difference between sfp and sfp+

"What is SFP? SFP, or Small Form-factor Pluggable, also known as Mini-GBIC (Gigabit Interface Converter), adopts a two-part structure of base and module. It is an interface that supports various types of fiber optic transmission and is suitable for protocols such as 1000BASE-T, 1000BASE-SX, 1000BASE-LX/LH, 100BASE-TX, and 2G/4G FC. Among them, 1000BASE-T is used for Ethernet Gigabit transmission, 1000BASE-SX and 1000BASE-LX/LH are interfaces for fiber optic transmission, and 2G/4G FC interfaces are used for Fiber Channel storage networks (SAN)."
 

"What is SFP+?

SFP+ interface is a specialized interface for 10GbE, capable of carrying multiple standards such as 10G Ethernet, 10G FC, 10G SONET, etc. Compared to the SFP interface, its data transmission rate is increased to 10Gbps. However, it is not backward compatible with lower speed SFP interfaces."
 
Differences between SFP and SFP+ Optical Modules
 

SFP vs SFP+

SFP and SFP+ transceivers are virtually identical in size and appearance. The primary difference is that SFP+ is an updated version that supports higher speeds up to 10Gbps. The difference in data rate also accounts for a difference in transmission distance—SFP typically has a longer transmission distance. SFP+ specifications are based on SFF-8431. In terms of SFP vs SFP+ compatibility, SFP+ ports often accept SFP optics but at a reduced speed of 1Gbps. Be aware, however, that you cannot plug an SFP+ transceiver into an SFP port because SFP+ does not support speeds less than 1Gbps.
Here is a table of comparison between SFP and SFP+

Item	SFP	SFP+
Stands for	Small Form-factor Pluggable	Small Form-factor Pluggable plus (standard form)
Data rate	155M/622M/ 1.25G/ 2.5G/3G/ 4.25G	6G/8.5G/10G
Terms	Dual fiber Single Fiber/WDM CWDM DWDM	Dual fiber Single Fiber/WDM CWDM DWDM
Distance	300m/2km/ 10km/15km/ 20km/40km/ 60km/80km/ 100km/120km/ 150km	220m/300m/ 2km/10km/ 20km/40km/ 60km/80km
Wavelengths	850nm/1310nm/1550nm 1310nm/1490nm/1550nm 1270nm-1610nm ITU17~ITU61	220m/300m/ 2km/10km/ 20km/40km/ 60km/80km/ 120km

 

Different Protocols

SFP Optical Module: SFP protocol specifications include IEEE802.3, SFF-8472.
SFP+ Optical Module: SFP+ complies with the protocols IEEE 802.3ae, SFF-8431, SFF-8432.
Different Manufacturing Costs
The manufacturing cost of the SFP optical module is higher than that of the SFP+ optical module.
Different Wavelengths and Distances
SFP Optical Module: With a wavelength of 850nm for multimode SFP, the transmission distance is under 2KM.
SFP+ Optical Module: With wavelengths of 1310/1550nm for single-mode, the transmission distance is over 2KM.
 
 
For example, Suosee is a well-known optical communication component supplier, which offers both SFP and SFP+ optical module products. For instance, Suosee's FCLF-8521-3 SFP optical transceiver is suitable for the 1000BASE-T Ethernet standard and supports the RJ-45 interface. On the other hand, the company's FTLX8571D3BCV-IT SFP+ optical module supports 10GBASE-SR (short-distance fiber), 10GBASE-LR (long-distance fiber), and 10GBASE-LRM (long-wavelength multimode fiber) transmission.
In summary, SFP and SFP+ interfaces have significant differences in terms of application and data transmission rates. Users should choose based on specific needs to ensure cost-effectiveness and best practices.
 
As we’ve explained the difference of SFP vs SFP+. Usually, SFP module plugs into SFP port of the switch and SFP+ module plugs into SFP+ port of the switch. But, sometimes SFP module can also be plugged into SFP+ port. Which SFP or SFP+ module should you choose all depends on your switch types. Fiberstore is a reliable SFP transceiver module manufactures, all SFP module and SFP+ module types are available in FS.COM. Besides, SFP+ cable is also provided. What’s more, the price of SFP module and SFP+ module is lower than many other manufactures.
 
 

Extended Information:

How to Choose SFP Transceivers?

In addition to SFP vs SFP+ vs QSFP, you’ll also need to consider the application. SFP transceivers are available in different types depending on what they will be used for, for example single-mode vs multimode SFP. Single-mode SFP transceivers work with single-mode fibre, whereas multimode SFPs are compatible with multimode fibre. Additionally, there are long-reach WDM SFP transceivers for multiplexing, simplex SFPs for single fibre applications, video SFP transceivers for transmission of high-definition video, and PON SFP transceivers for fibre-based access networks. SFPs are available in commercial and extended operating temperature ranges, with or without extended diagnostics capabilities.