SoftEther VPN vs Tunnelblick (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, SoftEther VPN grades higher than Tunnelblick: 2.8 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
SoftEther VPN grades higher on features and platforms. Tunnelblick grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
SoftEther VPN
Free multi-protocol VPN server and client from a Japanese university
Which one is for you
Pick SoftEther VPN if
- Fits if you want one server that accepts several VPN protocols
- Works for people who need to bridge networks at the Ethernet layer
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a hosted VPN with provider servers
- Not for you if you want a vendor to call: support is a forum and the community
- Watch out: the news items on the project page are dated 2019
- Watch out: the page lists a 2019 security advisory for the Windows local bridge driver
- Watch out: the project's own client list also includes Windows Mobile, an old platform
Pick Tunnelblick if
- Fits if you run a Mac and already have an OpenVPN server or provider
- Works for people who want free, open-source software with no ads
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a VPN service, as it includes no servers
- Not for you if you use Windows, Linux or a phone, as it is Mac only
- Skip it if config files put you off, as you set up each connection yourself
- Watch out: it speaks OpenVPN only, and builds need macOS 13 or later
How we grade them
| 2.8GPASoftEther VPNGood | 2.2GPATunnelblickFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CFree under Apache 2.0, but you run the server yourself. Software that is only free if you host it yourself is a C. | AFree open-source software, against a category where paid plans start near $4 a month, though you still pay for a VPN service to connect to. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright, with no paid plans or caps. | AFree outright under the GNU GPL, with no ads and no cap. |
| Features | BMany protocols on one server, an OpenVPN clone function, Layer-2 Ethernet bridging and an admin tool and API. It covers the whole job of a self-hosted VPN. | DIt does one narrow job, an OpenVPN client, and needs a VPN service or your own server to be of any use. |
| Ease of use | DNo rating on record. You install and configure a server and manage it with admin tools, which is self-hosting. | DYou add OpenVPN configuration files yourself, so it is a command-line-adjacent job for most people. |
| Platforms and integrations | AClients for Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, iPhone and iPad, plus an admin API and Amazon EC2 and Azure support. | DmacOS only, and the current builds need macOS 13 or later. |
| Best for | a self-hosted VPN that speaks many protocols | an OpenVPN client for the Mac at no cost |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: SoftEther VPN and Tunnelblick. How we grade
Price against what you get
SoftEther VPN has no paid plan and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Tunnelblick has no paid plan and scores 1.0.
SoftEther VPN scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other VPNs on the chart, none scores higher than SoftEther VPN for less, and none scores higher than Tunnelblick for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- SoftEther VPN is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Tunnelblick also covers menu bar app.
At a glance
| SoftEther VPN | Tunnelblick | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Freeware and open source under Apache License 2.0; no paid plans. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | SoftEther VPN Project (University of Tsukuba) | The Tunnelblick Project |
| Price read from | softether.org | tunnelblick.net |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
SoftEther VPN
- It is software to host yourself, not a VPN service with provider servers.
- Clients are listed for Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, iPhone and iPad; the project's own native client list also includes Windows Mobile.
- The project page's news items shown are dated 2019, and the page lists a 2019 security advisory for the Windows local bridge driver.
- Support runs through a project forum and community, not a vendor with paid support.
Tunnelblick
- It is only a client: it does not include servers, so you need a VPN service or your own server.
- Supports OpenVPN only, and runs on macOS only; the current builds need macOS 13 or later.
- The project does not accept donations of money and is maintained by volunteers.
Key features
SoftEther VPN
- VPN over HTTPS
- SSL-VPN tunneling on HTTPS passes through NATs and firewalls.
- Many protocols on one server
- The server also supports OpenVPN, IPsec, L2TP, MS-SSTP, L2TPv3 and EtherIP, so built-in clients on phones and computers can connect.
- OpenVPN clone function
- A clone of the OpenVPN server lets existing OpenVPN clients connect, which the project pitches as a way to migrate.
- Layer-2 Ethernet bridging
- Supports LAN-to-LAN and cloud-to-LAN bridge VPNs built on an Ethernet-based design.
- Admin tools and API
- Server, client and bridge manuals, a command-line utility, and a JSON-RPC API with an HTML5 admin console.
Tunnelblick
- OpenVPN client
- Controls OpenVPN connections on macOS and ships with OpenVPN, easy-rsa and the tun/tap drivers, so nothing else needs installing.
- Works with your own configurations
- You add OpenVPN configuration and encryption files from a VPN provider or from a server you run yourself.
- Free software
- Licensed under the GNU GPL version 2. The site states there are no ads, no affiliate marketers and no tracking.
- No logs of IP addresses
- The project says it does not keep logs of your IP address or other usage information, and collects no usage statistics.
- Stable and beta releases
- The downloads page lists a stable and a beta build, both universal for Intel and Apple Silicon Macs on macOS 13 or later.
Plans
SoftEther VPN
SoftEther VPN$0
Free to download and run yourself; the server runs on Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris and Mac OS X.
Tunnelblick
Free$0
Free software under the GNU GPL version 2, with no ads or tracking. You supply the VPN server or service.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, SoftEther VPN or Tunnelblick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both SoftEther VPN and Tunnelblick are free to use.
Which has a free plan, SoftEther VPN or Tunnelblick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both SoftEther VPN and Tunnelblick have a free plan.
Which platforms do SoftEther VPN and Tunnelblick run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only SoftEther VPN lists Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps. Both list a macOS app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.