Surfshark vs Mullvad

Surfshark and Mullvad solve different kinds of friction. One side is easier for a busy household; the other gives you a different way to pay and more open client code.

There is no paid-plan device arithmetic

Surfshark's paid plans do not make you count simultaneous devices. Mullvad uses a connection cap rather than an unlimited-device model. If your home already has more VPN-capable devices than you want to count, that is an immediate quality-of-life difference.

Mainstream streaming has stronger current support

Surfshark currently supports access to major streaming platforms. Reliable major-platform streaming is not confirmed for Mullvad. If streaming is part of the normal routine, this difference will matter more often than a niche privacy option you never use.

The clients are open across the supported platform set

Mullvad's client apps are open source across the supported platform set. Not all of Surfshark's client apps are open source. If client transparency is part of your trust model, that is a concrete difference rather than a branding preference.

Cash is actually supported

Mullvad supports cash payment. Surfshark does not currently support cash payment. It matters only if you deliberately want that payment route, but when you do, another device slot cannot substitute for it.