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Cradlepoint NetCloud vs Juniper Contrail Networking comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 4, 2025

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

Cradlepoint NetCloud
Ranking in Software Defined Networking (SDN)
7th
Average Rating
7.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
4
Ranking in other categories
Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions (17th), WAN Edge (12th)
Juniper Contrail Networking
Ranking in Software Defined Networking (SDN)
4th
Average Rating
7.4
Reviews Sentiment
5.6
Number of Reviews
4
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Software Defined Networking (SDN) category, the mindshare of Cradlepoint NetCloud is 5.1%, down from 5.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Juniper Contrail Networking is 7.7%, up from 6.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Software Defined Networking (SDN) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Juniper Contrail Networking7.7%
Cradlepoint NetCloud5.1%
Other87.2%
Software Defined Networking (SDN)
 

Featured Reviews

reviewer2142177 - PeerSpot reviewer
Product Director at a outsourcing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Wireless connectivity transforms with robust management
There are areas for improvement, particularly at the lower end of the medium enterprise market. Cradlepoint's portfolio is lacking budget-friendly options. The company realizes that there's a need for affordable connectivity products, especially for lower-end medium enterprises or larger small enterprises, and is working on developing entry-level products in terms of functionality and pricing.
IS
Solution Architect at Posteo
Handles network connections and hosts multiple services with automation
Juniper Contrail Networking is designed to streamline and integrate networking solutions within OpenStack environments. While Juniper's strategy initially aimed at enhancing system integration, some users have reported challenges with seamless integration, with other platforms like Red Hat and Ubuntu. These integration issues sometimes led to difficulties in diagnosing problems, as they were attributed to Contrail or OpenStack rather than directed to the appropriate support channels. Additionally, concerns were raised about the complexity of involving networking components like MX routers, which often required expertise beyond the scope of software engineers. As a result, users encountered challenges in achieving comprehensive understanding and troubleshooting of networking issues within the Contrail environment.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"We are administrative partners with Cradlepoint; there are a few things that could change, but they support the business very well."
"Cradlepoint NetCloud is very stable; it's so good that we are starting to roll it out and now support some of our remote offices with them now."
"Cradlepoint provides real value in its focus on wireless WAN connectivity."
"It is easy to set up and requires a single administrator to maintain it."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is the automatic failover."
"I rate the overall solution as ten out of ten."
"Cradlepoint NetCloud is very stable."
"After we finished setting Contrail up, it seemed stable enough."
"Contrail automates the excellent communication between virtual appliances."
"Juniper Contrail Networking is low-cost for small and medium-sized businesses, and Cisco and Palo Alto solutions are more expensive."
"It provides proactive alerting in a single dashboard solution."
"After we finished setting Contrail up, it seemed stable enough. Still, we never tested it in a real environment, so we don't have enough information to say whether it's stable with a given number of users and appliances. We have tested it in a lab environment, but we haven't tested enough to say that the platform is stable."
"Juniper Contrail Networking is a stable solution."
 

Cons

"There are areas for improvement, particularly at the lower end of the medium enterprise market."
"It is missing important settings options."
"In our situation, the initial setup was complex."
"Cradlepoint's portfolio is lacking budget-friendly options."
"The performance of group-based clouds should be enhanced."
"The performance of group-based clouds should be enhanced."
"In our situation, the initial setup was complex."
"Visibility, especially for the top of the platform, is a nightmare. The top was documented incorrectly and really complex to complete. In the end, it worked but only after several weeks of work with the support of a Juniper solution engineer in Holland."
"Concerns were raised about the complexity of involving networking components like MX routers, which often required expertise beyond the scope of software engineers. As a result, users encountered challenges in achieving comprehensive understanding and troubleshooting of networking issues within the Contrail environment."
"Juniper needs to address the market's specific requirements, such as the SME sector, and offer more lower-priced products like a lower-end segment switch."
"Juniper Contrail Networking is difficult if you do not have a certificate for Juniper. Juniper is a different type of configuration or operation than Cisco."
"Juniper Contrail Networking is difficult if you do not have a certificate for Juniper. Juniper is a different type of configuration or operation than Cisco."
"Visibility, especially for the top of the platform, is a nightmare. The top was documented incorrectly and really complex to complete."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Yearly licenses are available."
"Cradlepoint's prices are on par with similar solutions."
"The annual cost is less than $200,000 yet more than $150,000.00."
"Juniper Contrail Networking is low-cost for small and medium-sized businesses. Cisco and Palo Alto solutions are more expensive."
"There are many vendors in the wireless market that offer better pricing, solutions, and management skills compared to Juniper."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
12%
Construction Company
9%
Government
8%
Outsourcing Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
17%
Construction Company
11%
Computer Software Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cradlepoint NetCloud?
Cradlepoint's pricing is viewed as market competitive, offering good value for the money invested. While some customers are price sensitive, others recognize the efficiency and smooth operation as ...
What needs improvement with Cradlepoint NetCloud?
There are areas for improvement, particularly at the lower end of the medium enterprise market. Cradlepoint's portfolio is lacking budget-friendly options. The company realizes that there's a need ...
What is your primary use case for Cradlepoint NetCloud?
I use Ericsson, the parent company of Cradlepoint, to provide solutions for wireless WAN technology. Customers are seeking connectivity in nontraditional places or mobile applications. Ericsson's p...
What needs improvement with Juniper Contrail Networking?
Juniper Contrail Networking enables the utilization of tier-two appliances and the creation of virtual networks or appliances. This is facilitated through the use of filtering devices. Additionally...
What is your primary use case for Juniper Contrail Networking?
We use the solution to host many services for multiple clients. We aim to transition from hosting Cisco clients to utilizing virtual appliances. Therefore, we intend to virtualize their infrastruct...
What advice do you have for others considering Juniper Contrail Networking?
Juniper Contrail Networking presents a distinct alternative for those encountering issues with vendor solutions. Consequently, individuals who may have previously hesitated to explore OpenStack sol...
 

Also Known As

No data available
Contrail Networking
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

City of San Antonio, Statue Cruises, Tour Dubai, St. David's Foundation, JBT, DSC Dredge
Lithium Technologies, Orange Business Services, Cloudwatt, Symantec, Cloud Dynamics, CloudSeeds
Find out what your peers are saying about Cradlepoint NetCloud vs. Juniper Contrail Networking and other solutions. Updated: April 2026.
894,738 professionals have used our research since 2012.