Surfshark vs ProtonVPN
A detailed head-to-head comparison of Surfshark and ProtonVPN based on our 100-point scoring system.
Winner
Surfshark
Surfshark VPN Service
87/100
Very Good4.5
27,651 reviews
ProtonVPN
ProtonVPN Plus Service
85/100
Very Good4.5
8,934 reviews
Side-by-Side Comparison
Metric
Surfshark
ProtonVPN
Overall Score
87/100
85/100
Price
$30.00
$120.00
Customer Rating
4.5/5
4.5/5
Review Count
27,651
8,934
Best For
Best for Unlimited Devices
Best for Privacy Purists
About Page
Yes
Yes
Contact Info
Yes
Yes
Surfshark — Score Breakdown
Privacy & Security21/25
Speed & Performance16/20
Server Network12/15
Price & Value15/15
Ease of Use9/10
Customer Support5/5
Streaming & Unblocking9/10
ProtonVPN — Score Breakdown
Privacy & Security24/25
Speed & Performance15/20
Server Network13/15
Price & Value11/15
Ease of Use8/10
Customer Support4/5
Streaming & Unblocking10/10
Pros & Cons
Surfshark
Unlimited simultaneous connections — the clearest differentiator in the VPN category, eliminating device counting entirely for households and families.
At $2.49/month on a two-year plan, Surfshark offers the best absolute price among our top-five ranked VPN providers with no meaningful sacrifice in core security.
CleanWeb ad and malware blocking, MultiHop, and Camouflage Mode provide advanced features at a price point where rivals often offer only basic VPN functionality.
Speed performance, while strong by general standards, trails NordVPN (NordLynx) and ExpressVPN (Lightspeed) in independent testing — noticeable on connections above 500 Mbps.
Netherlands jurisdiction, while GDPR-protected, places the company under EU legal jurisdiction, which may be less privacy-ideal than Panama (NordVPN) or the British Virgin Islands (ExpressVPN) for users with specific threat models.
Streaming reliability is slightly inconsistent compared to ExpressVPN — most major platforms unblock correctly, but occasional server rotation is needed for certain libraries.
ProtonVPN
Swiss jurisdiction, open-source apps, and Secure Core architecture provide the strongest combined privacy foundation of any commercial VPN in our rankings.
Genuine unlimited free tier with no data caps — a uniquely credible entry point that lets users evaluate the full service quality before committing to a paid plan.
7,600+ servers in 110 countries is the largest server count among our top five VPNs, though this is partly because Proton counts virtual servers differently from some competitors.
At $9.99/month or roughly $5.99/month on an annual plan, ProtonVPN Plus is priced at or above ExpressVPN depending on the billing term, which is difficult to justify on speed or feature breadth alone.
Speed performance is behind NordVPN and ExpressVPN in independent testing — WireGuard implementation delivers good results but does not match NordLynx or Lightspeed for high-bandwidth use cases.
The interface, while functional, has a steeper learning curve than ExpressVPN or Surfshark — features like Secure Core require understanding the multi-hop routing model to use effectively.
Our Verdict
Surfshark comes out ahead with a score of 87/100 compared to 85/100. Surfshark is best for best for unlimited devices. However, ProtonVPN may be a better fit if you prioritize best for privacy purists.
VPN services do not guarantee complete anonymity. Effectiveness depends on the provider's infrastructure and policies. Always review the provider's privacy policy and applicable laws in your jurisdiction.