The 8 Best Network Switches Under $500 of 2026, Ranked & Reviewed

Our verdict: Eight gigabit ports with VLANs, QoS and port mirroring for the price of an unmanaged switch.

NETGEAR's GS308E pairs eight auto-negotiating 1 Gbps ports with an easy smart web interface that runs on Windows, Mac or Linux. Up to 64 VLANs let you split a guest network or IoT devices from your main LAN, QoS prioritizes voice or video, IGMP snooping keeps multicast from flooding ports, and port mirroring helps troubleshoot.

It beats the unmanaged GS108 because those management features cost little extra, and it leads the 2.5 gigabit TP-Link on proven software even though it is slower per port. Compared with the 24-port switches, it is the right size for a desk or media cabinet.

Best for a home lab, a small office or a smart home that wants network segmentation. Caveat: managed settings add a learning curve, and the ports are 1 Gbps, so multi-gig internet plans will exceed them.

Ports

8 x 1 Gbps

Management

Easy smart web GUI

VLANs

Up to 64

Features

QoS, IGMP snooping, port mirroring

Our verdict: Eight 2.5 gigabit ports that upgrade your wired speed without rewiring to Cat6.

TP-Link's TL-SG108S-M2 gives you eight 2.5 gigabit ports, the main appeal being that you can reach 2.5 Gbps over existing Cat5e cabling without upgrading to Cat6. That is a real saving in a house already wired. TP-Link positions it for LAN parties, home entertainment and small or home offices.

It ranks second because the GS308E offers management features and this unit is unmanaged, so there are no VLANs or QoS. In exchange, every port is 2.5 times as fast, which matters if your PCs, NAS or Wi-Fi 6 access points have 2.5G ports.

A strong buy for fast home networks. Caveat: devices with only gigabit ports will still run at gigabit, so you need 2.5G network cards on both ends to see the gain.

Ports

8 x 2.5 Gbps

Cabling

Works over existing Cat5e

Management

Unmanaged

Target use

Home, LAN parties, small office

Our verdict: Two 10Gb RJ45 ports and four 2.5Gb ports for a NAS or workstation uplink.

This unmanaged switch combines two 10 Gb RJ45 ports with four 2.5 Gb Base-T ports, a layout designed around one fast link plus several mid-speed devices. A typical setup puts a NAS or workstation on a 10 Gb port and runs 2.5G clients off the rest. The listing says it delivers 2.5x faster network performance than gigabit gear and is simple to set up.

It ranks third because six ports is a small count and the unit is unmanaged. Compared with the TL-SG108S-M2, it gives up two ports for a pair of 10G links, a trade that makes sense when a NAS is the bottleneck.

Pick it for video editing storage or a fast server connection. Caveat: reaching 10 Gbps over copper needs good cabling and 10G network cards on both ends.

10 Gb ports

2 x 10Gb RJ45

2.5 Gb ports

4 x 2.5Gb Base-T

Management

Unmanaged

Speed

2.5x faster than gigabit

Our verdict: Twenty-four PoE+ gigabit ports with VLANs for cameras and access points.

The TL-SG1428PE provides 24 PoE+ (802.3at/af) 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ45 ports, meaning it powers cameras, access points and VoIP phones directly through the network cable. Setup and monitoring use an easy web interface, and VLAN features let you isolate security traffic from the rest of the network. That removes a power adapter from every device.

It ranks fourth because it is a specialist: you only need it if you have PoE devices. Against the TL-SG1024DE it adds PoE+ on its ports, but the listing gives no power budget, so you must check how many devices it can run at once.

A fit for small business installs and camera systems. Caveat: PoE switches draw more power and run warmer, and the fan or vents may add noise in a quiet room.

Ports

24 x PoE+ gigabit

PoE standard

802.3at/af

Management

Web-based, VLAN support

Speed

10/100/1000 Mbps

Our verdict: Twenty-four gigabit ports with jumbo frames and port mirroring in a rack-friendly size.

TP-Link's TL-SG1024DE offers 24 gigabit ports, 9K jumbo frame support and port mirroring for monitoring. Jumbo frames are packets larger than the standard 1,500 bytes, which can reduce overhead during big file transfers between a NAS and a workstation. It is a straightforward way to connect many wired devices from one box.

It ranks fifth because it lacks PoE and a modern multi-gig port, and it costs more than the 8-port options for capacity you may not need. Against the GS308E, you gain port count but use older management features.

Best for a rack, a home office with many wired devices or a media server hub. Caveat: jumbo frames only help if every device in the path supports them, so mixed gear can cause problems.

Ports

24 x gigabit

Jumbo frames

9K supported

Monitoring

Port mirroring

Use

Large file transfers

Our verdict: A compact metal eight-port switch with no software and wall or desk mounting.

NETGEAR's GS108 delivers eight 1 Gbps ports in a compact metal case that sits on a desk or mounts to a wall. Setup is plug and play with no software to install, which is exactly right for someone who wants more ports behind a router and nothing else. Metal housing also helps with heat.

It ranks sixth because the managed GS308E gives much more control for a small difference in price. The GS108 beats the five-port GS305 on port count, and the TP-Link TL-SG116 on build, but it has no tuning options.

A good fit for a TV cabinet or workbench. Caveat: with no management, you cannot create VLANs or prioritize traffic, and an unmanaged switch cannot tell you what is wrong when something misbehaves.

Ports

8 x 1.0 Gbps

Setup

Plug and play, no software

Case

Compact metal

Mounting

Desktop or wall

Our verdict: Sixteen gigabit ports with energy-efficient design and flow control.

The TL-SG116 provides 16 ports at 10/100/1000 Mbps, with energy-efficient technology that lowers power use when ports are idle, and IEEE 802.3x flow control that helps avoid packet loss when a link is saturated. It is unmanaged, with no setup other than plugging in cables.

It ranks seventh because 16 ports with no management is a narrow use case, and the metal NETGEAR options have a more refined build. It beats the GS305 on port count if you run many wired devices.

A fit for a home with a wired TV, console, PC, NAS and printers. Caveat: with 16 ports and no VLANs, a mistake in one device can affect the whole network, and there is no way to isolate it.

Ports

16 x 10/100/1000 Mbps

Efficiency

Energy-efficient design

Flow control

IEEE 802.3x

Management

Unmanaged

Our verdict: A five-port gigabit plug-and-play switch with flexible mounting options.

The GS305 is the smallest switch in this roundup, with five gigabit ports, plug-and-play operation and flexible mounting. It suits a desk where one wall jack needs to feed a laptop, a printer, a console and a streamer. At this size it is easy to hide behind a monitor or TV.

It finishes last because five ports run out fast, and there are no management features or PoE. It is the one to pick when space and budget matter more than expansion, while the GS108 gives more ports for a modest step up.

Best for a single desk or a bedroom TV setup. Caveat: if you add one more device you will need another switch, so consider the eight-port GS108 if you plan to grow.

Ports

5 x gigabit

Setup

Plug and play, unmanaged

Mounting

Flexible options

Price bucket

Under $25