UNaaS vs. Traditional Purchase: Which Is Right for You?

Both models have their place. Here’s an honest comparison to help you decide.

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When UNaaS Makes Sense

Choosing between UniFi as a Service (UNaaS) and traditional network purchase is one of the most important financial and operational decisions your business will make when deploying enterprise networking infrastructure. At UniFi Nerds, we offer both models because we understand that different businesses have different needs, budgets, and IT capabilities.

Since 2012, The UniFi Nerds have specialized exclusively in Ubiquiti UniFi deployments, giving us unique insight into which acquisition model works best for different business scenarios. UNaaS transforms network deployment from a major capital expenditure (CapEx) into a predictable monthly operational expense (OpEx), eliminating upfront hardware costs while including professional installation by certified UniFi Nerds technicians, 24/7 monitoring, firmware management, hardware replacement, and technology refresh cycles. Traditional network purchase, on the other hand, gives you full ownership of your UniFi networking equipment—you pay The UniFi Nerds upfront for wireless access points, PoE switches, enterprise gateways, and structured cabling, then manage the network yourself or add optional UniFi Nerds managed services.

Both approaches deliver the same enterprise-grade UniFi performance that The UniFi Nerds are known for, but the right choice depends on your cash flow preferences, IT staffing, long-term plans, and risk tolerance. This honest comparison from The UniFi Nerds will help you evaluate which model aligns with your business goals.

Choose UNaaS if:

You prefer OpEx over CapEx

Monthly operational expense is easier to budget and fully tax-deductible.

You don't have IT staff

We manage everything 24/7—you don't need dedicated networking expertise.

You value predictability

Fixed monthly cost with no surprise expenses or hardware refresh costs.

You're expanding to NYC

Fast deployment without CapEx approval delays.

You want to avoid obsolescence

Hardware refresh every 48 months means you're always on current technology.

When Traditional Purchase Makes Sense

UNaaS has become the preferred deployment model for businesses that prioritize cash flow preservation, predictable budgeting, and hands-off network management. At UniFi Nerds, we’ve seen UNaaS transform how startups, professional services firms, and growing businesses approach enterprise networking—instead of allocating $30,000-$50,000 in upfront capital for network hardware and professional installation, businesses can deploy the same enterprise-grade UniFi infrastructure designed and installed by The UniFi Nerds for a fixed monthly fee that includes everything: hardware, installation, monitoring, support, firmware updates, and eventual hardware refresh.

This OpEx model is particularly attractive in high-cost markets like New York City, where The UniFi Nerds have helped countless businesses preserve capital for core operations rather than tie it up in IT infrastructure. Additionally, UNaaS from UniFi Nerds eliminates the technology obsolescence risk—in 48 months, when your WiFi 6 access points are replaced with WiFi 7 or newer technology, there’s no additional cost or procurement process. The UniFi Nerds handle the entire refresh, ensuring your network stays current without requiring budget approvals or capital expenditure cycles. With over 25 years of combined networking experience and nationwide coverage, The UniFi Nerds make UNaaS seamless from consultation through ongoing support.

Choose Traditional Purchase if:

You have IT staff

You have dedicated networking expertise to manage firmware, troubleshooting, and monitoring.

You want full control

You prefer to manage your own network configuration and changes.

You plan to stay long-term

If you're in the space for 10+ years, ownership may be more cost-effective over time.

You don't need 24/7 support

You can handle most issues in-house or during business hours.

Hybrid Option: Traditional Purchase + Managed Services

Traditional network purchase remains the right choice for businesses with dedicated IT staff, long-term facility commitments, and the capital budget to invest in owned infrastructure. At UniFi Nerds, we’ve deployed thousands of traditional UniFi networks for clients who prefer the one-time capital investment model—they pay The UniFi Nerds for professional installation and UniFi networking hardware upfront, own the equipment outright, and manage it internally or with minimal external support.

This approach makes financial sense for businesses planning to occupy the same facility for 10+ years, where the total cost of ownership (TCO) over a decade is lower than equivalent UNaaS monthly fees. It’s also ideal for organizations with certified network administrators who can handle firmware updates, configuration changes, troubleshooting, and performance optimization without external assistance. However, traditional ownership does carry risks: hardware failures require out-of-pocket replacement costs, technology obsolescence means your network falls behind current standards unless you budget for periodic upgrades, and management burden falls entirely on your team. The UniFi Nerds provide professional installation for traditional purchases, ensuring your network is deployed correctly from day one with proper site surveys, RF optimization, structured cabling best practices, and comprehensive documentation. For clients who want ownership without the operational burden, The UniFi Nerds offer optional managed services that combine the financial benefits of ownership with expert ongoing support.

What It Is:

You purchase the hardware outright (you own it), but we manage it for you with a monthly support contract.

Pricing:

Best For:

Learn More About Managed Services

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Calculator

The hybrid model—combining traditional network purchase with UniFi Nerds’ managed services—offers the best of both worlds for many businesses. You gain the financial benefits of ownership (asset on balance sheet, depreciation, no long-term service commitment) while outsourcing the operational burden to The UniFi Nerds’ certified specialists who monitor, maintain, and optimize your network 24/7/365. This model is particularly popular with accounting firms, law offices, medical practices, and other professional services businesses that want to own their networking infrastructure but lack the internal expertise or desire to manage it.

UniFi Nerds’ managed services include proactive monitoring using Site 24×7, Zoho Site Monitor, and Auvik, automated firmware updates (tested in The UniFi Nerds’ lab environments before deployment to your network), unlimited configuration changes, priority support with 1-2 hour response times, and hardware replacement coordination (you pay for replacement hardware, The UniFi Nerds handle the logistics and installation). The monthly fee is significantly lower than UNaaS because you’ve already invested in the hardware, but you still benefit from expert management by The UniFi Nerds without hiring dedicated networking staff. This approach gives you control and ownership without the operational risk of self-management, backed by The UniFi Nerds’ 24/7/365 availability and rapid response times across all 50 states.

Interactive Calculator (If Building Web Tool):

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Calculate Your TCO

Understanding the true total cost of ownership (TCO) is critical when comparing UNaaS vs. traditional network purchase. While traditional purchase appears cheaper on a monthly basis (no recurring service fee), the TCO calculation must include upfront hardware costs, professional installation by The UniFi Nerds, ongoing management time (internal IT staff hours or contractor fees), hardware failures and replacements, technology refresh cycles (typically every 4-5 years), and opportunity cost of capital tied up in networking equipment. UNaaS from The UniFi Nerds, by contrast, has a higher monthly fee but includes all of these costs in a single predictable payment—there are no surprise expenses, no hardware refresh budgeting, and no internal management burden.

The UniFi Nerds have helped hundreds of clients evaluate their TCO across both models, and the results often surprise decision-makers: for businesses planning to stay in a facility for 5-7 years, the TCO difference is minimal, but UNaaS provides significantly better cash flow, risk mitigation, and operational simplicity. For businesses with shorter facility commitments (2-4 years), UNaaS from The UniFi Nerds is almost always the more cost-effective choice. Use The UniFi Nerds’ TCO calculator to model your specific situation, or schedule a consultation with The UniFi Nerds and we’ll walk through the numbers based on your actual requirements, facility size, and business timeline—backed by our real-world deployment experience a

The decision between UNaaS, traditional network purchase, or the hybrid managed services model isn’t one-size-fits-all—it depends on your business stage, cash flow priorities, IT capabilities, facility commitment, and risk tolerance. At UniFi Nerds, we don’t push clients toward one model or another; The UniFi Nerds provide honest, transparent guidance based on your specific situation and our extensive deployment experience since 2012. We’ve deployed UNaaS for fast-growing startups that need enterprise networking without tying up capital, traditional purchases for established businesses with long-term facility leases and internal IT teams, and hybrid managed services for professional services firms that want ownership without operational burden.

What matters most is that you get the right UniFi network design for your space, professional installation by The UniFi Nerds that follows industry best practices, and reliable support when you need it. Whether you choose UNaaS, traditional purchase, or managed services, The UniFi Nerds deliver the same certified expertise (all technicians hold industry certifications), 24/7/365 availability with 1-2 hour response times, and commitment to network performance that has made us the trusted UniFi specialists for businesses across New York, Florida, California, and nationwide. Schedule a free consultation with The UniFi Nerds and we’ll help you evaluate which model makes the most sense for your business—no sales pressure, just honest advice from networking professionals who have been exclusively focused on UniFi deployments since 2012 and have completed projects ranging from small offices to 500-room hotels, major sports stadiums, and multi location retail chains.

Still Not Sure? We Can Help.

Not sure which model is right for your business? Schedule a free consultation and we’ll walk through your specific situation—no sales pressure, just honest advice.

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