Updated September 29, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
Avira vs Surfshark
Where Avira and Surfshark differ
| Compare |  Avira |  Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | €5.95 | €2.49Lower |
| Long-term plan price | €4.00 | €2.49Lower |
| Server countries | 36 | 100Higher |
| Money-back period | 60 daysHigher | 30 days |
| Jurisdiction | DE | NL |
| Features | Kill switch | Kill switch, Split tunnelling, Multi hopCovers more |
| Platforms | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Routers |
| Owner | Gen Digital Inc. | Nord Security |
| Longest plan (months) | 12 months | 27 monthsHigher |
| Devices | 5 | Not confirmed |
| No-logs audit | Not confirmed | Deloitte 2025 |
| Renewal price | €87.95 | Not confirmed |
| Protocols | Not confirmed | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, Dausos |
| Streaming services | Streaming services (vendor claim: unblocks access to geo restricted services) | Not confirmed |
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Surfshark scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 9.2.
- Monthly price is lower at Surfshark: €2.49 vs €5.95.
- Long-term plan price is lower at Surfshark: €2.49 vs €4.00.
- Server countries is higher at Surfshark: 100 vs 36.
- Features: only Surfshark offers Split tunnelling, Multi hop.
- Platforms: only Avira offers Mac.
- Platforms: only Surfshark offers MacOS, Linux, Android TV.
- Longest plan (months) is higher at Surfshark: 27 months vs 12 months.
- Support channels: only Avira offers Community.
- Support channels: only Surfshark offers Email, Chat.
Our verdict on each
Avira
Avira suits readers who want antivirus, a VPN and a password manager under one subscription, and who keep paying after the first year. The annual antivirus plan opens at €47.95 and renews at €87.95, so the renewal figure is the one to plan around.
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 | Avira | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.1Monthly billing sits at €5.95, and renewal at €87.95 outweighs the lower entry price. | 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 | 9.0Extras add vpn and password manager, a 30 day trial and a 60 day money-back window. | 9.5HigherThe plan bundles private dns, ad blocker and search with a 7 trial and a 30 money-back window. |
| Privacy | 9.8Higher | 8.7 |
What each covers
| Features | Avira | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Kill switch | Yes | Yes |
| Split tunnelling | No | Yes |
| Multi hop | No | Yes |
Licences and countries
| Country | Avira | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Germany | Netherlands |
How they place
| Ranking | Avira | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| VPNs | 27 of 232 | 12 of 232 |
| Identity theft protection | 16 of 117 | 7 of 117 |
| Privacy tools | 25 of 280 | 7 of 280 |
| Ad blockers and private DNS | 13 of 63 | 6 of 63 |
| Private browsers and search engines | 8 of 55 | 3 of 55 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Avira | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Features | No logs, Streaming, TravelCovers more | No logs, Streaming |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Business |
| Pricing model | Free | Budget |
| Legal entity | Avira Operations GmbH | Surfshark B.V. |
| Headquarters | Germany | Netherlands |
| Founded | 1986Lower | 2018 |
| Support channels | Help centre, Community | Email, Chat, Help centre |
Privacy tools
| Fact | Avira | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | YesHas it | No |
| Free plan limits | 500 MB/month data (Phantom VPN free) | 7-day free trial, 3 devices |
| Logging policy | Strict no-logs policy; browsing activity not tracked and data not sold to third parties | No-logs policy, independently verified by Deloitte in 2023 and 2025; RAM-only server network |
| Open source | No | Not confirmed |
| Privacy tool type | Ad blocker, Browser | Private dns, Ad blocker, Search |
Password managers
| Fact | Avira | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Security audit | AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives test certifications, antivirus products only (2020) | Not confirmed |
| Encryption | 256-bit encryption, bank-grade | Not confirmed |
Parental controls
| Fact | Avira | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Yearly price | Not confirmed | €121.23 |
Identity protection
| Fact | Avira | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance amount | Not confirmed | $1,000,000 |
| Free trial length | 30 daysHigher | 7 days |
Data removal
| Fact | Avira | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Countries covered | Not confirmed | United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Avira | Surfshark | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | €5.95below the median | €2.49lowest quarter | €7.99 |
| Long-term plan price | €4.00above the median | €2.49lowest quarter | €3.99 |
| Devices | 5below the median | Not confirmed | 10 |
| Server countries | 36below the median | 100highest quarter | 62 |
| Renewal price | €87.95above the median | Not confirmed | €69.99 |
| Money-back period | 60 dayshighest quarter | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
Median across 132 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Avira
Pros
- A free version and a free password manager plan sit alongside the paid tiers
- A single subscription covers 5 devices across Windows, Mac and Android
- The bundle adds vpn and password manager to the antivirus plan
Cons
- Renewal runs at €87.95 against a first year of €47.95
- Support runs on help centre and community only
- Free usage is capped at 500 MB/month data (Phantom VPN free)
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
Avira
Who it suits
- Readers who want antivirus, a VPN and a password manager from a single subscription.
- Small households that fit within 5 devices and want a free version to fall back on.
- People who want coverage on Windows, Mac and Android without managing separate vendors.
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers who need wider device coverage: Comodo (Xcitium) lists 50 devices.
- Readers shopping in Brazil, where ESET Brasil prices its first year at BRL 64.22.
- Readers already inside the Apple ecosystem, where iOS, iPadOS and macOS are covered.
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
Avira
Current offer
Free trial
Not ready to commit? Get FREE 30-day access to all our Premium products: 30 days free
No credit card required; email address required; homepage legal text states that for trials a payment method is required at sign-up and is charged at the end of the trial unless cancelled first
Source, checked September 26, 2026
First period offer
Big savings. Strong online security: 45% off Avira Prime: 45% off the first year of Avira Prime (up to 5 devices)
Applies to the first annual period; subscription automatically renews at the renewal price unless the renewal is cancelled
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 | Avira | 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
Avira
What does Avira cost in the first year, and what happens at renewal?+
The annual antivirus plan is €47.95 for the first year and renews at €87.95. Monthly VPN billing is €5.95, and the long-term VPN plan runs €4.00. The step up at renewal is the part worth budgeting for if you stay subscribed.
Is there a free Avira version?+
Yes. Avira offers a free version of the antivirus, and the password manager has a free plan as well. The free VPN is capped at 500 MB/month data (Phantom VPN free), so it suits light use rather than everyday browsing. The free tiers give you a way to sample the products before paying.
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.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
- Avira vs NordVPN
- Avira vs NordVPN Threat Protection
- Avira vs WEBROOT master
- Avira vs Qwant
- Avira vs Kaspersky
- Avira vs Kaspersky Latam
- Avira vs Kaspersky
- Avira vs NordPass
- Avira vs ESET Brasil
- Avira vs ESET
- Avira vs SpyHunter
- Avira vs Surfshark One (Antivirus)
- Avira vs Proton
- Avira vs Proton Pass
- Surfshark vs Proton Mail
- Avira vs AdGuard