What is the difference between ProtonVPN and Surfshark?

ProtonVPN is best for Privacy-conscious users wanting free VPN from a trusted brand, while Surfshark is best for Users wanting affordable VPN with unlimited devices. ProtonVPN starts at Free and Surfshark starts at $2.49/mo.

Is ProtonVPN or Surfshark cheaper?

ProtonVPN starts at Free with a free tier. Surfshark starts at $2.49/mo.

Is there a free alternative to Surfshark?

Yes, ProtonVPN offers a free tier (Free with 3 countries).

ProtonVPN vs Surfshark

ProtonVPN is Free VPN from the makers of ProtonMail with no data limits and no ads, while Surfshark is Affordable VPN with unlimited simultaneous connections and CleanWeb ad blocker. The biggest difference up front: ProtonVPN is free, while Surfshark starts at $2.49/mo. ProtonVPN is built for privacy-conscious users wanting free vpn from a trusted brand, whereas Surfshark targets users wanting affordable vpn with unlimited devices.

At a glance

	ProtonVPN	Surfshark
Best for	Privacy-conscious users wanting free VPN from a trusted brand	Users wanting affordable VPN with unlimited devices
Starting price	Free	$2.49/mo
Free tier	✓	—
Open source	—	—
Free tier available	✓	—
Open source	—	—
CleanWeb	—	✓
GPS Spoofing	—	✓
MultiHop	—	✓
No Ads	✓	—
No Data Limit	✓	—
Secure Core	✓	—
Swiss Privacy	✓	—
Unlimited Devices	—	✓

ProtonVPN

Strengths

Includes No Data Limit as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows
Includes No Ads as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows
Free with 3 countries — generous enough for most small teams to get real work done
Includes swiss privacy alongside the core feature set — fewer separate tools needed

Weaknesses

Free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade
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 ProtonVPN → 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: ProtonVPN is completely free (Free with 3 countries), which makes it the obvious pick if budget is the top concern. Surfshark starts at $2.49/mo. That cost buys you a more polished or feature-rich experience, so it comes down to whether the extras justify the spend.

Feature gaps: ProtonVPN offers No Ads, No Data Limit and Secure Core that Surfshark lacks. Surfshark brings CleanWeb, GPS Spoofing and MultiHop that ProtonVPN 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: ProtonVPN's biggest strengths are: includes no data limit as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows. includes no ads 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 ProtonVPN, users commonly note that free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade. With Surfshark, the main complaint is that no free plan — you need to pay $2.49/mo from day one to use it.

Choose ProtonVPN if...

You need a tool built for privacy-conscious users wanting free vpn from a trusted brand
Budget is a hard constraint — ProtonVPN is free, Surfshark is not
You specifically need No Ads and No Data Limit
You care about includes no ads as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows
The free tier works for you: free with 3 countries

Choose Surfshark if...

You need a tool built for users wanting affordable vpn with unlimited devices
You specifically need CleanWeb and GPS Spoofing
You care about includes cleanweb as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows