Head-to-head · Virtual Routers Software
MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) vs Juniper vJunos-router
MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) leads on 3 checks, Juniper vJunos-router on 0, and 1 is even. Who comes out ahead on the 4 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreMikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) · 7.0/10
- Free planboth
- Most featuresMikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) · 2 of 2
MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) scores higher on our rubric for virtual routers software: 7.0 against 6.9 out of 10; our editors rank them #5 and #7.
MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) leads on max throughput: 1000 Mbps versus 100 Mbps. MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) offers vpn support; Juniper vJunos-router doesn't publish it. MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) offers high availability; Juniper vJunos-router doesn't.
MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) is the better fit for budget-conscious teams wanting a feature-rich virtual router. Juniper vJunos-router is the better fit for free Junos labs and small-scale virtual routing.
- MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) fits best
Budget-conscious teams wanting a feature-rich virtual router
- Juniper vJunos-router fits best
Free Junos labs and small-scale virtual routing
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Side by side
| Feature | MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) 7.0/10 Visit ↗ | Juniper vJunos-router 6.9/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 7.0 | 6.9 |
| Ranking | #5 in Virtual Routers Software | #7 in Virtual Routers Software |
| Best for | Budget-conscious teams wanting a feature-rich virtual router | Free Junos labs and small-scale virtual routing |
| Pricing model | Free plan + paid | Free |
| Starting price | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted | Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Linux, Windows, macOS | Linux |
| Support | Email, Community, Docs | Community, Docs |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) 2/2 · Juniper vJunos-router 0/2 | ||
| VPN support | ✓ (best) | Not published |
| High availability | ✓ (best) | — |
| Specs | ||
| Deployment type | Virtual machine | Virtual machine |
| Routing protocols | RIP v1/v2, OSPFv2, BGP v4, RIPng, OSPFv3, BGP, BFD | BGP, IS-IS, OSPF, static routing |
| Max throughput | 1000 Mbps (best) | 100 Mbps |
| Cloud platforms | AWS, Hetzner Cloud, Linode, Google Compute Engine, Vultr | Not published |
| Our review | ||
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| Cons |
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| Our verdict | MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) is a virtualized edition of RouterOS for x86-64 virtual machines. It brings routing, firewall, VPN and network-management capabilities to local or cloud deployments, with images for common hypervisors and… Read the review → |
Juniper vJunos-router is a virtual version of Juniper’s Junos-based MX routing platform, packaged as a virtual machine for x86 servers. It is aimed at network labs, training, demonstrations, proof-of-concept work and configuration… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) — where it wins
- Supports static, VRF, policy-based, ECMP and dynamic routing
- Includes IPsec, WireGuard, OpenVPN and other tunnel protocols
- Runs on major hypervisors and documented cloud environments
Where it doesn't
- Free tier limits upload to 1 Mbps per interface
- Deployment requires importing or launching a virtual machine image
- Throughput depends on the selected speed tier and license
Juniper vJunos-router — where it wins
- Free Junos virtual machine for x86-based network labs
- Supports BGP, IS-IS, OSPF, static routing and virtual route reflection
- Offers up to 96 interfaces with console and SSH control-plane access
Where it doesn't
- 100 Mbps aggregate throughput limits larger or production workloads
- Single-VM architecture does not provide documented high availability
- Self-hosted deployment requires Linux and virtual-machine administration
- MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR)7.0/10 · Free plan · paid from $45 · 60-day trial
A perpetual-license virtual RouterOS with extensive routing, VPN, firewall and cloud options.
Visit MikroTik CHRFull verdict → - Juniper vJunos-router6.9/10 · Free plan
A capable free Junos lab router, limited by 100 Mbps throughput and single-VM design.
Visit JuniperFull verdict →
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026
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