PIA and Surfshark are built for different people. PIA focuses on court-tested transparency and granular customization. Surfshark opened VPN use up to more people with unlimited connections and easy-to-use features.
Private Internet Access is a US-based VPN that had no user logs to hand over in three court cases. Deloitte audited it in 2025. Suits budget power users.
Surfshark is a lower-priced VPN with unlimited device connections and a no-logs policy verified twice by Deloitte. It suits households with many devices.
PIA and Surfshark are built for different people. PIA focuses on court-tested transparency and granular customization. Surfshark opened VPN use up to more people with unlimited connections and easy-to-use features.
The device limits differ sharply. Surfshark allows unlimited simultaneous connections. PIA's limit is 10 devices. Even so, families are better served by Surfshark. PIA has a proven record in court. Surfshark follows conventional business practices and standard privacy policies.
PIA gives you granular control over encryption levels, protocols and connection settings. Surfshark keeps things simple, with features like CleanWeb and MultiHop. PIA runs over 35,000 servers against Surfshark's 3,200+. Surfshark still often comes out ahead on server quality and streaming optimization.
Surfshark is clearly better for streaming, with dedicated geo-unblocking resources. PIA takes a general approach. Its results have improved but are less consistent. Surfshark's apps are more intuitive. PIA's technical depth can overwhelm casual users.
| Feature | Private Internet Access | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
Ad & Tracker Blocking | ||
Anonymous Payment Methods | ||
Connection Protocols | ||
Custom VPN Protocols | ||
Customer Support Availability | ||
Dedicated IP Option | ||
Encryption Standard | ||
Independent Audits | ||
IPv6 Leak Protection | ||
Kill Switch | ||
Multi-Hop | ||
No-logs Policy | ||
Open Source Apps | ||
RAM-only Servers | ||
Simultaneous Connections | ||
Split Tunneling | ||
Streaming Support | ||
Support Channels | ||
Torrenting Support |
Pick based on your household size and how technical you are. Choose PIA if you're technically inclined and don't need unlimited connections. You get court-tested transparency and maximum customization. Choose Surfshark if you have a large household and want unlimited device protection in easy apps with solid streaming performance. For families and mainstream users, Surfshark is more accessible and better value in practice.
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