ExpressVPN vs Surfshark — premium vs budget. One is polished and fast; the other is cheap and unlimited.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | ExpressVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Price | From $6.67/mo | From $2.19/mo |
| Servers | 3,000+ in 105 countries | 3,200+ in 100 countries |
| Connections | 8 devices | Unlimited |
| No-logs (audited) | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Ad Blocker | ❌ No | ✅ CleanWeb |
| Streaming | ✅ Excellent | ✅ Very Good |
| Money-back | 30 days | 30 days |
1. Pricing: Surfshark Wins By a Mile
Surfshark costs ~$2.19/month. ExpressVPN costs ~$6.67/month — 3x more. Over 2 years you save $100+ with Surfshark.
👉 Get Surfshark — Huge Savings
👉 Get ExpressVPN — Premium Pick
2. Speed: ExpressVPN Is Faster
ExpressVPN’s Lightway protocol leads most independent speed tests, especially on international servers. Surfshark is very fast on WireGuard but trails slightly. For 4K streaming and gaming, both are fine.
3. Security & Privacy
Both use AES-256 encryption, have audited no-logs, and RAM-only servers. Surfshark adds CleanWeb (ad/malware blocker) — something ExpressVPN lacks. Surfshark’s MultiHop and NoBorders are great for restricted regions.
4. Streaming
ExpressVPN remains the gold standard for streaming — reliable across Netflix regions, BBC iPlayer, Disney+. Surfshark has improved greatly and works with most platforms, with only occasional hiccups on specific regional libraries.
5. Devices: Surfshark’s Unlimited Connections Win
Surfshark: unlimited devices. ExpressVPN: 8 devices. For households, Surfshark is the clear winner.
Which Should You Choose?
ExpressVPN: best speed, best streaming reliability, cleanest app. Surfshark: best price, unlimited devices, ad blocker included — delivers 90% of ExpressVPN at 33% of the cost.
🏆 Our Pick
For most users Surfshark is the smarter buy. If you need top streaming or travel internationally often, go with ExpressVPN.