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Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches vs Meraki MS Switches vs NETGEAR Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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
7.5
Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches offer stability and low maintenance, providing significant ROI despite high initial costs.
Sentiment score
6.4
Meraki MS Switches offer scalability and manageability but face challenges with cloud integration and initial costs affecting returns.
Sentiment score
7.2
NETGEAR Switches offer cost-effective, reliable solutions with labor savings, minimal management, and enhanced efficiency for business growth.
Compared to other low-end switches with similar features, these are more robust and offer better scalability, which justifies the higher cost.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
8.3
Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches support is generally positive, though accessibility and regional service improvements are suggested.
Sentiment score
8.0
Meraki MS Switches support is praised for responsiveness but faces criticism for delays and difficulties in escalation and access.
Sentiment score
6.8
Customers find NETGEAR's support effective and responsive but face challenges with service navigation and understanding new products.
I have not faced any hardware issues requiring support due to the stable nature of their products.
I find them very competent.
Local partners and local distributors cannot open direct tickets, but any level of partner with other OEMs such as Cisco can open a ticket directly, which is a connectivity advantage that Juniper lacks.
If the devices are licensed, the support team will assist you depending on the severity level of the case.
The support is excellent and rated ten out of ten.
Cisco's tech support is pretty good, and I would rate it an eight out of ten.
There are issues distinguishing which switches support cloud features.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.4
Juniper EX Series Switches excel in scalability and flexibility, supporting efficient network management with high-speed performance across industries.
Sentiment score
7.6
Meraki MS Switches are scalable for SMBs with stackable features and cloud management, but may lack enterprise-level robustness.
Sentiment score
7.0
NETGEAR Switches offer adaptability and scalability, supporting various network sizes with easy expansion and robust connectivity features.
Adding another switch to an existing setup turns them into a single virtual switch.
The EX series supports scalability well, with newer series like EX4100 offering stacking of up to eight switches.
I would rate Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches a seven in terms of scalability as it could be more scalable and requires some improvement.
They're quite scalable for my environment.
The scalability of NETGEAR Switches is easy and very beneficial for us.
NETGEAR's scalability through its Insight Cloud system is on par with Ubiquiti's, although it must offer features beyond its competitors.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.3
Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches offer reliable performance with minor upgrade challenges and occasional hardware issues due to external factors.
Sentiment score
8.2
Meraki MS Switches are highly reliable with minimal disruptions, praised for efficient updates and overall stable performance.
Sentiment score
7.8
NETGEAR Switches are praised for their reliability and stability, making them ideal for demanding applications despite minor quirks.
They have separate control and forwarding planes, which enhance scalability and stability.
During peak time at nine, the traffic passes through the switches perfectly.
Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches proves to be an equally good switch.
If something happens to the device or hardware, Cisco will automatically change the device by the next business day.
We faced issues following firmware updates, which we now handle by performing updates outside of working hours.
We've experienced failures such as a 16-port dying after three to four years.
 

Room For Improvement

Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches need pricing adjustments, better support, improved interfaces, and enhanced features for competitive performance.
Meraki MS Switches need better pricing, reduced cloud dependency, improved features, and enhancements in scalability, security, and support.
Enhancing security, management, compatibility, and support while refining costs and integration could strengthen NETGEAR's position in enterprise networks.
One area that can be improved is the handling of power interruption, as it can cause the platform to crash.
Some integration with AI could be a good idea since I heard that Juniper already has systems to deploy AI within the EX device, but I haven't had the opportunity to try that.
With other OEMs, customers or partners can directly open tech tickets.
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.
There are compatibility issues with certain Power over Ethernet (PoE) devices, which we would like to see resolved.
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.
They should introduce features like dual firmware or dual boot that allow systems to be updated without downtime.
They can improve on the commercial part, specifically the cost, as it is higher than other brands.
 

Setup Cost

Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches offer competitive pricing and affordability with flexible licensing appealing to cost-conscious enterprises.
Meraki MS Switches are costly but offer excellent support and cloud features, with discounts available for longer-term licenses.
Enterprise users praise NETGEAR Switches for competitive pricing, excellent performance, low costs, and strong warranties compared to rivals.
The switches have become more expensive than before.
It is rated high on the scale, and I would say it is definitely on the high side, confirming a rating of one, which means it is very expensive.
In terms of pricing, the Juniper EX Series is cost-effective compared to competitors like Cisco.
Meraki MS Switches, including their licensing, are somewhat expensive, particularly when compared with competitor solutions like HP.
Meraki pricing is a little premium compared to other vendor products.
Pricing is affordable, and licenses for the cloud need to be purchased every three to five years.
Some high-end switches required for specific advanced features, like precision time protocols, can be more expensive.
 

Valuable Features

Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches offer high performance, easy integration, advanced automation, and cost-effective scalability with robust security.
Meraki MS Switches provide cloud management with remote configuration, zero-touch deployment, user-friendly GUI, and Cisco integration for scalability.
NETGEAR Switches offer affordability, ease, reliability, advanced features, robust performance, and strong support for diverse networking needs.
We are using the Juniper MX 104 L3 switches and SRX 1500 firewall since 2019, and we have not faced a single failure.
Juniper EX series switches offer great technology, particularly their Virtual Chassis technology, which is an excellent feature for stacking switches and functions like a single virtual switch.
They feature a separate control and forwarding plane, which enhances performance during heavy traffic and attacks.
The control plane is in the cloud, and the data plane is local, allowing manageability from anywhere.
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.
The most valuable feature is the ability to access devices from anywhere in the world through the cloud.
The most valuable features are routing and access control.
The precision time protocol feature caught our interest for future use in specific settings like churches, where low latency is required.
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches is 2.8%, down from 3.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Meraki MS Switches is 3.2%, down from 4.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of NETGEAR Switches is 8.5%, down from 9.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
NETGEAR Switches8.5%
Meraki MS Switches3.2%
Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches2.8%
Other85.5%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

FauzanRahmanto - PeerSpot reviewer
Have achieved lower costs and gained reliability with some room for better scalability
The security capabilities of Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches are comparable to other brands, so there are no additional points for Juniper regarding the security systems. I would rate the price of Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches an eight out of ten. Regarding stability, I would rate Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches a nine out of ten. I would recommend Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches to other organizations because it is easy to use, the command is easy to learn, and it is very stable. I chose Juniper as my primary vendor because it is very stable, reliable, and the price is lower than competitors. I am the person who usually does the maintenance alone. In my office, my two colleagues and I are the network engineers directly responsible for the operation of the EX devices. The number of users in my organization who have access to Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches is around 17 people. Overall, I would rate Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches an eight out of ten.
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…
Umang Shah - PeerSpot reviewer
Efficient routing and access control with an easy setup
We use NETGEAR Switches for networking, particularly for switch-to-switch connectivity. We connect them with core switches, especially for camera installation NETGEAR Switches have increased the throughput and speed of internal communication, and have improved our network efficiency. The most…
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Comparison Review

it_user82779 - PeerSpot reviewer
Jan 29, 2014
Benefits of Juniper vs Cisco
Both are decent products. I prefer Juniper for the following reasons: 1) Cleaner separation of data plane from control plane. Higher end Cisco devices are better at this but most of the lower end products still seem to be more integrated than I like. 2) The Hierarchical config design means I can…
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
9%
University
8%
Educational Organization
7%
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Comms Service Provider
6%
Educational Organization
6%
Computer Software Company
12%
University
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business38
Midsize Enterprise17
Large Enterprise24
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business51
Midsize Enterprise20
Large Enterprise23
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business41
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise11
 

Questions from the Community

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...
What advice do you have for others considering Juniper Ethernet Switches?
Juniper EX model is ok for the campus network as the ex4300 is EOL in a few years and the new ex4400 is the standard....
What is your primary use case for Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches?
We deal mostly with Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches products, as we are partners with Juniper products. We work w...
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?
From my perspective, I don't have any indication for improvement regarding Meraki MS Switches, as our usage is quite ...
How do NETGEAR switches compare with Cisco ethernet switches?
NetGear switches have a lot to offer. They have high availability, zero-downtime stacking, L2 and L3 functionality, a...
Which switches are better - Ubiquiti Unifi or Netgear?
Ubiquiti Unifi offers a great set of features. For starters, it is easy to configure and implement, and also doesn’t ...
What do you like most about NETGEAR Switches?
Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten. I have not faced any issues with the product whatsoever.
 

Also Known As

Juniper Ethernet Switches
MS220, MS320, MS420
NETGEAR Insight Managed Switches, NETGEAR GC Series, NETGEAR M Series
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

BlackLotus, Staminus, Community Bank, BAS Group, Cloud Dynamics, Privalia, Fluidata, and Tesla Motors.
Cisco Live Milan, Hyatt
Blaze Networks
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Netgear and others in Ethernet Switches. Updated: August 2025.
866,088 professionals have used our research since 2012.