Compare software

VPN Gate vs Shadowsocks: catalog facts
VPN Gate	Shadowsocks
Free Free of charge as a university research project.	Free Free and open source; you supply your own server.
Windows, macOS, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Self-hosted
Free with no subscription Works with standard L2TP/IPsec, OpenVPN and SSTP clients	Lightweight with low CPU and bandwidth use Clients and servers for most platforms, including routers
Servers are run by volunteers, so privacy depends on each operator Speed and availability vary from server to server	A proxy rather than a full VPN Split across many separate implementations of varying quality
Downloadable app, Hosted service	Downloadable app, Self-hosted
Closed source	Open source
License not stated	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	No account needed
Needs internet	Not stated if it works offline
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.