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Shadowsocks vs Lantern: catalog facts
Shadowsocks	Lantern
Free Free and open source; you supply your own server.	Free Free to download and use; the project asks for donations.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Self-hosted	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
Lightweight with low CPU and bandwidth use Clients and servers for most platforms, including routers	Built specifically to resist blocking in censored regions Apps for all major desktop and mobile platforms
A proxy rather than a full VPN Split across many separate implementations of varying quality	Aimed at circumvention more than anonymity Traffic relies on Lantern's own infrastructure
Downloadable app, Self-hosted	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License not stated
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Needs internet
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.