Surfshark vs PIA 2026: VPN Comparison
Surfshark offers unlimited simultaneous connections and lower pricing at $2.19/month, while Private Internet Access provides stronger privacy credentials with a proven no-logs audit and better for advanced users willing to pay $2.03/month. Surfshark excels for families and multi-device users, whereas PIA is preferred by privacy-focused individuals.
Surfshark
Budget-friendly VPN with unlimited simultaneous connections and strong encryption
Families, multi-device users, budget-conscious individuals seeking ease of use
Private Internet Access (PIA)
Budget-friendly VPN with massive server network and built-in privacy tools.
Privacy-conscious users, power users, individuals requiring advanced security features
Quick Answer
AI SummarySurfshark offers unlimited simultaneous connections and lower pricing at $2.19/month, while Private Internet Access provides stronger privacy credentials with a proven no-logs audit and better for advanced users willing to pay $2.03/month. Surfshark excels for families and multi-device users, whereas PIA is preferred by privacy-focused individuals.
Our Verdict
AI-assistedChoose Surfshark if you need unlimited simultaneous connections for a household with many devices, prefer a user-friendly interface, and want the lowest price. Choose Private Internet Access if you prioritize maximum privacy with court-verified no-logs guarantees, need more server options for better speeds, and are willing to accept a 10-device limit.
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Choose Surfshark if
Families, multi-device users, budget-conscious individuals seeking ease of use
Choose Private Internet Access (PIA) if
Best pickPrivacy-conscious users, power users, individuals requiring advanced security features
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Key Differences at a Glance
- Simultaneous Connections:✓ Surfshark wins(Unlimited vs 10 devices)
- Monthly Price (Annual Plan):✓ Private Internet Access (PIA) wins($2.03/month vs $2.19/month)
- No-Logs Audit:✓ Private Internet Access (PIA) wins(Audited by Deloitte (2020) + court-verified vs Audited by Deloitte (2022))
Key Facts & Figures
52 numeric metrics compared
| Metric | Surfshark | Private Internet Access (PIA) | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Monthly Price (2-year plan)(USD/month) | $2.49 | — | — |
| Server Locations(countries) | 105 countries | — | — |
| Value for Money Score(/10) | 8.9 | — | — |
| Global Server Coverage(countries) | 100 countries | — | — |
| Speed Performance Rating(out of 10) | 9.8/10 | — | — |
| Security Rating(out of 10) | 10.0/10 | — | — |
| Streaming Capability Rating(out of 10) | 9.6/10 | — | — |
| Gaming Performance Rating(out of 10) | 9.0/10 | — | — |
| Annual Subscription Price(USD) | $2.19/month | $2.03/month | |
| Average Download Speed(Mbps) | 628 Mbps | 720 Mbps | |
| VPN Server Locations(countries) | 100 countries | — | — |
| Total VPN Servers(servers) | 3,200+ servers | 3,355 | |
| Money-Back Guarantee(days) | 30 days | 30 days | |
| Independent Security Audit(year) | 2023 (Deloitte) | — | — |
| Server Count(servers) | 3,200+ | 35,000+ | |
| Latest Security Audit Year | 2023 (Cure53) | — | — |
| Streaming Services Optimized(platforms) | 15+ optimized services | — | — |
| Monthly Price (Annual Plan)(USD) | $2.19 | — | — |
| Annual Plan Price(USD/month) | $2.19/month | $2.03/month | |
| Total Server Count(servers) | 3,200+ | 29,650 servers | |
| Global Server Network(servers) | 3,200+ servers | — | — |
| Country Coverage(countries) | 100 countries | 91 | |
| Independent Security Audits(audits) | 1 (PwC 2023) | — | — |
| Simultaneous Connections(devices) | Unlimited | 10 | — |
| Money-Back Guarantee Period(days) | 30 days | 30 days | |
| Monthly Price (Best Annual Deal)(USD) | $2.19/month | $2.03/month | |
| Countries with Servers(countries) | 100 countries | 84 countries | |
| Monthly Price (Standard Plan)(USD) | $2.19 | — | — |
| Annual Price (Lowest Tier)(USD) | $26.28 | — | — |
| Server Network Size(servers) | 3,200+ | — | — |
| Countries Covered(countries) | 100+ countries | 84 | |
| Monthly Price (Annual Commitment)(USD) | $2.03 | $2.03 | |
| Netflix Unblocking Success(%) | 71% | 71% | |
| Annual Subscription Cost(USD) | $2.03/month | $2.03/month | |
| Maximum Simultaneous Connections(devices) | 10 devices | 10 devices | |
| Monthly Plan Price(USD/month) | $11.99/month | $11.99/month | |
| Speed Loss (Average)(percent) | 8-10% | 8-10% | |
| Monthly Subscription Cost (Annual Plan)(USD) | $2.03 | $2.03 | |
| Total VPN Servers Worldwide(servers) | 3,400+ | 3,400+ | |
| Countries with Server Presence(countries) | 84 countries | 84 countries | |
| Simultaneous Device Connections(devices) | 10 | 10 | |
| No-Logs Audit Frequency(audits per year) | Annual (Deloitte) | Annual (Deloitte) | |
| Average Download Speed Loss(%) | 18% slower (OpenVPN) | 18% slower (OpenVPN) | |
| Netflix Streaming Reliability(%) | 62% success rate (tested 13 regions) | 62% success rate (tested 13 regions) | |
| Countries with Server Coverage(countries) | 84 | 84 | |
| Customer Rating (Trustpilot)(out of 5.0) | 4.6 | 4.6 | |
| Annual Plan Cost (Per Month)(USD) | $2.03/month | $2.03/month | |
| Number of Servers(servers) | 29,650+ | 29,650+ | |
| Number of VPN Servers(servers) | 29,650+ | 29,650+ | |
| Average Speed Retention(%) | 85% | 85% | |
| Netflix Streaming Compatibility(regions) | 8 regions | 8 regions | |
| Annual Cost (3-Year Commitment)(USD) | $72.76 | $72.76 |
Sourced from publicly available data ·
Key Differences
7 attributes compared head-to-head
- Unlimited(winner)Simultaneous Connections10 devices
- $2.19/monthMonthly Price (Annual Plan)$2.03/month(winner)
- Audited by Deloitte (2022)No-Logs AuditAudited by Deloitte (2020) + court-verified(winner)
- 3,200+ servers in 100 countriesServer Network Size35,000+ servers in 84 countries(winner)
- Yes (all platforms)Kill Switch ProtectionYes (all platforms)
- AES-256 + ChaCha20Encryption StandardAES-256-GCM
- Included freeAd & Malware Blocker (CleanWeb/MACE)MACE included free
- Simultaneous Connections
Surfshark
Unlimited(winner)
Private Internet Access (PIA)
10 devices
- Monthly Price (Annual Plan)
Surfshark
$2.19/month
Private Internet Access (PIA)
$2.03/month(winner)
- No-Logs Audit
Surfshark
Audited by Deloitte (2022)
Private Internet Access (PIA)
Audited by Deloitte (2020) + court-verified(winner)
- Server Network Size
Surfshark
3,200+ servers in 100 countries
Private Internet Access (PIA)
35,000+ servers in 84 countries(winner)
- Kill Switch Protection
Surfshark
Yes (all platforms)
Private Internet Access (PIA)
Yes (all platforms)
- Encryption Standard
Surfshark
AES-256 + ChaCha20
Private Internet Access (PIA)
AES-256-GCM
- Ad & Malware Blocker (CleanWeb/MACE)
Surfshark
Included free
Private Internet Access (PIA)
MACE included free
Full Comparison
| Attribute | Surfshark | Private Internet Access (PIA) |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Monthly Price (2-year plan)(USD/month) | $2.49 | — |
| Annual Subscription Price(USD) | $2.19/month(winner) | $2.03/month |
| Monthly Price (Annual Plan)(USD) | $2.19 | — |
| Annual Plan Price(USD/month) | $2.19/month | $2.03/month(winner) |
| Monthly Price (Best Annual Deal)(USD) | $2.19/month | $2.03/month(winner) |
Show 8 more attributesMonthly Price (Standard Plan)(USD) $2.19 — Annual Price (Lowest Tier)(USD) $26.28 — Monthly Price (Annual Commitment)(USD) $2.03 — Annual Subscription Cost(USD) $2.03/month — Monthly Plan Price(USD/month) $11.99/month — Monthly Subscription Cost (Annual Plan)(USD) $2.03 — Annual Plan Cost (Per Month)(USD) $2.03/month — Annual Cost (3-Year Commitment)(USD) $72.76 — | ||
| Server Locations(countries) | 105 countries | — |
| Server Count(servers) | 3,200+ | 35,000+(winner) |
| Country Coverage(countries) | 100 countries(winner) | 91 |
| Connection Speed Rating | Good | — |
| Speed Performance (US Servers)(relative) | Significantly faster with WireGuard | — |
| Speed Performance Rating(out of 10) | 9.8/10 | — |
| Streaming Capability Rating(out of 10) | 9.6/10 | — |
| Gaming Performance Rating(out of 10) | 9.0/10 | — |
Show 7 more attributesAverage Download Speed(Mbps) 628 Mbps 720 Mbps Streaming Services Optimized(platforms) 15+ optimized services — Server Network Size(servers) 3,200+ — Countries Covered(countries) 100+ countries 84 Speed Loss (Average)(percent) 8-10% — Average Download Speed Loss(%) 18% slower (OpenVPN) — Average Speed Retention(%) 85% — | ||
| Logging Policy | Strict no-logs | — |
| No-Logging Audit Verification | Yes (Cure53 audit 2023) | — |
| Log Retention Policy | No-logs policy verified by audit 2024 | — |
| Dark Web Monitor | Not included | — |
| App Kill Switch Feature | No | — |
| Kill Switch Availability | Yes (all platforms) | Yes (all platforms) |
| Value for Money Score(/10) | 8.9 | — |
| Global Server Coverage(countries) | 100 countries | — |
| Total VPN Servers(servers) | 3,200+ servers | 3,355(winner) |
| Total Server Count(servers) | 3,200+ | 29,650 servers(winner) |
| Global Server Network(servers) | 3,200+ servers | — |
| Countries with Servers(countries) | 100 countries(winner) | 84 countries |
Show 3 more attributesCountries with Server Coverage(countries) 84 — Number of Servers(servers) 29,650+ — Number of VPN Servers(servers) 29,650+ — | ||
| Netflix Compatibility(rating) | Good | — |
| Netflix Unblocking Success(%) | 71% | — |
| Netflix Streaming Reliability(%) | 62% success rate (tested 13 regions) | — |
| Netflix Streaming Compatibility(regions) | 8 regions | — |
| Customer Support Satisfaction(rating) | Very Good | — |
| Customer Support Type | 24-hour live chat | — |
| Torrenting Support(supported) | Fully supported | — |
| Simultaneous Connections(devices) | Unlimited | 10 |
| Maximum Simultaneous Connections(devices) | 10 devices | — |
| Simultaneous Device Connections(devices) | 10 | — |
| Security Rating(out of 10) | 10.0/10 | — |
| Independent Security Audit(year) | 2023 (Deloitte) | — |
| Kill Switch Feature | Yes, all platforms | — |
| Encryption Standard | AES-256 | AES-256-GCM |
| Kill Switch Protection | Yes (automatic) | Yes |
Show 3 more attributesEncryption Protocol AES-256 + ChaCha20 AES-256-GCM No-Logs Audit Frequency(audits per year) Annual (Deloitte) — Recent Independent Security Audit Cure53 (2023), Deloitte (2022) — | ||
| VPN Server Locations(countries) | 100 countries | — |
| Total VPN Servers Worldwide(servers) | 3,400+ | — |
| Countries with Server Presence(countries) | 84 countries | — |
| Money-Back Guarantee(days) | 30 days | 30 days |
| Latest Security Audit Year | 2023 (Cure53) | — |
| Supported Platforms(platforms) | 15+ (includes smart TVs, gaming consoles) | — |
| Independent Security Audits(audits) | 1 (PwC 2023) | — |
| Open-Source Code Availability | 100% open-source | — |
| Open-Source Client | Yes (GitHub available) | — |
| Money-Back Guarantee Period(days) | 30 days | 30 days |
| No-Logs Audit Year | Deloitte (2022) | Deloitte (2020) + Court-verified |
| Geographic Coverage(countries) | 91 countries | — |
| Customer Rating (Trustpilot)(out of 5.0) | 4.6 | — |
Show 8 more attributes
Show 7 more attributes
Show 3 more attributes
Show 3 more attributes
Pros & Cons
10 pros·4 cons across both
Surfshark
Pros
- Unlimited simultaneous connections—ideal for families and households with 5+ devices
- Industry-leading price at $2.19/month on annual plans with 30-day money-back guarantee
- CleanWeb ad and malware blocker included at no extra cost
- Intuitive interface suitable for VPN beginners
- MultiHop feature allows routing through 2 VPN servers for extra anonymity
Cons
- Smaller server network (3,200 vs PIA's 35,000) may result in slower speeds during peak usage
- No court-verified no-logs claim; only Deloitte audit from 2022
Private Internet Access (PIA)
Pros
- Largest server network with 35,000+ servers in 84 countries for consistently faster speeds
- Court-verified no-logs guarantee—proven in legal proceedings (no data surrendered to FBI)
- Advanced features: SOCKS5 proxy, custom DNS, split tunneling, and dedicated IP options
- Deloitte audit (2020) + independent verification through court cases
- Slightly cheaper at $2.03/month on 3-year plans
Cons
- Capped at 10 simultaneous connections—unsuitable for large households
- More technical interface; steeper learning curve for non-technical users
Frequently Asked Questions
5 questions
Surfshark is significantly better for families. With unlimited simultaneous connections, every family member can use the VPN simultaneously on their phone, tablet, laptop, and smart TV without worrying about device limits. PIA caps you at 10 devices, which may not be enough for larger households.
Resources & Learn More
Curated sources to dive deeper
Where to Buy
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Wikipedia
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