Checkmk vs Meraki Dashboard comparison

Checkmk and Cisco are both solutions in the Network Monitoring Software category. Checkmk is ranked #8 with an average rating of 8.4, while Cisco is ranked #20 with an average rating of 8.4. Checkmk holds a 3.9% mindshare in NMS, compared to Cisco’s 1.3% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Checkmk users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 98% of Cisco users who would recommend it.

Checkmk

Read 9 Checkmk reviews

3,674 Views
2,684 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Meraki Dashboard

Read 56 Meraki Dashboard reviews

2,338 Views
1,109 Comparison Views

98% willing to recommend

Checkmk

Meraki Dashboard

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 10, 2024

Meraki Dashboard and Checkmk compete in the IT management and monitoring software category. Meraki Dashboard seems to have the upper hand in user-friendliness and seamless cloud-based deployment, while Checkmk offers greater cost-effectiveness and robust on-premises support.

Features: Meraki Dashboard includes comprehensive cloud-based management, Layer 7 filtering, and integration with third-party services. Checkmk offers automatic service discovery, customizable monitoring, and integration with event management tools for handling complex IT environments.

Room for Improvement: Meraki Dashboard could improve its licensing process, VPN client support, and integration beyond Cisco equipment. Checkmk requires enhancements in alert management, integration capabilities, and a more user-friendly interface to assist newcomers.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Meraki Dashboard, as a cloud-based solution, is easy to deploy across different cloud environments and is supported by responsive technical support despite occasional delays. Checkmk offers robust on-premises deployment with straightforward setup and praised customer service, focusing on varied environments.

Pricing and ROI: Meraki Dashboard is priced at a premium, justified by its extensive functionality, with higher licensing costs being a consideration. Users report ROI through reduced management costs. Checkmk is more affordable, making it appealing to budget-conscious organizations and perceived as cost-effective given its enterprise-level features.

To learn more, read our detailed Checkmk vs. Meraki Dashboard Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Checkmk vs. Meraki Dashboard

June 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 859,129 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:

Categories and Ranking

Checkmk

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

8th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Server Monitoring (6th), IT Infrastructure Monitoring (13th), Cloud Monitoring Software (12th)

Meraki Dashboard

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

20th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Network Monitoring Software category, the mindshare of Checkmk is 3.9%, up from 2.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Meraki Dashboard is 1.3%, down from 1.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Monitoring Software

Featured Reviews

Paolo Sala

Application performance and System monitoring at Agos

A reasonably priced tool for system and application monitoring

The main room for improvement is in the solution's presentation and the integration area. In our company, we use the integration capabilities from ServiceNow. We also have another big monitoring solution in place in our company, which is Dynatrace. At the moment, there doesn't exist an out-of-the-box integration for Dynatrace. I think that the integration and the exporting of the data collected are areas where Checkmk lacks but should try to improve the most. The only implementation of Checkmk that allows high availability is the virtual appliance that has the option for the availability of a different box. Otherwise, you have to find a way to implement it manually with some custom solution, which could be an improvement.

Read full review

Bilal-Ahmed

IT Manager at Fawaz

Seamless connectivity and comprehensive control over network devices

All of the features we are looking for are already in control. I think those features, which we are not currently utilizing, are already there. For example, the control for the cameras and everything else. The cameras are not connected through Meraki, but all other devices are on Meraki networks.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I really like the auto-discovery feature."

"Checkmk was built on a platform that was user-friendly, and I could build my charts easily."

"The alerting system in Checkmk really works properly."

"The initial setup of Checkmk was easy...It is a very stable solution."

"It's versatile, scalable, and easier to use compared to other solutions like Nagios and OMD."

"Overall, from one to ten, I rate Checkmk a nine."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is that it has a lot of different pieces, and they all work together...It is a very scalable solution. Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."

"Checkmk helps me compare data and foresee issues."

More Checkmk pros

"The most valuable feature of Meraki Dashboard is we can manage our switches and access point in one place."

"It has improved my organization in the way that we've got a much better wireless coverage than we had before, and secondly, we have the visibility of all the users."

"The ability of the product to perform with simplicity of deployment make it a valuable solution."

"It's a simple, functional solution."

"We like how Meraki Dashboard lets you manage all the devices in a single pane of glass. The dashboard is intuitive and easy to use. They are constantly updating the functionality. Switches from other vendors have the same features for the life of the device, but Meraki is always improving."

"You don't have to be a network engineer to use it."

"The overall product rating is ten out of ten."

"Meraki dashboard deserves an Oscar."

More Meraki Dashboard pros

Cons

"I think that the integration and the exporting of the data collected are areas where Checkmk lacks but should try to improve the most."

"If an alert is generated for a specific pattern in the log, and if Checkmk catches that log, it will stay there even after the alert is resolved."

"Checkmk does not allow running scripts at varying intervals."

"The main challenge for us is that we're moving from Nagios to Checkmk, and we're still getting used to the new way of working."

"In Checkmk, the documentation can probably be improved a bit more."

"Checkmk does not work too easily with the PowerStore. I use a PowerShell script as Checkmk runs on Linux and a Windows system, connecting with the Checkmk agent."

"It is easy for tech-savvy people, but newcomers might find it intimidating."

"The initial setup is a bit complex."

More Checkmk cons

"Meraki Dashboard's pricing could be improved."

"Meraki lacks their own software for connecting to the VPN which creates some issues."

"Lacks an alert notification when there are IP or DNS issues."

"I am concerned about the fact that once your licensing expires the devices stop working and become a brick."

"What we would like from the IT perspective is a lot more granular control, more visibility into the packets, into the routing, and things of that nature."

"The MDM, however, is bad. We're using another MDM now because Meraki was so bad."

"The solution has a limited routing table and needs improvement by increasing the numbers as well as providing a summarization for the table."

"The coverage has been an issue for us."

More Meraki Dashboard cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Checkmk is a fairly reasonably priced solution."

"The price of Checkmk is cheaper compared to other enterprise products."

"The product is affordable."

"The Meraki Dashboard has more competitive pricing."

"From a pricing perspective, they are still expensive."

"The solution is currently the most expensive on the market."

"Licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis."

"The pricing of the tool is relatively high compared to other solutions. It comes with a premium that exceeds that of its competitors by approximately 25 percent."

"I’m not sure of the exact cost, however, it’s my understanding the Meraki WiFi is around $800. That’s for a three-year license. It’s about $150 a year."

"It is said to be expensive."

"Meraki Dashboard is a utility and portal that's part of the Meraki solution."

More Meraki Dashboard pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Network Monitoring Software solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

859,129 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

14%

Government

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

21%

Financial Services Firm

Government

Educational Organization

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Checkmk?

The most valuable feature of the solution is that it has a lot of different pieces, and they all work together...It is a very scalable solution. Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Checkmk?

I will get more information about Checkmk when the proof of concept is done. It's going to be before the summer. There will be a report about the tool and a recommendation to use it. So far, it loo...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Checkmk?

Checkmk ( /products/checkmk-reviews ) is a monitoring tool, so that's what I will use it for. Right now, it's not in production, but it's in a proof of concept phase. It looks good, so probably, du...

See all answers

What do you like most about Meraki Dashboard?

We greatly utilize the network because we can plug it into the DNS, VPN, or equipment. It's very good. Meraki Dashboard enhances wireless network management. We appreciate its flexibility, as it al...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Meraki Dashboard?

The cost of the Meraki solution is high, which may not be affordable for smaller companies, especially in developing countries.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Meraki Dashboard?

The aspect I find challenging about this solution is that it is too extensive and complex. For example, when comparing Meraki Dashboard to Juniper Mist, the latter is quite simple. Mist is a very a...

See all answers

Comparisons

Zabbix vs Checkmk

Compared 46% of the time

Icinga vs Checkmk

Compared 8% of the time

LibreNMS vs Checkmk

Compared 7% of the time

PRTG Network Monitor vs Checkmk

Compared 5% of the time

Centreon vs Checkmk

Compared 3% of the time

More Checkmk Competitors

Cisco DNA Center vs Meraki Dashboard

Compared 20% of the time

Zabbix vs Meraki Dashboard

Compared 13% of the time

ThousandEyes vs Meraki Dashboard

Compared 12% of the time

SolarWinds NPM vs Meraki Dashboard

Compared 6% of the time

Mist AI and Cloud vs Meraki Dashboard

Compared 6% of the time

More Meraki Dashboard Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Checkmk

June 2025

Download Checkmk product report

Buyer's Guide

Meraki Dashboard

June 2025

Download Meraki Dashboard product report

Overview

Checkmk is a powerful tool for monitoring IT infrastructure, providing vital insights on servers, databases, network devices, and custom applications.

Primarily used for supervising IT infrastructure, Checkmk helps organizations ensure service availability by monitoring hosts, processes, load, storage, and network appliances. With support for both Linux and Windows environments across multiple data centers, Checkmk performs compliance checks and preserves historical data for core network devices.

What are the key features of Checkmk?

Auto-discovery: Automatically identifies new hosts and applies monitoring rules.
Custom monitoring: Enhances MySQL performance tracking.
Slack integration: Provides immediate downtime alerts.
Graphical trend analysis: Offers 400 days of trend data.
Multiple site monitoring: Ensures seamless data synchronization through task automation.
Resource and infrastructure monitoring: Configures log factors to fit budget constraints.
System metric imports: Includes servers, SQL, file systems, and application monitoring.

What benefits and ROI should users look for in reviews?

Time-saving: Auto-discovery and task automation streamline processes.
Proactive alerts: Immediate downtime notifications optimize response times.
Historical insights: Long-term graphical trend analysis aids strategic planning.
Cost efficiency: Resource monitoring aligned with budget constraints.

Checkmk is deployed extensively in large enterprise environments for monitoring critical infrastructure. It proves particularly useful under conditions of frequent power outages or network issues, helping maintain smooth operations. While the alert acknowledgment process and interface require improvements, and the lack of an agent-less platform complicates server management, the strengths in auto-discovery, integration, and comprehensive monitoring make Checkmk a strong contender for IT infrastructure monitoring.

Checkmk

Meraki Dashboard is a comprehensive cloud-based platform that offers centralized management and control for all Meraki networking and security products. It provides a user-friendly interface, allowing administrators to easily monitor and configure their network infrastructure from anywhere. With real-time visibility, troubleshooting becomes effortless, ensuring optimal performance and minimizing downtime.

The intuitive dashboard offers a holistic view of the network, enabling quick identification of potential issues and proactive measures. It simplifies network deployment and scaling, with zero-touch provisioning and automatic firmware updates. The robust security features include advanced threat protection, content filtering, and VPN connectivity.

Meraki Dashboard also offers powerful analytics and reporting capabilities, providing valuable insights into network usage, application performance, and user behavior. With its seamless integration and scalability,

Meraki Dashboard is the ideal solution for organizations of all sizes, ensuring efficient network management and enhanced productivity.

Cisco

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Coop eG, Peet's Coffee & Tea, Priefert Manufacturing, Century Care Management, Clifton College, Zürs Ski Resort, Capital FM Arena, MAXI Autohöfe

Buyer's Guide

Checkmk vs. Meraki Dashboard

June 2025

Free Report: Checkmk vs. Meraki Dashboard

Find out what your peers are saying about Checkmk vs. Meraki Dashboard and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.

DOWNLOAD NOW

859,129 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our Checkmk vs. Meraki Dashboard report.

See our list of best Network Monitoring Software vendors.

We monitor all Network Monitoring Software reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.