2 Best Open-Source Alternatives to Surfshark in 2026
By Noahlast updated pricing verified
Compared: open-source alternatives to Surfshark
| Alternative | Best for | Standout | Biggest weakness | Learning curve | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surfsharkreference | individuals who want unlimited-device VPN coverage bundled with antivirus and identity-theft monitoring under one subscription, instead of paying for separate security tools | Unlimited simultaneous device connections on every plan, unusual among VPN providers that typically cap seats at 5-10 devices. | The advertised price requires paying for a full 24-month term upfront; the low headline rate doesn't apply to month-to-month billing, and published renewal prices after the initial discounted term are substantially higher. | Low | From $2.49/mo |
| Proton VPN | privacy-conscious users and journalists who want an open-source, independently audited VPN with a genuinely unlimited-data free tier, or paid subscribers wanting 10-device coverage bundled with Proton's email and storage products | The free tier has no data cap, unlike most competitors' free plans, and VPN Accelerator claims up to a 400% speed boost over standard WireGuard on high-latency or lossy connections. | The free tier is capped at one device and a small pool of server locations, and users who only want a fast, single-purpose VPN end up paying for Mail, Drive, Pass, and Calendar features bundled into the higher-value Unlimited plan if they upgrade past VPN Plus. | Low | Free tier · paid from $4.99/mo |
| Mullvad | privacy-conscious individuals who want anonymous signup and a single flat-rate plan instead of tiered VPN pricing | Anonymous account-number signup with no email required, combined with cash or cryptocurrency payment options and a fully open-source, independently audited client. | No free tier and no long-term discount: the price is a flat €5/month whether paid monthly or in advance, so heavy multi-year commitments don't get cheaper the way many competitors' 2-3 year plans do. | Low | Custom pricing |
Surfshark
Proton VPN
Mullvad1.Proton VPN — best Surfshark alternative for privacy-conscious users and journalists who want an open-source, independently audited VPN with a genuinely unlimited-data free tier, or paid subscribers wanting 10-device coverage bundled with Proton's email and storage products
Proton VPN is the best Surfshark alternative for privacy-conscious users who want a genuinely free VPN tier with no data cap, something Surfshark does not offer at any price point. Proton VPN's Free plan has no data limit, unusual among free VPNs, though it restricts users to one device, medium speed, and around 10 server locations; the paid VPN Plus tier removes those caps for $4.99/month billed annually and adds 2,000+ servers across 140+ countries with streaming-service unblocking. Proton VPN's client apps are open source and independently audited across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, operating under Swiss data-protection law, and it holds a 4.5/5 rating from 44 Capterra reviews, matching Surfshark's own 4.5/5 from 61 reviews. Surfshark is still the better choice for users who want unlimited simultaneous device connections and a bundled antivirus and identity-theft package: Proton VPN's paid tier tops out at 10 devices versus Surfshark's unlimited-device model on every plan, and Proton VPN's $4.99/month VPN Plus costs more than Surfshark's $2.49/month Starter tier.
Compared to Surfshark: genuinely free tier with no data cap, open-source and independently audited client apps, operates under Swiss data-protection jurisdiction
Wins:Free tier has no data cap, unlike Surfshark which has no free tier at all · Open-source, independently audited client apps across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android · Operates under Swiss data-protection law with a strict no-logs policy
Loses:Paid VPN Plus tier caps out at 10 devices, versus Surfshark's unlimited-device model on every plan · VPN Plus costs $4.99/month vs Surfshark's $2.49/month Starter tier · No bundled antivirus or identity-theft coverage in the base VPN Plus tier, unlike Surfshark's One and One+ plans
Pros
- Free tier has no data cap, unusual among competitors' free plans.
- Open-source, independently audited apps across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.
- VPN Plus unlocks 2,000+ servers in 140+ countries with streaming-service unblocking.
- Built-in ad and malware blocker plus a kill switch on paid plans.
Cons
- Free tier limits users to one device and a small set of server locations.
- Proton Unlimited bundles Mail, Drive, Pass, and Calendar, raising cost for users who want VPN only.
- Fewer total server count than the largest competitors like NordVPN or ExpressVPN.
Pricing: Free tier · paid from $4.99/mo — $4.99/month (VPN Plus, billed annually) vs Surfshark's $2.49/month (Starter, 24-month term); Proton VPN's Free tier costs nothing
2.Mullvad — best Surfshark alternative for privacy-conscious individuals who want anonymous signup and a single flat-rate plan instead of tiered VPN pricing
Mullvad is the best Surfshark alternative for users who want a fully open-source VPN with anonymous signup instead of a bundled security suite. Mullvad charges one flat rate of €5/month for every user with no tiers to compare, no email or personal information required at signup, and payment accepted in cash or cryptocurrency for full anonymity, a privacy model Surfshark's tiered, account-based signup doesn't match. Mullvad's client apps are open source under GPL-3.0 and published on GitHub, with regular independent third-party security audits, and the service supports DAITA traffic-analysis defense and quantum-resistant tunnels beyond standard WireGuard. Surfshark is still the better choice for users who want antivirus, breach alerts, and identity-theft coverage bundled into one subscription: Mullvad offers none of those extras, its flat €5/month rate is higher than Surfshark's discounted $2.49/month Starter price, and Mullvad caps a single account at 5 simultaneous devices versus Surfshark's unlimited-device model on every plan.
Compared to Surfshark: flat €5/month with no tiers to compare, anonymous account-number signup with cash or crypto payment options, fully open-source GPL-3.0 client with independent audits
Wins:Flat €5/month for every user, with no tiers or upsells to compare · Anonymous signup via a random account number, with cash or cryptocurrency payment options · Client apps are fully open source (GPL-3.0) on GitHub with regular independent security audits
Loses:No bundled antivirus, breach alerts, or identity-theft coverage like Surfshark's One and One+ tiers · Flat €5/month rate is higher than Surfshark's discounted $2.49/month Starter price · Caps a single account at 5 simultaneous devices, versus Surfshark's unlimited-device model on every plan
Pros
- Anonymous signup with a random account number; no email or personal information required.
- Cash and cryptocurrency payment options for users who want to avoid linking a card to the account.
- Client apps are open source (GPL-3.0) and published on GitHub, with regular independent security audits.
- DAITA traffic-analysis defense and quantum-resistant tunnel options beyond standard WireGuard.
Cons
- No free tier; every user pays the same flat €5/month with no trial beyond the money-back guarantee window.
- No discount for paying annually or multi-year in advance, unlike competitors that cut price sharply on longer commitments.
- Smaller server network than large competitors like NordVPN or ExpressVPN, which can matter for streaming geo-unblocking.
- No bundled extras (password manager, ad blocker as a separate product, antivirus) that some competitors include in higher tiers.
Pricing: Custom pricing — flat €5/month (~$5.40) vs Surfshark's $2.49/month (Starter, 24-month term) (verified undefined NaN, NaN)