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Networking · head to head

OPNsense vs Surfshark

OPNsense logo

OPNsense

Networking

FreeBSD-based firewall and routing platform with weekly updates and a full configuration API

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Surfshark logo

Surfshark

Cybersecurity

Secure your digital life

From
$1.78/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OPNsense has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: OPNsense throughput depends entirely on hardware you selected yourself, and intrusion prevention at multi-gigabit rates will saturate a machine that handled plain firewalling fine, with no vendor sizing commitment to fall back on.; Surfshark smaller server network (4,500+ servers) compared to larger competitors like NordVPN
  • They diverge on capability: OPNsense covers Stateful firewall on pf, Surfshark covers Unlimited devices.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OPNsense and Surfshark actually diverge.

Attributes where OPNsense and Surfshark differ
AttributeOPNsenseSurfshark
Starting priceFree$1.78/month
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeUnknown
Free tierYesNo
Platformsx86-64 appliances, Virtual machines, Deciso hardwareWindows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux
CategoryNetworkingCybersecurity
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 OPNsense

  • Stateful firewall on pf
  • VPN suite
  • Suricata IDS and IPS
  • Full configuration API
  • High availability
  • Weekly update cadence

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.

OPNsense

  • Replacing a small business firewall appliance whose renewal quote exceeded the cost of the hardwarenot Surfshark
  • Branch offices where the firewall configuration must be produced by Ansible rather than by handnot Surfshark
  • Sites that need WireGuard and intrusion prevention on the same box without separate feature licencesnot Surfshark
  • A homelab or lab network needing VLAN routing, multi-WAN and DNS filtering on one machinenot Surfshark

Surfshark

  • Vpnnot OPNsense
  • Privacynot OPNsense
  • Security Suitenot OPNsense

Where each one falls short

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

OPNsense

  • Throughput depends entirely on hardware you selected yourself, and intrusion prevention at multi-gigabit rates will saturate a machine that handled plain firewalling fine, with no vendor sizing commitment to fall back on.
  • The weekly update cadence is good for security but means more change events than a team used to annual appliance firmware, and occasional regressions reach production installations.
  • FreeBSD underneath limits driver support compared with Linux, so recent network cards and some virtualisation drivers can be unsupported or slow.
  • The plugin ecosystem is uneven in quality; some plugins are maintained by a single contributor and can lag a major release, breaking a function you depended on.
  • Community support is a forum, so an outage at two in the morning on the free edition is your problem alone unless you bought the business subscription in advance.

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

OPNsense

Free
  • OPNsense Community EditionFree
    • MIT licence with no feature restrictions
    • All VPN, IDS and HA features included
    • Weekly updates and two major releases a year
  • OPNsense Business Edition$undefined/year
    • Stabilised update track lagging community releases
    • Commercial support from Deciso
    • Additional enterprise plugins and configuration backup

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 OPNsense if

  • You need stateful firewall on pf.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on x86-64 appliances, Virtual machines, Deciso hardware.
  • You also want vpn suite.
OPNsense 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 OPNsense or Surfshark better?
Neither clearly leads. OPNsense 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, OPNsense or Surfshark?
OPNsense has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for OPNsense and $1.78/month for Surfshark.
Does OPNsense or Surfshark run on more platforms?
OPNsense runs on x86-64 appliances, Virtual machines, Deciso hardware. Surfshark runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux.
Can I use OPNsense for free?
Yes. OPNsense has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Surfshark starts at $1.78/month.
What is OPNsense best used for?
OPNsense is most often used for replacing a small business firewall appliance whose renewal quote exceeded the cost of the hardware, branch offices where the firewall configuration must be produced by ansible rather than by hand, sites that need wireguard and intrusion prevention on the same box without separate feature licences, a homelab or lab network needing vlan routing, multi-wan and dns filtering on one machine. Of those, replacing a small business firewall appliance whose renewal quote exceeded the cost of the hardware and branch offices where the firewall configuration must be produced by ansible rather than by hand are not what Surfshark is typically brought in for.
What can OPNsense do that Surfshark cannot?
OPNsense covers Stateful firewall on pf, VPN suite, Suricata IDS and IPS, Full configuration API. Surfshark covers Unlimited devices, CleanWeb ad blocker, MultiHop, Camouflage Mode.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

OPNsense: How is it different from pfSense?

It is a 2015 fork with an MIT licence, a fixed weekly release cadence, a complete configuration API and a different interface. Feature coverage is comparable; the release process and API are the real differences.

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
OPNsense: Do I need the Business Edition?

Only if you want commercial support or a slower, stabilised update stream. No features are withheld from the community edition.

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
OPNsense: Can it handle a gigabit internet connection?

Plain firewalling on modest current hardware, comfortably. With Suricata inspection enabled, expect to need a considerably stronger CPU.

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