Is FreeRADIUS really free?

The software? Yes, totally free. But here's the catch - you'll need Linux servers ($5,000-15,000), someone who knows their way around RADIUS (40-80 hours of setup at $75/hr), plus ongoing maintenance (10-20 hours every month). When you add it all up, most teams end up spending $30,000-50,000+ per year on their 'free' solution.

How long does it take to set up FreeRADIUS vs IronWiFi?

With IronWiFi, you're up and running in about 30 minutes - no Linux skills needed. FreeRADIUS? That's usually a 2-6 week project once you factor in server setup, configuration, certificates, database work, and testing. If you're connecting to Active Directory or LDAP, budget 2-3 months.

Can IronWiFi replace FreeRADIUS?

Absolutely. We support all the same authentication methods (EAP-TLS, PEAP, TTLS), work with the same identity providers, and play nice with any RADIUS-compatible access point. Most teams migrate in an hour or two - just point your APs to our servers and import your users. Plenty of folks do it during a lunch break with zero downtime.

What features does IronWiFi have that FreeRADIUS lacks?

Think of us as FreeRADIUS with all the extras built in: captive portals with social login, plug-and-play Azure AD/Okta/Google integration, OpenRoaming and Passpoint, a proper web dashboard (no command line required), real-time analytics, automatic certificate renewal, and servers in 6 regions. Plus you get 99.9% uptime guaranteed and actual humans to call when something goes sideways.

Is IronWiFi more secure than FreeRADIUS?

They can both be rock-solid - if you configure them right. The difference? With IronWiFi, security is baked in: SOC 2 Type II compliant, automatic security patches (no downtime), TLS 1.3 by default, and no servers sitting in your closet waiting to be hacked. With FreeRADIUS, security is only as good as your team's time and expertise allow.

FreeRADIUS is Great. Until It Isn't.

We're big fans of open source. But "free" has some expensive fine print. Let's break down what FreeRADIUS actually costs - and when it makes sense to go a different route.

What Does FreeRADIUS Actually Cost?

Look, FreeRADIUS is genuinely excellent software - there's a reason millions of people use it. But here's the thing: "free" doesn't mean "costs nothing." As of 2026, when you add up the servers, the expertise, and all those hours keeping it running, you're looking at $30,000-50,000+ per year. That's a lot of hidden costs hiding behind a zero-dollar download.

With IronWiFi, you get the same RADIUS power starting at $5/device/month. No servers to babysit, no Linux wizardry required, and we guarantee 99.9% uptime. Pretty straightforward, right?

Here's How They Stack Up

Factor	IronWiFi	FreeRADIUS
Software Cost	$5-500/month	Free (open source)
Infrastructure Cost	$0	$5,000-15,000 (servers)
Setup Time	30 minutes	2-6 weeks
Linux Expertise Required	No	Yes (advanced)
Maintenance Hours/Month	0 hours	10-20 hours
High Availability	Built-in (6 regions)	Manual configuration
Security Patches	Automatic	Manual
Uptime SLA	99.9% guaranteed	None
Support	24/7 included	Community forums
3-Year TCO (500 users)	~$12,000	~$90,000+

So What Does "Free" Really Cost?

Let's do the math for a typical 500-user setup. Spoiler: it's not pretty.

⚡ IronWiFi (3 Years)

Subscription: $10,800
Infrastructure: $0
Setup labor: $150 (2 hours)
Maintenance: $0
Training: $0
Total: ~$11,000

💻 FreeRADIUS (3 Years)

Software: $0
Servers (HA pair): $10,000
Setup labor: $6,000 (80 hours)
Maintenance: $54,000 (15 hrs/mo)
Training: $3,000
Total: ~$73,000+

In 2026, we're using $75/hour for IT staff. Your numbers might be different, but the gap stays pretty wide.

Feature by Feature

Feature	IronWiFi	FreeRADIUS
EAP-TLS (certificates)	✓	✓
PEAP-MSCHAPv2	✓	✓
EAP-TTLS	✓	✓
MAC Authentication	✓	✓
LDAP/Active Directory	✓ Native	✓ Manual config
Azure AD / Entra ID	✓ Native	✗ Complex
Okta Integration	✓ Native	✗
Google Workspace	✓ Native	✗
Captive Portal	✓ Built-in	✗ Separate tool
Social Login (Facebook, Google)	✓	✗
OpenRoaming	✓ WBA Partner	✗
Passpoint / Hotspot 2.0	✓	✗
Web Management Console	✓	✗ CLI only
Real-time Analytics	✓	✗ Manual logging
Automatic Certificate Renewal	✓	✗ Manual

When Does FreeRADIUS Actually Make Sense?

We're not going to pretend IronWiFi is right for everyone. FreeRADIUS might be your best bet if:

You've got Linux admins who eat RADIUS configs for breakfast
You need to customize things way beyond what standard RADIUS offers
Regulations say everything has to stay on-premise (no exceptions)
You're at a university or research lab with infrastructure already in place
You want to really understand how RADIUS works under the hood

When Is IronWiFi the Smarter Move?

On the other hand, you'll probably be happier with IronWiFi if:

You'd rather be done in hours than spend weeks on setup
Your team doesn't have a Linux/RADIUS expert (and doesn't want to become one)
You need Azure AD, Okta, or Google integration without the headaches
You want a nice captive portal for guest WiFi
OpenRoaming or Passpoint is on your roadmap
You like knowing exactly what you'll pay each month (no surprise maintenance bills)
Downtime isn't an option and you want that 99.9% SLA in writing

The Bottom Line

FreeRADIUS is fantastic software - seriously. But "free" and "costs nothing" are two very different things. For most teams, IronWiFi saves $50,000+ over three years once you count all the hidden costs. Plus you get captive portals, modern identity provider support, OpenRoaming, and an actual dashboard - stuff that would take months to build on FreeRADIUS.

Ready to switch? It takes about 30 minutes. Your authentication methods stay the same. Your maintenance headaches disappear.

Want to See What Life Without FreeRADIUS Looks Like?

Try it free for 14 days. You can migrate in about 30 minutes, and we won't ask for a credit card.

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