UniFi Network combines internet gateways, Wi-Fi and switching management in one platform. Its traffic dashboards show activity in real time, while topology maps and optimization tips support network oversight. Site Manager provides remote management and cloud orchestration across UniFi deployments without a license. The software can run on a Cloud Gateway or CloudKey, or be self-hosted on local hardware or in cloud environments such as AWS, Azure and GCP. Android and iOS apps can manage a network, and its local control plane supports device management during internet outages or in air-gapped deployments. Wireless options include WPA2, WPA3 and mixed modes, with pre-shared key or RADIUS/802.1X authentication. Administrators can assign VLANs to Wi-Fi SSIDs and apply segmentation, isolation and traffic policies. Gateways provide IDS/IPS monitoring, alerts and threat blocking; CyberSecure is a per-site subscription that expands the signature database. Core routing, firewall enforcement and deep packet inspection run locally, while some updates, notifications and remote alerts depend on cloud services. UniFi Network software is free, with paid options from $29/mo.
Who it is for
It suits administrators managing UniFi network deployments who need remote site oversight, traffic visibility and network controls. Its local control plane is relevant for air-gapped environments or internet outages.
What is good
- License-free remote site management
- Runs on UniFi hardware or self-hosted environments
- Mobile management apps for Android and iOS
- Local device management during outages
What to know first
- Some updates and remote alerts rely on the cloud
- CyberSecure is a separate per-site subscription
Verdict
UniFi Network offers local and remote management, plus wireless security and segmentation controls. Consider its cloud-dependent updates and alerts when planning an offline deployment.
UniFi Network plans and pricing
All plansCompared on network management software
- Free plan
- Yes
- Paid from
- $29/mo
- Deployment model
- hybrid
- Managed device limit
- 1,000 devices
- Network discovery
- Yes
- Configuration management
- Yes
- Configuration backup
- Yes
- Policy automation
- Yes
- API access
- Yes
