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Leeron HooryContributor
Leeron is a New York-based writer with experience covering technology and politics. Her work has appeared in publications such as Quartz, the Village Voice, Gothamist, and Slate.
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Leeron HooryContributor
Leeron is a New York-based writer with experience covering technology and politics. Her work has appeared in publications such as Quartz, the Village Voice, Gothamist, and Slate.
See Full Bio
Written By
Leeron Hoory
Leeron HooryContributor
Leeron is a New York-based writer with experience covering technology and politics. Her work has appeared in publications such as Quartz, the Village Voice, Gothamist, and Slate.
See Full Bio
Leeron HooryContributor
Leeron is a New York-based writer with experience covering technology and politics. Her work has appeared in publications such as Quartz, the Village Voice, Gothamist, and Slate.
See Full Bio
Contributor
Rob WattsManaging Editor, SMB
With over a decade of editorial experience, Rob Watts breaks down complex topics for small businesses that want to grow and succeed. His work has been featured in outlets such as Keypoint Intelligence, FitSmallBusiness and PCMag.
See Full Bio
Rob WattsManaging Editor, SMB
With over a decade of editorial experience, Rob Watts breaks down complex topics for small businesses that want to grow and succeed. His work has been featured in outlets such as Keypoint Intelligence, FitSmallBusiness and PCMag.
See Full Bio
Written By
Rob Watts
Rob WattsManaging Editor, SMB
With over a decade of editorial experience, Rob Watts breaks down complex topics for small businesses that want to grow and succeed. His work has been featured in outlets such as Keypoint Intelligence, FitSmallBusiness and PCMag.
See Full Bio
Rob WattsManaging Editor, SMB
With over a decade of editorial experience, Rob Watts breaks down complex topics for small businesses that want to grow and succeed. His work has been featured in outlets such as Keypoint Intelligence, FitSmallBusiness and PCMag.
See Full Bio
Managing Editor, SMB
& 1 other
Updated: Mar 25, 2024, 12:06pm
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.
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Table of Contents
- ExpressVPN vs. Surfshark: At a Glance
- How ExpressVPN and Surfshark Stack Up
- Additional Features
- Bottom Line
Show more
ExpressVPN and Surfshark are two companies that provide internet users online privacy. Whether you frequently use public Wi-Fi, are concerned about protecting sensitive data online or need another layer of security for your small business or company, a virtual private network (VPN) helps ensure your online browsing information is encrypted and secure. While both VPNs are reliable and well-known, they vary in terms of features and cost. In this comparison, we evaluate these two companies based on price, number of servers, quality of customer service and device compatibility. Read on to find out which platform is a better fit for you.
Featured Partners
1
NordVPN
Monthly Pricing (2 Year Plan)
$3.49 per month
# of Devices
6
Dedicated IP
Yes (add-on)
2
ExpressVPN
Lowest Monthly Price
$6.67
# of Servers
3,000+
Encryption
AES with 256
3
Private Internet Access
Monthly Pricing (2 Year Plan)
$2.03
# of Devices
Unlimited
Dedicated IP
Yes (add-on)
4
Proton VPN
Monthly Pricing (2 Year Plan)
$4.99
# of Servers
servers to 4462+
Strict no-logs policy
protected by Swiss law
ExpressVPN vs. Surfshark: At a Glance
ExpressVPN and Surfshark are both rated one of our best VPNs of 2024. While ExpressVPN is more expensive and limits the number of devices you can use to five, it offers a higher-speed internet connection and more than double the number of server locations as Surfshark. On the other hand, Surfshark is one of the more affordable VPNs on the market and offers a dedicated IP add-on. It’s fast and reliable and a great option for an everyday VPN.
ExpressVPN
On ExpressVPN's Website
$99.95
Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, Linux
5
Editor's Take
ExpressVPN is a popular choice for a high-speed VPN. With servers privately held on the British Virgin Islands (a country not required to share its data with other countries), it is considered extra secure. ExpressVPN’s more than 3,000 servers in over 160 locations ensure you will be able to connect to a location with fast internet speed.
Pros & Cons
- Positive user reviews
- A high number of server locations
- Includes router app that protects all connected devices
- More expensive than other VPNs
- Limited business usage
- No dedicated IP option
Surfshark
On Surfshark's Website
$41.88
Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux, Fire TV
Unlimited
Editor's Take
Surfshark is a popular VPN with a competitive price. Surfshark allows you to connect the VPN to an unlimited number of devices, a feature not every VPN offers. With Surfshark, you can sign up for a month-by-month plan, a one-year plan or a two-year plan. The company also provides a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Pros & Cons
- Offers split tunneling and multi-hop features
- Unlimited simultaneously connected devices
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Month-to-month plan is pricier than competitors
How ExpressVPN and Surfshark Stack Up
ExpressVPN | Surfshark | |
---|---|---|
Price | $99.95/year | $41.88/year |
Encryption | AES with 256-bit keys | AES with 256-bit keys |
Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days | 30 days |
OS Compatibility | Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, Linux | Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux, Fire TV |
Dedicated IP Add-On | Not offered | $3.75/month |
Max No. of Devices | 5 | Unlimited |
Number of Servers | 3,000 | 3,200 |
Server Locations | 160 | Over 60 |
24/7 Support | Yes | Yes |
Read ExpressVPN review | Read Surfshark review |
When it comes to cost, Surfshark is less than half the price of ExpressVPN, at $41.88 per year compared with $99.95. Surfshark also has a competitive advantage by allowing users to connect to an unlimited number of devices, while ExpressVPN is capped at five.
Both VPNs have about the same number of servers, with ExpressVPN at more than 3,000 and Surfshark at over 3,200. However, ExpressVPN has more than double the amount of server locations, at 160 compared to Surfshark’s over 60. You can find out more about Surfshark’s server locations on their website. ExpressVPN also lists its server locations online so you can assess whether they align with the countries you plan to connect to your VPN.
Surfshark offers a dedicated IP (DIP), which grants you the ability to access IP-restricted networks while maintaining your anonymity. If a DIP is something you’re interested in, Surfshark will suit your needs.
Both VPNs come with 24/7 access to customer support as well as a 30-day money-back guarantee period. Both are compatible with Android, iOS, Mac, Windows and Linux, while Surfshark is also compatible with Fire TV.
If you prefer to pay by the month, ExpressVPN charges a monthly subscription fee of $12.95. That rate drops to $9.99 per month if you sign up for six months and $8.32 per month when you pay for the full year. Surfshark’s rates are $15.45 for the monthly subscription, $3.49 per month for the one-year plan and $2.49 per month for the two-year plan.
Featured Partners
1
NordVPN
Monthly Pricing (2 Year Plan)
$3.49 per month
# of Devices
6
Dedicated IP
Yes (add-on)
2
ExpressVPN
Lowest Monthly Price
$6.67
# of Servers
3,000+
Encryption
AES with 256
3
Private Internet Access
Monthly Pricing (2 Year Plan)
$2.03
# of Devices
Unlimited
Dedicated IP
Yes (add-on)
4
Proton VPN
Monthly Pricing (2 Year Plan)
$4.99
# of Servers
servers to 4462+
Strict no-logs policy
protected by Swiss law
Additional Features
Both ExpressVPN and Surfshark offer split tunneling, which enables you to choose which content is accessed through your VPN and which isn’t. This is particularly helpful when a website will block access through a VPN, such as a mobile banking website, and ensures you do not have to keep disconnecting and reconnecting your VPN.
Both VPNs also come with a kill switch, which means that if your VPN connection drops, you’ll be disconnected from the internet automatically and your activities and data will not be exposed.
Additionally, for yet another level of browsing privacy, ExpressVPN and Surfshark offer the option to configure your VPN directly onto your router. This extra safety measure ensures you are automatically connected to your VPN whenever you are using your router and never have to worry about connecting before browsing the internet, or the connection dropping.
Bottom Line
Both ExpressVPN and Surfshark are competitive options that ranked on our list of top 10 VPNs in 2024. If you plan to connect your VPN to more than five devices, consider Surfshark (or another VPN), which allows you to use an unlimited number of devices.
If the locations of the servers are a priority to you, it is worth finding out the locations before subscribing, which you can do on ExpressVPN and Surfshark’s websites.
If price is your top concern, Surfshark is less than half the cost of ExpressVPN. However, ExpressVPN may offer higher speeds, and if this is a priority, it may be worth the extra cost per year.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How secure are VPNs?
Both ExpressVPN and Surfshark provide military-gradeAES 256-bit encryption. This is the same security that governments and armed forces around the world use to protect sensitive information. With servers privately held on the British Virgin Islands (a country not required to share its data with other countries), ExpressVPN is considered extra secure.
Are VPNs legal?
VPNs are legal in most countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. Certain countries, such as China and Russia, have laws against using a VPN to bypass banned websites.
Regardless of the country you’re in, doing anything illegal while you’re connected to a VPN is still illegal.
Are there any VPNs that are available for free?
There are free VPNs available, such as Hotspot Shield. However, we recommend choosing a paid option as free VPNs are less secure and come with many advertisem*nts. If budget is an issue, you can find many cheap VPNs to choose from.
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