Private Internet Access vs Surfshark (2026)
Prices and features refreshed September 2026. Speed figures are from our April 2026 lab tests. Privacy, streaming, price, and who each VPN is actually suited for.
8.4
Private Internet Access
VS
9
Surfshark
Quick verdict
Surfshark wins overall (9/10 vs 8.4/10)
Surfshark outscores Private Internet Access on Speed, Streaming, Value. Private Internet Access has the edge on Privacy, Servers.
Score breakdown
8.3
Speed8.8
9
Privacy8.6
9.8
Servers8.7
8
Streaming8.9
9.5
Value9.8
8.6
Ease of Use9.1
Private Internet Access
Surfshark
Full feature comparison
| Feature | Private Internet Access8.4/10 | Surfshark9/10 |
|---|---|---|
| Our Score | 8.4 | 9 |
| Monthly Price | $2.03/mo | $2.49/mo |
| Servers | 35,000+ | 4,500+ |
| Countries | 91 | 100 |
| Simultaneous Devices | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Speed (tested) | 635 Mbps (83%) | 695 Mbps (91%) |
| No-Logs Policy | ||
| Independently Audited | ||
| Kill Switch | ||
| Ad Blocker | ||
| Streaming | ||
| Torrenting / P2P | ||
| Port Forwarding | ||
| Obfuscation | ||
| Double VPN | ||
| RAM-Only Servers | ||
| Jurisdiction | USA (5 Eyes member) | Netherlands (EU jurisdiction) |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days | 30 days |
Who should choose which
Choose Private Internet Access if:
- Largest server count of any VPN — 35,000+ servers in 91 countries
- No-logs policy both court-tested in two US federal cases and independently audited by Deloitte three times (2022, 2024, 2025)
- 3-year plan is $2.03/month; the 1-year plan is $3.99/month
Choose Surfshark if:
- Unlimited simultaneous connections — covers every device in your household
- Around $2.49/month on 2-year plan — still one of the best price-to-feature ratios we've found
- CleanWeb blocks ads, malware, and trackers (works across all apps, not just browser)
Other comparisons
Private Internet Access links
Full Private Internet Access reviewCurrent Private Internet Access dealPrivate Internet Access alternatives