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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
9th
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
17th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
25
Ranking in other categories
Routers (4th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Meraki MS Switches is 2.6%, down from 3.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of MikroTik Cloud Router Switch is 2.0%, up from 1.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Meraki MS Switches2.6%
MikroTik Cloud Router Switch2.0%
Other95.4%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Thanadesh Namuengrak - PeerSpot reviewer
Lead IT Specialist at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
Cloud-managed switches have improved secure segmentation and simplified automated patching
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. It is not the same as Cisco switches, which operate via command line. I normally use command line for configuration, while Meraki utilizes a cloud-based dashboard that necessitates a constant internet connection for configuration. Therefore, I find Meraki MS Switches more suitable for the IT side. The improvement needed for Meraki MS Switches is the ability to connect in the worst case when I encounter internet issues. When I cannot connect to the internet and need to configure or connect directly to Cisco switches or access Meraki for changes, I face difficulties. When Meraki MS Switches can be configured without an internet connection, I think I can use Meraki MS Switches on the OT side. The only improvement I seek is configuration without an internet connection.
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 feature is the cloud management architecture from Meraki."
"Provides good statistics and it doesn't require teaching command lines."
"The setup was as easy as a setup can be, we had no issues."
"Meraki MS Switches are amazing. Whoever built it is a genius. I like that it's a plug-and-play solution."
"The reliability and ease of configuration are good."
"From a security view, Meraki MS Switches are easy to patch because normal Cisco switches are very hard to patch or update IOS."
"The most valuable feature is the granular visibility that they provide with a single pane of glass."
"Setting up a switch can be performed prior to having your hands on the device. Once you purchase a Meraki switch you will get an email from Meraki with a code to add to your dashboard and then you can start setting up your switch so when it arrives it will download its configuration and be all setup."
"The initial setup is easy."
"It's a well-rounded solution for routing."
"The wiki page that describes the scripting and other features is very good."
"The GUI is easy to use."
"The beauty of MikroTik is that you have flexibility with the routing parts."
"They are very well suited for small and medium businesses, and here in Tanzania, in some cases, even some large enterprises are using MikroTik due to the fact that they provide many features at zero cost."
"This product is easy to configure."
"The solution works very well for us; the performance has been good and it's been stable for now."
 

Cons

"Meraki MS Switches, including their licensing, are somewhat expensive, particularly when compared with competitor solutions like HP."
"I've had some hardware failure issues on the POE side on several switches across the years. There seems to be a problem with the POE ports of their unit system."
"We would like the solution to lower its costs."
"Meraki MS Switches could improve the process of installing firmware."
"It's somewhat difficult to contact technical support, there are several manual steps involved. If you don't know the process, it can take time."
"It could be easier to use and easier to implement."
"We aren't missing any features."
"The solution is not scalable. If you need to scale, you need to change the equipment."
"It can be difficult to identify key functions for MikroTik Cloud Router Switch. I experience functionality limitations, particularly when trying to find specific features."
"The RAM capacity offered by the product needs to be increased, as it is one area where the tool currently has some shortcomings."
"Stuff that I'd like to be improved is really just training and documentation because I think the feature set is full. Another improvement I'd suggest is that their new, bigger releases should be a bit more stable."
"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."
"The bulk efficiencies and the control of traffic could be a bit better."
"Technical support is not very good. It isn't comprehensive."
"MikroTik Cloud Router Switch needs improvement in the area of security, although the recent models are addressing this."
"The packet filtering, user log data, and user access log could all be improved."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It would be better if they had a one-time purchase option instead of a subscription model."
"The solution is a bit on the pricey side."
"The licensing is purchased on a one, three, five, and seven year basis."
"The DNA subscription is a three-year minimum term."
"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."
"The price of Meraki MS Switches is high."
"Its price is definitely competitive."
"I consider it to be a cost-effective solution."
"They came with the licensing when we purchased them."
"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."
"The price of the solution is fair and there is a one-time license purchase only."
"MikroTik is really cheap compared to the competitors."
"This product has a one-time cost and there is no licensing fee."
"The licensing for MikroTik is great. It's easy to enter, especially for small businesses. Their model is great."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
16%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Construction Company
9%
Computer Software Company
6%
Comms Service Provider
12%
Educational Organization
11%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Marketing Services Firm
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 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...
What is your primary use case for MikroTik Cloud Router Switch?
I mostly work with network equipment now, focusing mainly on routers. I work with FortiGates and MikroTik routers. When referring to FortiGate routers, I mean the firewalls, but not the enterprise-...
 

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: June 2026.
903,118 professionals have used our research since 2012.