Updated September 29, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
Avast vs Surfshark
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Avast |  Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $4.99 | €2.49 |
| Long-term plan price | $3.99 | €2.49 |
| Server countries | 74 | 100Higher |
| Jurisdiction | CZ | NL |
| Protocols | OpenVPN, IPsec | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, Dausos |
| Platforms | Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, RoutersCovers more |
| Owner | Gen Digital Inc. | Nord Security |
| Longest plan (months) | 36 monthsHigher | 27 months |
| Devices | 1 to 10 | Not confirmed |
| No-logs audit | Not confirmed | Deloitte 2025 |
| Renewal price | $77.99 to $99.99 | Not confirmed |
| Streaming services | Built for streaming, downloads, and everything else you do online, Up to 2 Gbps for 4K streaming and big downloads | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Money-back period (30 days), Features (Kill switch, Split tunnelling, Multi hop).
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Key differences
- Surfshark scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 9.0.
- Server countries is higher at Surfshark: 100 vs 74.
- Protocols: only Avast offers IPsec.
- Protocols: only Surfshark offers WireGuard, IKEv2, Dausos.
- Platforms: only Surfshark offers Linux, Android TV, Apple TV.
- Longest plan (months) is higher at Avast: 36 months vs 27 months.
- Support channels: only Avast offers Community, Phone.
- Support channels: only Surfshark offers Email, Chat.
- Founded is lower at Avast: 1988 vs 2018.
- Features: only Avast offers Travel.
Our verdict on each
Avast
Avast suits households and travellers who want antivirus and a VPN from a single supplier, and its free version covers a surprising share of the basics. Premium Security opens at $49.99 to $69.99 for the first year, covering 1 to 10 devices on Windows, macOS and Android.
Surfshark
Surfshark suits households and small teams that want a wide network at a modest rate, and it reaches further than most rivals at this price. Its long-term plan price is €2.49, under the site median for long-term plans, €3.97, and every purchase carries a 30 money-back window.
Score breakdown
| Area | Avast | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.2Intro $49.99 to $69.99 sits near the €49.95 median for the category, and monthly SecureLine pricing of $4.99 is under €7.89. | 9.6HigherSurfshark's long-term plan price of €2.49 undercuts the site median €3.97, while the monthly plan at €2.49 keeps entry low. |
| Offer | 8.8 | 9.5HigherThe plan bundles private dns, ad blocker and search with a 7 trial and a 30 money-back window. |
| Privacy | 9.2Higher | 8.7 |
The numbers side by side
| Fact | Avast | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Server countries | 74 | 100 |
| Money-back period | 30 days | 30 days |
| Longest plan (months) | 36 months | 27 months |
Side by side, item by item
| Features | Avast | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Kill switch | Yes | Yes |
| Split tunnelling | Yes | Yes |
| Multi hop | Yes | Yes |
Licences and countries
| Country | Avast | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Czechia | Netherlands |
How they place
| Ranking | Avast | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| VPNs | 41 of 232 | 12 of 232 |
| Identity theft protection | 25 of 117 | 7 of 117 |
| Privacy tools | 36 of 280 | 7 of 280 |
| Private browsers and search engines | 12 of 55 | 3 of 55 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Avast | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Features | No logs, Streaming, TravelCovers more | No logs, Streaming |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Business |
| Pricing model | Free | Budget |
| Legal entity | Avast Software s.r.o. | Surfshark B.V. |
| Headquarters | Czechia | Netherlands |
| Founded | 1988Lower | 2018 |
| Support channels | Help centre, Community, Phone | Email, Chat, Help centre |
Privacy tools
| Fact | Avast | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €3.33 | Not confirmed |
| Free plan | YesHas it | No |
| Free plan limits | Free Antivirus free indefinitely; app may prompt reactivation of the free subscription after 12 months; includes Free Cleanup, Free BreachGuard and a 60-day SecureLine VPN trial (payment method required to activate the VPN trial). | 7-day free trial, 3 devices |
| Logging policy | States it does not sell users' personal data; security products send suspicious files to Avast Threat Labs for analysis and AntiTrack/BreachGuard block advertiser tracking. | No-logs policy, independently verified by Deloitte in 2023 and 2025; RAM-only server network |
| Privacy tool type | Browser | Private dns, Ad blocker, Search |
Identity protection
| Fact | Avast | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance amount | Not confirmed | $1,000,000 |
| Free trial length | 60 daysHigher | 7 days |
Data removal
| Fact | Avast | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Yearly price | Not confirmed | €121.23 |
| Countries covered | Not confirmed | United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Avast | Surfshark | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devices | 1 to 10at the median | Not confirmed | 10 |
| Server countries | 74above the median | 100highest quarter | 62 |
| Renewal price | $77.99 to $99.99highest quarter | Not confirmed | $12 |
| Money-back period | 30 daysat the median | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
| Longest plan (months) | 36 monthshighest quarter | 27 monthshighest quarter | 12 months |
Median across 139 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Avast
Pros
- The free version is not a trial: it includes Free Cleanup, Free BreachGuard and a 60 SecureLine VPN trial.
- Premium Security covers 1 to 10 devices on Windows, macOS and Android, so a single licence handles a mixed household.
- SecureLine VPN spans 74 server countries over OpenVPN and IPsec, with a kill switch, split tunnelling and multi hop on top.
Cons
- Renewal is the sting: $77.99 to $99.99 once the first term ends.
- The paid plan spans 1 to 10 devices while the typical free antivirus listed spans 10, so paying buys features rather than device count.
- Support runs on help centre, community and phone only.
Surfshark
Pros
- Servers in 100 countries, ranking 7 on coverage among 62 brands compared.
- The no-logs policy is independently verified by Deloitte, with the current audit listed as Deloitte 2025.
- A single subscription covers Windows, macOS and Linux.
Cons
- There is no free plan, so the 7-day free trial, 3 devices is the only way to try Surfshark before paying.
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre only, with no phone line for urgent problems.
- Price-first readers have cheaper options: MEGA lists $1.67 and Sinew Software Systems lists $1.99 for a long-term plan.
Who each suits
Avast
Who it suits
- Budget-first households that want a permanent free baseline rather than a countdown, with Premium Security as the upgrade.
- People who stream and travel, since SecureLine is listed for no-logs, streaming and travel and reaches 74 server countries.
- Buyers weighing a long commitment: SecureLine sells monthly at $4.99 or on a long-term plan at $3.99 with a 30 day refund window.
Who should look elsewhere
- Apple Inc., whose built-in protection covers iOS, iPadOS and macOS and suits readers already inside that ecosystem.
- Comodo (Xcitium), whose free plan reaches 50 and fits teams needing raw endpoint count.
- ESET Brasil, whose first-year price of BRL 64.22 is quoted in reais for readers buying in Brazil.
Surfshark
Who it suits
- Households covering several device types, with apps across Windows, macOS and Linux.
- Small teams priced for business, with 100 server countries and privacy extras of private dns, ad blocker and search in one subscription.
- Readers who put audit evidence first, since the no-logs policy is verified by Deloitte and the current audit is Deloitte 2025.
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers chasing the lowest long-term rate, where MEGA at $1.67 and Sinew Software Systems at $1.99 sit lower.
- Buyers looking for antivirus rather than a network, where ESET Brasil is the comparison to read, with 40 to 70 server countries in its coverage.
Current offers
Avast
Current offer
First period offer
Save 36% on first year, single device (US): $49.99 first year vs $77.99 renewal
US store page, Windows PC or Mac single-device plan, 30-day money-back guarantee
Source, checked September 26, 2026
First period offer
Save 30% on first year, 10 devices (US): $69.99 first year vs $99.99 renewal
US store page, 10-device plan
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Discount code
Holiday promo code applied in Buy now links: WD-HOLIDAYPROMO21
Appears as promocode parameter in the US Buy now links for Premium Security
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
Try Premium Security free for 30 days: 30 days, no credit card needed
US page, Windows PC plan
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
Try Premium Security free for 60 days: 60 days, $0 at checkout
US page, Mac plan, promocode AVAST_TRIAL_60
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Surfshark
Current offer
Bonus
+3 EXTRA months, Save 85% on Surfshark Starter: Starter EUR 2.49/mo., sale price EUR 67.23 for the first 27 months (old price EUR 444.15)
24-month plans, VAT may apply, 30-day money-back guarantee
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
7-day free trial: 7 days free on 3 devices
Available on all 12-month and 24-month plans; payment by credit card, Apple Pay or PayPal
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Avast | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | No | Yes |
| Aland Islands | No | Yes |
| Albania | No | Yes |
| Algeria | No | Yes |
| American Samoa | No | Yes |
| Andorra | No | Yes |
| Angola | No | Yes |
| Anguilla | No | Yes |
8 of 250 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
Avast
How much does Avast cost in the first year?+
Premium Security sells at $49.99 to $69.99 for the introductory year, and Avast also lists an entry point of €3.33 in its store. The first-year figure is a launch price rather than the ongoing rate, so budget for what follows it. Avast ranks 13 of 36 brands on first-year price.
What does Avast charge when the subscription renews?+
Renewal lands higher than the introductory year: $77.99 to $99.99 against a first year of $49.99 to $69.99. Across the brands listed, Avast sits 7 of 22 on renewal price, a stronger position than its entry rank. Anyone staying past the first term should compare renewal, not the launch discount.
Surfshark
What does Surfshark cost month to month and on a long commitment?+
Surfshark's monthly plan is listed at €2.49 and the yearly plan at €121.23. The longest plan runs 27 months, which brings the monthly rate to €2.49, below the site median for long-term plans, €3.97. A 30 money-back window sits behind the longer commitments.
Is there a free plan, or only a trial?+
The free plan is no, so nothing runs indefinitely at no cost. What is offered is a 7 trial, and the stated free plan limits read 7-day free trial, 3 devices. After that trial ends, the 30 money-back window is the route to a full refund if the service does not fit your setup.
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