Authentication is where IronWiFi stops. It’s where Purple starts
IronWiFi provides a captive portal and cloud RADIUS for network authentication. Purple authenticates too - passwordless WPA2/3-Enterprise and Passpoint - and turns every sign-in into first-party data, footfall analytics and marketing. Better guest WiFi whether you run one venue or a thousand.
- Cloud RADIUS, EAP-TLS and Passpoint covered as standard
- Sign-ins become profiles, footfall and campaigns - no webhooks required
- ISO 27001 certified, not just "aligned"
- Free permanent tier instead of a 14-day trial
Talk to us about your network
Tell us your AP vendors and auth setup, and we’ll show you the equivalent on Purple - free to start.
Join 80,000+ venues. We’ll never share your details.
What a sign-in is worth when it isn’t just a session log
On an auth-first platform, a successful connection ends in a RADIUS record. On Purple, the same one-tap Google, Apple or email sign-in also creates a consented guest profile, updates footfall and dwell dashboards, and can trigger a campaign - all without wiring data out to external tools.
- Native marketing and analytics, no webhook plumbing
- Branded portal and passwordless auth from one console
- Works across your existing multi-vendor estate
Why venues move from IronWiFi to Purple
IronWiFi is built to authenticate the network.
Purple authenticates and turns each sign-in into first-party data, footfall analytics and marketing.
IronWiFi pushes guest data to external tools via webhook or API.
Purple runs WiFi-triggered email and SMS natively through Purple Engage, with 70+ CRM integrations.
IronWiFi reports sessions and probe-based presence.
Purple shows footfall, dwell time and repeat visits across every site.
IronWiFi states ISO 27001 alignment.
Purple is ISO 27001 certified, alongside GDPR, CCPA, Cyber Essentials and B Corp.
IronWiFi starts with a 14-day trial.
Purple starts free on the Connect tier, for one venue or a thousand.
For the engineer who owns it, and everyone who asks them for data
Auth platforms serve the network team. Purple serves the network team and the departments that keep filing tickets asking what the WiFi knows.
Network engineers
Passwordless WPA2/3-Enterprise, EAP-TLS, SAML/SSO and Passpoint on your current APs - one console, no RADIUS servers to babysit.
MSPs and integrators
Multi-site, multi-client management with a branded portal per venue and margin room in tiered pricing.
The marketing requests
Purple Engage answers them natively: WiFi-triggered email and SMS with 70+ CRM integrations, no webhook chains.
The compliance requests
ISO 27001 certification (not alignment), plus GDPR, CCPA, Cyber Essentials and B Corp.
Production scale, not pilot scale
Test it on your own access points.
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature | Purple | IronWiFi |
|---|---|---|
| Branded captive portal | ✓Customisable splash, multiple auth and data-capture options | ✓Cloud captive portal across a wide range of access points |
| Cloud RADIUS & 802.1X authentication | ✓Passwordless WPA2/3-Enterprise, EAP-TLS, SAML/SSO | ✓Cloud RADIUS and IdP-driven 802.1X - a core product |
| Passpoint / OpenRoaming | ✓SecurePass, OpenRoaming federation member | ✓Core feature |
| Email & SMS marketing | ✓Purple Engage: WiFi-triggered email and SMS journeys, 70+ CRMs | ✕Not in product; pushes guest data to external tools via webhook/API |
| Footfall & dwell analytics | ✓Footfall, dwell, repeat-visit and multi-site dashboards | –Session reporting and probe-based presence only |
| Multi-tenant / iPSK WiFi | ✓Vendor-agnostic iPSK Private Area Networks for BTR, student and coworking | –Multi-tenant MSP accounts; iPSK not advertised, 802.1X-first |
| Runs on your existing hardware | ✓Vendor-agnostic (Cisco Meraki, HPE Aruba, Ruckus, UniFi) or the £69 Purple Hub | ✓45+ brands incl. Ubiquiti UniFi, MikroTik, TP-Link Omada |
| Enterprise compliance (ISO 27001) | ✓ISO 27001, GDPR, CCPA, Cyber Essentials and B Corp certified | –SOC 2 Type II and GDPR; ISO 27001 alignment, not certified |
| Free plan | ✓Free Connect tier - ideal for one venue | ✕14-day trial only, no permanent free tier |
See how the switch from IronWiFi works on your setup.
Keep the 802.1X rigour. Lose the integration project
Teams pick IronWiFi for solid authentication, then spend the next quarter wiring webhooks so marketing can use the data. Purple ships the whole chain: the same passwordless WPA2/3-Enterprise and Passpoint authentication, with profiles, footfall analytics and campaign automation already attached. Start on the free Connect tier, keep your access points, and let Capture and Engage switch on when the rest of the business comes asking.
Frequently asked
Which has better Passpoint / OpenRoaming support?
Both are OpenRoaming federation participants and support Passpoint. IronWiFi makes it a core feature across a wide list of access point vendors; Purple delivers it through SecurePass with a track record across airports, stadiums and hotel chains.
Can Purple replace IronWiFi on a UniFi network?
Yes. Purple supports Ubiquiti UniFi natively alongside enterprise vendors. Migration typically takes one to two weeks, including captive portal design parity and historical analytics import.
Does IronWiFi offer marketing automation?
No. IronWiFi focuses on authentication and captive portals and pushes guest data to external tools via webhook or CRM sync. Purple Engage runs WiFi-triggered email and SMS campaigns natively, with 70+ CRM integrations on the same platform.
How do the trials and pricing compare?
IronWiFi starts with a 14-day trial; Purple’s Connect tier is permanently free on your existing access points, with published tiered pricing for Capture and Engage above it - so an MSP or IT team can leave a proof-of-concept running as long as the evaluation needs.
Where Purple beats IronWiFi
See the product hub and the industries where teams pick Purple over IronWiFi.