Head to head · Updated August 13, 2026
IVPN vs Surfshark
IVPN takes it by 7 points, 82.5 against 75.5. That margin is worth reading past — Surfshark wins 2 of the seven criteria outright.
IVPN
82.5A deliberately small, transparent operation that costs more than the market and makes no attempt to hide it.
- From
- $6.00/mo
- Based in
- Gibraltar
- Devices
- 7
- Audits
- 1
We earn nothing from IVPN. 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
IVPN wins 3, Surfshark wins 2, 2 tied. Each row shows the raw score out of ten and the weighted contribution to the total.
| Criterion | Weight | IVPN | Surfshark | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent audit | 20 | 8/10 (16.0) | 8/10 (16.0) | Tied |
| Jurisdiction and ownership | 15 | 9/10 (13.5) | 5/10 (7.5) | IVPN |
| Protocol and crypto stack | 15 | 9/10 (13.5) | 9/10 (13.5) | Tied |
| Leak protection | 15 | 9/10 (13.5) | 8/10 (12.0) | IVPN |
| Transparency | 15 | 10/10 (15.0) | 5/10 (7.5) | IVPN |
| Price and refund terms | 10 | 5/10 (5.0) | 9/10 (9.0) | Surfshark |
| Platform coverage | 10 | 6/10 (6.0) | 10/10 (10.0) | Surfshark |
| Total | 100 | 82.5 | 75.5 | IVPN |
Where each one actually wins
IVPN is ahead on
- Jurisdiction and ownership. Gibraltar sits outside the Fourteen Eyes agreement and the operating company is named publicly.
- Leak protection. Firewall-based kill switch that blocks traffic outside the tunnel by default on desktop.
- Transparency. Open-source apps, anonymous account IDs, cash accepted, and the affiliate programme was closed to remove reviewer incentives.
Surfshark is ahead on
- 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 IVPN if
Readers who value published reasoning and anonymous signup over network size.
Choose Surfshark if
Households or shared accounts covering many devices on one subscription.
Reasons to pick neither
Skip IVPN if: You want a large server network or the lowest possible price. IVPN is explicitly not competing on either.
Skip Surfshark if: Jurisdiction matters to your threat model, or you want a provider independent of Nord Security.
Questions
- Is IVPN or Surfshark better?
- IVPN scores higher overall, 82.5 against 75.5, a gap of 7 points out of 100. A deliberately small, transparent operation that costs more than the market and makes no attempt to hide it.
- Which is cheaper, IVPN or Surfshark?
- Surfshark, at $2.49/mo against $6.00/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, most recently in 2023 against IVPN’s 2022.
- Does jurisdiction differ between them?
- Yes. IVPN operates from Gibraltar and Surfshark from Netherlands. IVPN 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.