ProtonVPN vs Surfshark: Privacy Comparison
Here we put ProtonVPN head-to-head with Surfshark across the six privacy factors that matter most: their data collection practices, encryption implementation, third-party data sharing, user privacy controls, transparency, and historical track record. While both products address similar requirements, the philosophies they bring to protecting users diverge sharply. Our assessment finds that ProtonVPN provides a noticeably better overall privacy experience, although neither service is without trade-offs that deserve a careful, detailed look.
Bottom Line First
Before the dimension-by-dimension breakdown, here is the summary our scoring produced. Across the six privacy dimensions we score, ProtonVPN finishes ahead of Surfshark, 44/60 to 38/60. That total reflects a privacy comparison in which one service is consistently the more privacy-respecting choice, even though both cover the same functional ground.
Data Collection produced the widest separation between the two, with ProtonVPN ahead 9 to 8 out of 10. The tightest race is Data Collection, separated by just 1 point (ProtonVPN 9/10, Surfshark 8/10). Read on for the dimension-by-dimension reasoning behind these figures.
What Gets Collected
Every privacy assessment starts with data collection. How much a service gathers, stores, and processes about its users is what ultimately drives the privacy risk of using it. ProtonVPN takes a leaner approach here, capturing only the data strictly required to make the service work. Its rival pulls in a wider net of information -- behavioral patterns, device identifiers, and usage analytics that go well past what the core features actually need. Our marks were ProtonVPN 9/10 and Surfshark 8/10 in this area. What separates them is not merely how much is gathered but why it is gathered and whether it is truly needed.
Encryption Standards
Encryption protects user data both in transit and at rest, and the implementation quality varies dramatically between services. ProtonVPN implements stronger encryption measures, including more robust protocols for data in transit and better protection for stored data. The specific encryption implementations differ in their coverage (which data is encrypted), their strength (which algorithms and key lengths are used), and whether end-to-end encryption is employed (preventing even the service provider from accessing user content). ProtonVPN scored 5/10 while Surfshark scored 4/10 for encryption.
Third-Party Data Sharing
A service's willingness to hand data to outside parties is a make-or-break privacy factor. That covers advertising networks, analytics providers, business partners, and what happens when governments come asking. ProtonVPN keeps a tighter lid on who can reach user data. These sharing habits shape security as much as privacy, since every extra party granted access becomes one more way a breach could happen. Scores: ProtonVPN 6/10, Surfshark 5/10.
Controls You Can Actually Use
The availability and effectiveness of user-facing privacy controls determine how much agency individuals have over their own data. This includes settings for data collection opt-out, download and deletion capabilities, granular permission controls, and the ease with which users can exercise their rights under applicable privacy regulations. ProtonVPN provides more comprehensive and accessible privacy controls. Scores: ProtonVPN 7/10, Surfshark 6/10.
Openness About Data Practices
Transparency comes down to how plainly a service explains what it does with data. It shows up in how readable the privacy policy is, whether transparency reports are published, how quickly privacy questions get answered, and whether policy changes are communicated up front. ProtonVPN comes across as the more transparent of the two overall. Plain, easy-to-find privacy communication is the bedrock of informed consent and trust. Scores: ProtonVPN 8/10, Surfshark 7/10.
Track Record Over Time
A service's history of privacy incidents, regulatory actions, and responses to vulnerabilities provides important context. ProtonVPN has a stronger historical record on privacy, with fewer incidents and more responsible handling of the issues that have arisen. Past behavior is often the best predictor of future privacy practices. Scores: ProtonVPN 9/10, Surfshark 8/10.
Our Bottom-Line Call
When the full analysis is tallied, ProtonVPN finishes at 44/60 and Surfshark at 38/60. On privacy grounds, the overall winner is ProtonVPN. Both products meet similar functional needs, yet the winner brings a more privacy-respecting approach to the dimensions that carry the most weight. Still, perfection is off the table for any service, so no matter which you choose you should actively set up its privacy options. Our advice is to round out your pick with additional privacy tools, a VPN, DNS-level ad blocker, and privacy-focused browser, to assemble a thorough privacy posture. Should your threat model call for the strongest privacy possible, weigh whether an even more privacy-focused alternative exists in this category beyond the two compared here.