Most people who look beyond Surfshark are reacting to one of three things: a price shown only as a 27-month figure, a plan list in which every tier arrives with extras they did not ask for, or the fact that the company shares a holding group with NordVPN. The alternatives below range from numbered-account services to free plans and larger bundles.
Short answer: Mullvad VPN, IVPN and Windscribe head the list of Surfshark alternatives drawn from our VPN services ranking. We open the ranking with smaller vendors and put the established brands from fourth place onward. Mullvad VPN is the one to try if you want a single honest monthly figure and an account that needs no personal details. Every one of the 11 products below comes from Best VPN Services in 2026, with a note on how it departs from Surfshark.
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Pricing: Starter, One and One+ bundle tiers published; long-term discounts; 30-day refund
Established in: Netherlands
Built for: Households that want unlimited devices on one account with add-on tools
Not for: Buyers who want the plain VPN alone or a company independent of Nord
01
Why buyers look past Surfshark
01
The advertised rate is a 27-month total
Surfshark's pricing page shows Starter and One at EUR 2.49 and One+ at EUR 3.99 per month, and attaches totals of EUR 67.23 and EUR 107.73 for the first 27 months (24 plus 3 extra). The page mentions monthly and one-year terms but gave a price only for the long one when we read it. Anyone who wants to stay for a few months has to open checkout to learn what that costs.
02
Every plan comes with the extras attached
The three tiers list the same items: VPN, Alternative ID, scam protection, antivirus, Alert and data removal by Incogni. We saw no tier that sells the tunnel alone. Identity theft cover applies to US residents only, and a dedicated IP is a separate add-on. For a buyer who wants a tunnel and nothing else, part of the price pays for tools that go unused.
03
The brand is separate, the group is not
Surfshark's own announcement of February 2022 says it merged with Nord Security and that both keep running as autonomous companies with separate infrastructure and product plans, and that its terms and privacy policy did not change. It is a stated arrangement we could not cross-check independently. Buyers who picked Surfshark as a counterweight to NordVPN should read it before assuming the two are unrelated.
you accept the shared group and prefer a defined device cap and trial route
#6
03
What each one does differently
1
Mullvad VPN
Sweden · Published
Mullvad VPN AB in Sweden is owned by its two founders and takes an account number instead of an email address. The page we read shows EUR 5 a month including VAT, the same for one month or a year, with payment by cash, Bitcoin, Monero, card, PayPal, iDEAL and several other methods, and a 10% discount on accepted cryptocurrencies. One account covers five devices. The refund window is 14 days and does not apply to cash.
Switch from Surfshark if you want a single honest monthly figure and an account that needs no personal details.
IVPN Limited sits in Gibraltar and says the same owners have run it since 2009. Its pricing page names three tiers, Standard, Plus and Pro Suite, and mentions that registration needs no email and a 30-day money-back guarantee; payment by card, PayPal, Bitcoin, Monero or cash is listed. Servers cover 41 countries, well under Surfshark's 100, and the privacy policy lists which records exist.
Switch from Surfshark if a small, long-running operator with anonymous signup matters more than a large server map.
Ontario-based Windscribe Limited says it is self-funded. Free means 10 GB a month. Paid users either take Pro without a cap or assemble locations one by one, 10 GB each, to a ceiling of seven. The refund closes quickly (7 business days, under 10 GB used), and sharing a login is banned although devices are not counted.
Switch from Surfshark if you want to test with a real free allowance or pay only for the locations you use.
From Switzerland, Proton VPN is sold on its own as VPN Plus or within Unlimited next to Proton's mail and storage apps. VPN Plus showed USD 3.49 a month on a two-year term (USD 83.76 upfront, USD 83.88 for each later year) and 10 devices, with 30 days to claim a refund. The free plan: one device, 10 countries assigned automatically, against 140+ on paid plans.
Switch from Surfshark if you want a VPN that can be tried free on one device and may later join a mail and storage bundle.
A Toronto company, TunnelBear LLC offers 2 GB free, an Unlimited plan and Teams billed per seat. The audit claim on its site (yearly, published) was not tested by us. Refunds cover annual plans bought directly, so the free tier is the practical way to try it. What you get is a tunnel with a friendly app and none of Surfshark's bundled tools.
Switch from Surfshark if a plain interface and a small free allowance matter more than bundled security tools.
Private Internet Access, Inc. gives a Denver address, and its policy refers to Kape Technologies, so a US company and a group both apply. Subscriptions run on RAM-only servers with no device limit. Monthly, one-year and three-year terms are listed; the three-year one is cheapest and renews at three years. Only new subscribers can claim the 30-day refund.
Switch from Surfshark if you want unlimited devices like Surfshark's and accept a US company in a larger group.
Its privacy policy gives a New York address and mentions Ziff Davis. Every tier, Essential through Advanced, has unlimited devices and 24/7 chat. Phone help, antivirus, cloud storage and a secure browser arrive only further up the ladder. First-term discounts last one or two years; the monthly plan renews at list.
Switch from Surfshark if you like tiered bundles but want to choose how much of the bundle to buy.
Based in Bucharest as CyberGhost S.R.L., it points to Kape Technologies PLC in its privacy policy as the top holding company. Seven devices per subscription, whatever the term. Its refund period is the longest in this list, 45 days, but only on long terms; a month-to-month buyer gets 14 days and pays far more per month. Dedicated IPs cost extra and expire with the term.
Switch from Surfshark if a longer refund window than Surfshark's 30 days is worth a device cap of seven.
PureVPN is run by GZ Systems, whose privacy policy gives a British Virgin Islands address. Standard, Plus and Max are published and can be billed monthly, yearly or every two years, with long plans well under the monthly rate and renewing automatically. A 31-day money-back guarantee replaces a trial. Its no-logs audit page does not name the auditor, unlike Surfshark's Deloitte reports.
Switch from Surfshark if you want a three-tier bundle and are willing to check the audit details yourself.
Registered under British Virgin Islands law, Express Technologies Ltd. joined Kape Technologies in 2021. Three published tiers allow 10, 12 or 14 devices. The advertised price spans 28 months before an annual renewal at a higher figure, and only the top tier includes a dedicated IP. New customers get 30 days to ask for a refund.
Switch from Surfshark if a capped but defined device count and a premium-tier product appeal more than unlimited connections.
Panama-registered nordvpn S.A. answers to Nord Security, the parent Surfshark also says it merged with. An account counts 10 devices, yet a server takes only five at a time. Its trial is tied to a one- or two-year plan, card or PayPal, and a short list of 15 countries; the money-back period of 30 days follows the first purchase. It sits last here for the group tie.
Switch from Surfshark if you accept the shared group and prefer a defined device cap and trial route.
You want an account that needs no personal details
Mullvad VPN: Accounts are generated numbers, cash by post is accepted, and the rate is EUR 5 a month with VAT included.
02
You want a small operator that lists the records it holds
IVPN: Signup needs no email; Standard, Plus and Pro Suite are the tiers, with a 30-day guarantee.
03
You want to test a VPN for nothing first
Proton VPN: The free tier works on one device across 10 countries, and VPN Plus was USD 3.49 monthly on two years.
04
You want to buy only the locations you need
Windscribe: Build-a-plan adds a location at a time, 10 GB each, up to seven.
05
You want no cap on devices and no bundled extras
Private Internet Access: A single subscription has no device limit and runs on RAM-only servers; new subscribers get 30 days to ask for money back.
04
When Surfshark is still the right choice
Surfshark remains a sound pick when many devices need covering and the buyer wants a Dutch-registered operator rather than one in a distant jurisdiction. Its no-logs page cites Deloitte assurance reports under ISAE 3000 in 2023 and 2025, servers that run from RAM, and more than 4,500 servers in 100 countries. The pricing page offers a 30-day refund and unlimited simultaneous connections, with a 3-device limit on free trials. If you use the antivirus, Alert and Alternative ID, replacing them with separate products will usually cost more than the bundle does.
05
What moving off Surfshark involves
01
Note the renewal date and the refund window
Before cancelling, check when your 24-month or 27-month term ends and whether auto-renewal is on. If you bought within the last 30 days, a refund is still available from Surfshark, so start the new service in parallel and test it first.
02
Replace the extras one by one
Write down which of Alternative ID, Alert, antivirus and the data removal you actually opened. Each needs a replacement or a decision to drop it; a tunnel alone can be had for less, but the extras do not move across.
03
Rebuild devices and rules, then retire the old app
Install the new client on every device, recreate any split-tunnelling or auto-connect rules, and check the kill switch behaves as before. Only then uninstall Surfshark and turn off renewal.
06
Questions about replacing Surfshark
7 answers
What is the best alternative to Surfshark?
Mullvad VPN ranks first in our list of Surfshark alternatives. It is owned by its two founders, charges a flat EUR 5 a month including VAT whatever the term, and needs no email address. IVPN, Windscribe and Proton VPN follow.
Is there a Surfshark alternative that is not part of Nord Security?
Yes. Mullvad, IVPN, Windscribe, Proton VPN and TunnelBear describe themselves as separate from both Surfshark and NordVPN. Surfshark's own announcement says it merged with Nord Security in February 2022 while keeping separate brands and infrastructure.
Which Surfshark alternative has a free plan?
Proton VPN has a free plan for one device with servers in 10 countries, Windscribe allows 10 GB a month and TunnelBear 2 GB. For comparison, Surfshark's page mentions free trials limited to 3 devices.
Can I pay for a VPN without giving an email address?
Mullvad uses generated account numbers and accepts cash by post, and IVPN says registration needs no email. Surfshark's checkout asks for an account, and its pricing page did not list payment methods.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Surfshark's EUR 2.49 a month?
Proton VPN Plus shows USD 3.49 a month on a two-year term. Mullvad's EUR 5 is higher but flat for any term. Compare on total over your actual stay: Surfshark's EUR 2.49 is a 27-month figure of EUR 67.23.
Which alternative to Surfshark has unlimited devices?
Private Internet Access and IPVanish both allow unlimited devices, and Windscribe Pro does too, with a rule against sharing an account. TunnelBear Unlimited also covers unlimited devices. Mullvad is capped at five and Proton VPN Plus at ten.
Does any alternative offer a longer refund period than Surfshark?
CyberGhost gives 45 days on its long terms, and Hotspot Shield also lists 45 days. PureVPN gives 31 days. Surfshark gives 30, as do Proton VPN, IVPN, PIA and IPVanish. Mullvad gives 14 days and Windscribe 7 business days.
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Sources
Checked 3 November 2026
Surfshark pricing: Starter, One and One+ at EUR 2.49, 2.49 and 3.99 per month, first 27 months EUR 67.23 and 107.73, included features, unlimited devices, 3-device trial limit, 30-day refund, add-ons.
Surfshark no-logs page: Deloitte assurance reports 2023 and 2025 (ISAE 3000), RAM-only servers, 4,500+ servers in 100 countries, Netherlands base.
Founder of The Knowledge Engineers and of 2 Steps Ahead, an AI search visibility agency. Editorially responsible for every page on this site; research and drafting are AI-assisted.
Checked and edited by Sebastiaan Smits, last on 3 November 2026. The editorial process explains the method.
