Surfshark vs. Proton VPN 2026: Minimum Price or Maximum Privacy?

Surfshark is speedy and highly affordable, while Proton VPN is privacy-focused and has a rich history of building secure apps. 

At first glance, these two top VPN providers share many similarities, but several key differences are less apparent. Surfshark supports unlimited devices, while Proton VPN only lets you connect 10 at once. While that’s probably plenty, more is more. 

In Proton’s favor, there’s a free plan available. This provider also has its own custom VPN protocol, Stealth, which may enhance privacy by concealing the fact that you’re using a VPN, along with doubling the server count.

Ultimately, we think Surfshark is better for most people because it offers a fast, secure VPN at a lower price. We'll go over the differences between Surfshark and Proton VPN so you can make the call.

Surfshark vs. Proton VPN at a glance

• Surfshark: Best for affordability
• Proton VPN: Best for maximum privacy

	Our Pick
Price	$1.78–$20.85/mo	$2.99–$9.99/mo
Max # of connected devices	Unlimited	10
24/7 customer support
Compatibility	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Edge, Firefox	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox
# of servers	4,500+ servers in 100 countries	18,700+ servers in 130+ countries
VPN protocol	WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2	WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, Stealth
No-logs policy	No logs	No logs
Unblocks Netflix?
Learn more	Get Surfshark Read Surfshark Review	Get Proton VPN Read Proton VPN Review

Surfshark pros and cons

Despite being a newer service, Surfshark has clearly risen in the ranks of best VPNs services. For one, it allows you to connect an unlimited number of devices. That way, you can keep your entire household secure with one subscription.

Surfshark also has an easy-to-use app that can come naturally to VPN users of all experience levels. There are recommended options for fastest location and nearest country, as well as labels for different server types clearly at the top of the dashboard.

Finally, there’s the cost. Surfshark is significantly cheaper — basically half the price of Proton VPN. This automatically makes it the more attractive option for many and for good reason.

Proton VPN pros and cons

Proton VPN is more expensive than Surfshark, but its proven to be a worthwhile subscription. It offers 18,700+ servers in 130+ countries, along with some specialty servers for security (double VPN), streaming, torrenting, and more. 

Proton VPN is located in Switzerland, which is reassuring from a privacy perspective. It's outside of information sharing alliances and it has strong privacy laws. Plus, Proton's logs policy has been tested in court. 

We also like that Proton VPN offers a free version with servers in five countries and and no caps on your speed or bandwidth. 

Which VPN is the better value?

Surfshark is the better value for its lower-priced basic plan and unlimited simultaneous connections. 

	Our Pick
Price	$1.78–$20.85/mo	$2.99–$9.99/mo
Best value plan	24-month plan for $1.78/mo	24-month plan for $2.99/mo
Money-back guarantee	Yes — 30 days	Yes — 30 days
Learn more	Get Surfshark Read Surfshark Review	Get Proton VPN Read Proton VPN Review

When it comes to pricing, Surfshark is quite a bit more affordable, but only if you go all-in on the full 24-month commitment. Surfshark's two-year plan is $1.78/mo, while Proton VPN's two-year plan is $2.99/mo. 

If you opt for the month-to-month plan, the tables turn and Proton VPN is actually the more affordable option. Surfshark's monthly plan costs $15.45/mo and Proton's monthly plan costs $9.99/mo. 

Compared to other VPN providers, Surfshark’s lowest price is very competitive, especially because it allows you to connect unlimited devices. This makes it a fantastic option if you’re looking to save money on a VPN.

Proton is pricier than many of its competitors, but it does make up for this with a free plan, which Surfshark lacks. Surfshark does offer two higher tiers, Surfshark One and Surfshark One+, which offer additional features like antivirus and identity protection. Proton Unlimited bundles Proton VPN with security services like a password manager, cloud storage, a secure email provider, and more.

Both Surfshark and Proton VPN offer 30-day money-back guarantees, which should be plenty of time to get a feel for the service and decide if it’s for you.

Surfshark vs. Proton VPN: payment options

Surfshark and Proton VPN both accept a large number of different payment options, which is both convenient and great for privacy.

Generally, to maximize privacy you want to pay with a method that can’t be traced to you easily, which means cryptocurrencies and the like are fantastic options. However, flexible credit card payments are also convenient.

Surfshark payment options

• Credit card
• PayPal
• Sofort
• Google Pay
• Amazon Pay
• Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin or ethereum

Proton VPN payment options

• Credit card
• PayPal
• Proton credits (can be purchased with cash, bank transfers, or bitcoin)

Which VPN is faster?

VPN connections tend to reduce internet performance. This is a natural result of routing your signal through distant servers. 

We conducted internet speed tests to check how much of a performance hit each VPN causes. We start by recording our baseline speed, then we connect to servers worldwide to calculate the speed difference (which you can see in the table below).

Server location	Our Pick
Average speed change	8% slower faster	17% slower slower
Learn more	Get Surfshark Read Surfshark Review	Get Proton VPN Read Proton VPN Review

Overall, Surfshark showed less performance reduction than Proton VPN with most of the servers we tested. Proton VPN slowed our speeds significantly more with the U.S., U.K., and Australian servers. You can expect slower speeds with servers that are farther away because it takes longer for the data to travel from your physical location. 

Which VPN is more secure?

Proton VPN is more secure due to its larger server network, privacy-friendly headquarters, and Stealth protocol.

Feature		Our Pick
Number of servers	4,500+ servers in 100 countries	18,700+ servers in 130+ countries
No-logs policy	No logs	No logs
VPN headquarters	Netherlands	Switzerland
Encryption	AES-256-GCM	AES-256 or ChaCha20
VPN protocol	WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2	WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, Stealth
Kill switch
Split tunneling
DNS leak protection
Ad blocker
Learn more	Get Surfshark Read Surfshark Review	Get Proton VPN Read Proton VPN Review

Surfshark and Proton VPN both offer very similar feature sets. They’ve got similar protocols; both have WireGuard available as well as similar encryption. Both have kill switches, split tunneling (called Bypasser on Surfshark), and a slew of other features to enhance privacy and make browsing better.

Proton does stand out by offering the Stealth protocol, which is designed to help hide the fact that you’re using a VPN. Proton also uses ChaCha20 encryption when using the WireGuard protocol. This is similar in strength to AES-256, just faster.

Proton has also significantly increased its server count. Now it has double the servers that Surfshark offers, with options for streaming, smart routing, and torrenting.

Both VPN providers completed independent audits to verify their no-logs policy. Surfshark was most recently audited by Deloitte, while Proton VPN was most recently audited by Securitum. 

Unfortunately, Surfshark is based in the Netherlands, which is part of the Nine Eyes Alliance. These are groups of countries that have agreed to share intelligence with other member countries. This could be of concern if privacy is top of mind. Alternatively, Proton VPN is headquartered in Switzerland, outside of the Five Eyes Alliance.

Additionally, both Surfshark and Proton VPN come with ad blockers that help prevent malware. 

Proton VPN’s is called NetShield, and Surfshark’s is called CleanWeb.

Ultimately, the main distinguishing factor between the two is likely going to be Proton’s existing reputation for security and privacy. ProtonMail has long been the standard for secure email, and having a VPN from the same company may be a major selling point for some.

Which VPN has the better compatibility and customer service?

It's neck and neck but we'll give the win to Surfshark for its user-friendly interface and additional browser support.

	Our Pick
Windows
macOS
Android
iOS
Linux
Router
Smart devices
Customer support options	Yes — Chrome, Firefox, Edge	Yes — Chrome, Firefox
24/7 customer support
Customer support options	Live chat, email, online guides	Live chat, email, online guides
Learn more	Get Surfshark Read Surfshark Review	Get Proton VPN Read Proton VPN Review

Surfshark and Proton VPN are both compatible with nearly any device you could want to use a VPN on, including Windows, Mac, mobile, and others. Both VPNs also offer relatively simple user interfaces that make navigating easy.

We did find Surfshark to have a much cleaner interface overall, but this is mostly personal preference. The design and color scheme were lighter and felt less cluttered compared to Proton’s dark mode look. 

(Though Surfshark also offers a dark mode as well.)

Surfshark and Proton VPN offer the usual spread of customer service options, including phone, chatbot, live chat, and extensive online guides and social media resources. However, there are some notable differences here that sway things heavily in Surfshark’s favor.

First, Proton VPN doesn’t offer a 24/7 chat option — the hours are 3 a.m. to 11 p.m. EST. This is a big disadvantage. Second, and perhaps even more important, the rep from Surfshark gave us more useful information in a shorter timeframe than the rep from Proton VPN.

Surfshark vs. Proton VPN alternatives

Surfshark and Proton VPN are only two of our favorite services in the VPN realm. But our #1 pick is NordVPN based on its reliable performance, good price point, and advanced security perks. Here's how NordVPN compares to Surfshark and Proton VPN:

FAQs

Is Surfshark or Proton VPN better?

Surfshark and Proton VPN both bring their A-game to the table. Surfshark has a lower price, unlimited device connections, and a cleaner UI. Proton VPN has stronger privacy policies and better overall performance.

Ultimately, we think Surfshark is going to be the best option for most people, thanks mostly to the low cost. However, Proton VPN shouldn’t be overlooked. It’s hard to argue against a VPN from a privacy-focused company.