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Cisco Enterprise Routers vs MikroTik Routers and Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 2, 2025

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
4.6
Cisco Enterprise Routers offer high ROI with low failure rates, enhancing customer satisfaction and trust, yielding significant financial returns.
Sentiment score
7.1
MikroTik devices are cost-effective, reliable, and offer an impressive 80% return on investment with no licensing fees.
Our customers have seen return on investment and value for money since implementing Cisco Enterprise Routers.
Head of Cyber Defense Department and Network Technologies Department at Verso Altima
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
4.1
Cisco Enterprise Routers' customer service is praised for responsiveness but varies by region, with ratings generally between 7-10.
Sentiment score
4.3
MikroTik support receives mixed reviews; while knowledgeable, users face access challenges and documentation limitations compared to Cisco.
Cisco's support for routers, especially Cisco Enterprise Routers, is above the competition for sure.
Head of Cyber Defense Department and Network Technologies Department at Verso Altima
When you get a ticket and connect with the right person, the support is excellent, helping from beginning to end.
Technical Manager at Network Security and Crypto
The best features of Cisco Enterprise Routers are not just about the feature itself, but it's about the Cisco services and support.
Unit Nos at Orange
Their support team knows their product very well.
Content Specialist at PeerSpot
I sometimes need technical support from my ISP company, or else I gather information from YouTube.
IT Manager at ERL
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.0
Cisco Enterprise Routers are scalable, modular, and favored for network expansion, though ease of scaling varies by equipment and needs.
Sentiment score
7.1
MikroTik Routers are seen as scalable, though some note hardware and security limitations in larger deployments.
Cisco Enterprise Routers are modular routers that are beneficial for scaling or expanding, allowing us to add additional modules to serve various purposes, such as additional ports or links, and they even provide additional switching modules for local connectivity.
Unit Nos at Orange
In terms of scalability, Cisco Enterprise Routers are easy to scale.
Network Engineer at Equine World
Even in a big enterprise, MikroTik Routers and Switches can scale very well.
Content Specialist at PeerSpot
It's easy to scale MikroTik Routers and Switches; you can add more and have a cluster.
IT Consultant at M-COM s.r.o
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.1
Cisco Enterprise Routers are praised for their stability, reliability, and minimal maintenance, earning high user satisfaction ratings.
Sentiment score
7.4
MikroTik Routers and Switches are generally stable, but newer OS versions and the power system can cause issues.
Cisco Enterprise Routers are stable and reliable, with no significant glitches in performance.
Network Engineer at Equine World
MikroTik Routers and Switches are very stable.
IT Manager at ERL
MikroTik Routers and Switches have very high stability.
Content Specialist at PeerSpot
 

Room For Improvement

Cisco Enterprise Routers need simplified setup, improved GUI, better WAN integration, advanced security, and streamlined management for enhanced user experience.
MikroTik Routers and Switches need better interface, security, documentation, compatibility, advanced features, and support for improved user experience.
People often opt for Ubiquiti, not because of their features, but because of the Wi-Fi signal stability.
Technical Manager at Network Security and Crypto
In terms of improvement, Cisco Enterprise Routers are already stable and that's quite good; however, I see an improvement that could be made in product availability where we face some challenges, such as raising a request and the product not being available locally.
Unit Nos at Orange
Security product configuration and integration are considered complex compared to FortiGate, Check Point, Sophos, and Palo Alto.
Pre-Sales Technical Specialist at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
It would be better for me if I could establish filter rules within MikroTik.
IT Manager at ERL
The most important thing is maintaining and enhancing their strong security features.
Content Specialist at PeerSpot
 

Setup Cost

Cisco Enterprise Routers are seen as costly, with complex licensing, affecting smaller businesses despite high quality and justified pricing.
MikroTik offers cost-effective routers with lifetime licenses, appealing to enterprises seeking affordable high-performance alternatives without hidden charges.
The pricing and licensing of Cisco Enterprise Routers is high, but the quality justifies the cost.
President at www.virtualtechsolutionsusa.com
But acquiring the actual equipment is more expensive.
Director at BAMS
It is expensive, but I am not the person purchasing the products; I just handle the configuration.
CEO/ IT at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
MikroTik Routers and Switches are expensive, but they are the best products in terms of quality.
Content Specialist at PeerSpot
 

Valuable Features

Cisco Enterprise Routers offer scalability, security, and cloud integration with superior performance, ease of use, and excellent support.
MikroTik devices combine affordability, scalability, and performance with features like flexible firewalls and user-friendly GUI for efficient networking.
Cisco has a long history of security built into the routers themselves, including virtualization options on the routers, the ability to implement managed access lists, tagging on the access level, and using these tags on Cisco firewalls.
Head of Cyber Defense Department and Network Technologies Department at Verso Altima
Cisco Meraki has a single platform to manage network and security products.
Pre-Sales Technical Specialist at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
The value of Cisco Enterprise Routers isn't about features, it's about stability.
Technical Manager at Network Security and Crypto
They simplify the process of creating access lists, allowing me to understand my network's activities effectively.
IT Manager at ERL
MikroTik Routers and Switches are some of the best routers around, security-wise, followed by Cisco.
Content Specialist at PeerSpot
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Enterprise Routers
Ranking in Routers
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.0
Number of Reviews
110
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
MikroTik Routers and Switches
Ranking in Routers
1st
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
68
Ranking in other categories
Ethernet Switches (7th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Routers category, the mindshare of Cisco Enterprise Routers is 16.1%, down from 22.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of MikroTik Routers and Switches is 21.2%, down from 26.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Routers Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
MikroTik Routers and Switches21.2%
Cisco Enterprise Routers16.1%
Other62.7%
Routers
 

Q&A Highlights

NC
Content Manager at PeerSpot
Nov 22, 2021
 

Featured Reviews

reviewer2759889 - PeerSpot reviewer
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.
Rivka Alexander - PeerSpot reviewer
Content Specialist at PeerSpot
Routers and switches enhance network security and adaptability
We use MikroTik Routers and Switches for IT business, software development, networking, and tower infrastructure, although some areas are still in progress MikroTik Routers and Switches are some of the best routers around, security-wise, followed by Cisco. They are very accommodating with their…
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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Routers solutions are best for your needs.
879,422 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Answers from the Community

NC
Content Manager at PeerSpot
Nov 22, 2021
Nov 22, 2021
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 very intuitive and the command line interface is very simple to handle, at least for the tech-savvy crowd. Technical support is also very good. Cisco Enterprise routers can be very expensive. You do hav...
See 2 answers
Nov 2, 2021
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 very intuitive and the command line interface is very simple to handle, at least for the tech-savvy crowd. Technical support is also very good. Cisco Enterprise routers can be very expensive. You do have to have some knowledge to configure, and that can be a dissatisfaction for some. A graphical interface would be helpful for those with less expertise and would make setup, scaling, and overall management easier. They could also integrate better with other products and solutions. Their Firewall and VPN options should be improved to stay more competitive with other products. MikroTik Routers and Switches are very good with multi-routing, multi-dwelling, multi-tenant units. Their bandwidth is amazing - we have experienced zero downtime. We found the solution to be very stable and flexible. They deliver the same performance as the top brands for a significantly lower price. The initial setup can be tricky. The user interface is a bit dated and the support could use improvement. They only warranty their product for one year, where others offer three, five, or more. This could be a concern for some. We feel that this product is not suited for high-end projects. Conclusion MikroTik offers a very usable stable product for smaller organizations that are not looking to grow exponentially quickly. They do not scale beyond 3 gigs of traffic. For a smaller organization, they would be a very good fit. Cisco is the go-to solution for larger organizations. They have the brand recognition that clients like They offer a solid product that they will stand behind, and it performs well. They can easily meet the needs of large enterprises and growing organizations.
GG
Ingeniería de Preventa at TECNORED SA
Nov 22, 2021
Mikrotik, as Cisco is not for everyone ... While this popular OS-based router, is simple, it is not for all applications. When one wants complex results, MK is useful. it is an assistant to ADMs who do not have much knowledge.  But not everything is simple or can be solved with a single team. The particularity of its Agile and intuitive interface makes MK lose in the middle to high segment.  Cisco has years of experience, one may or may not agree with its pricing and especially licensing policy, but its products are made to last, its IOS, is powerful in many areas.  One turns on a Cisco and if the initial configuration is optimal, it does not turn off that router anymore.  MK is a team that must be seen, controlling and above all optimizing. The reasons for choosing one and the other are simple, money, knowledge and, above all, projection.  Cisco can be planned and completed, but it is not for everyone. MK plans to buy and update the HW sooner or later. His continuous releases are tedious but necessary. Cisco in the Enterprise range is clearly superior, as is Juniper or Huawei.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Performing Arts
7%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Comms Service Provider
16%
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Hospitality Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business46
Midsize Enterprise24
Large Enterprise43
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business43
Midsize Enterprise16
Large Enterprise9
 

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...
What do you like most about Cisco Enterprise Routers?
The most valuable feature of the solution is that it makes it possible for users to use encryption and decryption since our company aims to achieve transparency, and without it, the other system on...
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.
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 do you like most about MikroTik Routers and Switches?
The price is a big factor. They are very affordable, and the quality is high.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for MikroTik Routers and Switches?
MikroTik Routers and Switches are expensive, but they are the best products in terms of quality. From my knowledge, their quality is also the best.
 

Overview

 

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
ABB, Boingo Wireless, JPL, HP, Allied Telesis, iPass, Mips Technologies, MicroAge, Matsushita, Telia, undp, WFP, NASA
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Enterprise Routers vs. MikroTik Routers and Switches and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
879,422 professionals have used our research since 2012.