Comparisons VPN Comparison 2026
Proton VPN vs Surfshark: which VPN is better?
Two VPN providers side by side. They differ in 19 of 26 criteria. Here you can see where, and which one suits whom.
- Updated October 2026
- Compare all 9 providers
At a glance
Proton VPN
Best for: Anyone who values privacy, and anyone who wants to start for free.
- Free plan with no data limit and no ads
- Open source, based in Switzerland
- No-logs policy independently audited four times
Better than Surfshark at: Free plan, Open-source apps, Account without email address, Anonymous payment (cash, crypto)
Price: from €3.49 (2 years)
Visit Proton VPNAdSurfshark
Best for: Families and households with many devices who want to spend little.
- Unlimited simultaneous devices
- Very cheap with a long term
- Based in the EU (Netherlands)
Price: from €2.49 (2 years)
Visit SurfsharkAll criteria compared
Highlighted rows show where the two differ.
| Criterion | Proton VPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ||
| Free plan | Yes, no data limit, 1 device, 10 countries | No |
| Lowest monthly price | from €3.49 (2 years) | from €2.49 (2 years) |
| Price with monthly billing | €9.99 | €16.45 |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days | 30 days |
| Provider & privacy | ||
| Headquarters | Switzerland | Netherlands (EU) |
| Owned by | Proton AG (independent) | Nord Security (also NordVPN) |
| No-logs policy independently audited | Yes, most recently 2025 (Securitum) | Yes, most recently 2025 (Deloitte) |
| Open-source apps | Yes | No |
| Known incidents | None known | None known |
| Account without email address | Proton account required | No |
| Anonymous payment (cash, crypto) | Yes, cash by post, Bitcoin | Crypto |
| Technology | ||
| Protocols | WireGuard, OpenVPN, Stealth | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 |
| RAM-only servers | n/a | Yes |
| Kill switch | Yes | Yes |
| Split tunneling | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-hop (via two servers) | Yes (Secure Core) | Yes |
| Ad and tracker blocker | Yes (NetShield), from Plus | Yes (CleanWeb) |
| Obfuscation for restricted networks | Yes (Stealth) | Yes |
| Features | ||
| Simultaneous devices | 10 | unlimited |
| Server countries | over 140 | 100 |
| File sharing (P2P) allowed | Yes, from Plus | Yes |
| Streaming officially supported | Yes, from Plus | Yes |
| Extras | Tor over VPN, bundled with Mail, Drive and Pass | Rotating IP address, Alternative ID |
| Platforms | ||
| Windows, macOS, Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Android, iPhone | Yes | Yes |
| TVs and routers | Yes | Yes |
Strengths and weaknesses
Proton VPN
VPN from Switzerland with open-source apps, a repeatedly audited no-logs policy and the best free plan with no data limit.
- + Free plan with no data limit and no ads
- + Open source, based in Switzerland
- + No-logs policy independently audited four times
- + Secure Core routes traffic through specially protected servers
- – Free plan: 1 device and randomly chosen countries only
- – Monthly plan comparatively expensive
Surfshark
Affordable VPN based in the Netherlands, with unlimited devices and many extras even on the basic plan.
- + Unlimited simultaneous devices
- + Very cheap with a long term
- + Based in the EU (Netherlands)
- + Ad blocker and multi-hop included
- – Not open source
- – Renewal much more expensive than the introductory price
Our verdict
Both are a good choice, but for different needs. Proton VPN is best for: anyone who values privacy, and anyone who wants to start for free. Surfshark is best for: families and households with many devices who want to spend little.
All information comes from the providers’ websites and the sources listed in the full comparison, as of October 2026. Links marked “Ad” are affiliate links.