Is Private Internet Access or Surfshark better?

Surfshark scores higher overall, 75.5 against 73.0, a gap of 2.5 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, Private Internet Access or Surfshark?

Private Internet Access, at $2.03/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, most recently in 2023 against Private Internet Access’s 2022.

Does jurisdiction differ between them?

Yes. Private Internet Access operates from United States and Surfshark from Netherlands. Surfshark is outside the Fourteen Eyes agreement; the other is not.

Head to head · Updated August 13, 2026

Private Internet Access vs Surfshark

Surfshark takes it by 2.5 points, 75.5 against 73.0. That margin is worth reading past — Private Internet Access wins 1 of the seven criteria outright.

Private Internet Access

73.0

The only provider here whose no-logs claim has been tested by a court rather than only by an auditor — but it is a US company.

From: $2.03/mo
Based in: United States
Devices: Unlimited
Audits: 1

Visit Private Internet Access

We earn nothing from Private Internet Access. This link is included because the ranking says it belongs here.

Surfshark

75.5

The 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

Visit Surfshark

We earn nothing from Surfshark. This link is included because the ranking says it belongs here.

Criterion by criterion

Private Internet Access wins 1, Surfshark wins 3, 3 tied. Each row shows the raw score out of ten and the weighted contribution to the total.

Criterion	Weight	Private Internet Access	Surfshark	Winner
Independent audit	20	7/10 (14.0)	8/10 (16.0)	Surfshark
Jurisdiction and ownership	15	3/10 (4.5)	5/10 (7.5)	Surfshark
Protocol and crypto stack	15	9/10 (13.5)	9/10 (13.5)	Tied
Leak protection	15	8/10 (12.0)	8/10 (12.0)	Tied
Transparency	15	8/10 (12.0)	5/10 (7.5)	Private Internet Access
Price and refund terms	10	9/10 (9.0)	9/10 (9.0)	Tied
Platform coverage	10	8/10 (8.0)	10/10 (10.0)	Surfshark
Total	100	73.0	75.5	Surfshark

Where each one actually wins

Private Internet Access is ahead on

Transparency. All clients are open source and a transparency report is published; signup requires an email address.

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.
Jurisdiction and ownership. The Netherlands participates in the Nine Eyes agreement, and the company is now under the same ownership group as NordVPN.
Platform coverage. Native apps on every major platform including TV, and unlimited simultaneous connections.

Choose Private Internet Access if

Readers who want open-source clients and granular control over encryption settings.

Choose Surfshark if

Households or shared accounts covering many devices on one subscription.

Reasons to pick neither

Skip Private Internet Access if: Your threat model includes US legal process. No amount of open-source client code changes where the company is incorporated.

Skip Surfshark if: Jurisdiction matters to your threat model, or you want a provider independent of Nord Security.

Questions

Is Private Internet Access or Surfshark better?: Surfshark scores higher overall, 75.5 against 73.0, a gap of 2.5 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, Private Internet Access or Surfshark?: Private Internet Access, at $2.03/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, most recently in 2023 against Private Internet Access’s 2022.
Does jurisdiction differ between them?: Yes. Private Internet Access operates from United States and Surfshark from Netherlands. Surfshark 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.