ExpressVPN

VS

Surfshark

VPNs Comparison

ExpressVPN vs Surfshark: Side-by-Side Comparison

ExpressVPN
Surfshark
Rating
★★★★★★★★★★
4.6/5
★★★★★★★★★★
4.5/5
Free Tier
No
No
Trial Days
30-day trial
30-day trial
Pricing
1-month plan $12.95/month. 6-month plan $9.99/month. 12-month plan from $6.67/month.
Starter from $2.49/month (2-year). One from $3.49/month. One+ from $5.99/month.
Company
Kape Technologies
Surfshark B.V.
Founded
2009
2018
Best For
Travelers to restrictive countries needing guaranteed VPN access with premium connection speed
Families or teams needing VPN on every device simultaneously without per-device restrictions

Pros & Cons

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ExpressVPN

Lightway protocol delivers the fastest and most stable connections of any VPN
Works reliably in restrictive countries like China and UAE where others fail
MediaStreamer unblocks streaming services even on devices that cannot run VPN apps
Independent audits by Cure53 confirm no-logs policy and app security
Router app allows VPN protection across entire home network from one device
One of the more expensive VPNs with no major discount on short-term plans
Only 8 simultaneous device connections compared to competitors offering unlimited

Surfshark

Unlimited simultaneous device connections on a single subscription
CleanWeb blocks ads and malware with significantly fewer ads than browsing without VPN
Nexus IP rotation changes your IP address continuously without dropping connection
Camouflage mode hides VPN usage from ISPs in countries monitoring VPN traffic
Budget-friendly pricing especially on 2-year plans compared to Nord or Express
Speeds are slightly inconsistent across different server locations
No-logs audit is less frequent than competitors who audit annually

Use Case Analysis

Which is better for Privacy?

Both ExpressVPN and Surfshark support Privacy workflows. ExpressVPN has a slight edge with a 4.6 rating and Most reliable VPN in censored regions like China with MediaStreamer for non-VPN devices. If Privacy is your primary use case, ExpressVPN is the safer pick.

Which is better for Streaming?

Both ExpressVPN and Surfshark support Streaming workflows. ExpressVPN has a slight edge with a 4.6 rating and Most reliable VPN in censored regions like China with MediaStreamer for non-VPN devices. If Streaming is your primary use case, ExpressVPN is the safer pick.

Which is better for Encryption?

Both ExpressVPN and Surfshark support Encryption workflows. ExpressVPN has a slight edge with a 4.6 rating and Most reliable VPN in censored regions like China with MediaStreamer for non-VPN devices. If Encryption is your primary use case, ExpressVPN is the safer pick.

Which is better for No Logs?

Both ExpressVPN and Surfshark support No Logs workflows. ExpressVPN has a slight edge with a 4.6 rating and Most reliable VPN in censored regions like China with MediaStreamer for non-VPN devices. If No Logs is your primary use case, ExpressVPN is the safer pick.

Verdict

ExpressVPN edges out Surfshark with a 4.6 vs 4.5 rating. ExpressVPN's main advantage: Most reliable VPN in censored regions like China with MediaStreamer for non-VPN devices. That said, Surfshark may still be the better choice if Families or teams needing VPN on every device simultaneously without per-device restrictions.

Try Them Yourself

The best way to choose is to trial both. See full details on each:

Get ExpressVPN Start Free Trial

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