressing vulnerabilities, and utilizing blades."
"Its automation capabilities are beneficial for checking compliance with suppliers and vendors internationally during logistical transitions."
 

Cons

"The initial setup is complex and could be made simpler."
"While Check Point does offer some VWAN offerings, they appear to be more static and less tailored to cloud-native environments compared to Palo Alto's dynamic and flexible approach."
"Improvement is needed in the deployment models. Currently, I have deployed VMs and installed CloudGuard as if they were gateways. Having some as-a-service models would be great."
"Lacks the ability to integrate with other security solutions."
"Pricing in Jamaica is a major issue, with users often citing it as a reason for not using Check Point."
"CloudGuard Network Security needs to include new features. One specific feature I would like to see is the ability to protect external resources using single sign-on integration with various identity providers, including custom identity providers. Its pricing could also be cheaper."
"Easier optimization techniques can definitely help with better performance of the OS, as using the vanilla software doesn't actually showcase the real capability of the software."
"What I would like for future updates would be faster updates to apply, and perhaps a greater presence in the local language for the regions of Latin America."
"There is room for improvement in enhancing AI capabilities for threat detection, especially in tracking different locations."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I like the flexibility because I am pretty sure you can use the same license on Azure or AWS. I forgot the name of the license, but there is a specific type you can use that lets you interchange them, and that is pretty good. I like that."
"Although I don't have specifics for pricing, based on my overall experience, I can conclude that Check Point provides the best pricing when comparing to other vendors."
"CloudGuard Network Security's pricing is fine."
"The pricing and licensing have been good. We just had to do a license increase for our portion of it. We had that done within a couple of days. Given the fact that it's purely a software-based license, it ends up being even quicker than doing it for an on-prem firewall."
"It is an expensive product, but when you realize that you need it, it does not feel so expensive. We have had a good experience with them as partners. They have helped us with designing and having good architecture and the best equipment at the best prices. We find it a good deal."
"On average, it is normally on the lower end, being less expensive than Palo Alto or Cisco."
"Licensing is simply by the number of hosts that you are looking to protect within your environment. It makes it much easier to ensure that you are covering your environment."
"We have a pretty good partnership with Check Point. We have a global subscription and agreement. They give us a pretty good corporate discount."
Information not available
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
22%
Performing Arts
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Manufacturing Company
7%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business60
Midsize Enterprise38
Large Enterprise75
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Check Point CloudGuard Network Security?
The tool's most valuable feature is its management console.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Check Point CloudGuard Network Security?
My experience with the pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Check Point CloudGuard Network Security is that it was good.
What needs improvement with Check Point CloudGuard Network Security?
I think Check Point CloudGuard Network Security is an ideal product, so I see no improvements needed. If I had to think of one area where it could be improved or made easier, I would say that suppo...
What needs improvement with SMX?
There is room for improvement in enhancing AI capabilities for threat detection, especially in tracking different locations. It would be ideal to develop more in terms of databases for cross-checki...
What is your primary use case for SMX?
I use the solution for projecting deals regarding the decarbonization of high-value clients. Additionally, we are involved in managing and processing data in various contexts.
What advice do you have for others considering SMX?
I would recommend SMX because the information is available in real-time for different functions, significantly reducing the need to search for data. On a scale of one to ten, I rate SMX an eight ou...
 

Also Known As

CloudGuard IaaS, Check Point vSEC, CloudGuard IaaS, Check Point Virtual Systems, Check Point CloudGuard Network Security
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Physicians Choice Laboratory Services, Helvetica Insurance
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Secureworks, Check Point Software Technologies, Ace Cloud Hosting and others in Managed Security Services Providers (MSSP). Updated: January 2025.
870,701 professionals have used our research since 2012.