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Speed and Performance Comparison: ExpressVPN vs Surfshark Tested
We pitted ExpressVPN against Surfshark in a 90-day head-to-head to see if the British Virgin Islands veteran still holds its crown. While one offers 23 independent audits for elite privacy, the other provides unlimited device connections from its Amsterdam base for a fraction of the cost. We tested both from our London office to find the 2026 winner.
Surfshark wins overall: a higher overall score, better price-to-performance, and broader streaming coverage. Choose ExpressVPN for the second-best value or specific feature priorities.
Performance Ratings
Comparing the 9.3 vs 9.4 total scores
This table compares both VPNs across our six core testing categories. Scores are based on raw performance data and expert hands-on evaluation.
ExpressVPN
Surfshark
Overall
9.3/10
9.4/10
Speed
9.6/10
9.2/10
Privacy
9.2/10
9.3/10
Security
9.0/10
9.4/10
Streaming
9.6/10
9.3/10
Value
8.9/10
9.7/10
Surfshark claims the lead with a 9.4 overall rating
Our scoring reflects a deep dive into six core metrics. Surfshark dominates the value category with a 9.7, thanks to its aggressive pricing for the 2-year plan. Meanwhile, ExpressVPN holds its ground in raw performance, securing a 9.6 for both speed and streaming. In practice, this means ExpressVPN is slightly more reliable for high-bitrate 4K content, though most users won’t notice the 0.1 point difference in daily browsing.
Speed Test: Does ExpressVPN’s 938 Mbps justify the premium?
We conducted our speed tests over 7 days using a 1 Gbps fiber line. Using Speedtest.net, we measured performance across London, New York, and Tokyo using the Lightway and WireGuard protocols. ExpressVPN delivered a blistering 938 Mbps on local servers. In practice, this means a 4K movie starts playing instantly without a single rotation of the buffering wheel. We expected a drop-off on long-distance jumps, yet it maintained 773 Mbps on remote connections.
Surfshark is no slouch, clocking in at 921 Mbps locally. While it is technically 2% slower than its rival in our benchmarks, the 14 ms latency was identical for both. For gamers in our office, this parity meant zero lag in fast-paced shooters. If you are on a standard 100 Mbps home connection, both services will easily saturate your bandwidth, making the raw Mbps gap purely academic for most households.
ExpressVPN hit 938 Mbps in our local performance tests
A comparison of encryption standards, legal jurisdictions, and independent security audits conducted by firms like PwC and Deloitte.
ExpressVPN
Surfshark
Encryption
AES-256-GCM, ChaCha20-Poly1305
AES-256-GCM, ChaCha20
Post-quantum encryption
Since 2024
Since 2026
RAM-only servers
✓Yes
✓Yes
Kill switch
✓Yes
✓Yes
No-logs policy
✓Yes
✓Yes
Independent audits
23 audits
4 audits
Open-source apps
✗No
✗No
Bug bounty program
✓Yes
✓Yes
Jurisdiction
BVI
Netherlands
Privacy Faceoff: 23 Audits vs Post-Quantum Encryption
Security is where ExpressVPN flexes its veteran muscles. Based in the British Virgin Islands, it operates outside the reach of 14-Eyes surveillance, which is critical as it means no legal mechanism can force them to log data. Its track record is reinforced by 23 audits from firms like KPMG and PwC. We also tested their Keys password manager, which is a nice integrated bonus for securing your digital life.
Surfshark countered recently by implementing Post-quantum encryption in 2026, future-proofing your data against next-gen threats. While it is under Netherlands jurisdiction-a 9-Eyes member-its RAM-only servers ensure that no data can be physically extracted. One annoying quirk we found: Surfshark’s app can feel a bit cluttered with toggles for CleanWeb and MultiHop, whereas ExpressVPN keeps its interface clean and focused.
ExpressVPN has been verified by 23 independent audits
Secure your data with the most audited VPN on the market.
We tested how each VPN handles unexpected connection drops to ensure your real IP address is never exposed to the public web.
ExpressVPN
Surfshark
Kill switch
✓Yes
✓Yes
DNS leak protection
✓Yes
✓Yes
IPv6 leak protection
✓Yes
✓Yes
WebRTC leak protection
✓Yes
✓Yes
Custom DNS
✗No
✓Yes
Reliability Check: How the Kill Switches performed
Both services passed our “torture test” where we forced network drops 50 times over a weekend. ExpressVPN uses Network Lock, which was flawless; not a single packet leaked during our session. Surfshark offers a customizable Kill Switch that can be set to “strict” or “soft.” We preferred the simplicity of ExpressVPN here, as Surfshark occasionally required a manual toggle after a system reboot, which could be a slight risk for beginners who forget to check their tray icon.
Bonus Features
Antivirus, Ad-blocking, and Password Managers
Beyond the basic VPN connection, we look at the value-added features like ad-blockers, malware protection, and integrated security tools.
ExpressVPN
Surfshark
Ad blocker
Threat Manager
CleanWeb
Malware blocking
✓Yes
✓Yes
Tracker blocking
✓Yes
✓Yes
File scanning
✗No
✓Yes
Dark Web Monitor
✗No
Alert
Password Manager
Keys
✗No
Antivirus
✗No
Surfshark Antivirus
Double VPN / Multi-hop
✗No
MultiHop
Dedicated IP
✓Yes
✓Yes
Differentiators: CleanWeb vs Threat Manager
The extra features highlight the different philosophies of these brands. Surfshark includes CleanWeb, an incredibly effective ad and malware blocker that cleaned up heavy news sites during our testing. It also offers Surfshark Antivirus, turning the VPN into a full security suite. ExpressVPN focuses more on the core connection, though its Automatic Obfuscation is superior for users in restrictive regions like China, where it remained rock-solid during our 12-day remote testing phase.
Advanced Routing
Split Tunneling on Desktop and Mobile
A look at which apps allow you to exclude specific traffic from the VPN tunnel, a crucial feature for local banking and gaming.
ExpressVPN
Surfshark
Obfuscation
Automatic Obfuscation
NoBorders
Works in China
✓Yes
✗No
Works in Russia
✓Yes
✗No
Works in UAE
✓Yes
✓Yes
Split tunneling
✓Yes
✓Yes
Tor over VPN
✗No
✗No
Meshnet / P2P
✗No
✗No
Split Tunneling: Fine-grained control for your apps
Both VPNs offer Split Tunneling, allowing you to route your banking app through the VPN while keeping your local gaming traffic on the open web. This worked perfectly on Windows and Android for both. However, ExpressVPN has slightly better support for this feature on older macOS versions. In our testing, setting up Surfshark’s bypass list was intuitive, though we did have to restart the app once for the changes to take effect on our office desktop.
Anonymity
Bitcoin and Crypto Payment Options
We analyze the available payment methods, from traditional credit cards to anonymous cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
ExpressVPN
Surfshark
Card (Visa / Mastercard)
✓Yes
✓Yes
PayPal
✓Yes
✓Yes
Cryptocurrency
BTC, ETH, XRP, USDC+
BTC, ETH, LTC, SOL+
Google Pay
✓Yes
✓Yes
Apple Pay
✓Yes
✓Yes
Amazon Pay
✗No
✓Yes
Gift cards
✓Yes
✓Yes
Anonymous payment
✓Yes
✓Yes
Money-back guarantee
30 days
30 days
Crypto and Anonymous Payments
If you want to stay off the financial grid, both have you covered. ExpressVPN accepts Bitcoin and USDC, while Surfshark goes further by supporting Ethereum, Litecoin, and Dogecoin. During our signup process, the BitPay integration for ExpressVPN was slightly smoother, but Surfshark wins for sheer variety. Both offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, which we successfully tested-refunds were back in our account within 4 business days for both services.
Entertainment
Unblocking Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer
Our team tested both VPNs against 15+ global streaming libraries, including Netflix US, Hulu, Peacock, and BBC iPlayer.
Streaming: Unblocking Hulu, Peacock, and BBC iPlayer
In our streaming tests from London, ExpressVPN was a powerhouse, unblocking BBC iPlayer and Peacock on the first try. It currently holds a 9.6 streaming score for a reason; it just works. Surfshark was nearly as good, though we had to switch servers once to get Hulu to recognize us as being in the US. In practice, this means ExpressVPN might save you 30 seconds of server-switching per session, but both will eventually get you into the library you want in 4K resolution.
ExpressVPN scores 9.6 for 4K streaming performance
Access Hulu, Peacock, and Netflix libraries worldwide.
Comparing native app support for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and smart home devices like Fire Stick and Apple TV.
ExpressVPN
Surfshark
Windows
✓Yes
✓Yes
macOS
✓Yes
✓Yes
Linux
✓Yes
✓Yes
iOS
✓Yes
✓Yes
Android
✓Yes
✓Yes
Android TV
✓Yes
✓Yes
Fire TV
✓Yes
✓Yes
Apple TV
✓Yes
✓Yes
Google TV
✗No
✓Yes
Roku
✗No
✗No
Router (manual)
✓Yes
✓Yes
Chrome extension
✓Yes
✓Yes
Firefox extension
✓Yes
✓Yes
Edge extension
✓Yes
✓Yes
Safari extension
✗No
✗No
Device Limits: Unlimited vs 8 connections
This is the biggest fork in the road. Surfshark allows unlimited simultaneous connections. We connected 22 devices in our tests-from iPhones to smart TVs-and didn’t hit a single wall. ExpressVPN limits you to 8. While that is plenty for a single person, a family with multiple tablets, phones, and laptops might find ExpressVPN’s limit restrictive. Both offer Smart DNS for gaming consoles, which we used to get Max working on a PlayStation 5 in under 5 minutes.
Customer Care
Live Chat Response Times and Quality
Evaluation of live chat response speeds, the helpfulness of technical agents, and the depth of the online knowledge base.
ExpressVPN
Surfshark
24/7 live chat
✓Yes
✓Yes
Average chat response
≤2 min
≤10 min
Email support
✓Yes
✓Yes
Average email response
≤24 h
≤24 h
Knowledge base
✓Yes
✓Yes
Support languages
1 language
11 languages
Phone support
✗No
✗No
24/7 Support: Live Chat and Knowledge Bases
We contacted the 24/7 live chat for both services at 3 AM on a Tuesday. ExpressVPN responded in 45 seconds with a human who actually understood our technical question about IKEv2. Surfshark took about 2 minutes and initially gave us a canned response before escalating to a real agent. Both have excellent written guides, but ExpressVPN’s documentation is more frequently updated-their last major audit was logged in late February 2025 and clearly explained in their blog.
Value for Money
The $1.01 Price Gap Explained
Breakdown of the 2-year promo prices, renewal rates, and the 30-day money-back guarantees for both services.
The pricing reveals two very different strategies. Surfshark is the aggressive price leader, costing just $1.78/mo on its 2-year plan. This is a massive 57% savings compared to ExpressVPN. However, be wary of the renewal: Surfshark jumps to $6.58/mo after the first 24 months. While ExpressVPN is 1.6x more expensive at $2.79/mo, its renewal is more transparent.
Ultimately, you are paying a “privacy tax” for ExpressVPN’s BVI jurisdiction and its massive 23 audit count. If you are on a budget, Surfshark is the clear choice for the first two years. If you want the absolute highest level of proven anonymity and don’t mind paying $4.99/mo annually, ExpressVPN is the premium investment.
Technical Specs
Head-to-head feature comparison
A comprehensive look at every technical specification, from server counts to encryption protocols and founding years.
When you look at the raw data, Surfshark offers a larger network with 4,500+ servers, but ExpressVPN covers more ground with 105 countries. In practice, this means ExpressVPN is better for travelers needing specific niche locations, while Surfshark has more raw capacity to handle peak-time traffic. Both use RAM-only servers, meaning your data is wiped the moment a server is unplugged, a standard we’ve come to expect from top-tier providers in 2026.
Common Questions
Everything you need to know about ExpressVPN and Surfshark
Quick answers to the most common questions our readers ask when choosing between ExpressVPN and Surfshark.
Yes: in our tests, ExpressVPN scored a 9.6 for streaming, consistently unblocking 12+ regions including the US and Japan. Surfshark is a close second with a 9.3, but we occasionally had to swap servers to get Netflix to load without a proxy error.
No: Surfshark does not have a permanent free version. However, it does offer a 7-day free trial for mobile users and a 30-day money-back guarantee, which essentially lets you test it risk-free for a month.
The $1.01 price difference exists because ExpressVPN invests heavily in its British Virgin Islands privacy infrastructure and 23 independent audits. You are paying for a proven 15-year track record of absolute anonymity.
Yes: Surfshark successfully unblocked both Hulu and Peacock during our testing from London. Its 4,500+ servers provide plenty of US-based IP addresses to bypass regional blocks easily.
ExpressVPN is the winner here with a local speed of 938 Mbps and a low 14 ms latency. While Surfshark matched the latency, the higher throughput of the Lightway protocol makes ExpressVPN slightly more stable for gaming.
Surfshark offers unlimited simultaneous connections. This is its biggest advantage over ExpressVPN, which limits users to 8 devices at once (10 on Basic, up to 14 on Pro). It is the perfect choice for large households.
Yes: Surfshark accepts Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies for all plans. This allows you to sign up with just an email address for maximum financial privacy.
Absolutely: ExpressVPN is one of the most reliable VPNs for BBC iPlayer. In our 90-day test, we never encountered a block while using their London or Docklands server locations.
Yes: Surfshark features CleanWeb, which is a built-in ad and malware blocker. ExpressVPN focuses strictly on VPN connectivity and does not currently offer a dedicated ad-blocking feature in its main app.
After the initial 24 months, your Surfshark subscription will renew at $6.58/mo. This is higher than the promo price of $1.78/mo, so we recommend checking your renewal settings before the term ends.
Founder of StreamFix. He started the project after losing access to his favorite streaming services while abroad. To this day he personally tests most platforms and oversees the quality of every recommendation. He even retests things that should already work, just to be sure of a 100% result. 8+ years of testing VPNs and streaming platforms in 30+ countries.
Our final recommendations based on three months of testing. Choose the VPN that best fits your specific budget and privacy needs.
ExpressVPN
Strong runner-up
9.3/10
ExpressVPN is our top choice for users who prioritize absolute privacy and high-speed performance above all else. With a blistering 938 Mbps and a proven track record in the British Virgin Islands, it remains the gold standard. While it is ExpressVPN at $2.79/mo, the peace of mind provided by 23 audits and the rock-solid Lightway protocol makes it a premium investment that rarely fails to deliver.
Surfshark is the ultimate value champion for families and multi-device power users. Scoring a 9.4, it offers unlimited connections and a suite of extras like CleanWeb and an antivirus for just $1.78/mo. While its speed of 921 Mbps is slightly behind its rival, it is more than enough for 4K streaming and gaming, making it the smartest buy for those who want top-tier features.
ExpressVPN
Surfshark
