Updated September 29, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
Proton vs Surfshark
Proton vs Surfshark: the differences
| Compare |  Proton |  Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | YesHas it | No |
| Free plan limits | Unlimited logins, notes, credit cards and devices; 10 hide-my-email aliases; passkeys and password health alerts; no 2FA authenticator, secure sharing, file attachments or dark web monitoring | 7-day free trial, 3 devices |
| Platforms | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web app, Command line interface, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, Brave | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Routers |
| Protocols | WireGuard, OpenVPN | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, DausosCovers more |
| 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 |
| Open source | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Privacy tool type | Not confirmed | Private dns, Ad blocker, Search |
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Key differences
- Surfshark scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 9.3.
- Free plan: only Proton.
- Platforms: only Proton offers Web app, Command line interface, Safari.
- Platforms: only Surfshark offers Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV.
- Protocols: only Surfshark offers IKEv2, Dausos.
- Support channels: only Proton offers Community.
- Founded is lower at Proton: 2014 vs 2018.
- Pricing model: only Proton offers Free.
- Pricing model: only Surfshark offers Budget.
Our verdict on each
Proton
Proton bundles a password manager, VPN and encrypted storage in one account, with Pass starting at $4.99 and a free tier. It suits readers who want passwords, private files and a VPN in a single subscription, and who can live with free plan limits that leave out an authenticator, password sharing and file attachments.
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 | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.2Entry at $4.99 sits under the site median of €6.84, with storage at $95.88 per TB per year and a free plan. | 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 | 9.5 | 9.5The plan bundles private dns, ad blocker and search with a 7 trial and a 30 money-back window. |
| Privacy | 9.1Higher | 8.7 |
Choosing between them
Pick Proton if privacy and free plan matter most.
Pick Surfshark if cost and protocols matter most.
What we checked
Proton
- proton.me: 12 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- privacyjournal.net: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Surfshark
- surfshark.com: 11 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- en.wikipedia.org: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Proton | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| VPNs | 13 of 232 | 12 of 232 |
| Privacy tools | 10 of 280 | 7 of 280 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Proton | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
VPN
| Fact | Proton | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | Not confirmed | €2.49 |
| Long-term plan price | Not confirmed | €2.49 |
| Devices | 10 | Not confirmed |
| Server countries | 140Higher | 100 |
| No-logs audit | Not confirmed | Deloitte 2025 |
| Features | No logs, Streaming, TravelCovers more | No logs, Streaming |
| Audience | Business | Business |
| Money-back period | 30 days | 30 days |
| Features | Kill switch | Kill switch, Split tunnelling, Multi hopCovers more |
| Streaming services | Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu | Not confirmed |
| Owner | Proton Foundation | Nord Security |
| Longest plan (months) | 24 months | 27 monthsHigher |
Password managers
| Fact | Proton | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Family plan | Pass Family: up to 6 users, includes 6 Pass Plus accounts and an admin panel | Not confirmed |
| Passkeys | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Security audit | Independently audited by third-party experts (Cure53 audit published July 2023), open source under GPLv3, public bug bounty | Not confirmed |
| Encryption | End-to-end encryption; 256-bit AES-GCM encrypted vaults; OpenPGP with ECC (Curve25519) for vault keys | Not confirmed |
| Zero-knowledge encryption | Yes | Not confirmed |
Secure email
| Fact | Proton | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Encrypted storage
| Fact | Proton | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Free storage | 5 | Not confirmed |
| Price per TB per year | $95.88 | Not confirmed |
| Compliance certifications | ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II | Not confirmed |
Identity protection
| Fact | Proton | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance amount | Not confirmed | $1,000,000 |
| Free trial length | Not confirmed | 7 days |
Data removal
| Fact | Proton | 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 | Surfshark | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | $4.99below the median | Not confirmed | $8 |
Median across 82 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Proton
Pros
- A single account covers a password manager, a VPN and end-to-end encrypted storage, with a free plan to start.
- Passkeys, custom domains and a Family plan with an admin panel suit single-user and shared use.
- Vaults use AES-GCM encryption with OpenPGP and ECC keys, and only the account holder can decrypt.
Cons
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre with no phone line.
- Free plan limits leave out the authenticator app, password sharing, attachments and dark web monitoring.
- Extra storage costs $95.88 per TB per year beyond 5 GB free.
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
Who it suits
- Readers who want a password manager, a VPN and private files under a single subscription rather than separate products.
- Households and small teams that need shared accounts, since the Family plan bundles several Pass Plus accounts and an admin panel.
- Buyers who care about open source under a copyleft licence, outside security audits and a public bug bounty.
Who should look elsewhere
- Apple Hide My Email at $0.99 if email aliasing is the whole job, since Proton adds a VPN, storage and a password manager.
- Apple Inc. at $0.99 when aliasing is the priority; Proton's $4.99 entry brings a VPN, storage and password manager in the same account.
- EasyOptOuts at $19.99 for a single higher priced subscription, against Proton's $4.99 entry and a free plan.
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
Proton
Current offer
Discount code
40% off Pass Plus: 40% off
Shown on the Proton Pass pricing page alongside a 30-day money-back guarantee; applies to the Pass Plus paid plan
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 | Proton | 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
How much is Proton Pass at the entry price?+
Proton Pass starts at $4.99, and there is a free plan beside it. The paid tiers widen the set of features, so the entry price only pays off if you want more hide my email aliases, passkeys and password health alerts.
What does the free plan leave out?+
The free plan covers as many logins, notes, cards and devices as you like, but it leaves out the authenticator app, sharing with other people, file attachments and dark web monitoring. Those sit on paid Pass plans, where entry starts at $4.99.
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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