Surfshark vs. PIA — which VPN is better?

Surfshark vs. PIA: summary

Both Surfshark and PIA offer a premium VPN experience. Surfshark offers unlimited simultaneous connections, while PIA offers 10. Surfshark also has servers in more countries and more additional features, while PIA is the slightly cheaper option, although you need to get a 3-year plan for the best price.

Disclaimer: The displayed pricing and server details in this article are correct as of May 2024 and are subject to change.

Speed

When comparing Surfshark vs. PIA, we tested each platform using the WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols and measured our results in Mbps (megabits per second). Here’s what we found.

Note: The speed test results are the average for each provider.

Surfshark vs. PIA speed test results (WireGuard)

Surfshark vs. PIA speed test results (OpenVPN)

While the above metrics were displayed for me, you may see different results. Remember, a number of factors can affect your internet speed — your region, internet provider, Wi-Fi, operating system, and physical proximity to the server you’re connecting to.

Features

Let’s unpack some additional features designed to enhance your online experience.

Ad blockers

Surfshark’s CleanWeb ad blocker prevents malicious ads, pop-ups, and trackers. The feature is included in all subscriptions.

PIA’s MACE feature provides a similar service by blocking ads, trackers, and malicious websites. The feature is part of a monthly subscription.

User masking

Surfshark offers a tool to mask the user’s real identity and help reduce the potential for spam — Alternative ID. It generates an online persona with a name, age, address, and email. These details can be used for various online registrations. Alternative ID comes with every subscription plan.

PIA doesn’t offer a similar feature.

Antivirus

Surfshark’s Antivirus app will give you real-time online protection by scanning all files that are downloaded onto your device. This ensures that threats are detected in real time, safeguarding your system from malicious software. Additionally, while there are critical files and folders on your device that you, as a user, can’t access to maintain your operating system’s stability, these areas can still be vulnerable to virus infections. Surfshark Antivirus scans these as well.

PIA also has an antivirus that will scan your PC and protect your device from malware.

Double VPN

Both VPN providers have Double VPN and coincidentally call it MultiHop.

This feature hides your online activity by routing your traffic through two different VPN servers instead of one. With a double VPN, your online traffic is encrypted twice, giving you an added layer of protection.

Also, Surfshark’s Dynamic MultiHop lets you manually select the servers through which you want your traffic to be routed.

However, once enabled, this feature can slightly slow down your connection. It is most beneficial for political activists, journalists, or other people who need the added privacy.

Split tunneling

Both platforms have a built-in split tunneling feature, which allows you to choose which apps you’d like to encrypt. Split tunneling protects sensitive information by dividing your network traffic into two separate connections, giving two IP addresses to your data traffic.

For example, split tunneling is useful when you need to access a banking app while connected to a VPN. Exclude a website or an app from the VPN tunnel, and they’ll always be available.

You can use split tunneling on both PIA’s and Surshark’s desktop and mobile apps (note: Surshark’s feature is called Bypasser).

Search capability

Surfshark has a built-in private web browsing tool where you can get organic search results specific to your region. Surfshark Search doesn’t track your activity and doesn’t show ads.

Currently, PIA doesn’t have its own search tool.

GPS override 

Using GPS Override, or GPS spoofing, will make your device appear in a different location or time zone. This means you can retain your online privacy, and your personal data isn’t tracked. Only available on Surfshark’s Android app.

At this time, PIA doesn’t offer GPS spoofing. 

Cookie pop-up blocker

Surfshark’s cookie pop-up blocker removes cookie pop-ups, meaning you won’t deal with annoying banners and consent requests when browsing online.

PIA doesn’t have such a feature at the moment.

Alerts and notifications

PIA’s Identity Guard tool allows you to check if your email addresses have been compromised in a data breach. However, it won’t alert you to suspicious activity in real time.

Surfshark, on the other hand, actively monitors your personal information with Surfshark Alert and notifies you in real time if your email address, banking details, password, or any other sensitive information has been breached.

Privacy and security 

Brace yourself as we tackle privacy and security. Jargon takes over, descriptions get tricky, and your eyes may start to glaze over. But never fear! We’ll make it easy for you to follow.

Below is a list of the privacy and security features available at Surfshark and PIA.

Encryption

Both providers use protocols employing AES-256 encryption — IKEv2 and OpenVPN. Additionally, Surfshark and PIA offer Wireguard. It uses the ChaCha-20-Poly1305 encryption, which, similar to AES-256, uses the same 256-bit key to encrypt the data packets.

In easier words, it’s virtually impossible to hack your data using brute-force methods. With current computing technology, AES-256 would take a lifetime to hack.

Surfshark and PIA use WireGuard and OpenVPN for authorization, authentication, and encryption. Both are industry-leading, open-source protocols known for their breakneck download speeds, stable connections, and advanced data security.

For mobile, PIA offers IPsec (for iOS), while Surfshark uses IKEv2.

Obfuscation

Surfshark and PIA have cloaking features to hide your digital footprint. Surfshark has a built-in obfuscation tool (called Camouflage mode) that masks the fact that you’re using a VPN, making your connection appear as regular internet traffic. It is particularly useful in regions with restrictive internet laws.

PIA has its own obfuscation protocol (ShadowSOCKS), which also disguises your VPN traffic as normal activity and conceals all metadata.

Surfshark also goes a step further with its NoBorders mode. This feature lets you browse in restricted regions and avoid government censorship.

Smart DNS

Smart DNS technology routes Domain Name Server (DNS) requests through a server in a different country to mask your location. This is useful for smart TVs and gaming consoles that don’t support VPNs. 

You can activate smart DNS* for Surfshark through your account dashboard, while smart DNS for PIA will need to be set up through the site’s client control panel.

*Smart DNS does not encrypt your traffic and doesn’t offer any VPN protection

Kill switch

Each VPN has its own kill switch — a feature that will disconnect you from the internet if your VPN connection suddenly drops. A kill switch ensures your privacy is always protected and your data is never compromised.

PIA vs. Surfshark VPN: audits

The best way to find out if you’re dealing with a reputable VPN service is through an independent audit.

PIA audit

In 2022, PIA’s internal server infrastructure was audited by Deloitte. One of the Big Four auditing companies found that PIA didn’t log any details that could be used to identify their users or pinpoint their activities.

Surfshark audit

In 2018, Surfshark was independently audited by Cure53. The company found that Surfshark’s browser extensions had no serious flaws and that all security protocols were up to global standards. Surfshark addressed any recommendations and published the results.

In 2021, Cure53 audited Surfshark’s entire VPN infrastructure. Again, no serious issues were discovered, and all recommendations were addressed. 

In 2023, Surfshark’s no-activity-logs statement was verified by Deloitte — even more evidence of Surfshark sticking to its privacy policy and promises.

In 2023, Surfshark’s Android app passed an independent Mobile App Security Assessment (MASA) security audit. The audit evaluated how the Surfshark app handles sensitive data, uses encryption, authenticates users, and manages sessions. The MASA audit confirms that the Surfshark Android app meets the MASA safety criteria.

Pricing and plans 

How much is Surfshark VPN compared to PIA? Straight off the bat, you’ll see that both products are two of the most affordable VPN services on the market, with PIA just nudging ahead.

Pricing

PIA offers slightly cheaper 1-month and 1-year plans, but if you want to get the best pricing, you have to commit to the service for 3 years. Surfshark’s cheapest option costs $2.19/month but only requires you to subscribe for 2 years.

Payment methods

Both Surfshark and PIA offer quick, safe, and reliable banking methods, including credit/debit cards, e-wallets, and some leading cryptocurrencies. Depending on the method, payment processing can take anywhere from an hour to a day, and you’ll get an email confirmation as soon as your service is active.

Surshark has 17+ banking methods, including 8+ cryptocurrencies. Both sites work with well-respected crypto payment platforms like CoinGate and CoinPayments (for Surfshark) and BitPay (for PIA).

Refund policy 

What if your VPN subscription isn’t all you’d hoped for? Not to worry. Both Surfshark and PIA have a 30-day money-back guarantee. You’ll need to reach out to either provider’s customer support team via email or live chat, and you will get a full refund within 30 days of purchasing the subscription.

Server locations

A quick Surfshark review shows 3200+ servers in 100 countries, while PIA servers have around 35,000+ locations in 89 countries.

At first glance, PIA seems to be the outright winner. But look closer, and you’ll see that most server locations are dotted throughout the United States. What about the rest of the world?

Below is a list of server locations per platform, including available countries.

Surfshark trails ahead, offering 4 more locations when logging in from the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. Both providers are almost equal when logging in from Europe. PIA wins in terms of localization, with tailored servers in all 50 US states.

Surfshark is actively upgrading servers from 1Gbps to 10Gbps, and gives 93% of the served countries access to 10Gbps servers. PIA doesn’t disclose any numbers, and this alone puts Surfshark ahead of PIA.

Customer support 

Good customer support is key to a positive user experience.

Both providers have a solid knowledge base, an FAQ section, and a great customer support team — it’s a draw.

Surfshark vs. PIA: Reddit reviews

A Reddit user, paperplans5, has made a VPN comparison table. The VPNs are peer-reviewed, and the results are constantly updated. This community effort is meant to raise awareness about online privacy and help people choose VPN tools for better online security.

Some of the criteria: jurisdiction, audits, speed, protocols, encryption, leak protection, availability, owned servers, transparency, payment options, customer support, ethics, and additional security features.

In this table, Surfshark scores second with an aggregate score of 4.39 out of 5, while PIA scores seventh with 3.72.

Reddit review: Surfshark

calculatoreclipse shares their perspective on Surfshark under the r/VPN_Support thread. We’ve condensed the essence of the review into one paragraph:

Reddit review: PIA

A Reddit user whowannawut shares their PIA review under the subreddit r/VPNlab. Here’s the essence, but feel free to read the rest of it.

Check out other Reddit reviews and discussions:

• Would you recommend Private Internet Access VPN? by a Redditor kiwichick888
• PIA or SurfShark? Help me decide! by a Redditor dartmoo
• Best VPN According to Reddit in 2024? By a Redditor whowannawut

The summary

Surfshark proves itself to be a fast, affordable, and effective VPN service, while PIA has a strong set of unique features, leading protocols, and some affordable pricing plans. At the end of the day, it’s for you to decide who your favorite is.

FAQ

Can Surfshark VPN be trusted?

Yes, Surfshark can be trusted — it’s one of the market’s safest and most reliable VPN service providers. Key safety features include a built-in Kill Switch, split tunneling, and OpenVPN, IKEv2 and Wireguard protocols. Additionally, Surfshark adheres to the no-log policy, which means we don’t log your online activity. 

Do Surfshark and Private Internet Access offer any deals?

Yes, both PIA and Surfshark offer special deals. Surfshark has dedicated pages for limited-time VPN deals and VPN coupons, and so does PIA.