N-able EDR vs WatchGuard Firebox comparison

N-able and WatchGuard are both solutions in the Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) category. N-able is ranked #48 with an average rating of 7.5, while WatchGuard is ranked #20 with an average rating of 7.6. Additionally, 100% of N-able 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

WatchGuard Firebox and N-able EDR offer robust cybersecurity solutions. WatchGuard Firebox has advantages in pricing and support, while N-able EDR's advanced threat detection features make it a worthwhile investment.

Features: WatchGuard Firebox offers comprehensive firewall protection, VPN capabilities, and robust network security. N-able EDR provides advanced threat detection, effective threat mitigation tools, and strong endpoint security features.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: WatchGuard Firebox is known for its straightforward deployment and responsive customer service. N-able EDR, while offering a more complex deployment, delivers highly detailed customer support aimed at businesses needing robust endpoint security.

Pricing and ROI: WatchGuard Firebox is viewed as cost-effective with a quick return on investment, catering to network security-focused businesses. N-able EDR may have higher initial setup costs but provides significant ROI through its enhanced threat mitigation capabilities, making its security features worth the expense.

To learn more, read our detailed N-able EDR vs. WatchGuard Firebox Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

N-able EDR 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

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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Yazan Albaw

Customer Success Director at We Cybers

N-able EDR SentinelOne delivers advanced endpoint protection through real-time threat detection, automated response, and comprehensive visibility to safeguard against cyber threats.

N-able EDR SentinelOne is renowned for its exceptional detection and protection capabilities, ranked number one by Gartner and MITRE ATT&CK. It offers robust defense against various threats, including malware, fileless attacks, phishing, and insider threats. The solution excels in identifying suspicious behavior and promptly notifying engineers of potential threats. A key feature is its auto-response capability. You can configure automatic responses to threats, which significantly reduces the time and effort required to manage incidents. Enhanced by machine learning, these automated responses are both efficient and adaptive. Additionally, N-able EDR integrates seamlessly with RMM (Remote Monitoring and Management), allowing us to monitor EDR performance, detect failures, and oversee network performance from a single, unified dashboard. This integration streamlines management and enhances overall efficiency.

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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

"Fortinet FortiGate is one of the most solid and secure firewalls as long as you keep it up to date. The price is right; it's not very expensive."

"It's very easy to set up, it's very easy to make policies and, for an organization, that means you don't need IT expert in firewalls. You just need to have somebody who knows a little bit of IT, and that's it. With other products, you need someone with a "Masters" degree in firewalls."

"I find the ease of configuring specific policies to be the most valuable feature of the Fortinet FortiGate firewall."

"It is a stable solution compared to other vendors."

"The email protection and VPN features are the most valuable."

"Our security improved from being able to put in rules and close off unwanted traffic."

"The SD-WAN is the most valuable feature."

"Using this product makes the VPN seamless and almost invisible to me in the sense that I don't have to think about it."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"The most valuable feature, which I can describe as the '360 vision' of the inventory device, provides a complete view of all the devices."

"We have been using this solution for quite some time, and the AI functionality is quite advanced; we are able to provide insights on different aspects and read the reports easily."

"It provides visibility and a storyline to track the virus or malware's activities, showing infected processes and changes made."

"The most valuable features are the rollback feature, it's important for us. The AI models and are good."

"The most valuable feature, which I can describe as the '360 vision' of the inventory device, provides a complete view of all the devices."

"WatchGuard Firebox offers a satisfying VM and hardware"

"The solution has a useful traffic monitor."

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

"The most valuable features include the ability to raise alarms when there are issues, easier configuration compared to other vendors, centralized update management, and keeping the product updated efficiently."

"The solution is very easy to use."

"The VPN and the filtering features are the most valuable. Its VPN is very strong, and its services are very nice. The main problem in India is the service. There are not enough Check Point and Fortinet Firewall services, but for this product, the service is very good."

"The most valuable features of the WatchGuard Firebox are all the security and updated features. You are able to configure the solution from the cloud platform and the application and web interface are very nice."

"[A] valuable feature would be the branch office. We have five offices throughout the United States, and it coordinates the connections of those offices."

More WatchGuard Firebox pros

Cons

"Performance and technical support are the main issues with this solution."

"The main area needing improvement is the user-friendliness of FortiGate's integration with other Fortinet tools like FortiAuthenticator and VPN services."

"Fortinet could improve the windows opener or the virtual IP solutions for opening windows. The virtual IP settings need improvement as firewalls are trending in new development directions."

"The central management for the FortiGate Fortinet Firewall needs improvement. They have the manager to do the essential management for both SD-WAN and for the security policy. They should also improve the SD-WAN function."

"With the addition of some features, it is possible that FortiGate can be used in all verticals."

"To the best of my knowledge, Fortinet does not have a CASB solution and Fortinet does not have a Zero trust solution."

"I need user-behavior analytics, to find threat scenarios from inside the organization, insider attacks. That would be very helpful for us. In addition, I would like next-generation features for small and medium businesses. These businesses require UTM, all in one product. Fortinet must include it."

"They have recently acquired a CNAP solution which should be integrated into FortiGate boxes natively for protection at any application layer. Since Fortinet FortiGate has Layer 7 protection, they should integrate that as soon as they can for threat detection and network detection."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"I would like to see them add support for both Android and iOS smartphones."

"With pricing, they can improve by bundling their pricing because sometimes billing comes in a very long process."

"I would rate the scalability as seven out of ten. The capability is useful. Concerning the license, if I add one more device without a license, it will automatically subscribe to a license. I do not appreciate that."

"We have a lot of false positives we see in the dashboard. I think this is the only problem we are facing."

"Concerning the license, if I add one more device without a license, it will automatically subscribe to a license. I do not appreciate that."

"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 software base, the management piece that goes onto a server, is not as user-friendly as I would like. There are three different pieces that you have to manage, so it's a little bit convoluted, in my opinion."

"I would like to see the devices made more flexible by adding modules to increase the ports that we can use."

"We bought Firebox four or five years ago, and with the first version I had to reboot it every two or three months for no apparent reason. We upgraded last year to the M370 and it's been running, but it is rebooting from time to time. I don't know why."

"The interface is not the best."

"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."

"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."

"There is room for improvement on the education side, regarding what does what, rather than just throwing it at a person and assuming they know everything about it. A lot of times, you have to call WatchGuard support to get the solution that will work, rather than their just having it published so that you can fix the problem on your own."

More WatchGuard Firebox cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is a cost-effective solution that meets the user's needs."

"Fortinet bundles FortiGate with other products and because of this, the price is a little expensive to some SMB enterprises."

"The license is yearly. We pay for the top end. It's called 360."

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

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

"If you compare Fortinet FortiGate with Sophos and other firewall products available in the market, this solution is affordable."

"Fortinet is competitive price-wise."

"Work through partners for the best pricing."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"The pricing is average."

"The solution is a bit more expensive than other options."

"I would rate the pricing at seven out of ten. As for the licensing costs, we typically have yearly licenses for our clients, but there are no additional costs beyond the standard licensing fees."

"We are utilizing an MSP licensing model and are content with the minimal amount spent on the devices rather than committing to long-term licensing."

"I buy a three-year renewal on the main device, which is usually around $3,000 to $4,000. They usually upgrade the device when I do it. You get a big discount when you do three years."

"The price of WatchGuard is very good."

"WatchGuard had a very competitive price. It was only 10 to 20 percent more than a single instance device but with that extra cost it provided a second load balancing device... unlike other brands whose method of hardware and software licensing would have doubled our cost."

"The pricing of WatchGuard is probably a little higher than the SonicWall, but it makes up for it in dependability. It's worth it to me, especially since it's not much higher. For just a little bit higher price you get the dependability of the firewall with the WatchGuard brand."

"They have an annual subscription license. Initially, we had opted for three years. After that, we went for another three years, and after that, we have been doing it yearly. They also have a license for five years."

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

16%

Comms Service Provider

12%

Healthcare Company

10%

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

No data available

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...

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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 needs improvement with N-able EDR?

With pricing, they can improve by bundling their pricing because sometimes billing comes in a very long process. If t...

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What is your primary use case for N-able EDR?

We are using N-able EDR, but I think Sophos makes sense because of the environment we operate in. The localization an...

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What advice do you have for others considering N-able EDR?

I am more focused on operations and procurement. The decision to use this solution was made before I joined the compa...

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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 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

CrowdStrike Falcon vs N-able EDR

Compared 24% of the time

SentinelOne Singularity Complete vs N-able EDR

Compared 24% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs N-able EDR

Compared 13% of the time

Huntress Managed EDR vs N-able EDR

Compared 12% of the time

Check Point Harmony Endpoint vs N-able EDR

Compared 10% of the time

More N-able EDR 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

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

January 2025

Download N-able EDR 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

N-able EDR effectively safeguards against cybersecurity threats like malware and ransomware. With AI-driven capabilities and seamless integration with remote monitoring tools, it offers advanced protection and management for servers and workstations.

N-able EDR, known for its advanced defense mechanisms, utilizes AI and machine learning to enhance threat detection beyond traditional antivirus capabilities. It provides comprehensive visibility with its '360 vision,' integrating smoothly with remote management for unified performance monitoring. While it excels in protecting Windows environments, users seek improvements in mobile support and billing practices. A focus on enhancing licensing efficiency and reducing false positives could further enhance its usability. Ranked highly by Gartner and MITRE ATT&CK, N-able EDR remains a favored choice among users for its effective threat management and detailed reporting functionalities.

What are the key features of N-able EDR?

Rollback feature: Helps revert devices to previous states after an attack.
AI models: Improve threat detection using sophisticated algorithms.
Exceptional detection and protection: Offers robust defense against multiple threat vectors.
Auto-response capability: Uses machine learning for efficient incident management.
'360 vision': Provides complete visibility of device inventories.

What benefits and ROI should users consider?

Comprehensive security: Enhanced detection surpassing traditional antivirus.
Efficient monitoring: Unified device management through RMM integration.
Insightful reporting: Advanced reports provide critical security insights.
Inventory management: Full device oversight with '360 vision'.

In sectors reliant on Windows-based systems, N-able EDR is deployed as a primary antivirus solution. Its advanced AI and reporting features allow businesses to efficiently manage threat landscapes. However, while it secures servers and workstations, industries requiring mobile device support may find its current capabilities insufficient, prompting requests for broader platform integration.

N-able

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

Buyer's Guide

N-able EDR vs. WatchGuard Firebox

September 2025

Free Report: N-able EDR vs. WatchGuard Firebox

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