Cisco Meraki is widely used for cloud-managed networking, especially in distributed environments that require centralised visibility and control. However, for many startups and small to mid-sized organisations, the model introduces challenges around cost, licensing, and vendor lock-in. This article explores what a Cisco Meraki alternative typically looks like and why some teams are moving toward more flexible or open approaches. Why organisations look for a Cisco Meraki alternative Cisco Meraki is popular for its simplicity and cloud-managed dashboard, but it comes with trade-offs that matter in real-world deployments: recurring licensing costs per device dependency on vendor cloud infrastructure proprietary hardware requirements limited flexibility outside the Meraki ecosystem potential operational impact if licenses expire These factors often push smaller organisations to evaluate alternatives that reduce long-term cost and dependency. What makes a good alternative?…