- ✓Surfshark’s big draws are unlimited devices and low prices — so a good alternative has to match those.
- ✓Private Internet Access and IPVanish both offer unlimited devices too, at similar value.
- ✓The ownership fact: Surfshark is owned by Nord Security — the same company as NordVPN.
- ✓So switching to NordVPN isn’t leaving the group; for independence, look to Proton or PIA/IPVanish’s owners.
- ✓If it’s pure value with unlimited connections you want, PIA is the closest like-for-like.
The short answer
The best Surfshark alternatives keep its two strengths — unlimited devices and value. Private Internet Access is the closest match, with a court-tested no-logs record on top. IPVanish is another unlimited-devices option under a different owner. And if you want a genuinely independent provider, Proton VPN is the upgrade — at the cost of unlimited connections.
Want unlimited devices + value → PIA or IPVanish. Want independence → Proton. Just don’t assume NordVPN is “leaving Surfshark” — same owner.
Why people leave Surfshark
Surfshark is one of our best-value picks, so the reasons tend to be specific:
- Renewal pricing. The headline deal is an intro rate; the renewal is higher.
- You want a longer track record. Some prefer a provider with more years and audits behind it.
- Independence. Surfshark is part of a big group (see below), which not everyone loves.
- A specific feature. Court-tested no-logs, port forwarding or a particular server location you can’t get.
Who owns Surfshark — and why it matters
Surfshark is owned by Nord Security — the same company behind NordVPN, following their 2022 merger. This is the key thing to know here, because NordVPN is the “obvious” upgrade from Surfshark — but moving between them keeps you inside the same corporate group. If you’re switching partly to change owner, you’ll want a genuinely different one: PIA (Kape), IPVanish (Ziff Davis), or the independent Proton VPN and Mullvad. It doesn’t make Surfshark or NordVPN worse — it’s just worth knowing they’re related.
The best Surfshark alternatives
Three that keep what people like about Surfshark:
Owner: Kape Technologies
The closest like-for-like on Surfshark’s own turf: unlimited simultaneous devices, very low long-term pricing, and a no-logs policy that’s actually been tested in US court with nothing to hand over. Its apps are more technical than Surfshark’s and it’s an average streamer, but for value-plus-privacy it’s superb. (Owned by Kape.)
Read our Private Internet Access review →
Owner: Ziff Davis
Another unlimited-connections brand, with its own server network and solid apps for phones, computers and TV devices — a natural fit if the whole house is covered on one plan. It’s a different owner again (Ziff Davis), so it’s a genuine step outside the Nord Security group.
Read our IPVanish review →
Owner: Independent (Proton AG, Switzerland)
If part of leaving Surfshark is wanting out of a big corporate group, Proton is the clean break — independently owned in Switzerland, open-source and audited, with a free tier. You give up unlimited devices (Proton has a cap) in exchange for the strongest independent privacy credentials on this list.
Read our Proton VPN review →At a glance
Should you actually switch?
If unlimited devices and low cost are exactly why you chose Surfshark, you may not find much better — it does both about as well as anyone, and it’s a genuinely good VPN. Stay unless something specific is pulling you: a different owner to Nord Security, a court-tested no-logs record (PIA), or a fully independent provider (Proton). Switch for a concrete reason and you’ll gain something; switch on a whim and you may just trade one good value VPN for another.
See the head-to-heads: Surfshark vs PIA and NordVPN vs Surfshark. Or read the full Surfshark review.