Hillstone I-Series Server Breach Detection System vs WatchGuard Firebox comparison

Hillstone Networks and WatchGuard are both solutions in the Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) category. Hillstone Networks is ranked #26, while WatchGuard is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.0. Hillstone Networks holds a 1.0% mindshare in ID, compared to WatchGuard’s 6.1% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Hillstone Networks users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 94% of WatchGuard users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 9, 2025

Hillstone I-Series Server Breach Detection System and WatchGuard Firebox compete in the cybersecurity market. WatchGuard Firebox has the upper hand due to its robust feature set and comprehensive security solutions.

Features: Hillstone I-Series Server Breach Detection System includes advanced threat detection capabilities, network traffic analysis, and potential breach visibility. WatchGuard Firebox delivers integrated threat management, extensive configuration options, and cloud integration, providing a comprehensive suite for endpoint protection and a broad range of cybersecurity tools.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Hillstone I-Series offers simple deployment and efficient customer service. WatchGuard Firebox provides a flexible deployment model with detailed documentation and extensive global support, ensuring seamless integration into various IT environments for larger deployments.

Pricing and ROI: Hillstone I-Series offers a cost-effective setup with strong ROI potential due to its threat detection features. WatchGuard Firebox has a higher upfront cost, justified by its extensive feature set and long-term value, delivering significant ROI through its comprehensive security capabilities.

To learn more, read our detailed Hillstone I-Series Server Breach Detection System vs. WatchGuard Firebox Report (Updated: February 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Hillstone I-Series Server Breach Detection System vs. WatchGuard Firebox

February 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

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiGate is 13.2%, down from 19.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Hillstone I-Series Server Breach Detection System is 1.0%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of WatchGuard Firebox is 6.1%, down from 11.5% 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	13.2%
WatchGuard Firebox	6.1%
Hillstone I-Series Server Breach Detection System	1.0%
Other	79.7%

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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DAVI TEIXEIRA

Physical Education Professional JR at Unimed

Beneficial AI detection, helpful support, but modern UI needed

The initial setup of the Hillstone I-Series Server Breach Detection System requires a bunch of steps starting with installing the hardware and setting it up. However, most of the setup is done by the vendor. I rate the initial setup of the Hillstone I-Series Server Breach Detection System an eight out of ten. The vendor provides free training in the software provided.

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Pedro Soteras

CEO at ajuntament del Prat

Network protection has improved with stronger VPN connectivity but administration remains complex

Deploying WatchGuard Firebox was quite easy, but we have had some problems regarding the VPN and the administration of the tool and the two firewalls that we have. When comparing WatchGuard Firebox with our previous solution, Palo Alto, we have had some problems in administration because of the tools. I think that they have some aspects in their system that are cloud-provided, but they also have an on-premise solution, which makes this combination good. Although I should say that when compared to Palo Alto, we have taken a step backwards. In general, I would rate WatchGuard Firebox around 6-7; it is a good firewall, but they lack good administration tools. We experience many problems with the performance and administration tools on the web, including several issues with VPNs.

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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

"All of the features of Fortinet FortiGate are useful and the security protection is good."

"It blocks the vulnerabilities that can negatively impact us."

"It has a good UI and overall integration, including FortiGate Manager for controlling all firewalls from a single place."

"I value it's IPS and application control solution."

"The firewall and VPN features are the most valuable in protecting our customers' networks."

"Fortinet FortiGate protects against internet-based threats, both internal and external. It is scalable, stable, easy to use, and easy to install."

"Security solution with a straightforward and quick setup. It's a stable and scalable product."

"The response is very quick and they can visually resolve our problems in a short period."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"The most valuable features of the Hillstone I-Series Server Breach Detection System are the AI detection and monitoring of common threats."

"One or two people can maintain and support the solution. The maintenance is not difficult."

"The GUI is easy and intuitive."

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

"I find this solution very easy to manage. The web manager and Firebox key features are particularly impressive for cloud applications. That's why I often recommend this solution to our clients. It has good threat management capabilities and works against different types of threats."

"The most valuable feature, in my opinion, is the dimension logging platform and the network traffic filtering."

"After conducting several tests I found the antivirus is working very well. Additionally, they have a very interesting feature, DNS WatchGuard, which is checking DNS requests for phishing, among other things, and it has caught a lot of unwanted attempts and attacks."

"The solution simplifies my business. Normally, for administration, we are using NetApp System Manager on Window since it's easy to create new policies. In a short amount of time, you can create new policies based on new requirements. For example, in the last few months, many requirements changed due to the coronavirus, adding the use of new services, like Office 365, and eLearning tools, like Zoom."

"Firebox operates effectively in the background, blocking potential threats without a need for constant monitoring."

"The tool's most valuable feature is the dashboard."

More WatchGuard Firebox pros

Cons

"For Fortinet FortiGate, their code development would definitely be something they need to improve on to reduce vulnerabilities that need to be patched."

"I would like some automated custom reporting."

"It would be ideal if they had some sort of GUI interface for troubleshooting and diagnostics."

"However, one feature that I cannot rely on is the application filter, which requires tedious steps compared to other solutions like Check Point and Palo Alto, where creating the application filter rule is simpler."

"Lacks sufficient security options."

"One of the most important areas for improvement for Fortinet FortiGate is the limited resources for tests."

"Its reporting capabilities can be improved. It should have some out-of-the-box reporting capabilities and some degree of customization. The basic reporting that it currently has is not sufficient to create more usable reports. It needs some sort of out-of-the-box reporting. They try to make customers purchase FortiAnalyzer for this kind of reporting, which is an additional cost. Other firewall vendors, such as SonicWall and Sophos, provide this sort of reporting without any additional cost."

"I would like to see better pricing in the next release, as well as a simplification of the installation."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"The UI dashboard view needs to be improved because it is ugly. If it was more modern it would be better. Additionally, better integration with other databases would be good."

"Hillstone I-Series Server Breach Detection System can improve by having more anti-spam features that will hopefully eliminate all of the other threats."

"I haven’t dug deeply into the reporting features yet or if they are working well. However, I have generated several reports and there was too much unnecessary information, in comparison with the reporting features in the Sophos firewall. Sophos' reporting is more readable and easier to configure."

"In WatchGuard Firebox, the antivirus and malware detection systems are areas with shortcomings that require improvement since they are the most important elements of a cybersecurity tool."

"There could also be better reporting. For example, there should be more out-of-the-box management reports."

"The solution's pricing could be improved."

"Regarding technical support, they could use more engineers."

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

"Multi properties could be added to the solution in the future to make it better."

"I would like to see more simplified management of the firewall... It's a complicated system to use."

More WatchGuard Firebox cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product is a little bit expensive."

"FortiGate SWG is reasonably priced."

"Price-wise, it's at a good price point for our market."

"The price range is quite acceptable and normal."

"The license is too expensive to renew. The license renewal process is also complex."

"Its pricing is fine. It is on a yearly basis. Other than the licensing fee, there is no extra fee."

"The pricing for this solution is good."

"When I look around at other products, such as Sophos, Fortinet FortiGate is 20% to 30% more expensive with our current cost."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"The price of the solution is good. It is less expensive than the other solutions in the market. There are not any additional features or hidden costs."

"Each one, for the primary unit, was $8,600 and the High Availability unit was $2,000. That's with three years of subscription and support and the Total Security Suite."

"Cheap."

"It costs me about $800 a year."

"The solution's most valuable feature is its pricing."

"It's in the medium range. Its price is pretty good considering the functions and add-ons that are used."

"WatchGuard offers competitive pricing with attractive margins, benefiting both the company and its partners."

"I think the tool is quite competitive compared to the other brands."

"I think the larger firewall packages are much better because a normal firewall is not enough for these times. You need IPS, APT, and all the security features of a firewall that you can buy."

More WatchGuard Firebox pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

12%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

No data available

Computer Software Company

11%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Manufacturing Company

Retailer

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	357
Midsize Enterprise	133
Large Enterprise	189

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	93
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...

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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 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 Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 20% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 14% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 5% of the time

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

Palo Alto Networks WildFire vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 2% of the time

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Cisco Secure Network Analytics vs Hillstone I-Series Server Breach Detection System

Compared 31% of the time

Darktrace vs Hillstone I-Series Server Breach Detection System

Compared 22% of the time

Splunk User Behavior Analytics vs Hillstone I-Series Server Breach Detection System

Compared 16% of the time

Ziften Zenith vs Hillstone I-Series Server Breach Detection System

Compared 16% of the time

Veriato User Activity Monitoring (UAM) vs Hillstone I-Series Server Breach Detection System

Compared 15% of the time

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Sophos Firewall vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 7% of the time

OPNsense vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 6% of the time

Sophos UTM vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 4% of the time

SonicWall TZ vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 4% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs WatchGuard Firebox

Compared 3% of the time

More WatchGuard Firebox Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

February 2026

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)

January 2026

Hillstone I-Series Server Breach Detection System report

Download Hillstone I-Series Server Breach Detection System product report

Buyer's Guide

WatchGuard Firebox

January 2026

Download WatchGuard Firebox product report

Also Known As

Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall

Hillstone sBDS

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

The Hillstone Server Breach Detection System (sBDS) adopts multiple threat detection technologies that include both traditional signature-based technology as well as large-scale threat intelligent data modeling and user behavioral analytics modeling, which provides an ideal solution to detect unknown or 0-day threat attacks, to protect high-value, critical servers and their sensitive data from being leaked or stolen. Together with deep threat hunting analysis capabilities and visibility, Hillstone sBDS provides security admins the effective means to detect IOCs (Indicators of Compromise) events, restore the threat attack kill chain and provide extensive visibility into threat intelligence analysis and mitigations.

Hillstone Networks

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

Norbert Wiener University, Regional Government of the Amazon

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

Buyer's Guide

Hillstone I-Series Server Breach Detection System vs. WatchGuard Firebox

February 2026

Free Report: Hillstone I-Series Server Breach Detection System vs. WatchGuard Firebox

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