Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Aruba Wireless vs Ubiquiti UniFi 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:
 

Categories and Ranking

Aruba Wireless
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
150
Ranking in other categories
Wireless LAN (2nd)
Ubiquiti UniFi
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
12
Ranking in other categories
Wi-Fi Hotspot Software (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

While both are Enterprise Networking solutions, they serve different purposes. Aruba Wireless is designed for Wireless LAN and holds a mindshare of 13.4%, down 18.8% compared to last year.
Ubiquiti UniFi, on the other hand, focuses on Wi-Fi Hotspot Software, holds 29.1% mindshare, down 30.4% since last year.
Wireless LAN Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Aruba Wireless13.4%
Ruckus Wireless12.4%
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN10.3%
Other63.9%
Wireless LAN
Wi-Fi Hotspot Software Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Ubiquiti UniFi29.1%
Purple WiFi32.1%
Guest Internet Solutions28.6%
Other10.199999999999989%
Wi-Fi Hotspot Software
 

Featured Reviews

UM
IT Infra Deputy Vice President at ESFB
Strong performance supports network team effectively but guest access compatibility needs improvement
We connect the network using Aruba Wireless. We connect our office network, and we use it primarily within our network team Aruba Wireless has many features, especially their state-of-the-art controller, which can be connected to the cloud. They also have an unlimited lifetime warranty, which is…
NN
IT Manager at Handi Quilter, Inc.
Has provided reliable long-term video storage without ongoing fees
You pay more upfront for Ubiquiti UniFi, but you don't receive substantial support, which is problematic. They previously provided setup support but discontinued this service, though you save money overall by not paying monthly fees. I would rate Ubiquiti UniFi's support zero because they've always had inadequate support. Trying to get someone on the phone is nearly impossible, and although they now have a support plan, emergency help is frustratingly difficult to find when the company doesn't provide it.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It has very flexible features."
"It's a very stable system."
"It has an aesthetically pleasing GUI for configuration."
"Aruba Wireless is stable."
"​Initial setup was very straightforward. We set up the switches and APs, then took it from there. ​​"
"Aruba Wireless is easily scaled between a lot of devices and a lot of endpoints. When we decided to use it as our solution, we had planned to use it exactly for its ability to scale."
"It offers an easy initial setup."
"If we really want to know where a specific user is connected, it gives us the ability to see that and how that user is actually receiving. We can know the speed and their IP, their MAC address and, most of the time, how much bandwidth they're using per day."
"Functionality of the cloud key in terms of monitoring and managing the environment."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is how it is centralized."
"The cloud management has revolutionized the way we provide services to clients, onsite trips have almost ceased and once complicated changes are made in minutes."
"Firmware can be pushed or manually updated."
"The most valuable features are its easy access, the controller, and constant updates."
"The level of reporting offered by the controller, when used with other Ubiquiti equipment, has been invaluable."
"Overall, the suite of tools is quite useful."
"I like the centralized management console, where we can add all of the devices to the Unifi controller and then management them from a single point."
 

Cons

"Aruba Wireless could improve the dashboard. It is not straightforward or intuitive to use and could be more user-friendly. For IT employees the dashboards are fine but when it comes to the end-user it is difficult. The Mobility Controller dashboard is not meant for non-IT employees."
"The ceiling grid mount clips have room for improvement. ​"
"The pricing could always be better."
"The price is high and not too reasonable. It is very high compared to other products."
"The solution needs to add features and enhance security."
"Aruba Wireless is a good product, but it still has some issues, especially at the beginning, where there's inconsistent syncing between the cloud and the APs. Sometimes, there's also a little lag when accessing the query."
"We need security features to recognize the traffic source and to apply Zero Trust security."
"We are not facing any difficulty in convincing customers to have Aruba Wireless, and there are no specific features that customers are particularly looking for in wireless."
"Documentation could be improved, especially regarding known issues or new features. It relies heavily on the user community to provide support and info. There is a vast user group with support groups on both the dedicated forums as well as most social media platforms."
"If I could manage the W-LAN or other items without a UniFi switch, that would be very helpful. I have not tried, but I think some options are tied to the hardware, like the Ubiquiti switch."
"They provide support via Chat ONLY, and moreover, they are not very knowledgeable."
"Setting up IP generation for something like guest access is pretty confusing and should be improved."
"A more powerful heatmapping application in the controller would assist in more reliable WiFi modeling."
"I don't like the concept of the QoS, Quality of Service configuration because it doesn't give very granular configuration access to prioritize network traffic."
"Integrate NanoBeams into the Controller Software."
"Software interfaces could be improved and there is a lack of documentation."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Pricing is very competitive."
"It offers a lower cost compared to other products, which is a significant advantage."
"I would rate the pricing a five out of ten"
"Licensing is a one time purchase (only the cloud license has to be renewed, which is worth trying out).​"
"Aruba is probably cheaper than Cisco, and yet you get all the things that you want."
"​AP signal strength and price. I know this is a competitive market, but APs should not cost so much if they do not cover a large area. ​"
"The price of Aruba Wireless is expensive."
"Pricing support has always been cost-effective."
Information not available
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Wireless LAN solutions are best for your needs.
881,757 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Comparison Review

it_user212721 - PeerSpot reviewer
President at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Mar 24, 2015
Cisco vs. Aruba Wireless Solutions
Cisco or Aruba Networks? If you are considering wireless access solutions, this is a common question that you are probably asking. You probably have sales people knocking at your door. How do you make sense of all the stories that you are presented with. If you have done any research, you are…
 

Answers from the Community

Vinny Govender - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Applications Specialist at bioMérieux
Jul 26, 2022
Jul 26, 2022
1 Ruckus 2 Aruba 3 Cambium It depends on your enviroment. Greetings
2 out of 9 answers
AH
IT Admin at a educational organization with 51-200 employees
Nov 15, 2021
Hi, You can purchase WiFi access points from any of the above vendors. But it must be a commercial access point as in AP a few connect to the limited devices and a few can connect large devices with a single AP. It will totally depend on your work environment and access point signals covering the area. In the hall, AP can cover a large area but there is a concrete wall between two rooms or a corridor then it can down the signal to 50 DBM. So, when deciding on a WIFI/AP keep all these things in mind.
EK
Partner / Owner at Bimel Elektronik Mamuller Paz. Ltd.
Nov 15, 2021
If you want high performance and stability, you should definitely go with Ruckus Wireless.  Ruckus Wireless APs have: - Adaptive antenna technology (called BeamFlex) This technology analyzes different paths to reach the client and electronically turns itself to a directional antenna, choosing the path that gives the best performance to reach each specific client. If the client is mobile or if the environment changes (such as a warehouse) the selection of paths/direction also changes instantly. Transmitting in a directional way allows a good Signal-to-Noise Ratio and also causes less interference for other nearby APs outside the path of the directional transmission. - ChannelFly technology This technology chooses the best channel based on performance rather than background scanning for noise. - Polarization Diversity This technology allows the clients not to lose signal strength when held at different angles (important for mobile devices such as tablets and telephones). - Better receive sensitivity compared to the competitors All these features make Ruckus Wireless a better choice than any other competitor (better performance, better coverage area, more stable and surprise-free communication especially in not so easy conditions such as noise, too many clients, too much traffic).
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
University
7%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Comms Service Provider
14%
Computer Software Company
10%
Educational Organization
7%
Financial Services Firm
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business77
Midsize Enterprise47
Large Enterprise74
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business8
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise1
 

Questions from the Community

What are pros and cons of Aruba 515 Series AP vs. Cisco Meraki or Extreme Networks?
Depends. I have personally used both Cisco and Aruba so I am familiar with them. Extreme I am not, so unless they have some feature that I need or want, I wouldn't consider them. Do you have expe...
Aruba Wireless or Ruckus Wireless?
At my organization, we researched Ruckus Wireless among other solutions but ultimately chose Aruba wireless. What did we like about Ruckus? First, it was very easy to use, and anybody with minimal...
How does Cisco Wireless compare with Aruba Wireless?
On the most basic level, Cisco Wireless can offer a rather straightforward initial setup. In the span of about three hours, the basic framework can be set up. Step-by-step instructions are availabl...
What needs improvement with Ubiquiti UniFi?
The major issue I see is connected with troubleshooting, which is my main concern. Troubleshooting capabilities are limited, and some advanced features are missing. For example, enterprise Wi-Fi so...
What is your primary use case for Ubiquiti UniFi?
My major use case for Ubiquiti UniFi is enterprise Wi-Fi.
What advice do you have for others considering Ubiquiti UniFi?
I currently work with Fortinet products like FortiGate and FortiSwitch, though I do not have experience with FortiAP in the past two years. I am planning to buy the FortiSwitch Data Center in a few...
 

Also Known As

Aruba WLAN, HP WLAN, HP Wireless, Aruba Instant On AP Series Access Point
UniFi
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Consulate Health Care, Los Angeles Unified School District, Science Applications International Corp (SAIC), San Diego State University, KFC, ACTS Retirement-Life Communities
NASCAR Grand-AM, Maritime Parc, Outdoor Music Festival, One Republic Tour, British Armed Forces, Arcadia School District, Bartlett School District, Universidad del Azuay, Estelar Hotels, Intercontinental Bali, Moscow - Enforta, Miami - Sling Broadband, Manhattan - MST, Ecuador - Aire.EC
Find out what your peers are saying about Ruckus, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Cisco and others in Wireless LAN. Updated: January 2026.
881,757 professionals have used our research since 2012.