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Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch comparison

 

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:
 

Categories and Ranking

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secu...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
7th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
49
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
MikroTik Cloud Router Switch
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
17th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
25
Ranking in other categories
Routers (5th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is 4.1%, down from 5.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of MikroTik Cloud Router Switch is 1.8%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access4.1%
MikroTik Cloud Router Switch1.8%
Other94.1%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Uri Harf - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Presales at A.G.A.S. מחשוב ותקשורת לעסקים
Integration with cloud management simplifies network expansion
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is expensive, and this initial cost can be a barrier, especially for new businesses setting up from scratch. Although the machine is robust and lasts for years with rare technical issues, the initial price can be high. Sometimes, I have to offer alternatives like Aruba or HP, which might be cheaper.
Andriejus Artamonovas - PeerSpot reviewer
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.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"What I really love in FortiSwitch: its usability, the graphical user interface, and the ability to be managed by FortiGate."
"The policies are very good."
"The most valuable feature of FortiSwitch is its user-friendly interface, which facilitates easy management and propagation of rules throughout the network."
"You can hook all the other components to be monitored. You can create policies and block certain people from accessing the Internet."
"The centralization of control is highly beneficial."
"The most valuable feature is that I can completely isolate devices that are compromising the network."
"The product is very secure."
"The tool's setup was very easy."
"The router power is the most valuable aspect."
"It is user-friendly, reliable, and cheap."
"It is easy to set up the solution."
"The most valuable feature is that it has better throughput than its competitors."
"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."
"A valuable aspect is its user-friendly configuration, making it accessible even for individuals with basic technical knowledge."
"MikroTik Cloud Router Switch stands out for its features, especially those available at that price point."
"It is easy to set up."
 

Cons

"The pricing could be improved, and it could be easier to configure."
"When we started using the solution, it was quite complex but then it became easier to use. It takes a while to get used to the interface."
"The solution doesn't support other switches."
"We've had some issues with Layer 3 FortiSwitch. We can deploy the device in the cloud. However, we can't deploy this solution in complex environments easily."
"The pricing is considered high due to the currency exchange changes in our region."
"One of the main challenges was integrating FortiSwitch with FortiGate, as the switches are managed through FortiGate rather than independently."
"I would like Fortinet to make this product easier to configure."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is confusing with too many add-ons."
"It can be difficult to identify key functions for MikroTik Cloud Router Switch. I experience functionality limitations, particularly when trying to find specific features."
"Technical support could be better."
"While some customers use MikroTik Cloud Router Switch as a firewall, it's not at an industry-level, though the basic features are adequate for many users who prefer it over purchasing other reputed firewall solutions."
"In medium to large sectors, there's a necessity for managing aspects like proxy firewalls."
"The initial setup is complex."
"MikroTik needs to add some features like IPS, mail security, or antivirus, et cetera."
"There has to be more development in the OS. It's complex for this switch as compared to others like Cisco. For NetGear and Cisco, it's easy to adapt the VLAN concept but it should be simplified for MikroTik."
"Aspects such as zero trust, security, and management interface could be improved, which would be useful."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Licensing is billed annually and contracts are either one or three years in length."
"The solution has reasonable pricing. The firewall costs around 500$ annually."
"I rate the product's pricing an eight out of ten."
"It's affordable compared to other switching products, like Cisco switches."
"You can buy this equipment in a multitude of ways. You can buy just the hardware, or you can buy the hardware and the licenses."
"The cost appears to be high in comparison to other competing products although with this product you are paying for what you get."
"The product is costly for SMB customers compared to other brands available in the market."
"The product pricing seems to be mid-range."
"The price is competitive."
"They came with the licensing when we purchased them."
"The price of the solution is fair and there is a one-time license purchase only."
"The licensing for MikroTik is great. It's easy to enter, especially for small businesses. Their model is great."
"I consider it to be a cost-effective solution."
"MikroTik is really cheap compared to the competitors."
"In Pakistan, if you buy this cloud router, it's approximately $700 for the device."
"I believe the price of the tool is high, but it is okay for the services we get from it."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Comms Service Provider
14%
Educational Organization
14%
Computer Software Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business38
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise7
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business19
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise2
 

Questions from the Community

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...
What do you like most about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access?
With FortiSwitch, you can easily identify who is connected to each port, disable ports as needed, and retrieve configurations from FortiGate when required.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access?
The initial cost of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is high compared to other options. Although robust and rarely needs replacement, it can be overqualified for some jobs, which affects the re...
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.
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...
 

Also Known As

No data available
MikroTik CRS Series
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access vs. MikroTik Cloud Router Switch and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
881,114 professionals have used our research since 2012.