2026

Surfshark vs PIA VPN

Surfshark and PIA VPN compared side by side: protection, performance, pricing, and features. Which antivirus suits you better?

Surfshark

9.1

/ 10

Surfshark stands out with unlimited simultaneous connections – ideal for families and shared households. The Surfshark One suite combines VPN, antivirus, search engine, and alert system. Speeds are very good and the server network spans over 3,200 servers in 100 countries. The value proposition is among the best on the market, especially on the 2-year plan.

1st Year PriceCHF 59.90 RenewalCHF 119.90 PlatformsWindows, Mac, Android, iPhone / iPad

Protection 9.2

Performance 9.0

Best for 9.2

First-year price 9.4

Key features 9.1

Support 8.5

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PIA VPN

8.7

/ 10

Private Internet Access (PIA) is a proven VPN provider with fully open-source apps and a court-proven no-logs policy. PIA offers unlimited simultaneous connections, a large server network, and advanced configuration options. The software targets technically savvy users who want maximum control over their VPN settings.

1st Year PriceCHF 56.90 RenewalCHF 119.90 PlatformsWindows, Mac, Android, iPhone / iPad

Protection 9.1

Performance 8.6

Best for 8.4

First-year price 9.3

Key features 8.9

Support 8.0

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Our Verdict

Surfshark narrowly wins – PIA VPN is the leaner choice.

Surfshark scores 9.1 / 10 overall and is the stronger pick on protection and feature scope. If you value maximum performance, low resource use and lower renewal costs, PIA VPN is the better fit. Both are excellent options for Swiss users.

See Surfshark in detail

Our verdict

Surfshark takes a slight lead in our comparison with an overall score of 9.1 out of 10 – an advantage of 0.4 points over PIA VPN. The gap is small but consistent across multiple test dimensions.

On price, Surfshark currently sits at CHF 60 in year one, PIA VPN at CHF 57. Watch the renewal price closely: both are transparently listed in the table above and matter more long-term than the introductory price.

Strength profiles: Surfshark scores highest on price-performance, PIA VPN on price-performance. If you care most about one of those dimensions, the choice is clear. For all-round needs, either product is a safe pick.

Feature-by-feature comparison

Criterion	Surfshark	PIA VPN
Real-time protection	Yes	Yes
Built-in VPN	No	No
Password manager	No	No
Anti-tracking / anti-phishing	No	No
Parental controls	No	No
Identity protection	No	No
Low system impact	No	No
Platforms	Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone / iPad	Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone / iPad
Number of devices (standard licence)	999	999
System impact in daily use	Very low	Moderate

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Frequently asked questions about Surfshark vs PIA VPN

Which scores higher on protection, Surfshark or PIA VPN?

Both reach top scores in AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives – the differences are small. The exact scores are in the comparison table above.

Which is cheaper in year 1 and on renewal – Surfshark or PIA VPN?

Look at the price columns above: year-one price and renewal price are stated transparently side by side. The renewal delta is often the bigger cost factor over 3 years.

Which is better for families, Surfshark or PIA VPN?

Both offer family plans for 5–10 devices. What matters: does the product have a dedicated parental-controls mode, screen-time management and a smooth setup. Details in the feature table.

Do I get better Mac/mobile support with Surfshark or PIA VPN?

Platform support is listed in the comparison above. Generally: macOS performance is best with Bitdefender and Intego; Android protection is most mature with Bitdefender, Norton and Kaspersky.