CISO Tribune

Vendor comparison · 2 companies

Malwarebytes vs WatchGuard Technologies

Malwarebytes sells antivirus, VPN, identity theft protection and scam detection software for personal devices such as computers, tablets and phones. WatchGuard Technologies sells a Unified Security Platform that combines network, endpoint, identity and cloud protection, purpose-built for MSPs servicing midsize companies and SMBs. CISO Tribune files both under EDR and XDR and Identity threat detection and response. This page sets the two records side by side: what each sells, where it is based, who owns and funds it, the customers it names and its recent news, each fact numbered to its source.

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  • Malwarebytes
  • WatchGuard Technologies
Malwarebytes vs WatchGuard Technologies: Products, Customers and Funding Compared
MalwarebytesMalwarebytes sells antivirus, VPN, identity theft protection and scam detection software for personal devices such as computers, tablets and phones.malwarebytes.comWatchGuard TechnologiesWatchGuard Technologies sells a Unified Security Platform that combines network, endpoint, identity and cloud protection, purpose-built for MSPs servicing midsize companies and SMBs.watchguard.com
What it sells
  • Premium Security[4][5]Antivirus designed to protect personal devices and data in real-time.
  • Browser Guard[4][5]Blocks unwanted and unsafe content while browsing.
  • Privacy VPN[4][14]A VPN for staying secure and private on Wi-Fi or hotspots.
  • Identity Theft Protection[4][5]Scans the dark web and other sources for personal information.
  • Mobile Security[4][5][7]Malware detection before installation on Android devices.
  • Android Virus Scan[7]A free Android virus scan for malware, spyware, keyloggers and more.
  • Unified Security Platform[1][5]WatchGuard unifies network, endpoint, identity and cloud protection under one agent, one console and one AI intelligence layer.
  • Firebox M Series[9]Firebox M Series rackmount appliances provide NGFW features.
  • Endpoint Security 360[11]WatchGuard Endpoint Security 360 is an autonomous zero trust endpoint detection and response solution.
  • AuthPoint[7][12][13]WatchGuard AuthPoint provides cloud-based authentication and access to applications.
  • Total Identity Security[13]Total Identity Security combines AuthPoint MFA with Dark Web Credential Monitoring.
  • WatchGuard Cloud[1][5][7][9][13]WatchGuard Cloud is built for MSPs and gives one place to deploy, standardize, monitor and report across all customers.
  • Compliance Reporting[15]WatchGuard Compliance Reporting offers configurable compliance controls and reports for regulatory needs.
Categories
Headquarters
Santa Clara, United States[3]Seattle, United States[4]
Founded
2008[2][4]Not stated on its pages
Ownership and funding
Not stated on its pagesOwned by Vector Capital since 2022[6]
Named customers
Not stated on its pagesNot stated on its pages
Recent news
  • October 5, 2026Malwarebytes launched Scam Link Check, a free web tool that lets anyone check whether a website link is safe before clicking it.[19]
  • July 22, 2026Malwarebytes appointed Michael Weissman to its Board of Directors and hired Joey Klein as Senior Vice President of Product.[20]
  • July 22, 2026Malwarebytes appointed Netspend CEO Michael Weissman to its board.[10]
  • June 3, 2026Malwarebytes launched a free reverse phone check for consumers to identify potential scam numbers.[9]
  • May 6, 2026Malwarebytes appointed Chung Ip as Chief Financial Officer.[18]
  • July 7, 2026WatchGuard Technologies appointed Vincent Hwang as Chief Product Officer, reporting to CEO Joe Smolarski.[16]
G2 and Gartner Peer Insights
  • G2: listed, seen November 3, 2026[11]
  • Gartner Peer Insights: Not stated on its pages
  • G2: Not stated on its pages
  • Gartner Peer Insights: listed, seen October 30, 2026[6]
Who it fits
From its own pages, Malwarebytes sells mainly to individuals and families who want to protect personal devices. Its pages also reference security for personal and business devices and for a team's devices. Malwarebytes offers protection for Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Android, and iOS devices.WatchGuard delivers its security to businesses exclusively through managed service provider and reseller partners. Businesses receive protection configured and managed for them by a local WatchGuard partner. WatchGuard describes its devices as suited to securing branch offices, distributed networks and large data centers. WatchGuard secure access points are described for small offices, retail locations, schools, warehouses and outdoor deployments. WatchGuard Endpoint Security 360 is described as suited to organizations and MSPs.
Last verified
November 9, 2026September 27, 2026

Where they overlap

  • Malwarebytes and WatchGuard Technologies are both filed under EDR and XDR and Identity threat detection and response.
  • Both are headquartered in the United States.

Where they differ, field by field

  • Malwarebytes's primary category is EDR and XDR; WatchGuard Technologies's is Firewalls and NGFW.
  • Malwarebytes is also filed under MDR and managed SOC. WatchGuard Technologies is also filed under Workforce IAM and SSO.
  • Malwarebytes lists Premium Security, Browser Guard, Privacy VPN, Identity Theft Protection, Mobile Security and 1 more. WatchGuard Technologies lists Unified Security Platform, Firebox M Series, Endpoint Security 360, AuthPoint, Total Identity Security and 2 more.
  • Malwarebytes is headquartered in Santa Clara, United States. WatchGuard Technologies is headquartered in Seattle, United States.
  • Malwarebytes was founded in 2008.
  • WatchGuard Technologies is owned by Vector Capital, since 2022.

What it sells: Malwarebytes

What Premium Security does[4][5]
Malwarebytes Premium Security is an antivirus solution designed to protect personal devices and data in real-time. Malwarebytes says Premium Security stops sophisticated cyber threats that traditional antivirus tools often miss.
What Privacy VPN does[4][14]
Malwarebytes Privacy VPN helps people stay secure and private when using Wi-Fi or hotspots. Malwarebytes Privacy VPN can be used on iPhones and iPads, as well as Android, Windows, and Mac. Malwarebytes Privacy is a no-log VPN that never tracks, stores, or shares any of your network data.
What Identity Theft Protection does[4][5]
Malwarebytes Identity Theft Protection scans the dark web and other sources for personal information. It provides live agent-supported identity recovery, credit monitoring, and reporting, backed by up to $2 million in identity theft insurance.
What Mobile Security does[4][5][7]
Malwarebytes Mobile Security detects before installation some of the most harmful malware, including trojans, spyware and ransomware. Malwarebytes Mobile Security is free to download on both Google Play and the App store.
What Android Virus Scan does[7]
Malwarebytes offers a free Android virus scan to protect a phone from hackers and cyber threats like malware, spyware, keyloggers and more. Malwarebytes alerts people before they install and run potentially harmful software or apps on an Android device.

What it sells: WatchGuard Technologies

What Firebox M Series does[9]
Firebox M Series rackmount appliances provide NGFW features. Firebox rackmount appliances integrate with WatchGuard Cloud and ThreatSync and offer centralized management and AI-powered XDR correlation.
What Endpoint Security 360 does[11]
WatchGuard Endpoint Security 360 is an autonomous zero trust endpoint detection and response solution that blocks unknown applications automatically and continuously monitors trusted applications for signs of compromise. WatchGuard Endpoint Security 360 provides visibility into blocked executions, compromised trusted applications and the progression of attacks across endpoints.
What AuthPoint does[7][12][13]
WatchGuard AuthPoint provides cloud-based authentication and access to applications. AuthPoint MFA supports push, passkeys, TOTP, QR codes, hardware tokens and zero trust policies. AuthPoint is managed in WatchGuard Cloud, which configures policies, synchronizes users and enforces controls from one interface.
What Total Identity Security does[13]
Total Identity Security combines AuthPoint MFA with Dark Web Credential Monitoring. WatchGuard continuously monitors workforce user credentials across dark web, deep web and breach databases using AI-driven intelligence, and can alert affected end users directly. WatchGuard Cloud lets MSPs manage MFA and credential monitoring across customer accounts.
What WatchGuard Cloud does[1][5][7][9][13]
WatchGuard Cloud is built for MSPs and gives one place to deploy, standardize, monitor and report across all customers. ThreatSync XDR is part of WatchGuard Cloud and correlates activity across WatchGuard security layers. WatchGuard Cloud provides visibility, configuration control and real-time threat monitoring so MSPs can manage network security from anywhere with an Internet connection.
What Compliance Reporting does[15]
WatchGuard Compliance Reporting offers configurable compliance controls and reports for regulatory needs. WatchGuard Compliance Reporting is integrated with WatchGuard NDR and WatchGuard SaaS, delivering over 100 AI-refined network cybersecurity controls. WatchGuard Compliance Reporting includes configurable compliance report templates for ISO-27001, NIST 800-53, NIST 171/CMMC, UK Cyber Essentials, FFIEC, CISA Ransomware Defense, Cyber Insurance Compliance and Supply Chain Compliance.

Questions about Malwarebytes and WatchGuard Technologies

What do Malwarebytes and WatchGuard Technologies sell?
Malwarebytes sells Premium Security, Browser Guard, Privacy VPN, Identity Theft Protection, Mobile Security and 1 more. WatchGuard Technologies sells Unified Security Platform, Firebox M Series, Endpoint Security 360, AuthPoint, Total Identity Security and 2 more.
Are Malwarebytes and WatchGuard Technologies in the same category?
They share EDR and XDR and Identity threat detection and response. Malwarebytes's primary category is EDR and XDR and WatchGuard Technologies's is Firewalls and NGFW.
Where are Malwarebytes and WatchGuard Technologies headquartered?
Malwarebytes is headquartered in Santa Clara, United States. WatchGuard Technologies is headquartered in Seattle, United States.
When were Malwarebytes and WatchGuard Technologies founded?
Malwarebytes was founded in 2008.
Who owns Malwarebytes and WatchGuard Technologies?
WatchGuard Technologies is owned by Vector Capital, since 2022.
Who are Malwarebytes and WatchGuard Technologies sold to?
From its own pages, Malwarebytes sells mainly to individuals and families who want to protect personal devices. WatchGuard delivers its security to businesses exclusively through managed service provider and reseller partners.
What have Malwarebytes and WatchGuard Technologies announced recently?
October 5, 2026: Malwarebytes launched Scam Link Check, a free web tool that lets anyone check whether a website link is safe before clicking it. July 7, 2026: WatchGuard Technologies appointed Vincent Hwang as Chief Product Officer, reporting to CEO Joe Smolarski.

About Malwarebytes

Malwarebytes sells antivirus, VPN, identity theft protection and scam detection software for personal devices such as computers, tablets and phones. Malwarebytes says its all-in-one cybersecurity protects people from malware, viruses, scams and other online threats. Malwarebytes offers protection for Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Android, and iOS devices.[7][13]

Malwarebytes Premium Security is an antivirus solution designed to protect personal devices and data in real-time. Malwarebytes says Premium Security stops sophisticated cyber threats that traditional antivirus tools often miss. Malwarebytes says Malwarebytes Premium finds threats on 40% of devices that already have another antivirus installed. The free version of Malwarebytes lets people scan and remove threats from a device, but it does not give ongoing real-time threat protection like Malwarebytes Premium does.[12]

Malwarebytes Browser Guard blocks unwanted and unsafe content. Malwarebytes Privacy VPN helps people stay secure and private when using Wi-Fi or hotspots. Malwarebytes Privacy VPN can be used on iPhones and iPads, as well as Android, Windows, and Mac. Malwarebytes Privacy is a no-log VPN that never tracks, stores, or shares any of your network data. Malwarebytes Privacy uses the WireGuard® VPN protocol. Malwarebytes Privacy has 400+ servers in 30+ countries.[14][15]

Malwarebytes Identity Theft Protection scans the dark web and other sources for personal information. Malwarebytes Identity Theft Protection provides live agent-supported identity recovery, credit monitoring, and reporting, backed by up to $2 million in identity theft insurance. Single-device Ultimate plans include Individual Identity Theft Protection for one adult. Multi-device Ultimate plans include Family Identity Theft Protection coverage for up to two adults and ten kids. All Ultimate plans include a Personal Data Remover for one individual.[5]

Scam Guard is integrated in Malwarebytes Premium Security for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Browser Guard. Scam Guard detects in seconds whether a suspicious text, email, website, ad, or message is concerning. Malwarebytes states that Scam Guard queries are stored locally for 30 days. Malwarebytes is a supporting member of the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA).[5]

Malwarebytes Mobile Security detects before installation some of the most harmful malware, including trojans, spyware and ransomware. Malwarebytes Mobile Security is free to download on both Google Play and the App store. Malwarebytes for iOS can block calls from known and suspected scammers. Call Protection identifies calls from a list of known scammers. Text Message Filtering identifies suspicious texts and sends them to a junk tab in the Messages app. Ad Blocking stops Safari from loading ads and blocks ad trackers. Web Protection blocks websites that contain ransomware, phishing scams, and other online threats when used with Safari.[5][7][14]

Malwarebytes’ CEO Marcin Kleczynski created the first version of the Malwarebytes virus scanner after downloading a free game with malware. Marcin founded Malwarebytes in 2004 after accidentally downloading malware on his family computer. Malwarebytes is free to download on Windows, Mac, Android, and IOS devices. Malwarebytes offers a 60-day money back guarantee on all annual plans.[1][5][6][7][16]

Malwarebytes on the record

Sources

Malwarebytes full record

  1. [1]threatdown.comMalwarebytes (ThreatDown) · threatdown.com · undated page, accessed September 27, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]Malwarebytes announces acquisition of leading online privacy company cyrus 301908393Malwarebytes via PR Newswire · prnewswire.com · published August 24, 2023 · Tier A
  3. [3]CompanyMalwarebytes · malwarebytes.com · undated page, accessed September 27, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]All-in-One Protection: Antivirus, VPN & Scam Guard | Best AntivirusMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]Scam detector | Real-time free scam detection for iOS and AndroidMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]How to Speed Up Your Computer | MalwarebytesMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]Android Virus Scan | Scan your Android phone for virusesMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]Malwarebytes Appoints Chung Ip as Chief Financial OfficerMalwarebytes · published May 6, 2026 · Tier A
  9. [9]Malwarebytes Launches Free Reverse Phone Check to Help Consumers Identify Potential Scam NumbersMalwarebytes · published June 3, 2026 · Tier A
  10. [10]Malwarebytes Strengthens Consumer Growth Strategy with Appointment of Netspend CEO Michael Weissman to BoardMalwarebytes · published July 22, 2026 · Tier A
  11. [11]Malwarebytes for Teams Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2G2 · undated page, accessed October 26, 2026 · Tier C
  12. [12]Antivirus with VPN | MalwarebytesMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  13. [13]Malwarebytes tools & solutionsMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  14. [14]Ad Blocker for iPhone | Ad Blocker for iOSMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  15. [15]VPN for crypto | MalwarebytesMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  16. [16]Antivirus for Gaming | Antivirus for Gaming PCMalwarebytes · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  17. [17]Malwarebytes Brings Real-time Scam Detection and Threat Intelligence to AI Conversations with Claude ConnectorMalwarebytes · published April 29, 2026 · Tier A
  18. [18]Malwarebytes Appoints Chung Ip as Chief Financial OfficerPR Newswire · published May 6, 2026 · Tier A
  19. [19]Malwarebytes Launches Free Scam Link Check So Anyone Can Verify a Link is Safe Before They ClickMalwarebytes · published October 5, 2026 · Tier A
  20. [20]Malwarebytes Strengthens Consumer Growth Strategy with Appointment of Netspend CEO Michael Weissman to BoardPR Newswire · published July 22, 2026 · Tier A

WatchGuard Technologies full record

  1. [1]watchguard.comWatchGuard Technologies · watchguard.com · undated page, accessed September 27, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]Watchguard launches new high performance firebox appliances secure modernWatchGuard Technologies · watchguard.com · published June 2, 2026 · Tier A
  3. [3]vectorcapital.comVector Capital · vectorcapital.com · published July 5, 2022 · Tier A
  4. [4]Dex991WatchGuard Technologies via SEC EDGAR · sec.gov · published July 25, 2006 · Tier A
  5. [5]WatchGuard | Comprehensive Cybersecurity SolutionsWatchGuard Technologies · undated page, accessed October 30, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]WatchGuard Reviews, Ratings & Features 2026 | Gartner Peer InsightsGartner Peer Insights · undated page, accessed October 30, 2026 · Tier C
  7. [7]Centralized Management & Visibility | WatchGuard CloudWatchGuard Technologies · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]Managed Security Services for MSPs | WatchGuardWatchGuard Technologies · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  9. [9]Rackmount Firewall Appliances | WatchGuardWatchGuard Technologies · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  10. [10]WatchGuard Endpoint Security | AI-Powered ProtectionWatchGuard Technologies · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  11. [11]WatchGuard Endpoint Security 360 - Zero Trust EDRWatchGuard Technologies · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  12. [12]AuthPoint 30-Day Free Trial | WatchGuard Free AuthPointWatchGuard Technologies · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  13. [13]AuthPoint Total Identity Security | WatchGuardWatchGuard Technologies · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  14. [14]Secure Wireless APs for Your Business | WatchGuardWatchGuard Technologies · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  15. [15]Compliance Reporting | WatchGuardWatchGuard Technologies · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  16. [16]WatchGuard Appoints Vincent Hwang as Chief Product OfficerWatchGuard Technologies · published July 7, 2026 · Tier A

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