What is the difference between ExpressVPN and Surfshark?

ExpressVPN is best for Users wanting a reliable, fast VPN across all devices, while Surfshark is best for Users wanting affordable VPN with unlimited devices. ExpressVPN starts at $6.67/mo and Surfshark starts at $2.49/mo.

ExpressVPN vs Surfshark

ExpressVPN is Premium VPN known for speed, reliability, and wide device support, while Surfshark is Affordable VPN with unlimited simultaneous connections and CleanWeb ad blocker. Surfshark comes in cheaper, but price alone does not tell the full story. ExpressVPN is built for users wanting a reliable, fast vpn across all devices, whereas Surfshark targets users wanting affordable vpn with unlimited devices.

At a glance

	ExpressVPN	Surfshark
Best for	Users wanting a reliable, fast VPN across all devices	Users wanting affordable VPN with unlimited devices
Starting price	$6.67/mo	$2.49/mo
Free tier	—	—
Open source	—	—
Free tier available	—	—
Open source	—	—
94 Countries	✓	—
CleanWeb	—	✓
Fast Speeds	✓	—
GPS Spoofing	—	✓
MediaStreamer	✓	—
MultiHop	—	✓
Split Tunneling	✓	—
Unlimited Devices	—	✓

ExpressVPN

Strengths

Includes Fast Speeds as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows
Includes 94 Countries as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows
Affordable at $6.67/mo — one of the lower-priced options in the vpn category
Established product with 17+ years on the market and a mature ecosystem

Weaknesses

No free plan — you need to pay $6.67/mo from day one to use it
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Ecosystem of third-party integrations is smaller than the market leaders in vpn
Limited team/admin features if your organization eventually scales up

Try ExpressVPN → Full review

Surfshark

Strengths

Includes Unlimited Devices as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows
Includes CleanWeb as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows
Affordable at $2.49/mo — one of the lower-priced options in the vpn category
Includes multihop alongside the core feature set — fewer separate tools needed

Weaknesses

No free plan — you need to pay $2.49/mo from day one to use it
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Ecosystem of third-party integrations is smaller than the market leaders in vpn
Limited team/admin features if your organization eventually scales up

Try Surfshark → Full review

The bottom line

Pricing: ExpressVPN starts at $6.67/mo. Surfshark starts at $2.49/mo. Surfshark is the more affordable option.

Feature gaps: ExpressVPN offers 94 Countries, Fast Speeds and MediaStreamer that Surfshark lacks. Surfshark brings CleanWeb, GPS Spoofing and MultiHop that ExpressVPN does not have.

Team fit: Both tools target individuals teams, so the decision hinges on features and workflow fit rather than scale.

Where each tool shines: ExpressVPN's biggest strengths are: includes fast speeds as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows. includes 94 countries as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows. Surfshark's biggest strengths are: includes unlimited devices as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows. includes cleanweb as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows.

Watch out for: With ExpressVPN, users commonly note that no free plan — you need to pay $6.67/mo from day one to use it. With Surfshark, the main complaint is that no free plan — you need to pay $2.49/mo from day one to use it.

Choose ExpressVPN if...

You need a tool built for users wanting a reliable, fast vpn across all devices
You specifically need 94 Countries and Fast Speeds
You care about includes 94 countries as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows

Choose Surfshark if...

You need a tool built for users wanting affordable vpn with unlimited devices
You want to save on per-user costs — Surfshark is $4.18/user/mo cheaper
You specifically need CleanWeb and GPS Spoofing
You care about includes cleanweb as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows