What is the best FreeRADIUS alternative?

If you're tired of managing FreeRADIUS yourself, IronWiFi takes care of all that for you in the cloud. You'll be up and running in about 30 minutes instead of weeks, we handle all the updates automatically, and you get a 99.9% uptime guarantee. At $5/device/month, it's a lot cheaper than what most teams spend on hidden IT costs maintaining FreeRADIUS.

How does IronWiFi compare to Cisco ISE?

Here's the thing - Cisco ISE is powerful, but it's also expensive and complex. We're talking $50,000+ in hardware, $15,000+/year for licensing, plus you need dedicated staff to run it. IronWiFi gives you most of what ISE does for WiFi authentication, starting at just $5/device/month. No hardware to buy, no complicated setup - you can be running in 30 minutes.

Is IronWiFi better than Microsoft NPS?

It depends on your setup! If you're moving to the cloud and don't want to be tied to Windows Server and Active Directory, IronWiFi is probably a better fit. NPS needs Windows Server licensing ($1,000+/year) and on-premise servers. IronWiFi works with whatever identity provider you're using - Azure AD, Okta, Google, you name it. Plus we include extras like captive portals and guest WiFi that NPS doesn't have.

What is the difference between IronWiFi and Aruba ClearPass?

ClearPass is a full-blown network access control platform - great if you need it, but it costs $30,000 to $100,000+ and takes a while to set up. IronWiFi is focused specifically on WiFi authentication, starting at $5/device/month. If you need complex wired and wireless NAC with device profiling, ClearPass might be your answer. But if you just want solid cloud WiFi authentication that's quick to deploy and easy on the budget, that's what we do.

How Do We Stack Up?

We know you've got options. Here's an honest look at how IronWiFi compares to FreeRADIUS, Cisco ISE, Microsoft NPS, and Aruba ClearPass for RADIUS-based WiFi authentication - so you can pick what's right for you.

Which RADIUS Solution Is Right for You?

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IronWiFi vs FreeRADIUS

FreeRADIUS is open-source and powerful, but "free" can get expensive fast when you factor in the time and effort to manage 802.1X authentication yourself.

30 min

IronWiFi Setup

2-6 weeks

FreeRADIUS Setup

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IronWiFi vs Cisco ISE

Cisco ISE is the enterprise heavyweight. We offer most of the WPA2-Enterprise features you actually need, without the hefty price tag or complexity.

$5/device

IronWiFi

$50K+

Cisco ISE

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IronWiFi vs Microsoft NPS

NPS ties you to Windows Server and LDAP-based Active Directory. If you're going cloud-first, there's an easier way.

Any IdP

IronWiFi

AD Only

Microsoft NPS

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IronWiFi vs Aruba ClearPass

ClearPass does it all - at a price. If you just need WiFi authentication done right, we might be the simpler choice.

See the full comparison

How Does IronWiFi Compare to Other RADIUS Solutions?

Here's how we compare at a glance

Feature	IronWiFi	FreeRADIUS	Cisco ISE	Microsoft NPS	Aruba ClearPass
What You'll Pay	From $5/device/mo	Free (+ IT costs)	$50,000+	$1,000+/year	$30,000+
Time to Get Running	30 minutes	2-6 weeks	4-12 weeks	1-2 weeks	4-8 weeks
Cloud-Native	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗
Hardware Needed	None	Linux server	Dedicated appliance	Windows Server	Dedicated appliance
Azure AD / Entra ID	✓ Native	Manual config	✓	AD sync required	✓
Okta Integration	✓ Native	✗	✓	✗	✓
Google Workspace	✓ Native	✗	Limited	✗	Limited
Captive Portal	✓ Built-in	✗	✓	✗	✓
OpenRoaming	✓ WBA Partner	✗	✗	✗	Limited
Uptime SLA	99.9%	Self-managed	Self-managed	Self-managed	Self-managed
Free Trial	14 days	N/A	Eval license	N/A	Eval license
3-Year Cost (500 users)	~$12,000	~$90,000	~$150,000+	~$45,000	~$120,000+

As of 2026, these cost estimates include hardware, licensing, and IT staff time for a 500-user setup. Your numbers might look different depending on your situation.

Why Are Teams Switching to Cloud RADIUS?

In 2026, over 1,000 organizations in 108 countries trust us with their WiFi

$127K

Saved on average over 3 years vs on-premise

30 min

To get up and running (not weeks!)

99.9%

Uptime - we put it in writing

Want to Give It a Try?

Take IronWiFi for a spin with our 14-day free trial. No credit card needed, and you'll be up and running in about 30 minutes.

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