Proton VPN vs Surfshark: Privacy, Price and Features Compared

Quick Verdict and Provider Profiles

The strongest reason to buy Proton is its combination of inspectable privacy evidence and practical networking features. Its public Securitum reports and open-source production applications support a more transparent evaluation than a generic “military-grade encryption” label. The paid service adds full country selection, NetShield, Secure Core and NAT-PMP forwarding. The free tier is useful on public Wi-Fi even if you never subscribe.

Surfshark’s strongest everyday advantage is covering a household without counting ten active devices. Starter includes the core VPN and Alternative ID; higher tiers add separate protection products. Dynamic MultiHop, Rotating IP and supported Bypasser controls offer flexible routing, while newer Mac and TV features make several old comparison tables inaccurate. Its low introductory equivalent is attractive, but annual renewal needs its own checkout check.

Proton VPN: transparency and control

The Switzerland-based service pairs its free entry point with paid privacy and P2P tools. It suits readers who prioritize public reports, open apps and forwarding over a wider security bundle.

Our Proton VPN review examines the service separately.

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Surfshark: household coverage and extras

The Netherlands-based service combines unlimited paid connections with optional antivirus, monitoring and data-removal products. Its routing controls are useful, but capabilities vary by operating system.

Our Surfshark VPN review explains its plans and app tools.

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Homepage images illustrate the providers’ websites and may show earlier campaigns. Use the pricing comparison and final checkout for current purchase terms.

Prices, Bundles, Renewal and Refunds

Compare the upfront bill and the coverage period

A displayed monthly equivalent does not mean the provider charges that amount each month. On the reviewed long-term routes, Proton Plus requires $71.76 for 24 months, while Surfshark Starter requires $67.23 for 27 months. Surfshark’s initial charge is $4.53 lower and covers three additional months. That establishes an introductory value advantage for the offers shown, without establishing a lifetime price advantage.

Renewal can change the ranking

The recorded Proton long-term route renews at $83.88 for twelve months, equivalent to $6.99/month. That is a substantially different rate from its $2.99 introduction. Surfshark’s pricing terms describe annual renewal after the initial period, but we could not retrieve a dependable numeric USD rate for these offers. Do not assume another 27-month promotional term or repeat the introduction as the renewal.

For a simple budget example, Proton’s recorded 24-month payment plus one unchanged annual renewal would total $155.64 for 36 months, excluding tax. A comparable Surfshark total cannot be calculated honestly without its renewal amount. Record the next billing date and full annual charge before purchase, especially if a bundle or add-on changes the total.

Pay for bundle features you can actually use

Surfshark One costs $8.10 more than Starter across the checked initial 27 months. It adds supported antivirus and monitoring plus eligible scam and identity tools. One+ adds Incogni and costs $54 more than Starter over that term. Antivirus availability varies by platform; an iPhone VPN subscription is not evidence of an iPhone file-scanning antivirus. Identity coverage is geographically restricted, and Incogni’s eligible markets include the US, UK, EU, Switzerland and Canada.

Alternative Number and Dedicated IP are separate add-ons rather than automatic Starter inclusions. Surfshark Search is absent from the refreshed plan comparison; the provider has described phased withdrawal and retirement by year-end. We do not count Search as a durable reason to purchase a new bundle. Proton Plus is a VPN subscription; broader Proton account bundles are separate purchasing decisions.

Refunds and cancellation are separate steps

Both advertise a thirty-day guarantee for eligible initial purchases. Proton’s terms require cancellation and a refund request within the window, generally once per user, and exclude cash/bank-transfer payments. Credits from changing plans are a separate mechanism. Surfshark’s ordinary guarantee excludes renewals, repeat refunded purchases and some add-ons. Apple and Amazon purchases follow their store policies; Google Play has its own initial refund path, with provider assistance possible afterward.

Turning off auto-renewal prevents a future bill; it does not by itself return today’s payment. Check the channel-specific policy, request the refund explicitly and retain the confirmation. If you are testing a seven-day trial, check its conversion date independently from the thirty-day purchase guarantee.

Proton Free and Surfshark’s Trial

Proton Free is the stronger choice when you need ongoing basic VPN access without a subscription. It provides unlimited data and one simultaneous connection. The app chooses among free servers in ten countries; a server-change request selects another route rather than giving full manual country choice. The documented cooldown starts at 45 seconds and increases to ten minutes for subsequent changes.

Free is described as medium speed without an artificial fixed bandwidth cap. That does not mean it always matches the paid network: load, route choice and feature restrictions still matter. Paid streaming support, P2P, NetShield, Secure Core and full manual selection belong to paid plans. Free is useful for ordinary browsing and public Wi-Fi, but a poor substitute for deliberately choosing a streaming country.

Surfshark offers an eligible seven-day trial rather than a permanent free server tier. Current guidance includes selected new-user web purchases of 12- or 24-month plans through eligible card, PayPal or Apple Pay routes, alongside channel-specific app offers. The trial allows three simultaneous devices; a paid subscription allows unlimited devices. Eligibility and conversion terms depend on the actual signup route.

Privacy Evidence and Protocol Security

What “no logs” means in practice

Proton’s fifth annual Securitum no-logs report was published in 2026. Public reports and open-source production applications make it easier to inspect the scope of its privacy claims and review app behavior. An infrastructure no-logs assessment and an application security review answer different questions; neither means every setting or future version has been independently verified.

Surfshark’s Deloitte no-logs assurance engagements took place in 2023 and 2025. The later work covered standard, static and multiport server configurations and relevant processes. Full current reports may require account access. Cure53 and other security assessments cover separate infrastructure or protocol questions, including Dausos; counting all of these as identicalno-logs audits would misrepresent their scope.

The services operate under different legal entities and jurisdictions: Proton in Switzerland and Surfshark B.V. in the Netherlands. Location matters, but “outside an intelligence alliance” is not a substitute for evaluating data collection, legal obligations, technical design and the scope of independent evidence. Our preference for Proton’s transparency comes from its public inspection opportunities, rather than a claim that a jurisdiction alone guarantees privacy.

Surfshark’s August 27 privacy policy distinguishes browsing/traffic logs from temporary connection handling. It describes storing a user identifier, source IP and connection timestamps temporarily, deleting them within fifteen minutes after a session ends. Account, payment, login-security and diagnostic records have separate purposes and retention rules. A no-activity-logs promise does not mean the provider possesses no account information.

The EFF’s VPN selection guidance explains why using a VPN changes whom you trust. HTTPS remains essential; signing into a service still identifies your account, and cookies or device fingerprints can still connect activity. Neither service makes all browsing anonymous.

Surfshark’s September incident belongs in the evaluation

In a September 9 disclosure, Surfshark reported unauthorized access to an exposed internal test environment and an isolated content-accessibility VPS. It described engineering material and internal credentials being accessed, with containment on September 2 and further remediation by September 5. Surfshark says production VPN services, user data and shipped apps/extensions were unaffected.

Those scope conclusions come from the provider’s investigation. The response included credential rotation, test-system hardening and an announced additional independent review. We did not establish that the follow-up review had been completed. The incident deserves consideration alongside earlier audit evidence, without presenting it as a verified production traffic breach or treating a prior audit as assurance against all future incidents.

Protocols, censorship fallbacks and post-quantum claims

Surfshark has a documented shipping post-quantum option in supported apps, whereas Proton’s newer Rust-based client architecture discusses future groundwork. Conventional WireGuard encryption and a provider’s additional post-quantum layer are not interchangeable descriptions. Do not assume a manually imported Surfshark WireGuard file includes the same protection as its app.

Dausos is a separate proprietary Surfshark protocol, currently limited to the macOS App Store application. Its independent review is relevant evidence, but its advertised speed uplift is a provider claim and it is not the standard protocol on every Surfshark device. A dedicated tunnel also does not mean the subscription includes a dedicated public IP address.

For restrictive networks, install current apps and prepare supported alternate protocols before travel. Stealth, Camouflage and automatic fallback modes can help on particular networks, but neither service guarantees access under every blocking regime. A browser extension’s coverage is narrower than a full-device VPN tunnel.

Speed, Stability and Fair Testing

There is no measured speed winner in this update. Both services offer WireGuard-based connections for everyday use, and both market infrastructure or routing improvements. Surfshark’s 10-Gbps fleet ports and selected 100-Gbps upgrades describe server capacity, not the speed delivered to a subscriber. Proton’s larger directory likewise does not prove lower latency or faster downloads on your ISP.

Surfshark FastTrack can change routing on eligible connections, with expanded macOS coverage. Everlink and Dausos also have provider performance claims. These features merit testing on your device; advertised percentage gains cannot be transplanted into a head-to-head chart. Proton’s acceleration and Smart Protocol tools also operate under conditions that a simple overall speed score would conceal.

Match speed to your actual workload

For a stream, sustained throughput matters more than a single peak speed test. Netflix’s documented connection recommendations are 3 Mbps for 720p, 5 Mbps for 1080p and 15 Mbps for 4K. These are service requirements, not measurements of either VPN, and other simultaneous household activity needs additional capacity.

For calls and games, record jitter and packet loss as well as ping. For uploads, measure sustained upstream performance. Use a nearby ordinary route first; Secure Core and Dynamic MultiHop add a second server path and can increase delay. A VPN may improve a poor ISP route in a particular case, but that is a result to measure rather than a promised reduction in latency.

Server Networks and Country Coverage

Proton’s latest verified directory snapshot lists 20,799 servers across 149 countries and 196 locations. The same snapshot separately lists 17,984 Plus servers and 125 Secure Core servers serving 68 countries. These categories overlap the service’s broader footprint; they should not be added together to manufacture a larger total. The live directory is dynamic, and its refreshed research fetch exceeded the size limit.

Surfshark’s checked public page advertises more than 4,500 servers in 100 countries. Its RAM-only server design is a useful infrastructure characteristic, but it does not by itself prove that every account record, diagnostic event or external system is diskless. Server counts also depend on how a provider defines an instance. Country coverage is the clearer visual comparison here.

Proton has the broader listed country footprint. For a specific trip or service, inspect the required city, nearby alternatives and whether the location is physically hosted locally or uses a virtual location. A virtual exit can provide the advertised IP country while the hardware is elsewhere; that can affect latency and jurisdiction assumptions.

Surfshark’s Static IP routes are shared stable addresses, while its Dedicated IP is a separately purchased address intended for one subscriber. Proton Plus’s normal service uses shared exits. Dedicated IP can help with allowlisting and repeated verification, but also creates a more persistent identifier. It is not an assurance of streaming access or inbound forwarding.

Streaming and Television Setup

Both paid services document streaming support and native television apps. Choose based on the exact streaming service, country, account tier and hardware you use. A connection that works for one title on a phone can still behave differently on a television or through a router. Supported streaming is a product capability, not a guarantee of every regional catalog.

Remove the old Surfshark SmartDNS setup

Older comparisons describe Surfshark SmartDNS as a fallback for consoles and TVs. That is outdated: the feature ended on February 2, 2026. Devices still pointing to retired addresses should return to automatic DNS, then use a supported VPN app or router workflow. Substituting a public DNS resolver does not provide VPN encryptionor a selectable VPN exit country.

Fire TV now spans different operating systems. Android-based Fire OS installers and newer Vega OS applications are distinct; an Android APK is not a universal installer for everything sold as Fire TV. Both providers now document Vega support, so verify the device’s operating system and use its current store listing.

Check the streaming service’s own limits

Netflix’s official VPN viewing policy says VPN viewing may be limited to globally licensed titles and does not support live events or ad-supported viewing through a VPN. Other services have their own account and location rules. Neither provider can override a streaming service’s licensing decisions.

Start with an ordinary paid server in the required country and test sustained playback. Avoid multi-hop as the default for a speed-sensitive stream. If detection or congestion occurs, try another supported ordinary route and the provider’s troubleshooting steps. Bypassing the streaming app or site can restore your normal local service, but the bypassed traffic then uses your regular location.

Proton Free’s app-selected routes and lack of paid streaming support make it a poor choice for selecting a catalog. Surfshark’s unlimited connections can be more convenient when several household screens run at once. Our best VPNs for streaming guide compares native apps and router options across more providers.

Filtering, MultiHop and Extra Tools

NetShield and CleanWeb block different things from antivirus

Proton’s paid NetShield filters known malicious, tracking and advertising domains through DNS. Surfshark’s app CleanWeb performs similar domain filtering, while CleanWeb 2.0 in its browser extension adds browser-level controls such as cookie-pop-up handling. Their exact coverage differs; DNS filtering cannot reliably remove every ad served from the same domain as the content you want.

Neither tool scans every downloaded file or removes device malware. Surfshark One/One+ include a separate antivirus product on supported platforms. Android Private DNS or custom DNS settings can also interfere with a VPN’s own DNS filtering; Proton recommends appropriate automatic/off settings when using NetShield. When a site breaks, test the relevant filter before disabling the whole tunnel.

Secure Core and Dynamic MultiHop

Proton Secure Core routes traffic through hardened entry infrastructure before the exit server, aiming to reduce exposure if an exit is monitored. Surfshark Dynamic MultiHop lets users select entry and exit combinations within its supported routing options. Both introduce an additional VPN hop; neither adds a second independent VPN company to the trust model.

Rotating IP and Dedicated IP solve different problems

Surfshark Rotating IP changes the visible exit address on supported routes without deliberately ending the VPN session. It is incompatible with Dedicated IP, Static IP and MultiHop. Its Mac guidance includes wider city, country, region or worldwide rotation choices; a broader choice can change the visible country and disrupt services that expect a stable location. Check your actual app’s interval and geographic settings rather than assuming one interval on every platform.

A Dedicated IP add-on does the opposite: it provides a stable address for allowlisting and similar workflows. Its activation location and refund restrictions require attention, and the stable identifier reduces the crowd-sharing benefit of ordinary shared exits. Proton Moderate NAT addresses peer reachability instead; it is not an IP-rotation feature or dedicated address.

Identity tools are separate from tunnel privacy

Surfshark Alternative ID can reduce exposure of your everyday email and personal details in low-trust signups. One/One+ add eligible breach, scam and identity tools; September updates describe scam-text handling on Android and iOS with different workflows. Incogni sends data-removal requests in supported jurisdictions. These products do not make a logged-in account anonymous or guarantee that every data broker removes every record.

Buy the core plan if you primarily need a VPN. Consider a bundle when its supported tools replace something you would otherwise buy and work on your devices. Proton Plus’s narrower VPN focus can be preferable when you already have antivirus and identity monitoring elsewhere.

Devices, Apps and Split Tunneling

Proton Plus allows ten concurrent VPN connections, which is sufficient for many individual users and smaller households. Surfshark’s paid unlimited allowance removes that counting problem for larger households. This is a connection allowance, not permission to assume every protection product in a bundle has identical device or operating-system coverage.

Split tunneling needs a platform-specific comparison

Surfshark now has Mac Bypasser, so the older claim that split tunneling is limited to Windows and Android is inaccurate. Its iPhone implementation bypasses websites rather than arbitrary applications. Proton’s Mac implementation is experimental, with Safari/WebKit exclusions that can be unreliable. Verify the exact operating-system version, installer and protocol before relying on either for banking or work applications.

Split tunneling sends excluded traffic outside the tunnel. That can preserve access to a printer, local service or banking site, but the excluded application uses your ordinary connection. Proton’s kill-switch compatibility varies by platform; Windows supports the documented combination, while other configurations have restrictions. Test the actual bypass and reconnect behavior after an app update.

Both providers support major desktop/mobile platforms, selected TV systems and manual router workflows. A router can protect consoles or appliances that lack native apps, but it also becomes the throughput bottleneck and gives devices behind the tunnel a shared exit. Browser extensions are useful for browser-specific routing, while full apps cover a broader range of device traffic.

Torrenting, Port Forwarding and Gaming

Proton has the clearer advantage for inbound P2P connections

Proton paid P2P routes support NAT-PMP port forwarding through supported Windows, Linux and Mac/manual setups. Its Mac app implementation is described as early access. Forwarding can improve incoming peer reachability for seeding, but the assigned port may change when the VPN reconnects. Update your client’s listening port and keep any required manual lease process running.

Surfshark supports P2P traffic but does not provide inbound VPN port forwarding. Purchasing Dedicated IP does not change this, and configuring a home-router port cannot open the provider’s shared exit firewall. Outbound transfers can still work without forwarding; the difference matters most when your workflow needs incoming peers.

Use a supported kill switch and, where the client permits, bind the torrent application to the VPN interface. Check the binding after interface changes rather than assuming a one-time setup survives every upgrade. Our torrenting VPN guide explains forwarding and connection safeguards. Use P2P for content you have permission to share.

Gaming depends on the route, not the biggest fleet

Proton’s paid Moderate NAT option can improve peer reachability with a stated small privacy tradeoff. It is incompatible with port forwarding. Surfshark’s stable-address options may help allowlisting or repeated login verification, but neither a stable IP nor unlimited devices proves lower gaming latency.

Start with a nearby ordinary WireGuard connection and compare ping, jitter and packet loss with your baseline. Avoid IP rotation for a session that expects a stable address, and avoid multi-hop unless its privacy benefit matters more than added delay. Our gaming VPN guide covers route selection and practical setup.

Support and Troubleshooting

Surfshark offers a round-the-clock chat workflow plus email and detailed setup guides. Proton provides its help center and account/support contact routes, with contact options depending on account eligibility and availability. Surfshark’s visible live-assistance route is convenient for setup problems; we did not measure response times or resolution quality for either provider.

Before opening a ticket, record the operating-system version, app installer/version, protocol, exit location and whether the problem affects one site or all traffic. Test a second ordinary server, then a supported alternate protocol. For a site-specific failure, test filtering and split-tunneling settings individually. This gives support useful evidence without changing every setting at once.

For a TV issue, identify Fire OS versus Vega OS and whether you are using a native app, router tunnel or shared computer connection. For a billing issue, include the purchase channel, invoice and renewal date. Refund requests should explicitly request the refund rather than merely ask to stop auto-renewal.

A service suitable for occasional personal browsing may still lack the administration, access policies or support agreement needed for a business deployment. Evaluate the provider’s separate business offering when your requirement is centrally managed employee access rather than a personal consumer subscription.

Final Verdict: Choose the Features You Will Use

Choose Proton VPN for transparency, ongoing free access and paid P2P control. Its public annual reports, open-source production apps, broader recorded country footprint and included forwarding make it our recommendation when those criteria dominate. Ten paid connections remain enough for many readers.

Choose Surfshark for household scale, introductory value and flexible app tools. Unlimited paid connections, a lower checked Starter offer, Dynamic MultiHop, Rotating IP and supported post-quantum options are useful advantages. Consider its incident disclosure and verify annual renewal and platform coverage before deciding a bundle is better value.

For additional comparisons, see IPVanish vs ExpressVPN and IPVanish vs Private Internet Access. Different providers prioritize different billing, forwarding and device features; apply the same checkout and platform checks to each.

Frequently Asked Questions

Research and Source Notes