Proton VPN and Surfshark sit at the same spot in most comparison searches but run different plays. Proton's pricing page opens with a free plan and then two paid ones: VPN Plus at $9.99 a month billed monthly or $3.49 a month on the two-year term, and Proton Unlimited at $12.99 or $7.99 a month. Surfshark's page opens straight into a discount: Starter at $2.49 a month plus three extra months, billed $67.23 for the first 27 months, with a struck-through $444.15 standing in for what 27 separate monthly payments would cost.
TL;DR
Proton VPN gives away a real free plan and charges $3.49 a month on the two-year VPN Plus term, with 10 devices and 140+ countries. Surfshark has no free plan, starts cheaper at $2.49 a month for 27 months, and allows unlimited devices. Pick Proton for the free tier, privacy posture and the option to bundle Mail and Drive; pick Surfshark for the lowest headline price and as many devices as you own.
The feature columns diverge on two lines that matter. Proton caps paid subscriptions at 10 devices at a time and covers 20,000+ servers in 140+ countries, and its free tier covers one device in 10 countries. Surfshark allows unlimited devices on one subscription and lists 4,500+ servers in 100 countries upgraded to 10Gbps, with a free trial instead of a free plan and a note that trial connections are capped at three devices.
Both vendors push long terms and both renew upwards. Proton states its two-year VPN Plus term is billed $83.76 for the first 24 months and then $83.88 every 12 months. Surfshark states its two-year plan is billed once at the start and then annually after that, at what its terms call the standard non-introductory rate. Neither price is the price you pay in year three, and both pages say so in their own words.
| Feature | Proton VPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest long-term rate | $3.49/month on VPN Plus, billed $83.76 for the first 24 months | $2.49/month on Starter, billed $67.23 for the first 27 months |
| Month-to-month | $9.99/month for VPN Plus | About $16.45/month for Starter, from the page's $444.15 figure for 27 months |
| Free access | Free plan at $0.00, 1 device, 10 countries, no time limit | Free trial only; page caps trial use at 3 devices |
| Devices | 10 devices at a time on paid plans | Unlimited devices on one subscription |
| Servers | 20,000+ servers in 140+ countries | 4,500+ servers in 100 countries, upgraded to 10Gbps |
| Bundle contents | VPN Plus adds NetShield; Unlimited adds Mail, Pass, Calendar, Drive | Starter adds Alternative ID and scam protection; One adds antivirus, Alert, Incogni |
| Renewal line | Then $83.88 every 12 months after the first 24 months | Billed annually after the term at the standard non-introductory rate |
| Refund terms | 30-day money-back guarantee | 30-day money-back guarantee |
Pick Proton VPN if
Proton is the pick when a free plan matters, when device count stops at ten, and when the VPN is meant to live next to mail, passwords and storage. The $3.49 two-year rate is not the cheapest in the market, but the 140+ country footprint and audited open-source apps make it the more complete privacy product. If you refuse long commitments, its month-to-month price is the sting.
Pick Surfshark if
Surfshark wins the arithmetic: $2.49 a month for 27 months, unlimited devices and a bundle that includes antivirus and identity tools on the higher tiers. It is the better household VPN where everyone has a phone, a laptop and a tablet. Budget for the renewal step, since the intro rate is a two-year offer and the plan renews annually at the standard rate afterwards.
No third-party review scores or user quotes were gathered for this page; every number comes from protonvpn.com/pricing, surfshark.com/pricing and Surfshark's own plans blog, fetched on 14 October 2026.
Surfshark. Its Starter plan is $2.49 a month billed as $67.23 for the first 27 months, while Proton VPN Plus is $3.49 a month billed $83.76 for the first 24 months. Both renew higher afterwards.
Proton does: Proton Free costs $0.00 and covers one device in 10 countries with no artificial speed limits. Surfshark offers a trial instead, and its pricing page says trial use is limited to 3 devices until the trial ends.
Proton VPN allows 10 devices at a time on paid plans and one on the free plan. Surfshark allows unlimited devices on one subscription, which is the clearest single-line advantage it has here.
Proton's page says the two-year VPN Plus term renews at $83.88 every 12 months. Surfshark's page says the two-year plan is billed once at the beginning and then annually after it expires, at the standard non-introductory rate it emails you about 30 days ahead.
Proton VPN: 20,000+ servers in 140+ countries against Surfshark's 4,500+ servers in 100 countries. Surfshark counters with all servers upgraded to 10Gbps.
With Surfshark on the One and One+ tiers, which add antivirus, breach alerts and Incogni data removal. Proton does not sell antivirus; Proton Unlimited instead adds Mail, Pass, Calendar and Drive.
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