Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) vs WatchGuard Firebox comparison

Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) vs. WatchGuard Firebox

August 2026

Download the complete report

Helped 907,816 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score

7.0

Users experience ROI from Check Point Cloud Firewall via improved security, cost savings, efficiency, and satisfaction with enhanced management.

Sentiment score

6.1

WatchGuard Firebox delivers reduced incidents, better security, and savings, despite some difficulty quantifying ROI, enhancing productivity and peace of mind.

The value lies in maintaining operational integrity with zero downtime or incidents, facilitating secure, ongoing business operations.

reviewer2647578

Cybersecurity consultant at a comms service provider with 51-200 employees

Implementing CloudGuard has resulted in an excellent return on investment over one hundred percent ROI.

For more quotes and insights, download the Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) report

Android Developer at Droidforge

The unified policy is comprehensive and helps me to create firewall policies that are shared across all our facilities and plants.

Daniel Sander

System engineer at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees

From a security standpoint, preventing even a single major security incident or prolonged outage can represent significant cost savings.

For more quotes and insights, download the WatchGuard Firebox report

Professional Services Engineer at Next7 IT

I do not see any return on investment after WatchGuard Firebox implementation in terms of cost reductions.

Pedro Soteras

CEO at ajuntament del Prat

Reduced incidents and easier management helped lower operational cost.

Alexander Tabacman

Security Engineer at Antina Empleos

Customer Service

Sentiment score

7.2

Check Point Cloud Firewall support is praised for prompt, knowledgeable assistance despite regional disparities and occasional challenges.

Sentiment score

6.5

WatchGuard Firebox support is praised for expertise and responsiveness, with satisfaction noted despite some regional communication challenges.

They usually respond quite fast, and they are very knowledgeable about what they do.

Dimitris Baziotopoulos

Network security engineer at a tech services company with 201-500 employees

We had an endless loop of emails trying to fix this, and the suggestion was to reinstall the gateway and do it from scratch, which was not an option at that point because it would leave that specific location without access.

Andrei Ganciu

System administrator at a consultancy with 201-500 employees

Available twenty-four by seven.

For more quotes and insights, download the Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) report

Android Developer at Droidforge

On a scale of one to 10, I would rate the technical support of the WatchGuard Firebox a 10.

reviewer2698002

Consultant at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

When comparing WatchGuard Firebox with other vendors such as Fortinet, SonicWall, Palo Alto, and Sophos, WatchGuard Firebox performs competitively.

Yevheniy Moyko

Cyber Security Engineer at Underdefense

Most of the time, support engineers are knowledgeable and able to assist effectively with firewall configuration issues, VPN troubleshooting, firmware updates, and security-related concerns.

For more quotes and insights, download the WatchGuard Firebox report

Professional Services Engineer at Next7 IT

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score

7.7

Check Point Cloud Firewall offers scalable, flexible, and reliable security, ideal for enterprises needing seamless defense across virtual and cloud environments.

Sentiment score

6.6

WatchGuard Firebox offers scalable solutions for small to mid-sized businesses, efficiently managing growth with flexible upgrades and configurations.

It is capable of managing the increased load and performs well as our needs expand.

Viral Shaa

IT Security Analyst at Eos Energy Enterprises, Inc.

I can deploy it everywhere I need it.

Christian Riedl

Security & Network Services at a tech company with 201-500 employees

We have transitioned from 1,000 to 500 users without any issue.

Sam Deprettere

Cloud Infrastructure Engineer at delaware BeLux

For more quotes and insights, download the Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) report

Overall, WatchGuard Firebox offers strong scalability for SMBs, MSPs, branch offices, and hybrid environments while keeping deployment and management relatively straightforward.

For more quotes and insights, download the WatchGuard Firebox report

Professional Services Engineer at Next7 IT

The user interface and features compared to newer firewalls are not up to the mark, which includes functionalities such as filtering, web filtering, threat protection, user identity, and UTM features that need improvement.

Syed Pasha

Senior Network Consultant at NETOPS

You can choose different models based on throughput and features, which makes it easy to support growing environments.

Alexander Tabacman

Security Engineer at Antina Empleos

Stability Issues

Sentiment score

8.0

Check Point Cloud Firewall is reliable and stable, performing well despite minor external challenges and requiring regular maintenance.

Sentiment score

8.0

WatchGuard Firebox is praised for stability, minimal downtime, and excellent performance, with prompt resolutions to occasional hardware issues.

I have not observed any downtime.

Mantas Mazeika

Sales manager/ project manager at Atea

For instance, when we are working on a release and do an upgrade, we start experiencing unexpected issues.

Rui-Pereira

Chief Technology Officer at Chief Security Officers

The solution is stable.

David Gippner

Network administrator at Helios IT Service GmbH

For more quotes and insights, download the Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) report

I have just one WatchGuard Firebox unit that is licensed, and I have no bugs on it, so I am happy with that.

Raphael Diacamille

Administrateur Systã¨Mes Et Rã©Seau at Btp Consultants

Once properly configured, the platform handles VPN connectivity, traffic inspection, and security services constantly, even in multi-site environments with remote users.

For more quotes and insights, download the WatchGuard Firebox report

Professional Services Engineer at Next7 IT

There are issues with traffic hitting the firewall, which could indicate performance problems related to throughput.

Syed Pasha

Senior Network Consultant at NETOPS

Room For Improvement

Check Point Cloud Firewall struggles with onboarding, latency, support, and integration, needing simplification and performance improvements for competitiveness.

WatchGuard Firebox needs better analytics, performance, usability, pricing, support, learning resources, and cloud integration compared to high-end competitors.

Scalability could be improved as well; needing to purchase a new license each time I want to add a new interface is not ideal.

Stefan Baumgartner

Security architect at Twinformatics

Better documentation would be welcome.

Dimitris Baziotopoulos

Network security engineer at a tech services company with 201-500 employees

The user interface could be more intuitive, and the initial setup and configuration can be complex, requiring a technical team.

For more quotes and insights, download the Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) report

Android Developer at Droidforge

It gives good visibility and control over the traffic, and the UI makes it easy to manage policies and respond quickly when something comes up.

Salbu Kumar

Manager at Cyvogenix

Some improvements in threat intelligence integrations and SIEM integration as an out-of-the-box context would be beneficial.

Prajwal Chougale

SOC Analyst L2 at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

The cost for renewal after three years is 75% of the hardware cost, which is a significant problem.

Manish Nalawade

Owner at it logic

For more quotes and insights, download the WatchGuard Firebox report

Setup Cost

Enterprise buyers perceive Check Point Cloud Firewall pricing as mixed, with flexible options but potentially high costs for advanced features.

WatchGuard Firebox offers affordable pricing and comprehensive security, appealing to small and mid-sized businesses with flexible licensing.

The pricing and licensing are expensive, costing between seven thousand to eight thousand dollars.

For more quotes and insights, download the Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) report

Android Developer at Droidforge

Check Point is expensive, however, with the features and capabilities, I can justify the cost.

Thanos Constantopoulos

Manager, Managed Security Services at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees

It is the highest in the market.

Daniel Sander

System engineer at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees

When we tried to renew the Palo Alto license, the cost was beyond any reasonable range.

PedroSoteras

Digital Solution Designer at Accenture

Fortinet is more expensive than WatchGuard.

Alexander Tabacman

Security Engineer at Antina Empleos

I find WatchGuard Firebox to be cost-effective.

Maikel Broekx

Chief Technology Officer at Falcon Automation

For more quotes and insights, download the WatchGuard Firebox report

Valuable Features

Check Point Cloud Firewall offers advanced security, scalability, and integration for seamless and secure operations in multi-cloud environments.

WatchGuard Firebox offers robust firewall capabilities, centralized management, and AI-enhanced security, making it ideal for scalable network protection.

One of the most valuable features is the automated threat prevention, which helps us detect and block potential cyberattacks in real-time, minimizing data breaches.

For more quotes and insights, download the Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) report

Android Developer at Droidforge

Centralized management is the feature I like best, resulting in reduced workload and more continuous policy.

Christian Riedl

Security & Network Services at a tech company with 201-500 employees

Network Security provides us with unified security management across hybrid and cloud as well as on-prem.

Thanos Constantopoulos

Manager, Managed Security Services at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees

The Firebox offers valuable features such as network security, URL filtering, UTM features, intrusion prevention and detection, and authentication.

Victor Massey

Solution Architect at Simvicitsolutions

The features of WatchGuard Firebox are most valuable for maintaining network security.

Yevheniy Moyko

Cyber Security Engineer at Underdefense

Some of the best features of WatchGuard Firebox in my experience are its ease of management, strong VPN capabilities, and integrated security services.

For more quotes and insights, download the WatchGuard Firebox report

Professional Services Engineer at Next7 IT

Categories and Ranking

Check Point Cloud Firewall ...

Ranking in Firewalls

8th

Ranking in Unified Threat Management (UTM)

4th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

167

Ranking in other categories

Managed Security Services Providers (MSSP) (1st), Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions (3rd), Cloud and Data Center Security (5th), WAN Edge (3rd)

WatchGuard Firebox

Ranking in Firewalls

12th

Ranking in Unified Threat Management (UTM)

3rd

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

143

Ranking in other categories

Data Loss Prevention (DLP) (9th), Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) (4th), Anti-Malware Tools (7th), Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) (10th), Application Control (4th)

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Firewalls category, the mindshare of Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) is 2.7%, up from 0.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of WatchGuard Firebox is 2.1%, down from 2.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewalls Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security)	2.7%
WatchGuard Firebox	2.1%
Other	95.2%

Firewalls

Featured Reviews

reviewer2875401

Network Engineer at a outsourcing company with 10,001+ employees

Unified security policies have protected our hybrid network with deep, user-based controls

The main limitations of Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) are not in Check Point itself but in the cloud platforms on which it is deployed. Because not all clouds have L2 infrastructure, you cannot build a unified clustering system everywhere. As a result, the problem usually is not with Check Point, but with the cloud. The main problem with Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) is that it uses a separate thick client instead of a browser. A browser-based SmartConsole exists, but it still has a number of limitations, while the thick client, the so-called SmartConsole, often works unstably, freezes, and has to be restarted. I do not recommend using Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) as a VPN hub for site-to-site VPN because it is inconvenient to monitor the state of its tunnels, especially visually. It does not have a convenient snap-in and everything can be checked only via the console, which is very inconvenient. Check Point is not the most universal solution as a device that provides routing and administration capabilities in addition to security. It is an excellent firewall, but it has a number of limitations in terms of routing and in creating VPN sessions, especially in terms of displaying their states.

Read full review

Centralized security management has improved VPN reliability and simplified daily operations

Professional Services Engineer at Next7 IT

WatchGuard Firebox is a strong and reliable platform overall, but there are a few areas where improvements could make the experience even better. One area is the user interface and navigation in some management tools. While the platform is powerful, certain configurations and troubleshooting workflows can feel less intuitive compared to some newer cloud-native firewall platforms. Another point is reporting and log analysis. Although the logging features are very useful, deeper analytics and more customizable reporting dashboards would make security monitoring much more effective. Firmware upgrades and policy synchronization can sometimes require careful planning to avoid security interruptions. Overall, the core security and VPN functionality are very solid, but improving usability, reporting, and automation would make the platform even stronger. One area that could be improved is the learning curve for new administrators. While experienced engineers can work with the platform effectively, some advanced networking and security configurations can be a bit complex for junior technicians. More guided configuration workflows, smarter recommendations, and simplified troubleshooting tools would make onboarding easier. Another improvement would be more flexible reporting customization for executive-level and client-facing reports.

Read full review

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Firewalls solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

907,816 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Construction Company

16%

Outsourcing Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

11%

Outsourcing Company

Construction Company

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	72
Midsize Enterprise	39
Large Enterprise	81

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	104
Midsize Enterprise	30
Large Enterprise	17

Questions from the Community

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

Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) is comparatively conservative in terms of pricing; it is not a very expensive product. If you are a Check Point shop with multiple ...

What needs improvement with Check Point CloudGuard Network Security?

Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) is definitely lagging behind its peers. I am not sure what the reason is. Compared to Palo Alto, they are not there in terms of cap...

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

Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) is a cloud-native application protection platform and a suite of multiple products. We primarily use it for our hybrid multi-cloud ...

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 our employees.

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.

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

Comparisons

Compared 7% of the time

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

Compared 6% of the time

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

Compared 6% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security)

Compared 5% of the time

Palo Alto Networks VM-Series vs Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security)

Compared 4% of the time

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

Fortinet FortiGate vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 7% of the time

OPNsense vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 4% of the time

Sophos Firewall vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 4% of the time

SentinelOne Singularity Endpoint vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 3% of the time

Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 3% of the time

More WatchGuard Firebox Competitors

Product Reports

Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security)

August 2026

Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) report

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

Download WatchGuard Firebox product report

WatchGuard Firebox

July 2026

Also Known As

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

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

Overview

Check Point Cloud Firewall delivers advanced threat prevention and administration ease with centralized management of hybrid clouds. It offers seamless cloud platform integration, maintaining consistent security policies and enhancing efficiency.

Check Point Cloud Firewall is designed for comprehensive cloud security, ensuring perimeter protection, traffic inspection, and threat prevention. It is often used for safeguarding workloads and applications in public cloud settings like AWS and Azure. The firewall effectively controls both east-west and north-south traffic and supports hybrid cloud setups. Utilizing features like VPN, IPS, and URL filtering, it secures environments across multiple platforms, helping manage compliance effectively while addressing latency, API integration, and onboarding challenges.

What are the key features?

Advanced Threat Prevention: Defends against cyber threats across hybrid clouds.
Auto-Scaling: Automatically adjusts resources to meet demand.
Unified Security Management: Centralizes management for consistent security.
REST API Automation: Enables seamless integration with existing workflows.
Robust VPN Capabilities: Ensures secure data transmission across networks.

What benefits to expect in reviews?

Ease of Administration: Simplified management processes across environments.
Operational Efficiency: Enhances productivity by reducing risk and complexity.
Consistent Security Policies: Maintains a uniform security posture between clouds.
User-Friendly Interface: Streamlines user interactions and task completion.

Check Point Cloud Firewall sees frequent use in sectors needing robust perimeter protection, such as finance and healthcare, where compliance is critical. Its capabilities suit businesses utilizing public cloud infrastructures, managing complex hybrid models, or requiring strong VPN services and traffic control.

Check Point Software Technologies

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

Physicians Choice Laboratory Services, Helvetica Insurance

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