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Sophos Web Content Filtering vs. WatchGuard Network Security

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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Sophos Web Content Filtering

    Score8.9 out of 10
    N/AUK headquartered Sophos offers web content filtering.N/A

    WatchGuard Network Security

    Score8.8 out of 10
    N/AWatchGuard Network Security is a network security and firewall software. WatchGuard includes secure Wi-Fi, multi-factor authentication, and network intelligence products and services designed for SMB’s.N/A
    Pricing
    Sophos Web Content FilteringWatchGuard Network Security
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    Support
    Contact sales team
    Contact sales team
    Basic Security
    Contact sales team
    Contact sales team
    Total Security
    Contact sales team
    Contact sales team
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Sophos Web Content FilteringWatchGuard Network Security
    Free Trial
    NoNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional Details——
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Sophos Web Content FilteringWatchGuard Network Security
    Considered Both Products
    Sophos
    Chose Sophos Web Content Filtering
    Sophos competes well with other content filtering products. It's categorization is on par if not better than the competition. What stands out most for me is it's ability to integrate seamlessly with the Sophos XG and XDR and Endpoint solutions. Like most network security …
    Incentivized
    WatchGuard Technologies
    Chose WatchGuard Network Security
    It's not bad, it's got exceptional. It's an excellent option in the small business market. Less so as the company grows larger and the complexity and requirements increase. It's an ok product without any huge glaring weaknesses. That said, there are better products and …
    Incentivized
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    100%
    Would buy again
    6 Answers
    96%
    Would buy again
    423 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    5 Answers
    96%
    Delivers good value for the price
    407 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    100%
    Happy with the feature set
    6 Answers
    98%
    Happy with the feature set
    432 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    No answers on this topic
    95%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    362 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    No answers on this topic
    97%
    Implementation went as expected
    401 Answers
    Features
    Sophos Web Content FilteringWatchGuard Network Security
    Firewall
    Comparison of Firewall features of Sophos Web Content Filtering and WatchGuard Network Security
    Feature
    Sophos Web Content Filtering
    -
    Ratings
    WatchGuard Network Security
    8.1
    537 Ratings
    6% below category average
    Identification Technologies00 Ratings8.4493 Ratings
    Visualization Tools00 Ratings6.9485 Ratings
    Content Inspection00 Ratings8.3517 Ratings
    Policy-based Controls00 Ratings8.9533 Ratings
    Active Directory and LDAP00 Ratings8.7448 Ratings
    Firewall Management Console00 Ratings8.6524 Ratings
    Reporting and Logging00 Ratings6.8521 Ratings
    VPN00 Ratings8.8514 Ratings
    High Availability00 Ratings8.2467 Ratings
    Stateful Inspection00 Ratings8.0479 Ratings
    Proxy Server00 Ratings7.8344 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    Sophos Web Content FilteringWatchGuard Network Security
    Small Businesses
    No answers on this topic
    SonicWall NSA Series
    Score8.3 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    No answers on this topic
    Barracuda CloudGen Firewall
    Score9.6 out of 10
    Enterprises
    No answers on this topic
    Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software
    Score9 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Sophos Web Content FilteringWatchGuard Network Security
    Likelihood to Recommend
    9.0
    (7 ratings)
    8.7
    (555 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.0
    (45 ratings)
    Usability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    7.9
    (123 ratings)
    Availability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.9
    (7 ratings)
    Performance
    -
    (0 ratings)
    7.5
    (7 ratings)
    Support Rating
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.4
    (32 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    7.3
    (5 ratings)
    Online Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.2
    (3 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.1
    (269 ratings)
    Configurability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.6
    (6 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    -
    (0 ratings)
    6.8
    (5 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.8
    (7 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.1
    (5 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.3
    (5 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Sophos Web Content FilteringWatchGuard Network Security
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Sophos
    Before Sophos, I would receive scammers regarding tradeshow lists. People wanted me to pay for lists, but these people weren't actually from the tradeshows. I can now block those, and have received much fewer of those scams. I am also able to open emails within quarantine to view them before deleting, releasing, allowing, or blocking. I use this to my advantage, and am able to make better decisions on what to do with the emails.
    Incentivized
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    WatchGuard Technologies
    It's well suited for businesses that want better features than a standard router, but are willing to pay the extra price for the product and someone to configure, set up and maintain the router. It's probably less desirable for home users or very small home offices or unqualified network users.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Sophos
    • Sophos does an excellent job of category-based content filtering. It's easy to configure and flexible for many environments with the ability to tighten or loosen restrictions as requirements determing.
    • Sophos' built-in capabilites can force safe search rules to protect against content work-arounds like Image search and search engines in general.
    • The Sophos XTreme architecture also helps improve the overall performance of the Web Content Filtering solution. It is very quick and very transparent when in use on the network.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    WatchGuard Technologies
    • Incoming Torrent attempts were blocked, but outgoing (by a user) were permitted. Similarly, other direct attempts were summarily blocked.
    • provides full administrative support for analysis of usage and scope.
    • strong Wi-Fi support and security - area wi-fi maps
    • They think of all the things secure and I don't have to worry about it.
    • I have not identified anything else that needs improvement - I am well satisfied.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Sophos
    • It only allows UTF-8 encoded characters.
    • It does not support metadata.
    • It does not support comments in the custom filter file.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    WatchGuard Technologies
    • Better integration with VoIP services, such as templates for policies handling traffic for Bria or Asterisk endponts and servers.
    • Get webblocker to work without breaking secure websites.
    • Lower cost on endpoint agents for antivirus and include application control and webblocker with the agents.
    • Make the cost per endpoint with TDR and Netowrk access control lower than the cost of Antivirus licensing that is not integrated.
    • Make it easier to set up network access control and VLAN assignment by device, perhaps with templates.
    • Get webblocker and application control working with QUIC.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Sophos
    No answers on this topic
    WatchGuard Technologies
    We have been renewing and purchasing new equipment for the last 20 years. This is because the equipment is easy to use and manage and also quite affordable. Compared to other products, Watchguard just works and has not had the issues with device security seen in other products. They have been a reliable partner.
    Incentivized
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    Usability
    Sophos
    No answers on this topic
    WatchGuard Technologies
    Although it might take some time to figure out, we have been able to use WatchGuard's online reference library and tech support to create/implement/modify all of our filtering rules and exceptions needed. There really has not been a shortcoming other than perhaps a learning curve.
    Incentivized
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    Reliability and Availability
    Sophos
    No answers on this topic
    WatchGuard Technologies
    Availability has always been a strong point of this product, it is rare that watchguard does not have a solution for customers' network monitoring needs.
    Incentivized
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    Performance
    Sophos
    No answers on this topic
    WatchGuard Technologies
    The performance of WatchGuard Network Security is very good, in the years that we have used the solution we have only had a single error and Watchguard itself was able to solve it. Furthermore, when purchasing any product, the partner always evaluates the capacity of the solution to recommend the most appropriate product for our needs.
    Incentivized
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    Support Rating
    Sophos
    No answers on this topic
    WatchGuard Technologies
    We have only had to contact them once during the initial set up to help bring the internet back on line. After that for the most part our systems have been automated, and could easily be checked form their online FAQ and Knowledge base that they provide. Everything else is easily handled from their browser based interface
    Incentivized
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    In-Person Training
    Sophos
    No answers on this topic
    WatchGuard Technologies
    We participate to a in person training and the three days of learning was really useful and complete to gain skill to solve the major part of the problem we encounter during our life. And more the in person training give us the opportunity to create a network with other WatchGuard partner.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Online Training
    Sophos
    No answers on this topic
    WatchGuard Technologies
    Online training is good for learning how to use the product. It does not teach security strategy because that is not its intent.
    Incentivized
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    Implementation Rating
    Sophos
    No answers on this topic
    WatchGuard Technologies
    WatchGuard Network Security offers varied methods of implementation. Their devices are very easy to set up manually, and for a more automated setup where many devices need to be deployed, they have different offerings like RapidDeploy (prepopulate a config for a specific device in the portal), registering the device's serial number to manage it through cloud services on first boot (including the option to populate a USB stick with basic interface setup if required) and the ability to run your own Management Server and register to be deployed serial numbers, so the device connects to your own hosted management server on first boot.
    Incentivized
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    Alternatives Considered
    Sophos
    Sophos has been a much easier product to configure and eventually manage, with preset rules and policies to start off right out of the box, saving administrators time from adding every category and or site. However you can add/import all know good company sites (internal url's) as well as local sites for a safer settings. (know sites)
    Incentivized
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    WatchGuard Technologies
    I was not involved with the decision making for WatchGuard versus another product. However, I know WatchGuard is significantly less expensive than other brands. My overall preference would be Ubiquiti due to their continuous improvement of the product with tons of great features. I know WatchGuard is making great advances, but the progress seems slower in comparison.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Scalability
    Sophos
    No answers on this topic
    WatchGuard Technologies
    This product is very scalable since previously everything related to Watchguard was on premises but that has now changed with the inclusion of watchguard cloud. Now the product has evolved to have full control of firewalls at the cloud level.
    Incentivized
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    Return on Investment
    Sophos
    • Super positive impact, the Sandstorming Add On, it increases protection at it's maximum level (for new or existent/variant threats).
    • Customers often have the need of a system capable of report everything that the network is being handed, Sophos Web Content Filtering achieves this.
    • The ROI is very fast since top management quickly see results on filtering and reporting of what is really going on within their networks.
    Incentivized
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    WatchGuard Technologies
    • We are blocking about 90% of malicious traffic coming into our network.
    • Our firewall allows us to setup a secondary WAN interface for redundancy.
    • We can isolate issues and determine whether traffic is being dropped outside our network or on the LAN.
    Incentivized
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    ScreenShots

    WatchGuard Network Security Screenshots

    Screenshot of WatchGuard Cloud Customizable DashboardScreenshot of Threat Monitoring SummaryScreenshot of Device Security SummaryScreenshot of Automated ReportingScreenshot of User Authentication SummaryScreenshot of Endpoint Protection Summary