Surfshark and ProtonVPN are built on completely different philosophies. Surfshark opened up VPN access to more people with unlimited connections and budget-friendly pricing. ProtonVPN came from the privacy-first team…
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.
ProtonVPN is a Swiss VPN from the Proton Mail team with open-source apps and a free tier that has no data cap or ads. It suits privacy-first users.
Surfshark and ProtonVPN are built on completely different philosophies. Surfshark opened up VPN access to more people with unlimited connections and budget-friendly pricing. ProtonVPN came from the privacy-first team behind ProtonMail and takes an uncompromising approach to user anonymity.
ProtonVPN is far ahead on free use. Its free tier gives unlimited bandwidth (with speed restrictions), while Surfshark offers a 7-day free trial. ProtonVPN's unique feature is Secure Core, which routes traffic through privacy-friendly countries. Surfshark answers with CleanWeb ad-blocking and MultiHop double VPN. On device connections the two are far apart: Surfshark allows unlimited, while ProtonVPN uses a tiered approach.
Surfshark is better for streaming, with dedicated resources for geo-unblocking. ProtonVPN's streaming is improving but inconsistent. ProtonVPN has the stronger privacy credentials: Swiss privacy laws, open-source apps and an independently audited no-logs policy. Surfshark is significantly more affordable, especially given its unlimited device connections.
| Feature | Surfshark | ProtonVPN |
|---|---|---|
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 |
Your priorities decide the winner. Choose Surfshark for unlimited device protection, excellent streaming and budget-friendly pricing for the whole family. Choose ProtonVPN if you're a privacy advocate who values Swiss privacy laws and a strong free tier and doesn't put streaming or device count first. For most people who want practical value from a VPN, Surfshark gives more bang for the buck.
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