Sign in Subscribe
VPN

Surfshark vs ExpressVPN 2022

shakiroslann

• 5 min read
Surfshark vs ExpressVPN 2022

VPNs are a great way to protect your privacy and security online. They can help you unblock websites and protect your data and privacy. In this guide, we’ll compare Surfshark and ExpressVPN. Here, we will compare the key distinctions between the two most popular VPN providers. Both are well-known premium VPNs listed on many top-VPN lists.

Surfshark is an up-and-coming VPN service with a lot of great features that make it worth the subscription. It is one of the few VPNs that offer “stealth mode”, which is designed to keep your browsing history private. Surfshark also has a strict no-logs policy, which means they do not store any data on their users.

ExpressVPN is one of the most popular VPN services in the world with over 100 million downloads and counting. ExpressVPN offers a large number of servers around the world, including locations in 94 countries. ExpressVPN has a strict no-logs policy and does not store any data on their users either. They also have an easy-to-use interface for setting up your VPN connection on all devices, including mobile phones and routers.

Surfshark vs. ExpressVPN: Key Differences

Number of devices

  • Surfshark: Unlimited
  • ExpressVPN: 5

Number of servers in countries

  • Surfshark: 100 
  • ExpressVPN: 95

VPN Protocols

  • Surfshark: OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard
  • ExpressVPN: OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP/IPsec, Lightway

Ad blocker

  • Surfshark: Available 
  • ExpressVPN: Not Available
  • Surfshark: Available 
  • ExpressVPN: Not Available

Independent audit

  • Surfshark: Yes 
  • ExpressVPN: Yes

24/7 Support

  • Surfshark: Available 
  • ExpressVPN: Available

Cheapest Price

Money-back guarantee

  • Surfshark: 30 days 
  • ExpressVPN: 30 days

Price

Price obviously the important factor when choosing a VPN. Both of these services offer a risk-free, 30-day trial as well as cryptocurrency payment options for more anonymity.

ExpressVPN offers all of its features for USD12.95/month - on a monthly plan, USD9.99/month on -a 6-month plan, and USD8.32/month - for 12 months on a yearly plan. You can also get an inexpensive deal, USD 6.67/month plus 3 months free on a yearly plan.

Same as ExpressVPN, Surfshark starts at USD12.95/month - on a monthly plan, USD3.99/month on -a 12-month plan, and the cheapest is USD2.05/month - for 24 months plus 2 months free on a 2-year plan

Surfshark is a cheaper VPN service. It has similar features available from ExpressVPN but at a lesser cost.

Privacy

Both services are based in countries free from data retention laws and subject to 5/9/14 Eyes surveillance. This means you can expect a responsible no-logging policy for the ultimate in digital privacy.

VPN services usually have a “no log policy” in place, meaning the company will not keep any logs of user activity. This is in line with the general idea of privacy, which is that users should not have their activities monitored and tracked. It can be helpful for users to know this before signing up for a VPN service, as it can reassure them that their data will not be stored and monitored. Both services provide no logging practices. So email, username, and location will not be recorded when it's going through their VPN servers.  

Both of these services are very good for privacy.

Server locations

  • Surfshark: 3200+ servers in 100 countries
  • ExpressVPN: 160+ servers in 94 countries
Both providers offer their servers in the UK, Europe, and North America. However, ExpressVPN has fewer servers location compared to Surfshark. Some of the countries Surfshark has more are Russia, United Arab Emirates which are restricted countries.

Both VPNs work for these streaming sites:

  • Netflix
  • BBC iPlayer
  • HBO Max
  • Amazon Prime Video
  • Disney+
  • Hulu
  • Youtube
  • DAZN

VPN Protocols

VPN protocols are the foundation of any VPN service. They determine how data is routed through a VPN and how it is encrypted. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) protocol is a method for securely connecting to a network from a remote location, such as from home or while traveling. VPN protocols are used to establish a secure connection between two devices, such as a computer and a server, or a device and a network.

There are multiple VPN protocols being offered by both Surfshark and ExpressVPN. You can pick which one you want to use in their apps. Nevertheless, the best protocol they claim that you should use is WireGuard for Surfshark and Lightway for ExpressVPN.

Protocols offered

OpenVPN (TCP/UDP)
  • Surfshark: Available
  • ExpressVPN: Available
IKEv2
  • Surfshark: Available
  • ExpressVPN: Available
L2TP/IPSec
  • Surfshark: Not Available
  • ExpressVPN: Only for Windows & macOS
Best protocols

WireGuard: This is a relatively new protocol that is designed to be fast, secure, and easy to set up. It is becoming increasingly popular due to its simplicity and strong security measures.

Lightway: ExpressVPN's technology uses wolfSSL, the latest encryption technology to protect your data. The ExpressVPN LightWay VPN protocol is also designed to minimize the impact on your speed. It's actually an open-source software currently available on GitHub.

Surfshark and ExpressVPN both provide the level of security and functionality that you need. Some protocols may be more secure, while others may be faster or easier to use. It is generally a good idea to choose a protocol that is well-respected and widely used, as these tend to be more reliable and secure.

Security & Encryption

Surfshark and ExpressVPN use a variety of cryptographic techniques to secure data transmitted over the Internet. These techniques include encryption algorithms, such as AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) and SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), to encrypt data transmitted between the device and the VPN server. The strength of the encryption is determined by the key length used by the algorithm. The longer the key length, the stronger the encryption and the more difficult it is to crack.

VPN encryption is an important tool for protecting the privacy and security of Internet communications. It is handy for people who need to connect to the Internet from public Wi-Fi networks, or for those who want to ensure that their Internet activity is not monitored by third parties.

VPN Protocols
  • Surfshark: OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard
  • ExpressVPN: OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP/IPSec, Lightway
OpenVPN data encryption
  • Surfshark: AES-256
  • ExpressVPN: AES-256
OpenVPN control channel encryption
App security
DNS status
  • Surfshark: Private DNS
  • ExpressVPN: Private DNS

Kill Switch

A VPN kill switch is a feature that is designed to prevent your internet connection from being exposed if your VPN connection suddenly drops. It works by automatically shutting down certain internet-connected applications or blocking all internet traffic until the VPN connection is reestablished. This helps to protect your privacy and security by preventing your data from being transmitted over an unsecured connection.

There's a kill switch in Surfshark that you can find easily. With ExpressVPN, there's the Network Lock which is only available on desktops & routers.

Couldn’t pick a winner between Surfshark and ExpressVPN. Both offer great security features - you really can’t go wrong with either one.

Extra features

AdBlocker
  • Surfshark: Available
  • ExpressVPN: Available
  • Surfshark: Available
  • ExpressVPN: Not Available
Browser Extensions
  • Surfshark: Available
  • ExpressVPN: Available
Smart DNS
  • Surfshark: Available
  • ExpressVPN: Not Available
Split tunneling
  • Surfshark: Available
  • ExpressVPN: Available
GPS Spoofing
  • Surfshark: Available
  • ExpressVPN: Only browser extension
Double VPN
  • Surfshark: Available
  • ExpressVPN: Not Available

Support for customers

Live chat

  • Surfshark: Available
  • ExpressVPN: Available
Ticket Support
  • Surfshark: Available
  • ExpressVPN: Available
Email support
  • Surfshark: Available
  • ExpressVPN: Available
Phone support
  • Surfshark: Not Available
  • ExpressVPN: Not Available
Video guides
email response time (Average)
  • Surfshark: 2h, 36 minutes
  • ExpressVPN: 52 minutes
I can't say one is automatically better than the other, but Express VPN has slightly faster response times and Surfshark offers simpler search options.

Final ThoughtFinal Thought

  • Price: Surfshark
  • Privacy: Draw
  • Server locations: Surfshark
  • VPN Protocols: ExpressVPN
  • Security & Encryption: ExpressVPN
  • Extra features: Surfshark
  • Support for customers: ExpressVPN

Both providers are established and offer a broad range of tools to protect you on the internet. It won’t matter which one you choose as they both provide top-notch protection! But if a cheap VPN is your priority, it has to be Surfshark.