We all know AVG as a company responsible for an array of cybersecurity products. In today’s article, we’ll give you our honest AVG Secure VPN vs Surfshark VPN comparison. For those who didn’t know, AVG came out with a VPN a few years ago.
This service aims to compete with the big boys, offering bank-grade encryption and multiple server locations. However, Surfshark is an older player and a VPN with some of the best characteristics. This can be seen in our Surfshark review for 2024.
Many are wondering whether they should choose AVG Secure VPN or Surfshark. A good question! This time, we’re comparing the two directly through nine exhaustive tests where only one VPN can win in the end. These evaluations will test every aspect of these VPNs.
From ease of use and security to privacy, streaming, server fleet, torrenting, and much more. Before you go out and spend your money, we recommend reading this article thoroughly. Both services have pros and cons, all of which are outlined in our comprehensive Surfshark vs AVG Secure VPN duel.
Quick Summary: AVG Secure VPN vs Surfshark
With a score of 9:2, Surfshark VPN wins this duel and is a better provider than AVG Secure VPN. If you want to save time and look at their advantages, we listed them below to help you understand both providers better.
AVG Secure VPN is best for:
- Good-looking desktop/mobile apps
- Dedicated P2P servers
- 24/7 round-the-clock customer support
Surfshark is best for:
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- MultiHop servers
- Static/Dedicated IP addresses
- 100 countries to pick from
- Amazing streaming performance
- Cheap 2-year plans (30-day refund policy)
- Zero-logging policy
AVG Secure VPN vs Surfshark VPN: Apps & Ease of Use
Device compatibility is one of Surfshark’s most prominent strengths. This provider works on a wide gamut of systems, including iOS, Windows, macOS, Android, and Linux. The latter is especially impressive given that Surfshark supports some of the most popular distros.
Also, this VPN works on Firestick, Smart TVs, and even routers. We like its tvOS VPN app as well, plus, thanks to router support, it can be configured on gaming consoles and older generations of Fire TV Stick. The VPN includes SmartDNs – a handy feature for streaming.
Essentially, it’s a way of altering your DNS and unblocking streaming services without setting up the VPN. AVG Secure VPN supports only basic platforms, some of which we mentioned. In fact, it supports only bog-standard ones like Windows/Mac and Android/iOS.
You won’t find Linux apps or excellent support for Smart TVs. AVG Secure VPN pales in comparison regarding simultaneous connections. With 10, which isn’t small, it’s a far cry from Surfshark’s UNLIMITED concurrent connections on a single account.
This allows you to buy it and share your subscription with friends and family. Moreover, if you decide to share the cost with them, Surfshark will almost be free, as its lowest price is just above $2 a month. More about that later in the AVG Secure VPN vs Surfshark duel.
AVG Secure VPN
Now, let’s get to their apps. AVG Secure VPN is first and oh boy, the VPN looks stunning. The app is modern, smooth, and snappy, with a big toggle button for connection and the server list button below titled Change Location.
Click on it and the gradient-ridden app will turn grey, opening the server list. On the left, you can choose different continents and when you click on the country you want, AVG Secure VPN will connect you to it in about 3-5 seconds – sometimes even quicker.
To open Settings, click on the three horizontal lines in the upper-right portion of the app. Here, you’ll find a bit bare Settings menu, with only a few security features. We’ll discuss that in a few minutes. Now, we want to quickly go over its mobile apps.
They look virtually the same and maybe even better. On iOS and Android, optimization is impeccable and apps allow for one-tap connections. Also, these apps let you change the protocol and enable Auto-Connect to protect your privacy promptly.
Surfshark VPN
As much as we like AVG Secure VPN, we can’t help but appreciate Surfshark VPN’s effort. I mean, the app is an example of how to make an intuitive and good-looking VPN. Its dark theme is a sight for sore eyes, with modern aesthetics to complement everything.
The left side is reserved for the server list, while the right side shows the connection status and holds a Quick Connect button. On the home screen, you’ll also access MultiHop and Static IP servers, and Surfshark offers Dedicated IPs from the same menu.
On the far left is a vertical bar with Settings, Alerts, and other features of this VPN. In Settings, you’ll find that all VPN features are easily reachable, especially vital ones like protocol selection, a kill switch, split tunneling, and so forth.
The app is snappy and responsive, with connection times well below 3 seconds. Finally, its mobile apps share the same aesthetics, with one-tap connections and additional features like geo-spoofing, which Windows/macOS apps don’t have.
Find out more about geo-spoofing here.
Who Wins?
After the first Surfshark VPN vs AVG Secure VPN test, the results are great on both sides. We like both apps but Surfshark WINS the round because of unlimited simultaneous connections and overwhelmingly superior device compatibility.
Security & Privacy: Which One Is Safer to Use?
Now, we move on to a much more important round. An unsafe VPN isn’t a VPN in our book, and if it leaks your IP or DNS, it’s the biggest red flag.
Don’t worry. Neither of them showed IP/DNS leaks but it’s still worth discussing their security features.
Security Features
We’ll start with similarities. Surfshark and AVG Secure VPN have AES-256 encryption – the highest level, which is impenetrable even by top-level hackers. We also found that both have a kill switch that will disconnect you from the internet if the VPN connection breaks.
Interestingly, some similarities protocols-wise are there. Surfshark comes with OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard protocols. AVG Secure VPN offers OpenVPN and WireGuard as well but with the addition of something called Mimic – more about that in a sec.
What Are the Differences?
The Mimic protocol is Avast’s product and it’s not strange given that Avast now owns AVG. It’s a protocol made for bypassing censorship but without obfuscation. The provider states that it has “a unique way of processing traffic” and that’s all we know.
Unfortunately, AVG Secure VPN has no other features, while Surfshark packs quite a punch. For example, MultiHop servers are there. They double your encryption by routing your traffic through two servers in different countries – you can choose which ones to use.
Furthermore, the VPN includes RAM-only servers and Private DNS, both of which are crucial for privacy. In Surfshark, we also found split tunneling, which allows you to choose which sites and apps will use the VPN and which will bypass the tunneling process.
We like the inclusion of an ad blocker, which is perfectly complemented by its optional Antivirus. This antivirus works flawlessly, detecting 99% of the threats. Surfshark VPN comes with NoBorders. This is obfuscation that can bypass the Great Firewall of China.
Also, as part of the Surfshark One plan (explained later), the VPN has Search. This is an incognito browser that allows you to search for whatever without being tracked by the ISP. Interestingly, the feature titled Alerts is also here. It’s a dark web monitor from NordVPN that detects breaches and private information leaks. Surfshark uses Perfect Forward Secrecy too, assigning unique encryption keys to each connection, thus, preventing them from being compromised and hacked.
Is There a No-Logs Policy?
On the security side, both display solid performance, with Surfshark taking the lead by offering more features than AVG Secure VPN. But what about keeping logs? Well, this Surfshark vs AVG Secure VPN duel covers this part in depth. Read on.
AVG Secure VPN
Okay, so AVG is owned by Avast and we recently evaluated Avast VPN, saying that it’s not the safest provider. In short, the company had a few scandals in the past, mostly revolving around selling private information of free antivirus users.
AVG is based in the Czech Republic – the same jurisdiction as Avast. Being outside of the 5 Eyes Alliance, this jurisdiction isn’t that bad. Besides, AVG Secure VPN holds no logs of your IP address, websites you visit, and DNS requests.
The privacy policy looks “okay” overall until you scroll down a bit and check the information it collects. For the start, there’s billing information and an email address, both of which are necessary for the subscription to function.
Client data is there and it’s mostly used for troubleshooting and maintenance. But then, AVG Secure VPN mentioned service data, which includes connection data. In other words, this information includes timestamps and used bandwidth.
We don’t like the last two bits of data because they usually aren’t stored by VPNs like Surfshark, NordVPN, and others. Luckily, AVG Secure VPN claims to delete the connection logs after 35 days but we can’t fully trust it because it has no audits.
The fact that Avast is behind AVG is also concerning. We believe Avast will “steal” some of AVG Secure VPN’s data for its benefits – likely financial. But we can’t point fingers because we have no proof. This is only thinking out loud.
Surfshark VPN
Surfshark VPN used to be in the British Virgin Islands but a few years ago, its jurisdiction changed to the Netherlands. Is that a problem? In this case, no. However, the Netherlands is a member of the 14 Eyes, so it’s not the best country for privacy.
The good news is that Surfshark is unaffected, so its no-logs policy stands firm. This means the provider keeps no log of sensitive data such as IP addresses, DNS requests, and browsing history. It also means the VPN has several audits.
Companies like Cure53 and Deloitte audited the VPN and one audit was done after the VPN moved to the Netherlands. Another perk is the presence of RAM-only servers, which wipe their data with each restart, preventing unwanted logging and information retention.
Surfshark stores only basic data for maintenance, troubleshooting, and subscription. We have used this service for years and still use it, so we can only praise its long track record of rock-solid privacy. No data leaks, incidents, or other unpleasantries.
Surfshark is clean as a whistle and in 2024, we hope to see this trend as well. Finally, Nord Security and Surfshark merged recently, which is great news, as Nord Security is behind NordVPN, one of the most revered VPN services around.
Who Wins?
The security/privacy round of our AVG VPN vs Surfshark comparison has a distinct winner this time. Surfshark VPN WINS this round by being a safer and more secure provider than AVG. Its logging practices are also minimal, and with several third-party audits, AVG Secure VPN couldn’t compete against a powerful foe.
Surfshark vs AVG Secure VPN Streaming Test
We love using Surfshark for streaming for one reason – it’s pure awesomeness. Surfshark works with around 30 Netflix libraries, which is more than its rivals (AVG VPN included). On top of that, its performance is sublime and 4K streaming is buttery-smooth.
Our team tested this provider on all popular platforms like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Paramount+, and ESPN, all of which worked. Its SmartDNS is impressive too, and using it on gaming consoles to watch geo-blocked content never gets old.
It has no dedicated streaming servers. All of them are optimized for this purpose. This allows you to pick the location and unblock the channel or platform you want. We’ll waste no more words on Surfshark because you get the point. It’s phenomenal.
AVG Secure VPN has a few dedicated streaming locations in the UK, the US, and Germany. The problem with them is that they won’t work. We tried to unblock the respective Netflix catalogs but with no success, despite using all three protocols.
We also tested other locations and found that AVG Secure VPN isn’t working with Netflix! Even BBC iPlayer won’t work, except for a few less popular channels from America, the UK, Germany, Canada, and a few other regions.
When it works, AVG Secure VPN performs okay. Full HD streaming is smooth but higher resolutions tend to result in buffering. AVG VPN offers no SmartDNS, so you can stream only on the four supported platforms. Frankly, we didn’t expect much from a VPN like this.
Who Wins?
This, of course, brings us to the conclusion that Surfshark WINS this round against AVG VPN. It’s clear why. By unblocking dozens of Netflix catalogs and other platforms, its excellence shines brightly, outshining AVG Secure VPN’s subpar streaming experience.
AVG Secure VPN vs Surfshark VPN Speed Comparison
In the previous section, we touched upon the performance loosely.
This time, we’ll compare them to see how fast or slow they are. To make it clear, these aren’t speed champs but they’re far from the slowest options we tested. For the start, our native speeds are below:
These are the speed test results without a VPN. At the time of testing, we were in Southeastern Europe, and from here, we tested both providers for 3 days, 3 times a day, in 4 locations in the UK, the US, Australia, and Japan.
Both providers were set to Automatic protocol selection to avoid potential discrepancies. We don’t know which protocols they used but we can only assume it’s WireGuard, as it offers the best performance. Either way, our test results are below, so let us examine them.
AVG Secure VPN
UK:
US:
Australia:
Japan:
Surfshark
UK:
US:
Australia:
Japan:
Who Wins?
For those too lazy to compare the results, Surfshark WINS again against AVG VPN. AVG Secure VPN held its ground on the UK server but as we moved further, its speed reductions were increasingly dramatic. Surfshark remains composed and keeps performing well.
To be clear, this VPN isn’t going to blow you away, and providers like ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and NordVPN are faster. However, in this Surfshark vs AVG VPN comparison, the first emerges victorious by performing way better overall.
Are Surfshark and AVG Secure VPN P2P-Friendly?
Torrenting with AVG Secure VPN and Surfshark is enjoyable. The latter has no dedicated servers but through testing, we found that all locations are optimized for P2P. AVG Secure VPN has a few locations for torrenting – 6 of them, as explained in our AVG VPN review.
One of them is the Czech Republic, which, as you see above, works perfectly fine. The performance is stellar given our European location. We noticed no speed reductions, although the upload speed was sometimes at 0 b/s, making seeding impossible.
Using overseas servers will produce reductions but nothing too dramatic. Surfshark’s P2P performance is equally impressive. Connect to any server and you’re good to go. In the image below, you can see that we’re downloading Linux Mint easily.
With a VPN server in Serbia, the performance was excellent and the entire thing downloaded in no time. On the privacy side, both VPNs should be fine given their no-logs policies. Our team slightly prefers Surfshark, though, due to its several third-party audits.
Who Wins?
So, what can we say about P2P with these VPNs? This round of the AVG VPN vs Surfshark analysis will be a DRAW. Both performed well, with P2P locations for safe and secure torrenting. We encountered no issues and speed reductions, making the experience fluid and satisfying.
Are AVG Secure VPN and Surfshark Working in China?
Surfshark continues to impress with its NoBorders mode. It’s a form of obfuscation that masks your VPN traffic to enable you to get over censorship. Despite its silly price, the VPN is among the rare options that work in China pretty well.
For comparison, CyberGhost doesn’t and PIA VPN struggles a lot. Our testers managed to make the VPN in China work well, and things like streaming and torrenting were possible. Alas, some performance issues were present for gaming due to slightly higher latency.
AVG Secure VPN and its Mimic protocol promise a lot. Its promises are as shallow as a turkey’s brain because, in China, the VPN couldn’t even connect! Our testers used the Mimic protocol and tried ALL of the locations only to come out infuriated.
OpenVPN and WireGuard protocol gave no results either – as expected. That’s not to say the provider won’t work in mild censorship locations like the UAE, Qatar, and similar countries. However, if you’re looking to explore the Summer Palace or The Great Wall of China, it’s better to get Surfshark before your trip.
Who Wins?
After a draw, Surfshark VPN WINS the censorship round. AVG Secure VPN won’t connect in China, whereas, its opponent’s NoBorders feature works very well. You can also try NordVPN instead of Surfshark in China, as it’s even more reliable in our testing.
Server Fleets: Surfshark VPN vs AVG Secure VPN
While some prefer smaller server fleets, claiming that each server gets more attention, we love the opposite because that’s not necessarily true. More servers mean less congestion and vast opportunities for accessing geo-restricted content.
So, who wins here, AVG Secure VPN or Surfshark? Find out below.
Surfshark VPN (3,200+ servers in 100 countries)
With more than 3,200 servers in 100 countries, this provider has one of the most imposing server fleets around. ExpressVPN has 105 countries, while NordVPN has 60+. The server distribution is amazing and the provider has every country you can imagine.
Virtual servers are there too, so Indian servers are available. They work with Hotstar, by the way. Also, Surfshark VPN’s 10 Gbps servers offer ample performance and you’ll find even a lot of African servers, which many VPNs fail to provide.
Of course, the most numerous are US servers but that’s because of their popularity. Surfshark offers Static IP servers, as mentioned, and dedicated IPs can be bought for cheap. With MultiHop servers, the entire fleet is more than diverse.
Regardless of the server locations, all VPN protocols are supported and Private DNS backs up all server locations. City-level servers are typical, so almost every country gets 2 or more locations to pick the one you want precisely. Surfshark used to be small but not anymore.
In 2024, it stands shoulder-to-shoulder with more expensive rivals, even beating some of them.
AVG Secure VPN (700+ servers in 30+ countries)
AVG Secure VPN drops the hype again by offering a little over 700 servers in more than 30 countries. The server park isn’t bad but it’s underwhelming. However, Secure VPN isn’t AVG’s focus, so we can understand why the company hasn’t invested in more servers.
But from the comparison standpoint, the VPN will lose. Its server variety is inferior, as it only has a few streaming and torrenting servers. Double VPN, obfuscated servers, and others are unavailable. Like Surfshark, it comes with plenty of US locations.
Apart from a few “most popular” countries, all others have only one city to pick from. AVG Secure VPN uses a proprietary DNS service but we don’t know if it offers 10 Gbps servers. According to the performance, we think it does.
We also love that servers aren’t limited in terms of protocols. This means Mimic and WireGuard work on all of them. Some VPNs, however, reserve their best features for popular servers, while depriving less-used servers of their flagship characteristics.
Who Wins?
At the end of the day, Surfshark WINS this round smoothly against AVG Secure VPN. 3,200 vs 700 servers and 100 vs 30 countries – things are clearer than ever. AVG Secure VPN has to at least quadruple its server network to be able to compete with its mighty rival.
Customer Support: AVG Secure VPN or Surfshark VPN?
On the customer service front, both providers are satisfying. 24/7 live chat support resides in both, so getting in touch is hassle-free. Surfshark is easier to reach but AVG makes things simple enough as well. One advantage of AVG VPN is phone support.
It’s toll-free for UK, US, and Australian users, and honestly, it’s fast enough. Surfshark and AVG Secure VPN offer email support too, in which case, the first is faster. Both providers include FAQs on the site, with ubiquitous how-to guides to ease things up.
We appreciate Surfshark’s YouTube channel, which can be another means of support. However, in the grand scheme, it doesn’t play a vital role.
Who Wins?
The customer support round ends up in a DRAW. We can’t complain about any service, as they both do their jobs and provide plenty of help for urgent issues. Phone support in AVG VPN is surely an advantage but mild, as Surfshark’s live chat service is blazing-fast.
Pricing Comparison: Surfshark VPN vs AVG Secure VPN
Before concluding this comparison between AVG VPN and Surfshark, it’s worth discussing their prices.
Surfshark was, so far, relentless against its rival and the pricing round won’t change much. But if you prioritize pricing and would like to save as much as you can, which provider is better?
Surfshark VPN
As you can see, the range kicks off with the Starter plan at just over $2.3 a month at the time of writing. We’re showing you 2-year plans that yield the highest savings and come with some free months. Our favorite plan is Surfshark One.
This one includes antivirus and other advanced features at a tad over $3 a month. All 2-year plans have a free month, including the most expensive Surfshark One+. This one includes the ability to remove your data from databases but only in the UK, CA, USA, and EU.
The VPN also includes 12-month plans at marginally higher monthly prices than you can see above. They, as well, come with a free month and the Starter plan is now above $3.2 a month. Our recommended One plan is under $3.8, which is still fairly affordable.
Remember that this is the annual plan. Many VPNs will charge you at least $5-$7 but Surfshark’s One plan costs merely $50 for an entire YEAR. The only disappointing thing is the monthly plan, which starts at just above $15.4. It’s VERY expensive.
The One+ plan comes in at under $18, for example, and none of them have any “treats”. The VPN comes with a 30-day refund policy for all plans, so if you find it subpar, getting your money back is possible. In that case, should you get AVG Secure VPN instead?
To take advantage of Surfshark’s current promotions, simply click on the button below:
AVG Secure VPN
Here’s the price of AVG Secure VPN, and the structure seems rather… strange!
The provider’s annual plan is $4.49 a month or under $54 for the first year. Now, we have 2 and 3-year plans with the SAME monthly price, which makes no sense. At least not in our brains.
These plans will cost you $105 and $158 for the first 2 and 3 years respectively. You save nothing more by committing to a longer period, so there’s no incentive to do that. The silver lining is a 60-day free trial. Yes, SIXTY days of free use.
It’s as though AVG Secure VPN is so desperate that it’s trying to lure you by giving you two months to enjoy all of its features. On top of that, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can essentially get 90 days of free use.
The first 60 days will be free, and when you buy the VPN, a money-back guarantee starts. If you get a refund after the first 30 days, that’s 90 days of free use in total. Compared to Surfshark, AVG Secure VPN is expensive in any case.
The 2-year plan is $4.39, which almost rivals Surfshark’s One+ plan – holy cow! It lacks monthly plans as well, which might be problematic for short-term VPN needs. In short, the pricing structure is disappointing.
Who Wins?
Surfshark WINS this round against AVG VPN with flying colors. It costs less while offering more, which simultaneously means an easy win. Getting AVG Secure VPN, therefore, becomes pointless, despite the 60-day free trial and other advantages.
Conclusion: Surfshark Wins Against AVG Secure VPN!
With everything said and done, Surfshark is the winner of our comparison with AVG Secure VPN, with a score of 9:2. We can say we prefer this provider by a long shot. Despite the large difference in the score, the real-world use yields even more dramatic results.
In the AVG Secure VPN vs Surfshark comparison, the latter wins in every important category. Its rival is on par with it in torrenting and customer support but fails to win a single round. Streaming, security, privacy, compatibility, and everything else are on Surfshark’s side.
It’s hard to recommend AVG VPN because of its price, as well. At over $4.3 a month, it’s far more expensive than Surfshark VPN whose price starts at under $3 a month for the Starter plan. Buying AVG VPN would be pointless and borderline crazy at this point.
