F-Secure Total vs WatchGuard Firebox comparison

F-Secure and WatchGuard are both solutions in the Anti-Malware Tools category. F-Secure is ranked #13 with an average rating of 9.0, while WatchGuard is ranked #12 with an average rating of 7.6. Additionally, 100% of F-Secure users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of WatchGuard users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 5, 2025

WatchGuard Firebox and F-Secure Total compete in the cybersecurity sector. WatchGuard Firebox appears to have the upper hand in terms of cost-effectiveness and flexibility, but F-Secure Total justifies its higher cost with robust security features.

Features: WatchGuard Firebox offers comprehensive security measures with advanced threat detection, network control, and versatile configurations suited for varied network environments. F-Secure Total provides extensive protection across devices and networks, with a focus on malware protection and privacy tools, emphasizing a holistic approach to security.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: WatchGuard Firebox supports both on-premises and cloud setups, known for efficient customer service offering quick issue resolution. F-Secure Total ensures a user-friendly installation process, highlighting remote management capabilities, though its customer service may experience delays during peak times.

Pricing and ROI: WatchGuard Firebox has a pricing model recognized for its good long-term value, with relatively low initial setup costs. F-Secure Total is seen as premium-priced, delivering high ROI through robust protection features, making the initial expense worthwhile for many.

To learn more, read our detailed Anti-Malware Tools Report (Updated: January 2025).

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Anti-Malware Tools

January 2025

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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

Vasu Gala

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.

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Mauro Spinazzè

Computer Scientist at Comune di Eraclea

Easy to setup and stable solution

It's a good product for us. The reports and notifications are very good for us. There is room for improvement in pricing. In future releases, I would like to see improvements in EDR protection. So, the only thing that I would like to see in the future is EDR protection and a lower price for…

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Rajesh Makwana

Regional Pre-Sales Engineer at Roundrobin Tech

Efficient bandwidth management and secure network access with a strong firewall

The primary use case of the Firebox mainly revolves around bandwidth management, unnecessary web blocking, application control, and protection against brute force attacks. It is also implemented for load balancing, SD-WAN, and branch-to-branch connectivity from one location to another. We also use…

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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

"Fortinet FortiGate's reliability is valuable."

"Allows for firewall rules to be programmed and named in a way that makes it “readable”"

"The security fabric is excellent."

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

"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. If you get your reporting set up correctly when you initially set it up, you just select the one you want and hit print. The auditing trail on it is the best feature."

"The most valuable features are the possibility of having one fabric for switching on security."

"Fortinet has a very good solution for Secure SD-WAN. One very good feature is that they have robust and simple FortiOS through which they provide all solutions. That's their strength. There's not much complexity involved with the Secure SD-WAN solution of Fortinet as compared to Cisco's solution, which has a lot of flexibility but complexity also comes with that flexibility."

"The main benefit is the grouping of our security monitoring."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"It's a good product for us. The reports and notifications are very good for us."

"It has everything we need in terms of functionality."

"I haven't a problem with anti-virus stability using WatchGuard for over two years."

"Their support is excellent, and the stability is very good."

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

"This product offers great protection using the default settings."

"We have received a good return on investment."

"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 throughput is great. It's perfect. We have no issues whatsoever. The management features are very powerful..."

More WatchGuard Firebox pros

Cons

"A lack of integration between our data centers."

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

"Some configuration elements cannot be easily altered once created."

"The inability to scale the FortiAnalyzer to match our growth necessitates the purchase of new hardware."

"Fortinet FortiGate has started implementing AI, however, it hasn't reached full maturity."

"I would like to see a more intuitive dashboard."

"I'm not sure if it's something that they already have or are developing something, however, we need some dedicated features for container security."

"Bandwidth usage in reporting could be improved for Fortinet FortiGate."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"I would like to see in the future is EDR protection and a lower price for F-Secure Total."

"The solution can improve by adding a feature to tag a MAC address of a computer system in the policy and more IP configuration settings."

"WatchGuard Data Loss Prevention catches so little. When I've implemented it, it just can't look at the traffic in a thorough enough manner to capture as much as it should. And I find that I'm disenchanted with all data loss protection solutions I've tested and looked at."

"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."

"This solution needs the option to add an external hard drive."

"It's very hard to get information from their website, for exactly what I need to do. Sometimes I end up having to open a lot of support tickets... It's a navigational issue which makes it hard to find what I'm looking for and it's just so broad."

"When working with WatchGuard, specifically in configuring Panda Security on the portal for the first time, it was challenging for me."

"The reporting isn't so good. If they worked to improve this aspect of the solution, it would be much stronger."

"Due to their lack of investment in marketing, channel development, and certifications, WatchGuard faces challenges in gaining visibility and market share, especially in regions like Pakistan."

More WatchGuard Firebox cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Fortinet has one or two license types, and the VPN numbers are only limited by the hardware chassis make."

"The pricing is flexible."

"The value is the capability of having multiple services with one unique license, not having the limitation per user licensing schema, like other vendors."

"Fortinet costs are 25% lower than the high-cost provider. There is an equipment cost and a recurring monthly cost for licenses and technical support."

"I would say that all things considered, the pricing is pretty good."

"The pricing is fair."

"Setup cost may be not so low, as you expect, because it depends on different factors, but TCO for 5 years may pleasantly surprise you."

"As far as I'm aware, in our case, it's just a yearly pricing arrangement with no additional licensing costs."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"We can easily scale and improve security, but the cost is high for us."

"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."

"Over the years, the costs have increased, especially since I cater to very small businesses."

"We pay about $3,500 every three years."

"The cost three years ago was about $800."

"It costs me about $800 a year."

"The price is very good."

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

More WatchGuard Firebox pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

26%

Computer Software Company

20%

Non Profit

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

14%

Comms Service Provider

11%

Retailer

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

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...

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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...

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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 ...

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What do you like most about F-Secure Total?

It's a good product for us. The reports and notifications are very good for us.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for F-Secure Total?

The product is expensive for us. We pay a little fee for the vendor data systems in some cases.

See all answers

What needs improvement with F-Secure Total?

There is room for improvement in pricing. In future releases, I would like to see improvements in EDR protection. So,...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for WatchGuard Firebox?

We are providing our services to all WatchGuard customers in the region.

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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...

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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 XG vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 20% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 12% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 11% of the time

Meraki MX vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 5% of the time

OPNsense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

More Fortinet FortiGate Competitors

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs F-Secure Total

Compared 37% of the time

Avast One vs F-Secure Total

Compared 10% of the time

ESET PROTECT Enterprise vs F-Secure Total

Compared 8% of the time

AVG Internet Security Business Edition vs F-Secure Total

Compared 7% of the time

TotalAV Total Security vs F-Secure Total

Compared 7% of the time

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OPNsense vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 6% of the time

SonicWall TZ vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 5% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 5% of the time

Sophos XG vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 5% of the time

Sophos UTM vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 4% of the time

More WatchGuard Firebox Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

August 2025

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Anti-Malware Tools

January 2025

Download F-Secure Total product report

Buyer's Guide

WatchGuard Firebox

July 2025

Download WatchGuard Firebox product report

Also Known As

FortiGate 60b, FortiGate 60c, FortiGate 80c, FortiGate 50b, FortiGate 200b, FortiGate 110c, FortiGate, Fortinet Firewall

F-Secure Elements for Microsoft 365

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

Overview

Fortinet FortiGate offers comprehensive network security and firewall protection across multiple locations. It effectively manages data traffic and secures environments with features like VPN, intrusion prevention, and UTM controls.

Organizations rely on Fortinet FortiGate for its robust integration with advanced security policies, ensuring significant protection for enterprises, cloud environments, and educational sectors. It facilitates network segmentation, application-level security, and authentication management, securing communication within and between locations such as branches and data centers. Its efficient SD-WAN and UTM features enable streamlined data management and enhanced threat protection capabilities. Users appreciate its centralized management, facilitating seamless operations across diverse environments.

What are the key features of Fortinet FortiGate?

VPN Capabilities: Ensure secure remote access for users and seamless site-to-site connections.
Intrusion Prevention System (IPS): Detect and prevent security threats and vulnerabilities.
Advanced Firewall: Offers robust firewalling with application control and web filtering.
SD-WAN: Optimizes application performance and enhances bandwidth management.
SSL VPN: Provides reliable and secure access for remote workers.

What benefits should users expect from Fortinet FortiGate?

High-performance Security: Delivers effective threat mitigation with high availability.
Centralized Management: Simplifies network operations with cloud-based management tools.
Detailed Analytics: Provides comprehensive insights into network activity and security threats.
Load Balancing: Ensures optimal resource distribution and traffic management.

Fortinet FortiGate is crucial in sectors like education, offering robust networks for secure data flow between campuses and facilitating remote learning. In enterprise environments, it allows efficient management of application traffic and security across multiple branches, while in the cloud, it seamlessly integrates with diverse platforms to enhance security infrastructure.

Fortinet

Total peace of mind online Our lives are filled with digital moments. F‑Secure Total makes securing those moments brilliantly simple.

F-Secure

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

Information Not Available

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

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