Migrating from Meraki to UniFi
When Meraki licence renewal comes up, many companies wonder whether to keep going. Here is how to compare honestly and how a migration works.
| Cisco Meraki | UniFi | |
|---|---|---|
| Licence | Required, per device and per term | No mandatory licence |
| Management | Cloud dashboard | UniFi console (local or remote) |
| If the licence lapses | Devices may stop working after the grace period | Not applicable |
| Support | Included with the licence | Manufacturer warranty, optional support plus Altea support |
| Ecosystem | Network, cameras, sensors | Network, cameras, access control, intercom |
| Best for | Large organizations already standardized on Cisco | SMBs, retail, buildings and chains wanting predictable cost |
How to run the numbers
Add up what your Meraki licences cost over the period you care about (3, 5 or 7 years) and compare with the purchase price of equivalent UniFi hardware plus migration labour. Our Meraki vs UniFi calculator does this with current altea.io prices; you enter your own renewal amount.
What stays the same
Cabling, racks, IP addressing and most security settings carry over. VLANs, Wi-Fi networks and firewall rules are recreated as-is; the migration is often a chance to simplify.
How a migration runs
- Inventory of the Meraki fleet (configuration export)
- UniFi template design and a single-site pilot
- Pre-staging in our shop
- Site-by-site cut-over outside business hours
- Removal and recovery of the Meraki hardware
When to stay on Meraki
If your organization depends on Cisco-specific features, or your licences were just renewed for several years, migration can wait. We’ll tell you so.
Compare Meraki and UniFi over 5 years
Frequently asked questions
Can we resell the Meraki hardware?
There is a second-hand market, but the devices need an active licence to work, so resale value is limited.
How long does a migration take?
For a simple site, cut-over takes a few hours after pre-staging. For a chain, we plan in waves.
Planning multi-site network?
Describe your situation in a few lines; an engineer will call you back quickly. The site visit and quote are free.
Request a quote
Free, no obligation. A quick answer from an engineer, in English or French.
- Free site visit and quote
- An engineer, not a salesperson
- RBQ licensed, 15+ years’ experience
- Hardware stocked on altea.io
Updated 2026-11-05