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Cybersecurity · head to head

Ory vs Surfshark

Ory logo

Ory

Cybersecurity

Open-source identity, authentication, and permissions infrastructure

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Surfshark logo

Surfshark

Cybersecurity

Secure your digital life

From
$1.78/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Ory has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Ory production and Growth plans are billed annually ($770/year and $9,350/year), which is a larger upfront commitment than monthly-only competitors.; Surfshark smaller server network (4,500+ servers) compared to larger competitors like NordVPN
  • They diverge on capability: Ory covers Authentication APIs, Surfshark covers Unlimited devices.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ory and Surfshark actually diverge.

Attributes where Ory and Surfshark differ
AttributeOrySurfshark
Starting priceFree$1.78/month
Pricing modelusage-basedUnknown
Free tierYesNo
Platformsweb, apiWindows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux
FoundedUnknown2018

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

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 Ory

  • Authentication APIs
  • Permissions engine
  • Machine-to-machine tokens
  • B2B organizations
  • SAML SSO
  • Multi-region deployments

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.

Ory

  • Adding self-hosted or cloud identity to a new productnot Surfshark
  • Implementing fine-grained permission checksnot Surfshark
  • Supporting B2B organizations and multi-tenancynot Surfshark
  • Building machine-to-machine authentication for microservicesnot Surfshark

Surfshark

  • Vpnnot Ory
  • Privacynot Ory
  • Security Suitenot Ory

Where each one falls short

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

Ory

  • Production and Growth plans are billed annually ($770/year and $9,350/year), which is a larger upfront commitment than monthly-only competitors.
  • SAML SSO and multi-region deployments are reserved for the custom-priced Enterprise tier.
  • Usage-based pricing across aDAU, M2M tokens, and permission checks makes cost estimation more complex than flat per-MAU billing.

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

Ory

Free
  • DeveloperFree
    • Community support
    • No production environments
  • Production$64/month
    • $21 monthly credit included
    • 1 production environment
    • 3 staging environments
  • Growth$779/month
    • $255 monthly credit included
    • 2 production environments
    • B2B organizations (max 3)

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 Ory if

  • You need authentication apis.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want permissions engine.
Ory 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 Ory or Surfshark better?
Neither clearly leads. Ory 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, Ory or Surfshark?
Ory has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Ory and $1.78/month for Surfshark.
Does Ory or Surfshark run on more platforms?
Ory runs on web, api. Surfshark runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux.
Can I use Ory for free?
Yes. Ory has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Surfshark starts at $1.78/month.
What is Ory best used for?
Ory is most often used for adding self-hosted or cloud identity to a new product, implementing fine-grained permission checks, supporting b2b organizations and multi-tenancy, building machine-to-machine authentication for microservices. Of those, adding self-hosted or cloud identity to a new product and implementing fine-grained permission checks are not what Surfshark is typically brought in for.
What can Ory do that Surfshark cannot?
Ory covers Authentication APIs, Permissions engine, Machine-to-machine tokens, B2B organizations. Surfshark covers Unlimited devices, CleanWeb ad blocker, MultiHop, Camouflage Mode.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ory: What does Ory cost?

Ory has a free Developer tier, a Production plan at $770/year including a $21 monthly credit, a Growth plan at $9,350/year including a $255 monthly credit, and custom Enterprise pricing.

Source
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
Ory: How is usage metered?

Beyond the included credit, Ory charges per average daily active user (aDAU), per machine-to-machine token, and per permission check, with lower per-unit rates on the Growth plan.

Source
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
Ory: What payment methods are supported?

Ory accepts credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Amex) and bank transfer, processed via Stripe.

Source
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