Surfshark vs Proton VPN: which one is better in 2026

One of the most popular VPNs on the market – Surfshark – is known for its affordable plans and state-of-the-art security suites. Meanwhile, Proton VPN is widely regarded as a transparent and privacy-focused VPN, which also offers a reliable free version. Both VPNs offer top-tier security and performance; however, which one is better when it comes to your specific needs?

To help you answer that efficiently, I’ve prepared a detailed Surfshark vs Proton VPN comparison. Here, you’ll discover which option comes out on top in 2026, based on security, speed, content unblocking, ease of use, and pricing.

Although Proton VPN stands out for its bulletproof transparency and advanced security features, my tests consistently showed Surfshark to be the more versatile VPN overall. It delivers robust protection, lightning-fast speeds, and reliable content-unblocking performance. Read on to see which VPN matches your needs the best.

Overview: Surfshark vs Proton VPN

Winner

Surfshark

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In this comparison article, I take a closer look at two top-tier VPNs regarded for their excellent price-to-quality ratios and advanced security measures. Proton VPN stands out as one of not many open-source VPNs, with a strong focus on users’ privacy. It also offers a popular free plan, making it an attractive option for users with basic cybersecurity needs.

On the other hand, Surfshark combines versatility with budget-friendly pricing. It offers consistently fast speeds, robust digital security, reliable content unblocking, and intuitive apps. Even better, you get unlimited simultaneous connections, with plans starting at only a couple of dollars.

Background and jurisdiction

Neither of these two VPNs has ever experienced a privacy breach, which is the first sign of a well-built infrastructure. Another crucial detail is that both Surfshark and Proton VPN follow strict no-logs policies, which were independently audited more than once.

Surfshark’s privacy policy was assessed by Deloitte in 2023 and 2025. Meanwhile, Proton VPN has been going through annual audits since 2022 by Securitum.

Let’s address this upfront: Surfshark is headquartered in the Netherlands, a member of the Nine Eyes intelligence alliance. While this may initially raise concerns for privacy-focused users, it’s worth noting that Surfshark employs RAM-only servers. As a result, any data is wiped with every system reboot, leaving nothing behind to be accessed or inspected.

Additionally, as Surfshark’s transparency report states, the provider gets hundreds of thousands of requests for user data. However, none of them have resulted in the disclosure of user-related information.

Meanwhile, Proton VPN is located in Switzerland – a most favorable country for complete privacy. According to Proton VPN’s transparency report, the provider can’t log user data, even when faced with information requests, due to Swiss law and its strict privacy policy.

Also, Proton VPN is among a small number of VPN services that use open-source software. This means that it allows the public to review the source code for its Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS applications on GitHub.

All in all, Proton VPN surpasses Surfshark when it comes to user privacy. Not only that it’s located in a privacy-friendly country, but it also uses open-source software, goes through annual independent audits, and follows a strict no-logs policy.

Winner

Proton VPN

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Security features and encryption ciphers

Surfshark and Proton VPN are some of the most secure VPN providers, offering both essential and additional VPN features to elevate your digital safety to new heights. Both VPNs employ AES-256 encryption ciphers, ensuring your data remains virtually untraceable. However, encryption is not all – they also include these security features:

Features such as advanced encryption, a functional kill switch, DNS leak protection, and split tunneling already make these VPNs strong candidates for your protection.

However, both VPNs also offer additional features for extra security. For example, Surfshark uses RAM-only servers. This means that any logged data is removed with each system reboot. On the other hand, Proton VPN uses the Forward Secrecy technology, which generates a new encryption key for each of your browsing sessions. This way, you remain secure even if some of the keys get compromised over time.

Proton VPN also offers the NetShield feature, which blocks malicious ads, trackers, and websites. However, Surfshark offers a nearly identical feature through its CleanWeb feature.

One of the standout integrations I found during this comparison is Surfshark’s Antivirus. Available with the Surfshark One and One+ bundles, this security suite offers device scanning, real-time protection, web protection, webcam protection, and ransomware protection. So, if you’re also considering subscribing to an antivirus, Surfshark might be your answer to it all.

Server network and specialty servers

Proton VPN offers a massive server network of 16,700+ servers in 127 countries, compared to Surfshark’s 4,500+ servers in 100 countries, which is also impressive. Nevertheless, no less important are specialty servers, which add necessary protection in certain cases:

Both VPNs are missing certain specialized server types that the other offers. For example, Surfshark does not include Onion over VPN (also known as Tor over VPN) servers, which allow access to hidden websites on the Tor network.

On the other hand, Proton VPN doesn’t provide individual users with a dedicated IP – the feature is only available for businesses.

Surfshark, however, provides both dedicated and static IP options. A dedicated IP is an IP address that’s exclusively assigned to you, while a static IP ensures you always connect to the same IP address in selected locations.

Surfshark’s MultiHop feature (double VPN) allows you to route your traffic through two VPN servers, offering flexibility by letting you choose any entry server or set up individual server pairs. In contrast, Proton VPN’s Secure Core routes traffic through servers located exclusively in privacy-friendly countries, providing a more restrictive but security-focused double VPN setup.

Another important detail is that both VPNs offer obfuscated servers, which hide your IP address without exposing the fact that you’re using a VPN. This feature is particularly useful in restrictive countries or on networks that actively block VPN traffic.

Winner

Surfshark

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Subscription costs and value for money

When it comes to value for money, Surfshark outperforms Proton VPN. While Proton VPN includes a free option, Surfshark’s annual plans are cheaper, begin from $1.99/month, and offer better overall value. Moreover, Surfshark’s plans differ by both duration and included security tools, while Proton VPN’s – only by duration.

Below, you’ll find a comparison table where I place Surfshark’s and Proton VPN’s pricing plans side by side:

Surfshark offers cheaper 1-year and 2-year plans than Proton VPN. You can get the best value for your money with 2-year subscriptions, where Surfshark prices start from from $1.99/month and Proton VPN costs from $2.49/month. However, Proton VPN does offer cheaper monthly tiers. You can get it for $9.99/month with Proton VPN, while Surfshark offers it for $15.45/month.

Proton VPN also offers a free plan. While this is one of the top freemium VPNs, you get only basic security features, there’s one device per account allowance, and a small server network. This means that neither can you strongly enhance your online presence nor get to unblock geo-fenced content.

During my testing, I found that combining Surfshark’s 7-day free trial with its 30-day money-back guarantee provided a noticeably better free experience. Thanks to this combo, I was able to access major geo-restricted streaming platforms, use all available Surfshark’s features, and connect unlimited devices at once.

Overall, Surfshark provides better value for money. Its pricing is affordable, and you can choose a plan that includes only the features you actually need. While Proton VPN is still among the more budget-friendly VPNs, its more rigid pricing structure and slightly higher plan costs make it a less cost-effective choice.

Winner

Surfshark

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Speed performance and connection reliability

Although both VPNs employ the WireGuard tunneling protocol, Surfshark consistently retains faster connection speed than Proton VPN across different servers. I tried both providers using servers in the US, UK, and Japan to see how much the distance affects the connection.

Surfshark’s fastest tunneling protocol helped me retain 93% of my initial connection speed on average. I didn’t notice any significant lagging whether I was browsing, gaming, or streaming. In comparison, Proton VPN managed to retain 83% of my baseline speed on average, with minor speed drops.

The speed tests were performed on a 1000 Mbps connection. Starting from the most popular VPN server location – the US – Surfshark outperformed Proton VPN by almost 100 Mbps. This means it also allowed me to stream US content more steadily.

This performance advantage continues across two out of three major server locations listed in the table, with Surfshark exceeding Proton VPN speeds by at least 100 Mbps. As a result, Surfshark stands out as the better option if you’re looking for a VPN that delivers fast and stable connections.

Both VPNs support the same set of tunneling protocols, including WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. For optimal performance and security ratio, I suggest using WireGuard, while OpenVPN is better for configuration flexibility.

However, even if Proton VPN has a larger server network, Surfshark remains faster and delivers top-tier performance. It all comes to a better infrastructure, routing efficiency, user distribution, and other game-changing details.

Winner

Surfshark

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Unblocking capabilities for streaming services

If you want to stream geo-restricted content, both Surfshark and Proton VPN can help you do that. Although Surfshark can unblock a larger variety of platforms, Proton VPN is also a strong streaming VPN option when it comes to the most popular streaming services.

Surfshark maintains faster connection speeds, which directly enhances streaming quality. With Surfshark, I could watch movies, TV shows, and live streams without any lag, even when accessing content from across the globe. In contrast, streaming with Proton VPN was slightly less seamless, though I was still able to enjoy videos, despite occasional minor connection hiccups.

Another Surfshark’s strength in the streaming area is the smart DNS feature. With it, you can easily unblock geo-fenced content even on devices that initially don’t support VPNs. This is a huge advantage for users who own older smart TVs, streaming sticks, or gaming consoles.

Some users turn to free VPNs to access geo-restricted streaming platforms. However, even a reputable freemium option like Proton VPN was unable to unblock content when using its free app. The main issue is its limited server network, so servers quickly become overcrowded and are easily detected and blocked by streaming services.

Putting it all together, both VPNs are strong at content unblocking and the winner strongly depends on your needs. If you’re looking for a streaming VPN that can help you access even less mainstream platforms, streams videos flawlessly, and works on non-VPN devices – Surfshark is your winner.

Winner

Surfshark

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Support for torrenting and file sharing

As monitoring of torrenting activity continues to intensify, using a VPN for file downloads has become essential. Luckily, both Surfshark and Proton VPN support P2P servers, which not only enhances your privacy, but also helps you prevent targeted attacks and reduces your traffic.

Apart from P2P servers, Proton VPN premium plans also include the port forwarding feature. While many industry-leading providers avoid implementing port forwarding to their suites, Proton VPN eliminates security risks by routing your connection through a firewall. Even though Surfshark doesn’t include port forwarding, it has a built-in antivirus, which scans your files for malware.

During the test, Surfshark once again took the edge regarding the download speed; however, I didn’t notice any significant speed drops with Proton VPN as well. To assess their performance, I downloaded three different torrents, with their sizes going from 5 GB to 64 GB, using several different P2P server locations.

To conclude, the two are both powerful torrenting VPNs that support P2P servers and provide additional features. While Proton VPN stands out as one of not many port forwarding VPNs, Surfshark makes sure your downloaded files are malware-free. However, Surfshark also retains better download speeds, allowing it to take a step further than Proton VPN.

Winner

Surfhark

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User experience and interface design

Whether you’re looking for your first VPN or something to transfer to, both Proton VPN and Surfshark offer eye-catching and intuitive applications. While one greets you with a minimalistic and beginner-friendly interface, Proton VPN combines ease of use with more advanced customization options.

Once you launch Surfshark, the main screen is only for the search tab, server list, and the connection status, making it easy to find your way to the target server location. On the left side of the desktop app, you can also see different sections for Alternative ID, Alert, Antivirus, and settings. There’s no place for getting lost – only a straightforward road to better security.

On the other hand, Proton VPN places all essential features front and center. The app includes an interactive map for selecting server locations and displays connection status directly below. It also offers a compact menu that lets you instantly enable the kill switch, NetShield, port forwarding, split tunneling, or access the settings.

On mobile devices, both VPNs offer simplified versions of their desktop apps. The main menus sit at the bottom of the screen, and accessing security features requires leaving the main screen and making a few extra taps.

They support a similar range of devices, including desktops, mobiles, and streaming devices, though Proton VPN covers more browsing extensions. With it, you can get a VPN extension not only on Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, but also on Chromium, Opera, Vivaldi, and more.

One of Surfshark’s key advantages is its unlimited simultaneous connections, while Proton VPN limits premium users to up to 10 parallel connections. Meanwhile, free Proton VPN users can only protect themselves on a single device at a time.

Winner

draw

Final thoughts: which service deserves your data?

In this Surfshark vs Proton VPN comparison, Surfshark is the clear winner, being a more versatile option, suitable for different categories of users.

Proton VPN excels in transparency and privacy. Its Switzerland-based jurisdiction, open-source apps, and annual audits make it an excellent choice for users who prioritize maximum privacy. Moreover, its free plan is also one of the best available for basic protection, though it comes with notable limitations.

Surfshark, however, stands out as the more well-rounded VPN overall. It delivers consistently faster speeds, stronger streaming performance, a diverse security suite, and better value for money. Features like unlimited simultaneous connections, smart DNS, RAM-only servers, and antivirus integration make Surfshark a versatile solution.