Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch comparison

Juniper and MikroTik are both solutions in the Ethernet Switches category. Juniper is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.4, while MikroTik is ranked #16 with an average rating of 7.9. Juniper holds a 3.3% mindshare in ES, compared to MikroTik’s 1.9% mindshare. Additionally, 91% of Juniper users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of MikroTik users who would recommend it.

Juniper EX Series Ethernet ...

Read 73 Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches reviews

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3,038 Comparison Views

91% willing to recommend

MikroTik Cloud Router Switch

Read 25 MikroTik Cloud Router Switch reviews

2,089 Views
1,546 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Juniper EX Series Ethernet ...

MikroTik Cloud Router Switch

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches and MikroTik Cloud Router Switch compete in the networking solutions category. While Juniper holds an advantage in high-performance features appealing to larger enterprises, MikroTik provides cost-effective options for smaller businesses.

Features: Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches are equipped with advanced capabilities like Virtual Chassis, SDN integration, and 5G readiness. These switches offer high processing speed and flexibility with their Junos OS, notable for its rollback feature and strong security. On the other hand, MikroTik Cloud Router Switch focuses on advanced routing configurations, affordability, and a user-friendly setup. MikroTik offers features such as flexible VLAN handling, simplicity in setup, and reliable performance, making it suitable for small to medium businesses.

Room for Improvement: Users of Juniper EX Series highlight areas for improvement including high pricing, occasional stability issues, and costly licensing and support systems. There's also a call for better integration with modern technologies like software-defined networking. For MikroTik Cloud Router Switch, there is feedback around the need for enhanced documentation, better integrated security features, improved technical support, and stability improvements.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Juniper EX Series are predominantly deployed in on-premises environments with hybrid cloud capabilities, indicating robust use in enterprises. However, customer service receives mixed feedback, praised for its knowledge and support but criticized for accessibility in some regions. MikroTik Cloud Router Switch offers easy deployment mostly in on-premises and public cloud environments, catering well to smaller businesses. Their customer service is satisfactory, although there are requests for more localized support options.

Pricing and ROI: Juniper EX Series Switches are considered more affordable compared to competitors like Cisco due to their long-term ROI potential, stable performance, and lower maintenance costs despite higher initial setup costs. MikroTik Cloud Router Switch, however, provides exceptional cost-effectiveness with low upfront expenses and no recurring licensing fees, attracting small to medium organizations aiming for economical solutions without sacrificing essential features.

To learn more, read our detailed Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches vs. MikroTik Cloud Router Switch Report (Updated: February 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches vs. MikroTik Cloud Router Switch

February 2026

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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

Juniper EX Series Ethernet ...

Ranking in Ethernet Switches

9th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.5

Number of Reviews

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

Ranking in other categories

Routers (4th)

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches is 3.3%, up from 3.1% 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 Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches	3.3%
MikroTik Cloud Router Switch	1.9%
Other	94.8%

Ethernet Switches

Featured Reviews

Patrick Anaku

Senior Network Engineer at Roke Telkom

Has provided reliable performance with useful features such as virtual chassis and high port density

The important thing for our use case of Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches has been reliability, and there are features such as the Virtual Chassis feature, which is one of the things we use. In our case, we use them as core switches in a network that is not very large, and their reliability and the Virtual Chassis feature work well for us. It was one of the reasons we chose it, along with the port density; we are using the 32 port and the 48 port, which work for our needs. Regarding its security features such as MACsec encryption, they are standard and cover what we want; we do not do a lot as they are just Layer 2 switches, but it has standard security features.

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Andriejus Artamonovas

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.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"We have multiple cases of the customers trying to upgrade their network from Cisco, Aruba and Huawei to Juniper. They do this basically because they want to modernise their network and have an increased capacity. This shift improves their functionality because the Juniper Ethernet switches are more advanced. We provide them with assistance to configure switches, access points and Wi-Fi."

"The solution is stable and scalable."

"The Juniper EX Series's most valuable feature is its robustness. Additionally, it is easy to use and great GUI."

"The Juniper Ethernet switch feature I find the most valuable is reliability."

"Juniper switches are very good with MPLS."

"It is a scalable solution."

"The scalability is excellent. It's one of the aspects of the solution that is quite good."

"Compared to Cisco, Juniper offers better stability and low prices."

More Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches pros

"MikroTik Cloud Router Switch stands out for its features, especially those available at that price point."

"It is easy to set up."

"I like that it's quite flexible and addresses different issues. It's quite easy to use, and the pricing is great. We find them to be very capable switches."

"The initial setup is easy."

"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."

"There are a lot of features to control permitting or stopping packets in the network."

"The router power is the most valuable aspect."

"The best aspect is that it remains affordable."

More MikroTik Cloud Router Switch pros

Cons

"The management tools are limited in their abilities, and suffer from upgrade problems."

"The configuration could be made simpler."

"The only issue that we have with Juniper Ethernet Switches is the firmware because it is not stable."

"We would like it if there was more security added in future releases."

"They could improve the code, as there are some issues with it."

"Juniper Ethernet Switches' operating systems get corrupted when the power fails. They have to improve this issue. I may have to use a newer version."

"I have found the scalability could be improved in the version I was using."

"They should integrate VPN functionality with the solution."

More Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches cons

"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."

"The solution does not yet offer a SaaS version."

"The packet filtering, user log data, and user access log could all be improved."

"Antispam and antivirus features should be included in the future."

"MikroTik is mostly used by medium and small businesses, so the security is not as robust as Cisco."

"Aspects such as zero trust, security, and management interface could be improved, which would be useful."

"It happens that you may find your network is down, if you reboot the switch, they come up. However, sometimes, they reset themselves. That's a big issue."

"MikroTik needs to add some features like IPS, mail security, or antivirus, et cetera."

More MikroTik Cloud Router Switch cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"This solution is cheaper than Cisco or HP switches."

"The pricing of Juniper Ethernet Switches compared to equivalent switches from Aruba, Cisco, and others, Juniper Ethernet Switches are priced a little higher. They are approximately 20 to 50 percent higher. When we receive a new range of models, the prices can come down. The price can also vary by region."

"Juniper Ethernet Switches are a less expensive solution than Cisco Ethernet Switches. There is only a one-time purchase for Juniper Ethernet Switches."

"Juniper costs less than the competition. As a comparison, Cisco is 33% more."

"We had a leakage in the support process and decided to end the product's life in order to purchase a new product with support. We did not renew product support as a result."

"The maintenance cost is approximately €2,000 ($2,200 USD) per year, including support, for our entire fleet."

"You require the Junos Management Platform in order to manage the switches and you need to purchase the Juniper Ethernet Switches."

"For the QFX5000 Juniper switches, the price is about $10,000, but they would probably sell it for $1,000. Nobody can beat Juniper's pricing when it comes to switches. Juniper out-prices everybody, but they get you on the back end, maintenance, service port, and service contract."

More Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches pricing and cost advice

"This product has a one-time cost and there is no licensing fee."

"I believe the price of the tool is high, but it is okay for the services we get from it."

"MikroTik is really cheap compared to the competitors."

"The licensing for MikroTik is great. It's easy to enter, especially for small businesses. Their model is great."

"I consider it to be a cost-effective solution."

"They came with the licensing when we purchased them."

"The price is competitive."

"In Pakistan, if you buy this cloud router, it's approximately $700 for the device."

More MikroTik Cloud Router Switch pricing and cost advice

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Comparison Review

it_user82779

Engineer at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees

Jan 29, 2014

Benefits of Juniper vs Cisco

Both are decent products. I prefer Juniper for the following reasons: 1) Cleaner separation of data plane from control plane. Higher end Cisco devices are better at this but most of the lower end products still seem to be more integrated than I like. 2) The Hierarchical config design means I can…

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

11%

Computer Software Company

University

Educational Organization

Comms Service Provider

13%

Educational Organization

13%

Marketing Services Firm

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	39
Midsize Enterprise	17
Large Enterprise	24

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	19
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	2

Questions from the Community

In terms of ethernet switches, would you go with Cisco or Juniper?

Our organization ran comparison tests to determine whether Cisco or Juniper Ethernet switches were the better fit for us. We decided to go with Juniper. Juniper ethernet switches are a lesser-known...

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What is your primary use case for Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches?

See all answers

What do you like most about Juniper EX Series?

The setup phase was straightforward.

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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.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for MikroTik Cloud Router Switch?

The Python solution pricing is on the lower side.

See all answers

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...

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Comparisons

Cisco Ethernet Switches vs Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches

Compared 14% of the time

Aruba Switches vs Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches

Compared 11% of the time

Arista Networks Platform vs Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches

Compared 8% of the time

Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches

Compared 7% of the time

Ubiquiti UniFi Switches vs Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches

Compared 7% of the time

More Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches Competitors

TP-Link Omada Switches vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch

Compared 16% of the time

MikroTik Routers and Switches vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch

Compared 10% of the time

Huawei Enterprise Routers vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch

Compared 5% of the time

Aruba Switches vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch

Compared 5% of the time

Cisco Catalyst Switches vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch

Compared 4% of the time

More MikroTik Cloud Router Switch Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches

January 2026

Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches report

Download Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches product report

Buyer's Guide

MikroTik Cloud Router Switch

January 2026

Download MikroTik Cloud Router Switch product report

Also Known As

Juniper Ethernet Switches

MikroTik CRS Series

Overview

Juniper Ethernet Switches are made up of the EX Series product line. These EX Series Ethernet Switches provide branch, campus and data center networks with access, aggregation and core layer switching solutions. The end result is secure, fast and efficient application and data delivery.

Today's enterprise networks increasingly demand mobile access, optimal availability, virtualization, and unified communications. The Juniper Ethernet Switches EX Series caters for all of these requirements, ensuring business continuity, network flexibility and maximum productivity.

Juniper EX Series switches are AI-driven, operated and managed using the Mist AI cloud from Juniper. This gives EX customers simplified operations with insights, anomaly detection and automated troubleshooting, empowering IT teams to deliver the best user experience across the wired network.

Juniper

MikroTik Cloud Router Switch is a new Smart Switch series. It combines the best features of a fully functional router and a Layer 3 switch, is powered by the familiar RouterOS. All the specific Switch configuration options are available in a special Switch menu, also ports can be removed from the switch configuration, and used for routing purposes.

MikroTik

Sample Customers

BlackLotus, Staminus, Community Bank, BAS Group, Cloud Dynamics, Privalia, Fluidata, and Tesla Motors.

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches vs. MikroTik Cloud Router Switch

February 2026

Free Report: Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches vs. MikroTik Cloud Router Switch

Find out what your peers are saying about Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches vs. MikroTik Cloud Router Switch and other solutions. Updated: February 2026.

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