SFP port vs. SFP+ port vs. XFP port vs. SFP28 port vs. QSFP28 port, what is the difference?

If you are a new man to the networking industry, you may also hear about other related words, such as SFP+ port, XFP port, SFP28 port and QSFP28 port.

Now let’s take a simple look at those words.

SFP port is the most common way to call. However, we may also refer to the SFP high-speed port as an SFP+ port, such as 8G, 10G, and 16G data rates.

Figure : 100G Ethernet switch port note, image source

SFP28 port supports 25Gbps data rate, but with the same apperance and demension like SFP port. Sometimes, it is back-compatible with SFP+ port and supports 10Gbps; That is depends on the switch manufacturer setting.

XFP port is a physical slot that accepts XFP module plug-ins. It is only for 8G and 10G XFP transceivers but doesn’t support other speeds.

QSFP28 port is primarily for a much higher speed of 100G. Unlike the SFP port, it not only supports a higher-speed transceiver, but also features a bigger size and more pins on the connector.

In a word, SFP, SFP+ and SFP28 port have the same size and refers to the same thing except for the support speed. The QSFP28 port is of different types and is suitable for 100G data center switches.

Below table list the comparison between them.

Comparison	RJ45 Port	SFP Port	SFP+ Port	SFP28 Port	XFP Port	QSFP28 Port
Reach	max 100m	max 180km	max 100km	max 80km	max 100km	max 80km
Data Rate	1000M, 2.5G, 5G, 10G	155M, 622M, 1G, 2G, 4G	8G, 10G, 16G	25G	8G, 10G	100G, 112G
Power Consumption	Medium	Lowest	Low	Low	Medium	High
Price	Low	Lowest	Medium	Medium	Medium	High
Size	Small	Small	Small	Small	A bit Bigger	A bit Bigger
Application	Access Switches	Access Switches	Campus Switches	Campus Switches, 5G Fronthaul Network	Campus Switches	Data center switch
Media Type	Only Copper	Fiber or Copper	Fiber or Copper	Fiber or Copper	Fiber or Copper	Fiber or Copper