Cisco Talos Intelligence is Cisco's primary source of threat intelligence, complemented by Cisco Secure Malware Analytics (formerly Threat Grid) and Cisco Secure Endpoint Intelligence (formerly AMP for Endpoints)

Multi-layered threat intelligence approach, aggregated from propietary and reputable sources and curated by the WatchGuard Threat Lab. 

Snort IPS with extensive rule-based detection and Talos threat feeds.

Signature databases, combining intelligence from security partners (like Bitdefender for GAV) and the WatchGuard Threat Lab (for IPS)

Encrypted Traffic Analytics (ETA): Detects malware in encrypted traffic without decryption.

HTTPS/SSL Inspection: Decrypts, inspect, and re-encrypt HTTPS traffic to detect threats hidden in encrypted sessions.

Cisco ISE integration: Role-based access and dynamic segmentation. Cisco integrates Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) via Duo Security and Cisco ISE.

WatchGuard AuthPoint (Multi-Factor Authentication solution) integrate with various user identity sources, including: AD, LDAP, RADIUS, SAML,...

Cisco Umbrella + Secure Firewall Cloud for cloud-based firewalling & SASE.

Firebox does not offer a full SASE solution but WatchGuard platform includes several SASE elements, but still evolving into a complete, integrated SASE architecture.

SecureX orchestration for security automation & response.

IntelligentAV employs an AI-based engine (leveraging technology like Cylance) for predictive malware detection.

Firewall Management Center (FMC) with SecureX automation.

Centralized policy management through its Firebox System Manager (FSM) and WatchGuard Cloud.

Cisco Secure Client (formerly AnyConnect). Full-featured Secure Client: VPN, posture, Umbrella, Duo MFA, etc.
No native agentless ZTNA; VPN still required for most access.

Local agent is only available through its Endpoint Security solutions.

Uses Cisco Secure Malware Analytics (formerly Threat Grid) for deep file analysis, behavioral detection, and malware classification.

APT Blocker uses a cloud-based sandbox environment (leveraging technology like Lastline/VMware) to detect and analyze unknown or zero-day malware.

Palo Alto, Fortinet, Sophos.

SonicWall, Barracuda Networks, Sophos, Aruba.

WatchGuard emphasizes ease of use and competitive pricing which makes it an ideal solution for SMBs. Scalability might be a concern for very large enterprises compared to high-end Cisco models, some advanced enterprise routing features might be less developed.

WatchGuard is often seen as providing a strong set of features at a competitive price point, offering good value for the investment and making it a compelling choice for small to medium-sized businesses.

Great VPN client that works for PC, Mac, and non-IOS devices as well.

Responsive and helpful technical support as well as detailed and well-written documentation documentation making it easier to understand and configure the firewall.

For the scale and complexity of a large enterprise, the effectiveness of WatchGuard's APT Blocker and DNSWatch in addressing sophisticated threats may be comparatively limited.

Dated Dashboards: Outdated looking dashboards and user interface. Policy management and log analysis often require navigating through multiple windows or using legacy tools like WatchGuard System Manager (WSM).