An Ekahau alternative for predictive WiFi design without the $7,990 start
Ekahau is the enterprise standard and earns its price when you run hardware-validated surveys every week. If what you need is to design a network on a floor plan — walls, access points, heatmaps, channel plan, a report the client can read — WiFi Weave does that in the browser, starts free, and imports your existing Ekahau projects.
What each one costs
Ekahau prices are public reseller list prices as of September 2026; volume and education pricing differ. WiFi Weave prices are our own.
| Ekahau AI Pro | WiFi Weave | |
|---|---|---|
| To get started | $7,990 (licence + first-year Connect) | $0 — free plan, no card |
| Ongoing | $1,295 per user per year | Pro $49.99/month, cancel anytime |
| Contract | Annual | Monthly |
| Free tier | None | 10 floor plans, 10 AI runs, 12 calculators |
| Runs on | Windows / macOS install | Any browser, nothing to install |
What each one does
Swipe the table sideways →
| Capability | Ekahau | WiFi Weave |
|---|---|---|
| Predictive heatmaps on your floor plan | ||
| Automatic wall detection from the floor plan image | Partial | |
| Automatic access point placement | ||
| 2.4 / 5 / 6 GHz modelling | ||
| Channel planning and optimization | ||
| On-site survey with dedicated survey hardware | Import survey data | |
| Import Ekahau .esx projects | — | |
| Client-ready PDF / PowerPoint reports | ||
| Share a plan with a client by link | yes (MSP) | |
| Vendor certification track | ||
| Free plan without a sales call |
Capability summary as of September 2026, from public product information. Check Ekahau for current details.
When Ekahau is the right answer
You validate large deployments with the Sidekick survey hardware, your customers ask for Ekahau reports by name, or your team holds ECSE certification. Nothing else replaces that workflow, and the price is justified by the volume of work.
Best fit: Enterprises and WLAN consultancies surveying every week
When WiFi Weave is the right answer
You design WiFi regularly but not exclusively: an MSP quoting a few sites a month, an IT team refreshing one building, a consultant who needs the predictive plan and the report without a five-figure licence. Import the floor plan, let the AI find the walls, place the APs, export the evidence.
Best fit: MSPs, IT teams and consultants who plan WiFi regularly, not exclusively
Common questions
Is WiFi Weave a real Ekahau alternative?
For predictive design, yes: floor-plan import, wall modelling with AI detection, automatic access point placement, heatmaps across 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz, channel planning and client-ready reports, all in the browser. It is not a replacement for Ekahau’s survey hardware or its certification track. If those are what you use Ekahau for, keep Ekahau.
Can I bring my Ekahau projects across?
Yes. WiFi Weave imports Ekahau .esx project files, so existing floor plans, walls and access point positions come with you rather than being redrawn.
How much cheaper is it, honestly?
As of September 2026, Ekahau AI Pro lists at $5,995 plus a $1,995 first-year Connect subscription, then $1,295 a year. WiFi Weave Pro is $49.99 a month with no contract, about $600 a year, and the free plan costs nothing. Over a first year that is roughly $7,990 against $600.
What do I lose by choosing WiFi Weave?
Dedicated survey hardware, the Ekahau certification ecosystem, and the depth of a tool built for full-time enterprise WLAN engineers. You can import survey measurements to compare predicted against measured coverage, but WiFi Weave does not sell survey kit.
Is there a free plan?
Yes. The free plan needs no credit card and includes up to 10 floor plans, 10 AI planning runs for automatic wall detection and access point placement, and the full device library. The 12 planning calculators need no account at all.
Try it on your own floor plan first
The free plan includes 10 AI planning runs and up to 10 floor plans, with no credit card. Or start with the 12 free planning tools, no signup needed.
Create a free accountSee all four tools side by side on the comparison page.