Head to head · Updated August 13, 2026
ExpressVPN vs Surfshark
Surfshark takes it by 1.5 points, 75.5 against 74.0. That margin is worth reading past — ExpressVPN wins 3 of the seven criteria outright.
ExpressVPN
74.0Polished software and a genuine router firmware, at a price the rest of the market has moved away from.
- From
- $4.99/mo
- Based in
- British Virgin Islands
- Devices
- 8
- Audits
- 2
We earn nothing from ExpressVPN. This link is included because the ranking says it belongs here.
Surfshark
75.5The cheapest credible option per device, weakened by a Nine Eyes jurisdiction and common ownership with NordVPN.
- From
- $2.49/mo
- Based in
- Netherlands
- Devices
- Unlimited
- Audits
- 2
We earn nothing from Surfshark. This link is included because the ranking says it belongs here.
Criterion by criterion
ExpressVPN wins 3, Surfshark wins 3, 1 tied. Each row shows the raw score out of ten and the weighted contribution to the total.
| Criterion | Weight | ExpressVPN | Surfshark | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent audit | 20 | 9/10 (18.0) | 8/10 (16.0) | ExpressVPN |
| Jurisdiction and ownership | 15 | 7/10 (10.5) | 5/10 (7.5) | ExpressVPN |
| Protocol and crypto stack | 15 | 7/10 (10.5) | 9/10 (13.5) | Surfshark |
| Leak protection | 15 | 9/10 (13.5) | 8/10 (12.0) | ExpressVPN |
| Transparency | 15 | 5/10 (7.5) | 5/10 (7.5) | Tied |
| Price and refund terms | 10 | 5/10 (5.0) | 9/10 (9.0) | Surfshark |
| Platform coverage | 10 | 9/10 (9.0) | 10/10 (10.0) | Surfshark |
| Total | 100 | 74.0 | 75.5 | Surfshark |
Where each one actually wins
ExpressVPN is ahead on
- Independent audit. KPMG assured the no-logs claim and Cure53 audited the Lightway protocol source, both with public summaries.
- Jurisdiction and ownership. British Virgin Islands sits outside the Fourteen Eyes agreement, but ownership sits with Kape Technologies, which also owns three competitors.
- Leak protection. Network Lock kill switch on desktop, DNS run on the same servers, and a RAM-only fleet under TrustedServer.
Surfshark is ahead on
- Protocol and crypto stack. WireGuard and OpenVPN both shipped with modern defaults.
- Price and refund terms. Lowest effective monthly rate here at $2.49 on a 2-year term, with unlimited devices and a 30-day refund.
- Platform coverage. Native apps on every major platform including TV, and unlimited simultaneous connections.
Choose ExpressVPN if
Readers who want a router-level install with vendor-supported firmware.
Choose Surfshark if
Households or shared accounts covering many devices on one subscription.
Reasons to pick neither
Skip ExpressVPN if: You are price-sensitive, or you want your provider to be independent of a group that owns several apparent competitors.
Skip Surfshark if: Jurisdiction matters to your threat model, or you want a provider independent of Nord Security.
Questions
- Is ExpressVPN or Surfshark better?
- Surfshark scores higher overall, 75.5 against 74.0, a gap of 1.5 points out of 100. That is close enough that the deciding factor should be which criteria matter to you rather than the total.
- Which is cheaper, ExpressVPN or Surfshark?
- Surfshark, at $2.49/mo against $4.99/mo. Both rates require committing to the provider’s longest term; the monthly rates are considerably higher.
- Which one has been audited more recently?
- Both published audits in 2023.
- Does jurisdiction differ between them?
- Yes. ExpressVPN operates from British Virgin Islands and Surfshark from Netherlands. ExpressVPN is outside the Fourteen Eyes agreement; the other is not.
Related comparisons
Comparison generated from the same dataset as the ranking. Emphasis criterion definitions are on the rubric page. Criterion labels: Independent audit, Jurisdiction and ownership, Protocol and crypto stack, Leak protection, Transparency, Price and refund terms, Platform coverage.