Proton VPN vs Surfshark
Proton VPN vs Surfshark, compared side by side on 15 data points: what each one does, how big it is, what it has raised, the tech running each site, and what users report. We score both out of 100 on traction, team and visibility: Proton VPN is on 34/100 and Surfshark on 39/100.
Where each one leads
Proton VPN
- headcount: 888 against 503
- LinkedIn following: 146,871 against 25,662
Surfshark
- our overall score: 39/100 against 34/100
At a glance
| Measure | Proton VPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A secure and private virtual private network service. | Cybersecurity company offering VPN, antivirus, and other privacy protection tools for individuals. |
| Category | Not published | Cybersecurity, VPN, Antivirus, Privacy Protection |
| Sells toBusiness model | B2C | B2C |
| Offering | Software | Software |
| Founded | 2017 | 2025 |
| Headquarters | Geneva, Switzerland | Vilnius, Lithuania |
| Status | Active | Active |
Size, funding and growth
| Measure | Proton VPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Employees | 888 | 503 |
| Latest round | Venture Round | Not published |
| Valuation | Not published | $1.0B |
| LinkedIn followers | 146,871 | 25,662 |
StartupHub scores
Our own 0-100 ratings. They measure company strength and site quality, not which product suits you.
| Measure | Proton VPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| StartupHub scoreOur 0-100 rating | 34/100 | 39/100 |
| Traction | 20/100 | 22/100 |
| Team | 50/100 | 70/100 |
| Community | Not published | 8/100 |
| Search visibility | 36/100 | 28/100 |
| Agent readinessHow well an AI agent can read and act on the site | D (48/100) | D (48/100) |
| Domain ratingLink authority, 0-100 | 89/100 | 84/100 |
Technology
Detected on each public site, so it reflects the marketing stack as well as the product.
| Measure | Proton VPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| CDN | Not detected | Cloudflare |
| CMS | Not detected | WordPress |
| Frameworks | Astro, Tailwind CSS | Next.js |
Product and pricing
| Measure | Proton VPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Key features | Not published | Surfshark VPN, Surfshark Antivirus, Surfshark Search, Surfshark Alert, Alternative ID, Incogni |
Proton VPN vs Surfshark: common questions
Which is better, Proton VPN or Surfshark?
On our 0-100 score Surfshark rates higher (39/100 against 34/100). The score weights traction, team, visibility and profile completeness, so it reflects company strength rather than which product suits you. We compare the two on 15 data points above: read the rows that match what you are buying for.
How do Proton VPN and Surfshark compare on the numbers?
Proton VPN leads on headcount (888 against 503), LinkedIn following (146,871 against 25,662). Surfshark leads on our overall score (39/100 against 34/100).
Read the full Proton VPN review and pricing or the Surfshark review and pricing. You can also browse other Proton VPN alternatives we track.