ExpressVPN vs Surfshark (2026)
Head-to-head on price, speed, privacy posture and features - based on our independent reviews of both providers.
Score comparison
| ExpressVPN | Surfshark | Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 8.7 | 8.6 | ExpressVPN |
| Speed & reliability | 9.0 | 8.8 | ExpressVPN |
| Privacy & trust | 8.3 | 8.2 | ExpressVPN |
| Features & coverage | 8.4 | 8.9 | Surfshark |
| Value for money | 7.6 | 9.3 | Surfshark |
| Ease of use | 9.6 | 9.0 | ExpressVPN |
Side by side
| ExpressVPN | Surfshark | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $3.49/mo | $2.49/mo |
| Service types | Consumer VPN | Consumer VPN |
| Jurisdiction | British Virgin Islands outside 5/9/14 Eyes | Netherlands in the 9 Eyes |
| Logging policy | No-logs, independently audited | No-logs, independently audited |
| Independent audits | KPMG (2025) Cure53 (2024) | Deloitte (2025) Cure53 (2023) |
| Network | 3K servers | 3.2K servers |
| Country coverage | 105 | 100 |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days | 30 days |
| Free tier | - | - |
| Support | chat, email, knowledge-base · 24/7 | chat, email, knowledge-base · 24/7 |
| Pay with crypto | ✓ | ✓ |
Which should you pick?
Choose ExpressVPN if this fits: best apps and router support. ExpressVPN still makes the most refined software in the category and its router story is unmatched, but you pay a premium for it, and the Kape ownership is a fair reason for privacy purists to look elsewhere.
Choose Surfshark if this fits: best value for households and heavy device users. Surfshark gives you most of what NordVPN does for about half the money, with unlimited devices as the headline. The Dutch jurisdiction and the Nord Security ownership are the trade-offs.
Overall, our scores favor ExpressVPN (8.7 vs 8.6) - but the right choice depends on which trade-offs matter to you. Read the full ExpressVPN review and Surfshark review.