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HPE Ethernet Switches vs Meraki MS Switches 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

HPE Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
9th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
104
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Meraki MS Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
8th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
97
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of HPE Ethernet Switches is 2.7%, up from 2.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Meraki MS Switches is 3.2%, down from 4.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Dinesh Upadhyay - PeerSpot reviewer
Experience years of robust features and strong technical support
It is a nice and robust tool where we use HPE Ethernet Switches. It is a lower switch, and we have received good warranty support with HPE switches. The security features of the HPE Ethernet Switches are good. The UI mode is available, and we can easily configure the access list and SNMP. All these configurations can be done here. Users can enable the Layer 3 features.
MajidKhan - PeerSpot reviewer
Remote access enhances troubleshooting with potential for more intuitive interface
We are working with Citrix and router, but in Cisco for Cisco vendor only. We are taking from them since 2015.  The main use case involves some small business customers needing one router, one switch, and two to three access points. It is easy to handle the devices with just a small knowledge of…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"We get a lifetime warranty for the solution so whenever the switches get faulty, you can get a replacement."
"HPE Ethernet Switches offer a good return on investment. They offer a lifetime warranty, which is good. Cisco SMB level only declares a one-year warranty, and for the enterprise level, you need to get a service pack, which costs extra."
"The technical support for this solution has improved from what it was."
"I like that these switches are reliable, and the support is good."
"The most valuable feature is the IRF."
"The most valuable feature in HPE Ethernet Switches is programmability and analytics."
"The security features of the HPE Ethernet Switches are good."
"The best feature of this solution is the lifetime warranty."
"To me, this is a product that meets all of the needs that anyone could possibly have for a networking device."
"The solution's most valuable aspect is the ease of stacking. The configuration on the MS Switches is very good, as well as its ability to assign the LANs."
"The most valuable feature of Meraki MS Switches is user-friendliness."
"It is easy to configure and claim the switches by their serial number directly from the portal."
"The most valuable feature is the dashboard because it makes it easy to manage all of the switches. It's easy to turn them up and get it configured."
"The solution has been very stable so far."
"The most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches are simple deployment and administration. You can have all your switches in one place and manage them."
"This is a sophisticated product with easy configuration that can save time and effort."
 

Cons

"It's gone up in price in the last 12 months."
"The technical support does not match up to the standard of Cisco."
"Authentication and other security features are not easily satisfied using the lower-end switches."
"Price is an area for improvement. Cisco is very competitive on price, considering future business. HPE Ethernet Switches and Aruba need to think about their pricing. Aruba's price was 25 percent higher than Cisco's in a recent Central Bank project in Sri Lanka."
"The product could always use better technical support."
"The solution's throughput should be increased because we often get stuck when it comes to IPTV streaming."
"We have had some rare occasions with glitches, so the stability can be improved."
"They could provide platform integration with other management tools for better reporting."
"We have dealt with a few minor bugs."
"It would be good to include the command-line access someday."
"The price for this product could be cheaper. For a low-budget school or institution, scaling up and implementing more switches could take longer because of budget constraints."
"The troubleshooting could be better."
"The traffic reporting should be better in Meraki MS Switches. We want to be able to see all the traffic and where it is going. Additionally, detailed device utilization information would be very helpful for the security personnel."
"Doesn't enable a local configuration without internet access."
"They need to work on prioritizing different types of data on the network, whether it's voice, data, video, et cetera. Video needs to be prioritized in a much better way, for example."
"It can have better security. It needs more security enhancements, and in particular, a zero-trust element. If we could have external and internal users vetted in the same way as a zero-trust network, that will be handy."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We have to pay for a yearly license for HPE Ethernet Switches."
"There are no licensing costs for this solution."
"We have to see only the security part when considering licenses because the licenses upgrade."
"I like HPE switches because you get a perpetual license with the hardware. The initial cost is about the same as other switches, but it starts beating the competitors after three or four years because you don't have to pay for additional annual licensing costs."
"We just bought new switches for $500 last year, and now, the same switch is $800. It's gone up in price in the last 12 months."
"HP switches are priced well."
"I believe HPE is less expensive than Aruba's and UniFi and that is why certain clients have chosen them as their solution."
"The price could be more competitive."
"One key challenge often encountered is the perception that strategic products like Cisco and Meraki tend to be more expensive than alternatives like Aruba."
"The solution is a bit on the pricey side."
"We don't use standard licensing. Most of the time, we use the advanced security model. If there is a drawback to Meraki, it is the cost, but you also have to evaluate it based upon the other factors that you do get. Their support is really good; their hardware is really good. The ease of configuration and deployment is really good, but it is more expensive than most."
"The yearly maintenance fee is $100 and you can purchase the switches used for about $200 each."
"My company pays for Meraki MS Switches yearly. Pricing-wise, the product is relatively inexpensive."
"I rate the price of Meraki MS Switches a two out of ten."
"If you buy a license for one switch, it will include the licensing for the device RMA, device failure warranty, technical support, and everything else. Also covered is support for software updates for future releases. It's a single license for everything and there's nothing that customers need to pay in addition to the license."
"The licensing is purchased on a one, three, five, and seven year basis."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
11%
Educational Organization
9%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Government
7%
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Comms Service Provider
6%
Educational Organization
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about HPE Ethernet Switches?
The solution is very stable and easy to use.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for HPE Ethernet Switches?
The price of HPE Ethernet Switches is reasonable and less than other OEM brands.
What needs improvement with HPE Ethernet Switches?
The price should be reduced in comparison to Cisco, as sometimes we cannot use the HPE one at the core level, where generally public users are using Cisco. The price of HPE core switches and Cisco ...
What do you like most about Meraki MS Switches?
The most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches are their reliability and simplicity.
What needs improvement with Meraki MS Switches?
What could be improved is that when a switch disconnects from the internet, you can't make any changes to that switch. Sometimes the switches lose internet connectivity, and we can't do anything to...
 

Also Known As

HP Ethernet Switches
MS220, MS320, MS420
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Emirates Palace Hotel
Cisco Live Milan, Hyatt
Find out what your peers are saying about HPE Ethernet Switches vs. Meraki MS Switches and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
865,295 professionals have used our research since 2012.