AirMagnet Survey vs Ekahau Site Survey comparison

NetAlly and Ekahau are both solutions in the Network Modeling and Simulation category. NetAlly is ranked #2 with an average rating of 6.7, while Ekahau is ranked #1 with an average rating of 7.9. NetAlly holds a 19.7% mindshare in NM, compared to Ekahau’s 27.4% mindshare. Additionally, 86% of NetAlly users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Ekahau users who would recommend it.

AirMagnet Survey

Read 39 AirMagnet Survey reviews

3,146 Views
1,714 Comparison Views

86% willing to recommend

Ekahau Site Survey

Read 35 Ekahau Site Survey reviews

4,210 Views
2,257 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

AirMagnet Survey

Ekahau Site Survey

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 12, 2025

AirMagnet Survey and Ekahau Site Survey compete in the wireless survey industry. User feedback suggests Ekahau Site Survey has the upper hand due to its advanced features and accuracy, despite its higher cost.

Features: AirMagnet Survey provides a spectrum analyzer, allowing users to troubleshoot and conduct passive and active surveys simultaneously. It supports CAD integration, enhancing workflow efficiency. Ekahau Site Survey features include heatmap creation and an interactive mapping tool with predictive solutions. It offers extensive Wi-Fi planning and roaming analysis capabilities.

Room for Improvement: AirMagnet could improve cloud integration, report customization, and better support for new wireless technologies like LTE and Bluetooth. There is also a need for improved multi-floor alignment. For Ekahau, GPS functionalities for outdoor surveys and handling large project files could be enhanced. Expanding adapter compatibility and better customer report interaction are also needed.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Both products support on-premises deployment; Ekahau additionally offers a Hybrid Cloud for flexibility. AirMagnet is noted for its committed real-time support, while Ekahau's Gold Support provides deep knowledge with rapid issue resolution, although users suggest more consistent responsiveness.

Pricing and ROI: AirMagnet is budget-friendly, appealing to smaller businesses, but has high support renewal costs. Ekahau is more expensive due to its superior offerings, suiting larger enterprises. AirMagnet's licensing through adapters is cost-effective compared to Ekahau's Sidekick. Despite cost concerns, both are essential investments for WLAN professionals.

To learn more, read our detailed AirMagnet Survey vs. Ekahau Site Survey Report (Updated: March 2025).

Buyer's Guide

AirMagnet Survey vs. Ekahau Site Survey

March 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

AirMagnet Survey

Ranking in Network Modeling and Simulation

2nd

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Network Troubleshooting (8th)

Ekahau Site Survey

Ranking in Network Modeling and Simulation

1st

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Network Modeling and Simulation category, the mindshare of AirMagnet Survey is 19.7%, down from 32.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Ekahau Site Survey is 27.4%, down from 41.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Modeling and Simulation

Featured Reviews

David Olofson

Manager at DD&P Services LLC

It fixes so many problems quickly that we don't regret spending more on high-end tools than most companies

It would be nice to have some more training resources for younger techs. We can use them if we need some assistance, but that usually requires one of us who knows what we're doing to calibrate the programs properly. There's one thing our nXG handhelds do that AirMagnet doesn't do out of the box. The nXG devices can analyze the wired and wireless networks simultaneously and map the networks out. We find it handy. However, if I have that plugged into our older OptiView XG tablets or our laptops, I have no way to analyze both the WiFi and the wired network at the same time and build a single picture with all that data. So far, that's something only our nXG handhelds can do. It would be nice if there were a way to integrate all the network discovery, troubleshooting, and mapping of the WiFi and the wired at the same time. There are almost no products that do that currently. If they managed to do that, they'd probably open up their market pretty quickly.

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ALEXANDRE VIANNA

CTO at Redeswirelessbrasil

Good optimization capabilities, automatic network planning tool and saves time

Ekahau needs to enhance the view of materials and make some adjustments to the reports. Currently, it's possible to make changes to the Word report using Python, but it could be improved. For example, when I create an AP on a survey report, information like the cable view, distance, and support assessments could be enhanced. Only one comment about Ekahau Optimizer. It needs improvement. I tried to upload site products, and for five products, I needed to involve Ekahau's supply chain. When I try to solve that, it's not possible. For example, I uploaded one product for a large bank, and the optimizer didn't finish. I needed to involve Ekahau support, and they sent me the file two or three days after I opened the case.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"It allows us to prepare more real designs. Later, we validate them with actual surveys."

"I would like to rate the product as eight of ten."

"The most valuable features are the survey, spectrum analysis, and reporting."

"Clear and easy to use maps."

"We use the solution for Wi-Fi and networks."

"The AirMagnet Survey allows you to see the list of APs in the live view. It only supports certain adapters, which can be limiting, but it's also beneficial because these adapters are more comparable to real-life devices like laptops. With Ekahau, Sidekick needs to be used for full features, but I find the Sidekick too strong, which can hamper results. Therefore, I prefer AirMagnet's approach because the adapters provide more realistic readings."

"The most valuable feature is the predictive survey. The antennas' RF patterns are reflected correctly on the drawing when preparing predictive heat maps."

"The heat maps are quite good, and some features are easy to use."

More AirMagnet Survey pros

"We are satisfied with the way this product is working."

"Ekahau Site Survey is scalable."

"It's easy to plot APs and generate reports."

"Ekahau Site Survey is an easy and accurate solution."

"Channel planning, access points' auto position, and the size of the spectrum are valuable to me."

"I have found the most valuable feature is the RF interference and integration capabilities."

"The most valuable feature of Ekahau Site Survey is the predictive survey."

"Ekahau Site Survey is user-friendly."

More Ekahau Site Survey pros

Cons

"When you conduct an active survey and then want to use it for design work, it's actually not very useful."

"AirMagnet Survey needs to support Wi-Fi 6E otherwise they can lose to the competition. They also need to allow better grouping of SSIDs to one AP, removing the need to filter manually. At the moment, you can filter by channel or SSID, but grouping all those SSIDs together is a difficult task."

"AirMagnet Survey doesn't cover certain devices in the system."

"I would say some of our newer techs that are going out to job sites can be a little bit intimidated by the interface."

"Less time consumed doing the real surveys."

"It'd be nice if it was cheaper, however, you get value for your money."

"It would be nice to have some more training resources for younger techs. We can use them if we need some assistance, but that usually requires one of us who knows what we're doing to calibrate the programs properly."

"The user interface needs a lot of improvement. The auto-placement of access points is not accurate."

More AirMagnet Survey cons

"Ekahau Site Survey is an expensive solution, and its pricing should be improved."

"I would say that the indoor site accuracy is pretty good but the outdoor one should be improved. I would say if there was a way to put trees in there and canopies, that would be great."

"I wish the solution was better at making different survey modes."

"Lacks an in-app photo app or a way to upload photos while carrying out an active onsite survey."

"The new Sidekick is going to support Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E."

"In all of our buildings, whenever we deploy wireless access points, we also have to deploy wireless intrusion detections. The Ekahau Site Survey tool doesn't allow us to differentiate between the access point and the intrusion detection device. That's because they're the same devices, but they're configured differently for the type of usage. That's one area that I would ask them to improve. They should allow the identification of access points versus wireless intrusion detection."

"Our CTO was not real happy with their support."

"The report generation has room for improvement and is missing small details."

More Ekahau Site Survey cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing needs improvement."

"This product is very expensive."

"For technical support, you need an annual license, but it is not worth it."

"The tool's pricing is medium."

"The moment we began needing more of the vendor's support, the cost became very high; we switched to another solution."

"The licensing of AirMagnet Survey is different when compared to Ekahu. It is a third of the cost of Ekahau but there are no dedicated laptops to the Sidekick. AirMagnet allows you to license an adapter and share that adapter."

"There is an annual cost of the solution. There are some additional charges, such as support and maintenance."

"We pay $6,000 yearly for the licensing, but each piece of hardware, the Ekahau Sidekick, is $5,000."

"Since we are an academic institute, we get better prices and discounts from Cisco, but not Ekahau."

"The solution is less costly than one of its competitors."

"This solution is not cheap. If you only need an occasional site survey, you are better off contracting a wireless engineering professional that has one."

"We pay a licensing fee."

"Ekahau Site Survey is a really expensive solution."

"That's a tricky thing. When it started off, we had one three-year license and one one-year license because we have two devices. Now, from my understanding, we can only renew every year or get a one-year license, and that cost varies. Being a government organization, we get a different cost than commercial. We have deployed it on Surface Pro tablets. So, the only other cost would be the hardware cost."

"The solution is priced fairly for the features that you receive."

More Ekahau Site Survey pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Educational Organization

Government

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

14%

Educational Organization

10%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about AirMagnet Survey?

We use the solution for Wi-Fi and networks.

See all answers

What needs improvement with AirMagnet Survey?

AirMagnet Survey needs to support Wi-Fi 6E otherwise they can lose to the competition. They also need to allow better grouping of SSIDs to one AP, removing the need to filter manually. At the momen...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for AirMagnet Survey?

We use AirMagnet Survey, for site verifications after the wireless system has been installed. We conduct pre and post-install surveys with it. We have reduced the use since now our customers requir...

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What do you like most about Ekahau Site Survey?

We reviewed the maps as a team and determined if any changes needed to be made or if we could just replace APs as they are. We got into this by upgrading our access points to Meraki, and we wanted ...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Ekahau Site Survey?

The pricing and licensing of Ekahau are costly.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Ekahau Site Survey?

Ekahau could be improved by adding three-dimensional modeling, as we currently cannot view APIs in a three-dimensional perspective. They need to include backhaul features and improve the ease of in...

See all answers

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NetAlly EtherScope nXG vs AirMagnet Survey

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Compared 4% of the time

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Ekahau Site Survey

Compared 4% of the time

More Ekahau Site Survey Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

AirMagnet Survey

March 2025

Download AirMagnet Survey product report

Buyer's Guide

Ekahau Site Survey

March 2025

Download Ekahau Site Survey product report

Overview

AirMagnet Survey PRO enables network professionals to design, deploy, and validate Wi-Fi 6 networks for optimal performance, security, and compliance. It also calculates the ideal quantity, placement, and configuration of APs for a successful wireless LAN deployment. AirMagnet Survey PRO goes beyond simply verifying RF coverage by plotting actual end-user network performance in terms of connection speed, throughput, and packet statistics by allowing you to use any Wi-Fi adapter or AirMapper™ Site Survey on the AirCheck™ G2 and EtherScope® nXG. Survey PRO helps you get Wi-Fi installations right the first time, preventing costly rework and user complaints.

NetAlly

Over 12 years in the making, ESSTM maintains its reputation as the easiest to use, enterprise-grade Wi-Fi design and maintenance tool for Wi-Fi professionals. With crystal clear heat maps and easy-to-use reports, ESS makes it simple to optimize Wi-Fi.

ESS allows you to plan and create Wi-Fi networks according to your performance and capacity requirements—taking into consideration the increasing amount of wireless clients and applications such as VoIP, HD video streaming and web browsing.

Ekahau

Sample Customers

Houston Methodist Hospital, Love's Travel Stops

Presidio, Planet Earth, Ruckus

Buyer's Guide

AirMagnet Survey vs. Ekahau Site Survey

March 2025

Free Report: AirMagnet Survey vs. Ekahau Site Survey

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