Head to head · Updated August 13, 2026
FastestVPN vs Surfshark
Surfshark takes it by 27.5 points, 75.5 against 48.0. That margin is worth reading past — FastestVPN wins 1 of the seven criteria outright.
FastestVPN
48.0Priced below everything else here, and documented below everything else here. Those two facts are related.
- From
- $1.11/mo
- Based in
- Cayman Islands
- Devices
- 15
- Audits
- None published
We earn a commission if you subscribe through this link. It does not change FastestVPN’s score.
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
FastestVPN wins 1, Surfshark wins 6. Each row shows the raw score out of ten and the weighted contribution to the total.
| Criterion | Weight | FastestVPN | Surfshark | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent audit | 20 | 0/10 (0.0) | 8/10 (16.0) | Surfshark |
| Jurisdiction and ownership | 15 | 7/10 (10.5) | 5/10 (7.5) | FastestVPN |
| Protocol and crypto stack | 15 | 8/10 (12.0) | 9/10 (13.5) | Surfshark |
| Leak protection | 15 | 5/10 (7.5) | 8/10 (12.0) | Surfshark |
| Transparency | 15 | 2/10 (3.0) | 5/10 (7.5) | Surfshark |
| Price and refund terms | 10 | 8/10 (8.0) | 9/10 (9.0) | Surfshark |
| Platform coverage | 10 | 7/10 (7.0) | 10/10 (10.0) | Surfshark |
| Total | 100 | 48.0 | 75.5 | Surfshark |
Where each one actually wins
FastestVPN is ahead on
- Jurisdiction and ownership. Cayman Islands sits outside the Fourteen Eyes agreement.
Surfshark is ahead on
- Independent audit. Deloitte assured the no-logs claim in 2023; the Cure53 work covered extensions and infrastructure rather than the full apps.
- Protocol and crypto stack. WireGuard and OpenVPN both shipped with modern defaults.
- Leak protection. Kill switch across desktop and mobile with a rotating IP option; DNS is handled in-tunnel.
- Transparency. Closed-source clients and email-based signup, with a published warrant canary.
- 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 FastestVPN if
Readers whose only constraint is the lowest possible headline price.
Choose Surfshark if
Households or shared accounts covering many devices on one subscription.
Reasons to pick neither
Skip FastestVPN if: You need evidence rather than assurances. With no audit and no transparency reporting, every privacy claim here rests on the company’s own word.
Skip Surfshark if: Jurisdiction matters to your threat model, or you want a provider independent of Nord Security.
Questions
- Is FastestVPN or Surfshark better?
- Surfshark scores higher overall, 75.5 against 48.0, a gap of 27.5 points out of 100. The cheapest credible option per device, weakened by a Nine Eyes jurisdiction and common ownership with NordVPN.
- Which is cheaper, FastestVPN or Surfshark?
- FastestVPN, at $1.11/mo against $2.49/mo. Both rates require committing to the provider’s longest term; the monthly rates are considerably higher.
- Which one has been audited more recently?
- Surfshark. FastestVPN has published no independent audit at all.
- Does jurisdiction differ between them?
- Yes. FastestVPN operates from Cayman Islands and Surfshark from Netherlands. FastestVPN 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.