Surfshark vs PIA for Streaming: Which Is Better Value
Surfshark gives better value for streaming than Private Internet Access for most people, because it unblocked Prime Video, HBO Max and Disney+ in Cybernews testing where PIA did not. It also costs less, at £2.19 a month on its 12-month plan against £2.99 for PIA on the same term.
| Provider | Price a month, 12-month plan | A year on the 12-month plan | Latency | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surfshark | £2.19 | £26.28 | 17 ms | 96 Mbps |
| Private Internet Access | £2.99 | £35.88 | 22.2 ms | 96 Mbps |
Prices, latency and speeds in the table come from The VPN Advisor's own comparison data, last checked in September and October 2026.
PIA's streaming servers keep growing
PIA's app shows a separate set of Streaming Optimized servers for many countries, with US East and US West among them. PIA monitors these servers and retests them against the streaming services regularly. That network now covers 35 locations, up from 13, after PIA added 22 countries. South Korea, Mexico, France, New Zealand, Brazil, South Africa and Spain were among the countries to get the label for the first time.
Typing streaming into the app's location search brings these servers up. They arrived without an app update or a change of plan. Its wider network reaches 113 countries, and PIA advertises servers in every one of the 50 US states. City-level choices in the UK include London, Manchester, Southampton and Tottenham.
Speed results split by protocol
Cybernews recorded 763.8 Mbps for Surfshark on WireGuard, against 596.67 Mbps for PIA. OpenVPN TCP turned the order around, with PIA downloading at 32.8 Mbps to 25.8 Mbps.
In Surfshark's own speed test, a local server averaged 186.40 Mbps, against 201.89 Mbps with the VPN off. A US server averaged 180.51 Mbps and an Australian one 160.08 Mbps. Latency in that test rose from 34 ms locally to 98 ms in the US and 229 ms in Australia. When you don't pick a location, FastTrack connects you to the fastest server it can find.
Ad blocking, protocols and add-ons in each app
Each app blocks ads, trackers and malware, with CleanWeb doing it in Surfshark and MACE, included on every plan, in PIA. PIA offers WireGuard and OpenVPN. WireGuard, IKEv2 and OpenVPN all run in Surfshark, with post-quantum protection added on WireGuard. On macOS it adds Dausos, a proprietary protocol of its own.
SmartDNS, once Surfshark's way to unblock streaming on devices that can't run a VPN app, has been discontinued. Its split tunneling, called Bypasser, lets you choose which apps and sites skip the VPN. Its obfuscation hides VPN use on restrictive networks. PIA's version relies on SOCKS5 or Shadowsocks proxies and only works over OpenVPN.
Surfshark offers a dedicated IP at extra cost. It comes in 20 locations. Its Starter plan already includes the ad blocker, the kill switch and a generator for alternative identities. Its pricier plans bring in antivirus, Alert for breach monitoring and Incogni to remove your data. PIA charges $5 a month for a dedicated IP, $51 for a year or $90 for three years, Yahoo Tech reports. Its antivirus add-on runs only on Windows and costs $4.50 a month, $24 a year or $36 for three years, according to CNET.
Both providers offer support around the clock. Surfshark answers through live chat, email and a knowledge base, and PIA through live chat and email. PIA's app also reached the F-Droid store during its 2026 upgrades.
Privacy records differ by country
PIA publishes its apps as open source. Twice a court has tested its no-logs claim, and PIA had nothing to hand over. From October 14 to December 31, 2024, it answered 57 data requests with zero logs. Deloitte audited the policy too, publishing results in April 2024. Its home is the US, a member of Five Eyes.
Surfshark operates from the Netherlands and says the country has no mandatory data retention laws. Deloitte checked its no-logs policy in 2023 and again in 2025. Cure53 audited the security of its server infrastructure.
Price and renewal on each plan
A year of PIA costs £9.60 more than a year of Surfshark on their 12-month plans, as our Surfshark vs Private Internet Access comparison shows. Surfshark backs its plans with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Gizmodo lists the renewal of Surfshark's 27-month Starter plan at a higher price than its first term as a drawback. Gizmodo says PIA charges $56.94 a year in US dollars once the first 26 months of its 2-year plan are over. By Gizmodo's 2026 check, PIA's monthly plan costs $11.99, and its 6-month plan works out at $7.50 a month, billed as $45 every 6 months.
Surfshark for most streamers, PIA for streaming servers abroad
Pick Surfshark if you stream Prime Video, HBO Max or Disney+, since it got into all three in Cybernews testing and costs less each year. Expect its Starter plan to renew higher, and no SmartDNS for a TV without an app.
Choose Private Internet Access if you watch Netflix, Hulu or BBC iPlayer from one of its 35 Streaming Optimized locations, or you want open source apps and a no-logs policy tested in court. It costs more each year, and its US base puts it inside Five Eyes.
