Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
Proton AG vs Surfshark Alert
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Proton AG |  Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | YesHas it | No |
| Free plan limits | No data or speed limits, no ads, no time limit, 1 device, servers in 10 countries randomly selected, medium speed. | 7-day free trial, 3 devices |
| Platforms | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Chromebook, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Android TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV | Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Routers, Chromebook, Smart TVs, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation |
| Protocols | WireGuard, OpenVPN | Doh |
| Logging policy | No activity logs | No-logs policy, independently verified by Deloitte in 2023 and 2025; RAM-only server network |
| Jurisdiction | CH | NL |
| Privacy tool type | Ad blocker | Private dns, Ad blocker, SearchCovers more |
| Open source | Yes | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- Proton AG scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.0.
- Free plan: only Proton AG.
- Platforms: only Proton AG offers Amazon Fire TV.
- Platforms: only Surfshark Alert offers Fire TV, Edge, Routers.
- Protocols: only Proton AG offers WireGuard, OpenVPN.
- Protocols: only Surfshark Alert offers Doh.
- Support channels: only Proton AG offers Community.
- Founded is lower at Proton AG: 2014 vs 2018.
- Pricing model: only Proton AG offers Free.
- Pricing model: only Surfshark Alert offers Budget.
Our verdict on each
Proton AG
Proton AG suits readers who want a published no-logs audit, a free tier and a bundled privacy suite rather than a bare tunnel, with the company based in Switzerland. Paid plans reach servers in from 140 countries and cover 10 devices, alongside free storage of 5 GB.
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.
Score breakdown
| Area | Proton AG | Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3Higher | 9.2Monthly price of €2.49, ranked 2 of 54 brands, with a 7-day trial standing in for a free plan. |
| Offer | 9.4HigherTerm choice runs to 24 months with a 30-day refund window, and a free plan anchors entry pricing. | 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. |
| Privacy | 8.9Higher | 8.2 |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Proton AG | Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Switzerland | Netherlands |
How they place
| Ranking | Proton AG | Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy tools | 24 of 280 | 8 of 280 |
| Ad blockers and private DNS | 12 of 63 | 7 of 63 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Proton AG | Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free | Budget |
| Legal entity | Proton AG | Surfshark B.V. |
| Headquarters | Switzerland | Netherlands |
| Founded | 2014Lower | 2018 |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Help centre, CommunityCovers more | Chat, Email, Help centre |
Password managers
| Fact | Proton AG | Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Family plan | Pass Family: up to 6 users, 6 Pass Plus accounts, admin panel | Not confirmed |
| Passkeys | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Security audit | Independently audited by third-party experts; audit reports public | Not confirmed |
| Encryption | Zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption, 256-bit AES-GCM vaults, OpenPGP with ECC Curve25519 for vault keys | Not confirmed |
| Features | Kill switch, Split tunnelling | Not confirmed |
| Zero-knowledge encryption | Yes | Not confirmed |
Secure email
| Fact | Proton AG | Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| End-to-end encryption | The VPN connection from the user's device to Proton's servers; Proton also markets Proton for Business with end-to-end encryption. | Not confirmed |
Encrypted storage
| Fact | Proton AG | Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Free storage | 5 | Not confirmed |
| Compliance certifications | GDPR, HIPAA, ISO 27001 | Not confirmed |
Pros and cons
Proton AG
Pros
- No-logs claims are audited rather than asserted: Securitum's audit (Securitum, 2026) sits behind a No activity logs policy.
- Free limits come with no caps on data or speed, no ads and no time limit.
- 10 simultaneous devices, above the ranked VPN median of 8.
Cons
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre, and there is no phone line among them.
- The free plan limits put you on a single device at medium speed with randomly selected countries, so constant use points at a paid plan.
- End-to-end encryption is marketed for Proton for Business, while the consumer plan encrypts only the connection from your device to Proton's servers.
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
Proton AG
Who it suits
- Readers who want a VPN, a passkey vault and encrypted storage under a single account instead of separate subscriptions.
- Families sharing storage, since Pass Family covers several users and Pass Plus seats through a single admin panel.
- Teams buying under a business audience (business) who need GDPR, HIPAA and ISO 27001 certifications on file.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone needing more devices on a single account: Proton covers 10, while ESET Brasil plans run 3 to 25 devices.
- Readers choosing purely on server spread: AVG lists from 100 countries, a base close to Proton's from 140.
- Readers who want a different audit trail to compare: Session Technology Foundation lists Quarkslab 2021 against Proton's Securitum, 2026.
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
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
Proton AG
What does Proton VPN cost, and how long are the commitments?+
The longest plan runs 24 months, the service is listed on a free model, and paid plans carry a 30-day money-back window. Across the ranked VPN field, monthly pricing has a median of €7.02 and long-term pricing a median of €3.97, which frames any quote you see.
Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?+
Yes. The free plan has no caps on data or speed, no ads and no time limit. It runs on a single device, reaches servers in a randomly selected group of countries and delivers medium speed, so the paid tier, which covers 10 devices, is the practical step for constant use.
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.
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