TotalAV is an antivirus product with a virtual private network (VPN) solution and other traditional antivirus and personal security features. Surfshark is primarily a VPN, with plenty of other browsing and identity protection features. In this guide, I’ve compared the two products to help you decide which is better for you.
- TotalAV: Better for strictly basic antivirus needs (pricing starts at $29 for the first year)
- Surfshark: Better overall VPN solution (pricing starts at $4.99 per month, billed annually)
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TotalAV overview
Better for strictly basic antivirus needs
Overall Rating: 2.8/5
- Pricing: 3.7/5
- Features: 2.7/5
- Usability and administration: 3.7/5
- Security and privacy: 2/5
- Customer support: 2.1/5
TotalAV is an antivirus product with basic VPN functionality. It has a kill switch and split tunneling, and it also allows users to dodge geo-blocking on streaming sites. Other features include ad blocking and password management.
Remember that TotalAV isn’t strictly a VPN solution and lacks some standard VPN features, contributing to its lower score. TotalAV also receives overall scathing reviews from users online; many customers have had issues contacting the team, canceling their subscription, or being charged after attempting to cancel.
Surfshark overview
Better overall VPN solution
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
- Pricing: 4.8/5
- Features: 4.3/5
- Usability and administration: 5/5
- Security and privacy: 4.5/5
- Customer support: 3.7/5
Surfshark is a popular VPN based in the Netherlands. It offers various features, including multihop, IP address rotation, and breach alerts. One highlight is camouflage mode, which helps shield the fact that you’re using a VPN connection.
Customer reviews are overall positive, although a few users have had issues with the customer support team. I recommend checking renewal prices so you aren’t surprised if your second- or third-year costs more than when you signed up for Surfshark.
Better for pricing: Surfshark
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | None with VPN | 7 days |
| Least Expensive Plan | Premium: $29 for first year; renews at $99 for second year | Surfshark Starter: $3.19/month billed annually |
| Mid-Range Plan | Internet Security: $39 for first year; renews at $139 for second year | Surfshark One: $3.39/month billed annually |
| Most Expensive Plan | Total Security: $49 for first year; renews at $149 for second year | Surfshark One+: $6.09/month billed annually |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days for annual subscription | 30 days |
| Visit TotalAV | Visit Surfshark |
Winner: Surfshark
TotalAV gives its pricing annually rather than monthly, but I broke it down so you can compare it to Surfshark. The Premium plan costs approximately $2.41 per month for the first year and $8.25 per month for the second year. The most expensive plan, Total Security, costs around $4.08 per month the first year but $12.41 per month upon renewal. It adds password management and protection for eight devices.
Surfshark is one of the more affordable VPN products on the market, with a starter plan that’s only $3.19 per month. The One plan, at $3.39 per month, offers a lot of bang for its buck, with features like personal data leak removal and webcam protection. One+ costs $6.09 per month and adds personal data removal from online sites. As always, keep renewal prices in mind.
Better for features: Surfshark
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Kill Switch | Yes | Yes |
| Rotating IP Address | No | Yes |
| Split Tunneling | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-Hop / Double-Hop VPN | No | Yes |
| Ad Blocking | Yes | yes |
| Breach Alerts | No | Yes |
| Visit TotalAV | Visit Surfshark |
Winner: Surfshark
TotalAV isn’t strictly a VPN solution, but its VPN product offers a few standard features, like split tunneling and a kill switch. It also performs ad blocking and prevents cookie tracking as an antivirus and internet security solution. However, it lacks some functionality that traditional VPN products have, such as multihop or unlimited VPN connections.
Surfshark’s Starter plan is relatively robust for its price. It supports unlimited devices and offers ad blocking, rotating IP addresses, and masked email generation. The subsequent plans build on that with additional features. I recommend the Surfshark One plan because it offers the most value for its price with features like credit card and ID leak alerts.
Better for usability & administration: Surfshark
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Product Documentation | Yes | Yes |
| Training Videos | No | Yes |
| Operating System Support | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android | Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Mobile Version of VPN | Yes | Yes |
| Browser Support | Unclear | Firefox, Chrome, Edge |
| VPN Protocols Used | Wireguard, IKEv2, OpenVPN | Wireguard, IKEv2, OpenVPN |
| Visit TotalAV | Visit Surfshark |
Winner: Surfshark
TotalAV has plenty of articles that help its antivirus users. It uses three major VPN protocols: OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2 protocols.
TotalAV also offers a mobile VPN version for Android and iOS. However, it fell short on my rubric in browser support — it said little about that — and training videos, which TotalAV doesn’t appear to have.
Surfshark provides ample support, setup articles for its customers, and training videos if you’d rather see someone else install the VPN first. It’s available on Windows, Mac, and Linux, as well as Android and iOS for mobile. For browsers, Surfshark has an extension for Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. Like TotalAV, it uses OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2 protocols.
Better for security & privacy: Surfshark
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption | Unclear | AES-256 |
| Logging Policies | No-log policy | No-log policy |
| Third-Party Vendor Audits | Unclear | Multiple since 2018 |
| Security / Privacy Reports for Users | Not specified | Not specified |
| Visit TotalAV | Visit Surfshark |
Winner: Surfshark
TotalAV doesn’t specify the type of encryption used by its VPN. Like many other VPN providers, it has a no-logs policy, where the vendor claims not to keep any logs of customers’ browsing history. TotalAV also didn’t specify whether it’s recently undergone any third-party audits.
Surfshark uses AES-256 encryption, the industry standard for VPNs and other security solutions. It has been audited a few times in the past seven years by independent firms like Cure53 and Deloitte. Surfshark also has a no-logs policy for customer data.
Better for customer support: Surfshark
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | No | No |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Live Chat | No | Yes |
| Support Team Hours | Not specified by vendor | 24/7 |
| Community Forum | No | Official Reddit |
| Visit TotalAV | Visit Surfshark |
Winner: Surfshark
TotalAV doesn’t give many details about its customer support, but it does appear to have an email address. No phone or live chat is mentioned, and TotalAV doesn’t say whether its team is available during business hours, 24/7, or another time period. Note that TotalAV customers posting online about their experience overwhelmingly say that the team is hard to get in touch with reliably.
Surfshark has both email and live chat channels for talking with support but no phone option. Its support team is available 24/7, and while it doesn’t have a community forum on its website, Surfshark has an official Reddit. Customer reviews on Surfshark’s support are half-hearted; some users have had trouble getting in-depth, helpful responses from the team.
If you’re looking for a VPN for your business, some of these consumer-focused products may not be the best fit. Check out our guide to the best enterprise VPNs next.
Top 2 alternatives to TotalAV & Surfshark
NordVPN
NordVPN is a popular VPN product with plenty of features, from basics like a kill switch and split tunneling to data breach scanning and anti-malware technology. Its most advanced plan, Prime, also offers credit and identity monitoring.
NordVPN’s Basic plan starts at $4.99 per user per month when billed annually. The Plus plan costs $5.99 monthly, and Complete costs $6.99. Both mid-range plans have features like password management and ad blocking. The Prime plan, at $9.99 per month, adds dark web monitoring and credit freeze assistance.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN offers tracker blocking, password management, identity alerts, and identity theft insurance. Like Surfshark and TotalAV, it’s a no-log solution.
ExpressVPN has a single annual plan with all its features provided rather than multiple plans. It costs $6.67 per month. There’s also a dedicated IP add-on, which costs an additional $3.75 per month annually. ExpressVPN seems a bit more expensive than its competitors because there’s no low-cost base plan, but it evens out because the one plan includes so many features.
If ExpressVPN sounds like an interesting product and you want to learn more, read my comparison of Surfshark and ExpressVPN to decide between the two.
How I compared TotalAV and Surfshark
I compared TotalAV and Surfshark as VPN products rather than antivirus solutions and developed a scoring rubric to do so. The rubric had five major categories, each of which received specific weightings due to its importance. Each category contained multiple subcriteria, each of which also received its own weighting. How well TotalAV and Surfshark met the subcriteria determined their total scores.
Pricing – 20%
I scored both products’ pricing plans, from the least expensive to the most expensive, based on general costs in the VPN market. I also looked at free trials and money-back guarantees.
Features – 25%
To compare TotalAV’s and Surfshark’s features, I mostly focused on VPN capabilities and extra features that VPN solutions often offer. These included kill switches, split tunneling, multihop, and IP address rotation.
Usability and administration – 20%
In this category, I looked at administrative features and overall usability, including which operating systems the products support, browser extensions, and availability of a mobile VPN. Additionally, I looked for plenty of documentation or user guides and training videos to help new customers set up TotalAV and Surfshark.
Security and privacy – 20%
I compared TotalAV’s and Surfshark’s approaches to security and privacy, including the type of encryption they use to protect customer info (if any). I also checked for any third-party audits they’ve undergone, as well as their logging policies regarding customer data.
Customer support – 15%
I evaluated TotalAV and Surfshark’s available customer support channels, including phone, email, and live chat. Then, I looked for the support team’s hours of availability and a community forum, where users can post questions and receive answers.
Bottom line: TotalAV & Surfshark have different core functions
While both products offer a VPN, TotalAV may work better for customers who need an antivirus product, while Surfshark has more traditional VPN features and extras. Just keep an eye on overall user sentiment as you’re looking for a VPN or AV solution, and do your research before making a purchase.
Is an antivirus more what you’re looking for? Check out our guide to the best antivirus solutions next.
