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Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team

ExpressVPN vs Surfshark Alert

ExpressVPN scores 9.3 and Surfshark Alert 9.0 out of 10. Compare their differences and shared features below.
ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN

Higher score in this comparison

9.3/10
Visit
Surfshark Alert

Surfshark Alert

9.0/10
Visit

Where ExpressVPN and Surfshark Alert differ

ExpressVPN vs Surfshark Alert
CompareExpressVPNExpressVPNReviewVisitVisitSurfshark AlertSurfshark AlertReviewVisitVisit
PlatformsWindows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, IPadOS, Android, Apple TV, Fire Stick, Android TV, Smart TVs, Routers, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, BraveWindows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Routers, Chromebook, Smart TVs, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation
ProtocolsLightway, WireGuardDoh
Logging policyNo activity or connection logs: browsing history, traffic destination, data content, DNS queries and user-linked IP addresses are not collected; RAM-only TrustedServer infrastructure, independently auditedNo-logs policy, independently verified by Deloitte in 2023 and 2025; RAM-only server network
JurisdictionVGNL
Privacy tool typePrivate dns, Ad blockerPrivate dns, Ad blocker, SearchCovers more
Price from€2.49Not confirmed
Free plan limitsNot confirmed7-day free trial, 3 devices
Open sourceNoNot confirmed

Same on both: Free plan (No).

We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings. Partners with a live offer in your country come first, then every other brand by score.

Key differences

  • ExpressVPN scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.0.
  • Platforms: only ExpressVPN offers IPadOS, Fire Stick, Brave.
  • Platforms: only Surfshark Alert offers Fire TV, Chromebook, Nintendo Switch.
  • Protocols: only ExpressVPN offers Lightway, WireGuard.
  • Protocols: only Surfshark Alert offers Doh.
  • Founded is lower at ExpressVPN: 2009 vs 2018.
  • Privacy tool type: only Surfshark Alert offers Search.

Our verdict on each

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN suits readers who want an audited no-logs VPN with broad server coverage, but its monthly plan and renewal terms sit above the field. The long-term plan lands at €2.49 a month, with servers in 113 countries and a subscription covering 10 to 14 devices.

Read the full ExpressVPN review

Surfshark Alert

Surfshark Alert ranks 2 of 54 brands on monthly price, with entry costs of €2.49 a month. It suits readers who want identity alerts, private DNS and ad blocking inside a single budget account rather than a large insurance payout after fraud.

Read the full Surfshark Alert review

Score breakdown

ExpressVPN vs Surfshark Alert
AreaExpressVPNSurfshark Alert
Cost9.3HigherThe monthly plan lists $2.99 and the longest plan advertises €2.49, with renewal billing at €79.95 above that opening rate.9.2Monthly price of €2.49, ranked 2 of 54 brands, with a 7-day trial standing in for a free plan.
Offer9.4HigherCovers 113 countries and 10 to 14 devices, with a 30 day refund window and audited no logs logging.9.2Insurance of $1,000,000 sits 10 of 45 brands, held up by private dns, ad blocker and search extras and chat, email and help centre support.
Privacy9.1Higher8.2

Which one suits you

Pick ExpressVPN if privacy matter most.

Pick Surfshark Alert if privacy tool type matter most.

Licences and countries

ExpressVPN vs Surfshark Alert
CountryExpressVPNSurfshark Alert
HeadquartersVirgin Islands, BritishNetherlands

What we checked

ExpressVPN

  • expressvpn.com: 12 facts, checked September 26, 2026

Surfshark Alert

  • surfshark.com: 12 facts, checked September 26, 2026

How they place

ExpressVPN vs Surfshark Alert
RankingExpressVPNSurfshark Alert
Privacy tools20 of 2818 of 281
Ad blockers and private DNS10 of 637 of 63

Every fact side by side

ExpressVPN vs Surfshark Alert
FactExpressVPNSurfshark Alert
Pricing modelNot confirmedBudget
Legal entityExpress Technologies Ltd.Surfshark B.V.
HeadquartersVirgin Islands, BritishNetherlands
Founded2009Lower2018
Support channelsChat, Email, Help centreChat, Email, Help centre

Where each stands against the rest

ExpressVPN vs Surfshark Alert
FactExpressVPNSurfshark AlertMedian
Price from€2.49lowest quarterNot confirmed€7.50

Median across 50 listed providers.

Pros and cons

ExpressVPN

Pros

  • The logging policy rules out activity and connection logs, and the audit behind it is KPMG 2025.
  • Lightway and WireGuard protocols, with a kill switch and split tunnelling in the same subscription.
  • Apps for Windows, macOS and Linux, covering desktop, mobile, TV and browsers.

Cons

  • There is no free plan, so any test of the service costs money from the start.
  • Renewal billing of €79.95 sits far above the €2.49 monthly rate on the longest plan.
  • The long-term plan price ranks 24 of 112 among the brands compared on price, so buyers on the tightest budget have cheaper options.

Surfshark Alert

Pros

  • Monthly price of €2.49 places Surfshark Alert 2 of 54 brands in our data, near the floor of the monthly prices we compare
  • Deloitte has independently audited the no-logs policy, and the server network runs in RAM rather than writing anything to disk, which is the main privacy claim to weigh
  • The same Surfshark subscription covers private dns, ad blocker and search alongside identity alerts, and it runs on Windows, macOS and Linux from phones to routers and consoles, so a single vendor covers monitoring and browsing

Cons

  • Phone support is not among its support channels (chat, email and help centre), which matters most when a fraud alert needs an answer the same day
  • Insurance of $1,000,000 ranks 10 of 45 brands, so a bigger payout means a bigger bill, as at Norton or LifeLock

Who each suits

ExpressVPN

Who it suits

  • Business users who need an audited no-logs policy and RAM only servers.
  • People who travel or stream and need broad country coverage in a single subscription.
  • Households that want the same account across desktops, phones, TVs and browsers.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Readers shopping for a cheaper privacy entry point, where Apple Inc. charges $0.99 a month.
  • Houses that want antivirus coverage alongside device protection, where ESET Brasil plans cover 3 to 25.
  • Anyone who actually wants a password manager rather than a VPN, where Sinew Software Systems charges $1.99 a month.

Surfshark Alert

Who it suits

  • Readers who mainly want alerts on their personal details rather than a large insurance payout, and who weigh the entry price before anything else on the plan
  • People already paying for Surfshark who want alerts, private DNS, ad blocking and private search in a single account instead of separate tools
  • Households that treat an audited no-logs policy and a RAM server network as part of identity protection, and who are comfortable starting on a short trial

Who should look elsewhere

  • LifeLock and Norton readers who rank the insurance payout first, since LifeLock runs $10.42 to $34.99 a month and Norton $34.99 a month
  • Allstate Identity Protection readers who want identity monitoring sold on its own at $3 a month rather than bundled with DNS and search
  • Readers who want a standing free tier, since the free plan is no and the trial is limited to 7-day free trial, 3 devices, so testing is short

Current offers

ExpressVPN

Current offer

  • Discount code

    Fall sports offer: Save 80%

    Limited-time offer on 2-year plans; amounts shown in EUR, sales tax applied at checkout where applicable

    Source, checked September 26, 2026

  • Discount code

    Basic plan, 2 Years + 4 Months: €2.49/mo, Save 80% (EUR 69.72 billed for the first 28 months)

    Then autorenews at EUR 79.95 annually; 30-day money-back guarantee for new users

    Source, checked September 26, 2026

Surfshark Alert

Current offer

  • Bonus

    3 extra months on 24-month plans: 27 months for the price of 24 (Starter €67.23, One €75.33, One+ €121.23)

    24-month Starter, One or One+ subscription; sale price applies to the first 27 months; VAT may apply

    Source, checked September 26, 2026

  • Free trial

    7-day free trial: 7 days free, then automatic paid renewal

    New users only, 12- and 24-month plans, payment details required (credit card, PayPal or Apple Pay), 3 devices during trial; plus 30-day money-back guarantee

    Source, checked September 26, 2026

Questions about each

ExpressVPN

How much does ExpressVPN cost at the start?+

The monthly plan lists $2.99 a month, and the longest plan advertises €2.49 a month across 28 months. Renewal billing is quoted separately at €79.95, which is the figure to budget for later. The advertised opening rate is the number most readers see first, and it is not the ongoing cost.

Does ExpressVPN have a free plan?+

There is no free plan, so there is no way to try the service without paying. The refund window is the practical substitute: 30 days from purchase to decide. Anything past that point carries the full subscription cost, so the timing of a trial matters.

Surfshark Alert

How much does Surfshark Alert cost each month?+

Surfshark Alert runs at €2.49 a month and ranks 2 of 54 brands on monthly price. A budget entry price draws most readers here, and the renewal figure is worth reading before you commit to a term.

Is there a free plan or a free trial?+

There is no free plan. The free trial lasts 7 days, and 7-day free trial, 3 devices sets the terms of that look. It is a short taste of the alerts rather than a free tier you can keep.

Other options to compare

ExpressVPN

Visit

Surfshark Alert

Visit