Surfshark vs Proton VPN: price and which to choose
Quick verdict
Surfshark allows unlimited devices, lists 24 US locations (none marked virtual) and bundles identity theft coverage on One+ (not for New York State residents). Proton VPN has a free plan, port forwarding on paid plans, 6,015 US servers in 22 cities, a Swiss base and a 2026 audit — but 10 devices on paid plans.
Option A
Option B
$9.99/moVPN Plus
Official price before tax: $9.99
Price checked
Also has a free plan: Proton Free
Proton VPN price and plansWe compare plans with a similar purpose, whose features may differ; prices before sales tax; prices for other plans and periods are in the reviews.
Feature comparison
| Criterion | Surfshark | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Devices | Unlimited | 10 (Free: 1) |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Port forwarding | No | Yes (paid) |
| US coverage | 24 locations | 6,015 servers, 22 cities |
| Jurisdiction | Netherlands (EU) | Switzerland |
| Latest audit | 2025 | 2026 |
Surfshark is built around unlimited devices and add-on security tools; Proton VPN around privacy and a genuine free plan.
If you don’t want to read further
Many devices or identity coverage — Surfshark. A free plan, port forwarding or Swiss jurisdiction — Proton VPN.
What really sets them apart
In each row, the last sentence matters most — what the difference means for you.
How many devices?
Surfshark
Unlimited.
Proton VPN
10 on paid plans; 1 on Free.
Big households lean Surfshark.
Is there a free plan?
Surfshark
No.
Proton VPN
Yes — no data limit, no ads; the country is chosen for you.
Only Proton can be used without paying.
Port forwarding?
Surfshark
No.
Proton VPN
Yes, on paid plans, on P2P servers.
For setups that need it, Proton.
Jurisdiction and audit?
Surfshark
Netherlands (EU); 2025.
Proton VPN
Switzerland; 2026.
Proton is outside the EU and the 14 Eyes, with the newer audit.
What comes with the upper plan?
Surfshark
One adds antivirus and alerts; One+ adds Incogni and identity theft coverage.
Proton VPN
Proton Unlimited adds Mail, Calendar, Drive and Pass.
Surfshark bundles protection tools; Proton bundles privacy apps.
Linux?
Surfshark
App with Kill Switch (Debian 11, Ubuntu 20.04, Mint 20 and newer).
Proton VPN
App with or without a graphical interface; standard and advanced kill switch.
Both cover Linux – check your distribution.
TV apps?
Surfshark
Apple TV, Android TV and Fire TV apps.
Proton VPN
Android TV, and Apple TV on a paid plan with tvOS 17.
No app for your TV? A VPN router covers it.
Where they don’t differ, even though it seems they should
This part is often more useful than the list of differences — it saves money for anyone who was about to pay for an imaginary advantage.
30-day money-back
Both refund within 30 days.
Auto-renewal
Both long plans renew automatically after the intro term.
Tax may be extra
Neither price list shows a tax-inclusive total.
Which one fits whom
| Your situation | What to choose | On what condition |
|---|---|---|
| More than 10 devices | Surfshark | Unlimited on every plan. |
| You don’t want to pay | Proton VPN Free | One device. |
| You need port forwarding | Proton VPN Plus | On P2P servers. |
| You want identity theft coverage | Surfshark One+ | Not for New York State residents. |
- Surfshark’s price list doesn’t show the renewal price.
- Proton’s 2-year price covers 24 months; Surfshark’s covers 27.
- Proton Free doesn’t let you choose a US server.
- Surfshark has no port forwarding.
Where the facts come from
Sources: Surfshark’s and Proton’s US price lists, server lists and Proton’s port forwarding page. Prices are in the price blocks on each service’s page.
Facts in the text checked: .
FAQ: Surfshark or Proton VPN
Other comparisons
The same products against other competitors, and other comparisons in the “VPN services” category.
Where their scores differ
Only criteria we’ve checked for both services and where the scores differ. Equal criteria and criteria without data aren’t shown here, because they add nothing to the decision.
If what matters most is — port forwarding: Proton VPN VPN Plus
Surfshark Starter: no (1,0/5) · Proton VPN VPN Plus: yes (5,0/5)
If what matters most is — modern protocol: Proton VPN VPN Plus
Surfshark Starter: on some platforms (2,5/5) · Proton VPN VPN Plus: on all major platforms (5,0/5)
If what matters most is — network coverage: Proton VPN VPN Plus
Surfshark Starter: 100 countries (3,0/5) · Proton VPN VPN Plus: 149 countries (5,0/5)
If what matters most is — jurisdiction: Proton VPN VPN Plus
Surfshark Starter: EU (3,5/5) · Proton VPN VPN Plus: outside the 14 Eyes, no data retention obligation (5,0/5)
If what matters most is — free way to try it: Proton VPN VPN Plus
Surfshark Starter: free trial: 7 days (4,0/5) · Proton VPN VPN Plus: free version (5,0/5)
If what matters most is — devices at once: Surfshark Starter
Surfshark Starter: unlimited (5,0/5) · Proton VPN VPN Plus: 10 (4,0/5)
If what matters most is — price now: Surfshark Starter
Surfshark Starter: 2,49 USD/mo before tax (4,6/5) · Proton VPN VPN Plus: 3,49 USD/mo before tax (4,0/5)
If what matters most is — app rating: Surfshark Starter
Surfshark Starter: 4,7 out of 5 (4,7/5) · Proton VPN VPN Plus: 4,6 out of 5 (4,6/5)
The scores and their weights are the same as in the reviews of both services. How we calculate
Comparison text updated: