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Cisco Ethernet Switches vs Meraki MS Switches comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 8, 2026

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
5.7
Cisco Ethernet Switches offer high ROI with low maintenance, uptime, but some face renewal, scalability challenges affecting profitability.
Sentiment score
3.7
Meraki MS Switches simplify management and reduce costs, with cloud integration and intuitive configuration despite slower ROI without full adoption.
It has saved considerable time for engineers to troubleshoot and perform related tasks.
Network & Security Engineer at Arrow PC Network Pvt Ltd
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.1
Cisco Ethernet Switches are praised for strong support, yet experience variability, especially with complex issues and response times.
Sentiment score
6.9
Meraki MS Switches support is praised for expertise and availability but faces challenges with complex issues and support clarity.
Customer support for Cisco Ethernet Switches is really good.
Network & Security Engineer at Arrow PC Network Pvt Ltd
It takes two to three days for Cisco support to address issues.
Asst IT Manager at Ultra Engineers
Currently, we don't have any technical support because our license doesn't allow for direct support.
Commercial Experience Supervisor at Jazz (previously known as Mobilink)
If the devices are licensed, the support team will assist you depending on the severity level of the case.
Network Engineer at Gaihab
The support is excellent and rated ten out of ten.
Sales Engineer at Phoenyx Commtech Pvt. Ltd.
I would rate the technical support by Cisco a nine because support-wise, we are comfortable.
Technical Manager at Ledorbis Solutions
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
8.1
Cisco Ethernet Switches are scalable, adaptable, and support efficient network expansion across diverse environments, suitable for all company sizes.
Sentiment score
7.1
Meraki MS Switches are ideal for small to medium businesses but face scalability issues in larger enterprises.
Cisco mainly provides security, patch management, hardware reliability, durability, scalability, and security features supporting my organization's expansion.
Head of the Solutions Department at BIM Group of Companies
The latest products do not allow integration with the earlier environment.
Asst IT Manager at Ultra Engineers
The scalability depends on the model.
Commercial Experience Supervisor at Jazz (previously known as Mobilink)
They're quite scalable for my environment.
Ag. Systems & Networks Head at UNBS
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.9
Cisco Ethernet Switches are highly regarded for their durability and reliability, with users praising their long-lasting performance and support.
Sentiment score
8.2
Meraki MS Switches are reliable and stable, with minimal issues, often attributed to external factors or configurations.
The switches are very stable, rated ten out of ten.
Senior System Engineer & Project Manager at TechnoPeak
If something happens to the device or hardware, Cisco will automatically change the device by the next business day.
Network Engineer at Gaihab
We faced issues following firmware updates, which we now handle by performing updates outside of working hours.
Chief Technologies Officer at ASTORG PARTNERS
Cisco is a very stable platform.
Network &Security Engineer at Natioanal Drug Authority Uganda
 

Room For Improvement

Cisco Ethernet Switches face challenges with complexity, costs, inadequate support, and demand improvements in scalability, security, integration, and usability.
Meraki MS Switches need improved pricing, local management, security, and feature enhancements for better functionality and affordability.
The pricing and hardware warranty renewal costs are more expensive than other products.
Asst IT Manager at Ultra Engineers
FortiGate switches are considered more valuable because they have firewall capabilities.
Commercial Experience Supervisor at Jazz (previously known as Mobilink)
For example, on switches, filtering specific sections isn't supported, whereas, on routers, you can do 'show run' with additional commands to filter.
Senior System Engineer & Project Manager at TechnoPeak
Meraki should also consider improvements in stacking features, particularly in the lower-end models like NS130, where stacking isn't supported, unlike with Cisco traditional switching.
Senior Manager at a comms service provider with 51-200 employees
There are compatibility issues with certain Power over Ethernet (PoE) devices, which we would like to see resolved.
Chief Technologies Officer at ASTORG PARTNERS
Most people are familiar with the Cisco commands, and it would be beneficial if the switch could be accessed by GUI configuration and by normally accessing the console.
Network Engineer at Gaihab
 

Setup Cost

Cisco Ethernet Switches offer high quality and reliability but come with high prices, inflexible licensing, and potential hidden costs.
Meraki MS Switches are costly but offer robust cloud management, stability, and support, justifying the expense for enterprises.
Cisco Ethernet switches are priced at a rating of nine, indicating they are expensive.
Asst IT Manager at Ultra Engineers
We need to pay for the subscription, as there are extra expenses after purchasing the product.
Head of the Solutions Department at BIM Group of Companies
Regarding the cost, Cisco Ethernet Switches have a competitive price.
IT Manager at Decorgel
Meraki MS Switches, including their licensing, are somewhat expensive, particularly when compared with competitor solutions like HP.
IT System Administrator at Bouri
The cost of the support and maintenance bundle is quite costly for Cisco.
Network &Security Engineer at Natioanal Drug Authority Uganda
Meraki pricing is a little premium compared to other vendor products.
Senior Manager at a comms service provider with 51-200 employees
 

Valuable Features

Cisco Ethernet Switches provide performance, reliability, security, scalability, advanced management features, customization, energy efficiency, and extensive support.
Meraki MS Switches offer cloud management, scalability, security, and easy setup with features like VLAN configuration and traffic analytics.
Their stability and durability are essential features we've been looking for many years, and they are still working fine.
IT Manager at Decorgel
It provides a high layer of enterprise security via 802.1X port-based authentication, DHCP snooping, ARP inspection, IP Guard, ACLs, and integration with Cisco ISE.
Network & Security Engineer at Arrow PC Network Pvt Ltd
The Cisco Ethernet switches are sturdy products that do not require any kind of maintenance.
Asst IT Manager at Ultra Engineers
The control plane is in the cloud, and the data plane is local, allowing manageability from anywhere.
Senior Manager at a comms service provider with 51-200 employees
One of the most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches is its precise traffic analytics capabilities, allowing us to query the system for any place at any time.
Chief Technologies Officer at ASTORG PARTNERS
The most valuable feature is the ability to access devices from anywhere in the world through the cloud.
Network Engineer at Gaihab
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
138
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Meraki MS Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
10th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
100
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Ethernet Switches is 9.1%, down from 12.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Meraki MS Switches is 2.5%, down from 3.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco Ethernet Switches9.1%
Meraki MS Switches2.5%
Other88.4%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Sachin-Yadav - PeerSpot reviewer
Network & Security Engineer at Arrow PC Network Pvt Ltd
Network segmentation has improved security and performance across all departments
Cisco Ethernet Switches offer various features such as L3 capable models which help me with my routing requirements, OSPF, EIGRP, and VRF for segmentation, as well as policy-based routing. Additionally, it provides a high layer of enterprise security via 802.1X port-based authentication, DHCP snooping, ARP inspection, IP Guard, ACLs, and integration with Cisco ISE. I have been using Cisco Ethernet Switches for more than four years, and they have provided me stability, better connectivity, and higher speed. My organization values these switches greatly.
Boaz Katabazi - PeerSpot reviewer
Network &Security Engineer at Natioanal Drug Authority Uganda
Cloud-managed switches have simplified remote branch access while maintaining strong performance
Cisco is a very stable platform. Even though we haven't upgraded firmware and all that for a long time, it can still perform. Unlike the other switches in the infrastructure where you find you have to constantly upgrade, they will warn you about vulnerability and all those. When you're scanning, it will tell you that there's a lot. For Cisco, once there's a release of firmware and all that, it's always very stable for a period of time. We have not replaced Cisco switches, apart from issues to do with product or power failure and maybe other reasons. We have not replaced them quite often compared to these other products. They are quite resilient.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Construction Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Financial Services Firm
15%
Construction Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Outsourcing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business60
Midsize Enterprise35
Large Enterprise55
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business56
Midsize Enterprise20
Large Enterprise22
 

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 ...
Which would you choose - Fortinet Fortiswitch secure access or Cisco Ethernet Switches?
We researched Cisco but ultimately chose Fortinet FortiSwitch Secure Access, mostly because of the price. Fortinet FortiSwitch is an ethernet switch solution that provides security and performance...
In terms of ethernet switches, would you go with Cisco or Juniper?
Our organization ran comparison tests to determine whether Cisco or Juniper Ethernet switches were the better fit for us. We decided to go with Juniper. Juniper ethernet switches are a lesser-known...
What needs improvement with Meraki MS Switches?
Meraki MS Switches are easy to manage, but I believe they are more suitable for use on the IT side because Meraki faces the internet, requiring an open connection through the internet for control. ...
What is your primary use case for Meraki MS Switches?
I have experience with Cisco products as I implement a lot of them. For example, I implemented switches and access points when I worked for infrastructure in a motorcycle company, and I implemented...
 

Also Known As

Cisco Industrial Ethernet Switches
MS220, MS320, MS420
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Linz AG
Cisco Live Milan, Hyatt
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Ethernet Switches vs. Meraki MS Switches and other solutions. Updated: August 2026.
911,493 professionals have used our research since 2012.