SoftEther VPN review (2026): is it any good?
Free multi-protocol VPN server and client from a Japanese university
SoftEther VPN report card
Good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for a self-hosted VPN that speaks many protocols
SoftEther is free, open-source VPN software that came out of a university project, and one server can take SSL-VPN, OpenVPN, IPsec, L2TP and more. You host it yourself, and the news items on its page are from 2019.
Who SoftEther VPN is for
- Fits if you want one server that accepts several VPN protocols
- Works for people who need to bridge networks at the Ethernet layer
Who SoftEther VPN is not for
- 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
Why SoftEther VPN gets a 2.8
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- CValue for moneyFree under Apache 2.0, but you run the server yourself. Software that is only free if you host it yourself is a C.
- AFree plan and trialFree outright, with no paid plans or caps.
- BFeaturesMany 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.
- DEase of useNo rating on record. You install and configure a server and manage it with admin tools, which is self-hosting.
- APlatforms and integrationsClients for Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, iPhone and iPad, plus an admin API and Amazon EC2 and Azure support.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from SoftEther VPN's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
Make SoftEther VPN? Put this grade on your site
Paste this where you want the badge. It links here and follows the grade if it changes. About badges
<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/softether-vpn#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/softether-vpn.svg" alt="SoftEther VPN: 2.8 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where SoftEther VPN stands among VPNs
SoftEther VPN's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 36 of the 50 other VPNs we grade, and level with 7.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (A, above 46 of 50) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
SoftEther VPN has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 51 VPNs we grade, cut by the letter each got. SoftEther VPN’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 3 of 50, level with 27
- AFree plan and trialAbove 43 of 50, level with 7
- BFeaturesAbove 33 of 50, level with 17
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 50, level with 5
- APlatforms and integrationsAbove 46 of 50, level with 4
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 46 VPNs. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
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
Keep SoftEther VPN, or make your own?
Keep it
SoftEther VPN is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.8 is higher than 36 of the 50 other VPNs we grade.
What you could not
- Servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, Amazon EC2, Windows Azure and OpenVPN among them, and has an API.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: roles and permissions.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. SoftEther VPN’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is SoftEther VPN?
SoftEther VPN is free, open-source VPN software that began as an academic research project at the University of Tsukuba in Japan. One server can accept SSL-VPN over HTTPS plus OpenVPN, IPsec, L2TP, MS-SSTP, L2TPv3 and EtherIP connections, and it can bridge networks at the Ethernet layer. It is licensed under Apache License 2.0.
Worth knowing
- 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.
Key features
- 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.
SoftEther VPN pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, SoftEther VPN is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Freeware and open source under Apache License 2.0; no paid plans.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| SoftEther VPN | $0 | Free to download and run yourself; the server runs on Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris and Mac OS X. |
Read from softether.org on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with SoftEther VPN before you buy.
Works with
- Amazon EC2
- Windows Azure
- OpenVPN
- Microsoft SSTP
SoftEther VPN alternatives
- SoftEther VPN vs OpenVPN
Free plan · from $7/mo
- SoftEther VPN vs Firezone
Free plan · from $50/yr
Common questions
Is SoftEther VPN open source?
Yes. SoftEther VPN is open source, according to its own site. It can also be run on a server of your own.
Does SoftEther VPN have an API?
Yes. SoftEther VPN offers a public API, according to its own site.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026.