Best MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) Alternatives in 2026
15 virtual routers software our editors would look at instead of MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR), in our ranking order.
MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR): A perpetual-license virtual RouterOS with extensive routing, VPN, firewall and cloud options. Where it falls short: free tier limits upload to 1 mbps per interface.
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Arista CloudEOS not yet scored
Best forTeams seeking an established cloud virtual router
A cloud-ready virtual router for enterprise WAN, VPN, and multi-cloud routing.
- VPN support
- High availability
—not yet scoredVisit Arista -
Juniper vMX not yet scored
Best forService providers needing Junos virtual routing
Junos-based virtual routing for service providers and enterprises needing MX edge capabilities.
- VPN support
- High availability
—not yet scoredVisit Juniper -
Nokia Virtualized Service Router not yet scored
Best forOperators needing virtualized service-provider functions
A service-provider-focused virtual router spanning IP/MPLS, broadband, NAT and IPsec functions.
- VPN support
- High availability
—not yet scoredVisit Nokia -
Huawei NetEngine AR6700V-L Virtual Router not yet scored
Best forMid-market and enterprise multi-cloud teams
A cloud-deployable router with broad cloud coverage, VPN, routing, and centralized management.
- VPN support
- High availability
—not yet scoredContact Huawei -
Best forTeams automating routing across varied environments
A flexible virtual router for teams automating network services across on-premises and cloud environments.
4.0/10★★☆☆☆Visit VyOS -
Best forFree Junos labs and small-scale virtual routing
A capable free Junos lab router, limited by 100 Mbps throughput and single-VM design.
4.8/10★★☆☆☆Visit Juniper -
Check Point CloudGuard Network Security not yet scored
Best forCloud teams prioritizing routing plus security controls
A cloud firewall and virtual gateway that pairs extensive routing with threat prevention.
- VPN support
- High availability
—not yet scoredVisit Check Point -
Palo Alto Networks VM-Series not yet scored
Best forCloud teams needing virtual firewall and basic routing
A cloud-ready virtual firewall with core routing protocols, VPNs and high availability.
- VPN support
- High availability
—not yet scoredVisit site -
FortiGate not yet scored
Best forHybrid teams combining firewall, VPN, and SD-WAN
A hybrid firewall platform that combines VPN, SD-WAN, inspection, and centralized controls.
—not yet scoredVisit FortiGate -
Best forTeams needing a free firewall with failover
A free, firewall-focused platform with multi-WAN failover and VPN capabilities.
3.8/10★★☆☆☆Visit OPNsense -
Juniper Security Director not yet scored
Best forJuniper teams managing firewall policies centrally
A Juniper firewall management platform, not a virtual router.
—not yet scoredContact Juniper -
OpenWrt not yet scored
Best forEmbedded-device users seeking configurable network firmware
Free, configurable router firmware with firewall and VPN packages for supported hardware.
—not yet scoredVisit OpenWrt -
FRRouting not yet scored
Best forLinux operators seeking free routing and VRF
A free routing suite for Linux operators needing protocol breadth and VRF support.
- High availability
—not yet scoredVisit FRRouting -
BIRD Internet Routing Daemon not yet scored
Best forLinux routing deployments needing mature open-source tools
A free, self-hosted routing daemon for teams that need protocol breadth and routing control.
- VPN support
- High availability
—not yet scoredVisit BIRD -
Arrcus ArcOS not yet scored
Best forTeams needing programmable, hardware-agnostic routing
A broad routing and automation feature set for teams building software-defined networks.
- VPN support
- High availability
—not yet scoredVisit Arrcus
MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR)?
VyOS: #5 in our Virtual Routers Software ranking, with an editor score of 4.0 out of 10. A flexible virtual router for teams automating network services across on-premises and cloud environments.
Is there a free alternative to MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR)?
Yes. VyOS, Juniper vJunos-router, OPNsense, OpenWrt and FRRouting have a free plan or a free tier (6 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Deployment type | Routing protocols | Max throughput | VPN support | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) | Yes | — | Virtual machine | RIP v1/v2, OSPFv2, BGP v4, RIPng, OSPFv3, BGP, BFD | 1000 Mbps | Yes | 9.8 |
| not scored | Arista CloudEOS | No | — | — | OSPFv2, BGPv4, IS-IS, RIPv2, OSPFv3, BGPv6 | — | Yes | — |
| not scored | Juniper vMX | No | — | Virtual machine | SPRING (segment routing) | 100 Mbps | Yes | — |
| not scored | Nokia Virtualized Service Router | — | — | — | BGP, OSPF, IS-IS, RIP | — | Yes | — |
| not scored | Huawei NetEngine AR6700V-L Virtual Router | — | — | — | OSPFv2/v3, BGP/BGP4+, static routing | — | Yes | — |
| 5 | VyOS | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | 4.0 |
| 6 | Juniper vJunos-router | Yes | None | Virtual machine | BGP, IS-IS, OSPF, static routing | 100 Mbps | — | 4.8 |
| not scored | Check Point CloudGuard Network Security | — | — | Virtual machine | OSPFv2, BGP, RIP, static routes, multicast routes, policy-based routing, PIM-SM, PIM-DM, IGMP v2 and v3 | — | Yes | — |
| not scored | Palo Alto Networks VM-Series | No | — | — | BGP, OSPF, OSPFv3, RIP, static routing | — | Yes | — |
| not scored | FortiGate | No | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 10 | OPNsense | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | 3.8 |
| not scored | Juniper Security Director | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| not scored | OpenWrt | — | None | — | — | — | — | — |
| not scored | FRRouting | Yes | None | — | BGP, RIP, RIPng, OSPFv2, OSPFv3, IS-IS, Babel, EIGRP, LDP, PIM, OpenFabric | — | — | — |
| not scored | BIRD Internet Routing Daemon | Yes | None | Virtual machine | BGP, OSPF, RIP, Babel | — | Yes | — |
| not scored | Arrcus ArcOS | — | — | — | BGP, OSPF, IS-IS, EVPN, SR-MPLS, SRv6 | — | Yes | — |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026