Surfshark vs. ExpressVPN: Differences, pros and cons in 2024
“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.
BLUEPRINT
Updated 5:44 a.m. UTC June 19, 2024
Editorial Note: Blueprint may earn a commission from affiliate partner links featured here on our site. This commission does not influence our editors' opinions or evaluations. Please view our full advertiser disclosure policy.
ExpressVPN
Pros
- Fast download speeds averaging over 200 Mbps.
- Massive server network across 94 countries.
- 30-day money-back guarantee.
Cons
- Among the most expensive VPNs we reviewed.
- Number of servers not shared publicly.
- No dedicated IP address.
Pros
- Works on multiple device types.
- Fast speeds in our testing.
- Fast installation and setup.
Cons
- Annoying upsells to other Surfshark products.
- No support for split tunneling.
- High price for month-to-month plan.
Top-rated virtual private networks (VPNs) like ExpressVPN and Surfshark offer fast speeds for safe, anonymous internet use. In this piece, we will help you decide which may be best for your business by overviewing each providers’ price points, features, servers, speed and customer support.
Featured VPN service offers
Surfshark
Free plan
No
Cheapest monthly plan
$15.45
Download speed (average)
263 Mbps
NordVPN
Free plan
No
Cheapest monthly plan
$12.99
Download speed (average)
235 Mbps
Private Internet Access (PIA)
Free plan
No
Cheapest monthly plan
$11.95
Download speed (average)
124 Mbps
ExpressVPN vs. Surfshark: Cost
| LOWEST MONTHLY PLAN PRICE (PER MONTH) | FREE TRIAL AVAILABLE | MONEY-BACK GUARANT | |
|---|---|---|---|
ExpressVPN
| $12.95
| 7-day free trial (on iOS and Android)
| 30-day money-back guarantee
|
Surfshark
| $15.45
| 7-day free trial (on iOS, macOS, and Android)
| 30-day money-back guarantee
|
Surfshark’s cheapest monthly option is $15.45 per month, whereas ExpressVPN comes in at $12.95 per month. ExpressVPN also offers a six-month subscription. It’s cheaper than both VPN providers’ monthly plans, billed at $59.94 every six months. But for that price, you’re better off saving a few cents and getting Surfshark for an entire year. Surfshark does offer one-year and two-year plans, but pricing varies.
If you’re in the market for multiple VPN accounts, you can get discounted rates from both providers. ExpressVPN provides discounts ranging from 20% to 40% on bulk licensing for five or more VPN subscriptions and Surfshark offers business accounts for multiple employees. With either VPN provider, call and discuss bulk discounts for exact pricing.
Both VPN services provide a 30-day money-back guarantee. Surfshark doesn’t refund Apple App Store (iTunes) or Amazon purchases, nor subscriptions paid with a gift card, prepaid card or if you bought an anonymous dedicated IP. ExpressVPN purchases through the Apple App Store (iTunes) are also not eligible for the guarantee.
ExpressVPN vs. Surfshark: Features
| ANONYMOUS BROWSING | DEDICATED IP | KILL SWITCH | SPLIT TUNNELING | MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ExpressVPN
| ✓
| X
| ✓
| ✓
| ✓
|
Surfshark
| ✓
| ✓
| ✓
| ✓
| ✓
|
You can use an unlimited number of devices with Surfshark, whereas ExpressVPN restricts users to five unless you install the VPN on your router. If you’re considering purchasing a router for your office, Surfshark and ExpressVPN each offer preconfigured routers that already have their VPNs installed and are compatible with more than a dozen others.
Both VPN services provide typical VPN features, such as unlimited bandwidth, DNS traffic blockers and kill switches. However, ExpressVPN has a unique feature — device groups. When you set up the VPN on a router, you can create groups within the ExpressVPN app and tie each group to different VPN server locations, or exclude devices from your VPN network.
For example, you could have all of your computers in a group connected to a nearby server, while your smart TV and other streaming devices are in another group connected to a foreign server so that you can access geo-restricted content.
Both VPN providers allow split tunneling, which allows you to choose which data goes through your VPN and which does not. Doing so helps to avoid internet slowdowns that may occur if all your data goes through the VPN. ExpressVPN’s split tunneling works on Mac, Windows and Android devices and Surfshark’s split tunneling feature, Bypasser, is only available on Windows and Android hardware.
Other areas the two VPN providers differ are available protocols and IP address offerings. Both support IKEv2 and OpenVPN protocols, but only Surfshark offers Wireguard. Instead, ExpressVPN provides its users with Lightway, a proprietary VPN protocol.
When it comes to available IP address offerings, only Surfshark allows you to buy a dedicated IP address. Dedicated IP addresses can be helpful in avoiding authentication issues that occur with constantly changing IP addresses.
Overall, Surfshark’s unlimited simultaneous connections give it an edge over ExpressVPN. However, ExpressVPN’s growing list of innovative VPN features add value. For instance, ExpressVPN is rolling out a new built-in password manager that generates and stores passwords to further protect your online activity.
Learn more in our full ExpressVPN review.
ExpressVPN vs. Surfshark: Servers
| NUMBER OF CONTINENTS WITH SERVERS | TOTAL NUMBER OF SERVERS | NUMBER OF COUNTRIES WITH SERVERS | |
|---|---|---|---|
ExpressVPN
| 6 | Not disclosed
| 94 |
Surfshark
| 6 | 3200+
| 100+
|
Surfshark has a more impressive network than ExpressVPN. It has more than 3,200 servers in over 100 countries across six continents. The 10 Gbps servers have been RAM-only since 2020, which means these servers are fast and erase data logs every time power is turned off and on, building in an extra layer of privacy protection.
ExpressVPN doesn’t publicly disclose the number of servers in its network but it’s reported to be over 3,000. ExpressVPN’s servers range across 94 countries and six continents, and they are RAM-only.
In 2022, ExpressVPN began upgrading its 1 Gbps servers with 10 Gbps, with faster servers in 24 high-demand countries. However, Surfshark is ahead of the curve with more 10 Gbps servers in more countries than ExpressVPN, making it the better choice for server coverage.
ExpressVPN vs. Surfshark: Speed
| DOWNLOAD SPEED (AVERAGE) | UPLOAD SPEED (AVERAGE) | DOWNLOAD SPEED (MIN TO MAX) | UPLOAD SPEED (MIN TO MX) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
ExpressVPN
| 204 Mbps
| 146 Mbps
| 107 to 246 Mbps
| 59 to 199 Mbps
|
Surfshark
| 263 Mbps
| 170 Mbps
| 1 to 10 Gbps
| 51 to 67 Mbps
|
The average speeds for ExpressVPN and Surfshark are more than enough for participating in video meetings or using cloud applications.
Nevertheless, Surfshark has the second-fastest download speed out on our Best VPN Software list, and its average upload speed is higher than most VPN services we reviewed. ExpressVPN falls in the middle of the pack for upload and download speeds. Surfshark is the faster VPN service on average.
ExpressVPN vs. Surfshark: Customer support
| 24/7 CUSTOMER SUPPORT | PHONE SUPPORT | LIVE CHAT | KNOWLEDGE BASE / HELP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
ExpressVPN
| ✓
| X
| ✓
| ✓
|
Surfshark
| ✓
| X
| ✓
| ✓
|
ExpressVPN and Surfshark provide 24/7 customer support via live chat and email. In our testing, both companies responded quickly to our questions through live chat.
Most user reviews express satisfaction with Surfshark and ExpressVPN’s customer service. Agents can help users with installation, troubleshooting or other issues. Both companies’ websites offer extensive knowledge bases to help walk you through problems you might face.
Featured VPN service offers
Surfshark
Free plan
No
Cheapest monthly plan
$15.45
Download speed (average)
263 Mbps
NordVPN
Free plan
No
Cheapest monthly plan
$12.99
Download speed (average)
235 Mbps
Private Internet Access (PIA)
Free plan
No
Cheapest monthly plan
$11.95
Download speed (average)
124 Mbps
Which VPN is right for your business?
For standard business use, Surfshark and ExpressVPN are evenly matched. However, there are a few specific use cases where you may choose one over another. For instance, businesses in the Midwest might consider Surfshark, as it has servers in 25 United States cities and 18 states spread coast to coast. ExpressVPN’s United States servers are primarily in large coastal cities.
Surfshark also offers dedicated IPs and ad blocking on all operating systems. ExpressVPN doesn’t have dedicated IPs, and its threat blocker doesn’t work on Windows devices.
Furthermore, a small team or office could use Surfshark’s unlimited simultaneous connections to cover most office hardware or install the VPN on a company router. However, ExpressVPN would have to be installed on the router, or numerous accounts would be required to cover all of your employees. Surfshark even offers business-specific VPN services if you contact the company for a quote.
Yet, if your business relies on Mac computers, only ExpressVPN offers split tunneling for Macs. Another draw for some VPN users is that ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands, outside the 14 eyes, a data-sharing alliance between 14 countries. While the 14 eyes will only concern the most privacy-focused users, Surfshark is based in the Netherlands, a party to the 14 eyes intelligence-sharing agreement.
Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
