ExpressVPN vs SurfShark ✅ Which VPN is Better?

When it comes down to the best VPN provider, there is no question about ExpressVPN and SurfShark rising up to the surface. Both of these VPN providers have excellent features but at the end of this video, only one will come off as the ultimate winner.

Today, we will compare ExpressVPN and SurfShark head to head and determine which is better in terms of ease of use, speed, streaming and torrenting, security and privacy, support, and pricing.

I won’t waste your time with unnecessary information and you can guarantee that this is a reliable list as I have personally tried both VPNs by subscribing to their paid plans. This way, I’m able to fully test them both out and provide you with the most comprehensive comparison and save you time from having to do it yourself. 

I will leave a special discounted link in the description below where you can get the cheap est ExpressVPN or SurfShark plan for you when you’re ready to proceed.

Let’s get started.

1. Setup & Features – SurfShark

I’m using the Windows app of both VPNs but you can still download these VPNs to other devices like Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, routers, Kindle Fire, or add their extension to your browser.

Now, let’s take a closer look at the layout of ExpressVPN and SurfShark app. In both VPNs, you can instantly connect to the fastest server based on your location using their quick connect feature. However, ExpressVPN has a simpler layout than SurfShark which I personally prefer as it adds to the ease of use.

ExpressVPN has servers in 94 countries, which is more than SurfShark’s 65 countries, but when it comes to the number of servers, both VPNs are in a draw for having over 3,000 servers.

If you want to test these servers first, both VPNs have a seven-day free trial that you can avail using their mobile app then you can just login to other devices after.

Speaking of devices, here is where SurfShark claims the shining spot in the VPN market. While ExpressVPN allows you to use five devices simultaneously, SurfShark offers an unlimited number of devices that you can use at the same time which makes it very suitable for bigger households or even smaller companies.

ExpressVPN and SurfShark have their own unique features and both of them are user-friendly but the point goes to SurfShark because it allows you to use an unlimited number of devices which is something you would not find with other VPNs.

2. Speed – ExpressVPN

Now, we’re off to determine which one is faster in the race. I’ll record my original speed first without connecting to any of our top VPNs. The Ookla tool recorded my speed of 22 megabits per second.

For this demo, we’ll connect to three countries using each VPN and find out the percentage reduction of speed. Up first in the U.S. server, ExpressVPN recorded a speed of 15.6 mbps while SurfShark got a speed of 13.2 mbps. In the United Kingdom, ExpressVPN beats SurfShark again with speed of 14.2 mbps versus 13.7 mbps. And lastly in Canada, the competition is tight as SurfShark recorded a speed of 16 mbps and ExpressVPN at 12.5 mbps.

Both VPNs here have an average percentage reduction of lower than 30 percent which is impressive but let’s lay out facts straight– ExpressVPN is really good when it comes to speed and it is actually considered one of the fastest VPN providers out there. And with these statistics, ExpressVPN is the clear winner here.

3. Streaming & Torrenting – ExpressVPN

In terms of streaming, ExpressVPN and SurfShark can both successfully unblock Netflix libraries. ExpressVPN can unblock more than 20 libraries while SurfShark can do the same to 15 libraries. Both VPNs also work their magic in unblocking other streaming platforms like Disney Plus, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, HBO and Amazon Prime. 

If you’ve been torrenting unprotected, exposing your IP address to everyone you share files with, ExpressVPN and NordVPN are the solutions. Both VPNs not just support but also encourage P2P and torrenting. The only difference is ExpressVPN supports torrenting on all of its  over 3,000 servers while SurfShark only supports torrenting on countries where it is not prohibited.

This category comes with a very tough decision since both VPNs are the best of the best in terms of streaming and torrenting but I will have to give ExpressVPN the point here mainly because it has more servers that support torrenting.

4. Jurisdiction, Security and Privacy – ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN and SurfShark are both under jurisdiction of the British Virgin Islands which is not a member of the Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, and Fourteen Eyes alliances. This simply means that they are located in a country that doesn’t have mandatory law for data retention. However, there is a long gap between the birth of these VPNs with ExpressVPN starting in 2009 and SurfShark beginning in 2018.

Both VPNs have been audited to be adhering to the strict no logs policy where they don’t keep records of any of their users’ personal information, credentials, and online activities. Another bonus is that the reputation of both VPNs have been great as they haven’t been hacked before.

ExpressVPN and SurfShark are both on top of the game when it comes to the type of data encryption they use which is a 256-bit encryption, the standard and currently the longest encryption advised by government and banks for website security.

Both VPNs also have the kill switch feature that automatically pauses all Internet activities to protect your identity if the VPN connection drops for some reason as well as a split tunneling feature where you can choose which apps in your device will use or bypass the VPN connection.

Among other VPNs in the market, ExpressVPN and SurfShark are also exceptional for having ram-only servers as their network security setup which provides another layer of confidence for you knowing that all data gets wiped in reboot, minimizing the risk of vulnerabilities or misconfiguration. 

They also offer a set of protocols including WireGuard which is currently the best VPN protocol for faster speed, security, and privacy. However, ExpressVPN is currently working on Lightway which they consider as the future of all VPN protocols, with technological structure more advanced than WireGuard to give you the best VPN experience.

ExpressVPN has its own special security and privacy features but SurfShark is always up for competition. It has its unique add-ons called HackLock and BlindSearch.

HackLock sends you email alerts if it appears that your email address becomes included in stolen identities after possible website breaching while BlindSearch is a private search engine that you can use to make sure that the results of your searches are not skewed by your previous searches. It also offers Double VPN is an important feature that ExpressVPN doesn’t have in its bag.

Both VPNs are doing extremely well in the field of security and privacy but having more free, built-in, advanced security measures makes ExpressVPN a notch above SurfShark.

5. Support & Reliability – ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN and SurfShark both do not have phone support but they have 24-7 email and live chat support which I have dealt with multiple times. Both VPNs have well-trained live chat agents who never fail to answer and provide references to my questions and I applaud them for that.

However, ExpressVPN has a faster response rate than SurfShark based on my experience. ExpressVPN’s average response time is only a minute or two. SurfShark, on the other hand, takes up to four to five minutes to reply.

When it comes to my experiences with their email team, ExpressVPN always responds to my email ticket in less than five hours while with SurfShark, I got a very detailed response with references on it after roughly 10 hours.

So based on the ease of use of the support channels which is significant in urgent inquiries, ExpressVPN bags the point again in this category.

6. Pricing – SurfShark

In terms of pricing, ExpressVPN has a more constant set of subscription plans which are for one month, six months, and one year, while SurfShark has plans that are more subjected to changes because of discounts and promotional offers. ExpressVPN and SurfShark both offer a one-month subscription for $12.95.

If you prefer a longer plan, ExpressVPN can give you a 35 percent discount as you will only have to pay $99.95 for a one year subscription, which decreases the monthly price to only $8.32. On the other hand, SurShark has a six-month plan and a two-year plan with a bonus of three months.

If you pick up a six-month plan, you will only pay $38.94. Technically, the monthly fee has now reduced to only $6.49 per month. If you choose the two-year plan plus three months, you will have to pay $59.76. Now, this really decreased the monthly price down even further to just $2.21 per month.

Both VPNs offer a 30-day money back guarantee and a cryptocurrency method of payment aside from credit cards and Paypal if you want to be more anonymous.

But in this category, I declare SurfShark as the winner as it offers the most discounted prices in the VPN market, making it a top alternative next to ExpressVPN if you are on a tight budget.

Final Verdict: ExpressVPN Wins

As a summary, ExpressVPN got four category wins which include the Speed, Streaming and Torrenting, Jurisdiction, Security, and Privacy, and Support and Reliability. On the other hand, SurfShark has the crown if we’re going to talk about Setup and Features and Price. 

It was a close fight but overall, ExpressVPN has the slight advantage over SurfShark. It might be a bit pricey but every penny that comes out of your pocket is absolutely worth it with its excellent and top-tier features.

If you’re ready to try ExpressVPN or SurfShark, you can click on the link below to get your chosen plan with massive discounts. For a demo on how to set up and use ExpressVPN or SurfShark, you can watch these next tutorials. I’ll see you over on that next article!