Surfshark vs Proton VPN
Proton VPN comes out ahead of Surfshark on 4 of the 7 things that decide this, going by what each company publishes and what independent review sites report. The one that matters for you may be one the leader loses.
The verdict
Proton VPN takes it, 4–3 on rounds.
On the published figures and the independent review sites, Proton VPN takes 4 of 7 rounds. Treat that as a starting point and check the current figures on both pages, because prices and plans move.
Choose Surfshark if…
- • You want Surfshark's edge on what the long plan costs and how many devices at once
Choose Proton VPN if…
- • You want Proton VPN's edge on trying it before you pay and what it costs to start
Round by round
- Round 1What the long plan costsSurfshark wins
Surfshark wins this round on independent review-site data, not on its own claims.
- Round 2How many devices at onceSurfshark wins
Surfshark wins this round on independent review-site data, not on its own claims.
- Round 3Trying it before you payProton VPN winsSurfshark5/10
30-day money-back guarantee
no free plan; refund within 30 days
- No free plan, against Free plan
Source: surfshark.com ↗
Proton VPN wins this round on independent review-site data, not on its own claims.
- Round 4What customers say on TrustpilotSurfshark winsProton VPN5/10
2.1 out of 5
TrustScore from 1,006 reviews on Trustpilot
- 2.1 out of 5, against 4.3 out of 5
Source: trustpilot.com ↗
Surfshark wins this round on independent review-site data, not on its own claims.
- Round 5What it costs to startProton VPN winsSurfshark5/10
$18.95/mo billed monthly (not $16.45)
1 month billing tab
- $16.45/mo, billed monthly, against $9.99/mo, billed monthly
Source: surfshark.com ↗
Proton VPN8/10$9.99/mo, billed monthly
VPN Plus; '1 month' tab vs '2 years' tab (first term); Proton Free also offered
Source: protonvpn.com ↗
Proton VPN wins this round on what the published sources say.
- Round 6How many countries it coversProton VPN winsSurfshark5/10
100 countries
Surfshark Starter; '1 month' tab vs '24 months' tab (+3 extra months, first term)
- 100 countries, against 140+ countries
Source: surfshark.com ↗
Proton VPN8/10140+ countries
VPN Plus; '1 month' tab vs '2 years' tab (first term); Proton Free also offered
Source: protonvpn.com ↗
Proton VPN wins this round on what the published sources say.
- Round 7How many servers it runsProton VPN winsSurfshark5/10
4,500+ servers
Surfshark Starter; '1 month' tab vs '24 months' tab (+3 extra months, first term)
- 4,500+ servers, against 20,000+ servers
Source: surfshark.com ↗
Proton VPN8/1020,000+ servers
VPN Plus; '1 month' tab vs '2 years' tab (first term); Proton Free also offered
Source: protonvpn.com ↗
Proton VPN wins this round on what the published sources say.
Side by side
- paid only
- long plan, per month
- 4.2 out of 5, against 4.3 out of 5
- $16.45/mo, billed monthly, against $14.99/mo, billed monthly
- 100 countries, against 150 countries
- 4,500+ servers, against 7,100+ servers
- 2.1 out of 5, against 4.2 out of 5
- 140+ countries, against 150 countries
- 2.1 out of 5, against 4.4 out of 5
- $2.99, against $2.49