Surfshark vs. ExpressVPN: Which VPN Is Better?

Which VPN is better, Surfshark or ExpressVPN? The easy answer for most is ExpressVPN because it adds far less lag to video calls and gaming, has easier-to-use apps, and makes getting a refund painless. Surfshark also makes a strong case, with unlimited devices, a bigger server network, and advanced privacy tools on every plan.

But you can read that anywhere. We actually tested both of these providers, and here’s how it nets out.

Overall, our research gives ExpressVPN the nod in scoring, coming in at 79/100 to Surfshark’s 74.7/100. For more, check out our Surfshark and ExpressVPN reviews. For the true head-to-head comparison, here’s how these two top-notch VPNs compare.

Surfshark vs. ExpressVPN at a glance

Pricing: A near tie

Neither of these is a budget VPN, and our price scores were nearly identical. On a two-year plan, both start at the exact same rate. Month-to-month, ExpressVPN is a little cheaper, while Surfshark’s monthly rate is the highest of any major VPN we’ve compared.

Where Surfshark earns its keep is value. Its entry-level Starter plan already includes advanced tools like double VPN and a rotating IP, and every plan covers unlimited devices. ExpressVPN saves its best perks for its pricier tiers.

Watch the renewal with both, though. Our ExpressVPN invoice showed our plan renewing at almost double the intro price, and that rate never showed up in our account. Surfshark doesn’t spell out its renewal rate at all, only that you’ll pay its then-current price. You’d think premium VPNs would be more up-front about what you’ll pay next, right? Not these two.

Here are the renewal rates you can expect if you commit to either of them.

Speed and performance: ExpressVPN feels faster

ExpressVPN earned the higher speed score, and it was the one we forgot was running. Surfshark held onto a bit more raw bandwidth, but it added a lot of lag, and our video calls were noticeably delayed and choppy. On ExpressVPN, we took Zoom calls all day without any lag or freezing. Here’s the speed breakdown so you can see why.

A quick note on distant servers: On a far-off server, results were mixed. Surfshark kept more download speed, while ExpressVPN kept more upload speed with slightly less lag.

What does that mean for you? If you mostly stream, browse, and download, you won’t feel much of a difference. If you game or live on video calls, ExpressVPN is the better pick.

Features: Surfshark builds for families, ExpressVPN piles on perks

Surfshark and ExpressVPN have a lot of overlap. Both offer post-quantum protection, a kill switch, split tunneling, ad and malicious site blocking, a dedicated IP option, and help getting around age-verification and regional blocks. On their top tiers, both add identity theft coverage, data removal, and alerts if your personal info leaks.

Where they split is who they’re built for. Surfshark is built for households. Every plan covers unlimited devices and includes double VPN, an IP address that rotates every five minutes, and Alternative ID for signing up online without your real details. Its higher plans add antivirus and a content blocker you can lock with two-factor authentication, so the kids can’t switch it off, though it lets some lesser-known sites through in our testing.

ExpressVPN leans into premium perks, like a private email relay on every plan, a built-in speed test, a password manager, a travel eSIM, and ExpressAI, a private AI chat tool, on its top tier. Express Pro also includes a dedicated IP at no extra cost, which Surfshark only sells as an add-on.

The unique offerings won’t change how either VPN protects you day to day. If you want to protect every device in the house, go with Surfshark. If you want an all-in-one privacy bundle, go with Express.

Security and privacy: It’s a tie

Let’s be clear: Both Surfshark and ExpressVPN are safe choices, and both earned a perfect security score from us. Each uses AES-256 encryption, runs RAM-only servers that can’t store your data long-term, and has a no-logs policy verified by third-party audits. Both are also part of bigger companies: Surfshark merged with Nord Security, NordVPN’s parent company, in 2022, and ExpressVPN has been owned by Kape Technologies since 2021.

Surfshark’s strength is that it doesn’t hold anything back. Even its entry-level plan includes double VPN, a rotating IP, split tunneling, and a kill switch. Deloitte has confirmed its no-logs policy twice, though you’ll need an account to read those reports.

ExpressVPN’s strength is its clean record. It adds ChaCha20 encryption, benefits from the British Virgin Islands’ strong privacy laws, and has never had a privacy or security breach. The one asterisk: Kape’s past issues with ad and malware distribution raised some eyebrows when it bought ExpressVPN.

Apps: ExpressVPN is easier to use

ExpressVPN’s app earned a perfect score from us. You hit one power button to connect, see live latency for every server, get a plain-English explanation of each protocol, and set rules so the VPN connects on its own when you join a new network.

Surfshark’s apps are built for convenience too, with your VPN IP address and protocol right on the home screen and a ping you can check by hovering over each server. But Surfshark gives its best real estate to extras, while settings you actually need, like split tunneling and the kill switch, sit two pages deep.

Billing and cancellation: ExpressVPN makes it painless

Both providers offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, and both honored it without a fight. ExpressVPN gets the edge because we never had to talk to anyone. We requested our refund right from our online account in a few clicks. Surfshark was nearly as quick, though. Its live chat agent sent us a link to a short questionnaire, and we were done in under five minutes. Check out the step-by-step breakdown for cancellation below.

Yes, ExpressVPN wins overall, 79/100 to 74.7/100. It came out ahead on billing, speed, and apps—the things you’ll notice every day—and edged Surfshark on price. Surfshark led on servers and devices, and the two tied on security.

Surfshark is a strong pick if you want to cover every device in the house, get advanced privacy tools on even the cheapest plan, or need the fastest raw downloads. For everyone else, ExpressVPN gives you a smoother connection for calls and gaming, easier apps, and the easiest refund around.

Surfshark vs. ExpressVPN: FAQ