IronWiFi vs Aruba ClearPass
ClearPass is powerful, but do you really need all that? Let's figure out if a simpler approach might work better for you.
Let's Be Honest: Do You Actually Need Full NAC?
Look, ClearPass is a seriously capable NAC platform - we won't pretend otherwise. But here's the thing: 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.
What You'll Actually Pay
| 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 the Features Stack Up
| 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 | ✓ |
ClearPass Makes Sense If...
- 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
IronWiFi Is a Better Fit If...
- 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 $65/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
- 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, 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.
Want to See How Simple It Can Be?
Try IronWiFi free for 14 days. It works great with your Aruba APs, and there's nothing to install on-prem.