VPNs or virtual private networks are useful cybersecurity tools. The best VPNs use encryption to keep our browsing data safe from hackers internet service providers and even the government. They also mask your IP addresses allowing you to browse the web more privately and anonymously. Why are all of these safeguards required? Simply put the internet is dangerous. Websites for example may contain spyware advertisers may use trackers to target people companies may log and sell your browsing data to the highest bidder and government agencies may spy on us. All of this is avoidable by simply connecting to a VPN.

Surfshark and ExpressVPN are two of the most popular VPN service providers on the market. Each of them has a wide range of features excellent speed results and dependable streaming options.

So it's only natural that we compare Surfshark vs ExpressVPN to determine which VPN is the best.

Surfshark Overview

Surfshark which was founded in 2018 is a relative newcomer to the VPN space but it is quickly establishing itself as one of the best VPNs available. It's a forward-thinking VPN provider that's putting the heat on the competition with some novel ideas about what a VPN can do. Surfshark is an excellent choice for both novice and advanced VPN users.

In 2022 Surfshark VPN is one of the most popular VPN services. Its low price and unlimited simultaneous connections make it an appealing VPN option for all types of users. Surfshark also provides thousands of servers around the world fast connection speeds and next-generation AES encryption. However users have questioned its jurisdiction and whether it is as private as it appears. Not to mention Surfshark provides some extremely useful features such as SmartDNS the fast WireGuard protocol P2P-optimized servers and a variety of simple-to-use intuitive apps and platforms.

ExpressVPN Overview

When it comes to VPNs you don't want to take a chance on a company you're unfamiliar with. That's why we're excited to put one of the most popular VPNs to the test: ExpressVPN. It has a fantastic reputation and there is a lot of buzz surrounding the brand for being secure.

ExpressVPN's RAM-only servers no-logging policy and VPN technology make it a good choice for privacy-conscious users. Despite being more expensive than the majority of the VPNs we've tested ExpressVPN is a good buy when you consider the overall value it provides to its users.

ExpressVPN is a VPN based in the British Virgin Islands with over 2000 secure servers in 160 locations around the world. Each of these servers provides access to ExpressVPN's worldwide secure network. ExpressVPN has always been at the forefront of VPN security and continues to do so. And it doesn't have to sacrifice features performance or user experience to do so.

Performance

Surfshark provides at least one 1Gbps port per server. However some locations provide up to 10Gbps servers! ExpressVPN does not specify server speeds other than "lightning-fast speeds." It does however provide a useful VPN Speed Test. Surfshark consistently provided faster speeds.

ExpressVPN on the other hand provided the fastest average speeds on the OpenVPN UDP protocol. However Surfshark maintained higher top speeds and the difference was not significant.

Servers

Surfshark – 3200+ servers in 95+ countries

ExpressVPN – 3000+ servers in 94+ countries

While Surfshark and ExpressVPN both have a similar number of servers Surfshark has a slightly wider global server coverage.

Surfshark provides access to more diverse global content with over 3200 servers in 99 countries. ExpressVPN on the other hand doesn't let up much with over 3000 servers in 94 countries. This is still a win for Surfshark no matter how small. Furthermore Surfshark provides specialty servers whereas ExpressVPN does not.

Security

Regardless of the service users can connect using the OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols. Nonetheless ExpressVPN supports the older L2TP protocol which is more difficult to block but more secure. Surfshark users can use the faster privacy-focused WireGuard and Shadowsocks protocols or ExpressVPN's Lightway.

Both service providers use 256-bit AES encryption which is virtually impossible to break. However ExpressVPN's RSA keys are slightly more secure because they are 4096 bits long. In other words they're twice as long as Surfshark's. Each has a kill switch that stops traffic when your connection drops preventing unprotected browsing.

Each of these services has its own method of keeping you safe online. ExpressVPN employs cipher block chaining which means that you can't decrypt a packet of data unless you have access to the one before it. Your data cannot be read unless an attacker breaks the service's encryption and captures your entire session's traffic. Surfshark on the other hand employs a unique NoBorders mode to allow you to browse freely. We're not sure how this feature works but other VPNs hide VPN traffic by reshaping data.

Configuration

Both of these services use a shared address system which means that everyone on a given server has the same IP address. This protects your privacy by making it difficult if not impossible to determine which user visited which websites.

Neither VPN service provides users with a dedicated IP address. You can connect to the same Surfshark server each session ensuring that you always have the same IP address. Similarly neither provides a NAT firewall owing to the fact that they block all incoming requests by default.

Encryption

Many of the security features offered by these providers are similar. They have similar protocols and use AES-256 encryption... Which is virtually impossible to break!

Despite the similarities ExpressVPN's RSA keys are twice as long as Surfshark's with 4096 bits to protect user data. However this does not necessarily imply that they are twice as secure!

This is due to the fact that decrypting an RSA key necessitates knowledge of the two prime numbers that generated the key (which can be 1024 2048 or 4096 bits long) which cannot be calculated in any known way. In practice a 2048 key is as secure as an RSA-4096 key.

VPN Protocols

Private VPNs are popular because they can improve security stability and even connection speeds. They can also assist VPN providers in overcoming challenges posed by widely used protocols.

Express VPN hosts a proprietary protocol called Lightway which serves as the server's default VPN connection.

Surfshark does not provide a proprietary protocol instead relying on the widely used and well-regarded WireGuard. This protocol is much newer than Lightway having only been operational since 2020. Nonetheless despite its youth WireGuard is keeping up with many of the most established protocols. It's difficult to say which is better with consistent "heavy upgrades." When we tested both protocols we discovered that WireGuard was faster than Lightway.

Setup and interface

Surfshark's desktop apps are simple enough. The main screen displays a list of your most recently used servers as well as a simple location-selection button. If we had to make a complaint it would be that certain options are tucked away in settings submenus rather than being easily accessible.

The ExpressVPN app is very similar but the quick-connect button is much larger and takes up most of the main screen. Because the settings menu is divided into several categories you should have no trouble finding the options you require. Users can also add websites to their shortcuts and have a link to them appear after connecting for faster access.

Customer service

Surfshark and ExpressVPN both provide live chat and email support around the clock. There are also large searchable databases that address the most frequently asked questions. If you prefer a video tutorial check out the official Surfshark and ExpressVPN YouTube channels.

The majority of your questions will almost certainly be answered in seconds via live chat. Having said that we wanted to see how responsive staff were when contacted in other ways. This way we'd know how quickly you should expect a response if the helpdesk went down or you couldn't access the company's website.

Both providers responded to email inquiries extremely quickly. Indeed these are among the quickest average response times we've seen. Surfshark and ExpressVPN detailed how to configure their services for Amazon Firestick use though some of their answers appeared pre-written. Most importantly they all encouraged users to contact them again if they had any further problems.

Streaming

Surfshark and ExpressVPN are both good options if you need a reliable VPN to unblock a variety of streaming sites. When it comes to unblocking various streaming sites the results for both providers in this comparison are quite impressive. Surfshark and ExpressVPN both make it simple to access any popular streaming site. Furthermore both VPN providers support streaming across all of their servers.

It's important to note that the ability to circumvent geographical restrictions isn't the only factor to consider when assessing a VPN's streaming performance.

You see there's a feature called SmartDNS that can help you watch blocked content on devices that don't support VPN connections. Smart TVs and gaming consoles are examples of this.

This feature is available from both Surfshark and ExpressVPN (ExpressVPN calls it MediaStreamer). We tested both services and discovered that they work flawlessly with no problems accessing any other streaming platform.

Pricing

Even with a cursory glance it's clear that Surfshark is the more cost-effective option when compared to ExpressVPN subscription plans. Both providers offer a variety of plans and the longest-term subscription is always the cheapest with Surfshark being significantly less expensive in the long run.

Furthermore you can test both providers with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee to determine which is best for you.

Surfshark Pricing

1 month - $12.95/ month

6 months - $6.49/month

12 months - $2.49/month

ExpressVPN Pricing

1 month - $12.95/ month

6 months - $9.99/month

12 months - $8.32/month

Final Thoughts

Surfshark and ExpressVPN are both excellent VPN service providers. With either option you'll get comprehensive knowledge guides blogs YouTube videos and so on. Everything you could possibly need to know to get started and surf safely!

Both providers provide a variety of useful tools and extra features to keep you safe online. So whichever option you choose you'll be in good hands.