Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise vs WatchGuard Firebox comparison

Fortra and WatchGuard are both solutions in the Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) category. Fortra is ranked #17 with an average rating of 10.0, while WatchGuard is ranked #4 with an average rating of 7.6. Fortra holds a 1.3% mindshare in ID, compared to WatchGuard’s 8.4% mindshare. Additionally, 87% of Fortra users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of WatchGuard users who would recommend it.

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 5, 2025

Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise and WatchGuard Firebox are competitive in security solutions. Tripwire has an advantage in configuration management and compliance, while WatchGuard has the upper hand in network security features.

Features: Tripwire Enterprise offers configuration control, vulnerability assessment, and integrity management. WatchGuard Firebox provides robust firewall protection, unified threat management, and traffic filtering options.

Room for Improvement: Tripwire Enterprise could improve its setup complexity, support responsiveness, and user interface. WatchGuard Firebox may enhance its URL filtering accuracy, simplify reporting capabilities, and expand third-party integration features.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: WatchGuard Firebox offers an intuitive deployment process with strong customer support, renowned for responsiveness. Tripwire Enterprise's setup is more complex, requiring more time investment and could improve in customer service efficiency.

Pricing and ROI: Tripwire Enterprise is appealing with lower initial setup costs, ideal for budget-conscious buyers. WatchGuard Firebox, despite higher initial costs, provides greater ROI through its comprehensive threat management and expansive feature set.

To learn more, read our detailed Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise vs. WatchGuard Firebox Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise vs. WatchGuard Firebox

September 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

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiGate is 16.6%, down from 19.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise is 1.3%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of WatchGuard Firebox is 8.4%, down from 12.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Fortinet FortiGate	16.6%
WatchGuard Firebox	8.4%
Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise	1.3%
Other	73.7%

Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)

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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reviewer2093205

Senior Cybersecurity Analyst at a energy/utilities company with 1,001-5,000 employees

It has excellent scalability and allows you to execute custom COCR rules, letting you fine-tune agent monitoring

I'm using Tripwire Enterprise version 9.0. In my company, thirty to forty people use Tripwire Enterprise, mainly different types of engineers, governance, risk, compliance, and cybersecurity personnel. I advise people planning to use Tripwire Enterprise to take the training because the solution has a fairly complex interface. You can do a lot of work with it, but it isn't very easy. Tripwire Enterprise is a sophisticated tool. I rate the tool an eight on a scale of one to ten because it does an excellent job of handling the unique challenges of maintaining NERC CIP compliance and monitoring industrial controls.

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ScottEastman

Project Consultant at SEVERN HOSPICE LIMITED

Reduces the risks of sending data where it shouldn't be going

We use the solution to ensure that no data breach, such as credit card details and national insurance numbers, leaves the company. However, we have to allow some information to go through because we send a lot of information to the National Healthcare Service If we don't want specific data sent…

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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

"It's safe and secures my network and applications in some sites."

"The primary feature I appreciate about Fortinet FortiGate is the ease of setup."

"It is a good source for firewall protection."

"The most valuable features are security and vision, and all of the UTM functionality."

"The features that I have found most valuable are that it is good to use, and most importantly, the pricing. The customer especially likes the discount when they trade up or something like that."

"The security features are valuable, particularly the ransomware attack protection features. Fortinet FortiGate provides excellent security against ransomware attacks."

"The most valuable features of Fortinet FortiGate IPS are firewall and filtering."

"The FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall is always updating. For example, if there is a big attack, they fix it in their firmware. They release new firmware with the necessary patches to address the vulnerabilities."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"File monitoring is the most valuable feature of the solution."

"The most valuable feature is the integrity."

"The product supports different platforms."

"The most valuable feature is integrity management. I had some discussions with service providers, and they also agreed."

"What's most valuable in Tripwire Enterprise is the ability to execute custom COCR rules that lets me fine-tune how I monitor Linux and Windows agents."

"Even if you change a single word in Notepad, it will let you know whether it was added, removed, or modified."

"We use Tripwire Enterprise as a tool to test the vulnerability of a network. That is the most valuable feature of the product for us."

"Its reporting features are great. It gives you an in-depth report. Its customization is also great, and it is working fine."

"I like the High Availability features of the newest ones I'm using because they allow a firewall to fail and still be up and running."

"The main reason we went with it was the security protocols. They were more robust on this device."

"Basically, we have received a good return on investment."

"From my experience with their customer service team, I would say that they seem quite knowledgeable and fairly quick to respond."

"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."

"If we don't want specific data sent out, the tool will stop that data based on the policy we have allocated to it. It has reduced the risks of sending data where it shouldn't be. I haven't faced any issues with the tool's integration capabilities."

"We have witnessed an ROI as it has helped with security measures."

"It's pretty simple to understand when you want to do any diagnostics on your network. If you want to go in and see what packages are having trouble getting through, what's being held, stalled, etc., it's very easy to use in that way."

More WatchGuard Firebox pros

Cons

"In our case, the deployment options of FortiGate Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) are not scalable, but in terms of connectivity to other companies, that's exactly what we needed, and that's exactly what it does perfectly, what is needed."

"Some features of Fortinet FortiGate are actually fee enabled that are inconvenient for deploying in production. Other issues relate to isolation with Cisco products and your server."

"From my experience, I see that the datasheets of the Fortinet FortiGate portfolio need to be more accurate because correct sizing is essential. The datasheets should provide clear information when deploying features."

"The setup is pretty complex and not easy to implement."

"Fortinet's support team consists of a huge networking team, because of which there is a delay in response at times."

"Areas that have room for improvement in Fortinet FortiGate include support and GUI enhancement."

"The product does need better support in the cloud environment. It's not exactly cloud-native right now."

"We faced difficulties with the configuration because there are many features we could optimize using Fortinet FortiGate, but our reseller didn't have a good understanding of it. So, we just use it on a basic level, not with the best practice for using FortiGate."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"The deployment with certain systems can be difficult and it needs to be simplified."

"The Windows online integration license needs to be improved."

"It needs more local support from the OEM side. It would be great if this can be improved."

"Cloud monitoring could be better. It would also be better if the company followed a pay-as-you-use model."

"A lot of network devices need a custom integration."

"An area for improvement in Tripwire Enterprise is stability, as my company had stability issues with the last few versions of the solution. Tripwire Enterprise has been a bit buggy."

"The main way that it can be improved is through better reporting."

"The initial setup is complex."

"Sometimes I would like to copy a rule set from one box to another box in a direct way. This is a feature that is not present at the moment in WatchGuard."

"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."

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

"Setup of this solution is complex, it's not plug and play."

"One area for improvement is the limitation in the product portfolio compared to competitors like Fortinet, which offers a broader portfolio including Authentication, VPNs, FortiMail, Sandbox, and Email Security."

"One other shortcoming is that there is no backup for it. We really haven't figured out how we might solve that problem. We may want to put a duplicate in... With WatchGuard, we just have the one box. If that were to fail, we'd probably be really hurting."

"The product can improve in terms of layout to provide easier access and viewing to users, especially for the reports."

"The pricing of WatchGuard Threat Detection and Response could be improved."

More WatchGuard Firebox cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Pricing is lower than Cisco."

"The pricing is justified. It's a little pricey, but what you pay for is what you get."

"The price of Fortinet FortiGate is affordable. Most of our customers are on a three-year license to use the solution. All the features and support are included in the price."

"Fortinet is competitive price-wise."

"The pricing depends on the FortiGate model we are using, ranging from $3,000 to $20,000 US dollars."

"The license for Fortinet FortiGate is affordable in my country."

"Fortinet prices are around $600 for the small 40F model, and for licenses, the simplest option is about $300 for a year. They sell licenses that can last for 1, 2, 3, or 5 years."

"It's very affordable."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"Cloud monitoring could be better. It could also be cheaper. It would be better if the company followed a pay-as-you-use model."

"The licensing depends on the equipment, how many devices and the types of devices."

"Tripwire is more expensive than Netwrix."

"As per my knowledge, the product is more affordable than alternatives."

"I usually tell people that it's really affordable as well, particularly compared to Cisco."

"They license it. When we buy it, we buy it with a three-year license. That's the most cost-effective way to do it. So, if you're going to buy it, then buy it with the three-year licensing."

"The price of WatchGuard is very good."

"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."

"The licensing contract we have is on a three-year basis. There aren't any costs in addition to the standard licensing fees—usually, every three years, we just purchase or renew the same license and we are okay. Every six years, we completely change the firewall, but that's the usual schema. So after three years, we just renew the licenses for another three years, and then after that particular period of time, we just purchase another firewall equivalent to the ones that we currently use."

"The solution is cheap."

"The pricing was in line with everyone else; maybe slightly higher."

More WatchGuard Firebox pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

11%

University

11%

Government

Non Profit

Computer Software Company

14%

Comms Service Provider

11%

Manufacturing Company

Retailer

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	350
Midsize Enterprise	130
Large Enterprise	187

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	5
Large Enterprise	3

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	91
Midsize Enterprise	25
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...

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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...

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 do you like most about Tripwire Enterprise?

The product supports different platforms.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Tripwire Enterprise?

Tripwire is more expensive than Netwrix.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Tripwire Enterprise?

The solution has some limitations in OT, IoT, and AIX. The product must provide whitelisting services.

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 XG vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 17% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 11% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 9% of the time

OPNsense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

SonicWall TZ vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

More Fortinet FortiGate Competitors

Darktrace vs Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise

Compared 24% of the time

Change Tracker Gen7 R2 vs Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise

Compared 23% of the time

Cisco IOS Security vs Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise

Compared 19% of the time

Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall vs Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise

Compared 17% of the time

Trend Micro Deep Discovery vs Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise

Compared 17% of the time

More Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise Competitors

OPNsense vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 7% of the time

SonicWall TZ vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 5% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 5% of the time

Sophos XGS vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 4% of the time

SonicWall NSa vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 4% of the time

More WatchGuard Firebox Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

October 2025

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)

October 2025

Download Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise product report

Buyer's Guide

WatchGuard Firebox

September 2025

Download WatchGuard Firebox product report

Also Known As

No data available

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

Overview

Fortinet FortiGate excels in providing integrated VPN, firewalling, and Unified Threat Management (UTM) with centralized management and high availability. It supports remote access and comprehensive threat protection, making it a preferred choice for securing networks.

Fortinet FortiGate offers a robust security platform with features such as strong intrusion prevention, application control, and web filtering. Its integration with Active Directory and SD-WAN functionality provides scalable solutions for large networks. Users appreciate its ease of use through centralized management interfaces, ensuring robust security with flexible configurations. However, FortiGate could enhance its graphical interface and technical support responsiveness, address firmware bugs and costly licensing, improve logging, integrate better with third-party tools, and strengthen scalability and memory for log storage. Complexity in configuration and the need for intuitive features are noted challenges, and there's a demand for advanced security, zero-trust capabilities, and AI integration.

What are the key features of Fortinet FortiGate?

VPN: Secure remote access and connectivity.
Firewalling: Protects networks from unauthorized access and attacks.
UTM: Offers a comprehensive approach to threat management.
SD-WAN: Optimizes traffic routing for efficient network performance.
Web Filtering: Controls and monitors web access and ensures Internet security.

What benefits or ROI should be considered?

Centralized Management: Simplifies administration and monitoring.
High Availability: Ensures consistent security and network availability.
Scalability: Adapts to the needs of growing networks.
Comprehensive Threat Protection: Provides robust security measures.
Ease of Use: Minimizes the complexity of security management.

Fortinet FortiGate is widely implemented across industries like education, finance, and government. Companies use it for firewall protection, VPN, and SD-WAN capabilities, ensuring secure perimeter and data center security. It facilitates remote access management and traffic routing optimization, offering reliable security and connectivity solutions.

Fortinet

Tripwire Enterprise is a comprehensive security solution trusted for compliance monitoring, file integrity monitoring, security configuration management, and policy enforcement.

Key features include real-time threat detection, audit/compliance reporting, and scalable configuration management.

Users benefit from improved operations, efficiency, and decision-making capabilities, making it valuable for organizations of all sizes.

Fortra

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

1. Aetna 2. Adobe 3. ADP 4. Airbus 5. Amazon 6. American Express 7. Aon 8. ATT 9. Bank of America 10. Barclays 11. Baxter International 12. Bechtel 13. Boeing 14. Cisco Systems 15. CocaCola 16. Comcast 17. Dell 18. ETRADE 19. ExxonMobil 20. Ford Motor Company 21. General Electric 22. General Motors 23. Google 24. JPMorgan Chase 25. Kraft Foods 26. Lockheed Martin 27. McDonald's 28. Merck 29. Microsoft 30. Morgan Stanley 31. Nike 32. Oracle

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

Buyer's Guide

Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise vs. WatchGuard Firebox

September 2025

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