Updated September 29, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
Proton AG vs Surfshark
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Proton AG |  Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Server countries | from 140 | 100 |
| No-logs audit | Securitum, 2026 | Deloitte 2025 |
| Jurisdiction | CH | NL |
| Protocols | WireGuard, OpenVPN | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, DausosCovers more |
| Features | Kill switch, Split tunnelling | Kill switch, Split tunnelling, Multi hopCovers more |
| Platforms | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Chromebook, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Android TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Routers |
| Owner | Proton AG | Nord Security |
| Longest plan (months) | 24 months | 27 monthsHigher |
| Monthly price | Not confirmed | €2.49 |
| Long-term plan price | Not confirmed | €2.49 |
| Devices | 10 | Not confirmed |
| Streaming services | Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Money-back period (30 days).
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Key differences
- Surfshark scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 9.3.
- Protocols: only Surfshark offers IKEv2, Dausos.
- Features: only Surfshark offers Multi hop.
- Platforms: only Proton AG offers Chromebook, Amazon Fire TV.
- Platforms: only Surfshark offers Fire TV, Edge, Routers.
- Longest plan (months) is higher at Surfshark: 27 months vs 24 months.
- 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 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
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 | Proton AG | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3 | 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 | 9.4Term choice runs to 24 months with a 30-day refund window, and a free plan anchors entry pricing. | 9.5HigherThe plan bundles private dns, ad blocker and search with a 7 trial and a 30 money-back window. |
| Privacy | 8.9Higher | 8.7 |
By the numbers
| Fact | Proton AG | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Server countries | from 140 | 100 |
| Money-back period | 30 days | 30 days |
| Longest plan (months) | 24 months | 27 months |
What each covers
| Features | Proton AG | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Kill switch | Yes | Yes |
| Split tunnelling | Yes | Yes |
| Multi hop | No | Yes |
If neither fits
PureVPN has longest plan (months) at 60 months, against 24 months for Proton AG and 27 months for Surfshark.
PureVPN reviewWhat we checked
Proton AG
- protonvpn.com: 16 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- proton.me: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Surfshark
- surfshark.com: 16 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- en.wikipedia.org: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Proton AG | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| VPNs | 26 of 232 | 12 of 232 |
| Privacy tools | 24 of 280 | 7 of 280 |
| Ad blockers and private DNS | 12 of 63 | 6 of 63 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Proton AG | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Features | No logs, Streaming | No logs, Streaming |
| Audience | Business | Business |
| 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 | Email, Chat, Help centre |
Privacy tools
| Fact | Proton AG | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Logging policy | No activity logs | No-logs policy, independently verified by Deloitte in 2023 and 2025; RAM-only server network |
| Open source | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Privacy tool type | Ad blocker | Private dns, Ad blocker, SearchCovers more |
Password managers
| Fact | Proton AG | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Zero-knowledge encryption | Yes | Not confirmed |
Secure email
| Fact | Proton AG | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Free storage | 5 | Not confirmed |
| Compliance certifications | GDPR, HIPAA, ISO 27001 | Not confirmed |
Identity protection
| Fact | Proton AG | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance amount | Not confirmed | $1,000,000 |
| Free trial length | Not confirmed | 7 days |
Data removal
| Fact | Proton AG | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Yearly price | Not confirmed | €121.23 |
| Countries covered | Not confirmed | United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Proton AG | Surfshark | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | Not confirmed | €2.49lowest quarter | €7.99 |
| Long-term plan price | Not confirmed | €2.49lowest quarter | €3.99 |
| Devices | 10at the median | Not confirmed | 10 |
| Server countries | from 140highest quarter | 100highest quarter | 62 |
| Money-back period | 30 daysat the median | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
| Longest plan (months) | 24 monthsabove the median | 27 monthshighest quarter | 12 months |
Median across 139 listed providers.
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
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
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
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
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 | Proton AG | 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
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
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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