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Aruba Switches vs HPE Ethernet Switches vs NETGEAR Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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 August 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Aruba Switches is 9.7%, down from 12.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of HPE Ethernet Switches is 2.7%, up from 2.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of NETGEAR Switches is 8.5%, down from 9.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Eunice Thirikwa - PeerSpot reviewer
Stable hotel networking enhances return on investment with valuable modular features
There are issues with the distribution side of Aruba Switches. For instance, the distributor in our country cannot sell to neighboring countries, creating complications in project execution. Improving the distribution network across regions would be beneficial. Also, the SFP modules are significantly more expensive than industry peers, which affects cost-effectiveness.
Dinesh Upadhyay - PeerSpot reviewer
Experience years of robust features and strong technical support
It is a nice and robust tool where we use HPE Ethernet Switches. It is a lower switch, and we have received good warranty support with HPE switches. The security features of the HPE Ethernet Switches are good. The UI mode is available, and we can easily configure the access list and SNMP. All these configurations can be done here. Users can enable the Layer 3 features.
Umang Shah - PeerSpot reviewer
Efficient routing and access control with an easy setup
We use NETGEAR Switches for networking, particularly for switch-to-switch connectivity. We connect them with core switches, especially for camera installation NETGEAR Switches have increased the throughput and speed of internal communication, and have improved our network efficiency. The most…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The solution is widely applicable to businesses like mine, thanks to its flexibility and compatibility with our warranty structure in South Africa."
"When it comes to basic L2 switching, we've found that Aruba switches are very user-friendly in terms of configuration and management. I haven't had the opportunity to utilize Aruba Central for managing the switches yet, so I can't speak to that aspect. However, overall, we've found the deployment process for Aruba switches to be very straightforward."
"It is slightly more price effective than Juniper and it has a slightly larger range."
"They are easy to configure and integrate well with the Aruba ecosystem."
"I use Aruba Switches in Sri Lanka for their flexibility and reliability."
"The solution is easy to use and quick to deploy."
"I like how Aruba switches integrate with On."
"I rate the stability of Aruba Switches a ten."
"A very robust solution."
"I like that HPE's management functions are GUI-based, so it doesn't rely on command lines."
"The solution is very, very stable."
"The security features of the HPE Ethernet Switches are good."
"What I like the most is the management system integrated with the HP system."
"The initial setup is straightforward. The steps are simple, and you can always contact support if needed. Overall, it's easy."
"The HPE Ethernet switches have very low latency."
"It's fairly lightweight, they don't require a lot of maintenance."
"The product is easy to deploy."
"The tool is crucial in our network setup, especially in our bank's customer service operations. It connects ATMs and links different branches and service centers. Each branch and service center has its network node connected through these switches."
"The cloud management has just been huge for us. We have 80 clients and they all have switches... With the cloud-managed Insight ones... we know more information without having to do complicated SNMP traps. We get nice emails, we get a web interface, and we're not having to wait for our RMM tools to get SNMP traffic to notify us. We don't have to do complicated configurations."
"The remote troubleshooting features provide a single pane of glass where I can see my all my clients' equipment. If they're reporting a problem, I can go to the Insight Pro interface online and I can bring up that client and I can see all their devices and the status of all their devices."
"The solution helps transfer data."
"NETGEAR offers a competitive pricing structure, which is beneficial for cost management."
"Out-of-the-box, it works for our main use case. When passing multicast video across the network, our technicians don't have make any changes. Then, if we do need to make configuration changes for a custom scenario, the web interface is user intuitive so it's easy to use and change."
"One of the biggest benefits of the remote management is that it's easy to use and you can use it from a mobile device or tablet with the app they've developed... If one of my engineers is out in the field at a client and an alert comes in from another client, that engineer can take that alert and look at it in real-time."
 

Cons

"The firmware in this solution has a lot of bugs that become noticeable when you have complex implementations."
"We have had problems with the cooling fans on these switches."
"A more granular breakdown in debugging would be beneficial."
"If you work for a small business, then Cisco would be best."
"The delivery time for this product is slow and is something that needs to be improved."
"It takes a long time to import Aruba switches to Ecuador."
"This product could be improved with additional security features."
"I am forced to consider changing products because other solutions have a better dashboard and a user-friendly interface."
"We would always be happier if the price were reduced."
"They should release more updates for the solution."
"HPE Ethernet Switches have room for improvement in the initial setup and integration process, especially when incorporating them into an existing infrastructure with competitor products."
". There is room for improvement in pricing. One box shouldn't require additional installations. We need a package deal with licenses that are usable for different tasks. Right now, we need a license for every additional feature, which adds up."
"They should continue to work on new features."
"It is not very stable."
"A lower price would be an improvement because we always want to reduce our costs."
"It is a bit complex to configure."
"The technical support could be more helpful."
"There is a lack of documentation, and the documentation I have is unclear, so I have to rely on Google for information."
"The management of them, itself, is not so good. You have to go between many different browsers, even some super-old browsers, to be able to do it. That is a super pain."
"There's a lack of chips and, consequently, a lack of deliveries. They're out of stock at their European warehouse."
"One thing I would like to see improved is the response time for technical support."
"The tool needs to improve its network management. The tool can be also more simplified."
"What I'd like to see is more compatibility with virtual stacking, so that 4300-series switches and 3300-series switches will actually stack together and that virtual switch stacks, themselves, are not limited to just six devices, so that they can create larger loops with more bandwidth and more redundancy."
"There is a lot of delay in the data coming to the servers."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"This is an affordable solution."
"The product is a bit expensive."
"The price point was a big consideration for us and it is reasonable enough that we're able to standardize on Aruba for the networking pieces in our organization."
"There is not a switch that I would give more than six out of ten for pricing because, over the last year, the prices have been increasing very high."
"It is expensive compared to the competition."
"The pricing is perfect."
"Aruba Switches have good stability."
"There is a license required if you want to use wireless controls for micro-segmentation. However, for Aruba Switches there is no license required."
"I like HPE switches because you get a perpetual license with the hardware. The initial cost is about the same as other switches, but it starts beating the competitors after three or four years because you don't have to pay for additional annual licensing costs."
"It would be great if certain features, like licensing, were included in the base price of the switches."
"There are free software updates and there is a lifetime warranty for a few of the switch series."
"HPE costs almost the same as Cisco."
"We need to pay when we buy the switch. We pay for a license to use the software, but it is not required."
"The licensing cost is set up annually or every three years."
"HP switches are priced well."
"The license cost is yearly."
"It is not expensive."
"The product is priced economically."
"Insight pricing is okay. It's very competitive. The costs of the hardware and additional services weren't low because Unify is much cheaper, but the costs conformed to the market. When you look at the hardware specs, the price and the warranty, the complete package was much better than any other vendor. If you consider those three main aspects of Netgear Insight and Netgear Insight devices, and you put them next to Ubiquity or Cisco Meraki, or even TP-Link, in our opinion, it's better hardware, it has a better warranty, and for the price you have to pay, it's a pretty good product."
"The great thing about the Insight product is that the renewable subscription is much cheaper than the competitors in the market. It is not over $50, per year, so customers buy the equipment and don't have to worry so much about the renewable fees that go along with having such access into their switch, with a cloud-managed solution. There are some other manufacturers where you'll essentially pay the same in hardware as you do in software, just for the cloud solution that supports it; just to keep getting the firmware updates and all of that information. With NETGEAR, you can do multi-year and that is something like 90 percent cheaper than if you're looking at Meraki, for example. It is extremely competitive. It's one of the main reasons we liked it so much."
"Another issue, when it comes to NETGEAR's competitors, is that other companies are offering the cloud management at no extra charge, whereas NETGEAR charges for it. You have to pay per-device for licenses."
"They're good value. They're good entry-level switches. I know Cisco generally has a lot more capability. But, for an organization this size, we don't need that. So they're good value for the cost and what we need."
"The pricing for what you get with the Insight product line is very fair and the value is there, including the annual licensing fees for the Insight Pro for each device... the Insight Pro level, which is their highest level, where you get a lot of features with the Insight, is a bargain. You get a lot of good features for what you're paying there annually."
"NETGEAR's new product is definitely more expensive than their standard product line. It's a new product line for them, so I'm hoping with the maturity of the product that those costs will come down. The standard product line is considerably cheaper."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Government
7%
Educational Organization
7%
Computer Software Company
10%
Educational Organization
9%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Government
7%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
9%
University
8%
Comms Service Provider
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Aruba Switches?
Aruba lives up to the expectations of the tech giant hewlett packard enterprise providing excellent networking capabi...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aruba Switches?
The cost of Aruba Switches is based on the price per device. The cost depends on the model. We have 24-port switches,...
What needs improvement with Aruba Switches?
We are not using all the features as we actually have multiple vendors, and I'm not an expert technically for Aruba S...
What do you like most about HPE Ethernet Switches?
The solution is very stable and easy to use.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for HPE Ethernet Switches?
The price of HPE Ethernet Switches is reasonable and less than other OEM brands.
What needs improvement with HPE Ethernet Switches?
The price should be reduced in comparison to Cisco, as sometimes we cannot use the HPE one at the core level, where g...
How do NETGEAR switches compare with Cisco ethernet switches?
NetGear switches have a lot to offer. They have high availability, zero-downtime stacking, L2 and L3 functionality, a...
Which switches are better - Ubiquiti Unifi or Netgear?
Ubiquiti Unifi offers a great set of features. For starters, it is easy to configure and implement, and also doesn’t ...
What do you like most about NETGEAR Switches?
Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten. I have not faced any issues with the product whatsoever.
 

Also Known As

8400 Series, 8320 Series, 5400R Series, 3810 Series, 2930M Series, 2930F Series, 2920 Series, 2540 Series, 2530 Series
HP Ethernet Switches
NETGEAR Insight Managed Switches, NETGEAR GC Series, NETGEAR M Series
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Purdue University
Emirates Palace Hotel
Blaze Networks
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Netgear and others in Ethernet Switches. Updated: August 2025.
865,164 professionals have used our research since 2012.