Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus vs WatchGuard Firebox comparison

LevelBlue and WatchGuard are both solutions in the Anti-Malware Tools category. LevelBlue is ranked #24 with an average rating of 9.0, while WatchGuard is ranked #7 with an average rating of 8.1. Additionally, 100% of LevelBlue users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 94% of WatchGuard users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 15, 2026

WatchGuard Firebox and Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus are competing products in the network security domain. While users appreciate the pricing and support of WatchGuard Firebox, Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus has the upper hand due to its advanced features, making it worth the cost.

Features: WatchGuard Firebox offers robust security with high-throughput firewall capabilities, comprehensive VPN support, and extensive network visibility with its layered security services and ease of integration. Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus focuses on behavior-based threat detection, AI-driven analytics, and real-time response, offering powerful endpoint protection.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: WatchGuard Firebox provides on-premise deployment with straightforward setup and strong technical support, suitable for varied network environments. Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus offers cloud-based deployment with rapid implementation and proactive customer service, providing flexibility for remote and distributed workforces.

Pricing and ROI: WatchGuard Firebox is perceived as cost-effective, with clear pricing structures and substantial ROI due to its bundled security services. Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus, while more expensive, justifies the cost with advanced threat detection and protection capabilities, leading to potentially higher ROI over time.

To learn more, read our detailed Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus vs. WatchGuard Firebox Report (Updated: April 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus vs. WatchGuard Firebox

April 2026

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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

Abhinandan Yadav

Network Security Engineer at Arrow PC Network Pvt Ltd

Unified security and sd-wan have improved uptime and cut wan costs for multi-site branches

Users report stability issues in certain versions, which requires regular updates. Real-world attacks have also highlighted the need for urgent patching of vulnerabilities.Fortinet FortiGate, while a powerful and feature-rich web firewall, could improve in areas like firmware stability, documentation, and ease of use. The learning curve can be steep for some users. For beginners, support quality can vary, and frequent updates with occasional vulnerabilities call for careful patch management. However, once Fortinet FortiGate is configured, it remains highly reliable and efficient. Customer support needs improvement, as I find it very slow, with reports from other users reflecting that customer support is inadequate.

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Peter Nowak

Business Development Manager for Cybereason at Bechtle

Cross-platform capability enhances security integration

The single agent, combined with the EDR system, delivers additional information and data for the EDR. Regarding the use cases, or maybe it fits better into another question about the motivation of the customers, I can see two approaches. The first approach is where the customer has an existing EDR system running, and their contract comes to an end. They are looking to either prolong it, renew it, continue with the current system, or look for something cheaper or better. When they reevaluate the contract, it's a sales approach to suggest that for a similar amount of money, not very much more, they can get something much better. It's not only a plain EDR or plain antivirus system - it's antivirus plus EDR. The difference in price is not much. Especially for the antivirus, the cross-platform capability is significant, as it's for Windows and Linux workstations and servers. Having one system for all platforms is essential. This has helped in two ways. The majority of customers want one thing for all, however, some customers definitely want two systems, servers separated from workstations. I have a big data center for banks, and they separate Windows Servers from Linux Servers. It is important for them to have two different systems. By providing this multi-operating system capability, I have engaged with customers via the Linux servers because the Windows servers are handled differently, so they were looking for a second different system, which opened the door for us.

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Abhishek Saini

Professional Services Engineer at Nex7 IT

Centralized security management has improved VPN reliability and simplified daily operations

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.

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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

"The price of Fortinet FortiGate is better than Cisco, Check Point, and Palo Alto."

"We use a southern institution that's audited for IT security and the reporting that automatically comes off the unit makes it much easier to meet compliance standards and makes it easier as far as the amount of time that has to be spent to compile that information."

"We have been able to offer several services to customers in a single box."

"Better visibility into traffic patterns Lightening fast troubleshooting and reduced management complexity overall."

"The SD-WAN feature of Fortinet FortiGate has been most impactful in maintaining our network's integrity."

"We have peace of mind; we do work in a very dangerous environment, the internet, and this device gives us alerts and the opportunity to know what is going on."

"The product is easy to implement, easy to manage, and easy to develop and grow."

"We never had any issues or problems related to stability."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"I would rate the overall product as an eight out of ten."

"The tool's detection range works fine. Its most valuable features are its ease of employment and lightweightness. It's not heavy on resources. We focus on malware and ransomware detection."

"Especially for the antivirus, the cross-platform capability is significant, as it's for Windows and Linux workstations and servers."

"The solution's most valuable feature is its AI detection algorithm part, which helps and is Cybereason's way of detecting the unknown, not just the signature-based threats."

"WatchGuard Firebox is very scalable; we're using it in a redundant system with two stacked together, it has good redundancy and is good for failover, and our whole company of approximately 100 users is using the solution."

"The set up of the VPN is pretty straightforward. Being able to build VPNs on the fly for certain users, if need be, is also valuable."

"Intrusion Prevention is my primary focus so that's what I find most useful. The why is straightforward: It's to prevent intrusion."

"The set up was quite straightforward and we handled it in-house. It took a few hours to deploy the product."

"Efficient to setup, run, and maintain, saving man hours and cost in the process."

"The most valuable feature is the ease of use of the interface."

"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."

"The features that I have found most valuable are the FireWall features. The management side of WatchGuard is quite easy because it supports two ways to manage it - by the web and the other one they call WatchGuard systems manager. I used to be familiar with WSM only, but they improved their GUI in the web browser and now it is much easier to do it within the web browser."

More WatchGuard Firebox pros

Cons

"Deploying FortiGate is hard."

"The most important feature to have is zero trust, which is lacking in Fortinet FortiGate IPS."

"Reporting is limited to providing an external appliance for improving the reporting capabilities of the FortiAnalyzer. It does not offer a central management and is also sold separably as an appliance."

"When we cluster the two Fortinet FortiGate boxes together we have some issues."

"The solution could have licensing fees reduced in the future."

"Small models (up to FG-90) are build on SoC (System on a Chip), so they need to be mounted in places with enough airflow and right temperature, otherwise they could hang, slow down traffic processing, but more often you just can't log in to the device's web-interface (reboot won't help you until it cools down)."

"The support we receive when we need to upgrade is not satisfactory and has room for improvement."

"In my case, the 101F is not scalable. I faced problems with scalability related to memory. When we hit 100% memory usage, it stops the internet connection, so we need to control the traffic. We cannot increase the memory."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"I have been told several times that the stability of the sensor, not the back end, is an issue."

"Integrating other tools is sometimes an issue when using Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus."

"I have been told several times that the stability of the sensor, not the back end, is an issue."

"Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus is not available in the local language, which can be inconvenient."

"There is room for improvement in the threat protection, data packet inspection, and performance of the solution. Generally, it's just a lower-end product. It does the job but doesn't do it very well."

"The way Secure Sign-On authentication is happening needs to be improved. When the Secure Sign-On portal is turned on, anybody who comes into the campus, whether he or she is a staff member or a guest, has to go past the initial portal. One of the shortcomings is the username. It shouldn't allow permutations or combinations with upper or lower cases. For example, when there is a username abc, it shouldn't allow ABC or Abc. It should not allow the same username, but currently, two separate people can go in. Therefore, its authentication or validation should be improved, and the case sensitiveness should be picked up. If I have restricted someone to two devices, they shouldn't be able to use different combinations of the same username and get into the third or fourth device. It shouldn't allow different combinations of alphabets to be used to log in."

"Once you start getting into proxy actions and setting up: "Okay, cool. Once this rule gets triggered, what actions have to happen?" I do know a few people who use WatchGuard and they still have to get assistance when they look at that. So I would file that as a con for WatchGuard. Proxy actions can be a little bit complicated."

"Reporting is something you've got to set up separately. It's not great. It's okay."

"They could expand the amount of applications that are on the list, but it's pretty intensive anyway, so it's pretty good."

"The data loss protection works well, but it could be easier to configure."

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

"The software in it could be a bit more friendly for an amateur user. I look at it and don't understand what half the stuff is. Looking at the interface, it is all mumbo-jumbo to me. It's not a simple interface. You have to be an IT guy to understand it. It is not for your average person to use, then walk away from it. It is much more entailed."

More WatchGuard Firebox cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Fortinet FortiGate is expensive."

"We are currently evaluating a Palo Alto solution, and the pricing could be a reason for going for Palo Alto."

"I rate the product's pricing a seven out of ten. The additional cost depends on the extra feature requirements."

"While Fortinet FortiGate has a higher price point compared to Sophos XG, its user-friendly interface justifies the cost."

"Fortinet's pricing is more straightforward than other solutions. If Fortinet doesn't stick out when you're searching for a solution, you are a glutton for punishment. You only need to know two things when purchasing a Fortinet solution: your total bandwidth and bandwidth at the site. You need to estimate the future bandwidth with other solutions if your customer plans to upgrade."

"It's expensive, but compared to the competition it's okay."

"The solution is very expensive so pricing is rated a one out of ten."

"The price range is quite acceptable and normal."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"I rate the solution's pricing a four out of ten. Its pricing is justified."

"I rate the solution's pricing a seven on a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive."

"The price is very good."

"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."

"The price of WatchGuard Intrusion Prevention Service is pretty reasonable compared to similar solutions."

"Firebox is priced reasonably."

"I think we might be subscribed to one or two of the premium features."

"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."

"WatchGuard Firebox has good quality, but it is expensive."

"It is an entry-level product, so the price is cheap."

More WatchGuard Firebox pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Performing Arts

13%

Construction Company

Computer Software Company

Healthcare Company

Comms Service Provider

12%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	367
Midsize Enterprise	135
Large Enterprise	193

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	99
Midsize Enterprise	28
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...

See all answers

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...

See all answers

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 ...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus?

I rate the solution's pricing a four out of ten. Its pricing is justified.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus?

I have been told several times that the stability of the sensor, not the back end, is an issue. After certain updates...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus?

My use case involves providing endpoint security. When I introduce the EDR system, in many cases, it replaces the cur...

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 18% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 13% of the time

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 5% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 3% of the time

Palo Alto Networks WildFire vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 2% of the time

More Fortinet FortiGate Competitors

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus

Compared 27% of the time

Avira Antivirus vs Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus

Compared 27% of the time

Check Point Harmony Endpoint vs Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus

Compared 23% of the time

ESET PROTECT Enterprise vs Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus

Compared 13% of the time

Check Point Harmony SASE (formerly Perimeter 81) vs Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus

Compared 10% of the time

More Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus Competitors

OPNsense vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 5% of the time

Sophos Firewall vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 4% of the time

Sophos UTM vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 3% of the time

SentinelOne Singularity Endpoint vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 3% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 3% of the time

More WatchGuard Firebox Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

May 2026

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Anti-Malware Tools

May 2026

Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus report

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Buyer's Guide

WatchGuard Firebox

April 2026

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Also Known As

Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall

Cybereason NGAV

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

Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus offers advanced threat detection and response capabilities, safeguarding systems from sophisticated cyber threats through AI-driven technology.

Focused on enhancing digital security, Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus combines machine learning algorithms with deep detection to proactively defend against malware, ransomware, and other cyber threats. It ensures real-time protection and efficient incident response, tailored for tech-savvy users.

What are the key features of Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus?

AI-Driven Threat Detection: Utilizes artificial intelligence to identify and mitigate potential threats.
Ransomware Protection: Provides robust defense mechanisms to thwart ransomware attacks effectively.
Behavioral Analysis: Monitors and assesses unusual behavioral patterns to preemptively stop breaches.
Automated Remediation: Streamlines the process of responding to threats by automating mitigation steps.
Threat Hunting Tools: Offers sophisticated utilities for active tracking and neutralization of threats.

What benefits should you consider in reviews?

Improved Security Posture: Enhances overall protection against modern cyber threats.
Cost Efficiency: Reduces potential expenses related to breaches and data loss recovery.
Scalability: Supports growth by easily accommodating varying levels of security needs.
User Empowerment: Equips IT teams with advanced tools to manage cybersecurity risks.
Reduced Downtime: Minimizes interruptions by swiftly addressing and resolving threats.

Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus is implemented across several industries requiring robust cybersecurity measures. In finance, it protects sensitive client data from cyber attacks. In healthcare, it complies with stringent regulations while ensuring patient information security. Additionally, in retail, it helps mitigate risks associated with high-volume data transactions.

LevelBlue

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

CONNECTICUT WATER, BEAM SUNTORY, CADWALADER, WICKERSHAM & TAFT, RTI Surgical, HOSPITAL REVENUE CYCLE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, MCBEE ASSOCIATES, FORTUNE 500 BANK

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

Buyer's Guide

Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus vs. WatchGuard Firebox

April 2026

Free Report: Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus vs. WatchGuard Firebox

Find out what your peers are saying about Cybereason Next-Generation Antivirus vs. WatchGuard Firebox and other solutions. Updated: April 2026.

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