Guardio vs Surfshark One: Block sites or scan Gmail?
Surfshark One is the better deal for most people. It bundles an AI email scam checker with leak alerts, antivirus and a VPN. Guardio is worth it only if you want scam sites blocked in the browser before you click.
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Guardio
Browser protection that blocks scam sites and AI-written phishing messages.
Surfshark One
One subscription that flags scam texts, leaked data and malware
This button can earn us a commission. You pay the same price.
Prices last checked on
| Feature | Guardio | Surfshark One |
|---|---|---|
| AI protection | ||
| AI feature | Predictive threat detection and AI-powered protection | Email scam checker, Surfshark Alert and Scam text protection |
| What it checks | Scam sites and phishing links in your browser before you click. | An open Gmail message that you ask it to scan. |
| Channels | Browser and links. Gmail and texts once you connect them. | Gmail in Chrome. Text messages on your phone. |
| Free or from which plan | All paid plans. The free plan has basic browser protection only. | From Surfshark One. Not in the cheaper Starter plan. |
| What happens to your input | Guardio reviews a suspicious text before it reaches your device. Gmail goes through a temporary cache. | Surfshark runs the check on its own servers. It says your data never trains AI models. |
| Voice clone or deepfake | Neither. Guardio names no feature for cloned voices or deepfake video. | Neither. Protection against scam calls is listed as coming soon. |
| Leak alerts | Data leak alerts in every paid plan. | Surfshark Alert warns when your email or passwords leak. |
| What each provider says about its own AI feature, read on September 22, 2026. | ||
| Our score | n/a | 4.1 / 5 |
| Price | From $9.99/mo | From €2.49/mo |
| Same currency (ECB 2026-09-01) | $9.99/mo | $2.89/mo |
| Free plan | No | |
| Best for | Blocking phishing and scam sites in your browser | Households wanting one scam-protection subscription |
| Visit Guardio | Visit Surfshark One This button can earn us a commission. You pay the same price. | |
Our verdict
Surfshark One is the wider buy. It costs €2.79 a month over the first term and brings antivirus, a VPN, leak alerts and the email scam checker. Guardio Individual costs $14.99 a month and does one job. The two bill in different currencies. A straight price ranking would mislead. Weigh what each one covers instead.
Guardio Individual protects one member on phone, tablet and computer. Guardio wins on one point. It stops a scam page before it loads. You never have to ask for that check. The Surfshark email check runs only when you click to scan, on Gmail in Chrome and nowhere else.
Pick Surfshark One if you want one subscription against several risks. Pick Guardio if browser blocking is the thing you actually want. One+ costs €4.49 a month. Surfshark lists the same features under One and One+ on its pricing page. Neither brand detects a cloned voice.
“A sensible pick if you want scam filtering, leak alerts and antivirus under one login. Data-broker removal sits one step up, in One+. The weak spot is transparency on cost. The introductory price runs for 27 months and the pricing page does not state the renewal price.”Editorial team, on Surfshark One
Frequently asked questions
Does Surfshark One check my email with AI?
Yes, on Gmail in Chrome. Surfshark says it uses artificial intelligence to detect phishing patterns in emails. The check sits in the Surfshark browser extension and runs when you click to scan. It does not filter your whole inbox by itself.
Is Guardio cheaper than Surfshark One?
That has no answer in one number. Guardio Individual costs $14.99 a month in dollars, or $119.88 a year billed yearly. Surfshark One costs €2.79 a month in euros over the first term. Surfshark buys more for that money. Antivirus and a VPN come with it.
Does Guardio work in Firefox or Safari?
Not on a computer. Guardio names Chrome and other Chromium browsers such as Microsoft Edge, Opera and Vivaldi. Firefox and Safari are not on that list. The Surfshark email check needs Chrome as well.
What does Surfshark Alert do?
It warns you when your data turns up in a leak. Surfshark names your email address and passwords. Card numbers and ID documents count too. Alert sits in Surfshark One and above. The identity theft coverage is for US residents only.