What is the difference between ClearPass and IronWiFi?

Here's the short version: ClearPass is a full-blown NAC platform that handles wired and wireless authentication, device profiling, posture assessment, and guest access. IronWiFi focuses specifically on WiFi authentication - we do RADIUS, captive portals, OpenRoaming, and cloud identity integration really well. ClearPass makes sense for big enterprises that need the whole NAC package. IronWiFi is great for organizations that just want WiFi authentication without all the complexity.

Does IronWiFi work with Aruba access points?

Absolutely! IronWiFi works with all Aruba access points and controllers - whether you're using Aruba Instant, Aruba Central, or controller-based setups. Just point your Aruba APs to IronWiFi as the RADIUS server for WPA2/WPA3-Enterprise, and we'll handle the authentication. Lots of organizations use us as a simpler alternative to ClearPass when WiFi auth is all they really need.

Can I migrate from ClearPass to IronWiFi?

Yes, especially if you're mainly using ClearPass for WiFi RADIUS authentication. Here's how it works: connect IronWiFi to your identity provider (AD, Azure AD, Okta), import or sync your users, update your access points to point to IronWiFi, and test. Most migrations take just 2-4 hours. That said, if you rely on posture assessment, device profiling, or wired NAC, you'll probably want to stick with ClearPass.

IronWiFi vs Aruba ClearPass

Q: How much does Aruba ClearPass cost?

ClearPass can get expensive fast - we're talking $30,000 to $100,000+ for enterprise setups. You'll need appliances ($10,000-30,000 for a high-availability pair), access licenses ($10-25 per device), OnGuard licenses if you want posture checking ($15-35 per device), plus yearly support fees (15-20% of your license cost). For 1,000 devices with posture assessment, expect to spend $50,000-80,000+ in your first year alone. IronWiFi starts at just $5/device/month for WiFi authentication.

ClearPass is powerful, but do you really need all that? Let's figure out if a simpler approach might work better for you.

What Does Aruba ClearPass Actually Do — and Do You Need It?

Look, ClearPass is a seriously capable NAC platform - we won't pretend otherwise. But here's the thing: as of 2026, if you mainly need WiFi authentication, you might be paying for a lot of features you'll never touch. IronWiFi gives you enterprise-grade WiFi auth without the complexity or the big price tag.

How Much Does Aruba ClearPass Cost in 2026?

Cost Component	IronWiFi	Aruba ClearPass
Hardware/Infrastructure	$0 (cloud)	$10,000-30,000 (appliances)
Access Licenses	Included	$10-25/device
Posture/OnGuard	N/A	$15-35/device additional
Guest Module	Included	$5-10/device additional
Annual Support	Included	15-20% of license
Deployment Time	30 minutes	4-8 weeks
1,000 Devices Year 1	~$2,400	~$60,000+
3-Year TCO	~$7,200	~$100,000+

How Do the Features Compare?

What You Get	IronWiFi	Aruba ClearPass
WiFi 802.1X Authentication	✓	✓
EAP-TLS / PEAP / TTLS	✓	✓
Captive Portal	✓	✓
Guest Management	✓	✓
Azure AD / Okta / Google	✓ Built-in	✓
OpenRoaming	✓ WBA Partner	Limited
Cloud-Native	✓	✗ On-prem only
Wired NAC	✗	✓
Device Profiling	Basic	✓ Advanced
Posture Assessment	✗	✓
OnGuard Agent	✗	✓
Policy Manager	Basic	✓ Advanced
Aruba Ecosystem Integration	RADIUS only	✓ Deep
Multi-Vendor Support	✓ 45+ vendors	✓

When Does ClearPass Make More Sense Than IronWiFi?

You need to control both wired and wireless access from one place
Checking device health is a must (antivirus status, patch levels, encryption)
Your compliance team requires the OnGuard agent on endpoints
You've got lots of IoT devices that need advanced profiling
You're running an all-Aruba shop and want everything tightly integrated
You have a dedicated team to manage your NAC

When Is IronWiFi a Better Fit?

WiFi authentication is really what you're after
You don't need posture assessment or the OnGuard agent
Your budget can't stretch to $60,000+ (ours starts at $5/device/month)
You'd rather skip the on-prem appliances and go cloud-native
You're interested in OpenRoaming or Passpoint down the road
You've got access points from different vendors, not just Aruba (in 2026, IronWiFi supports 45+ vendors)
You want to be up and running in 30 minutes, not 4-8 weeks

So, Which One Should You Pick?

If you need the full NAC package - wired and wireless control, posture assessment, deep Aruba integration - then ClearPass is worth the investment. But if you're really just looking for solid WiFi authentication, IronWiFi gets you there at about 95% less cost as of 2026, with none of the on-prem complexity. Here's a good gut check: if you're mainly buying ClearPass for WiFi RADIUS, you might be overbuying.

Ready to See How Simple WiFi Authentication Can Be?

Try IronWiFi free for 14 days. It works great with your Aruba APs, and there's nothing to install on-prem.

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