Softwr

Developer Tools · head to head

Backstage vs Surfshark

Backstage logo

Backstage

Developer Tools

Open source internal developer portal framework created and open sourced by Spotify

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Surfshark logo

Surfshark

Cybersecurity

Secure your digital life

From
$1.78/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Backstage has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Backstage backstage is a framework rather than a product: there is no supported turnkey install, so getting to a usable portal means a TypeScript and React project your team owns, hosts and upgrades forever.; Surfshark smaller server network (4,500+ servers) compared to larger competitors like NordVPN
  • They diverge on capability: Backstage covers Software catalogue, Surfshark covers Unlimited devices.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Backstage and Surfshark actually diverge.

Attributes where Backstage and Surfshark differ
AttributeBackstageSurfshark
Starting priceFree$1.78/month
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Self-hosted, Linux, Docker, KubernetesWindows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux
CategoryDeveloper ToolsCybersecurity
FoundedUnknown2018

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Backstage

  • Software catalogue
  • Software templates
  • TechDocs
  • Plugin architecture
  • Kubernetes plugin
  • Search
  • Entity ownership model
  • Auth provider integrations

Only in Surfshark

  • Unlimited devices
  • CleanWeb ad blocker
  • MultiHop
  • Camouflage Mode
  • NoBorders mode
  • Kill Switch
  • Bypasser split tunneling
  • Rotating IP

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Backstage

  • An engineering organisation past roughly a hundred services where nobody can reliably answer who owns a given service at two in the morningnot Surfshark
  • A platform team enforcing golden paths, so a new service is scaffolded with logging, CI and security defaults already wired innot Surfshark
  • A company consolidating scattered READMEs and Confluence pages into docs that live beside the code and cannot silently rot unnoticednot Surfshark
  • A regulated business that needs an auditable register of every running service, its owner and its data classificationnot Surfshark

Surfshark

  • Vpnnot Backstage
  • Privacynot Backstage
  • Security Suitenot Backstage

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Backstage

  • Backstage is a framework rather than a product: there is no supported turnkey install, so getting to a usable portal means a TypeScript and React project your team owns, hosts and upgrades forever.
  • Upstream releases move quickly and plugin APIs have broken across major versions, so a customised deployment accumulates upgrade debt and teams routinely fall months behind on versions they cannot cheaply catch up on.
  • The catalogue is only as good as the YAML descriptors engineers remember to write; without enforcement the register drifts out of date, and a developer portal nobody trusts is abandoned faster than one that never existed.
  • Community plugin quality varies sharply, with many unmaintained or pinned to old core versions, so the plugin that made the business case may be the one blocking your next upgrade.
  • Spotify Portal, the packaged commercial route, publishes no price at all and is quoted as a custom annual subscription, so the only cost you can actually forecast up front is the self-hosted one, which is the option with the largest hidden staffing bill.

Surfshark

  • Smaller server network (4,500+ servers) compared to larger competitors like NordVPN
  • Lower brand recognition compared to established VPN providers
  • Limited customer service availability in some time zones

Pricing, plan by plan

Backstage

Free
  • Backstage (open source)Free
    • Apache 2.0 licence
    • Software catalogue, templates, TechDocs and search
    • Full plugin ecosystem
  • Spotify Portal for Backstage$undefined/year
    • Packaged commercial distribution from Spotify
    • Spotify premium plugins including Soundcheck and Insights
    • Simplified setup and managed upgrade path

Surfshark

$1.78/month
  • Starter$1.78/month
    • Unlimited simultaneous connections
    • 4,500+ servers
    • Basic VPN
  • One$3.59/month
    • VPN
    • Antivirus
    • Personal data leak alert
  • One+$4/month
    • All One features
    • Incogi included

Which should you pick?

Choose Backstage if

  • You need software catalogue.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted, Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want software templates.
Backstage review

Choose Surfshark if

  • You need unlimited devices.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux.
  • You also want cleanweb ad blocker.
Surfshark review

Questions people ask

Is Backstage or Surfshark better?
Neither clearly leads. Backstage starts at Free and Surfshark at $1.78/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Backstage or Surfshark?
Backstage has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Backstage and $1.78/month for Surfshark.
Does Backstage or Surfshark run on more platforms?
Backstage runs on Web, Self-hosted, Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. Surfshark runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux.
Can I use Backstage for free?
Yes. Backstage has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Surfshark starts at $1.78/month.
What is Backstage best used for?
Backstage is most often used for an engineering organisation past roughly a hundred services where nobody can reliably answer who owns a given service at two in the morning, a platform team enforcing golden paths, so a new service is scaffolded with logging, ci and security defaults already wired in, a company consolidating scattered readmes and confluence pages into docs that live beside the code and cannot silently rot unnoticed, a regulated business that needs an auditable register of every running service, its owner and its data classification. Of those, an engineering organisation past roughly a hundred services where nobody can reliably answer who owns a given service at two in the morning and a platform team enforcing golden paths, so a new service is scaffolded with logging, ci and security defaults already wired in are not what Surfshark is typically brought in for.
What can Backstage do that Surfshark cannot?
Backstage covers Software catalogue, Software templates, TechDocs, Plugin architecture. Surfshark covers Unlimited devices, CleanWeb ad blocker, MultiHop, Camouflage Mode.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Backstage: Is Backstage free?

The project is Apache 2.0 with no licence fee. The real cost is engineering time; teams commonly dedicate one to two engineers permanently to running it.

Surfshark: Does Surfshark maintain a no-logs policy?

Yes. Surfshark does not log browsing history, visited IP addresses, bandwidth usage, or network traffic. This policy was independently verified by Deloitte in 2025.

Source
Backstage: Do I need to write code to use it?

Yes. Configuring and extending a Backstage application is a TypeScript and React project. This is the single most common misjudgement buyers make.

Surfshark: How many simultaneous device connections does Surfshark allow?

Surfshark allows unlimited simultaneous connections on all subscription plans, enabling protection of every device in a household with a single subscription.

Source
Backstage: What is Spotify Portal for Backstage?

A commercial distribution from Spotify with premium plugins and support, generally available since October 2025 and sold as a quoted annual subscription with no published price.

Backstage: Who owns the project?

Spotify created and open sourced it; it is now a CNCF project, so the upstream roadmap is not solely Spotify controlled.

Share

Related pages

More on Backstage

More on Surfshark

Keep looking

Other head to heads