Private Internet Access (PIA VPN) is 80% cheaper
than Surfshark
$3.33/mo (1 Year) vs Surfshark Surfshark Starter at $16.45/mo — covering 57% of the 7 compared capabilities.
Same job. Way less money.
Comparison scenario
Every cheaper-than claim is tied to a defined scenario — never a bare list price.
single user, monthly billing · USD · prices as observed on official pricing pages.
Surfshark Starter plan at $16.45/mo, the cheapest paid plan.
1 Year: 39.96 USD/yearly.
Surfshark costs $16.45/mo on the Surfshark Starter plan at single user, monthly billing. We found 1 assessed alternative that is cheaper in this scenario; 0 of them cover at least 75% of the 7 compared capabilities.
Capability comparison
Private Internet Access (PIA VPN) covers 57% of the 7 capabilities compared against Surfshark. ✓ native · ◐ via integration · ✗ not found.
| Capability | Private Internet Access (PIA VPN) | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited devices | ✓ | ✓ |
| No-logs policy | ✓ | ✓ |
| Server network size | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dedicated IP | ✓ | ✓ |
| Split tunneling | ✗ | ✓ |
| Multi-hop | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ad & tracker blocking | ✗ | ✓ |
What you give up
Capabilities Surfshark has that Private Internet Access (PIA VPN) lacks.
- Split tunneling — Route only chosen apps or sites through the VPN.Missing from Private Internet Access (PIA VPN).
- Multi-hop — Route traffic through more than one VPN server for extra privacy.Missing from Private Internet Access (PIA VPN).
- Ad & tracker blocking — Block ads and trackers while connected.Missing from Private Internet Access (PIA VPN).
Plans & pricing, side by side
Advertised prices in USD as observed on the official pricing pages — per-seat and transaction-fee plans are marked.
| 1 Month | $11.95/mo |
| 1 Year | $3.33/mo (billed yearly) |
| Surfshark Starter | $16.45/mo |
| Surfshark One | $18.95/mo |
| Surfshark One+ | $21.85/mo |
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Frequently asked
How much cheaper is Private Internet Access (PIA VPN) than Surfshark?
80% cheaper in our scenario (single user, monthly billing): $3.33/mo on 1 Year vs $16.45/mo on Surfshark Starter. That is $157.44 a year.
What does Private Internet Access (PIA VPN) lack compared with Surfshark?
Split tunneling, Multi-hop, Ad & tracker blocking — 3 of the 7 compared capabilities.
When were these prices checked?
Surfshark: 2026-08-26; Private Internet Access (PIA VPN): 2026-09-07 — on the official pricing pages.
Sources & freshness
- https://surfshark.com/pricing (official_pricing, checked 2026-08-26)
- https://surfshark.com/pricing#main (official_pricing, checked 2026-08-26)
- Private Internet Access (PIA VPN) data last verified 2026-09-07