Hard routers are implemented based on physical hardware: Hard routers are specially designed and manufactured physical devices that usually contain hardware components such as dedicated processors, memory, and network interfaces.

Soft routers are implemented based on a general computer platform: Soft routers implement routing functions by installing and running specific routing software on a general computer platform, usually using standard PC hardware.

Hard routers are more suitable for scenarios with higher requirements on performance and stability, such as enterprise networks and large data centers; while soft routers are more suitable for scenarios with higher requirements on cost and flexibility, such as individual users, small businesses or specific Custom applications.