Purple vs Cloudpath
RUCKUS Cloudpath is an enterprise certificate-based onboarding and policy platform with deep PKI and 802.1X, distributing a unique certificate per device for secure WPA2/WPA3-Enterprise access. It is a strong, mature choice for organisations that want full certificate lifecycle control, and it is widely used in education. Purple takes a simpler, broader approach: passwordless staff WiFi and cloud RADIUS that drop onto your existing access points, combined with guest WiFi, analytics and marketing in one vendor-neutral platform, so you get secure onboarding without standing up and running your own PKI.
Last fact-checked 2026-06-05. Cloudpath: RUCKUS Cloudpath Enrollment System: certificate-based secure network access and self-service onboarding for BYOD, guest and IT-managed devices..
Best for Purple
Organisations that want passwordless, certificate or iPSK-based staff WiFi and cloud RADIUS without the complexity of managing a full PKI, and that also need guest WiFi, analytics and marketing in a single platform across mixed-vendor hardware.
Best for Cloudpath
PKI-heavy environments, particularly higher education, K-12 and large enterprise, that want granular certificate lifecycle control, integration with existing certificate authorities (Microsoft CA, InCommon), and a tight fit with the RUCKUS ecosystem.
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature | Purple | Cloudpath |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud RADIUS Purple positions RADIUS as a standalone cloud service. | Hosted cloud RADIUS that replaces on-prem RADIUS/NPS/ISE | RADIUS via the enrolment system as part of secure 802.1X access |
| Certificate / PKI onboarding Cloudpath offers deeper, full certificate lifecycle and CA integration. | Certificate-based onboarding (EAP-TLS) and iPSK, without running your own PKI | Built-in PKI plus Microsoft CA and InCommon; unique certificate per device |
| 802.1X secure access | WPA2/WPA3-Enterprise via EAP-TLS | WPA2/WPA3-Enterprise via 802.1X (EAP-TLS, PEAP) |
| Passwordless staff WiFi | SAML/SSO (Entra ID, Okta, Google) plus EAP-TLS certificates and iPSK | Self-service onboarding with certificates so users do not re-enter credentials |
| Guest WiFi Purple bundles guest engagement, analytics and marketing in the same platform. | Branded captive portal plus Passpoint/OpenRoaming, with analytics and marketing | Secure guest access via self-service onboarding |
| Hardware / vendor tie-in | Vendor-neutral overlay on Cisco, Aruba, Ruckus, Juniper Mist, Meraki, Ubiquiti | Works with any vendor's wired and wireless infrastructure; part of the RUCKUS ecosystem |
| Setup complexity Trade-off of control versus simplicity. | Lower; cloud overlay, no PKI to build or run | Higher; full certificate and policy management to configure and operate |
When Purple is the right call
Purple wins when you want secure, passwordless WiFi up and running quickly without building or running a PKI, and when staff and guest WiFi need to live in one place. It runs as a cloud overlay on your existing access points across mixed vendors, so there is no hardware swap and no certificate authority to operate. Cloud RADIUS validates against your existing identity provider, certificates or iPSK are issued automatically through a branded onboarding flow, and the same platform also delivers guest WiFi, OpenRoaming, analytics and marketing.
When Cloudpath is the right call
Cloudpath wins when certificate and policy management depth is the priority. Its built-in PKI, integration with Microsoft CA and InCommon, per-device certificate issuance, up-front posture checks and granular policy-based access give IT teams fine-grained control over which device gets which level of access. It has a strong, established reputation in higher education and K-12 and fits naturally alongside RUCKUS infrastructure. If you have the IT resource to own a PKI and want maximum control over the certificate lifecycle, Cloudpath is a deep, proven choice.
Frequently asked
Is Purple a direct replacement for Cloudpath?
For passwordless staff WiFi, cloud RADIUS and certificate or iPSK onboarding, Purple covers the same core need with less setup. If you specifically need a full in-house PKI with deep certificate lifecycle and CA integration, Cloudpath goes deeper on that.
Does Cloudpath only work with RUCKUS hardware?
No. RUCKUS states Cloudpath works with any vendor's wired and wireless infrastructure, though it is most tightly aligned with the RUCKUS ecosystem.
Do I need to run my own PKI with Purple?
No. Purple issues certificates and iPSK automatically through a branded onboarding flow and validates against your existing identity provider, so you get certificate-based security without standing up a certificate authority.
Where Purple beats Cloudpath
See the product hub and the industries where teams pick Purple over Cloudpath.
See Purple running on your infrastructure
Purple deploys as a cloud overlay on your existing access points — Cisco, Aruba, Ruckus, Juniper Mist, Meraki, Ubiquiti. No hardware swap, live in weeks.