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The Best 6 Virtual Serial Port Emulators for Windows

A virtual serial port emulator provides an excellent way to develop, test, and debug applications on computers with serial ports.

These days, many computers don't have a serial port, which makes the process difficult for developers.

So, if you want to create virtual COM ports on a machine running on Windows 7, 10, or 11, use a reliable, feature-rich serial port emulator.

For this, we’ve compiled a list of the best virtual serial port emulators with their features along with a data table. This will make it easier for you to assess and choose suitable software based on your specific needs.

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Virtual Serial Port Driver — 14-day trial period
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Contents

  1. Virtual Serial Port Tools comparison charts
  2. Virtual Serial Port Driver [Electronic Team]
  3. Virtual COM Port Driver PRO - advanced functionality
  4. Virtual Serial Port Kit [FabulaTech]
  5. Virtual Serial Ports [HHD Software]
  6. Virtual Serial Port Emulator [Eterlogic]
  7. Null-modem emulator [com0com]
  8. How to choose the best solution for your needs?

Virtual Serial Port Tools comparison charts

Name OS suported price trial period
Virtual Serial Port Driver Windows (32-bit and 64-bit): 7/8/8.1/10, Windows Server 2008R2/ 2012R2 /2016/2019 139.95 14 days
Virtual Serial Port Driver PRO Windows (32-bit and 64-bit): 7/8/8.1/10, Windows Server 2008R2/ 2012R2 /2016/2019 199.95 14 days
Virtual Serial Port Kit [FabulaTech] Windows Vista, Windows 7, 8 8.1, 10, Windows Server 2003, 2008, 2008 R2, 2012 and 2012 R2 129.95 15 days
Virtual Serial Port Tools [HHD] Windows Vista, Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, Windows Server 2008, 2008 R2, 2012, 2012 R2, 2016, 2019 149.99 (non- commercial using) 14 days
Virtual Serial Port Emulator [Eterlogic] Windows (32-bit and 64-bit):10/11 or Windows Server 2019/2022 from $24.95 + VAT. 4 weeks
Null-modem emulator [com0com] Windows XP 32/64, Windows 32-bit 7/10, Windows Server 2016 free

Now, let's look at the features of virtual serial port emulators compared in the below chart.

Features
VSPD
VSPD pro
Virtual Serial Port Kit [Fabula]
Virtual Serial Port Tools [HHD]
Virtual Serial Port Emulator [Eterlogic]
comOcom
Completely emulate hardware control lines and physical COM port parameters checked checked checked checked checked checked
No limit on the number of virtual serial ports that can be created checked checked checked checked checked checked
Create complex bundles of virtual COM ports checked checked checked checked checked checked
Multiple virtual RS232 ports can be created by splitting a physical or virtual serial port checked checked checked checked checked checked
Unlimited physical or virtual serial ports can be merged into a single COM port checked checked checked checked checked checked
Virtual COM ports provide high data transmission speed checked checked checked checked checked checked
The serial port emulation software is digitally signed as are all of its internal drivers. checked checked checked checked checked checked
Serial data traffic can be forwarded from a real port to another virtual or physical interface checked checked checked checked checked checked
Windows kernel driver technology (WDM, WMI, Power Management, PnP, etc.) is fully supported checked checked checked checked checked checked
Serial port emulation is supported for VMware and hyper-threading checked checked checked checked checked checked
Fully supports strict baudrate emulation checked checked checked checked checked checked
Аssign any name you like to virtual serial ports, even names that are used by physical ports checked checked checked checked checked checked
Various virtual null-modem schemes are available for use: standard, loopback, and custom checked checked checked checked checked checked
Merge multiple COM interfaces into a single bundle checked checked checked checked checked checked
Capacity to customize the connection parameters of physical serial ports (parity, baudrate, databits, stopbits, and flow control) checked checked checked checked checked checked
Virtual ports are automatically re-created prior to user logon after a system reboot. checked checked checked checked checked checked
Each port can have individually set read and write permissions checked checked checked checked checked checked
HandFlow control (Hardware and Xon/Xoff) is fully supported checked checked checked checked checked checked
Multiple applications can share a single physical serial port simultaneously checked checked checked checked checked checked
Application port usage data can be saved in the ‘Activity log’ checked checked checked checked checked checked
Virtual serial ports created by Emulator and displayed in Device Manager can have their names changed checked checked checked checked checked checked
Install the software and create and configure virtual serial ports without the need to reboot your machine checked checked checked checked checked checked
Create fully functional loopback connections checked checked checked checked checked checked

Virtual Serial Port Driver [Electronic Team]

Virtual Serial Port Driver is a software package developed by Electronic Team that functions as a virtual COM port emulator on Windows machines. The software enables you to create virtual COM ports that you can connect in pairs by using a virtual null-modem cable. Every virtual serial port that you create will communicate with your serial applications as if they were actually physical ports.

The advantages of RS232 Emulation software by Electronic Team:

  • Virtual Serial Port Driver enables the user to create an unlimited number of virtual COM ports that are instantly identified by any serial hardware or software that you install.

  • An SDK License brings you a Dynamic Link Library with VSPD that enables you to use your own applications to directly control virtual serial ports.

  • Faster serial communication is a by-product of emulating serial interfaces. The virtual null-modem cable affords higher data transfer rates than a traditional, physical null-modem cable. The average speed of the emulated null-modem cable is 5.5 Mbytes/sec and is based on your system’s processor speed.

  • The application does not occupy any physical serial ports, and the virtual ports function in the same way as a hardware interface.

  • Functionality such as strict baud rate emulation, emulating serial line breaks, and full HandFlow control support are characteristics of the virtual ports that you create.

  • Flexibility is a feature of Virtual Serial Port Driver. Using the tool you can create ports only intended for the current user session. RDP users have the ability to create ports using the same name, such as COM1, in each user’s session.

  • VSPD supports both VMware and hyper-threading.

  • VSPD can perform serial port emulation on Windows variations like Windows 10, Windows XP, and Windows Server 16. This is because Microsoft itself has digitally signed the drivers and each one of them has passed Microsoft’s Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) tests.

OS supported:

This Virtual Null-modem Software runs on Windows (32-bit and 64-bit): 7/8/8.1/10, Windows Server 2012/2016/2019

You can download Virtual Serial Port Emulator for a fully-functional 14-day free trial. The standard version of the software costs $139.95.

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Virtual Serial Port Driver PRO - advanced functionality

The Virtual Serial Port Driver PRO is an efficient all-in-one software based on Virtual Serial Port Driver functionality. The program helps create bundles of virtual serial ports and set custom port parameters, which makes the solution ideally suited for a great variety of usage scenarios.

VSPD PRO offers unique features that enhance the utility of your serial applications and devices:

  • The ability to split one physical or virtual serial port into multiple virtual RS232 ports.

  • You can merge an unlimited number of virtual or hardware serial ports into one virtual port.

  • You can create complex port bundles.

  • Serial traffic can be forwarded from one real port to another physical or virtual port.

  • The capacity to set individual read handwrite permissions for each virtual port.

  • Using the Activity Log to save data regarding the application’s port usage.

  • Automatic port switching with the Switcher feature that allows your program to communicate through any free port as if it was always the same interface.

Virtual COM Port Driver PRO

Virtual Serial Port Driver PRO provides you with the ability to manage real and virtual COM ports in the most convenient and easy way.
VSPD PRO logo

Virtual Serial Port Driver PRO

Split COM port between several apps
4.8 Rank based on 85+ users, Reviews(91)
Download 14-day fully-functional trial period
Virtual Serial Port Driver PRO

OS supported:

Like the standard version of Virtual Serial Port Driver, the Pro edition runs on Windows (32-bit and 64-bit): 7/8/8.1/10, Windows Server 2012/2016/2019

The Virtual Serial Port Driver PRO license would cost $199.95. 14-day free trial

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Virtual Serial Port Kit [FabulaTech]

FabulaTech’s Virtual Serial Port Kit is a software tool that enables you to emulate serial ports. These RS232 virtual ports that are created can be connected with a virtual null-modem cable.

Virtual Serial Port Kit

Features list:

  • The functionality of the virtual COM interfaces is identical to that of a physical serial port.

  • Data that transferred to one of the virtual ports are simultaneously available to the interface at the other end of the virtual pair.

  • All of the virtual RS232 ports that you create on your system are available before user login as the application runs as a Windows system service. This ensures that they will be recreated after a system reboot.

OS supported:

Virtual Serial Port Kit is supported by Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and 8.1, Windows 10.

You can get a one year license for $129.95. 15-day free trial.

Virtual Serial Port Tools [HHD Software]

Virtual Serial Ports Tools by HHD focuses on emulating custom plug-and-play serial and I/O ports interfaced by 16550 UART. On the internet, you can also find a free solution -
Free Virtual Serial Ports that the same company provides. However, it might not be available currently since the official website offers a Virtual Serial Port Tools distribution kit when downloading the software.

Free Virtual Serial Ports by HHD

Features list:

  • This free virtual null-modem emulator software allows the creation of a virtual copy of hardware null-modem cables with either DB-25 or DE-9 connectors.

  • Two RS-232 DTE devices can communicate with each other without the need of a modem or any other DCE.

  • This RS-232 null-modem emulator application’s stability is facilitated by the fact that is works exclusively in user-mode.

OS supported:

This utility supported by Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2, Windows 7, Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2016, Windows 10.

You can get a one year license for $149.99. 14 - day free trial(used by non-commercial users and must not be used to gain monetary profit.)
Full license $199.99

Virtual Serial Port Emulator [Eterlogic]

The next entry in our list of virtual COM port software is Virtual Serial Ports Emulator which is developed by Eterlogic.

Virtual Serial Ports Emulator

Features list:

  • It is designed for software engineers that need to develop serial applications and allows them to create, test and debug applications and devices that employ serial interfaces.

  • Some of the benefits of this program and the virtualization of ports are that the same device can be opened by multiple applications and you can create pairs of virtual serial ports.

  • Serial interfaces can also be shared by multiple applications at the same time and a COM interface can use TCP to enact sharing of the port on a local network.

OS supported:

This program offers support for Windows OS. A free license is available for 32-bit platforms. If you require the 64-bit version you will need to obtain a paid version of the software.

The price of the paid version for Virtual Serial Ports Emulator starts from $24.95. 4 - week free trial.

Null-modem emulator [com0com]

This solution is an open-source kernel-mode virtual serial port driver that enables the emulation of serial communication interfaces.

Com0com

Features list:

  • A COM interface can be created with this program that works with device emulation applications. Essentially, this means that you can connect a device emulation app to one end of a serial port pair while the other end of the pair is occupied by a Windows application that requires communication with the device. An example of this in practice is sharing faxes over an IP network. You simply connect a Windows Fax application to a modem using a pair of virtual serial ports.

  • More details of these software solutions are available by visiting the developers’ website. There are definitely differences among the options including the fact that some of them are free while others require a financial investment. In certain cases, you may need to expose your source code in order to use them for application development.

OS supported:

This Virtual COM Port freeware is developed for Windows users. But not all of the solutions support the newest Windows OS version which may pose problems for you.

See a comparison chart of Virtual Serial Port Driver and Null-Modem Emulator

How to choose the best solution for your needs?

Choosing the handiest and suitable software solution depends on areas and conditions of usage. Here are a few situations where virtual serial ports can be useful.

1. The absence of a serial port.

Many of the computers that manufactured today are not equipped with any serial ports at all. Some machines take it a step further and do not have ports of any type, relying on wireless connectivity to peripheral devices.

The reduction in reliance on COM ports in machines and devices used for general purposes has not eliminated the requirement for serial connectivity. Many special-purpose devices still make use of serial interfaces to communicate with computers. Some examples are industrial automation monitoring devices, medical monitoring equipment, and specialized laboratory equipment.

2. Sharing a serial monitoring device.

If you have a serial monitoring device in an industrial production facility, it may be transmitting data used as input for several different applications. Creating virtual serial ports from a single port lets all of your applications receive their data at the same time.

3. Accessing multiple serial devices.

Network-attached serial devices can be assigned virtual RS232 ports that can then be merged into a single virtual port that can be used by your application.

So on these occasions, the best choice is virtual serial port emulator software. A benefit of a paid solution is that you receive regular program updates and customer support for your money. This can be a determining factor if you are doing serious development and want the most up-to-date null-modem emulator application available.

The preceding comparison of virtual null-modem software tools indicates that Electronic Team’s Virtual Serial Port Driver offers more features than the other solutions. Ease of use, quality customer support, and a focus on data protection are some of the advantages of this product. It also features a user-friendly interface that makes it an easy task to create and delete virtual COM ports.

The extended capabilities of the PRO version make this flexible software application an effective and powerful tool for developers or users who need to work with serial devices.

These are just a few ways that virtual ports can be used. If you work with serial devices or applications, a serial port emulator like Virtual Serial Port Driver can be an essential component of your software toolbox.

Frequently Asked Questions

Virtual Serial Port Emulator is a software application that replicates physical COM ports. The virtual serial ports that are created are fully compatible with operating systems and applications and are treated in the same way as a real port.
Here are a few simple steps you should follow to add a virtual serial port to your machine with this dedicated Virtual COM Port Windows 10 utility:

  1. Download Virtual Serial Port Driver on your Windows machine.
  2. Install the application on your system and launch it.
  3. Choose “Pair” in the application’s main window.
  4. Click the “Add a new pair” button to create a pair of virtual serial ports. You are not limited to COMx names and can name them as you wish.
  5. The created pair of ports will appear in your Device Manager and be available for use immediately upon creation.
Top choice

Virtual Serial Port Driver

  • Rank 5 based on 367+ users
  • Requirements: Windows 7/8/8.1/10/11 (32/64-bit), Windows Server 2012/2016/2019/2022, Windows on ARM . 6.55MB free space.
  • Version 11.0.1068. (14 Nov, 2024). Release notes
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