Updated September 29, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
ExpressVPN vs Surfshark
ExpressVPN vs Surfshark: the differences
| Compare |  ExpressVPN |  Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $2.99 | €2.49 |
| Server countries | 113Higher | 100 |
| No-logs audit | KPMG 2025 | Deloitte 2025 |
| Jurisdiction | VG | NL |
| Protocols | Lightway, WireGuard | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, Dausos |
| Features | Kill switch, Split tunnelling | Kill switch, Split tunnelling, Multi hopCovers more |
| Platforms | Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, IPadOS, Android, Apple TV, Fire Stick, Android TV, Smart TVs, Routers, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Routers |
| Owner | Kape Technologies | Nord Security |
| Longest plan (months) | 28 monthsHigher | 27 months |
| Devices | 10 to 14 | Not confirmed |
| Renewal price | €79.95 | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Long-term plan price (€2.49), Money-back period (30 days).
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 9.3.
- Server countries is higher at ExpressVPN: 113 vs 100.
- Protocols: only ExpressVPN offers Lightway.
- Protocols: only Surfshark offers OpenVPN, IKEv2, Dausos.
- Features: only Surfshark offers Multi hop.
- Platforms: only ExpressVPN offers IPadOS, Fire Stick, Smart TVs.
- Platforms: only Surfshark offers Fire TV.
- Longest plan (months) is higher at ExpressVPN: 28 months vs 27 months.
- Founded is lower at ExpressVPN: 2009 vs 2018.
- Features: only ExpressVPN offers Travel.
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.
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 | ExpressVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3The monthly plan lists $2.99 and the longest plan advertises €2.49, with renewal billing at €79.95 above that opening rate. | 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 | 9.4Covers 113 countries and 10 to 14 devices, with a 30 day refund window and audited no logs logging. | 9.5HigherThe plan bundles private dns, ad blocker and search with a 7 trial and a 30 money-back window. |
| Privacy | 9.1Higher | 8.7 |
Availability and regulation
| Country | ExpressVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Virgin Islands, British | Netherlands |
How they place
| Ranking | ExpressVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| VPNs | 23 of 232 | 12 of 232 |
| Privacy tools | 22 of 280 | 7 of 280 |
| Ad blockers and private DNS | 11 of 63 | 6 of 63 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | ExpressVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Features | No logs, Streaming, TravelCovers more | No logs, Streaming |
| Audience | Business | Business |
| Pricing model | Not confirmed | Budget |
| Legal entity | Express Technologies Ltd. | Surfshark B.V. |
| Headquarters | Virgin Islands, British | Netherlands |
| Founded | 2009Lower | 2018 |
| Support channels | Chat, Email, Help centre | Email, Chat, Help centre |
Privacy tools
| Fact | ExpressVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €2.49 | Not confirmed |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Free plan limits | Not confirmed | 7-day free trial, 3 devices |
| Logging policy | No 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 audited | No-logs policy, independently verified by Deloitte in 2023 and 2025; RAM-only server network |
| Open source | No | Not confirmed |
| Privacy tool type | Private dns, Ad blocker | Private dns, Ad blocker, SearchCovers more |
Identity protection
| Fact | ExpressVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance amount | Not confirmed | $1,000,000 |
| Free trial length | Not confirmed | 7 days |
Data removal
| Fact | ExpressVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Yearly price | Not confirmed | €121.23 |
| Countries covered | Not confirmed | United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | ExpressVPN | Surfshark | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long-term plan price | €2.49lowest quarter | €2.49lowest quarter | €3.99 |
| Devices | 10 to 14highest quarter | Not confirmed | 10 |
| Server countries | 113highest quarter | 100highest quarter | 62 |
| Renewal price | €79.95above the median | Not confirmed | €69.99 |
| Money-back period | 30 daysat the median | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
| Longest plan (months) | 28 monthshighest quarter | 27 monthshighest quarter | 12 months |
Median across 139 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
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
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
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
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
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 | ExpressVPN | 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
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
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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