Surfshark vs Private Internet Access: who logs less, who costs less and who covers more

Surfshark comes out ahead overall: it wins five of six scored areas and ranks one step above PIA in the main list. Private Internet Access answers with a privacy win, a lower entry price and renewals that cost exactly what you paid first. Pick Surfshark for bypass tools, TV apps or P2P servers; pick PIA for session privacy and a predictable bill.

Logging rules: why PIA takes privacy from a Five Eyes address

A US headquarters should sink this category, yet PIA takes it, because its policy is simpler where it counts. Surfshark stores the connection IP with your user ID and session times, deleting them within 15 minutes after the session; its safety page details the retention periods. That is still a record, and scoring published policies gives no credit for "briefly". PIA keeps no connection IP, no session times and no bandwidth figures, and it states its no-logs promise held up in court, without naming a case. Deloitte audited both claims, both publish transparency reports, neither runs a warrant canary.

Jurisdiction goes the other way: the Netherlands sits in the 9 Eyes alliance, the USA in 5 Eyes. Ownership matters too: PIA belongs to Kape Technologies, which also runs ExpressVPN and CyberGhost, while Surfshark B.V. is registered in Amsterdam. Surfshark also uses third-party analytics, keeps consented crash reports for 7 days and account data for 2 years after the last login; PIA collects only anonymous aggregate figures and device details if you opt into error reports.

Security: outside audits and 2FA against open code and a bug bounty

The basics match: kill switch, WireGuard, OpenVPN, RAM-only servers, free multi-hop. Surfshark adds Deloitte and Cure53 infrastructure audits, IKEv2 and two-factor sign-in, which protects the account if your password leaks elsewhere. PIA counters with open-source apps on GitHub anyone can inspect, a bug bounty programme and a choice of AES-128 or AES-256. It publishes no security audit and no 2FA.

NoBorders, server counts and P2P: Surfshark's network side

On a network that filters known VPN traffic, Surfshark's NoBorders mode (Android, iOS, macOS, Windows) is the only disguise either service publishes, which keeps its bypass score above zero. PIA lists no obfuscation mode and no Shadowsocks, so it scores zero there. Its terms bar US-embargoed and export-restricted countries, China, Russia and Vietnam among them; Surfshark excludes sanctioned and embargoed countries.

PIA covers 104 countries against Surfshark's 100 yet scores lower, because the server count, torrenting policy and Middle East locations are all unpublished. Surfshark names 4,500+ servers, 10 Gbps ports, P2P and static IP servers and a dedicated IP add-on in 20 locations. Neither names Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ or Prime Video.

What each plan costs now and at renewal

PIA's three-year deal is the cheapest way in at €1.63 a month on the site's conversion, and the second bill matches the first. Surfshark's long plans beat its own monthly rate but switch after 27 months to yearly billing at an unpublished figure. Surfshark still edges the price category thanks to the 7-day trial PIA lacks; the 0.1 gap is the narrowest of all six areas. Antivirus and dedicated IP are priced add-ons at PIA.

Trial, refunds and how you pay

Surfshark's free week exists only on 12- and 24-month plans and demands a card, PayPal or Apple Pay upfront; the charge fires automatically after 7 days unless you cancel. Its refunds cover the first purchase only, once per service, excluding gift or prepaid cards and some resellers. PIA has no trial but refunds first purchases and renewals within 30 days, and blocks new accounts opened within three months of a refund. Both take crypto (Coingate for Surfshark, BitPay for PIA) and neither takes cash. Cancel Surfshark by disabling auto-renewal or emailing support; at PIA, cancel under Account or in the app store.

TV apps, routers and devices for one household

No device caps on either side. Surfshark ships native apps for Android TV, Fire TV, Apple TV and consoles, 12 platforms in total, so the living room works without router setup. PIA counts 10 platforms, adds Chromebook support and reaches consoles only through a router. Both include split tunnelling, an ad and malware blocker (PIA calls it MACE) and 24/7 live chat.

Surfshark vs PIA: buyer questions

Has VPNRadarLab tested their speed or streaming?

No. VPNRadarLab scores published facts only and runs no speed, streaming or blocking tests.

Which one should torrent users pick?

Surfshark, because it publishes P2P servers; PIA does not state a torrent policy.

Is Private Internet Access still a good VPN?

Yes, especially on logging terms, price and transparent renewals; weaker against censorship.

Which one to subscribe to

• Facing filters or censorship: Surfshark, for NoBorders.
• Home with TVs and consoles: Surfshark, for native TV apps.
• Privacy first and no surprises at renewal: PIA.