Updated October 17, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
Proton Pass vs Surfshark Alert
Proton Pass
Higher score in this comparison
Surfshark Alert
Proton Pass vs Surfshark Alert: the differences
| Compare | Proton PassReviewVisitVisit | Surfshark AlertReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | YesHas it | No |
| Free plan limits | Unlimited logins, notes, credit cards and devices; 10 hide-my-email aliases; passkeys on all devices; no vault or item sharing | 7-day free trial, 3 devices |
| Platforms | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web app, Chrome extension, Safari extension, Firefox extension, Edge extension, Brave extension, Command line interface | Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Routers, Chromebook, Smart TVs, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation |
| Logging policy | No permanent IP logs by default; temporary IP logs kept to combat abuse and fraud; authentication logging off by default; Proton states it has no technical means to access encrypted passwords or notes | No-logs policy, independently verified by Deloitte in 2023 and 2025; RAM-only server network |
| Jurisdiction | CH | NL |
| Price from | $4.99 | Not confirmed |
| Protocols | Not confirmed | Doh |
| Open source | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Privacy tool type | Not confirmed | Private dns, Ad blocker, Search |
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
- Free plan: only Proton Pass.
- Platforms: only Proton Pass offers Web app, Chrome extension, Safari extension.
- Platforms: only Surfshark Alert offers Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV.
- Support channels: only Proton Pass offers Community.
- Support channels: only Surfshark Alert offers Chat, Email.
- Founded is lower at Proton Pass: 2014 vs 2018.
- Pricing model: only Proton Pass offers Free.
- Pricing model: only Surfshark Alert offers Budget.
Our verdict on each
Proton Pass
Proton Pass’s listed free-plan features include unlimited logins, notes and credit cards, unlimited devices, 10 hide-my-email aliases, and passkey support. The provider also lists apps for Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and Linux, and says all fields, including usernames and web addresses, are encrypted. These are provider descriptions, not an independent security assessment.
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 Pass | Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.0 | 9.2HigherMonthly price of €2.49, ranked 2 of 54 brands, with a 7-day trial standing in for a free plan. |
| Offer | 9.1 | 9.2HigherInsurance 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 | 9.0Higher | 8.2 |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | Proton Pass | Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy tools | 12 of 281 | 8 of 281 |
Licences and countries
| Country | Proton Pass | Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Switzerland | Netherlands |
Sources behind this comparison
Proton Pass
- proton.me: 11 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- privacyjournal.net: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Surfshark Alert
- surfshark.com: 12 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Proton Pass | Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free | Budget |
| Legal entity | Proton AG | Surfshark B.V. |
| Headquarters | Switzerland | Netherlands |
| Founded | 2014Lower | 2018 |
| Support channels | Help centre, Community | Chat, Email, Help centre |
Secure email
| Fact | Proton Pass | Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| End-to-end encryption | All fields end-to-end encrypted: passwords, usernames, web addresses, credit cards, note contents and metadata; 256-bit AES-GCM vaults; only the user can decrypt, Proton cannot | Not confirmed |
| Custom domains | Yes | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Proton Pass | Surfshark Alert | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | $4.99below the median | Not confirmed | $8 |
Median across 83 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Proton Pass
Pros
- The listed free-plan features include unlimited logins, notes and credit cards, plus unlimited devices.
- The provider lists 10 hide-my-email aliases and passkey support.
- Apps are listed for Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and Linux.
Cons
- Vault contents cannot be unlocked by the company, so a lost route to the account leaves no fallback
- Built around a single account holder, so unlocking the vault depends on that person's own care
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 Pass
Who it suits
- People who want a password manager with listed apps across desktop and mobile platforms and passkey support.
Who should look elsewhere
- People who want a password manager that the provider can unlock for them
- Anyone wanting a tool limited to one type of device
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
Proton Pass
Current offer
Discount code
40% off Pass Plus: 40% off
Offer link points to the yearly-billing Pass Plus signup; discount applied at signup
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
Proton Pass
Which platforms are listed for Proton Pass apps?+
The provider lists Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and Linux.
Can outside experts check how the software works?+
The code behind the software is publicly available, so people outside the company can review it. This openness is part of its approach to transparency. Anyone who wants to understand how vault contents are protected can look at the encryption design, since only the account holder can read stored items.
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
Other matchups
- Proton Pass vs NordVPN
- Proton Pass vs NordVPN Threat Protection
- Proton Pass vs WEBROOT master
- Proton Pass vs Apple Inc.
- Proton Pass vs addy.io
- Proton Pass vs Apple Hide My Email
- Proton Pass vs Runbox
- Surfshark Alert vs Qwant
- Surfshark Alert vs Disroot
- Surfshark Alert vs Ghostery
- Surfshark Alert vs PIA
- Surfshark Alert vs Privacy Badger
- Proton Pass vs Kaspersky
- Surfshark Alert vs Kaspersky Latam
- Proton Pass vs Kaspersky
- Proton Pass vs NordPass
- Proton Pass vs ESET Brasil
- Proton Pass vs LogMeOnce
- Proton Pass vs Surfshark One (Antivirus)
- Surfshark Alert vs Proton
- Surfshark Alert vs Proton Mail
- Surfshark Alert vs Proton Drive
- Surfshark Alert vs AdGuard