Choosing the best UniFi switch for your home or business in Australia? Ubiquiti's UniFi switches are managed from one dashboard, power your access points and cameras over PoE, and scale from a 5-port desktop unit to a 10G core. This guide compares the most popular UniFi switches side by side — Lite, Pro, Pro Max 2.5G, Pro XG 10G and aggregation — with specs, pros and cons, and where to buy them in Australia.
At a glance — our top picks
- 🏆 Best overall: USW-Pro-24-PoE
- 💲 Best value: USW-Lite-8-PoE
- 🏢 Best for small office: USW-Lite-16-PoE
- 📶 Best for WiFi 7 / multi-gig: USW-Pro-Max-24-PoE
- ⚡ Best 10G: USW-Pro-XG-24-PoE
- 🔗 Best for aggregation: USW-Aggregation
- 🧩 Best compact: USW-Flex-Mini
- 🛠️ Best SMB workhorse: USW-24-PoE
Every switch is genuine Ubiquiti stock from ARC IP Networks — an authorised Ubiquiti reseller in Australia. Jump to the full UniFi switch range any time.
UniFi switch comparison table
| Switch | Ports | PoE Output | Uplinks | Layer | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USW-Pro-24-PoE | 24× GbE | PoE+ (400W) | 2× 10G SFP+ | Layer 3 | Buy → |
| USW-Lite-8-PoE | 8× GbE | 4× PoE+ (52W) | — | Layer 2 | Buy → |
| USW-Lite-16-PoE | 16× GbE | 8× PoE+ (45W) | — | Layer 2 | Buy → |
| USW-24-PoE | 24× GbE | 16× PoE+ (95W) | 2× SFP | Layer 2 | Buy → |
| USW-Pro-Max-24-PoE | 24× 2.5GbE | PoE+ (400W) | 2× 10G SFP+ | Layer 3 | Buy → |
| USW-Pro-XG-24-PoE | 16× 10GbE + 8× 2.5GbE | PoE++ | 2× 25G SFP28 | Layer 3 | Buy → |
| USW-Aggregation | 8× 10G SFP+ | — | 10G SFP+ | Layer 2 | Buy → |
| USW-Flex-Mini | 5× GbE | — | — | Layer 2 | Buy → |
PoE budgets and port counts are Ubiquiti published maximums. See each product page for current pricing and stock.
PoE budget, port speed and Layer 2 vs Layer 3
PoE budget is the total wattage a switch can deliver across its ports. Add up your access points and cameras and pick a switch with headroom — the USW-Lite-8-PoE (52W) suits a couple of devices, while the USW-Pro-24-PoE (400W) runs a camera-heavy office.
Port speed: Gigabit is fine for most devices; step up to 2.5GbE (the USW-Pro-Max range) for WiFi 7 access points, and 10G (the USW-Pro-XG range or an aggregation switch) for servers and backbones.
Layer 2 vs Layer 3: Layer 2 switches (Lite, USW-24) are great for flat networks; Layer 3 switches (Pro, Pro Max, Pro XG) route between VLANs at hardware speed for larger, segmented networks.
The most popular UniFi switches, compared
UniFi Switch Pro 24 PoE (USW-Pro-24-PoE)
The business standard — 24 Gigabit PoE+ ports with a generous 400W budget, 10G SFP+ uplinks and full Layer 3 routing.
Ports: 24× GbE · PoE: PoE+ (400W) · Uplinks: 2× 10G SFP+ · Layer 3 · Best for: Business standard
Pros
- High 400W PoE budget
- Layer 3 routing
- 10G SFP+ uplinks
- Proven reliability
Cons
- Gigabit access ports (not 2.5G)
- More than a small office needs
View the UniFi USW-Pro-24-PoE Compare all UniFi switches
UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE (USW-Lite-8-PoE)
A fanless 8-port Gigabit switch with 4 PoE+ ports — the best-value way to power a couple of access points or cameras in a small office.
Ports: 8× GbE · PoE: 4× PoE+ (52W) · Uplinks: — · Layer 2 · Best for: Best value, small office
Pros
- Fanless and silent
- 4 PoE+ ports (52W)
- Excellent value
- Easy to manage in UniFi
Cons
- Layer 2 only
- No SFP uplink
View the UniFi USW-Lite-8-PoE Compare all UniFi switches
UniFi Switch Lite 16 PoE (USW-Lite-16-PoE)
A fanless 16-port Gigabit switch with 8 PoE+ ports — more ports for a growing home or small office, still completely silent.
Ports: 16× GbE · PoE: 8× PoE+ (45W) · Uplinks: — · Layer 2 · Best for: Growing home / small office
Pros
- 16 ports, fanless
- 8 PoE+ ports
- Silent operation
Cons
- Modest 45W PoE budget
- Layer 2, no SFP
View the UniFi USW-Lite-16-PoE Compare all UniFi switches
UniFi Switch 24 PoE (USW-24-PoE)
The classic SMB workhorse — 24 Gigabit ports with 16 PoE+ and SFP uplinks for a busy office that doesn't need Layer 3.
Ports: 24× GbE · PoE: 16× PoE+ (95W) · Uplinks: 2× SFP · Layer 2 · Best for: SMB workhorse
Pros
- 16 PoE+ ports (95W)
- 2 SFP uplinks
- Reliable and well-proven
Cons
- Layer 2 only
- Gigabit access ports
View the UniFi USW-24-PoE Compare all UniFi switches
UniFi Switch Pro Max 24 PoE (USW-Pro-Max-24-PoE)
The multi-gig upgrade — 24 × 2.5GbE PoE+ Etherlighting ports, perfect for WiFi 7 access points and modern devices, with Layer 3 and 10G SFP+ uplinks.
Ports: 24× 2.5GbE · PoE: PoE+ (400W) · Uplinks: 2× 10G SFP+ · Layer 3 · Best for: Multi-gig / WiFi 7
Pros
- 2.5GbE to every port
- Ideal for WiFi 7 APs
- Layer 3, 400W PoE
- Etherlighting status ring
Cons
- Premium over Gigabit Pro
- Best paired with 10G uplinks
View the UniFi USW-Pro-Max-24-PoE Compare all UniFi switches
UniFi Switch Pro XG 24 PoE (USW-Pro-XG-24-PoE)
Maximum copper speed — 16 × 10GbE plus 8 × 2.5GbE PoE++ ports and 25G SFP28 uplinks for servers, NAS and the most demanding edge.
Ports: 16× 10GbE + 8× 2.5GbE · PoE: PoE++ · Uplinks: 2× 25G SFP28 · Layer 3 · Best for: 10G high-bandwidth
Pros
- 10GbE copper with PoE++
- 25G SFP28 uplinks
- Layer 3, top throughput
Cons
- Premium switch
- Overkill for basic offices
View the UniFi USW-Pro-XG-24-PoE Compare all UniFi switches
UniFi Switch Aggregation (USW-Aggregation)
An 8-port 10G SFP+ aggregation switch — link your switches, servers and gateways over fibre at 10 Gigabit to form a fast network backbone.
Ports: 8× 10G SFP+ · PoE: — · Uplinks: 10G SFP+ · Layer 2 · Best for: Fibre backbone / core
Pros
- 8 × 10G SFP+ fibre ports
- Builds a high-speed core
- Compact and fanless
Cons
- Fibre/SFP only — no copper access
- No PoE
View the UniFi USW-Aggregation Compare all UniFi switches
UniFi Switch Flex Mini (USW-Flex-Mini)
A pocket-sized 5-port Gigabit switch powered by PoE or USB-C — the simplest, cheapest way to add a few wired ports anywhere.
Ports: 5× GbE · PoE: — · Uplinks: — · Layer 2 · Best for: Add ports anywhere
Pros
- Tiny and silent
- Powered by PoE or USB-C
- The cheapest way to add ports
Cons
- No PoE output to other devices
- Gigabit only, no uplink
View the UniFi USW-Flex-Mini Compare all UniFi switches
How to choose the right UniFi switch
- Count your ports — and how many need PoE. Power only goes to PoE-output models like the Lite-8-PoE and Pro-24-PoE.
- Check the PoE budget exceeds the total draw of your access points and cameras.
- Match the speed — 2.5GbE for WiFi 7, 10G for servers and high-bandwidth edges.
- Plan uplinks with SFP+/SFP28, and add an aggregation switch for the backbone of larger sites.
Don't forget the gateway
UniFi switches are managed by a UniFi router/gateway running the UniFi Network controller. Building a full system? We can spec the gateway, switches, access points and UniFi Protect cameras as one project.
Why buy your UniFi switches from ARC IP Networks?
ARC IP Networks is an authorised Ubiquiti reseller in Australia, so every UniFi switch is genuine Australian stock with the official Ubiquiti manufacturer warranty — not grey-market imports. We dispatch Australia-wide from our Melbourne warehouse with same-day dispatch on most orders before 2pm AEST, and we price-match genuine UniFi gear from other authorised Australian resellers. Installers and integrators can open a trade account for project pricing.
Read more about why we're a trusted Ubiquiti reseller, browse the full UniFi switch range, or talk to our Melbourne team for a tailored quote.
Related reading: Best Ubiquiti UniFi Access Points in 2026 · Best Ubiquiti UniFi Protect Cameras in 2026 · Best UniFi Routers in 2026 · Best UniFi Access & Door Entry in 2026.