Self-Hosted (WireGuard / Algo) vs Surfshark
Both are free/open-source alternatives to NordVPN. Here's how they stack up — verified facts, no spin.
Self-Hosted (WireGuard / Algo)
Run your own VPN on a server you control — total ownership.
Instead of trusting any VPN company, run your own tunnel on a cheap VPS using WireGuard — or an installer like Algo VPN or Outline that automates the whole setup. You get an encrypted connection to a server only you use: maximum control, and no third-party no-logs promise to take on faith. The honest trade-off is that this hides your traffic from your ISP and secures public Wi-Fi, but it does NOT give you a shared IP for anonymity or reliable geo-unblocking the way a commercial VPN does — you're the only person on that IP — and you run the server yourself.
Surfshark
The cheapest full-featured commercial VPN — unlimited devices.
Surfshark is the value pick among mainstream commercial VPNs: cheap on a long plan, unlimited simultaneous devices, a big server network, and a no-logs policy audited by Deloitte. It is closed-source (proprietary apps and its own protocol), and it briefly holds your IP during an active session to prevent abuse, deleting it within about 15 minutes of disconnect. If you want a polished, feature-rich VPN and price matters more to you than open-source transparency, it's the strongest commercial option here.
Side by side
| Self-Hosted (WireGuard / Algo) | Surfshark | |
|---|---|---|
| Sovereignty Score | 95 | 42 |
| Open source | Yes | No |
| Self-hostable | Yes | No |
| Local-first | Yes | No |
| License | GPL-2.0 (WireGuard) / AGPL-3.0 (Algo) | Proprietary |
| Pricing | Free software; ~$4–5/month for the small VPS you run it on | ~$2/month on a 2-year plan; about $15/month month-to-month |
Self-Hosted (WireGuard / Algo) edges it on the Sovereignty Score, but the right pick depends on the trade-offs below.
Self-Hosted (WireGuard / Algo)
Strengths
- +You own the whole thing — no provider to trust
- +No-logs by definition: it's your server
- +Very cheap; one setup covers all your devices
Trade-offs
- −Not for anonymity or streaming — a single-user IP that's yours
- −You install, secure, and maintain the server
- −Some technical comfort required (Algo automates most of it)
Surfshark
Strengths
- +Very cheap on a long plan; unlimited devices
- +No-logs policy audited by Deloitte (2023 and 2025)
- +Feature-rich — streaming, ad/tracker blocking, big network
Trade-offs
- −Closed-source apps and proprietary protocol
- −Temporarily stores your IP during a session (deleted ~15 min after)
- −The cheap price requires a long prepaid commitment
Facts verified 2026-07-14. Licenses and pricing change — spotted something out of date? That's a correction we want.