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Cybersecurity · head to head

Surfshark vs Visual Studio

Surfshark logo

Surfshark

Cybersecurity

Secure your digital life

From
$1.78/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Visual Studio logo

Visual Studio

Developer Tools

IDE for .NET and C++ development on Windows

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Visual Studio has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Surfshark smaller server network (4,500+ servers) compared to larger competitors like NordVPN; Visual Studio community edition is free only for individual developers, classroom use, academic research and open-source contribution, not general commercial use
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Surfshark and Visual Studio actually diverge.

Attributes where Surfshark and Visual Studio differ
AttributeSurfsharkVisual Studio
Starting price$1.78/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iOS, Android, LinuxWeb
CategoryCybersecurityDeveloper Tools
Founded2018Unknown

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 Surfshark

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

Only in Visual Studio

Nothing recorded that Surfshark does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Surfshark

  • Vpnnot Visual Studio
  • Privacynot Visual Studio
  • Security Suitenot Visual Studio

Visual Studio

  • Managing complex, large-scale projects across multiple platformsnot Surfshark
  • Commercial development in small businessesnot Surfshark
  • DevOps and automated deployment workflowsnot Surfshark
  • Windows/SQL Server developer and tester rolesnot Surfshark
  • Short-term or month-to-month IDE access needsnot Surfshark

Where each one falls short

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

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

Visual Studio

  • Community edition is free only for individual developers, classroom use, academic research and open-source contribution, not general commercial use
  • Monthly subscriptions are $45 per user per month for Professional and $250 per user per month for Enterprise, and do not include perpetual use rights the way annual Standard subscriptions do
  • A standalone perpetually licensed Visual Studio Professional 2022 costs $499 as a one-time purchase, separate from the subscription tiers

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Visual Studio

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Visual Studio review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Surfshark if

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

Choose Visual Studio if

  • You want to start without paying.
Visual Studio review

Questions people ask

Is Surfshark or Visual Studio better?
Neither clearly leads. Surfshark starts at $1.78/month and Visual Studio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Surfshark or Visual Studio?
Visual Studio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1.78/month for Surfshark and Free for Visual Studio.
Does Surfshark or Visual Studio run on more platforms?
Surfshark runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux. Visual Studio runs on Web.
Can I use Visual Studio for free?
Yes. Visual Studio has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Surfshark starts at $1.78/month.
What is Surfshark best used for?
Surfshark is most often used for vpn, privacy, security suite. Of those, vpn and privacy are not what Visual Studio is typically brought in for.
What can Surfshark do that Visual Studio cannot?
Surfshark covers Unlimited devices, CleanWeb ad blocker, MultiHop, Camouflage Mode.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Visual Studio: What are the pricing differences between subscription types?

Standard subscriptions include access to more benefits, such as Azure dev/test pricing, monthly Azure individual credit, software and download access, services, training, and support. Monthly subscriptions offer flexibility but fewer benefits.

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
Visual Studio: Are discounts available for startups?

There aren't any discounts available to start-ups, however an unlimited number of users within an organization can use Visual Studio Community for specific scenarios like open source work.

Source
Visual Studio: Who can use Visual Studio Community for free?

In non-enterprise organizations, up to five users can use it. Enterprise organizations (greater than 250 PCs or greater than $1M annual revenue) cannot use it beyond academic/open-source scenarios.

Source
Visual Studio: What's the renewal pricing structure?

Enterprise standard renews at $214.09/month (after initial $499.92); Professional at $66.59/month (after $99.99).

Source
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