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Networking · head to head

Auvik vs Cisco Meraki

Auvik logo

Auvik

Networking

Cloud-based network monitoring and management priced by managed device count, quote-only

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Cisco Meraki logo

Cisco Meraki

Networking

Cloud-managed networking hardware where the licence is mandatory and the hardware stops passing traffic if it lapses

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Auvik no pricing is published anywhere on the site; every number requires submitting a lead form and speaking to sales, which slows down basic vendor comparison; Cisco Meraki the licence is mandatory and recurring for the life of the hardware; after a 30-day grace period past expiry, devices stop forwarding traffic entirely, which is an operational outage risk unlike almost any other hardware purchase
  • They diverge on capability: Auvik covers Automated network mapping, Cisco Meraki covers Cloud dashboard management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Auvik and Cisco Meraki actually diverge.

Attributes where Auvik and Cisco Meraki differ
AttributeAuvikCisco Meraki
Pricing modelquote, per managed devicequote, hardware plus mandatory recurring licence
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Networking).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Auvik

  • Automated network mapping
  • Configuration backup
  • Multi-tenant MSP view
  • Traffic insight
  • Device-based billing with exclusions

Only in Cisco Meraki

  • Cloud dashboard management
  • Zero-touch provisioning
  • Co-termination licensing
  • Unified hardware line
  • API and integrations

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Auvik

  • An MSP wanting a single SaaS platform to monitor and map multiple client networks with per-client segregationnot Cisco Meraki
  • An internal IT team wanting automatic, versioned configuration backup for switches and routers without managing that infrastructure themselvesnot Cisco Meraki
  • A network team wanting continuous, automatically updated network topology mapping rather than maintaining diagrams manuallynot Cisco Meraki
  • An organisation wanting traffic visibility by application without deploying a separate flow collectornot Cisco Meraki

Cisco Meraki

  • A multi-site retail or education organisation that wants one dashboard to manage networking hardware across many locations without local IT staff at each sitenot Auvik
  • An IT team that values zero-touch provisioning for rapid rollout of new sites over local configuration controlnot Auvik
  • An organisation that has already standardised on Cisco and wants Meraki's simplified cloud management alongside existing Cisco infrastructurenot Auvik
  • A managed service provider running Meraki across client sites who bills the licence cost through to clients as part of a managed contractnot Auvik

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Auvik

  • No pricing is published anywhere on the site; every number requires submitting a lead form and speaking to sales, which slows down basic vendor comparison
  • Billing by managed device count means the total cost is not knowable in advance without first running an accurate device count against Auvik's specific inclusion and exclusion rules
  • As a SaaS-only product with no on-premises option, an organisation loses monitoring visibility if its own internet connection to Auvik's cloud goes down at the same time as the incident it needs to diagnose
  • MSP-focused multi-tenant packaging may include features an internal IT team monitoring only its own network does not need, while still pricing against that broader feature set
  • Configuration backup and restore depend on Auvik correctly supporting the specific hardware models on a given network; less common vendors may have thinner support
  • Volume discounts exist but are also not published, so an MSP scaling client count has no way to model margin impact before negotiating each contract renewal

Cisco Meraki

  • The licence is mandatory and recurring for the life of the hardware; after a 30-day grace period past expiry, devices stop forwarding traffic entirely, which is an operational outage risk unlike almost any other hardware purchase
  • There is no perpetual or offline fallback mode, so fully depreciated hardware still requires an active subscription to function, meaning the true cost of ownership never drops to zero the way owned hardware normally would
  • Co-termination licensing ties all devices on an organisation to a single renewal date, so adding a device mid-cycle requires paying a prorated amount to align to that date rather than a clean incremental cost
  • Configuration and monitoring depend entirely on Cisco's cloud dashboard being reachable; a local network outage that also cuts cloud connectivity limits visibility into what is happening on-site
  • Pricing is quote-only and bundled with hardware, so a buyer cannot compare a straightforward per-device licence cost against competitors without going through a sales process
  • Switching away from Meraki after adoption means replacing hardware, not just software, since the devices are functionally useless without a Meraki licence and cannot be repurposed to run other firmware

Pricing, plan by plan

Auvik

On request
  • Auvik$undefined/month
    • Automated network mapping
    • Configuration backup
    • MSP multi-tenant packages available

Cisco Meraki

On request
  • Meraki hardware plus licence$undefined/year
    • Device hardware purchase
    • Co-termed licence required for the device to function
    • Licence renewal required indefinitely for continued operation

Which should you pick?

Choose Auvik if

  • You need automated network mapping.
  • You also want configuration backup.
Auvik review

Choose Cisco Meraki if

  • You need cloud dashboard management.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want zero-touch provisioning.
Cisco Meraki review

Questions people ask

Is Auvik or Cisco Meraki better?
Neither clearly leads. Auvik starts at On request and Cisco Meraki at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Auvik or Cisco Meraki?
Auvik starts at On request and Cisco Meraki at On request.
Does Auvik or Cisco Meraki run on more platforms?
Auvik runs on Web. Cisco Meraki runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is Auvik best used for?
Auvik is most often used for an msp wanting a single saas platform to monitor and map multiple client networks with per-client segregation, an internal it team wanting automatic, versioned configuration backup for switches and routers without managing that infrastructure themselves, a network team wanting continuous, automatically updated network topology mapping rather than maintaining diagrams manually, an organisation wanting traffic visibility by application without deploying a separate flow collector. Of those, an msp wanting a single saas platform to monitor and map multiple client networks with per-client segregation and an internal it team wanting automatic, versioned configuration backup for switches and routers without managing that infrastructure themselves are not what Cisco Meraki is typically brought in for.
What can Auvik do that Cisco Meraki cannot?
Auvik covers Automated network mapping, Configuration backup, Multi-tenant MSP view, Traffic insight. Cisco Meraki covers Cloud dashboard management, Zero-touch provisioning, Co-termination licensing, Unified hardware line.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Auvik: Is Auvik priced per network or per device?

Per device, according to Auvik's own FAQ; some device categories like access points and printers are monitored at no additional charge.

Cisco Meraki: What happens if we stop paying for the licence?

After the licence reaches its co-termination date there is a 30-day grace period, after which the organisation is marked out of compliance, devices become unmanageable, and hardware stops passing traffic.

Auvik: Is there any published price?

No, all pricing is quote-only through a sales conversation.

Cisco Meraki: Can Meraki hardware run without the cloud dashboard?

No, Meraki devices require ongoing cloud connectivity and a valid licence to operate; there is no supported offline or perpetual mode.

Auvik: Does Auvik require an on-premises server?

No, it is SaaS-delivered with a lightweight local collector rather than a full on-premises monitoring server.

Cisco Meraki: Is pricing published?

No, Meraki hardware and licensing are quoted per deal rather than listed at fixed public prices.

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