Business Operations·Standings

Compare Virtual Routers Software

Virtual router software routes network traffic through software instead of relying only on physical routing hardware. The choice depends on deployment, routing protocols, throughput, VPN support, and high availability.

This board shows a signal score out of 10, plus marks for a public API, open-source code, and a free tier. Compare those signals with deployment type, cloud platforms, and the pricing details.

• 25 platforms
• 3 with a public API on this page
• 10 with a free tier
• Checked 28 Sept 2026

1. #PlatformSignalPlugs inPrice
2. 1
   O

   OPNsenseopnsense.org

   A free, open-source network product available for self-hosting and web access.

   7.6 APIOpenFree Free tier · from €149/yr (lower tiers unpriced)
   →
3. 2
   O

   OpenWrtopenwrt.org

   A free, open-source network operating system available for Linux, web and self-hosting.

   7.6 APIOpenFree Free tier
   →
4. 3
   I

   IPFireipfire.org

   A free, open-source network security platform for home offices and larger networks, with VPN access options.

   7.4 APIOpenFree Free tier · from $1,099/yr
   →
5. 4
   MR

   MikroTik RouterOSmikrotik.com

   A router operating system for Android, iOS, web and Windows; paid licenses start at $45.

   6.7 APIOpenFree Free tier
   →
6. 5
   T

   TNSRnetgate.com

   A self-hosted Linux router with an API, a free plan, and a free trial.

   6.3 APIOpenFree Free tier
   →
7. 6
   V

   VyOSvyos.io

   An open-source-availability-free-plan router for Linux and self-hosting, with site-to-site networking and VPN access.

   6.3 APIOpenFree Free tier
   →
8. 7
   ND

   NVIDIA DSX Airnvidia.com

   A cloud-hosted platform for simulating data center networks and AI infrastructure before deployment.

   5.9 APIOpenFree —
   →
9. 8
   F

   FRRoutingfrrouting.org

   A free, open-source routing suite for Linux and Unix, with protocols including BGP, OSPF and RIP.

   5.8 APIOpenFree Free tier
   →
10. 9
    F

    FortiGatefortinet.com

    FortiGate NGFWs protect data, assets, and users across hybrid environments.

    5.4 APIOpenFree —
    →
11. 10
    JS

    Juniper Security Directorjuniper.net

    A paid network security management product available for self-hosting or on the web.

    4.9 APIOpenFree —
    →
12. 11
    BI

    BIRD Internet Routing Daemonbird.nic.cz

    A free Linux routing daemon for BGP, OSPF, RIP and Babel, with VPN support.

    4.9 APIOpenFree Free tier
    →
13. 12
    JV

    Juniper vJunos-routerjuniper.net

    A free virtual router for Linux that supports BGP, IS-IS, OSPF and static routes.

    4.8 APIOpenFree Free tier
    →
14. 13
    PS

    pfSense Softwarenetgate.com

    A network product with a free plan, VPN support and cloud options on AWS and Azure.

    4.8 APIOpenFree Free tier
    →
15. 14
    II

    IP Infusion OcNOS-DCipinfusion.com

    A paid routing product for Linux, macOS, Windows and web, with BGP, OSPF and IS-IS.

    4.5 APIOpenFree —
    →
16. 15
    6V

    6WIND Virtual Service Router6wind.com

    A virtual router for Linux with VPN and high availability; pricing is on request, with a 30-day trial.

    4.2 APIOpenFree —
    →
17. 16
    HN

    Huawei NetEngine AR6700V-L Virtual Routere.huawei.com

    A virtual router with VPN and high availability for clouds including AWS, Azure and Google Cloud.

    4.2 APIOpenFree —
    →
18. 17
    CP

    Check Point CloudGuard Network Securitycheckpoint.com

    A virtual network security product with routing, VPN and high availability; pricing is on request.

    4.1 APIOpenFree —
    →
19. 18
    AC

    Arista CloudEOSarista.com

    A Linux virtual router for AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and Equinix Network Edge, with VPN support.

    4.0 APIOpenFree —
    →
20. 19
    AA

    Arrcus ArcOSarrcus.com

    A Linux virtual router for AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and Oracle Cloud, with VPN support.

    4.0 APIOpenFree —
    →
21. 20
    RR

    RtBrick RBFSrtbrick.com

    A Linux routing system with VPN, high availability, and support for BGP, OSPF, and other protocols.

    4.0 APIOpenFree —
    →
22. 21
    JV

    Juniper vMXjuniper.net

    A paid Linux virtual router with VPN support and a 60-day trial; pricing is on request.

    4.0 APIOpenFree —
    →
23. 22
    NV

    Nokia Virtualized Service Routernokia.com

    A Linux virtual router with VPN and high availability; pricing is on request.

    4.0 APIOpenFree —
    →
24. 23
    RS

    R&S LANCOM vRouterrs-nc.rohde-schwarz.com

    A virtual router for AWS and Azure with VPN and high availability.

    4.0 APIOpenFree —
    →
25. 24
    VS

    VM-SeriesPalo Alto Networks

    A virtual firewall for Linux or on-premises use, with VPN and cloud support across five platforms.

    4.0 APIOpenFree —
    →
26. 25
    HV

    H3C vSR1000h3c.com

    A virtual router with VPN and high availability for several cloud platforms; pricing is on request.

    3.9 APIOpenFree —
    →

Places #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 on this board are open to sponsors. Take #1 · Other ways to advertise

How to choose

Where does the virtual router need to run?

Choose a deployment type that fits your environment, such as Linux, web access, or self-hosting.

Check the platform details for the software you are considering; listed platforms include Linux, web, self-hosted, Android, and iOS.

Which routing protocols does it need to support?

Match the product's routing protocol support to the protocols your network uses.

Routing protocols are a comparison point on this board, so check the product details before choosing.

What throughput and availability do you need?

Compare maximum throughput with the traffic the router needs to handle.

If service continuity matters, check whether the product supports high availability.

Does it need VPN support or a particular cloud platform?

Check VPN support and cloud platform compatibility against your network requirements.

These capabilities are listed as comparison points; confirm the details for the product and deployment you plan to use.

How can I compare price and access?

Compare the free-plan and paid-from details, and check whether a free trial is available.

Some listed products state that pricing is available on request. A free plan and a free trial are different: a trial is time-limited access, while a plan is a pricing option.

Questions

What does virtual router software do?

It routes network traffic through software rather than relying only on physical routing hardware.

Which platforms can virtual routers run on?

The listed platform options include Linux, web, self-hosted, Android, and iOS. Check the product details for its supported platforms.

How do I compare virtual router throughput?

Compare each product's stated maximum throughput with the traffic your network needs to handle.

Do virtual routers support VPNs and high availability?

VPN support and high availability are comparison points on this board. Check the product details to confirm the capabilities you need.

Can I use virtual router software for free?

A free plan or free trial may be available, depending on the product. Check its pricing details to see which access option it offers.

Some top positions on this board can be paid placements, standing where they were sold. The facts on each platform are not for sale. How we rank · Disclosure