Psiphon

VS

Surfshark

VPNs Comparison

Psiphon vs Surfshark: Side-by-Side Comparison

Psiphon
Surfshark
Rating
★★★★★★★★★★
3.6/5
★★★★★★★★★★
4.5/5
Free Tier
Yes
No
Trial Days
None
30-day trial
Pricing
Completely free with ad support. No paid subscription.
Starter from $2.49/month (2-year). One from $3.49/month. One+ from $5.99/month.
Company
Psiphon Inc.
Surfshark B.V.
Founded
2006
2018
Best For
Internet users in censored regions needing free reliable tools with maximum protocol fallback coverage
Families or teams needing VPN on every device simultaneously without per-device restrictions

Pros & Cons

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Psiphon

Free open-source censorship circumvention tool used by 90 million monthly users
Multiple protocol fallback switches between VPN, SSH, and HTTP proxy automatically
Sponsored data partnerships in some countries provide free mobile data access
Used by major international NGOs and human rights organizations globally
No account needed - just download and connect from anywhere
Traffic may pass through Psiphon servers located in Canada and US
Free model supported by embedded advertising which some users find intrusive

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 Psiphon 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 Psiphon 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 Psiphon 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 Psiphon with a 4.5 vs 3.6 rating. Surfshark's main advantage: Unlimited device connections make it the best family or team VPN at the lowest price per user. That said, Psiphon may still be the better choice if Internet users in censored regions needing free reliable tools with maximum protocol fallback coverage.

Try Them Yourself

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

Try Psiphon Free Start Free Trial

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