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VMware Carbon Black App Control vs WatchGuard Application Control comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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

VMware Carbon Black App Con...
Ranking in Application Control
2nd
Average Rating
9.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
8
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
WatchGuard Application Control
Ranking in Application Control
8th
Average Rating
8.6
Number of Reviews
9
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Application Control category, the mindshare of VMware Carbon Black App Control is 22.1%, down from 33.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of WatchGuard Application Control is 2.6%, down from 3.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Application Control
 

Featured Reviews

AM
We can isolate problem machines and limit their access
We use App Control to scan the network for virtual machines that have unauthorized applications. We can isolate the problem VMs and control application access.  More than two years. I rate Carbon Black App Control 10 out of 10 for stability. I rate App Control six out of 10 for scalability.…
ScottEastman - PeerSpot reviewer
Reliable with good blocking capabilities for enhanced security
We like the blocking capabilities on offer. I like the brand, and I know the product really well, which is what keeps me using it. I have a good knowledge of the solution. It is stable and reliable. The solution can scale well. Technical support has been helpful. We have witnessed an ROI as it has helped with security measures.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"If any malicious activity, like VAT viruses, anything RNE, ZOD malware, or something similar, comes in we know that unless we approve it, it's going to be blocked."
"The visibility is valuable."
"All the functions within VMware Carbon Black App Control are valuable."
"We use App Control to scan the network for virtual machines that have unauthorized applications. We can isolate the problem VMs and control application access."
"The API integration is good."
"The visibility, reporting, and the ability to stop or prevent malicious or undesired applications from being installed are the most valuable features."
"The effectiveness of application whitelisting is very good."
"I use the console to check for threats and I find it to be very user-friendly."
"The most valuable feature is the category control."
"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 solution is very stable. We've never had any problems with stability. Once a year we do a reboot just as a precaution. The solution never stops running otherwise."
"I found several features valuable in WatchGuard Application Control such as the HTTP Proxy, DNSWatch, VPN, and HTTPS Content Inspection."
"Centralization is a crucial feature for me as it allows me to have all sites and customers accessible under a single click, not limited to just one."
"Zero-trust and threat-hunting services are most valuable."
"We have witnessed an ROI as it has helped with security measures."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is traffic management."
 

Cons

"I would like to see the addition of some more features that are in other, similar solutions."
"I rate App Control six out of 10 for scalability."
"Its setup is very complex, and it requires guidance from the support team, but it is well worth the effort."
"The solution should have overhead in keeping lists of applications that you want don't want to run."
"The initial setup is somewhat complex."
"Carbon Black does not use the database for identifying the file, the fields, or malware."
"The reporting is not good and needs to be improved."
"Another issue is that even sometimes if you approve, for example, Adobe as a publisher, you say any product or anything that's from Adobe has to run. It generally runs, but especially in a large environment and with a lot of users, sometimes, due to some certification validation issues or some other issue, it might stop the process from running. Genuine processes like Adobe and Chrome can get blocked. so that needs to be improved."
"What could be improved in WatchGuard Application Control is its price. It could be cheaper. You always want the best price for any solution, but for security products, pricing is usually on the higher side."
"They could expand the amount of applications that are on the list, but it's pretty intensive anyway, so it's pretty good."
"The control software is currently only available for Windows, which can be a little annoying for Linux users."
"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."
"The solution needs to improve the interface. I'm not able to easily find things using it."
"I believe there is room for improvement in policies, with the potential to enhance the margins further."
"The licensing can be a bit expensive."
"The time they take to classify an application once they find that it is unknown can be better."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We pay a fee for support, which is renewed annually."
"The pricing for this product is competitive and our customers who told us that often, Carbon Back is the cheaper solution."
"Its price is reasonable and what is expected for these types of products."
"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."
"Over the years, the costs have increased, especially since I cater to very small businesses."
"The licensing model for WatchGuard Application Control is based on the number of users. WatchGuard Application Control also has licensing models with several features."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
23%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Computer Software Company
9%
Government
7%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

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What do you like most about WatchGuard Application Control?
Centralization is a crucial feature for me as it allows me to have all sites and customers accessible under a single click, not limited to just one.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for WatchGuard Application Control?
Over the years, the costs have increased, especially since I cater to very small businesses. While they comprehend the necessity of investing in network protection, these features have become relat...
What needs improvement with WatchGuard Application Control?
I believe there is room for improvement in policies, with the potential to enhance the margins further.
 

Also Known As

CB Protection, Carbon Black CB Protection
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Kaas Tailored, Core-Mark, Indeed, Hologic, Landmark Credit Union, Project Worldwide
Chester School District, Kensington Close Hotel
Find out what your peers are saying about VMware Carbon Black App Control vs. WatchGuard Application Control and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
859,129 professionals have used our research since 2012.