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Networking · head to head

Ivanti vs MikroTik RouterOS

Ivanti logo

Ivanti

Networking

Security, service management, and unified endpoint management

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
MikroTik RouterOS logo

MikroTik RouterOS

Networking

Router and network operating system with a one-time perpetual licence rather than a recurring subscription

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Ivanti no pricing information published - enterprise custom pricing required; MikroTik RouterOS the management interface and overall polish are less refined than enterprise competitors like Cisco or Juniper, and the learning curve for advanced configuration is real
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ivanti and MikroTik RouterOS actually diverge.

Attributes where Ivanti and MikroTik RouterOS differ
AttributeIvantiMikroTik RouterOS
Pricing modelquoteOne-time purchase, per licence level

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), platforms (Web), 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 Ivanti

Nothing recorded that MikroTik RouterOS does not also cover.

Only in MikroTik RouterOS

  • Full routing and firewall stack
  • Perpetual licensing
  • Cloud Hosted Router (CHR)
  • Winbox and CLI management
  • Wireless and VLAN support

What people use each for

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

Ivanti

  • Controlling device compliance and patches for remote workforcesnot MikroTik RouterOS
  • Automating service ticketing and change processes at enterprise scalenot MikroTik RouterOS
  • Enforcing device compliance before network access in regulated industriesnot MikroTik RouterOS
  • Prioritizing vulnerability patches by risk levelnot MikroTik RouterOS
  • Enabling passwordless zero-trust access without VPN infrastructurenot MikroTik RouterOS

MikroTik RouterOS

  • A network engineer or small ISP wanting capable BGP and firewall routing hardware at a lower total cost than Cisco or Juniper equivalentsnot Ivanti
  • An organisation that specifically wants to avoid ongoing recurring licence dependency for core routing hardwarenot Ivanti
  • A team wanting to run RouterOS as a virtual router in the cloud (CHR) with its own separate perpetual licensing tiersnot Ivanti
  • A hobbyist or small business self-managing network infrastructure without a vendor support contractnot Ivanti

Where each one falls short

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

Ivanti

  • no pricing information published - enterprise custom pricing required

MikroTik RouterOS

  • The management interface and overall polish are less refined than enterprise competitors like Cisco or Juniper, and the learning curve for advanced configuration is real
  • Formal vendor support is thinner than what an enterprise buyer gets from Cisco or Juniper; community forums and documentation are the primary self-support resource
  • Feature and licence-level naming (Level 3 through Level 6, and separately Free/P1/P10/P-Unlimited on CHR) is confusing enough that buyers commonly need to research which level a given deployment actually requires
  • Perpetual licensing on hardware, while avoiding a recurring fee, also means MikroTik has less ongoing incentive to keep pushing free feature updates to a specific licence level indefinitely, and major version jumps sometimes bring new requirements
  • Hardware build quality and long-term reliability at the low end of MikroTik's range is more variable than higher-priced enterprise-grade routing hardware
  • Security patch cadence and past history of vulnerabilities in RouterOS mean patching discipline matters more without vendor-managed cloud updates the way Meraki or Mist provide automatically

Pricing, plan by plan

Ivanti

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Ivanti review.

MikroTik RouterOS

On request
  • RouterOS (bundled with hardware)$undefined/one-time
    • Licence level included with the router purchase price
    • Perpetual, does not expire
  • Cloud Hosted Router (CHR)$undefined/one-time
    • Free tier available with throughput limits
    • P1, P10 and P-Unlimited perpetual licence levels
    • 60-day trial on paid levels

Which should you pick?

Choose Ivanti if

Nothing in the data separates Ivanti from MikroTik RouterOS on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Ivanti review

Choose MikroTik RouterOS if

  • You need full routing and firewall stack.
  • You also want perpetual licensing.
MikroTik RouterOS review

Questions people ask

Is Ivanti or MikroTik RouterOS better?
Neither clearly leads. Ivanti starts at On request and MikroTik RouterOS at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ivanti or MikroTik RouterOS?
Ivanti starts at On request and MikroTik RouterOS at On request.
Does Ivanti or MikroTik RouterOS run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Ivanti best used for?
Ivanti is most often used for controlling device compliance and patches for remote workforces, automating service ticketing and change processes at enterprise scale, enforcing device compliance before network access in regulated industries, prioritizing vulnerability patches by risk level. Of those, controlling device compliance and patches for remote workforces and automating service ticketing and change processes at enterprise scale are not what MikroTik RouterOS is typically brought in for.
What can Ivanti do that MikroTik RouterOS cannot?
MikroTik RouterOS covers Full routing and firewall stack, Perpetual licensing, Cloud Hosted Router (CHR), Winbox and CLI management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ivanti: How much does Ivanti cost?

Ivanti does not publish pricing on their website. As an enterprise solution, pricing is customized based on organizational needs. Contact Ivanti through their website to request a demo and pricing information.

Source
MikroTik RouterOS: Does a MikroTik router stop working if I stop paying anything?

No, the RouterOS licence bundled with hardware is a one-time purchase and does not expire or require ongoing payment.

MikroTik RouterOS: Is CHR licensed the same way as physical hardware?

It uses its own separate perpetual licence tiers (Free, P1, P10, P-Unlimited) rather than the Level 3-6 scheme used on physical hardware.

MikroTik RouterOS: Can I upgrade a licence level later?

Yes, upgrading to a higher licence level is possible at the price difference between levels rather than buying a new licence outright.

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