# WatchGuard Firebox alternatives: what AI models name instead, October 2026

IT AI Recommendation Index, October 2026 Edition. 209 of the 252 answers in the 1 category where WatchGuard Firebox holds a standing named it neither first nor as an alternative; these are the first choices those answers made. Page: https://it-ai-index.com/vendors/watchguard-firebox/alternatives/

## Named instead, most often (every category and segment added)

- Fortinet FortiGate: 88
- Palo Alto Networks NGFW: 40
- Palo Alto Networks PA-Series: 8
- Sophos Firewall: 6
- Check Point Quantum: 5
- Cisco Secure Firewall: 3

## Next-generation firewalls

**Small business**: 51 of 84 answers did not name WatchGuard Firebox (WatchGuard Firebox is #3 of 8 at 12%).

- Fortinet FortiGate: first choice in 26 of those 51
- Sophos Firewall: first choice in 4 of those 51
- Cisco Meraki MX: first choice in 2 of those 51
- Cisco Meraki: first choice in 1 of those 51
- Firewalla: first choice in 1 of those 51
- FortiGate 90G: first choice in 1 of those 51
- FortiGate-VM NGFW: first choice in 1 of those 51
- Fortinet FortiGate 40F or 60F: first choice in 1 of those 51

**Mid-market**: 76 of 84 answers did not name WatchGuard Firebox (WatchGuard Firebox is #7 of 8 at 0%).

- Fortinet FortiGate: first choice in 39 of those 76
- Palo Alto Networks NGFW: first choice in 10 of those 76
- Check Point Quantum: first choice in 3 of those 76
- Palo Alto Networks PA-Series: first choice in 3 of those 76
- Sophos Firewall: first choice in 2 of those 76
- Cisco Secure Firewall: first choice in 1 of those 76
- FortiGate 50G: first choice in 1 of those 76
- FortiGate VM: first choice in 1 of those 76

**Enterprise**: 82 of 84 answers did not name WatchGuard Firebox.

- Palo Alto Networks NGFW: first choice in 30 of those 82
- Fortinet FortiGate: first choice in 23 of those 82
- Palo Alto Networks PA-Series: first choice in 5 of those 82
- Palo Alto Networks VM-Series: first choice in 3 of those 82
- Check Point Quantum: first choice in 2 of those 82
- Cisco Secure Firewall: first choice in 2 of those 82
- FortiGate: first choice in 1 of those 82
- FortiGate-VM NGFW: first choice in 1 of those 82

Published under CC BY 4.0. The output is the models' output; nothing here is a recommendation by the index.