Head to head · Updated August 13, 2026
PureVPN vs Surfshark
Surfshark takes it by 6.5 points, 75.5 against 69.0. That margin is worth reading past — PureVPN wins 1 of the seven criteria outright.
PureVPN
69.0Cheap and broadly capable, carrying a documented 2017 logging incident that the current audit arrangement is designed to answer.
- From
- $2.11/mo
- Based in
- British Virgin Islands
- Devices
- 10
- Audits
- 1
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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
PureVPN wins 1, Surfshark wins 4, 2 tied. Each row shows the raw score out of ten and the weighted contribution to the total.
| Criterion | Weight | PureVPN | Surfshark | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent audit | 20 | 7/10 (14.0) | 8/10 (16.0) | Surfshark |
| Jurisdiction and ownership | 15 | 6/10 (9.0) | 5/10 (7.5) | PureVPN |
| Protocol and crypto stack | 15 | 9/10 (13.5) | 9/10 (13.5) | Tied |
| Leak protection | 15 | 7/10 (10.5) | 8/10 (12.0) | Surfshark |
| Transparency | 15 | 4/10 (6.0) | 5/10 (7.5) | Surfshark |
| Price and refund terms | 10 | 9/10 (9.0) | 9/10 (9.0) | Tied |
| Platform coverage | 10 | 7/10 (7.0) | 10/10 (10.0) | Surfshark |
| Total | 100 | 69.0 | 75.5 | Surfshark |
Where each one actually wins
PureVPN is ahead on
- Jurisdiction and ownership. British Virgin Islands, outside the Fourteen Eyes agreement, following a relocation from Hong Kong in 2021.
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.
- 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.
- Platform coverage. Native apps on every major platform including TV, and unlimited simultaneous connections.
Choose PureVPN if
Readers who want a low price and are satisfied by the current audit arrangement.
Choose Surfshark if
Households or shared accounts covering many devices on one subscription.
Reasons to pick neither
Skip PureVPN if: Past conduct matters to you. The 2017 incident is a matter of public court record, and no later audit erases it.
Skip Surfshark if: Jurisdiction matters to your threat model, or you want a provider independent of Nord Security.
Questions
- Is PureVPN or Surfshark better?
- Surfshark scores higher overall, 75.5 against 69.0, a gap of 6.5 points out of 100. The cheapest credible option per device, weakened by a Nine Eyes jurisdiction and common ownership with NordVPN.
- Which is cheaper, PureVPN or Surfshark?
- PureVPN, at $2.11/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?
- Both published audits in 2023.
- Does jurisdiction differ between them?
- Yes. PureVPN operates from British Virgin Islands and Surfshark from Netherlands. PureVPN 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.