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Surfshark vs StrongVPN compares two mid-priced services from big media and security groups. Surfshark, a Nord Security brand based in the Netherlands, allows unlimited devices, has two audits in our table and costs $67.23 for its first 27 months on Starter, then about $79 a year, according to Security.org and VPNOverview. StrongVPN, owned by Ziff Davis in the US, allows 12 devices, has no audit in our table and costs $47.69 for its first year, then $89.99 a year.
This guide compares evidence, devices, TVs and consoles, cost, features and fit.
Surfshark vs StrongVPN on Evidence
An audit checks a provider’s systems against its privacy policy at a point in time, so repeat audits show whether practices hold. Neither service publishes as many as the most audited providers.
Surfshark’s two audits give outside checks of its claims. StrongVPN has none in our table, and Top10VPN notes it has had no app audit.
For proof rather than promises, Surfshark is clearly ahead of StrongVPN. Our VPN audit tracker compares records.
Surfshark vs StrongVPN on Devices
Twelve simultaneous connections is generous by industry standards, so most families will never hit StrongVPN’s cap. The difference matters mainly for homes with many phones, tablets, laptops and smart TVs at once.
Surfshark sets no device limit; StrongVPN allows 12, more than most rivals. Either comfortably covers a typical family home.
Very large households with many smart devices fit better on Surfshark.
TVs and Consoles
StrongVPN offers Smart DNS for consoles and an Amazon Fire TV app with split tunnelling and a kill switch, Comparitech found, but no Android TV or Apple TV app, Top10VPN notes. Surfshark has turned off its Smart DNS feature, our tables record, so consoles need a router or a shared connection.
For a games console without a router, StrongVPN’s Smart DNS is the simpler and quicker route.
Cost Over Two Years and Refunds
Surfshark Starter costs $67.23 for 27 months, then about $79 a year. StrongVPN’s yearly plan costs $47.69, then $89.99, about $137.68 over two years, and its monthly plan is $11.99.
Surfshark is the cheaper of the pair over two years of use. Our renewal price guide compares renewals.
StrongVPN refunds within 30 days only on yearly plans, not monthly ones, Comparitech and TechRadar note. Check Surfshark’s refund terms at checkout.
Avoid StrongVPN’s monthly plan if you want a refund safety net while testing.
Kill Switch and Apps
StrongVPN’s apps cover Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Fire TV and ChromeOS, with a Chrome extension that works as an HTTP proxy, Comparitech notes. Surfshark covers the same main platforms.
Reviewers disagree on StrongVPN’s mobile kill switch: Cloudwards and Comparitech found none on iOS, while Top10VPN found one. Its desktop kill switch is off by default, Top10VPN notes. Surfshark includes a kill switch in its apps.
Turn it on and test it on whichever service you choose.
Network, Protocols and Ownership
StrongVPN uses WireGuard by default and offers OpenVPN, IKEv2 and a WireGuard configuration generator, with around 67 locations in 42 countries in one 2026 count. Surfshark runs a larger network across more countries.
For manual router setups, StrongVPN’s WireGuard generator is handy and quick.
Nord Security owns Surfshark and NordVPN. Ziff Davis owns StrongVPN alongside IPVanish and publications including PCMag and CNET.
Our VPN ownership guide explains why ownership matters.
Speed and Ping
Ping matters most for online games and video calls, where every extra millisecond is noticeable. Download speed matters more for streaming, backups and large files.
Top10VPN’s 2026 speed tests found StrongVPN had the lowest local ping of the 59 VPNs it reviewed, and fast long-distance connections. Surfshark’s speeds suit streaming and browsing on nearby servers.
For gaming or calls on a nearby server, StrongVPN’s low ping is a real advantage over most rivals.
Streaming and Security Gaps
StrongVPN works best for US services, Top10VPN found, unblocking HBO Max on the first attempt and US Netflix most reliably from its Chicago server, while BBC iPlayer was unreliable. Cloudwards found it did not unblock Hulu or iPlayer.
Surfshark offers more locations to try when a service blocks one.
Top10VPN notes StrongVPN’s kill switch is not on by default, its apps have not been audited and it lacks post-quantum encryption. Its split tunnelling works only on Android, Cloudwards adds.
Switch the kill switch on manually in settings if you choose StrongVPN, then test it.
Who Each Is For
If you mainly stream on a laptop and phone, either works; the deciding factors are consoles, device count and how much you value outside audits.
Households with many devices and people who want audited claims fit Surfshark. Console owners who want Smart DNS and gamers chasing low local ping fit StrongVPN, which Strong Technology launched in 2005. We put the two side by side in our CyberGhost vs StrongVPN comparison.
Both are mid-priced services, so the features you need should decide between them.
How We Research
This page draws on Surfshark’s pricing pages, Security.org’s, Comparitech’s, Top10VPN’s, Cloudwards’ and TechRadar’s StrongVPN coverage and our audit and price tables. We cross-checked these sources against each other, and where they conflict or something can’t be verified, we say so in the text rather than guessing. We checked time-sensitive figures, including prices in US dollars, on 8 October 2026. The main source we relied on is Top10VPN’s StrongVPN review. Our full approach lives on the About Us page.
Surfshark vs StrongVPN FAQ
Surfshark for audits and devices; StrongVPN for Smart DNS on consoles.
Not in our table; Surfshark has two audits.
It has turned the feature off.
Surfshark.
No; only yearly plans within 30 days.
The Verdict
Surfshark vs StrongVPN: Surfshark for audits, unlimited devices and lower cost; StrongVPN for Smart DNS on consoles and 12 devices.