Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

StrongSwan.org VS SoftEther

Compare StrongSwan.org VS SoftEther and see what are their differences

StrongSwan.org logo StrongSwan.org

strongSwan is an Open Source IPsec-based VPN solution for Linux and other UNIX based operating systems implementing both the IKEv1 and IKEv2 key exchange protocols.

SoftEther logo SoftEther

SoftEther VPN ("SoftEther" means "Software Ethernet") is one of the world's most powerful and easy-to-use multi-protocol VPN software. It runs on Windows, Linux, Mac, FreeBSD and Solaris.
  • StrongSwan.org Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-04
  • SoftEther Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-28

StrongSwan.org features and specs

  • Open Source
    StrongSwan is open source, which means it is free to use and its source code is available for review, offering transparency and community-driven development.
  • Security
    It provides strong encryption standards and supports a variety of key exchange protocols, ensuring secure VPN connections.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    StrongSwan is compatible with a wide range of operating systems, including Linux, Windows, iOS, and Android, increasing its versatility.
  • IKEv2 Support
    Supports IKEv2, a key exchange protocol that is noted for its efficiency and ability to maintain VPN connections even when switching networks.
  • Extensive Documentation
    Provides comprehensive documentation and a rich set of configuration examples, which is helpful for users during setup and troubleshooting.

Possible disadvantages of StrongSwan.org

  • Complex Configuration
    The configuration can be complex and intimidating for beginners, especially for those not familiar with networking and VPN concepts.
  • Limited GUI Options
    Mostly configuration and management are done through command-line interfaces, which may not be user-friendly for some users.
  • Performance Overhead
    The strong encryption and feature set can introduce performance overhead, potentially impacting resource-constrained environments.
  • Community Support
    While active, the community around StrongSwan may not be as large as some other open-source projects, potentially impacting the speed of obtaining support.

SoftEther features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    SoftEther VPN is compatible with a wide range of operating systems, including Windows, Linux, Mac, FreeBSD, and Solaris, providing flexibility for users across different platforms.
  • Multi-Protocol Support
    It supports multiple VPN protocols such as SSL-VPN, L2TP/IPsec, OpenVPN, and Microsoft SSTP, offering users various options for connectivity depending on their needs and configurations.
  • High Performance
    Optimized for fast network throughput, SoftEther VPN can handle high-speed internet connections efficiently, which is ideal for transferring large volumes of data.
  • Free and Open Source
    As a free and open-source software, SoftEther VPN allows users to access and modify the source code, fostering customization and transparency.
  • Strong Security Features
    It provides robust security features including AES encryption and RSA certificate authentication, ensuring secure data transmission over the network.

Possible disadvantages of SoftEther

  • Complex Setup for Beginners
    Although powerful, SoftEther VPN may have a steep learning curve for users who are not familiar with network configurations, potentially causing difficulty in initial setup.
  • Limited Native Client Support
    While SoftEther VPN supports a range of protocols, it lacks native clients across all platforms, which may require third-party software for full functionality.
  • Dependency on System Resources
    Running SoftEther VPN, especially on detailed configurations, may require significant system resources, which could impact performance on lower-end devices.
  • Community Support
    Being an open-source project, support primarily comes from community forums, which might result in slower response times for troubleshooting critical issues.

StrongSwan.org videos

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SoftEther videos

SoftEther VPN short review and testing (2018) FREE!

More videos:

  • Tutorial - SoftEther VPN Server Review and Tutorial

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to StrongSwan.org and SoftEther)
VPN
38 38%
62% 62
Security & Privacy
34 34%
66% 66
Cloud VPN
51 51%
49% 49
VPN Software
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare StrongSwan.org and SoftEther

StrongSwan.org Reviews

Best Top 20 OpenVPN Alternatives (Pros and Cons)
StrongSwan is a simple product of Libreswan and OpenSwan. It has excellent encryption standards as a VPN alternative, which helps create even large-scale and complex VPN networks easier.
6 open source tools for making your own VPN
You might have come across a few different VPN tools with โ€œSwanโ€ in the name. FreeS/WAN, OpenSwan, LibreSwan, and strongSwan are all forks of the same project, and the lattermost is my personal favorite. Server-side, strongSwan runs on Linux 2.6, 3.x, and 4x kernels, Android, FreeBSD, macOS, iOS, and Windows.
Source: opensource.com

SoftEther Reviews

Top Hamachi Alternatives for Virtual LAN Gaming in 2023
SoftEther VPN stands for Software Ethernet and is one of the worldโ€™s most powerful and easy-to-use multi-protocol VPN software. It easily runs on Windows, Linux, Mac, FreeBSD, and Solaris. SoftEther has a strong protocol of SSL-VPN-tunneling on all HTTPS to penetrate any firewall.
15 Best Hamachi Alternatives for Gaming in Virtual LAN (Latest 2021)
SoftEther is one of the most powerful open-source VPN software with the ability to establish both devices to devices and remote access VPN.
Source: growtechy.com
Top 10 Hamachi Alternatives for Virtual LAN Gaming
SoftEther, which stands for โ€œSoftware Ethernetโ€, is one of the worldโ€™s most powerful and easy-to-use multi-protocol VPN software. The VPN Solution currently supports Windows, Linux, Mac, FreeBSD, and Solaris. Similar to ZeroTier, SoftEther is completely open-source and offers great features and flexibility. Yes, the interface is pretty basic, but the features arenโ€™t. The...
Source: beebom.com

Social recommendations and mentions

SoftEther might be a bit more popular than StrongSwan.org. We know about 2 links to it since March 2021 and only 2 links to StrongSwan.org. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

StrongSwan.org mentions (2)

  • AWS Windows Active Directory Quick Start
    StrongSwan on Linux works well. You can combine it with FRR to do dynamic routing if you need. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • IT Pro Tuesday #163 - Azure Tutorial, VPN Solution, Project Mindmapping & More
    StrongSwan is a multiplatform IPsec solution that offers encryption and authentication for servers and clients to facilitate secure communications with remote networks. Implements both the IKEv1 and IKEv2 key exchange protocols, with fully tested support of IPv6 IPsec tunnel and transport connections. Kindly suggested by red_babun. Source: about 4 years ago

SoftEther mentions (2)

  • Best VPN hardware device for small size team?
    You can try softether.org, you just need to set it up on a computer in the office that is always running. Source: about 2 years ago
  • I need help.
    I recommend SoftEther. simple, fast and doesn't take much space, the download site is softether.org Ghost clients are the clients that have amazing bypasses for huge servers such as mineplex and hypixel, most free ghost clients are sometimes a virus and log your password in their database. Source: over 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing StrongSwan.org and SoftEther, you can also consider the following products

WireGuard - Fast, Modern, Secure VPN Tunnel

ZeroTier - Extremely simple P2P Encrypted VPN

OpenVPN - OpenVPN - The Open Source VPN

Hamachi - Hamachi is a VPN service scaled to the unique needs of business owners.

Radmin VPN - Radmin VPN allows you to securely connect computers, located behind firewalls. Download it Free.

libreswan - Libreswan is a free software implementation of the most widely supported and standardized VPN protocol using "IPsec" and the Internet Key Exchange ("IKE").