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Cisco Enterprise Routers vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch comparison

Cisco and MikroTik are both solutions in the Routers category. Cisco is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.3, while MikroTik is ranked #4 with an average rating of 7.9. Cisco holds a 15.0% mindshare in R, compared to MikroTik’s 7.6% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of MikroTik users who would recommend it.
Cisco Enterprise Routers
Read 111 Cisco Enterprise Routers reviews
  • 2,856 Views
  • 2,742 Comparison Views
97% willing to recommend
MikroTik Cloud Router Switch
Read 25 MikroTik Cloud Router Switch reviews
  • 2,228 Views
  • 802 Comparison Views
96% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 29, 2025

Cisco Enterprise Routers and MikroTik Cloud Router Switch compete in the enterprise network hardware category, with Cisco having an advantage in robustness and feature set, while MikroTik stands out for affordability and ease of use.

Features: Cisco Enterprise Routers are equipped with high-performance WAN services, robust IPsec capabilities, and advanced features for large-scale network management. MikroTik Cloud Router Switches, in contrast, offer flexible VLAN handling, user-friendly interfaces, and a competitive pricing model, targeted at small to medium-sized businesses.

Room for Improvement: Cisco could improve affordability and ease of use by revising its pricing structure and simplifying configurations, particularly for WAN integration. MikroTik needs to improve security features to align with enterprise standards and enhance technical support and hardware capabilities for better market positioning.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco offers a variety of deployment options including on-premises and hybrid cloud solutions, backed by comprehensive documentation and technical support, although some users report inconsistencies. MikroTik offers simpler deployment with an emphasis on affordability, though their customer service, while regarded positively, is not as comprehensive as Cisco's.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco routers come at a premium price but provide significant ROI, especially for large enterprises focusing on performance and security. Conversely, MikroTik offers tremendous value with lower initial costs and simple licensing, appealing to budget-conscious small businesses.

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To learn more, read our detailed Cisco Enterprise Routers vs. MikroTik Cloud Router Switch Report (Updated: March 2026).
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Enterprise Routers vs. MikroTik Cloud Router Switch
March 2026
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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

Cisco Enterprise Routers
Ranking in Routers
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.0
Number of Reviews
111
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
MikroTik Cloud Router Switch
Ranking in Routers
4th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
25
Ranking in other categories
Ethernet Switches (16th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Routers category, the mindshare of Cisco Enterprise Routers is 15.0%, down from 21.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of MikroTik Cloud Router Switch is 7.6%, up from 7.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Routers Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco Enterprise Routers15.0%
MikroTik Cloud Router Switch7.6%
Other77.4%
Routers
 

Featured Reviews

reviewer2759889 - PeerSpot reviewer
reviewer2759889
Pre-Sales Technical Specialist at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Has supported robust enterprise deployments and management while pricing and market reach for advanced features need attention
I'm not sure what improvements could be made on the configuration scale since I'm not involved in complete configuration. Currently, it works effectively and they are incorporating AI adoption. Commercially and financially, the pricing is too high. Customers feel that Cisco Enterprise Routers will not offer the most competitive prices. If they can work on pricing, it would be easier for customers who are considering local products. In India, the government has implemented the Make in India initiative, and Cisco has established a manufacturing unit there. Regarding security products, they need to improve market reach, marketing, and training. While Cisco Enterprise Routers are user-friendly for network and wireless platforms, security product configuration and integration are considered complex compared to FortiGate, Check Point, Sophos, and Palo Alto. They have introduced solutions such as Cloud Defense Orchestrator and Firewall Manager (FMC), but the reach of Cisco security products in India needs improvement.
Read full review
Andriejus Artamonovas - PeerSpot reviewer
Andriejus Artamonovas
IT Specialist at a outsourcing company with 501-1,000 employees
Has supported deeper configuration through traffic mirroring and advanced VLAN setup
The main reason why MikroTik Cloud Router Switch is usually chosen is its raw performance to price ratio. In comparison to UniFi switches, MikroTik Cloud Router Switch can mirror all ports for traffic inspection for further traffic analysis, which UniFi cannot do. VLANs in MikroTik Cloud Router Switch are always useful. The way MikroTik implements VLAN-aware switching at the bridge level is hidden in the configuration. Making CRS work as a simple VLAN-aware switch requires deeper configuration, which is not intuitive. VLANs support individual interfaces not part of the bridge, allowing for double VLANing. You can create a VLAN interface in the interfaces context and also create a bridge interface, add physical ports, create VLANs for that bridge interface, and assign tagged and untagged ports and VLANs. Load balancing is one of the key components. The feature itself is quite efficient and works reliably on MikroTik Cloud Router Switch. The very basic setup is one of my favorites because they have their protocol where I can connect through the MAC address right on Layer 2, and I don't lose connectivity to the switch if I mess up with bridging or IP addressing.
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

"Cisco Enterprise Routers are easy to use and the performance is good."
"We like that this solution is suitable for all organization sizes and levels."
"We are required to build an MPLS network in our company, and this solution has been very useful."
"It is a good router that is available with advanced technology."
"Its routers are versatile, reliable, and capable."
"If you want the top or best solution, then you have to choose Cisco."
"Flexibility is the most valuable feature of this solution."
"Cisco Enterprise Routers is reliable and secure."
More Cisco Enterprise Routers pros
"The main reason why MikroTik Cloud Router Switch is usually chosen is its raw performance to price ratio."
"Regarding security and visibility in monitoring, it is very good, the GUI is very intuitive, and it has many more features than those from major vendors."
"A valuable aspect is its user-friendly configuration, making it accessible even for individuals with basic technical knowledge."
"The technical support for MikroTik Cloud Router Switch is superb."
"The performance has been good."
"The interface management and the user access management is pretty good."
"It is user-friendly, reliable, and cheap."
"The beauty of MikroTik is that you have flexibility with the routing parts."
More MikroTik Cloud Router Switch pros
 

Cons

"We would like to see an improvement in the price of this solution. It is currently more expensive than other comparable products on the market."
"The solution needs to offer some security features in a future release."
"The configuration needs improvement. Most routers, like HP or Aruba, use a UI interface. Those solutions are similar and uniform. It's easier for us compared to Cisco because with Cisco you are not using normal commands. They need to enhance the UI to make it more usable."
"If the router gets a fault its very hard to repair."
"The pricing is a huge issue. I had to convince my company to purchase this solution. It is very expensive, and prohibitive."
"The support for SD-WAN technology is not mature yet."
"The installation process should be simplified, since it is quite complex in a new version."
"The only other thing we struggled with from time to time is when we were configuring access points through a controller."
More Cisco Enterprise Routers cons
"If MikroTik had a marketing team and support team in India then it would be much easier for us to get the product, as well as support."
"MikroTik is mostly used by medium and small businesses, so the security is not as robust as Cisco."
"MikroTik has a three to five year maximum lifespan."
"There has to be more development in the OS. It's complex for this switch as compared to others like Cisco."
"The RAM capacity offered by the product needs to be increased, as it is one area where the tool currently has some shortcomings."
"Technical support could be better."
"Simplifying the documentation would be a good idea."
"The user interface could improve and they should allow a license for IBS."
More MikroTik Cloud Router Switch cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing of Cisco routers is reasonable at times. But, here in my country, it is expensive because we get the product from outside our country, which involves a lot of processes...Only owing to the features it provides, it is reasonable."
"I like the price of the solution."
"I am happy with the price of Cisco Enterprise Routers"
"If it could be cheaper that would be good, but I would rate it as a four out of five for price, with one being very expensive and five being very affordable."
"Cisco policy is to limit the features and performance through their license."
"There is a license required for the use of this solution."
"We are on a three-year license and since we use the solution in an educational institute it is priced reasonably."
"Cisco Enterprise Routers are expensive."
More Cisco Enterprise Routers pricing and cost advice
"I consider it to be a cost-effective solution."
"I believe the price of the tool is high, but it is okay for the services we get from it."
"MikroTik is really cheap compared to the competitors."
"The price is competitive."
"The licensing for MikroTik is great. It's easy to enter, especially for small businesses. Their model is great."
"In Pakistan, if you buy this cloud router, it's approximately $700 for the device."
"They came with the licensing when we purchased them."
"This product has a one-time cost and there is no licensing fee."
More MikroTik Cloud Router Switch pricing and cost advice
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Marketing Services Firm
12%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
Performing Arts
7%
Comms Service Provider
13%
Educational Organization
12%
Marketing Services Firm
8%
Manufacturing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business46
Midsize Enterprise24
Large Enterprise44
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business19
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise2
 

Questions from the Community

How do Cisco Enterprise routers compare with Mikrotik routers and switches?
Cisco Enterprise Routers are very stable and easy to use. They offer a very solid performance and are very secure. They also have a very good, long lifespan. We feel the command configuration is ve...
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Enterprise Routers?
It is expensive, but I am not the person purchasing the products; I just handle the configuration.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Cisco Enterprise Routers?
We do not have any impact for Cisco exactly in protecting sensitive information. The only concern we have across all of the products is the price. Additionally, because it is not integrated with so...
See all answers
What do you like most about MikroTik Cloud Router Switch?
The tool has impacted our company's network costs and productivity in a perfect manner and percentage-wise, I can say it is 120 percent.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for MikroTik Cloud Router Switch?
The Python solution pricing is on the lower side.
See all answers
What needs improvement with MikroTik Cloud Router Switch?
It can be difficult to identify key functions for MikroTik Cloud Router Switch. I experience functionality limitations, particularly when trying to find specific features. It would be beneficial to...
See all answers
 

Comparisons

MikroTik Routers and Switches vs Cisco Enterprise Routers Logo
MikroTik Routers and Switches vs Cisco Enterprise Routers
Compared 31% of the time
Huawei Enterprise Routers vs Cisco Enterprise Routers Logo
Huawei Enterprise Routers vs Cisco Enterprise Routers
Compared 17% of the time
HPE Enterprise Routers vs Cisco Enterprise Routers Logo
HPE Enterprise Routers vs Cisco Enterprise Routers
Compared 11% of the time
Juniper MX Series Routers vs Cisco Enterprise Routers Logo
Juniper MX Series Routers vs Cisco Enterprise Routers
Compared 11% of the time
Datto Edge Routers vs Cisco Enterprise Routers Logo
Datto Edge Routers vs Cisco Enterprise Routers
Compared 5% of the time
More Cisco Enterprise Routers Competitors
TP-Link Omada Switches vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch Logo
TP-Link Omada Switches vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch
Compared 13% of the time
MikroTik Routers and Switches vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch Logo
MikroTik Routers and Switches vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch
Compared 9% of the time
Huawei Enterprise Routers vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch Logo
Huawei Enterprise Routers vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch
Compared 6% of the time
Cisco Catalyst Switches vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch Logo
Cisco Catalyst Switches vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch
Compared 5% of the time
Arista Networks Platform vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch Logo
Arista Networks Platform vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch
Compared 4% of the time
More MikroTik Cloud Router Switch Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Cisco Enterprise Routers
March 2026
Cisco Enterprise Routers reportDownload Cisco Enterprise Routers product report
Buyer's Guide
MikroTik Cloud Router Switch
March 2026
MikroTik Cloud Router Switch reportDownload MikroTik Cloud Router Switch product report
 

Also Known As

No data available
MikroTik CRS Series
 

Overview

The high-performance Cisco Enterprise Routers are the market leader due to their breadth of advanced support for LAN/WAN services, redundancy, reliability, and performance.
Cisco
MikroTik Cloud Router Switch is a new Smart Switch series. It combines the best features of a fully functional router and a Layer 3 switch, is powered by the familiar RouterOS. All the specific Switch configuration options are available in a special Switch menu, also ports can be removed from the switch configuration, and used for routing purposes.
MikroTik
 

Sample Customers

Aegean Motorway, Boingo, Chartwell School, Children's Hospital of Orange County , Department of Justice, Explorer Pipeline, Linz AG, National Rugby League, New South Wales Rural Fire Service, Telecom Italia, Transwestern
Information Not Available
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Enterprise Routers vs. MikroTik Cloud Router Switch
March 2026
Free Report: Cisco Enterprise Routers vs. MikroTik Cloud Router Switch
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Enterprise Routers vs. MikroTik Cloud Router Switch and other solutions. Updated: March 2026.
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