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Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) vs Ekahau AI Pro comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 15, 2026

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

Cisco Modeling Labs (CML)
Ranking in Network Modeling and Simulation
2nd
Average Rating
6.0
Reviews Sentiment
3.2
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Ekahau AI Pro
Ranking in Network Modeling and Simulation
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
35
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2026, in the Network Modeling and Simulation category, the mindshare of Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) is 7.0%, down from 11.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Ekahau AI Pro is 6.7%, down from 18.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Network Modeling and Simulation Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Ekahau AI Pro6.7%
Cisco Modeling Labs (CML)7.0%
Other86.3%
Network Modeling and Simulation
 

Featured Reviews

OB
CEO at a energy/utilities company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Limited support and costly setup detract from potential benefits
The stability of Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) is not very good. The iOSs consume so much memory that most typical machines do not have sufficient memory to utilize. For example, the Cisco 9200 iOSs require 24 gigabytes of memory to run in that tool, and that is only one image.
Lakshmi  Narayan - PeerSpot reviewer
Business Development Manager at PCa Lumens
Efficient mobile surveys with a simple setup but room for cloud improvements
As of now, almost everything is there and suitable for site requirements. However, the cloud takes a lot of time to upload the site survey, and we regularly face issues with syncing to the optimizer. There needs to be improvement in this area. Additionally, the product can be very expensive.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The initial setup of Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) is straightforward, but the images are complex and expensive to set up because they do not provide those for free."
"The ease of use of Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) is very valuable to me because it is straightforward."
"The planning feature is useful because it's very affordable."
"The spectrum analysis capability is very good. It provides deep insights into the Wi-Fi environment. It's not just about troubleshooting interference but also optimizing access points and modifying power levels and channels."
"We are satisfied with the way this product is working."
"The most valuable feature of Ekahau Site Survey is the predictive survey."
"Channel planning, access points' auto position, and the size of the spectrum are valuable to me."
"I like that our users can send us a floor map. Sometimes it's not feasible to travel to another country where the users are based. So, the floor map is very useful. It's a fantastic product."
"The ability to perform dual-band spectrum analysis while conducting the standard WiFi site survey is a tremendous time saver."
"The product is mature and provides ease of use regarding large-scale planning and reporting."
 

Cons

"The stability of Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) is not very good. The iOSs consume so much memory that most typical machines do not have sufficient memory to utilize."
"Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) could improve by providing more in-depth switch options. For example, I cannot lab stacking at all."
"Ekahau needs to enhance the view of materials and make some adjustments to the reports."
"Ekahau would benefit by making improvements to lag time."
"In terms of technical support, it is hit or miss. They tend to rely on offshore support for the first level and the response time is painfully slow, considering I pay $1389 per year for it."
"They’re not listening to feedback, and it feels like they view us merely as a cash cow."
"The stability has just been really bad lately."
"I find the power button hard to access with just one hand."
"They should improve the iPad application because it's unstable. Also, Ekahau could be better integrated with other vendors."
"It is somewhat expensive to renew the licenses every year. Obviously, most places can't maintain that."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available
"We pay $6,000 yearly for the licensing, but each piece of hardware, the Ekahau Sidekick, is $5,000."
"The pricing is high."
"We pay a licensing fee."
"The solution is less costly than one of its competitors."
"That's a tricky thing. When it started off, we had one three-year license and one one-year license because we have two devices. Now, from my understanding, we can only renew every year or get a one-year license, and that cost varies. Being a government organization, we get a different cost than commercial. We have deployed it on Surface Pro tablets. So, the only other cost would be the hardware cost."
"The pricing is quite expensive. Not all companies can afford it"
"9,000 Euro per year."
"Since we are an academic institute, we get better prices and discounts from Cisco, but not Ekahau."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Comms Service Provider
12%
University
11%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Computer Software Company
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
University
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business20
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise15
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Modeling Labs (CML)?
On a scale of 1 to 10, Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) is about eight or nine in terms of expense.
What needs improvement with Cisco Modeling Labs (CML)?
There are other areas where they could improve the product in my opinion.
What is your primary use case for Cisco Modeling Labs (CML)?
I have always used Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) in lieu of building practical labs and buying products for the labs so I can simulate configurations and test interoperability and things of that nature.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Ekahau Site Survey?
Things to consider when choosing Ekahau Sidekick2: you need to add another 10% to the purchase price to buy Apple ipads as the Android version of the Ekahau survey app does NOT support APOS surveys...
What needs improvement with Ekahau Site Survey?
Ekahau could be improved by adding three-dimensional modeling, as we currently cannot view APIs in a three-dimensional perspective. They need to include backhaul features and improve the ease of in...
What is your primary use case for Ekahau Site Survey?
I use Ekahau for Wi-Fi designs and other services. It is used for troubleshooting and for analyzing the network. Additionally, we analyze each and every API, FSID, power transmission, bitrates, and...
 

Also Known As

No data available
Ekahau Site Survey
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Presidio, Planet Earth, Ruckus
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) vs. Ekahau AI Pro and other solutions. Updated: September 2026.
913,683 professionals have used our research since 2012.