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The SoftEther VPN Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about SoftEther VPN in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.

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ToolGPANovember 2026

SoftEther VPN

The Insider’s Guide

Free multi-protocol VPN server and client from a Japanese university

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among VPNs, read from SoftEther VPN’s own pages.

Made by SoftEther VPN Project (University of Tsukuba) · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com

2.8GPA

Contents

  1. 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
  2. 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
  3. 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
  4. 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
  5. 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
  6. 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
  7. 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from SoftEther VPN’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on SoftEther VPN’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.

Part 01 · Overview

Welcome

What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first

2.8

GPA, above 36 of the 50 other VPNs we grade

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.

To get you started, here are 8 things to know about SoftEther VPN, taken from its own pages and our grades.

You install and configure a server and manage it with admin tools, which is self-hosting.
From our grade for ease of use
  1. 1

    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.

  2. 2

    It is free

    SoftEther VPN has no paid plan at all. Freeware and open source under Apache License 2.0; no paid plans.

  3. 3

    It runs on 5 platforms

    Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.

  4. 4

    VPN over HTTPS

    SSL-VPN tunneling on HTTPS passes through NATs and firewalls.

  5. 5

    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.

  6. 6

    OpenVPN clone function

    A clone of the OpenVPN server lets existing OpenVPN clients connect, which the project pitches as a way to migrate.

  7. 7

    A 2.8 GPA, above 36 of 50

    That is against the other VPNs we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.

  8. 8

    Keep it

    SoftEther VPN is free, so making your own would save you nothing.

SoftEther VPN at a glance

Pricing
Free
Free plan
Yes
Free trial
None stated
Runs on
macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
Made by
SoftEther VPN Project (University of Tsukuba)
Category
VPNs
Our grade
2.8 GPA, good

The report card

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.

ToolGPA report cardSoftEther VPNGraded Nov 13, 2026
SubjectGradeComment
Value for moneyCFree under Apache 2.0, but you run the server yourself. Software that is only free if you host it yourself is a C.
Free plan and trialAFree outright, with no paid plans or caps.
FeaturesBMany 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.
Ease of useDNo rating on record. You install and configure a server and manage it with admin tools, which is self-hosting.
Platforms and integrationsAClients for Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, iPhone and iPad, plus an admin API and Amazon EC2 and Azure support.
Grade point averageGood, out of 4.02.8

An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.

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 it 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

Good to know

Good for

  • Administrators who want one self-hosted server to accept many VPN protocols
  • People bridging networks across offices or cloud VMs at the Ethernet level
  • Replacing a paid remote-access VPN with free software

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.

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

Free

No paid plan at all

SoftEther VPN is free to use.

Software that is only free if you host it yourself is a C.
From our grade for value for money

  • SoftEther VPN

    $0

    Free to download and run yourself; the server runs on Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris and Mac OS X.

The free plan

Freeware and open source under Apache License 2.0; no paid plans.

Read from softether.org on Nov 13, 2026.

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

5

Places it runs: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android

Free multi-protocol VPN server and client from a Japanese university. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, vPN.

It covers the whole job of a self-hosted VPN.
From our grade for 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.

Where it runs

  • macOS
  • Windows
  • Linux
  • iOS
  • Android

What it works with

  • Amazon EC2
  • Windows Azure
  • OpenVPN
  • Microsoft SSTP

SoftEther VPN is made by SoftEther VPN Project (University of Tsukuba).

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

36/50

Other VPNs it is graded above

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
  • AFree plan and trialAbove 43 of 50
  • BFeaturesAbove 33 of 50
  • DEase of useAbove 0 of 50
  • APlatforms and integrationsAbove 46 of 50

Price against what you get

Each dot is one of 46 VPNs. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. SoftEther VPN is the marked dot.

D1.0C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$1$2$5$10$20More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessSoftEther VPNSpeedifyhide.meProton VPNSurfshark

What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →

Keep it, or make your own?

Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.

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.

Part 05 · Alternatives

The alternatives

The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side

OpenVPN, WireGuard, Firezone, Outline VPN and Tunnelblick

The 5 tools SoftEther VPN is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

Part 06 · Questions

Quick answers

The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two

11

Questions, each answered in a line or two

The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.

Is SoftEther VPN free?

Yes. SoftEther VPN is free to use.

How much does SoftEther VPN cost?

SoftEther VPN lists one plan. SoftEther VPN: $0.

What platforms does SoftEther VPN work on?

SoftEther VPN is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.

Is SoftEther VPN open source?

Yes. SoftEther VPN is open source, according to its own site.

Does SoftEther VPN have an API?

Yes. SoftEther VPN offers a public API, according to its own site.

What does SoftEther VPN integrate with?

SoftEther VPN's listing names Amazon EC2, Windows Azure, OpenVPN and Microsoft SSTP.

Who makes SoftEther VPN?

SoftEther VPN is made by SoftEther VPN Project (University of Tsukuba).

What are the alternatives to SoftEther VPN?

The closest alternatives to SoftEther VPN in our directory are OpenVPN, WireGuard, Firezone, Outline VPN and Tunnelblick.

How does SoftEther VPN compare with other VPNs?

SoftEther VPN's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 36 of the 50 other VPNs we grade, and level with 7.

Is SoftEther VPN good value for money?

ToolGPA grades SoftEther VPN C for value for money. SoftEther VPN has no paid plan.

Could I make my own version of SoftEther VPN?

SoftEther VPN is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from SoftEther VPN’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. 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.

Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by SoftEther VPN Project (University of Tsukuba). Prices change, so check softether.org before you buy.

Part 07 · About

About ToolGPA

Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

7,721

Tools graded, in 95 categories

ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.

Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.

  • 7,721

    tools graded

  • 95

    categories

  • 739

    price changes on record

  • 579

    apps priced in 12 countries

What else is on toolgpa.com

Scan for the live page

Prices and grades as they are today

Quoting this guide?

Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:

ToolGPA, "SoftEther VPN: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/softether-vpn

Know someone choosing between VPNs?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/softether-vpn/guide

ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa

See our other guides

The best-graded VPNs after SoftEther VPN, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

ToolGPA

Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.

Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what SoftEther VPN’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. SoftEther VPN is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by SoftEther VPN Project (University of Tsukuba). Prices and plans change: check softether.org before you buy.