Choosing the right network switch is essential for building a reliable home network, home lab, or small‑office setup. The process can feel deceptively simple until slow file transfers or unexpected upgrade costs remind you otherwise.
With so many options available, it’s important to understand your requirements, such as the number of ports, speed, PoE (Power over Ethernet) needs, and whether you need management features.
LinuxCommunity.io member home network setup w/Netgear GS105Ev2.
In This Article
Read This First: 6 Essential Checks
Read the 6 Essential Checks →
After you’re familiar with these fundamentals, come back here to find the best switches that meet those criteria, all priced under $100.
Top 20 Network Switches Under $100
Below are over 20 gigabit switches under $100 on Amazon, grouped by feature set so you can jump straight to what you need.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases; however, I am not sponsored by any of these brands, and these recommendations reflect my honest opinion. Also, unless noted otherwise, all the switches on this page are Gigabit and fanless models.
Unmanaged Switches
Unmanaged switches are the simplest type of switch, plug-and-play, no configuration required. They’re great for home networks or small setups where you just want to connect devices quickly and easily without worrying about advanced features.
If you want a hassle-free solution that just works, unmanaged switches are often the most affordable and simplest option.
Smart (Web-Managed) Switches
Smart switches offer basic management features through a web interface, enough for most small business or home network requirements, but they lack the advanced configuration, security, and scalability of fully managed switches.
Why only Smart?
Smart or lite-managed switches support VLANs, QoS, IGMP, and port mirroring via a simple web UI. Fully managed switches add CLI, advanced Layer-2/3 features, and stacking. They are usually for enterprise networks and, as such, are priced well beyond our $100 budget, so they’re outside the scope of this article.
However, if you would like to go the fully managed switch, you can try eBay for deals on used enterprise-class Layer-3 switches like the used Cisco 3750X.
| Model | Ports | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| TP-Link TL-SG105E | 5 | $30.00 | VLAN, QoS, IGMP Snooping, monitoring |
| TP-Link TL-SG108E | 8 | $40.00 | Smart switch; VLANs, QoS, IGMP, etc |
| TP-Link TL-SG2008 | 8 | $75.00 | VLAN, QoS, static routing, Omada cloud |
| TP-Link TL-SG116E | 16 | $90.00 | VLAN & QoS, but with 16 ports |
| Netgear GS305E | 5 | $30.00 | Smart, basic VLAN/QoS |
| Netgear GS308E | 8 | $40.00 | 8-ports with same features as GS305E |
| D-Link DGS-1100-05 | 5 | $35.00 | Bandwidth control, compact |
| Zyxel GS1200-8 | 8 | $50.00 | VLAN, QoS, IGMP |
| NETGEAR GS108T | 8 | $85.00 | ACLs, LACP, SNMP |
PoE Switches
Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) switches provide data connectivity and electrical power over a single Ethernet cable, simplifying the setup of devices like IP cameras, VoIP phones, and wireless access points.
If you’re going to deploy powered devices without running separate power cables, a PoE switch can save you time and reduce clutter and ensure that your network devices stay powered and connected to, often, to a UPS-backed network.
Make sure PoE+ covers your requirements based on these PoE standards.
| Model | Ports (PoE) | PoE Budget | Management | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TP-Link LS108GP | 8 (8 PoE+) | 62 W | Unmanaged | $60.00 | Plug-and-play, powers multiple APs/cams |
| TP-Link TL-SG105MPE | 5 (4 PoE+) | 120 W | Smart | $99.00 | High PoE budget; VLAN & monitoring options |
| TP-Link Festa FS308GP | 8 (4 PoE+) | 62 W | Smart | $90.00 | Cloud mgmt, VLAN, static routing |
| TRENDnet TPE-TG327 | 7 (7 PoE+) | 70 W | Unmanaged | $90.00 | Unmanaged, has 2x 2.5G uplinks. |
| TRENDnet TPE-TG83 | 8 (8 PoE+) | 65 W | Smart | $80.00 | Web managed, fanless, |
| Netgear GS308EP | 8 (8 PoE+) | 62 W | Smart | $99.99 | Reliable 8-port PoE option for under $100 |
| Zyxel GS1200-5HP v2 | 5 (4 PoE+) | 60 W | Smart | $50.00 | Web-managed with QoS & VLAN wizard |
| Zyxel GS1200-8HP v2 | 8 (4 PoE+) | 60 W | Smart | $60.00 | Same as above, with more gigE ports. |
Honorable mentions ($100+ network switches)
MikroTik – CSS610-8G-2S+in
The MikroTik CSS610-8G-2S+IN is a powerful, web-managed Layer 2 switch featuring eight gigabit Ethernet ports alongside two 10G SFP+ uplinks, offering excellent performance and future-proofing for growing networks.
It supports advanced Layer 2 features like VLANs, QoS, link aggregation, and IGMP snooping, making it ideal for small to medium businesses or advanced home networks that need robust network control without the complexity of full Layer 3 management. Running SwOS, it provides an intuitive web interface for easy configuration and monitoring.
It’s compact, comes with rack mount ears and fanless. Priced at $120. The CSS610-8G-2S+IN offers a nice balance of performance, features, and value for those seeking a versatile managed switch and willing to spend a bit more than $100.
UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE
If you’re already invested in the UniFi ecosystem—running a UDM Pro, UCG‑Max‑NS, UCG‑Ultra, or another UniFi gateway—the UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE deserves a look.
It sits just above our $100 ceiling (usually about $130) but delivers four PoE+ ports (52 W total), seamless adoption into the UniFi Controller, and matching aesthetics for rack and home network deployments.
Alta S8-POE Network Switch
The Alta Labs S8-POE is a compact, managed gigabit switch featuring eight 10/100/1000 Mbps ports, with four supporting PoE+ (up to 30W per port and 60W total budget).
It offers advanced Layer 2 features like VLANs, QoS, IGMP snooping, and 802.1X authentication, making it a solid choice for small businesses or home networks needing reliable power and data delivery.
The S8-POE features Bluetooth setup and mobile app management for easy configuration without complex interfaces. Fanless and versatile, but is priced at $150 but worth a look even if you are not running the Route 10.
NETGEAR GS105Ev2 (Under $100, but listed alternate model above)
The NETGEAR GS105Ev2 is a reliable 5-port gigabit easy smart managed switch, offering essential features like VLAN support, QoS, IGMP snooping, and port mirroring through an intuitive web interface.
It delivers a 10 Gbps switching capacity and supports jumbo frames, all in a compact, fanless metal desktop enclosure. This model is shown in the article’s main image and was used by Linuxcommunity.io member Ben, as it’s very popular and well-proven among tech enthusiasts.
For those needing more ports, an 8-port version is also available, providing similar features and performance. The GS308EP model is listed instead of this under PoE Switches.
Conclusion
When selecting a network switch, match your choice to your current and future needs. For most home users, an unmanaged gigabit switch is sufficient. If you are adding security cameras or access points, a PoE switch is invaluable. Advanced users or small businesses will benefit from the additional control and security of a smart or managed switch.
All the models above are highly rated, affordable, and suitable for a wide range of scenarios, making them solid choices for home networks, home labs, and small offices. If you require a bit more network throughput, next, have a look at How I Chose the Best Managed Network Switch for My Home Lab.
