Surfshark and ExpressVPN sit at opposite ends of the pricing spectrum but both passed our review testing with strong marks. Here’s how they compare on price, devices, speed, and streaming — based on our full independent reviews of each.
Surfshark vs ExpressVPN: Quick Comparison
| Feature | Surfshark | ExpressVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $2.49/mo (longest plan) | $2.79/mo (2-year Basic plan) |
| Simultaneous Connections | Unlimited | 10 devices (Basic), up to 14 (Pro) |
| Server Network | 100+ countries | 3,000+ servers, 105 countries |
| Jurisdiction | Netherlands (9 Eyes member) | British Virgin Islands (no mandatory data retention laws) |
| Default Protocol | WireGuard | Lightway (proprietary) |
| No-Logs Policy | ✓ Audited | ✓ Audited by PwC & Cure53 |
| Kill Switch | ✓ | ✓ Network Lock |
| Ad/Tracker Blocker | ✓ CleanWeb | Not included as standard |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days | 30 days |
Pricing & Devices: Surfshark Wins on Both
Surfshark and ExpressVPN are closer on price than you might expect: Surfshark runs $2.49/month on its longest plan versus ExpressVPN Basic at $2.79/month — both cheap by industry standards. The bigger gap is in device coverage. ExpressVPN caps you at 10 devices on Basic (up to 14 on Pro), while Surfshark covers unlimited devices on every plan. For a household running five or more devices, Surfshark’s unlimited connections make it the clearer value even though the sticker prices are close.
Speed & Performance
Both use fast, modern protocols. ExpressVPN’s proprietary Lightway posts very low local and low distant speed drops with excellent connection stability — a strong pick for anything latency-sensitive. Surfshark’s WireGuard-based performance is consistently good rather than class-leading, but more than sufficient for streaming, gaming, and large downloads.
Security & Privacy
Both use AES-256 encryption with independently audited no-logs policies. Surfshark adds MultiHop for multi-server routing and CleanWeb for built-in ad and tracker blocking. ExpressVPN relies on TrustedServer technology (RAM-only servers) and its Network Lock kill switch, backed by audits from both PwC and Cure53. On jurisdiction, ExpressVPN’s British Virgin Islands base sits outside intelligence-sharing alliances, while Surfshark’s Netherlands base is a 9 Eyes member — not a dealbreaker given its audited no-logs policy, but worth noting if jurisdiction is a priority.
Streaming & Torrenting
Both unblock major streaming platforms and support P2P. ExpressVPN’s review specifically calls out consistent unblocking of Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and DAZN, plus MediaStreamer for devices without native VPN support. Surfshark performs reliably across mainstream platforms too, with the added benefit of covering unlimited devices in the same household.
Still Deciding?
Compare both side-by-side with every other VPN we’ve reviewed, or take our 30-second quiz to get a personalized recommendation.