ExpressVPN vs. Surfshark VPN At a Glance
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN will be an attractive option for those looking for a premium VPN service and don’t mind paying a bit extra for it. The provider delivers fast and well-protected connections, an impressive global server network, and excellent customer support.
Streaming fans will appreciate ExpressVPN’s ability to unblock multiple streaming services around the globe, while users with multiple connected devices will appreciate the provider’s comprehensive device and router support.
Surfshark
Online users on a budget will appreciate Surfshark’s comprehensive VPN services, which are available for quite a budget-friendly price. The provider offers comprehensive app and router support, a massive global server network, and fast and well-protected connections.
Surfshark’s server network offers excellent access to geo-protected content in multiple countries, and also offers extra services for a small additional fee.
How to Choose a VPN
When you’re deciding which Virtual Provider Network (VPN) to subscribe to, don’t make a buying decision based on just one or two features. Always make sure the provider’s services fully meet your needs.
While a low price is great, so is comprehensive device support. Afterall, the lowest price in the world isn’t a good value if the provider doesn’t offer an app for the device you use.
In this edition of “versus,” I’ll be pitting two well-known and respected VPN providers (ExpressVPN and Surfshark) against each other in a head-to-head faceoff to determine the top provider of the two. I’ll rate them in the categories that should always be considered when researching any VPN.
I’ll discuss how well both providers perform in each category, then declare a victor in each service area. At the end of this article, I’ll double-check the scores, tally the totals, and declare an overall winner. By then, you’ll have enough information to decide which VPN best meets your needs.
ExpressVPN and Surfshark Features – Side by Side
Always make sure to carefully consider each feature that a VPN offers. Doing so, allows you to make an informed buying decision.
In this section, I’ll cover the various features you should take into consideration when subscribing to a VPN. I’ll cover each feature category, and reveal who performed best in that category.
Connection Speeds
I’m willing to bet that you spend plenty of time online, streaming video and music, gaming online, sharing files, video conferencing, and engaging in other popular activities.
All of the above online activities are more enjoyable when you have a fast internet connection. That’s why your overall online satisfaction will suffer if you’re forced to deal with slow connection speeds.
Here at Pixel Privacy, we perform period connection speed tests on all of our VPN contenders. We use the Speedtest.net app to measure their download speeds, performing the speed tests as follows:
- We use a Windows server that uses a gigabit Ethernet connection based in North America.
- Both providers are tested by connecting to VPN servers in the United Kingdom, the United States and Hong Kong, at three different times of day over the course of three days.
- The Windows version of the providers’ apps is used for testing, and the app is configured to connect using the OpenVPN protocol over UDP when available.
- The Speedtest app is run after connecting to each VPN server location, shutting down the Speedtest app following each test.
Both VPN providers performed well during our testing.
Surfshark delivered average speeds of 323.6 Mbps in testing, making it an excellent solution for video and music streaming, gaming, sharing large files, and more.
Meanwhile, ExpressVPN’s download speeds performed even better, averaging in at 474.8 Mbps. Those speeds also make it an excellent option for file sharing, gaming, and streaming.
Keep in mind that your connection speeds will most likely be different than ours, depending on your ISP-provided connection speeds, your location, and the VPN servers you select.
Average Connection Speed Winner: ExpressVPN
| Provider | Avg. Connection Speed | Link |
| ExpressVPN | 474.8 Mbps | Visit Site |
| Surfshark | 323.6 Mbps | Visit Site |
Pricing
When considering VPN pricing, don’t make a decision only based on cost. Some low-priced VPNs skimp on features, have slower speeds, and their global server coverage may be less than optimal. Weigh each provider’s price against its performance in the other categories we’ll take a look at.
Surfshark and ExpressVPN are basically at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to pricing. Surfshark is a budget-priced provider, while ExpressVPN charges a rather high price for its admittedly premium services.
Surfshark takes the pricing crown in this battle, with an average price of close to half that of ExpressVPN.
You’ll notice that I don’t include actual prices in my roundups, as most providers change their pricing and offer special deals on a regular basis. Visit a provider’s website for their most current pricing.
Pricing Winner: Surfshark
| Provider | Money-Back Guarantee Period | Link |
| Surfshark | 30 Days | Visit Site |
| ExpressVPN | 30 Days | Visit Site |
Privacy
In today’s privacy-invading online world, protecting your privacy is arguably the most important reason to use a Virtual Private Network. That’s why any VPN provider you consider prevents outsiders from gaining access to any records of your online travels.
When considering a VPN service’s privacy protections, consider the following:
- Is the provider based in a privacy-friendly country?
- Does the provider keep any user activity logs on their VPN servers?
- Does the provider accept Bitcoin or other privacy-protecting forms of payment?
ExpressVPN is located in the privacy-friendly British Virgin Islands and takes full advantage of the lack of data retention laws there, keeping no user logs of any kind. You can sign up for the service by using a disposable email address when paying with Bitcoin to keep your subscription identity totally incognito.
Surfshark is also located in the privacy-friendly British Virgin Islands and joins ExpressVPN in taking full advantage of its privacy-respecting locale. This provider also runs its servers sans user logs, and also accepts cryptocurrency for payment privacy.
Privacy Winner: It’s a tie.
| Provider | Privacy Ranking | Site |
| ExpressVPN | 5.0 | Visit Site |
| Surfshark | 5.0 | Visit Site |
Security
A VPN uses military-grade encryption to protect your online activities from outside observation. This also keeps your personal and business-related information safe from prying eyes.
Surfshark uses the AES-256 encryption, with OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IPSec/IKEv2 protocols to protect their customers’ connections. The provider also offers kill switch protection, as well as “Camouflage Mode” to make VPN traffic appear to be normal browser traffic.
ExpressVPN also uses AES-256 encryption. VPN protocols in the provider’s apps include OpenVPN, Lightway, IKEv2, PPTP, and L2TP/IPSec. The provider offers additional protection via kill switch protection, as well as DNS leak and IPv6 leak prevention. A threat manager feature blocks trackers and malicious sites.
Encryption Winner: Tied
| Provider | Overall Security Score | Link |
| ExpressVPN | 5.0 | Visit Site |
| Surfshark | 5.0 | Visit Site |
Simultaneous Connections
I’m willing to bet that most of you own multiple connected devices, while many of you have family members with connected devices. Tablets, smartphones, computers, streaming, and gaming devices, it all adds up quickly. This makes a VPN provider’s simultaneous connections allowance an important factor to consider.
ExpressVPN allows users to connect up to five devices at once to their servers.
Surfshark allows its users to simultaneously connect an unlimited number of devices to its servers. This is a definite advantage for users like multiple device users, large families, and small business owners.
Simultaneous Connections Winner: Surfshark
| Provider | Simultaneous Connections Allowed | Link |
| Surfshark | Unlimited | Visit Site |
| ExpressVPN | 5 | Visit Site |
Streaming Support
There are SO many streaming services on the internet. It seems like a new streaming service appears every day. Many of these streaming services are available only in certain areas of the world. Luckily, a VPN can help you gain access to streaming content that might normally be unavailable in your country.
This means that a VPN that provides access to multiple streaming services around the globe can help you squeeze more value out of your various streaming subscriptions by providing access to streaming services you might not usually have access to.
ExpressVPN delivers reliable access to numerous streaming services, including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, Apple TV+, Disney+, HBO Max, Showtime, Sling TV, DAZ, ITV, Hotstar, Hallmark Movies, Sky, Fubo, Channel 4, CBC, CTV, 9 Now, and multiple other streaming services.
Surfshark also delivers access to multiple streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, ITV Hub, All 4, Hotstar, HBO, Sky, and other streaming services.
Streaming Support Winner: ExpressVPN (Although it’s close)
| Provider | # of U.S. Streaming Services VPN Unblocks | # of International Services VPN Unblocks | Link |
| ExpressVPN | 20+ | 5+ | Visit Site |
| Surfshark | 10+ | 5+ | Visit Site |
BitTorrent Support
If you share files online, BitTorrent is the greatest thing since the invention of broadband. If you’re an entertainment industry executive or lawyer, it’s the worst thing since Heaven’s Gate.
Either way, P2P file sharing is one of the most popular activities on the internet today.
I should note that while file sharing in itself is not illegal – several organizations use the technology to share files – it is generally illegal to use it to share copyrighted materials such as movies, music, and games.
Whatever reason you engage in P2P file sharing, a VPN is the best way to protect your activities from being detected and observed. You see, some ISPs will either throttle or deactivate your internet connection simply because you’re sharing files via P2P, even if the files you’re sharing are legal!
ExpressVPN allows P2P activity on its entire global server network. The provider even offers a how-to guide on their website explaining how the service protects your file sharing activities.
Surfshark also allows P2P file sharing on its server network. The provider handles P2P differently than ExpressVPN, as it uses file sharing-optimized servers. If you’re connected to another server and begin sharing files, the provider will automatically switch your connection to the nearest P2P server.
BitTorrenting Winner: Tie
| Provider | # of Countries Where VPN Allows BitTorrents | Link |
| ExpressVPN | All of them | Visit Site |
| Surfshark | All of them | Visit Site |
Global Server Coverage
Any VPN provider worth considering should do a good job of covering the globe with its servers, as that is the difference between having access to content from a particular region or being locked out of that same content.
Surfshark has 3,200+ servers located in 100+ countries around the world. Those servers provide reliable access to geo-controlled content around the globe.
ExpressVPN has over 3,000 servers stationed in 94+ countries around the globe.
Global Server Coverage Winner: Surfshark (by a nose)
| Provider | Server Count | Countries | Link |
| Surfshark | 3,200+ | 100 | Visit Site |
| ExpressVPN | 3,000+ | 94 | Visit Site |
Multi-Platform Support
Take a moment to think about how many connected devices you use on a daily basis. Your smartphone, tablet, computer, gaming console, and even that new refrigerator in the kitchen are all connected to the internet.
That’s why the number of devices a VPN provider supports is an important consideration.
Surfshark offers impressive app support, with app options for iOS, macOS (with native M1/M2 Mac support), Android, Android TV, Windows, Linux, and Amazon Fire TV devices. The provider also offers support for popular browser platforms, including Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. Surfshark can also provide protection for popular streaming devices and gaming consoles, like the Xbox family, PlayStation family, smart TVs, Apple TV, and Roku, thanks to its comprehensive router support.
ExpressVPN also offers comprehensive native app support, with apps for Windows, macOS (also with native M1/M2 Mac support), iOS, Android, Android TV, Linux, Chrome OS, and Amazon Fire TV platforms. Browser extensions are available for the Chrome, Edge, and Firefox platforms. A custom app for select routers is also available, as are setup instructions for other routers. The provider also offers a pre-configured “Aircove” router that is ready to go with ExpressVPN right out of the box.
ExpressVPN and Surfshark users who don’t feel like manually setting up their current router can purchase pre-configured routers for the VPN services through the FlashRouters.com website.
Multi-Platform Support Winner: ExpressVPN (at the wire)
| Provider | Platforms Supported | Browser Extensions? | Router Support? |
Link |
| ExpressVPN | 8 | Yes (Chrome, Edge, Firefox) | Yes – Offers firmware for select routers, Flashrouter options, and Aircove router. | Visit Site |
| Surfshark | 7 | Yes (Chrome, Edge, Firefox) | Yes – Manual setup. Also includes Flashrouter options. | Visit Site |
Customer Support
While both of these VPN providers offer easy-to-use and reliable VPN services. However, there may be a time when you have a question or two. When you do, you’ll appreciate comprehensive customer support.
ExpressVPN’s customer support is an around-the-clock proposition, offering 24/7 live chat, email support, and an easy-to-search support library.
Surfshark also offers comprehensive customer support, with 24/7 live chat, email support, and a searchable troubleshooting library. Unfortunately, Surfshark loses half a point from its score due to the provider’s use of Zendesk for its chat feature. Any time you include a third party in the mix, there is a risk to the users’ privacy.
Customer Support Winner: ExpressVPN (but it was close again)
| Provider | Customer Support Rating | Link |
| ExpressVPN | 5.0 | Visit Site |
| Surfshark | 4.5 | Visit Site |
And The VPN Winner Is…
Both providers deliver reliable VPN protection and you can’t go wrong with either VPN. However, only one provider can be named the winner of this one-on-one faceoff.
ExpressVPN is the champion in this battle of top VPNs, inching out a victory, thanks to its superiority in connection speed, streaming, multi-platform support, and customer support arenas.
Surfshark was tops in the pricing, simultaneous connections, and global server coverage service columns.
The providers tied in the privacy, security, and BitTorrent support competitions.
For more information or to purchase a subscription, visit ExpressVPN.
