After thorough testing and research, Ive concluded Surfshark edges Proton VPNby a very narrow margin.
The providers also come with WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2/IPSec protocols.
These protocols are all very secure and fast.
That said, only Surfshark has RAM-only servers.
RAM-only servers delete all data when theyre rebooted and as such, they cant keep any user data long-term.
Finally, its great that both Surfshark and Proton VPN allow 2-factor authentication.
Its an extra step, but its one of the best ways to prevent unauthorized logins.
I like how both VPNs offer split-tunneling.
Surfshark and Proton VPN have split-tunneling on Android and Windows.
You also get obfuscation, which hides your VPN traffic, with either VPN.
Surfshark hasCamouflage Modeand aNoBordersfeature.
I really like that Surfsahrk and Proton VPN have great ad blockers.
It was also impressive that they stopped me from visiting shady sites 100% of the time.
Each provider has double VPN connections that route your data through 2 VPN servers instead of 1 server.
Privacy Both Providers Have Great Privacy Features
Surfshark and Proton VPN are very privacy-friendly.
Surfshark has had its server infrastructure audited, too.
Proton VPNs headquarters are in privacy-friendly Switzerland, which is outside of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances jurisdiction.
Proton VPN also has open-source apps.
This means anyone can inspect the code for vulnerabilities.
Winner (Privacy): Its a tie
Surfshark and Proton VPN are both very secure options.
Surfshark and Proton VPN both have physical and virtual servers.
When it comes to Tor support, I like Proton VPN better.
I like that Proton VPN has Tor over VPN servers, but only Surfshark offers dedicated IP addresses.
In my speed tests with Proton VPN, I had great speeds.
Proton VPN also has a VPN Accelerator feature that boosts speeds on distant servers.
Winner (Speeds):Proton VPN
Proton VPN wins the speed comparison by a slight edge.
In contrast, Surfsharks speed performance is solid, but it drops off significantly when connecting to distant servers.
Both providers work well with Netflix.
Winner (Streaming):Surfshark
Both VPNs are a great choice for streaming.
They work with lots of Netflix libraries and can access top and less popular streaming services.
Both providers also work very well with popular torrent clients.
Its also very easy to use all you have to do is enable it in the Windows app.
I really like that both VPNs provide excellent security for torrenting.
Each has a kill switch, an independently audited no-logs policy, and leak protection.
I like that each provider comes with anti-DDoS protection on its servers.
But neither Proton VPN nor Surfshark provides support for cloud gaming.
That said, you may experience some lag on more distant servers.
The good news is its not game-breaking.
Proton VPN also doesnt work in China.
For restrictive countries, I recommend ExpressVPN.
It always works in countries like China and Russia, which is why it takes the No.
1 spot on our list ofthe best VPNs for bypassing government restrictions.
They also have great mobile apps, which are simple to use.
Their desktop apps are also user-friendly and feature-rich.
They also have good router support and can be manually set up on a lot of popular router models.
Plus, they offer detailed tutorials for how to do that on different routers, which is super helpful.
Both VPNs also have apps for all major platforms, including Linux, and they work on most routers.
Proton VPN is slightly more expensive and allows 10 simultaneous connections.
Surfshark has a 1-month, a 1-year, and a 2-year plan.
The 2-year plan provides the best value and starts at only IDR33,740 / month.
Proton VPN comes with a 1-month, a 1-year, and a 2-year plan.
Its longest-term plan, which costs IDR60,870 / month is the best option.
It also has great speeds and strong security and privacy features.
Plus, you only get 1 connection and no streaming support.
Both VPNs accept credit/debit cards, PayPal, and cryptocurrencies.
Surfshark also accepts Google Pay and Amazon Pay.
All of its plans come with unlimited connections and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
I only had to wait for around 10 seconds to get connected to an agent.
Winner (Customer Support):Surfshark
Surfshark provides better customer support than Proton VPN.
It has 24/7 live chat support, and its email support is slightly faster to respond than Proton VPNs.
But, its great that both VPNs provide extensive support libraries and plenty of helpful resources.
I really like both VPNs, but Surfshark is slightly better.
It has more affordable plans, and offers a full, 30-day money-back guarantee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Surfshark and Proton VPN be trusted?
Yes, both Surfshark and Proton VPN haveexcellent securityandprivacy features.
What is the disadvantage of Proton VPN compared to Surfshark?
Surfsharks plans are much more affordable.
Is Surfshark faster than Proton VPN?
Proton VPN isslightly fasterthan Surfshark.
Do Surfshark and Proton VPN work with Netflix?
Yes, both VPNs work with Netflix.
Surfshark works with 15+ Netflix libraries, and Proton VPN works with 25+.
Do Surfshark and Proton VPN have a free plan?
Only Proton VPN offersa free plan.
Proton VPNs free plan is one of the rare VPNs that comes with unlimited bandwidth.
However, Proton VPNs free plan is pretty limited in terms of features and the number of servers.
The free plan also lacks streaming support and doesnt support torrenting.
Proton VPN also backs its paid plans with a 30-day money-back guarantee, but its prorated.
Read more about the best VPNs in 2025
