Head-to-head comparison
IPVanish vs Surfshark; Device Limits, WireGuard, and Price Value
Compare IPVanish and Surfshark across unlimited-device policy, WireGuard consistency, privacy posture, and long-term pricing value.
Networking Editorial
Quick verdict
Recommended: Surfshark
Surfshark is the stronger default when you want broader feature depth and lower entry pricing, while IPVanish remains a practical pick for households that prioritize straightforward unlimited-device coverage.
IPVanish
Simple unlimited-device coverage and reliable same-region WireGuard stability.
Surfshark
Lower intro pricing with stronger privacy-feature depth for everyday use.
Methodology
How we test and score
Every provider on this page is scored against the same criteria. Facts (pricing, protocol support, audit dates) are re-verified against vendor sources on the date shown next to each provider.
- Speed
- iperf3 throughput against a same-region endpoint on a 1 Gbps residential uplink, averaged across three consecutive runs at peak hours.
- Privacy
- Jurisdiction, published no-logs audit recency, diskless (RAM-only) server posture, and ownership independence.
- Auditing
- Only third-party audits published within the last 24 months contribute to the score. Vendor self-attestations are excluded.
- Protocol implementation
- Preference for native WireGuard and exportable peer configuration over proprietary protocols that block manual deployment.
- Configuration flexibility
- Router firmware availability, split tunneling, port forwarding, and IPv6 support are graded as boolean feature flags for machine-readable comparison.
Side-by-side comparison
Values below are re-verified against vendor documentation on the date shown in the final row.
| Metric |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $2.99/mo renews at $10.99/mo | $1.99/mo renews at $15.45/mo |
| Free tier | No | No |
| Refund window | 30 days | 30 days |
| Jurisdiction | United States | Netherlands |
| Logs policy | No-logs policy | No-logs, audited by Deloitte and Cure53 |
| Independent audit | No public audit | Yes Deloitte, Cure53 | 2025-04-01 |
| WireGuard | Native WireGuard | Native WireGuard | exportable |
| Speed rating | 4.3/ 5 | 4.6/ 5 |
| Median latency | 29 ms | 28 ms |
| Server locations | 75 | 100 |
| Streaming-optimized pools | Yes | Yes |
| Router firmware | No | No |
| Port forwarding | No | No |
| Multi-hop | No | Yes |
| Kill switch | Yes | Yes |
| Split tunneling | Yes | Yes |
| Unlimited devices | Yes | Yes |
| Facts verified | ||
| Discount | See IPVanish Discount | See Surfshark Discount |
How to choose between IPVanish and Surfshark
Pick IPVanish when your top requirement is uncomplicated protection for many household devices under one account. Pick Surfshark when you also want MultiHop, stronger blocking controls, and lower monthly entry pricing on long-term plans.