7 Surfshark Alternatives That Actually Work Better (2024)
The original
Why People Are Looking for Surfshark Alternatives
Surfshark caught fire a couple years back. Unlimited devices, decent price, marketing everywhere. But here's what happened.
A friend called me last month. "Netflix keeps detecting my VPN." She'd been using Surfshark for streaming and it worked maybe half the time. The other half? Error screens and buffering.
Turns out she wasn't alone. Surfshark's grown fast — maybe too fast. Server congestion during peak hours. Inconsistent unblocking for streaming services. And their Windows app crashes more than it should.
Not saying it's terrible. Just saying there might be better options depending on what you actually need.
What Makes a Good Surfshark Alternative
Speed matters most. If your VPN cuts your internet in half, what's the point? Then there's reliability — does it actually work when you need it, or do you spend ten minutes connecting to different servers?
Price is obvious but tricky. The cheapest option usually isn't. Those $2/month deals jump to $12 after year one. Read the fine print.
Streaming capability is make-or-break for most people. Half the VPN market exists because people want to watch BBC iPlayer from Ohio. If it doesn't unblock Netflix consistently, it's not worth your time.
The Best Surfshark Alternatives
1. NordVPN
The one everyone knows but fewer people actually use. Which is sort of weird because it works.
Speed is solid — I'm seeing 85% of my base connection most days. Their specialty servers (Double VPN, Onion) are gimmicky but the regular ones perform. No complaints about the apps either. Clean, simple, connects fast.
Streaming is where Nord really delivers. Works with Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, most regional services. They play cat-and-mouse with the streaming platforms better than anyone else.
Downside is price. Not cheap. But you get what you pay for here.
Speed: 8/10 | Price: 6/10 | Overall: 9/10
2. ExpressVPN
The premium option. Costs more than everything else but there's a reason.
Fastest VPN I've tested. Consistently above 90% of my regular speed. Servers in 94 countries, which matters if you're traveling or need specific locations. The apps are polished — no crashes, no weird bugs.
Streaming works everywhere. Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, regional services. Never had an issue. Customer support is actually helpful, which is rare in this space.
The price though. Ouch. You're paying double what most others cost. Worth it if speed and reliability matter more than budget.
Speed: 10/10 | Price: 4/10 | Overall: 8/10
3. CyberGhost
Good middle ground option. Not the fastest, not the cheapest, just solid across the board.
Streaming-optimized servers are smart. Instead of guessing which server works with Netflix, they label them. "US Netflix," "UK BBC iPlayer." Takes the guesswork out.
Speeds are decent. Not ExpressVPN fast but better than most budget options. Apps work fine on everything. Long-term pricing is competitive if you can commit to 2-3 years.
Customer service is hit or miss. Sometimes great, sometimes you're talking to someone reading from a script.
Speed: 7/10 | Price: 8/10 | Overall: 7/10
4. Private Internet Access
The techie favorite. Lots of customization, proven no-logs policy, owned by a company that actually fights for privacy rights.
Speed varies by server but when you find a good one, it's fast. Tons of servers in the US, fewer internationally. The apps look like they're from 2015 but everything works.
Streaming is inconsistent. Sometimes works with Netflix, sometimes doesn't. Not reliable enough if that's your main use case.
Price is solid for what you get. Especially if you care more about privacy than streaming.
Speed: 7/10 | Price: 9/10 | Overall: 7/10
5. ProtonVPN
From the people who make ProtonMail. Privacy-first approach, based in Switzerland, serious about security.
Free tier is actually usable, which is rare. Paid plans are reasonably priced. Good speeds on premium servers. Apps are clean and work well.
Streaming is limited. Works with some services but not consistently. They're more focused on privacy than unblocking Netflix, which is fair.
Solid choice if privacy is your main concern and streaming is secondary.
Speed: 7/10 | Price: 7/10 | Overall: 6/10
6. IPVanish
U.S.-based, which some people care about. Unlimited simultaneous connections like Surfshark.
Decent speeds, lots of servers. Apps work fine. Pricing is competitive, especially for longer terms.
Streaming capability is weak. Doesn't consistently work with major platforms. If that's not important to you, might be worth considering.
Customer support needs work. Long wait times, generic responses.
Speed: 6/10 | Price: 8/10 | Overall: 6/10
7. Hotspot Shield
Free version gets you basic protection. Paid version removes ads and speed limits.
Speed on premium is good. Their Catapult Hydra protocol is genuinely fast. Apps are user-friendly.
Limited server locations compared to others. Streaming works sometimes but isn't reliable. Privacy policy is better than it used to be but still not great.
Okay for basic use, not ideal for serious privacy or consistent streaming.
Speed: 8/10 | Price: 6/10 | Overall: 5/10
Which One Should You Pick?
Depends what went wrong with Surfshark for you.
If it was speed issues, go with ExpressVPN or NordVPN. Both consistently outperform Surfshark in speed tests.
If Netflix kept blocking you, NordVPN is your best bet. They stay ahead of the streaming platforms better than anyone.
If price was the issue and Surfshark got too expensive after the intro period, CyberGhost or PIA offer better long-term value.
If you just want something that works without thinking about it, NordVPN hits the sweet spot. Fast enough, reliable enough, works with everything you'd want to stream.
Most people switching from Surfshark end up happier with NordVPN. Not because Surfshark is bad, but because Nord solved the specific problems that made them switch in the first place.
Why People Are Looking for Surfshark Alternatives
Surfshark caught fire a couple years back. Unlimited devices, decent price, marketing everywhere. But here's what happened.
A friend called me last month. "Netflix keeps detecting my VPN." She'd been using Surfshark for streaming and it worked maybe half the time. The other half? Error screens and buffering.
Turns out she wasn't alone. Surfshark's grown fast — maybe too fast. Server congestion during peak hours. Inconsistent unblocking for streaming services. And their Windows app crashes more than it should.
Not saying it's terrible. Just saying there might be better options depending on what you actually need.
What Makes a Good Surfshark Alternative
Speed matters most. If your VPN cuts your internet in half, what's the point? Then there's reliability — does it actually work when you need it, or do you spend ten minutes connecting to different servers?
Price is obvious but tricky. The cheapest option usually isn't. Those $2/month deals jump to $12 after year one. Read the fine print.
Streaming capability is make-or-break for most people. Half the VPN market exists because people want to watch BBC iPlayer from Ohio. If it doesn't unblock Netflix consistently, it's not worth your time.
The Best Surfshark Alternatives
1. NordVPN
The one everyone knows but fewer people actually use. Which is sort of weird because it works.
Speed is solid — I'm seeing 85% of my base connection most days. Their specialty servers (Double VPN, Onion) are gimmicky but the regular ones perform. No complaints about the apps either. Clean, simple, connects fast.
Streaming is where Nord really delivers. Works with Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, most regional services. They play cat-and-mouse with the streaming platforms better than anyone else.
Downside is price. Not cheap. But you get what you pay for here.
Speed: 8/10 | Price: 6/10 | Overall: 9/10
2. ExpressVPN
The premium option. Costs more than everything else but there's a reason.
Fastest VPN I've tested. Consistently above 90% of my regular speed. Servers in 94 countries, which matters if you're traveling or need specific locations. The apps are polished — no crashes, no weird bugs.
Streaming works everywhere. Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, regional services. Never had an issue. Customer support is actually helpful, which is rare in this space.
The price though. Ouch. You're paying double what most others cost. Worth it if speed and reliability matter more than budget.
Speed: 10/10 | Price: 4/10 | Overall: 8/10
3. CyberGhost
Good middle ground option. Not the fastest, not the cheapest, just solid across the board.
Streaming-optimized servers are smart. Instead of guessing which server works with Netflix, they label them. "US Netflix," "UK BBC iPlayer." Takes the guesswork out.
Speeds are decent. Not ExpressVPN fast but better than most budget options. Apps work fine on everything. Long-term pricing is competitive if you can commit to 2-3 years.
Customer service is hit or miss. Sometimes great, sometimes you're talking to someone reading from a script.
Speed: 7/10 | Price: 8/10 | Overall: 7/10
4. Private Internet Access
The techie favorite. Lots of customization, proven no-logs policy, owned by a company that actually fights for privacy rights.
Speed varies by server but when you find a good one, it's fast. Tons of servers in the US, fewer internationally. The apps look like they're from 2015 but everything works.
Streaming is inconsistent. Sometimes works with Netflix, sometimes doesn't. Not reliable enough if that's your main use case.
Price is solid for what you get. Especially if you care more about privacy than streaming.
Speed: 7/10 | Price: 9/10 | Overall: 7/10
5. ProtonVPN
From the people who make ProtonMail. Privacy-first approach, based in Switzerland, serious about security.
Free tier is actually usable, which is rare. Paid plans are reasonably priced. Good speeds on premium servers. Apps are clean and work well.
Streaming is limited. Works with some services but not consistently. They're more focused on privacy than unblocking Netflix, which is fair.
Solid choice if privacy is your main concern and streaming is secondary.
Speed: 7/10 | Price: 7/10 | Overall: 6/10
6. IPVanish
U.S.-based, which some people care about. Unlimited simultaneous connections like Surfshark.
Decent speeds, lots of servers. Apps work fine. Pricing is competitive, especially for longer terms.
Streaming capability is weak. Doesn't consistently work with major platforms. If that's not important to you, might be worth considering.
Customer support needs work. Long wait times, generic responses.
Speed: 6/10 | Price: 8/10 | Overall: 6/10
7. Hotspot Shield
Free version gets you basic protection. Paid version removes ads and speed limits.
Speed on premium is good. Their Catapult Hydra protocol is genuinely fast. Apps are user-friendly.
Limited server locations compared to others. Streaming works sometimes but isn't reliable. Privacy policy is better than it used to be but still not great.
Okay for basic use, not ideal for serious privacy or consistent streaming.
Speed: 8/10 | Price: 6/10 | Overall: 5/10
Which One Should You Pick?
Depends what went wrong with Surfshark for you.
If it was speed issues, go with ExpressVPN or NordVPN. Both consistently outperform Surfshark in speed tests.
If Netflix kept blocking you, NordVPN is your best bet. They stay ahead of the streaming platforms better than anyone.
If price was the issue and Surfshark got too expensive after the intro period, CyberGhost or PIA offer better long-term value.
If you just want something that works without thinking about it, NordVPN hits the sweet spot. Fast enough, reliable enough, works with everything you'd want to stream.
Most people switching from Surfshark end up happier with NordVPN. Not because Surfshark is bad, but because Nord solved the specific problems that made them switch in the first place.