Zenarmor vs WatchGuard: an honest WatchGuard alternative for 2026

Short answer: WatchGuard is a strong choice if you want a straightforward Firebox appliance per site, managed in WatchGuard Cloud with one security suite per device. Zenarmor is the better WatchGuard alternative if you want to avoid hardware lock-in, run hybrid teams and several sites, want protection to follow each user through agents and ZTNA, and prefer to keep your reporting in the Netherlands, Germany or entirely on-premises.

To be fair: for a single office without remote workers, a Firebox with the Total Security Suite is often as cheap or cheaper at list price. The maths changes for hybrid and multi-site organisations, at hardware refresh time, and once you factor in the partner discount via Secrotec. Secrotec is the official Zenarmor partner in the Netherlands and an independent ISO 27001 Lead Auditor. Below we compare both solutions objectively, with sources, and show when each one makes sense.

Zenarmor vs WatchGuard at a glance

The table summarises the key differences. WatchGuard information is based on WatchGuard's public documentation (checked October 2026). Prices are indicative, excluding VAT and subject to change; reseller prices vary.

Criterion	Zenarmor (via Secrotec)	WatchGuard Firebox
Architecture	Software on OPNsense, pfSense CE, FreeBSD, Ubuntu, Debian, Docker and more; on any suitable x86 hardware or VM (Proxmox, Hyper-V, VMware)	Fireware OS on Firebox appliances (T and M Series); virtual as FireboxV and Firebox Cloud (AWS/Azure)
Licensing model	Per user per month; one licence covers 2 actively used devices; first site included, extra sites $50/month	Per appliance and per model: Standard Support, Basic, Prime or Total Security Suite
Application control	5,000+ applications, dynamically updated app database	Application Control (from Basic Security Suite)
Web filtering	300+ million websites in 120+ categories; Safe Search and YouTube Restricted Mode enforcement	WebBlocker (from Basic), DNSWatch (from Prime)
TLS inspection	Lightweight (certificate-based) or full (decrypt/re-encrypt), 80+ predefined bypasses; included in Unified Secure Plus, add-on for Unified Secure	HTTPS-proxy with content inspection (decrypt/re-encrypt); performance depends on the model
Threat intelligence	Cloud threat intelligence, Essential and Advanced security categories, IPS, DNS deep inspection, real-time anti-phishing	IPS, Gateway AntiVirus, botnet detection; APT Blocker (Prime+); IntelligentAV and ThreatSync XDR (Total)
ZTNA / remote users	Endpoint agents (Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS), mesh VPN, device posture checks	VPN and Access Portal included; FireCloud Gateway as a zero-trust access gateway
SSE / CASB	Zenarmor SSE: cloud access rules per action (upload, download, share, delete); no content-aware DLP (roadmap)	Prime: Shadow AI detection of generative AI apps; further cloud security via FireCloud
Central management	Zenconsole: multi-tenant cloud portal, policy import and backup, audit trail, REST API	WatchGuard Cloud: multi-tenant management, strong for MSPs
Reporting & data residency	Local (Elasticsearch/SQLite), streaming to SIEM/syslog, or cloud reporting with region choice incl. the Netherlands and Germany	WatchGuard Cloud: logs 45 days (Basic), 90 (Prime), 365 (Total); reports 1, 7 or 30 days
High availability	Gateway HA (OPNsense, from Business / Unified Secure)	FireCluster (model-dependent)
When the licence expires	The OPNsense firewall, routing and VPN are open source and not tied to a subscription; paid Zenarmor features lapse	Subscription services stop; WebBlocker policies deny all websites by default; firewall, VPN and logging keep working
Hardware lock-in	No: licensed per user, free choice of hardware and hypervisor	Yes: the suite belongs to a specific Firebox model
SD-WAN	Multi-WAN failover and load balancing via OPNsense; Zenarmor SD-WAN in development (roadmap)	Built-in SD-WAN (already in Standard Support)
Indicative price	Unified Secure from $5.00 per user/month (min. 10); Unified Secure Plus from $9.00	Firebox T145 ≈ €427 (RRP excl. VAT) + Total Security Suite 1 year ≈ €1,174 incl. VAT

WatchGuard sources: security services, subscription expiration, WatchGuard Cloud retention, product lines (all checked October 2026). Zenarmor sources: plans and pricing, supported platforms, roadmap.

Features: where are the real differences?

Application control and web filtering

Both solutions are mature here. WatchGuard provides Application Control and WebBlocker from the Basic Security Suite upwards. Zenarmor recognises more than 5,000 applications and classifies over 300 million websites in more than 120 categories. The practical difference is granularity: in Zenarmor you tie policies to an interface, VLAN, device category, user or group (Entra ID, Google Workspace, Okta, SAML 2.0) and to a time schedule. Policies are easy to read in an audit, which matters more than most buyers expect.

TLS inspection

Both the Firebox (through its HTTPS-proxy with content inspection) and Zenarmor can decrypt and inspect encrypted traffic. Zenarmor additionally offers a lightweight, certificate-based mode for situations where full decryption is not desirable, for example for privacy reasons or agreements with a works council. With WatchGuard, the Firebox model determines how much TLS traffic you can inspect; with Zenarmor you simply choose more powerful hardware without buying a new licence.

Protection outside the office

This is the biggest architectural difference. A Firebox protects the traffic that passes through the box. Remote workers either connect back through VPN (backhaul) or you add separate WatchGuard cloud or zero-trust services. Zenarmor uses endpoint agents that enforce the same policy on laptops and phones wherever the user is, plus an encrypted mesh network with device posture checks. Unified Secure Plus includes two agents per user, so smartphones and tablets are covered too.

Threat protection: where WatchGuard is broader

The Total Security Suite covers more than gateway security: sandboxing (APT Blocker), IntelligentAV, EDR Core and ThreatSync XDR. Zenarmor is a network and SSE layer, not an EDR. If you choose Zenarmor, you combine it with your existing endpoint protection, for example Microsoft Defender. For many organisations that is welcome: no duplicate endpoint licences.

Management: WatchGuard Cloud versus Zenconsole

WatchGuard Cloud is a mature, multi-tenant management platform that many MSPs appreciate. Zenarmor's Zenconsole offers a comparable cloud portal: one policy for several sites or customers, policy import and backup, an audit trail and, since version 2.7, organisation features with LDAP groups. The main difference lies in the data:

• Region choice: since version 2.7, Zenarmor cloud reporting can be hosted in the Netherlands or Germany, or you keep reporting entirely local.
• Your own SIEM: logs can be streamed to your own Elasticsearch, syslog or SIEM with your own retention period.
• Retention, compared fairly: the Total Security Suite keeps logs for 365 days in WatchGuard Cloud; Zenarmor's cloud retention is 15 or 30 days in the Unified plans. For longer retention, Zenarmor customers use local storage or their SIEM, which auditors often prefer because you control integrity yourself.

WatchGuard Total Security Suite: price and content

WatchGuard licenses per Firebox model in four tiers. Standard Support covers firewall, VPN, built-in SD-WAN and Access Portal. Basic Security Suite adds IPS, Application Control, WebBlocker, spamBlocker, Gateway AntiVirus, geolocation blocking, botnet detection and WatchGuard Cloud. Prime Security Suite adds APT Blocker, DNSWatch and Shadow AI. Total Security Suite adds IntelligentAV, ThreatSync XDR, EDR Core and extended retention.

Indicative prices (October 2026): the Total Security Suite for a Firebox T145 costs around €1,174 per year including 19% German VAT at a German reseller (≈ €987 excluding VAT); the appliance itself is ≈ €427 (RRP excl. VAT). A larger model means a more expensive suite, because the licence is tied to the model.

3-year TCO: two honest worked examples

Assumptions: public list prices, excluding VAT, without partner discount. Zenarmor is priced in USD, the WatchGuard examples in EUR. These are worked examples, not quotes.

Example 1: around 25 users, one office, little remote work

Cost item (3 years)	WatchGuard	Zenarmor
Hardware	Firebox T145 ≈ €427 (RRP excl. VAT)	Reuse an existing x86 server or VM (€0) or Deciso DEC740 €978
Security licence	Total Security Suite 3 × ≈ €987 = ≈ €2,961	Unified Secure: 25 × $5 × 36 = $4,500; with Zenarmor's 3-year prepay reduction of 25% = $3,375
TLS inspection	Part of the HTTPS-proxy	Add-on $3/user/month, or choose Unified Secure Plus
Platform	-	Optional OPNsense Business Edition €149/year
Indicative total	≈ €3,388	≈ $3,375 (reuse, without TLS add-on) up to ≈ $6,075 with Unified Secure Plus (25 × $9 × 36, minus 25%) plus hardware

Conclusion: for a single office without remote workers, WatchGuard is as cheap or cheaper at list price. Zenarmor only wins here if you reuse existing hardware, want to keep your licence through a hardware refresh, or count the partner discount.

Example 2: around 100 users, three sites, hybrid working

Cost item (3 years)	WatchGuard	Zenarmor
Gateways	Three Fireboxes (e.g. an M Series at head office and two T Series), each with its own suite; per T145 ≈ €3,388 (see example 1), M Series higher	Reuse, or Deciso DEC850 €1,648 + 2 × DEC740 €978
User licences	Not per user; remote workers via VPN or additional WatchGuard cloud services (price on request)	Unified Secure Plus: 100 × $8 × 36 = $28,800; with 25% prepay reduction $21,600
Extra sites	Extra appliance + suite per site	2 × $50 × 36 = $3,600
Included	Per box: IPS, AV, WebBlocker, sandboxing, EDR Core, XDR, 365 days of logs	200 agents (2 per user), full TLS inspection, mesh VPN, site-to-site, gateway HA, Zenconsole
Indicative total	Appliances + suites + user layer (quote)	≈ $25,200 before partner discount, plus any hardware

Conclusion: on pure gateway price, the appliance route often remains cheaper. The difference is scope. Zenarmor's per-user price includes the layer that matters for hybrid work: agents on laptops and phones, access without VPN backhaul and one policy for every site. So always compare on equal scope. We do that with your own quote, including the partner discount. More figures are in our Zenarmor price comparison 2026.

Compliance: ISO 27001, NIS2 and TISAX

No firewall makes you compliant, but a well-configured firewall does produce evidence. Secrotec is both auditor and implementer: we configure Zenarmor so that policies, logging, segmentation and reports match what an auditor asks for.

• ISO 27001:2022: A.8.20 (network security), A.8.22 (segregation of networks), A.8.23 (web filtering) and A.8.15/A.8.16 (logging and monitoring). See our ISO 27001 audit service and our guide to network segmentation.
• NIS2: Article 21 requires risk-based technical measures, including network security and monitoring; the Dutch Cyberbeveiligingswet has been in force since 15 August 2026. See ISO 27001 and NIS2.
• TISAX®: controls such as VDA ISA 5.2.7 (network management), 5.2.3 (malware protection) and 2.1.4 (remote work) require demonstrable measures (VDA ISA 6 numbering; it may shift in ISA2027). Secrotec supports TISAX readiness; the assessment itself is performed by an ENX-approved audit provider.

WatchGuard can support the same controls. The difference lies in data location, per-user reporting and whether your implementation partner also knows what an auditor wants to see.

When is WatchGuard the better choice?

• You have one or a few offices, (almost) no remote workers and want a ready-made box per site.
• You want firewall, EDR Core and XDR from one vendor in one suite.
• You need built-in SD-WAN today; in Zenarmor, SD-WAN is still in development.
• You want 365 days of cloud log retention without running your own log storage.
• You are happy with your WatchGuard MSP and the renewal price fits.

When is Zenarmor the better choice?

• Your staff work hybrid and security has to travel with the user.
• You have several sites and want one policy in Zenconsole, at $50 per extra site rather than another appliance subscription.
• You want to avoid hardware lock-in: reuse existing servers or VMs and keep your licence through a hardware refresh.
• You want reporting in the Netherlands or Germany, on-premises or in your own SIEM.
• You need evidence for ISO 27001, NIS2 or TISAX and want a partner who is also an auditor.
• Your Firebox is approaching end of life or the renewal is around the corner.

Want to see the broader picture first? Read Zenarmor beyond NGFW with SSE, ZTNA and CASB or explore our Firewall & Networks services.

Partner discount via Secrotec: send us your WatchGuard renewal quote

Secrotec delivers Zenarmor licences and projects throughout Europe and has satisfied Zenarmor customers across the European Union. As a Secrotec customer you receive a partner discount, and in Zenarmor projects the price is always negotiable.

Send us your current WatchGuard renewal quote. We will make a fair comparison on equal scope, and we will tell you if WatchGuard remains the better choice for your situation. Read more about licences and our approach on the Zenarmor partner page, or ask your questions via contact.

Request a quote with partner discount

Disclaimer: WatchGuard, Firebox, Fireware and Total Security Suite are trademarks of WatchGuard Technologies, Inc.; Zenarmor is a trademark of Sunny Valley Cyber Security Inc.; TISAX® is a registered trademark of the ENX Association. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Prices and features are indicative, as of October 2026, excluding VAT and subject to change; reseller prices vary. This comparison is based on public sources and is intended as objective information.