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Meraki MS Switches 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

Meraki MS Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
8th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
98
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
MikroTik Cloud Router Switch
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
16th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
25
Ranking in other categories
Routers (3rd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Meraki MS Switches is 2.7%, down from 3.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of MikroTik Cloud Router Switch is 1.9%, up from 1.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Meraki MS Switches2.7%
MikroTik Cloud Router Switch1.9%
Other95.4%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

JN
Ag Systems & Networks Head at UNBS
Central management and cloud dashboard streamline network monitoring while connectivity hiccups need addressing
I use Cisco products and Meraki MS Switches. I am a user on the user side. Network security is handled by our firewalls and other solutions. I have not explored the area of network management AI in Meraki MS Switches. For other switches, when you buy one, you can just start configuring, connect it to the network, and it works. With Meraki MS Switches, you have to first whitelist the MAC address, let it have internet, then you can manage it. They're deployed on-premises. They're quite acceptable, so I recommend them to those who want to use Meraki MS Switches. The biggest benefit that I see in Meraki MS Switches is central management and the cloud dashboard. I rate Meraki MS Switches 8 out of 10.
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

"The support is excellent and rated ten out of ten."
"The solution is very stable."
"These switches are not expensive and their configuration is very easy. You can provision them on the dashboard, then you just connect them to everything."
"Switches wise, I'm really happy with the product, it is more user-friendly than competitors and I can do everything myself, which is why I prefer it."
"The most valuable feature about Meraki is the console. The second most valuable feature, to me, is the technical support and the infrastructure behind the console."
"I like the portal, it's really interesting."
"When the clients call in and say that they aren't able to connect, it takes the help desk 10 minutes or less to look at everything in the enterprise or location."
"They're easy to update."
"Some of the most valuable features are the simplicity, cost, usability, and power. As a package, it's extremely effective."
"The router power is the most valuable aspect."
"The performance has been good."
"The solution works very well for us; the performance has been good and it's been stable for now."
"The best aspect is that it remains affordable."
"The wiki page that describes the scripting and other features is very good."
"The simplicity of how one can set it up is the most valuable aspect."
"A valuable aspect is its user-friendly configuration, making it accessible even for individuals with basic technical knowledge."
 

Cons

"The pricing is high and could be reduced."
"The subscription model could be improved."
"It could be easier to use and easier to implement."
"Meraki MS Switches could improve the process of installing firmware."
"The firewall is not very powerful. The other week, one of the switches only gave one gigabit of output. It's become a concern for our customers."
"Performance is an area in need of improvement. Other systems, such as Juniper switches, perform better for the same or less money."
"In reference to an area of improvement sometimes the switch does not connect to the internet initially."
"The pricing can be made cheaper."
"In medium to large sectors, there's a necessity for managing aspects like proxy firewalls."
"The user interface could improve and they should allow a license for IBS."
"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."
"MikroTik is mostly used by medium and small businesses, so the security is not as robust as Cisco."
"Improvements are needed with respect to some of the security, especially for VPN links between vendors other than Cisco."
"MikroTik Cloud Router Switch needs improvement in the area of security, although the recent models are addressing this."
"Improvements are needed with respect to some of the security, especially for VPN links between vendors other than Cisco."
"The scalability is good except if you are using version OS 6. However, once you begin to use version OS 7, it only uses some of the processes at a time, and it doesn't thread the things but instead uses them one at a time, which is a hold-back for that product."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"One key challenge often encountered is the perception that strategic products like Cisco and Meraki tend to be more expensive than alternatives like Aruba."
"Extreme switches are more cost-effective than Cisco Meraki Switches."
"The DNA subscription is a three-year minimum term."
"It depends on what type of equipment you have and other things. We're about $17,000 a year."
"Meraki MS Switches is a pricey product. You have to get a license for each product annually. It would have been perfect if there were product bundles."
"This product is quite expensive."
"The pricing is high and it is where we get the most pushback from customers."
"They can get the price down for small businesses. The way I bought it, I paid hardly anything, and I got all my licensing with it. The firewall appliance is around $900, and the switches are around $150. This is for the device itself. For licensing, I signed at $70 or something like that for the switch. Technical Support is included in this."
"This product has a one-time cost and there is no licensing fee."
"MikroTik is really cheap compared to the competitors."
"They came with the licensing when we purchased them."
"The licensing for MikroTik is great. It's easy to enter, especially for small businesses. Their model is great."
"The price is competitive."
"The price of the solution is fair and there is a one-time license purchase only."
"I believe the price of the tool is high, but it is okay for the services we get from it."
"In Pakistan, if you buy this cloud router, it's approximately $700 for the device."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
14%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Computer Software Company
7%
Construction Company
6%
Comms Service Provider
12%
Educational Organization
12%
Marketing Services Firm
8%
Computer Software Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business54
Midsize Enterprise20
Large Enterprise22
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business19
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise2
 

Questions from the Community

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...
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

MS220, MS320, MS420
MikroTik CRS Series
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Cisco Live Milan, Hyatt
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Meraki MS Switches vs. MikroTik Cloud Router Switch and other solutions. Updated: April 2026.
886,906 professionals have used our research since 2012.