AirMagnet Survey vs Ekahau Site Survey vs iBwave Wi-Fi comparison

NetAlly and Ekahau are both solutions in the Network Modeling and Simulation category. NetAlly is ranked #2 with an average rating of 6.7, while Ekahau is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.0. NetAlly holds a 18.4% mindshare in NM, compared to Ekahau’s 25.8% mindshare. Additionally, 86% of NetAlly users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Ekahau users who would recommend it.

AirMagnet Survey

Read 39 AirMagnet Survey reviews

3,058 Views
1,678 Comparison Views

86% willing to recommend

Ekahau Site Survey

Read 35 Ekahau Site Survey reviews

4,125 Views
2,212 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

iBwave Wi-Fi

Read 12 iBwave Wi-Fi reviews

1,276 Views
761 Comparison Views

89% willing to recommend

AirMagnet Survey

Ekahau Site Survey

iBwave Wi-Fi

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between AirMagnet Survey, Ekahau Site Survey, and iBwave Wi-Fi based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Ekahau, NetAlly, iBwave and others in Network Modeling and Simulation.

To learn more, read our detailed Network Modeling and Simulation Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Network Modeling and Simulation

April 2025

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Helped 850,900 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Network Modeling and Simulation category, the mindshare of AirMagnet Survey is 18.4%, down from 32.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Ekahau Site Survey is 25.8%, down from 40.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of iBwave Wi-Fi is 10.7%, down from 12.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Modeling and Simulation

Featured Reviews

David Olofson

Manager at DD&P Services LLC

It fixes so many problems quickly that we don't regret spending more on high-end tools than most companies

It would be nice to have some more training resources for younger techs. We can use them if we need some assistance, but that usually requires one of us who knows what we're doing to calibrate the programs properly. There's one thing our nXG handhelds do that AirMagnet doesn't do out of the box. The nXG devices can analyze the wired and wireless networks simultaneously and map the networks out. We find it handy. However, if I have that plugged into our older OptiView XG tablets or our laptops, I have no way to analyze both the WiFi and the wired network at the same time and build a single picture with all that data. So far, that's something only our nXG handhelds can do. It would be nice if there were a way to integrate all the network discovery, troubleshooting, and mapping of the WiFi and the wired at the same time. There are almost no products that do that currently. If they managed to do that, they'd probably open up their market pretty quickly.

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ALEXANDRE VIANNA

CTO at Redeswirelessbrasil

Good optimization capabilities, automatic network planning tool and saves time

Ekahau needs to enhance the view of materials and make some adjustments to the reports. Currently, it's possible to make changes to the Word report using Python, but it could be improved. For example, when I create an AP on a survey report, information like the cable view, distance, and support assessments could be enhanced. Only one comment about Ekahau Optimizer. It needs improvement. I tried to upload site products, and for five products, I needed to involve Ekahau's supply chain. When I try to solve that, it's not possible. For example, I uploaded one product for a large bank, and the optimizer didn't finish. I needed to involve Ekahau support, and they sent me the file two or three days after I opened the case.

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Gopi R S

Senior Radio Frequncy DAS Design Engineer at a comms service provider with 51-200 employees

Enhanced accuracy in design projects with advanced three-dimensional modeling and great support

I am using iBwave Wi-Fi for a project where we are designing on campus. It is used for large venue designs such as a university campus, and my work involves optimizing and validating the designs for accuracy before site surveys Using iBwave Wi-Fi, I am able to provide more accurate results for…

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The most valuable features are the survey, spectrum analysis, and reporting."

"Using the products to ensure the safety of our equipment that we have a lot invested in."

"It allows us to prepare more real designs. Later, we validate them with actual surveys."

"It is reliable and easy to use (user-friendly). The heat mapping, passive network surveying, and doing the heat mapping of a building's wireless network allows me to see what level of coverage an area has."

"Customer service is great."

"The addition of the AirMapper software on the nXG and our AirCheck G2s has helped a lot because we're mostly not drilling down into the data. Local managers only need to see the coverage on their end and whether there are performance bottlenecks. These things are easy enough for us to ascertain with iPerf."

"The most valuable feature is the predictive survey. The antennas' RF patterns are reflected correctly on the drawing when preparing predictive heat maps."

"The benefit is with the ease of use of the software, I am able to show the customer, "Here is what your wireless coverage looks like." It is set up in a fashion that non-technical people can understand it."

More AirMagnet Survey pros

"Ekahau Site Survey can be crucial for troubleshooting our Wi-Fi network."

"The troubleshooting tools are the most valuable feature of the solution."

"Ekahau Site Survey is scalable."

"There are some survey tools that are a little easier to use, but the benefit of using the Ekahau is that it is very configurable. If you go into a building that has solid cement walls, instead of traditional walls, you can configure it for that. It is much more configurable than the other ones."

"We are satisfied with the way this product is working."

"Ekahau Site Survey is an easy and accurate solution."

"The spectrum analysis capability is very good. It provides deep insights into the Wi-Fi environment. It's not just about troubleshooting interference but also optimizing access points and modifying power levels and channels."

"Ekahau Site Survey is user-friendly."

More Ekahau Site Survey pros

"The stability and feature set of the application are top notch and can't be matched."

"The most valuable features of iBwave Wi-Fi include the critical three dimensional modeling capabilities, which are necessary for tasks like locating access points, determining their height, and cable routing."

"Compared to other tools, iBwave Wi-Fi provides 95% accuracy and generates heatmaps."

"The 3D Coverage is a good feature that shows the signal propagation in three dimensions."

"I find the high-quality Heatmap generation, multi-floor, and wire mapping features to be most valuable."

"iBwave Wi-Fi's tech support is great. They pick up their phones. I have no complaints."

"It can speed up design."

"The solution's 3D imaging is amazing."

Cons

"AirMagnet Survey needs to support Wi-Fi 6E otherwise they can lose to the competition. They also need to allow better grouping of SSIDs to one AP, removing the need to filter manually. At the moment, you can filter by channel or SSID, but grouping all those SSIDs together is a difficult task."

"It'd be nice if it was cheaper, however, you get value for your money."

"It would be nice to have some more training resources for younger techs. We can use them if we need some assistance, but that usually requires one of us who knows what we're doing to calibrate the programs properly."

"The user interface needs a lot of improvement. The auto-placement of access points is not accurate."

"When you conduct an active survey and then want to use it for design work, it's actually not very useful."

"I would say some of our newer techs that are going out to job sites can be a little bit intimidated by the interface."

"The surveying features are in need of improvement, along with general usability."

"AirMagnet Survey doesn't cover certain devices in the system."

More AirMagnet Survey cons

"Sometimes there is a cancellation between two signals that the solution is not able to monitor correctly, this could improve in the future."

"It would be better if it provided clear visibility. It would be better if it accommodated large physical sites like a warehouse with a ceiling height of more than twelve to fifteen feet. In such situations, we were unable to provide better coverage."

"Its migration and visualization features need improvement."

"The information regarding the clients and signal strengths is missing in the Ekahau console."

"The only issue is the price. The overall price is a bit high, especially compared to our other vendor. Ekahau is considered expensive."

"I find the power button hard to access with just one hand."

"Ekahau would benefit by making improvements to lag time."

"The cloud takes a lot of time to upload the site survey, and we regularly face issues with syncing to the optimizer."

More Ekahau Site Survey cons

"iBwave Wi-Fi doesn't have a distributor feed platform."

"It would be good if we could involve a visual while designing the backhaul."

"It would do iBwave well to become more involved with their clients."

"Areas of improvement would include more functionality in the Mobile App, expanded reporting features, and some shortcut features."

"I am currently looking for an alternative due to my reluctance with the reliability of this product."

"iBwave Wi-Fi could be improved by adding a plot for overall improvement, allowing us to see where we are failing in design parameters, similar to features in Ekahau."

"The cost of the solution could be improved. It's extraordinarily expensive."

"I would like to be able to see two buildings at the same time so that you can create a campus view."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The moment we began needing more of the vendor's support, the cost became very high; we switched to another solution."

"This product is very expensive."

"The tool's pricing is medium."

"The pricing needs improvement."

"For technical support, you need an annual license, but it is not worth it."

"There is an annual cost of the solution. There are some additional charges, such as support and maintenance."

"The licensing of AirMagnet Survey is different when compared to Ekahu. It is a third of the cost of Ekahau but there are no dedicated laptops to the Sidekick. AirMagnet allows you to license an adapter and share that adapter."

"We pay a licensing fee."

"The pricing could be lower because the Huawei radial planning is free for the partner. When I asked my boss about buying Ekahau and the USB key, it was complicated because of the high cost, which is €5,000."

"I believe that it is approximately $2,000 per year for us. I know we pay for it on an annual basis."

"Since we are an academic institute, we get better prices and discounts from Cisco, but not Ekahau."

"The solution is priced fairly for the features that you receive."

"That's a tricky thing. When it started off, we had one three-year license and one one-year license because we have two devices. Now, from my understanding, we can only renew every year or get a one-year license, and that cost varies. Being a government organization, we get a different cost than commercial. We have deployed it on Surface Pro tablets. So, the only other cost would be the hardware cost."

"We pay $6,000 yearly for the licensing, but each piece of hardware, the Ekahau Sidekick, is $5,000."

"9,000 Euro per year."

More Ekahau Site Survey pricing and cost advice

"I advise others to treat the cost as you would any tooling cost and use the monthly option as needed."

"The solution's pricing is cheap."

"iBwave Wi-Fi is an expensive solution, but it is worth the cost."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Educational Organization

Government

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

14%

Educational Organization

10%

Government

Manufacturing Company

Educational Organization

13%

Construction Company

10%

Computer Software Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about AirMagnet Survey?

We use the solution for Wi-Fi and networks.

See all answers

What needs improvement with AirMagnet Survey?

AirMagnet Survey needs to support Wi-Fi 6E otherwise they can lose to the competition. They also need to allow better...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for AirMagnet Survey?

We use AirMagnet Survey, for site verifications after the wireless system has been installed. We conduct pre and post...

See all answers

What do you like most about Ekahau Site Survey?

We reviewed the maps as a team and determined if any changes needed to be made or if we could just replace APs as the...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Ekahau Site Survey?

The pricing and licensing of Ekahau are costly.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Ekahau Site Survey?

Ekahau could be improved by adding three-dimensional modeling, as we currently cannot view APIs in a three-dimensiona...

See all answers

What do you like most about iBwave Wi-Fi?

Compared to other tools, iBwave Wi-Fi provides 95% accuracy and generates heatmaps.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for iBwave Wi-Fi?

Both iBwave Wi-Fi and Ekahau are costly tools. They're considered high in cost because the license needs to be renewe...

See all answers

What needs improvement with iBwave Wi-Fi?

iBwave Wi-Fi could be improved by adding a plot for overall improvement, allowing us to see where we are failing in d...

See all answers

Comparisons

AirCheck G3 vs AirMagnet Survey

Compared 4% of the time

Aruba Wireless vs AirMagnet Survey

Compared 3% of the time

NetAlly EtherScope nXG vs AirMagnet Survey

Compared 3% of the time

Wireshark vs AirMagnet Survey

Compared 3% of the time

More AirMagnet Survey Competitors

RedSeal vs Ekahau Site Survey

Compared 5% of the time

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Ekahau Site Survey

Compared 3% of the time

More Ekahau Site Survey Competitors

Forsk Atoll vs iBwave Wi-Fi

Compared 14% of the time

RedSeal vs iBwave Wi-Fi

Compared 8% of the time

More iBwave Wi-Fi Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

AirMagnet Survey

May 2025

Download AirMagnet Survey product report

Buyer's Guide

Ekahau Site Survey

May 2025

Download Ekahau Site Survey product report

Buyer's Guide

Network Modeling and Simulation

April 2025

Download iBwave Wi-Fi product report

Overview

AirMagnet Survey PRO enables network professionals to design, deploy, and validate Wi-Fi 6 networks for optimal performance, security, and compliance. It also calculates the ideal quantity, placement, and configuration of APs for a successful wireless LAN deployment. AirMagnet Survey PRO goes beyond simply verifying RF coverage by plotting actual end-user network performance in terms of connection speed, throughput, and packet statistics by allowing you to use any Wi-Fi adapter or AirMapper™ Site Survey on the AirCheck™ G2 and EtherScope® nXG. Survey PRO helps you get Wi-Fi installations right the first time, preventing costly rework and user complaints.

NetAlly

Over 12 years in the making, ESSTM maintains its reputation as the easiest to use, enterprise-grade Wi-Fi design and maintenance tool for Wi-Fi professionals. With crystal clear heat maps and easy-to-use reports, ESS makes it simple to optimize Wi-Fi.

ESS allows you to plan and create Wi-Fi networks according to your performance and capacity requirements—taking into consideration the increasing amount of wireless clients and applications such as VoIP, HD video streaming and web browsing.

Ekahau

iBwave has been the industry standard software for designing indoor wireless network for over 13 years. Used by hundreds of operators, OEMs, enterprises and system integrators around the world. The iBwave Wi-Fi Suite is a powerful Wi-Fi network design solution that gives you a significantly more productive way to design carrier-grade indoor Wi-Fi networks. Consisting of a mobile app, a powerful PC based software and 10GB of cloud connectivity to easily share and synchronize project information.

Key Features include:

Advanced 3D Predictive design
Advanced capacity planning
Calibrated prediction for extremely accurate prediction results
Ability to model incline surfaces
Comprehensive reporting
Cloud connectivity to easily share and access projects anytime
Free read-only project viewer for customers and project partners

iBwave

Sample Customers

Houston Methodist Hospital, Love's Travel Stops

Presidio, Planet Earth, Ruckus

ARRIS

Buyer's Guide

Network Modeling and Simulation

April 2025

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Find out what your peers are saying about Ekahau, NetAlly, iBwave and others in Network Modeling and Simulation. Updated: April 2025.

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