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Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Ubiquiti UniFi Switches comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
4.9
Cisco Catalyst Switches enhance network reliability, reduce downtime, and offer cost-effective, long-term benefits with modern technology support.
Sentiment score
5.2
Users appreciate Ubiquiti UniFi Switches for affordability and integration, despite challenges in measuring ROI without specific metrics.
Peace of mind and quality of support and, of course, trouble-free and issue-free workings matter, and I am even willing to pay more for that.
CISO at ADNIC
With Catalyst Switches, I can quickly check interface status, VLANs, MAC addresses, errors, and logs to identify the root cause.
Desktop support Engineer at a outsourcing company with 51-200 employees
I can say in terms of money saved because up until now, in the previous places where I have worked and also now, we still use the older model, the 2960 model Cisco Catalyst Switches, which has been in existence for almost 20 years and up until now it still functions very well.
Electrical control system engineer at Dangote petroleum refinery and petrol chemicals
Another solution offered to us was more than double the price, making UniFi a cost-effective choice.
IT Manager at Düsen-Schlick GmbH
We saw a return on investment within a year, although I believe there's more potential to be leveraged.
Head of IT at RD Tech
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.7
Cisco Catalyst Switches generally receive positive support reviews, but response time and resolution can vary based on case complexity.
Sentiment score
7.0
Users find Ubiquiti UniFi Switches support mixed, often relying on community forums due to delayed responses and limited assistance.
When requesting an RMA, they replace defective items in just one day.
Network Engineer at General Authority OF ZAKAT & TAX
Even if it is slightly more expensive, the main basic thing is how soon or how easily a company can support you if something goes wrong on the switch, which can happen to any brand.
Consultant at Staunch On Demand
On a scale from one to 10, I would rate the technical support of Cisco at 10 out of 10.
student at St. Joseph's College of Engineering
The team is knowledgeable and efficient.
Head of IT at RD Tech
the manuals, installation videos, and resources on the website are very good and straightforward.
IT Manager at Düsen-Schlick GmbH
They have a large customer base that sometimes faces issues due to a lack of know-how in managing the devices.
Infrastructure Administrator at Aluko & Oyebode
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.3
Cisco Catalyst Switches enable scalable network expansion with stacking and modular options, though configuration complexity may challenge some users.
Sentiment score
7.6
Ubiquiti UniFi Switches are scalable for small to medium businesses but may face limitations in large enterprise environments.
We can add more switches, VLANs, users, and network segments without having to redesign the entire environment.
Desktop support Engineer at a outsourcing company with 51-200 employees
The scalability of Cisco Catalyst Switches is very much scalable, as it supports the stacking feature and growth; for instance, with 94K modular switches, based on the requirement, we can even increase modules for more bandwidth.
Unit Nos at Orange
Unlike Meraki, where I can bring a switch online, join it to the portal, and it becomes operational immediately.
Software Developer/ IT Analyst Individual Contributor at a consultancy with 11-50 employees
I rate the scalability as nine out of ten.
IT Manager at Düsen-Schlick GmbH
If planning for future scalability, choosing switches that support extra modules for fiber optics is advisable.
Infrastructure Administrator at Aluko & Oyebode
The solution is sufficiently scalable because the switches can be stacked.
Technical Manager at Network Security and Crypto
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.1
Cisco Catalyst Switches are highly reliable, with users praising their stability, uptime, durability, and advanced features like StackWise.
Sentiment score
8.6
Ubiquiti UniFi Switches are dependable with high stability ratings but may face issues due to configuration and environment.
The available monitoring and troubleshooting tools also make it easier to identify and resolve those issues quickly, which helps maintain overall network stability.
Desktop support Engineer at a outsourcing company with 51-200 employees
The stability of Cisco Catalyst Switches in my environment is somewhat problematic: legacy Cisco Catalyst Switches, even though they have licenses and support, present many hardware-related issues, such as interfaces going down very repeatedly, SFP modules failing in most cases, and hardware ports becoming faulty.
Network Security Engineer at a healthcare company with 11-50 employees
What you tell it to do is exactly what it does.
Electrical control system engineer at Dangote petroleum refinery and petrol chemicals
I did not experience any problems the whole year.
IT Manager at Düsen-Schlick GmbH
We have never experienced any problems with Ubiquiti UniFi Switches as they are consistently stable.
Technical Manager at Network Security and Crypto
The switches are stable and there have been no outages.
Managing Director at Ensurecom.ch
 

Room For Improvement

Cisco Catalyst Switches should improve pricing, integration, management tools, automation, security, support, compatibility, and reduce complexity and lead times.
Ubiquiti UniFi Switches struggle with power supply issues, complex setup, limited features, and demand better pricing and support.
Cisco should provide some level of software that I can bring on-premise where I can add all my Catalyst switches for central management.
Software Developer/ IT Analyst Individual Contributor at a consultancy with 11-50 employees
Support and vulnerabilities are the biggest issues regarding Cisco Catalyst Switches.
Network Architect at a retailer with 5,001-10,000 employees
I would also like better visibility into hardware capabilities and lifecycle status from a single dashboard so we can identify potential issues before they affect users.
Desktop support Engineer at a outsourcing company with 51-200 employees
The current setup is closed and does not allow for integration with non-Ubiquiti VoIP devices or providers outside their ecosystem.
Managing Director at Ensurecom.ch
Recent updates have removed many options available in earlier versions, simplifying the interface but limiting control.
Principal Consultant at Cybercraft
The choice depends on the network architecture and planning for the future scalability requirements.
Infrastructure Administrator at Aluko & Oyebode
 

Setup Cost

Cisco Catalyst Switches are costly due to factors like features and licensing, despite reliability and potential volume discounts.
Ubiquiti UniFi Switches offer cost-effective performance for SMBs with competitive pricing and free support, despite limited availability.
Cisco provides unique features that justify their pricing.
Product Manager at Uop Ipl
Cisco usually is costly compared to other vendors.
Unit Nos at Orange
For setup cost, we set up the network infrastructure by ourselves, so there was really no need for setup cost because one very good thing with Cisco is that they have everything available.
Electrical control system engineer at Dangote petroleum refinery and petrol chemicals
Many vendors mark up prices significantly.
Principal Consultant at Cybercraft
Pricing is very favorable, with minimal licensing involved.
IT Manager at Düsen-Schlick GmbH
Our investment in Ubiquiti is about £30,000, and it's a cost-effective solution since there is no subscription fee.
Head of IT at RD Tech
 

Valuable Features

Cisco Catalyst Switches are valued for reliability, scalability, security features, ease of use, performance, and long-term investment benefits.
Ubiquiti UniFi Switches are favored for centralized management, ease of use, PoE flexibility, and seamless device integration for businesses.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are valuable for their reliability and performance.
Product Manager at Uop Ipl
With Meraki access points, I do not have to have a wireless controller for them. I can configure the wireless device directly from the switch, making the setup cleaner, and that is a major reason for my preference.
Software Developer/ IT Analyst Individual Contributor at a consultancy with 11-50 employees
Cisco Catalyst Switches provide high performance and security features that stand out in my daily work, where they handle a high volume of traffic with low latency, making them suitable for bandwidth-intensive applications, web applications, VoIP applications, video streaming, and major data center workloads.
Network Security Engineer at a healthcare company with 11-50 employees
I can manage user connectivity, limit bandwidth, apply MAC address filtering, and it offers POE capabilities.
Principal Consultant at Cybercraft
The switches enable management from anywhere using the cloud controller, making configuration changes and management easier.
Infrastructure Administrator at Aluko & Oyebode
I was involved in Kenya's last general elections where we used Ubiquiti equipment, both wireless and switching, which performed excellently.
Technical Manager at Network Security and Crypto
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Catalyst Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
196
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
Ubiquiti UniFi Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
6th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
56
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 4.5%, up from 3.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Ubiquiti UniFi Switches is 5.1%, down from 7.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco Catalyst Switches4.5%
Ubiquiti UniFi Switches5.1%
Other90.4%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Md Rafique - PeerSpot reviewer
Desktop support Engineer at a outsourcing company with 51-200 employees
Reliable switching has improved segmentation and reduces downtime with faster troubleshooting
One area I would like to see improvement is making configuration and troubleshooting more straightforward, especially for engineers managing a large number of switches. Some tasks can require multiple CLI commands and checking different outputs to identify an issue. Better centralized visibility, more intuitive automation tools, and clearer troubleshooting information would make day-to-day operations more efficient. That said, the CLI gives experienced network engineers a lot of control, so I would see these improvements as making the existing capabilities easier and faster to use rather than replacing them. For on-premises deployment, I would like to see easier centralized management and more automation for larger switch environments. Firmware upgrades, configuration changes, and troubleshooting can take significant time when they have to be handled across many physical devices. Better zero-touch provisioning, simplifying firmware management solutions, stronger integration with monitoring and IT management platforms, and more proactive hardware health alerts would make operations easier. I would also like better visibility into hardware capabilities and lifecycle status from a single dashboard so we can identify potential issues before they affect users.
Donald Ochanda - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Manager at Network Security and Crypto
Has delivered reliable performance over the years but still needs improvements in advanced networking features
I generally recommend Ubiquiti UniFi Switches for medium-sized corporate clients, as most of them don't mind the brand as long as the system works. With major corporate clients, they still have the mentality that Cisco is superior in the market, but medium-sized clients are easier to deploy at that level. Ubiquiti UniFi Switches are improving technically since my last implementation. Our field engineers report significant improvements, and I was involved in Kenya's last general elections where we used Ubiquiti equipment, both wireless and switching, which performed excellently. My assessment of Ubiquiti UniFi Switches' centralized management is that, while I haven't interacted with it extensively, it works similarly to Cisco and Meraki platforms. Field engineers should be able to provide better answers regarding this feature. The port isolation feature on Ubiquiti UniFi Switches is standard, which I believe is appropriate considering they provide standard security features on the port.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Outsourcing Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Construction Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Outsourcing Company
7%
Construction Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business85
Midsize Enterprise30
Large Enterprise91
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business46
Midsize Enterprise8
Large Enterprise1
 

Questions from the Community

Would you recommend replacing a Cisco Catalyst Switch by a D-link one?
Hello Mesfin It depends on the real scenario, the cisco 2960 is a very good device and they usually have routing functions but there are many different models within the same 2960 line, and on the ...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Catalyst Switches?
My experience is that Cisco Catalyst Switches can involve a relatively significant upfront investment, especially when you consider the hardware, support, and licensing requirements. The total cost...
What needs improvement with Cisco Catalyst Switches?
One area I would like to see improvement is making configuration and troubleshooting more straightforward, especially for engineers managing a large number of switches. Some tasks can require multi...
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 require a learning curve because it is easy to use. It is also simple to reconfi...
Which are better - Ubiquiti UniFi switches or MikroTik routers and switches?
Ubiquiti Unifi is a great solution. For starters, it is easy to configure and implement, and doesn’t require a learning curve because it is easy to use. It is also simple to reconfigure an AP or ga...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Ubiquiti UniFi Switches?
Ubiquiti UniFi Switches are cost-effective, offering similar performance and features as higher-priced alternatives like Cisco or Ruckus.
 

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
UniFi Switches
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Afni, Anilana Hotels and Resorts, Baylor Scott & White Health, Beachbody, Bellevue, Del Papa Distributing, Explorer Pipeline, Mindtree, Omaha World Herald, Radio 538, Sony Corporation, Telecom Italia, Telenor Arena
Staypineapple
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Catalyst Switches vs. Ubiquiti UniFi Switches and other solutions. Updated: November 2026.
920,939 professionals have used our research since 2012.