Lantern

VS

Surfshark

VPNs Comparison

Lantern vs Surfshark: Side-by-Side Comparison

Lantern
Surfshark
Rating
★★★★★★★★★★
3.5/5
★★★★★★★★★★
4.5/5
Free Tier
Yes
No
Trial Days
None
30-day trial
Pricing
Free tier with data limits. Lantern Pro from $3.33/month (annual).
Starter from $2.49/month (2-year). One from $3.49/month. One+ from $5.99/month.
Company
Brave New Software
Surfshark B.V.
Founded
2012
2018
Best For
Users in China and Iran needing free emergency internet access when other VPN tools fail
Families or teams needing VPN on every device simultaneously without per-device restrictions

Pros & Cons

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Lantern

Peer-to-peer network designed specifically for circumventing government censorship
Free tier provides limited data for users in censored countries without payment
Works in China, Iran, and other heavily censored countries reliably
No account needed to start using - download and connect immediately
Used as an emergency tool by dissidents and civil society organizations
Free tier data limits are very restrictive for regular browsing activity
Privacy protections weaker than dedicated VPNs due to peer-to-peer architecture

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 Lantern and Surfshark support Privacy workflows. Surfshark has a slight edge with a 4.5 rating and Unlimited device connections make it the best family or team VPN at the lowest price per user. If Privacy is your primary use case, Surfshark is the safer pick.

Which is better for Streaming?

Both Lantern and Surfshark support Streaming workflows. Surfshark has a slight edge with a 4.5 rating and Unlimited device connections make it the best family or team VPN at the lowest price per user. If Streaming is your primary use case, Surfshark is the safer pick.

Which is better for Encryption?

Both Lantern and Surfshark support Encryption workflows. Surfshark has a slight edge with a 4.5 rating and Unlimited device connections make it the best family or team VPN at the lowest price per user. If Encryption is your primary use case, Surfshark is the safer pick.

Verdict

Surfshark edges out Lantern with a 4.5 vs 3.5 rating. Surfshark's main advantage: Unlimited device connections make it the best family or team VPN at the lowest price per user. That said, Lantern may still be the better choice if Users in China and Iran needing free emergency internet access when other VPN tools fail.

Try Them Yourself

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

Get Lantern Free Start Free Trial

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