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Verified comparison

Proton VPN is 100% cheaper
than Surfshark

$0/mo (Proton Free) vs Surfshark Surfshark Starter at $16.45/mo — covering 25% of the 8 compared capabilities.

Save $197.40 / yearVisit Proton VPN ↗

Same job. Way less money.

Comparison scenario

Every cheaper-than claim is tied to a defined scenario — never a bare list price.

Scenario

single user, monthly billing · USD · prices as observed on official pricing pages.

Surfshark basis

Surfshark Starter plan at $16.45/mo, the cheapest paid plan.

Proton VPN basis

Proton Free: 0 USD/monthly.

The short version

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 8 compared capabilities.

Capability comparison

Proton VPN covers 25% of the 8 capabilities compared against Surfshark. ✓ native · ◐ via integration · ✗ not found.

CapabilityProton VPNSurfshark
Unlimited devices✗✓
No-logs policy✓✓
Server network size↑ VPN Plus✓
Dedicated IP✗✓
Split tunneling✓✓
Multi-hop↑ VPN Plus✓
Ad & tracker blocking↑ VPN Plus✓
Money-back guarantee↑ VPN Plus✓

What you give up

Capabilities Surfshark has that Proton VPN lacks.

  • Unlimited devices — Connect an unlimited number of devices to the VPN at once.
    Missing from Proton VPN.
  • Server network size — Choose from a large network of server locations.
    Missing from Proton VPN.
  • Dedicated IP — Use a static IP address reserved for your account.
    Missing from Proton VPN.
  • Multi-hop — Route traffic through more than one VPN server for extra privacy.
    Missing from Proton VPN.
  • Ad & tracker blocking — Block ads and trackers while connected.
    Missing from Proton VPN.
  • Money-back guarantee — Get a refund if you cancel within a guarantee period.
    Missing from Proton 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.

Proton VPN
Proton FreeFree
VPN Plus$9.99/mo
Proton Unlimited$12.99/mo
Surfshark
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 Proton VPN than Surfshark?

100% cheaper in our scenario (single user, monthly billing): $0/mo on Proton Free vs $16.45/mo on Surfshark Starter. That is $197.40 a year.

What does Proton VPN lack compared with Surfshark?

Unlimited devices, Server network size, Dedicated IP, Multi-hop, Ad & tracker blocking, Money-back guarantee — 6 of the 8 compared capabilities.

When were these prices checked?

Surfshark: 2026-09-21; Proton VPN: 2026-10-03 — on the official pricing pages.

Sources & freshness

All Surfshark alternatives