No more typing reviews! Try our Samantha, our new voice AI agent.

Aruba Wireless vs Ubiquiti UniFi 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:
 

Categories and Ranking

Aruba Wireless
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
151
Ranking in other categories
Wireless LAN (1st)
Ubiquiti UniFi
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
13
Ranking in other categories
Wi-Fi Hotspot Software (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

While both are Enterprise Networking solutions, they serve different purposes. Aruba Wireless is designed for Wireless LAN and holds a mindshare of 12.8%, down 16.1% compared to last year.
Ubiquiti UniFi, on the other hand, focuses on Wi-Fi Hotspot Software, holds 27.4% mindshare, down 33.3% since last year.
Wireless LAN Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Aruba Wireless12.8%
Ruckus Wireless10.5%
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN9.7%
Other67.0%
Wireless LAN
Wi-Fi Hotspot Software Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Ubiquiti UniFi27.4%
Purple WiFi33.6%
Guest Internet Solutions28.6%
Other10.400000000000006%
Wi-Fi Hotspot Software
 

Featured Reviews

CK
Network Administrator at Nippon Express Canada Ltd.
Wireless network has supported long-term reliable access and simplifies RF optimization
I have experience with Cisco products and the Cisco brand. The product is mainly a hardware product. Regarding the software part, I don't have a lot of experience. Aruba Wireless was not too difficult to set up. When compared with other products such as Cisco, they also have products with wireless controllers, and it's similar to that. I think it should be recommended for both bigger and smaller companies based on the feedback and our experience. I believe there should be AI functions that might help us in some cases of cybersecurity matters, detecting threats regarding security would be better with AI. For this role, I have more than twenty years of experience. I would rate Aruba Wireless eight out of ten overall.
NN
IT Manager at Handi Quilter, Inc.
Has provided reliable long-term video storage without ongoing fees
You pay more upfront for Ubiquiti UniFi, but you don't receive substantial support, which is problematic. They previously provided setup support but discontinued this service, though you save money overall by not paying monthly fees. I would rate Ubiquiti UniFi's support zero because they've always had inadequate support. Trying to get someone on the phone is nearly impossible, and although they now have a support plan, emergency help is frustratingly difficult to find when the company doesn't provide it.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Good wireless solution that's user-friendly, stable, and scalable, with very good product support, and a limited lifetime warranty."
"Setup is straightforward."
"Overall, it's a very strong solution."
"We find its stability very valuable, as it has been running for the past three years with no default configuration."
"Aruba Wireless is reliable, and the signal strength is pretty good."
"I have found the Access Point (AP) group profile feature extremely useful. It makes deployments look easy."
"Our users are able to use their laptop or cell phone while on the move from one location to a different location across the country while maintaining connection."
"If your organization is looking for a solution that is solid, performance-wise, this may be perfect."
"The UniFi controller is user-friendly and it is very easy to manage."
"In general, the solution is reliable, trustworthy and generally works quite well."
"The solution is easy to configure, low cost, and reliable."
"The level of reporting offered by the controller, when used with other Ubiquiti equipment, has been invaluable."
"The most valuable features are its easy access, the controller, and constant updates."
"Overall, the suite of tools is quite useful."
"Ubiquiti UniFi has positively impacted my organization by eliminating any more outages for large file transfers across the warehouses and I have seen no issues whatsoever with the network since we started using Ubiquiti UniFi."
"Business is growing due to referrals."
 

Cons

"I would like to see the management improve."
"My biggest issue is the logging. It is hard to read when troubleshooting issues."
"The solution is now taking eight to 12 months to deliver the product."
"The solution is quite expensive."
"Aruba is missing some features that are available in other solutions, such as the email notifications. It's a bit complex to configure the notification part. Mainly I'm talking about the rogue WiFi detection. This email notification is crucial for us, but it isn't possible to configure with the built-in software. You need something else, like an external system log collector or another Aruba software. These notifications are essential in hospitality for PCI compliance. My colleagues in famous luxury hotel chains need that report."
"The urgent areas of improvement would be customer support, better tuned default settings, and documentation."
"My main concern about this product is the price."
"The dashboards that represent the network access control in Aruba Wireless could improve."
"If I could manage the W-LAN or other items without a UniFi switch, that would be very helpful. I have not tried, but I think some options are tied to the hardware, like the Ubiquiti switch."
"You pay more upfront for Ubiquiti UniFi, but you don't receive substantial support, which is problematic."
"Software interfaces could be improved and there is a lack of documentation."
"The level of support is limited. When I am stuck with any technical issues, it takes a long time to fix."
"The major issue I see is connected with troubleshooting, which is my main concern."
"The one bad part, it is almost nonexistent and relies on a user community."
"Better pre-purchase docs, as I have to contact support via chat for some things that should already be in documents."
"Integrate NanoBeams into the Controller Software."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Aruba is probably cheaper than Cisco, and yet you get all the things that you want."
"Pricing is very competitive."
"Aruba Wireless is very attractive cost-wise."
"Licencing can be surprising and needs improvement. Look into all features, what you need versus what you want, and know that nothing comes without some kind of license."
"The support pricing for Juniper Mist is higher than Aruba."
"The pricing is fair and similar to other products."
"I think they should lower their prices."
"The price could be better. Competitors offer more features for a similar cost."
Information not available
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Wireless LAN solutions are best for your needs.
903,933 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Comparison Review

it_user212721 - PeerSpot reviewer
President at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Mar 24, 2015
Cisco vs. Aruba Wireless Solutions
Cisco or Aruba Networks? If you are considering wireless access solutions, this is a common question that you are probably asking. You probably have sales people knocking at your door. How do you make sense of all the stories that you are presented with. If you have done any research, you are…
 

Answers from the Community

Vinny Govender - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Applications Specialist at bioMérieux
Jul 26, 2022
Jul 26, 2022
1 Ruckus 2 Aruba 3 Cambium It depends on your enviroment. Greetings
2 out of 9 answers
AH
IT Admin at a educational organization with 51-200 employees
Nov 15, 2021
Hi, You can purchase WiFi access points from any of the above vendors. But it must be a commercial access point as in AP a few connect to the limited devices and a few can connect large devices with a single AP. It will totally depend on your work environment and access point signals covering the area. In the hall, AP can cover a large area but there is a concrete wall between two rooms or a corridor then it can down the signal to 50 DBM. So, when deciding on a WIFI/AP keep all these things in mind.
EK
Partner / Owner at Bimel Elektronik Mamuller Paz. Ltd.
Nov 15, 2021
If you want high performance and stability, you should definitely go with Ruckus Wireless.  Ruckus Wireless APs have: - Adaptive antenna technology (called BeamFlex) This technology analyzes different paths to reach the client and electronically turns itself to a directional antenna, choosing the path that gives the best performance to reach each specific client. If the client is mobile or if the environment changes (such as a warehouse) the selection of paths/direction also changes instantly. Transmitting in a directional way allows a good Signal-to-Noise Ratio and also causes less interference for other nearby APs outside the path of the directional transmission. - ChannelFly technology This technology chooses the best channel based on performance rather than background scanning for noise. - Polarization Diversity This technology allows the clients not to lose signal strength when held at different angles (important for mobile devices such as tablets and telephones). - Better receive sensitivity compared to the competitors All these features make Ruckus Wireless a better choice than any other competitor (better performance, better coverage area, more stable and surprise-free communication especially in not so easy conditions such as noise, too many clients, too much traffic).
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Comms Service Provider
13%
Computer Software Company
10%
Construction Company
7%
Media Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business77
Midsize Enterprise47
Large Enterprise77
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business8
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise2
 

Questions from the Community

What are pros and cons of Aruba 515 Series AP vs. Cisco Meraki or Extreme Networks?
Depends. I have personally used both Cisco and Aruba so I am familiar with them. Extreme I am not, so unless they have some feature that I need or want, I wouldn't consider them. Do you have expe...
Aruba Wireless or Ruckus Wireless?
At my organization, we researched Ruckus Wireless among other solutions but ultimately chose Aruba wireless. What did we like about Ruckus? First, it was very easy to use, and anybody with minimal...
How does Cisco Wireless compare with Aruba Wireless?
On the most basic level, Cisco Wireless can offer a rather straightforward initial setup. In the span of about three hours, the basic framework can be set up. Step-by-step instructions are availabl...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Ubiquiti UniFi?
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Ubiquiti UniFi was not too bad, as I think it was more simplified than I expected.
What needs improvement with Ubiquiti UniFi?
Regarding improvements for Ubiquiti UniFi, I think the price point is super nice, and I don't think it can be improved.
What is your primary use case for Ubiquiti UniFi?
My main use case for Ubiquiti UniFi is for small businesses, managing internet traffic of users and making sure that Wi-Fi is spread across the campus. I manage internet traffic using Ubiquiti UniF...
 

Also Known As

Aruba WLAN, HP WLAN, HP Wireless, Aruba Instant On AP Series Access Point
UniFi
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Consulate Health Care, Los Angeles Unified School District, Science Applications International Corp (SAIC), San Diego State University, KFC, ACTS Retirement-Life Communities
NASCAR Grand-AM, Maritime Parc, Outdoor Music Festival, One Republic Tour, British Armed Forces, Arcadia School District, Bartlett School District, Universidad del Azuay, Estelar Hotels, Intercontinental Bali, Moscow - Enforta, Miami - Sling Broadband, Manhattan - MST, Ecuador - Aire.EC
Find out what your peers are saying about Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Ruckus, Cisco and others in Wireless LAN. Updated: June 2026.
903,933 professionals have used our research since 2012.