IronWiFi vs FreeRADIUS
Compare managed cloud RADIUS with open-source FreeRADIUS. See why organizations switch from "free" to truly cost-effective.
The Real Cost of "Free" RADIUS
FreeRADIUS is powerful open-source software used by millions. But "free" doesn't mean zero cost. When you factor in infrastructure, expertise, and ongoing maintenance, FreeRADIUS can cost $30,000-50,000+ per year for a production deployment.
IronWiFi provides the same RADIUS functionality as a managed cloud service starting at $65/month with no infrastructure to maintain, no Linux expertise required, and 99.9% uptime guaranteed.
Quick Comparison
| Factor | IronWiFi | FreeRADIUS |
|---|---|---|
| Software Cost | $65-500/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+ |
Total Cost of Ownership Breakdown
Here's what "free" FreeRADIUS actually costs for a typical 500-user deployment:
⚡ 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+
Based on IT staff rate of $75/hour. Actual costs may vary by region and complexity.
Feature Comparison
| 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 to Choose FreeRADIUS
FreeRADIUS may be the right choice if you:
- Have dedicated Linux administrators with FreeRADIUS expertise
- Need extreme customization beyond standard RADIUS
- Have regulatory requirements for on-premise only deployments
- Are a university or research institution with existing infrastructure
- Want to learn RADIUS internals for educational purposes
When to Choose IronWiFi
IronWiFi is the better choice if you:
- Want to deploy WiFi authentication in hours, not weeks
- Don't have dedicated Linux/RADIUS expertise on staff
- Need modern identity provider integration (Azure AD, Okta, Google)
- Want captive portals for guest WiFi
- Need OpenRoaming or Passpoint support
- Prefer predictable monthly costs vs hidden IT overhead
- Require guaranteed uptime SLA (99.9%)
The Verdict
FreeRADIUS is excellent software, but "free" doesn't mean "zero cost." For most organizations, IronWiFi saves $50,000+ over 3 years compared to FreeRADIUS when all costs are considered. IronWiFi also adds features that would require significant custom development on FreeRADIUS: captive portals, modern IdP integration, OpenRoaming, and a web management console.
Switch from FreeRADIUS in 30 minutes. Keep the same authentication methods. Eliminate the maintenance burden.
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