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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
6th
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 (4th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Meraki MS Switches is 2.9%, down from 4.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of MikroTik Cloud Router Switch is 1.9%, up from 1.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Meraki MS Switches2.9%
MikroTik Cloud Router Switch1.9%
Other95.2%
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 most valuable features are ease of use and configuration. It has a cloud-based configuration that makes it easy."
"The features are great."
"With Meraki, there is the advantage that you have dashboard access via the internet and you can work on it from anywhere."
"Meraki MS Switches are amazing. Whoever built it is a genius. I like that it's a plug-and-play solution."
"The most valuable feature is the cloud management architecture from Meraki."
"It is easy to set up and easy to monitor. It is also easy to check the status of the switch."
"The most beneficial features of Meraki MS Switches are the visibility and convenience they provide."
"The main features of Meraki MS Switches are integration, high quality, and hardware guarantee."
"The most valuable feature is that it has better throughput than its competitors."
"The best aspect is that it remains affordable."
"It is user-friendly, reliable, and cheap."
"There are a lot of features to control permitting or stopping packets in the network."
"The technical support for MikroTik Cloud Router Switch is superb."
"It's a well-rounded solution for routing."
"The GUI is easy to use."
"The router power is the most valuable aspect."
 

Cons

"The GUI can be improved for a better comfort level."
"Less flexibility than in some other solutions."
"There are compatibility issues with certain Power over Ethernet (PoE) devices, which we would like to see resolved."
"The price of the solution has room for improvement."
"Their subscription model could be better. Some of our customers prefer a one-time payment to a monthly or yearly subscription model, so they don't buy the product. Technical support could also be better."
"Some people would have some reservations about the yearly subscription. Maybe they could offer an option of having a one-off or perpetual license to let people test it and see how it goes."
"We prefer Meeraki to be installed only on a local network rather than in a cloud-managed network. Meraki MS Switches are one of our largest categories, with over thirty-five deployed."
"In this solution, you are lacking a feature that Cisco Classic has that allows you to save your configuration with a serial cable."
"Most of the time, the MikroTik Cloud Router Switch is stable. If I were to rate the stability on a scale of 1 to 10 where 10 is the best, I would give it a 5."
"Simplifying the documentation would be a good idea."
"The user interface could improve and they should allow a license for IBS."
"MikroTik Cloud Router Switch needs improvement in the area of security, although the recent models are addressing this."
"In medium to large sectors, there's a necessity for managing aspects like proxy firewalls."
"Antispam and antivirus features should be included in the future."
"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

"The Layer 3 switch is the most expensive switch."
"Extreme switches are more cost-effective than Cisco Meraki Switches."
"One key challenge often encountered is the perception that strategic products like Cisco and Meraki tend to be more expensive than alternatives like Aruba."
"It would be better if they had a one-time purchase option instead of a subscription model."
"Its price is definitely competitive."
"The price of Meraki MS Switches is less expensive than other similar solutions."
"My company pays for Meraki MS Switches yearly. Pricing-wise, the product is relatively inexpensive."
"The yearly maintenance fee is $100 and you can purchase the switches used for about $200 each."
"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."
"This product has a one-time cost and there is no licensing fee."
"The price of the solution is fair and there is a one-time license purchase only."
"MikroTik is really cheap compared to the competitors."
"In Pakistan, if you buy this cloud router, it's approximately $700 for the device."
"The price is competitive."
"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
11%
Computer Software Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Healthcare Company
6%
Comms Service Provider
13%
Educational Organization
12%
Marketing Services Firm
8%
Computer Software Company
7%
 

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: March 2026.
884,696 professionals have used our research since 2012.